Treason Act 1535

The Treason Act 1535 or Forging the Sign-manual, etc. Act 1535 was an act passed by the English Parliament during the reign of King Henry VIII of England in 1535.
It made it high treason to counterfeit the Privy Seal, Signet or royal sign-manual.

Commentary

Sir Geoffrey Elton argued that the extension of the definition of treason to include forgery of the king's signet or sign-manual by this act was demanded by administrative methods new since the Treason Act 1351.
The act was also acknowledged as an important milestone for the recognition of the importance of authenticity and legitimacy in the Tudor period, given that high treason was punishable by death.

Repeal

The act was virtually repealed by the Treason Act 1553, but another act passed later in the same year, the Treason (No. 2) Act 1553 recreated the offence.
The whole act was repealed by section 1 of, and the schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1863.