The Sun.
London, England, 1829-03-11 00:00:00

ROMAN CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL.

persons otherwise than as they are now by law enabled, to
hold, enjoy, or exercise Any office, place, or dignity, of. in.
or belonging to the Unittd Church of England and Ire-
land, or the Church: of Scotland, or any place or office

A BILL FoR RFLIEF OF HIS MAJESTY'S
ROMAN CATHOLIC SUBJECTS.

•
( saoi printed in /fates . are proposed to Irs
inserted in ties ('animittee.)
Whereas. try varimia :rats el Parliament certain restraints
and disabilities-are isilver-1 r a dre Roman Catholk sub-
jects of his Majesty, to wlesia other subjects of his Ma-
jesty ark not liable: Ar-1 whereas it is expedient that such
restraints and disabilities shall be from henceforth discon-
tinned : And whereas by various acts •certain oaths slid
declarations, commonly called the declaration againSt
transubstantiation, and against transubstantiation and invo-
cation of saints and the sacrifice of the mass, as practised in
the Church of Rome, are or may be required to
-he taken,
made and subscribed by the sahjects of his Maje4y, as
qualifications for sitting and voting in Parliament, and
for the enjoyment of offices, franchises,, and civil rights ;
be it enacted Iry the King's most excellent Majesty, by
and with the advice end consent of the Lords Spit i u I and
Temporal, and Com Mons, in this }-resent Parlianamt as-
sembled, and by the authority of the same, that from and
after the commencement of this -Act, all such parts of the
said Acts al require the said declinations, or either ef
them, to be made or sul,scribed as a qualification for sit-
ting and voting in Parliament, or for the .-exercise or en-
joyment of any, office, franchise, or civil right, by any of
his Majesty's subjects, he and the same are (save as herein-
after provided and excepted) hereby repealed.
And be it enacted, that from and after the commence-
m-nt of this Act, it shall au! may he lawful for any per-
son professing the Roman Cal:die religion, being a Peer,
or who shell- after the commencement of this Act he re-
turned as a Member of the House of Commons,' to nit and
vote :in either House Of -Parliament respeetiv, ly, being in
all other respects duly qualified to Sit anti vote- therein,
upon taking' and' .substribina the* following oath, instead
of the natheadallegiance, abjuration, and sopietnacy, •and
iiiSteact of nicking and subscribing the declaration against •
transubstantiation and the invocation of saints, and the
a icrifive of the mast, es practised in the Church of Rome.
I, .4, B. do sincerely promise and swear, That I wilt be
" faithful and bear true allegiance to his Majesty King
" George the Fourth, and will defend him to the utmost of 1
it my power against all conspiracies and attempts whatever,
" which shall be in sale 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 tree-
• .st sorts and traiterous conspiracies which may be formed
" against him or them : And ll.do . faithfully promise to
" maintain, support, and defend, to the utmost of my power,
" the succession of the Crown, which succession, by an
" Act intituted, An Act for the farther Limitation of the
" Crown, and better securing the Rights and Liberties of
4‘ the Subject,' is and stands limited to the Princess Sophia,
" Electress of Hanover, and •the heirs of her body, being
. Protestants ; hereby utterly renouncing and abjuring
" any obedience or allegiance unto anyother person claiming .
" or pretending a right to the Crown of these realms: And
!. I do further declare, That it is not an article of mytaith,
".and I do renounce, reject, arid abjure the opinion, that
" princes excommunicated or deprived by the. Pope, or any
" other authority, of the see of. Rome, may be deposed or
" murdered by their subjects, or by arty person whatsoever :
" .And-I do declare, That Ido not believe t hat the Pope of
• " Rome, or any other foreign- prince, prelate, person,
" state, or potentate bath or ought .to have any temporal
jurisdiction,
" or civil power, superiority, or pre-eminence,
" directly or indirectly, within this realm. I do swear,
-" That I sill defend to the utmost of my power the Settle-
" ment of property within this realm, as established by
the laws. And Ido hereby disclaint, disavow, and solemnly
" abjure any intention to subvert the present Church .Esta-
• " blishment as settled-by law-within this realm And-.I do
