The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-03-26 00:00:00

A BILL •
TO PROVIDE. FOR THE REMOTA!. OT THE DISQVA•tIFICA-
Tiows crinErt WHICH HIS MAJESTY'S ROMAN CATHOLIC
SUBJECTS VOW LABOUR.

Whereas the Protestant succession to the Imperial Crown of this
United Kingdom and its dependencies is, by the Act for the further
limitation of the Crain and the better crewing the liberties of the
inbject,ratablislied permanently end inviolably:
And wit the Protestant Episcopal Church of England and
Ireland, and the doctrine, discipline, and government thereof, and
likewise the Protestant Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the
doctrine, discipline. and government thereof, are, by the respective
Acts of Union between England and Scotland, and between Great
Britain and Ireland, therein severally established permanently snd
iiiviolably :
'• And whereas after due consideration of the situation, dieptmitiona,
and conduct of his Majesty's Roman Catholic subjects, it appears
just and fitting to communicate to them the enjoyment of the bene-
fits sod aelantagee of' the Constitution and Government happily
established in this United Kingdom, an that all his Majesty's feoh-
ful and dutiful subjects nay grow into one nation • whereby there
spay berm utter oblivion and extinguishment of aft former dlesen-
stens rind tliscortl% between them, thus consolidating the Union
between- Great Britain and Ireland, and uniting and knitting
esgethet the hearts of all his •Mateety's subjects in one and the same
Interest; for the support of his Majesty's person, family, crown, and
Government, and for the defence of their common rights and
liberties:
• And whereas by certain 'Aett paned in the Parliaments of
Great Britain and Irelend respectively, certain declarations,
commonly called the Beeclaration against transubstantiation, and
against transubstantiation and the invocation of Saints, anC the sa-
crifice of the ales., as ,practised in. the Church of Rome, Ore re.
quired to be made and subscribed is qualifications for the enjoy-
ment of certain offices and franchises: And whereas the said decla-
rations are in the worth' follnwing; that is to any—
"' I, A. B. do declare, That I do believe that thtre is not any
transubstantiation In the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, or in
the elenients of bread and wine, at or din the consecration thereof
by any person whatever."
' I, A. B. do solemnly end eineeretle in the latest:nee of God,
profess, testify, and declare, That I do believe; that in the Sa-
crament of the Lord's Supper there is not any transubatanti.
ation of the elements of breed and wine into the body sold
blood of Christ, at or after the consecration thereof.-hp pay Phis: i
son whatsoever. And that the invocation or adoratieli of the
%'irgiu Mary, or any other Saint, and the sacrifice of the Mass,
as they are now used in the Church of Rome, are superrtitintas and
idolatrous. And I do solemnly, in the pretence of God, profess,
testify, and deriere, that I do make this declaration, and every part
thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of the wordi rend unto me,
as they are commonly understood by English Protestants, without
any minion, equivocation, or mental reservation whatsoever,. sad
without any dispensation already granted me for this puree:stelae the
Pope or any other authority or person whatsover, or without thin Ping
that I am or can be acquitted before God or man' or absefred of this
declaration, or any part thereof, although the Pope or any other
person or persons, or power whatsoever, should dispense with or
annul the same, or declare that it was null or void from the begin.
ning."
And whereas the said declarations relate only to matters of spi-
ritual and religious belief, which do not in any manner affect the
allegiance of his Majesty's subjects;
May it therefore please your Majesty,
That it may be enacted ; and be It enacted, by the King's Most
Excellent elejesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords
Spiritual and Temporal. and Commons, in this present Parliament
assembled, and by the authority of the same, That all such parts of
the said Acts as require the said declarations, or either of them, to
be made or subscribed as a qualification for the exercise or enjoy-
ment of any office, franchise, or civil right, by any of his Majesty's
subjecte, be and the same are hereby absolutely repealed ; save as
hereinafter provided.
And whereas by divers Acts passed in the said Parliaments of
Great Britain and Ireland respectively, the Oaths of Allegiance,
Supremacy, and Abjtirmion therein provided, are required to be
taken for certain purposes therein mentioned : And whereas his
alajesty's Roman Catholic subjects in Great Britain and Ireland
have been at all times ready and desirous to take the said Oaths of
Allegiance and Abjuration in common with his Majesty's; other
subjects, but entertain scruples' with respect to taking the Oath of
Supremacy', innsmuch as they apprehend that the same might be
construed to import a disclaimer of the spiritual authority of the
Pope or Church of Snore in matters of religious belief ; Be it
therefore Enacted, that from and after the it shall
and may be lawful for all or any of his Majesty's Roman Catholic
subjects, in all cases where the said Oath of Supremacy is now by
law required to be taken as a qualification for the taking, holding,
or enjoi leg any civil right, office, or franchise, in lieu ant place
thereof to take, make, and subscribe the oath following—(that is
to nil:—
" I. A. B. do sincerely promise and swan that I will be faith-
ful and bear true alleglsece to his present Majesty, and will de.
feud hint to the utmost of my power against all conspiracies and
attempts whatever, that *hall be made against his person, crown,
or dignity ; and I will do my utmost endeavour to disclose and
make known to his Majesty. his heirs and successors, all treasons
and traiterous conspiracies which may be formed against hisn or
them : And I do faithfully promise to maintain, support, and de-
fend to the utmost of my power, the succession of the crown, which
succession, by an Act intitaleid, ' An Act foe the farther
limitation of the Crown, anti better securing the rights and
liberties of the subject,' is mad stands limited to the Pin.
