Under the rule of Henry VIII, Anabaptists were persecuted as dissidents of the state. Since certain Anabaptists had been involved with Munster uprising, the word Anabaptist had become associated with violence and public disturbances. This combined with the Anabaptist beliefs on baptism (a radical belief at the time) caused Henry, under Cranmer's guidance chose to persecute them.Gillaspie, Henry VIII. To Henry, it appeared to be in his best interest because he believed that such extremists were in a threat to the state. In response he enacted a few laws concerning anabaptists and "Between 1535-1546 large numbers of foreign Anabaptists were executed or burned at the stake for heresy. In 1535, some 25 Dutch Anabaptists who had fled the Amsterdam Uprisings were quickly rounded up. They were arrested, condemned for heresy and burned at the stake within the month."QuelleNet. "ExLIBRIS: Home Page." Wayback Machine, ExLIBRIS In 1590 Anabaptists were ordered to leave England or join the Anglican Church (or the Strangers Church). The exile increased contact with Continental Anabaptists.
