CHAP. XII. The real and Catholic Peti tions. They build their hopes upon no jealous policy or narrow basis. Cheerfully would they console objects of cede the enjoyment of Civil and Religious Freedom to all mankind: they ask no more for themselves They do not seek the possession of offices, but merely eligibility to office in common with their fellow-citizens-not power or ascendancy over any class of people, but the bare permission to rise from their prostrate posture, and to stand erect in the Empire. To expunge from the Statute Book every line of angry feeling, every memorial of rancour, and every remnant of proscription to efface every clause, provision, and phrase, that gives nerve to bigotry, sanction to intolerance, or preference (in temporals) to the professors of one Religious Li- Faith over those of any other, in any department of the state, or in any part of the empireThese noble objects comprize the entire policy of the Irish Catholics-engross their anxious thoughts and constitute the scope and purpose of all their remonstrances and Petitions to every branch of the Legislature, berty. "Ea enim præsidia Libertatis petunt,” APPENDIX. OATHS, &c. Oaths, &c. of 1773-and 1793. WE subjoin the Declaration and Oaths, prescribed by Law to the Catholics of Ireland, and frequently referred to in the foregoing "Statement." (a.) They contain (a.) See Ante, P. 83. minute recitals of the obnoxious, immoral, 178. 330. anti-social, and execrable tenets and principles, 241-8. 353. imputed to Catholics by their enemies-and an explicit, tho' humiliating, disclaimer of them all. I. Oath-prescribed to be taken and subscribed by Catholics-pursuant to the Statute of the 13 and 14 Geo. 3. ch. 35.-viz. 250. 30%. I (A. B.) do take Almighty God and his only Son Allegiance to Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, to witness-that I will be faith- George 3. ful and bear true allegiance to our most gracious Sovereign Lord King George the Third, and him will defend, to the utmost of my power, against all conspiracies and attempts whatever, that shall be made against his person, crown and dignity-and I will do my utmost to disclose and make To make known known to his Majesty, and his heirs, all treasons and trai- treasons, conspiracies, &c. torous conspiracies which may be formed against him or them. And I do faithfully promise to maintain, support To defend the and defend, to the utmost of my power, the succession of succession to the the crown in his Majesty's family, against any person or Hanoverian line. persons whatsoever-hereby utterly renouncing and abjuring The Pretender any obedience or allegiance unto the person taking upon abjured. Throne-in the OATH of 1773. himself the stile and title of Prince of Wales in the lifetime of his father, and who, since his death, is said to have assumed the stile and title of King of Great Britain and Ireland, by the name of Charles the Third-or to any other person claiming or pretending a right to the Crown of these Realms ; Murderous and And I do swear that I do reject and detest, as unchristian perfidious princi- and impious to believe, that it is lawful to murder or destroy ples-disclaimed. any person or persons whatsoever, for or under pretence of their being heretics, And also that unchristian and impious principle, that no faith is to be kept with heretics, Princes excom. municated may not be deposed or murdered. Promise-not I further declare that it is no Article of my faith, and that I do renounce, reject and abjure the opinion, that Princes excommunicated by the Pope and Council, or by any authority of the see of Rome, or by any authority whatsoever, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects, or by any person whatsoever; And I do promise-that I will not hold, maintain, or abet, to hold contrary any such opinion, or any other opinion contrary to what is expressed in this Declaration : doctrines. The Pope's And I do declare that I do not believe, that the Pope of temporal and Rome, or any other foreign prince, prelate, state, or potencivil jurisdiction tate hath, or ought to have, any temporal or civil jurisdiction, power, superiority, or pre-eminence, directly or indirectly, disclaimed. No evasion, within these realms. And I do solemnly, in the presence of God and of his equivocation, or only Son Jesus Christ, my Redeemer, profess, testify, and mental reserva declare that I do make this Declaration, and every part →tion, intended by this Oath. thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of the word, without any evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation whateverand without any Dispensation already granted by the Pope, or any authority of the see of Rome, or any person whatever-and without thinking that I am or can be acquitted before God or man, or absolved of this Declaration, or of any part thereof, although the Pope, or any other person or persons, or authority whatsoever, shall dispense with or annul the same, or declare that it was null and void from the beginning. So HELP ME GOD. 1793. II. Declaration and Oath-prescribed to be Oath, &c.—of also taken and subscribed by Catholicspursuant to the Statute of 33 Geo. 3. ch. 21.-viz, I (A. B.) do hereby declare, that I do profess the The Declara Roman Catholic Religion. tion. I (A. B.) do swear, that I do abjure, condemn, and The Oath. detest, as unchristian and impious, the principle that it is lawful to murder, destroy, or any ways injure any person Murderous, imwhatsoever, for or under the pretence of his being a heretic moral, and wick ed principles-and I do solemnly declare before God, that I believe, again disavowed that no act in itself unjust, immoral, or wicked, can ever be justified or excused by or under pretence or colour, that it was done either for the good of the Church, or in obedience to any ecclesiastical power whatsoever. I also declare, that it is not an article of the Catholic Pope, not infal faith, neither am I thereby required to believe or profess, lible, &c. &c. that the Pope is infallible, or that I am bonnd to obey any order in its own nature immoral, though the Pope or any ecclesiastical power should issue or direct such order-but, on the contrary I hold, that it would be sinful in me to pay any respect or obedience thereto. at the mere will any priest, I further declare, that I do not believe that any sin what- Sins and crimes-soever, committed by me, can be forgiven at the mere will of not pardonable any Pope, or of any Priest, or of any person or persons of whatsoever but, that sincere sorrow for past sins, and a &c. firm and sincere resolution to avoid future guilt, and to atone to God, are previous and indispensible requisites to establish a well-founded expectation of forgiveness-and that any person who receives absolution without these previous requisites, so far from obtaining thereby any remission To defend the of his sins, incurs the additional guilt of violating a sacra- present settlement of proper ment and I do swear that I will defend, to the utmost of ty in Ireland. Oath, &c.of my power, the settlement and arrangement of property in 1793. this country, as established by the laws now in being. Protestant reli I do hereby disclaim, disavow, and solemnly abjure, any intention to subvert the present Church establishment, for the purpose of substituting a Catholic establishment in its stead. And Í do most solemnly swear, that I will not exercise gion, &c.-not any privilege to which I am, or may become, entitled, to to be disturbed disturb and weaken the Protestant Religion and Protestant and weakened. Government in this kingdom. So help me God. Such are the Oaths and Declaration.The Statute of 1793 (33 Geo. 3. c. 21. s. 14.) moreover, directs, "That no Catholic shall "take any benefit thereby, unless he shall have "first taken and subscribed them all-in the 66 manner, and with the formalities, prescribed "by that Statute.' |