The people, usually Roman Catholics, who refused to attend Anglican church services from the 16th century onward. Fines were imposed on them by Acts of Uniformity (1552 and 1559). Although Nonconformists could be penalized for recusancy, the term was often used as an abbreviation of “Catholic Recusants”, distinguishing them from “Church Papists”, who were Catholics who attended Anglican services rather than pay the fines. The penal laws against Catholics were extended between 1571 and 1610, but were rarely enforced. They were systematically repealed in a series of Toleration Acts (see catholic emancipation).