of soletnnly swear, That I finer will exercise any privilege
td which I am or may become entitled, to disturb or
" weaken the Protestant religion or Protestant government
" in this kingdom : And I do solemnly in the presence of
" Gad, profess, testify, ,nd declare, That I do make this
" Declaration, and every part thereof, in the plain and
" ordinary sense of the words of this Oath, without any
" evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation 'whatsoever."
Provided alwave, and be it further enacted, that no
Peer, professing the Roman Catholic religion, and no per-
son, professing the Roman Catholic religion, who shall be
returned a Member of :the House of- Commons after 'the
commencement of this Act, dad he capable of sitting or
voting in either House of Parliament- respectivelya unless
he shall first take and ,sobscriter• the oath hereinbefine ap-
pointed and, set forthabefore the same persons, at the same
times and places, and in the same manner as the oaths and
declaration- now a-eqoired -by 'law are
.direct6d tri be taken
and made; and that any such person professing the Roman
Catholic religion, who shall -sit atfd-^Vote in either House
of Parliament, without having-first taken and Subscribed
the said oath in this Act- appointed and' get tenth in the
manner above mentioned, Allan he Subject and liableto the
same penalties, forfeitirreraand disabilities, and the offence
of so sitting -and voting shad. be followed and attended liy
and with the same censeqrrences as are by law enacted and
ptm ided in • the .case of persons Sitting and voting in either
-Howse of Parliainent, ikssaectiVely;' withrint• taking We
baths and making thedeetaration:now required by law to
be taken and made. . - •
And be it further enacted,'' that it shall arid may
be !Awful for pea'sons professing the 'Roman Catholic
religion, to vote at elections of Members to serve in
Parliament, and. to be elected • such Members, and also
to vote at the eltartiene of -representative Peers of Scotland
and Ireland, and to be elected such representative Peers,
and to be enrolled as freeholdess• in, any shires or stewartry
of Seotlsnd, and thereafter, to vote in all proceedings. of
the 'Court of freeholders, and to be chosen preses or clerk
of such courts, and to be chosen commissioner or delegate
for choosing burgesses to eerve• in Parliament for any
district of burghs in Scotland., being in • 'ail other respects
drily qualified so to do, upon producing to the officer or
other person who by law-or • custom is required to make
the return at such election, or other presiding officer, the
certificate,
.hereinafter mentioned, of the oath -.hereby ap-
pOinted and set forth Nein been duly taken and subscribed
by the perion producing the same, or. upon taking end.'
sub Scribing the said oath at the time and place of such
election instead of the oaths Of allegiance,-. suprernecy and
,
abjuration; and instead of the declaration nosy by law rea
quirtal to be made and subeicribed, and inst ad Of such
Other-oath or oaths as are now by law required to be taken
by, any of his Majesty's subjects professing the Roman Ca-
tholic religion, and also upon taking such other oath or
oaths as may new be lawfully tendered to any person or
persons offering to elect or he elected at such elections.
And whereas by a certain Act of. the Parliament 'of
Scotland made in the eighth and ninth Session of the first
Parliament of King. William 111. intituled, "An Act for
the preventing the growth of Popery," and a certain decla-
ration or formula is therein contained, which it is expe-
dient should no longer be required to be taken and sub-
scribed ; be it therefore enacted, that so much of any Acts
as authorise the said declaration or formula to be ten-
dered, or require the same to be taken, sworn, and sub-
scribed, be and the same are hereby repealed, except as to
such offices, places, and rights, as are hereinafter ex-
cept e I,
And be it enacted, that it shall be lawful for any of his
Majesty's subjects professing the Roman Catholic
to hold, exercise, and enjoy, ell civil and military offices
and places of trust or profit under his Majesty, his heirs
or successors, end' to 'exercise any other franchise or civil
right, except as heieluafterexcepted,- upon taking and sub-
scribing, at the times and in the'manner hereinafter men-
tioned, the oath hereinbefore appointedand.set forth, instead