can Sophia, Eleetrns and Bache.* Dowag:r of Hanover,
and the heirs of her body, being Protestants ; hereby utterly re.
n wincing and abjuring any obedience or allegiance unto any other
p •nion claiming or pretending a right to the Crown of these realms:
at d I do swear, that I do reject and detest, as unchristian and im-
pious, the position, that it is lawful to murder or destroy any per-
.° i or rent me whatsoever, for or under pretence of their being here-
tics or intidels : and also, that unchristian and impious principle,
that fsi h is not to be kept with heretics or inlide's. And I do fu
they declare, that it is not an article cf my faith, and that 1 do re. I
nounce, refire', andeibjure the opinion, that Princes excemmu n 'gated
by the Pope and Council. or any othe;authority of the Ste of Reno.,
or by toy other authorities whatsoever, may be deposed or MIN
tiered by their subjects or by any person 'between ; and I do
promise, that I will not hold, maintain, or SSC( any such opinion I
or any other opinion, contrary to what is expressed in this deems.
ration: Anti I do declare that I do not believe that the Pole of
Rome, or any other foreign Prince. Prelate, State, or Po:entate,
bath or ought to have any temporal or civil jurisdiction. power,
superiority, or pre-eminence, directly or indirectly, within this
reslm : And I do hereby disclaim, disavow, and solemnly abjure,
any intention to subvert the present Church Eetablishment for the
purpose of substituting a Roman Catholic Establishment In its
stead : and Ido solemnly swear, that I will never exercise any psi.
vilege to which I am or may become entitled, to disturb the iiro-
testant Religion or Protestant Gorernment in this kingdom :
And I do solemnly, in the presence of God, profess, testify,
and declare, that I do make this declaration and every part
thereof, in the pla in and ordinary sense of the words of this
o.rb, without any eavanion, equivocation, or men:al enerva-
tion whatever, and without any dispensation already granted by
the Pope, or any authority of the Sr. of Rome, or any person
whatever, and without thinking that I am or can be acquitted be-
fore God or mai, or absolved of this declaration, or any pert there.
of, although the Pope, or any other person or authority whatsoever,
shall diapers • with cr annul the same, and declare that it was null
I or voie.--So help me God."
And that the persons° taking. making:. and subscribing the same,
shall be capable of taking. bolding, end enjoying such right, office,
and franchise, as fully and effectually, to all intents and purposes.
as if such lotion hsd made, taken, and subscribed the said Oath of
supremacy ; save as he-einafter provided.
Provided always. and be it further enacted, that nothing in this
Act contained shall extend or be coratrued to extend to dispenee
with, repeal, or ghee any of the laws now in force reopening the
succession of the Imperial Crown of these realms in the Protestant
line, or respecting the marriages of the descendants of his late
Majesty King George the Second. or fur establishing the unifor-
mity of public prayer*, or administration of sacraments la the
United Episcopal Church of England and Ireland.
Provided also. and be it further enacted, that nothing in this
Act contained shall be construed to enable any person or per-
sons, otherwise than as they are now by law enabled, to hotel,
enjoy. or to exercise any office. beneficial place, or dignity, of, is,
or belonging to the said United Church of England and Ire-
land, or to the Church of Scotland, or any place or office
whatever, of or belonging to any of the Ecclesiastical Courts
of Judicature of this realm, or any Court of appeal front or
review of the sentences of such Court or Courts, or of or belonging
to any cathedral or collegiate or ecclesiastic,' establishment or
foundation within the same; or any office or place whatever of or
belonging to any of the Universities of this realm, or any office or
place whatever, and by whatever name the same may be called, of
111 or belonging to any of the colleges or halls of the said Univer-
sities, or of the colleges of Eton, Westminster, or Winchester, or
any college or school of ecclesiastical foundation within this realm;
or to repeal. abrogate, or in airy manner to interfere with any local
'emote, ordinance, or rule, which is or shall be established by
competent authority within any such Cfnlyersity, college, hale or
school, and by which Roman Catholics shall be prevented from being
admitted thereto, or from residing or taking degree. therein: Pro-
tided also,that nothing herein contained shall extend or be wrist/Led
to extend to enable any person pmfeasine the Roman Catholic re.
ligion, to exercise any right of presentation to any esclesiesticsi
benefice whatsoever. Iliad that in every case in which a right of pre-''
sensation is or shall be vested in a person pre:aiming the Roman
Catholic religion, the same shall be and continue to be exercised in
the same manner, and in lo other, than is now by law required;
save and except where soh right of prescnti9ott shall belong to
any of in the gift or appniognient of his rev, his heirs and
successors, in which case,.ifeeti office sh be held by a
professing the Roman Catholic telipisn, it sl 11 and may be person
for his Majesty, his heirs and successors, to afppoint by coutiniesion
under the great peal, such membet or members of the Privy
Council, being a Protestant or Protestant'', As he or they thellthink
fit to be a Commissioner or Commimionera for exercising such
right of presentation, whilst such office shall be held by a permits
professing the Roman Catholic religion. Provided also, that
nothing herein contained shall extend on be construed to extend to
enable any person being a Roman Catholic to hold and enjoy the
office of Loyd High Chaucellor, bred Keeper or Lord Commis.
Monett of the Great Seal of Great Britain or Ireland, or of Lon!
Lieutenant or Lord Deputy, or other the Chief Governor oe Chief
Governor* of. Ireland.
anyA o
And be
hisi.4til.)fu.rth7esr
Renoam3tend,cathiboat tihsealbliamndts n'paeynboebalaywfitoil fee
aill
pear in say of his Majesty's Courts of Kzehequer, King's Bench, I