Six Articles,

Six Articles, STATUTE OF, an enactment of Henry VIII. (1539), commonly called the Bloody Statute, to compel the uniform profession of the following six doctrines: (1) The Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and Transubstantiation; (2) the sufficiency of communion in one kind only; (3) the unlawfulness of the marriage of priests; (4) the obligation of vows of chastity; (5) the propriety of retaining private masses; (6) the expediency and necessity of auricular confession. In spite of the threatened penalties, only twenty-eight persons suffered death under the statute throughout the whole reign. See HENRY VIII.