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More than 5000 entries on the history, culture and life of Britain (published in 1993 by Macmillan, now out of print)
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Clarendon Code
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Term popularized by historians in the past to cover four acts passed by parliament while the earl of *Clarendon was lord chancellor. The purpose of the acts was to restrict *Nonconformists, but the term is inaccurate in that Clarendon himself was not in favour of the measures. The Corporation Act (1661) ruled that all holding office in town corporations must have previously taken the sacrament in an Anglican church. The Act of Uniformity (1662) forced all clergy to accept the *Thirty-nine Articles, thus successfully removing from their livings some 2000 sectarians who had been appointed during the *Commonwealth.
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The Conventicle Act (1664) made worship illegal outside an Anglican church if more than a very small number were present. And the Five-Mile Act (1665) prevented Nonconformist ministers from coming within five miles of any town or place where they had previously ministered. These precise restrictions were later replaced by the more general discrimination of the *Test Acts.
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