commonly known as the
PENAL LAWS
STATUTES BY SUBJECT -- OATHS
English Statute 1 Eliz c.1 (1558):
OATH OF SUPREMACY
I, A. B., do utterly testify and declare in my conscience, that the Queen's
highness is the only supreme governor of this realm, and of all other her Highness
dominions and countries, as well in all spiritual or ecclesiastical things or
causes, as temporal, and that no foreign prince, person, prelate, state or potentate,
hath, or ought to have any jurisdiction, power, superiority, preheminence, or
authority ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm; and therefore I do
utterly renounce and forsake all foreign jurisdictions, powers, superiorities,
and authorities, and do promise that from henceforth I shall bear faith and
true allegiance to the Queen's Highness, her heirs and lawful successors, and
to my power shall assist and defend all jurisdictions, preheminences, privileges
and authorities granted or belonging to the Queen's Highness, her heirs and
successors, or united and annexed to the imperial crown of this realm. So help
me God, and by the contents of this book.'
English Statute 3 Will & Mary c.2
(1691):
An Act for the Abrogating the Oath of Supremacy in Ireland and
Appointing other Oaths
Sec.1-3 . No person residing in Ireland shall be obliged to take the oath of
supremacy of 1 Eliz. Ch 1, but the oaths appointed to be taken by this present
act shall be taken by those persons who were required by the said act, or any
other statute made in Ireland, to take the abrogated oath. That is to say: all
bishops and archbishops of Ireland, all persons above the degree of baron, all
persons in Ireland having any employment or office ecclesiastical, civil or
military, the head and fellows of the University of Dublin, master of any hospital
or school, barrister, clerk in chancery, attorney, and professor of Law, Physick
or other science. All prior acts, to the extent that they required the oath
of supremacy, are repealed..
English Statute 3 Will & Mary, c.2
(1691)
An Act for the Abrogating the Oath of Supremacy in Ireland and
Appointing other Oaths
DECLARATION
AGAINST TRANSUBSTANTIATION
Sec. 5 cont.
I, A.B., do solemnly and sincerely, in the presence of God, profess,
testify, and declare, that I do believe that in the sacrament
of the Lord's Supper there is not any transubstantiation of the
elements of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ at
or after the consecration thereof by any person whatsoever, and
that the invocation or adoration of the virgin Mary or any other
saint, and the sacrifice of the mass, as they are now used in
the church of Rome, are superstitious and idolatrous.
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 plain and ordinary sense of the words read unto me, as
they are commonly understood by English Protestants, without any
evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation whatsoever, and without
any dispensation already granted me for this purpose by the pope,
or any other authority or person whatsoever, or without any hope
of any such dispensation from any person or authority whatsoever,
or without thinking that I am or can be acquitted before God or
man, or absolved 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 and
void from the beginning.
English Statute 3 Will & Mary, c.2
1691)
An Act for the Abrogating the Oath of Supremacy in Ireland and
Appointing other Oaths
Sec. 8. The oaths to be taken are:
OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
I, A.B. do sincerely promise and swear that I will be faithful
and bear true allegiance to their Majesties King William and Queen
Mary, So help me God.
OATH OF ABHORRENCE
I, A.B., do swear, that I do from my heart abhor, detest, and
abjure as impious and heretical, that damnable doctrine and position,
that princes excommunicated or deprived by the pope or any authority
of the See of Rome, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects,
or any other person whatsoever, and I do declare, that no foreign
prince, prelate, state, or potentate, hath or ought to have any
jurisdiction, power, superiority, pre-eminence, or authority,
ecclesiastical or spiritual, within this realm.
English Statute 3 Will & Mary, c.2
(1691)
An Act for the Abrogating the Oath of Supremacy in Ireland and
Appointing other Oaths
Sec. 14. It shall be lawful for 2 justices of the peace (one of the quorum)
to direct their warrant to any constable to summon any person of the age of
18 years or upwards, to appear before such justices to take the oath before
mentioned to be faithful to their Majesties. A person not appearing, or refusing
to take the oath shall be committed to gaol for 3 months, or pay a fine not
exceeding 40 shillings. After 3 months, the offender may be summoned to take
the oath again, on pain of 6 months imprisonment in the common gaol, unless
he shall pay a sum, not exceeding 10 pounds, nor under 5 pounds, and unless
such offender shall become bound with 2 sureties, with condition to appear at
the next assizes or gaol delivery, and in the mean time to be of good behaviour.
At which assizes or gaol-delivery, the oath shall be tendered, and if he refuse
to take the oath, he shall incur the penalty of praemunire, except women covert,
who shall be committed to the common gaol until they take the oath
2 Ann c.6 (1703):
An Act to prevent the further Growth of Popery
Sec. 15. Cont. OATH OF ABJURATION
I, A.B., do truly and sincerely acknowledge, profess, testify
and declare in my conscience, before God and the world, that our
sovereign lady Queen Anne is lawful and rightful queen of this
realm, and of all other her Majesty's dominions and countries
thereunto belonging. And I do solemnly and sincerely declare,
that I do believe in my conscience, that the person pretending
to be Prince of Wales, during the life of the late King James,
and since his decease pretending to be and taking upon himself
the style and title of King of England by the name of James III,
hath not any right or title whatsoever to the crown of this realm,
or any other the dominions thereto belonging, and Ido renounce,
refuse, and abjure any allegiance or obedience to him. And I do
swear that I will bear faith and true allegiance to her majesty
Queen Anne, and her will defend to the utmost of my power against
all traitorous conspiracies and attempts whatsoever, which shall
be made against her person, crown, or dignity. And I will do my
best endeavour to disclose and make known to her majesty, and
her successors, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies, which
I shall know to be against her and any of them. And I do faithfully
promise to the utmost of my power to support, maintain, and defend
the limitation and succession of the crown against him the said
James, and all other persons whatsoever, as the same is and stands
limited by [those acts settling the protestant succession of the
crown]. And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge
and swear, according to the express words by me spoken, and according
to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words,
without any equivocation, mental evasion or secret reservation
whatsoever. And I do make this recognition, acknowledgement, abjuration,
renunciation and promise, heartily, willingly, and truly, upon
the true faith of a Christian. So help me God.
British Statute 1 Geo I c.13 (1714):
An Act for the further Security of his Majesty's Person and Government...
Secs. 1 and 33. Amends the oaths to refer to King George rather
than Queen Anne, and applies it to Ireland.