whatever Of or belongiUg to any of the ecclesiastical courts
of judicarere of this.realmeor any court of appeal from or
review of the sentences of such court or cow ts, or of or
belonging, to any cathedral or collegiate- or ecclesiastial es-
tablishment or foundation within the same ; or any office
or place whatever of or belonging to any of the uni-
versities of this realm; or any office or pllce what-
ever, and by whatever name the e•serne may be called,
of, in, or belonging to any of The colleges or halls of
said universities, or of the colleges if Eton, Westminster,
or Winchester, or any college or school of. ecclesiastical
foundation within this realm ; or to repeal, abrogate, or in
any manner to interfere with any local statute, ordinance or
rule,'which;is or shall be established-by competent authority
wit'cin any such university, college, hall, or school, and by
Which Roman Catholics shall be prevented from being ad-
mitted thereto, or from residing or taking degrees therein ;
provided also, that nothing herein contained shall extend or
be construed to extend to enable any person professing the
Roman Catholic religion, to exercise any right of presets- I
tation to any ecclesiastical benefice whatsoever; and that
in every case in which a right of presentation is or shall
be vested- in a .person professing the Roman Catholic re-
ligion, the same shall be and continue to be exercised in
the sure manner, and no other than is now by law re- •
quire(' ; save and except where such right of presentation
shall belong to any office in the gift or appointment of his •
Majesty. his- heirs or successors, in which case, if such
office sha I be held by a person professing the Roman Ca--;
tholic religion, it shall be lawful for his Majesty, his heirs
and successors, to appoint,- by commission under the Great ;
sea!, such number of members of the Privy Council, be-
hie Protestant or Protestants, as he or they shall think fit, !-
tole: a Commissioner or Commissioners for exercising such
right of presentation, whilst such office shall be held by. a
person professing the Roman Catholic religion. a
Provided also, and he it enacte I, that. it shall not he
lawful for any person professing Roman Catholic 1.175....
gion, directly or indirectly,. to adVise the Crown in the ap-
pointroent to, or disposal of, any office or preferment, lay -
or ecclesiastic-el, in the United Church of Engl ind or Ire-
land, or of the Church of Scotland; and that if any such
parson shall presume to advise his Majesty, his heirs or •
successors, or the Lord Lieutmant or Lord Deputy, or
other Chief Governor or Governors of Ireland, touching
or concerning any such appointment or disposal, he shall, I
being thereof convicted by due course of law, be deemed ;
guilty of a high misdemeanor, and be disabled for ever from
holding any office, civil or military, under the Crown.
And be it enacted, that every person professing the
Roman Catholic religion, who shall after the commence-
- mentof this Act be placed, elected, orchosen in or to the
office of mayor, provost, alderman, recorder, bailiff, town
clerk, Magistrate, councillor or common councilman, or in
or to anv office of magistracy or place., trust or employ-
ment, relating to the government of any city, corporation,
borough, burgh, or district within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, shall within one calendar
month next before or upon his admission into any
of the aforesaid offices or trusts, take and subscribe the
oath hereinbefore appointed and set forth, in the presence
of -such person or persons respectively as by the charters
or .usages of the said respective cities, corporation., burghs,
boroughs; and districts, ought to administer the oath for
due execution of the said offices or places respectively, and
in default of such, in the presence of Two Justices of the
Peace, Councillors, or Magistrates of the slid cities, corpo-
rations. burghs, boroughs, and districts, if such there be,
or otherwise in the
