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122-493: Variants of the basic oath of allegiance are also incorporated into a number of other oaths taken by certain individuals. The current standard oath of allegiance is set out from the Promissory Oaths Act 1868 in the following form: I, [Insert full name], do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles , his heirs and successors , according to law. So help me God . Under

244-518: A " Popish Plot " to kill Charles and to put the Duke of York on the throne. The fabricated plot caused a wave of anti-Catholic hysteria to sweep across the nation. In England, the Earl of Shaftesbury , a former government minister and now a leading opponent of Catholicism, proposed an Exclusion Bill that would have excluded James from the line of succession. Some members of Parliament even proposed to pass

366-557: A Oighrean agus ladsan a thig na Àite, a rèir an Lagha. Dia gam chuideachadh. The Cornish wording is: My a de re Dhuw Ollgallosek dell vedhav len ha perthi Omrians gwir dhe Y VRASTER AN MYGHTERN CHARLES, Hy Heryon ha Sewyoryon, herwydh an Lagha. Duw re'm gweresso. Style of the British sovereign Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include

488-836: A Right to the Crown of this Realm: And I do further declare, That it is not an Article of my Faith, and that I do renounce, reject, and 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 any Person whatsoever: And I do declare, That I do not believe that the Pope of Rome, or any other Foreign Prince, Prelate, Person, State, or Potentate, hath or ought to have any Temporal or Civil Jurisdiction, Power, Superiority, or Pre-eminence, directly or indirectly, within this Realm. I do swear, That I will defend to

610-750: A Roman Catholic. With the assistance of French troops, James landed in Ireland in March 1689. The Irish Parliament did not follow the example of the English Parliament; it declared that James remained King and passed a massive bill of attainder against those who had rebelled against him. At James's urging, the Irish Parliament passed an Act for Liberty of Conscience that granted religious freedom to all Roman Catholics and Protestants in Ireland. James worked to build an army in Ireland, but

732-500: A brief Anglican service that did little more than recognise the marriage by proxy. Many British people, distrustful of Catholicism, regarded the new Duchess of York as an agent of the Papacy . James was noted for his deep devotion, once remarking, "If occasion were, I hope God would give me his grace to suffer death for the true Catholic religion as well as banishment." In 1677, King Charles II arranged for James's daughter Mary to marry

854-658: A captured Irish regiment in December 1652, then appointed Lieutenant-General in 1654. In 1657, France, then engaged in the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659) , agreed an alliance with the Commonwealth of England , and when Charles responded by signing a treaty with Spain , James was expelled from France. James quarrelled with his brother over this choice, but ultimately joined Spanish forces in Flanders led by

976-577: A faithful and true Servant ought to do to His Majesty. So help you God. Under the Parliamentary Oaths Act 1866 , members of both Houses of Parliament are required to take an Oath of Allegiance upon taking their seat in Parliament, after a general election, or by-election, and after the death of the monarch. Until the oath or affirmation is taken, an MP may not receive a salary, take their seat, speak in debates or vote. The wording of

1098-465: A father, and played with them "like an ordinary private father of a child", a contrast to the distant parenting common with royalty at the time. James's wife was devoted to him and influenced many of his decisions. Even so, he kept mistresses, including Arabella Churchill and Catherine Sedley , and was reputed to be "the most unguarded ogler of his time". Samuel Pepys recorded in his diary that James "did eye my wife mightily". James's taste in women

1220-653: A funeral oration by Henri-Emmanuel de Roquette . James was not buried, but put in one of the side chapels. Lights were kept burning round his coffin until the French Revolution . In 1734, the Archbishop of Paris heard evidence to support James's canonisation, but nothing came of it. During the French Revolution, James's tomb was raided. James's younger daughter Anne succeeded when William died in 1702. The Act of Settlement provided that, if

1342-530: A middle ground between these views. James, second surviving son of King Charles I and his wife, Henrietta Maria of France , was born at St James's Palace in London on 14 October 1633. Later that same year, he was baptized by William Laud , the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury . He was educated by private tutors, along with his older brother, the future King Charles II , and the two sons of

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1464-511: A palace and a pension. William summoned a Convention Parliament to decide how to handle James's flight. It convened on 22 January 1689. While the Parliament refused to depose him, they declared that James, having fled to France and dropped the Great Seal into the Thames, had effectively abdicated , and that the throne had thereby become vacant. To fill this vacancy, James's daughter Mary

1586-827: A simultaneous rising in Scotland , in April a Scottish Convention followed England in ruling that James had "forfeited" the throne, which was offered to William and Mary. After his defeat at the Battle of the Boyne in July 1690, James returned to France, where he spent the rest of his life in exile at Saint-Germain , protected by Louis XIV . While contemporary opponents often portrayed him as an absolutist tyrant, some 20th-century historians have praised James for advocating religious tolerance, although more recent scholarship has tended to take

1708-624: A sizable court household. In 1664, Charles II granted American territory between the Delaware and Connecticut rivers to James. Following its capture by the British, the former Dutch territory of New Netherland and its principal port, New Amsterdam , were renamed the Province and City of New York in James's honour. James gave part of the colony to proprietors George Carteret and John Berkeley . Fort Orange , 150 miles (240 km) north on

1830-532: A temporary phenomenon, but when the prince's birth opened the possibility of a permanent Roman Catholic dynasty, such men had to reconsider their position. Threatened by a Roman Catholic dynasty, several influential Protestants claimed the child was supposititious and had been smuggled into the Queen's bedchamber in a warming pan. They had already entered into negotiations with the Prince of Orange when it became known

