Act to Restrain Abuses of Players
| Act of Parliament | |
| Long title | An Act to restrain Abuses of Players. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 3 Jas. 1. c. 21 |
| Territorial extent | England and Wales |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 27 May 1606 |
| Commencement | 6 January 1606 |
| Repealed | 22 August 1843 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Theatres Act 1843 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
The Act to Restrain Abuses of Players (3 Jas. 1. c. 21) was a censorship law passed by the Parliament of England, and introduced fines for plays which 'jestingly or profanely' used the names of God or Jesus. Plays written after 1606 avoided such terms as a consequence of the act, and new editions of older plays removed profane words. Some scholars have argued that the Act had an important influence on the revision and publication of the plays of William Shakespeare.