.preeence of Two Justices of the peace
of • the respective-counties, ridings, divisions, or franchises
wherein the said cities, corporations, burghs, boroughs and
districts are, which said oath shall either be entered in a
book, roll or other record to be kept for that purpose, or
shall be filed amongst the records of the city, corporation,-
burgh, borough or district.
And be it enacted, that every person professing the Ro-
man Catholic relieion,- who shall after' the commencement
of this Act be- appointed to any office or place of trust or
profit under his Majesty, his heirs or successors, shall
within Three calendar months next before such appoint-
ment, or otherwise shall
.before he presumes to exercise or
enjoy or in any' manner to act in such office or place, take
end Imbue-die the oath' hereinbefore appointed and set
forth, either in his Majesty's High Court of Chan,
eery, or in any of his Majesty's Courts of King's Bench,
Common Pleas or Exchequer, at Westminster or Dublin, or
befoie any Judge of Assize, or in any Court of General or
QuarterSeeeione of the peace in Great Britain or Ireland, for
the County-or place- where the 'person so-making, taking,
and subscribing the same shall reside ; or in any of his
Majesty's Courts of Session, Justiciary, Exchequer or Jury
Court, or in any Sheriff or Stewart Court, or in any
Burgh Court, or before the Magistrates and, Councillors of
any Royal Bnrgh. in Scotland, between the hours of nine
in the morning and Aar in the afternoon, and that the
proper Officer of such Court in which such oaths-shall be
so made,,talten., and subscribed, shall cause the same to be
preserved amongst the records of the said Court ; and such
Officer shall make, subscribe-, and deliver a certificate of
such oath having been duly taken, and subscribed as often
as the same shall be demanded, upon payment of the fee or
suns of tero shillings on:1 sixpence for the same, and such
certificate shall be. sufficient evidence of such person having
duly taken and subscribed such oaths as aforesaid.
And be it enacted, that if any person professing the Ro-
man Catholic religion,e shall enter• upon the exercise and •
enjoyment of any office or franchise, or any office or place
ot• trust or profit under his Mejesty, not having in manner
and at the time aforesaid taken and subscribed the oath
hereinbefore appointed and set forth, then and in every
such case 'such person shall forfeit to his Majesty the Senn
of Iwo .hundred .• pounds ; and the eppointment of such
pOarson to the office, franchise, or place so• by him held,
shall thereupen'become altogether void, and the office,
franchise, or place, shall he deemed and taken to be vacant
to all intents and purposes whatsoever.
Provided always, dint for and notwithstanding any
thing in* this Act contained, the oath hereinbefore ap-
pointed and set forth shall be taken by the officers in his
Majesty's land and sea service, at the same times and iu the
same manner as the oaths and declarations now required by
laW arc directed to be taken, and not otherwise.
And be it further enacted, that from and after the pas-
sing of this Act, no oath or oaths shall be tendered to, or
required to be taken by his Majesty's subjects, professing
the Roman Catholic religion. for enabling them to hold or
enjoy any real or personal property, other than such as
may by law be tendered to a.nd required to be taken by his
Majesty's other subjects; and that the said 'oath herein ap-
pointed and set forth, being taken and subscribed in any of
the courts, or before any of the persons above mentioned, in
respect whereof a certificate is directed to he delivered as
aforesaid, shall be of the same force and effect, to all intents
'and purposes, as, and shall .stand in the place of, all oaths
and declarations required or prescribed by any law now in
face for the relief of his Majesty's Roman Catholic sub-
jects from any disabilities, incapacities or penalties.
And
.whereas the Protestant Episcopal Church of Eng-

