Religion and belief: Key dates 1604 to 1689

1604
Witchcraft Act removed trial of witches from church to common law courts

1605
Popish Recusants Act tightened law against Catholics

1649-60
Civil War: Abolition of the Church of England and a ban on the use of the Prayer Book

1656
Cromwell gave permission for Jews to resettle in London

1660
Restoration of Charles II and the Church of England

1661
Corporation Act restricted holding of public offices to Anglicans

1662
Act of Uniformity imposed a revised version of the Prayer Book. Clergy to be closely regulated by bishops which led to 1,000 clergy who disagreed with the Church leaving their parishes

1664
Conventicles Act:  meetings of more than five people illegal without use of the Anglican Prayer Book. The Act expired in 1667, revived by new Act in 1670, and repealed in 1689

1672
Declaration of Indulgence:  Charles II suspended operation of the penal laws against Catholics and nonconformists, but Parliament forced withdrawal of the Declaration in March 1673

1673
First Test Act forced all Catholics from public office

1678
Second Test Act excluded all Catholics - except Charles II's brother James, Duke of York - from membership of the House of Lords and House of Commons

1679-81
Exclusion Crisis: anti-Catholic campaign in Parliament to exclude the Catholic Duke of York from succession to the throne

1685-88
Reign of the Catholic king, James II. Deposed by William of Orange who succeeds as William III

1689
Bill of Rights declared that no future monarch could be a Catholic - or married to a Catholic