, .
of the oaths of allegiance and supremacy; and declaration
against transubStantiation, and such other oath or oaths as are

land. and Ireland, and the doctrine, discipline, and goVern-
wilt thereof, and' likewise the Protestant Presbyterian

or may e now by law required to be taken for the purpose
aforesaid by any of his 'Majesty's Sulije6t4 profeSsing the
Roman Catholiacligion : provided nevertheless, that such
other oath and oaths, awl such • other declarations shall be
made and takei as are or may .he by law required to be
taken by any person or persons on his or their admission
into any. such office or place or-trust-or profit respectively.
Provided always, and be it further.enacted, that nothing
herein contained shall extend or he construed to extend
to enable any person or persons .priifessiwr the Roman Ca-
tholic religion, to hold or,.exercise..the office of Regent of
this United Kingdom during the absence of hie Majesty or
his successors from the same,- under whatever name-, style,
or title such Regent May be constituted or appointed ; nor
-tdenable any person, otherwise than as he is now by law
enabled, to hold or enjoy the office of Lord High Chancel-
lor, Lord. Keeper pr Lord.Commissionerof the. Great Seal
of. Great Britain or Ireland;.. or of Lerd Lieutenant, or.
Lord DePnty, or other Chief Governor or Governors of-
Ireland.

Church of Scotland, and the doctrine, discipline, and go-
vernment thereof, are by the respective Acts of Union of
England and Scotland and of Great Britain and Ireland,
established permanent and inviolably.
And whereas the right and title of Archbishops to their
respective provinces, of Bishops to tb&r sees, and of Deans
to their deaneries, as
.well in England as in Ireland, have
been settled and established by law ; be it therefore
enacted, that from and after the commencement of this Act
it shall not be lawful for any person, other than the person
thereunto authorised by law, to assume or use the name,
style, or title of ArchbishOp of any pro Vince, Bishop of any
bishoptic, or .Deati of any deanery; in England ; and
every person so offending shall for every such offence forfeit
and-pay the Suitt of one hundred pounds.
And be it further enacted, that from and after.!he com-.
mencenaent_ of this Act it shall not be lawful for any person,
holding anyjudicial or Civiroffice, or any Mayor; Provost,
Jurat, Bailiff, 'or other Corporate Officer, to resort to, or
presentbe at any place or public, meetingfor, religious woe-
- _ .

Amtt he it enacted, that it shall and may be lawful for
any of his Majesty's Nubjectg professing the Roman Catholic
religion, to be
.a.tuember of, any lay body.corporate, and to
hold any civil office or place of trust or profit therein, and
to do any corporate act, in. vote in any corporate erection.
or other proceeding, upon taking and subscribing the oath
'hereby appointed and set forth, instead of the oaths of al-
legiance. abjuration and supremacy, and instead of the
declaration against transubstantiation ; and upon taking
,
also such•other.oath or oaths as may now by law be re-
quired to be taken by any person or persons hemming a
member or members of such_ lay body corporate, or being.
admitted to hold any office or place of trust or profit within
the same.

ship, in England or in Ireland, other than that of the
United Chtirch of Scotland, as bylaw established, in the
robe, gown, or other ptculiar hlbit of his office, or attended
with the ensign or insignia, or any part thered; of or b'eld.
longing to such his dffiCe ;- arid in case any much person
shall, after.the commencement of this Act, so offend, Jut
shall, being thereof convicted by due course of law, forfeit'
such office, and pay the surn'of one hundred pounds:
And be it further enacted,. that from and after the com
mencement of this act, it shall not be lawful for any Ro-
Joan Catholic Ecclesiastic, or any members of the orders,
communities, or societies hereinafter mentioned, to exer-
cise any of the rites or ceremonies of the Roman Catholic
religion, or wear the habits of his order, save within the

Provided nevertheless, and be it further enacted; that usual places of worship of the Roman Catholic Religion,•or
nothing herein contained shall extend to authorize or. in private houses ; and in case any such ecclesiastic or other
power any of his Majesty's subjects professing the 'Oman person shod:, after the commencement of this:Act, so offend,
Catholic religion, and being a member of any lay body cor- lie shall, being thereof convicted by due course of law, for-
porate, to give any vote at, or in any manner to join in the kit the sum offifty pounds.
election, presentation, or appointment of any nersonto any Provided always, and be it enacted, that nothing in this
ecclesiastical beneficewhatsoever, or any office or place Act contained shall in any manner repeal, alter or affect
belonging to or connected with the United Chinch of Eng- any provision Of an Act in:ale in the Mai year of his pre-
land and Ireland, or the_Church of *otland, being in the, sent 111ajesty'areig3, intitnicd, " An Act o repeal so much
gift, patronage; or disposal, of such laY corpdrate body. .
"' of an Act passed in the; ninth yeari:eign of King
Provided also, and he it enacted, that nothing in this William the Third, relates to burials iti suppressed
Act eontainpii .hall ..,..stened to enable any ninon nr in Ireland. and to make