1952-471: A wave of sympathy for the King and James. Several notable Whigs , including the Earl of Essex and the Duke of Monmouth, were implicated. Monmouth initially confessed to complicity in the plot and implicated fellow conspirators, but later recanted. Essex committed suicide, and Monmouth, along with several others, was obliged to flee into exile in continental Europe. Charles II reacted to the plot by increasing

2074-626: A wholesale purge of those in offices under the Crown opposed to his plan, appointing new lord-lieutenants of counties and remodelling the corporations governing towns and livery companies . In October, James gave orders for the lord-lieutenants to provide three standard questions to all Justices of the Peace : 1. Would they consent to the repeal of the Test Act and the Penal Laws? 2. Would they assist candidates who would do so? 3. Would they accept

2196-709: A year to markets primarily in the English Caribbean across the Atlantic. Many were branded on the chest with the letters "DY" for "Duke of York", the RAC's Governor. As historian William Pettigrew writes, the RAC "shipped more enslaved African women, men, and children to the Americas than any other single institution during the entire period of the transatlantic slave trade". James's time in France had exposed him to

2318-1013: Is lawfull King of this Realme, and of all other His Majesties Dominions and Countreyes: And that the Pope neither of himselfe, nor by any Authority of the Church or See of Rome, or by an other meanes with any other, hath any power or Authority to depose the king, or to dispose of any of his Majesties Kingdomes or Dominions, or to Authorize any Forraigne Prince, to invade or annoy Him or His Countreyes, or to discharge any of his Subjects of their Allegiance and Obedience to His Majestie, or to give Licence or leave to any of them to beare Armes, raise Tumults, or to offer any violence or hurt to His Majesties Royall person, State or Government, or to any of His Majesties Subjects within His Majesties Dominions. Also I doe sweare from my heart, that, notwithstanding any Declaration or Sentence of Excommunication or Deprivation made or granted, or to be made or granted, by

2440-981: Is tendered by the Clerk of the Privy Council , and taken in the presence of the King in Council, or otherwise as the King shall direct, and in Scotland is tendered by the Lord President of the Court of Session at a sitting of the court. On appointment a new privy counsellor takes the oath of allegiance, or affirms loyalty: You do swear by Almighty God to be a true and faithful Servant unto The King’s Majesty as one of His Majesty's Privy Council. You will not know or understand of any manner of thing to be attempted, done or spoken against His Majesty's Person, Honour, Crown or Dignity Royal, but you will let and withstand

2562-423: The Archbishop of Canterbury , submitted a petition requesting the reconsideration of the King's religious policies, they were arrested and tried for seditious libel . Public alarm increased when Queen Mary gave birth to a Roman Catholic son and heir, James Francis Edward , on 10 June that year. When James's only possible successors were his two Protestant daughters, Anglicans could see his pro-Catholic policies as

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2684-821: The Duke of Buckingham , George and Francis Villiers. At the age of three, James was appointed Lord High Admiral ; the position was initially honorary, but became a substantive office after the Restoration , when James was an adult. He was designated Duke of York at birth, invested with the Order of the Garter in 1642, and formally created Duke of York in January 1644. In August 1642, long running political disputes between Charles I and his opponents in Parliament led to

2806-485: The Earl of Melfort ; most, but not all, were Roman Catholic. In 1692, James's last child, Louisa Maria Teresa , was born. Some supporters in England attempted to assassinate William III to restore James to the throne in 1696, but the plot failed and the backlash made James's cause less popular. In the same year, Louis XIV offered to have James elected King of Poland . James rejected the offer, fearing that accepting

2928-738: The First English Civil War . James and his brother Charles were present at the Battle of Edgehill in October, and narrowly escaped capture by Parliamentarian cavalry. He spent most of the next four years in the Royalist wartime capital of Oxford , where he was made a Master of Arts by the University on 1 November 1642 and served as colonel of a volunteer regiment of foot. Following the surrender of Oxford in June 1646, James

3050-646: The Glorious Revolution installed William III and Mary II as monarchs, replaced the old oaths of supremacy and allegiance with shorter ones in almost the modern form. The deposed King James II died in exile in 1701, and King Louis XIV of France and the Jacobite adherents of the Stuart claim proclaimed James II's son, James Francis Edward Stuart , rightful king James III. The Act of Settlement 1701 , quickly passed in response, substantially extended

3172-697: The Hudson River , was renamed Albany after James's Scottish title. In 1683, James became the Governor of the Hudson's Bay Company , but did not take an active role in its governance. In September 1666, Charles II put James in charge of firefighting operations during the Great Fire of London , in the absence of action by Lord Mayor Thomas Bloodworth . This was not a political office, but his actions and leadership were noteworthy. "The Duke of York hath won

3294-631: The New Testament or Bible for Christians , or, for Jews , the Tanakh . Muslims or Sikhs have been sworn in the usual manner except with the Qur'an (in an envelope, to avoid it being touched by one not of the faith) and Guru Granth Sahib respectively. Religious restrictions in the oath effectively barred individuals of certain faiths (e.g., Roman Catholics , Jews and Quakers ) from entering Parliament for many years. The restrictions were lifted by

3416-732: The Oaths Act 1888 ( 51 & 52 Vict. c.46), consolidated and repealed by the Oaths Act 1978 (c. 19), those who choose to may make a solemn affirmation instead of swearing an oath. The Victorian promissory oaths of allegiances, are set out in the Promissory Oaths Act 1868 ( 31 & 32 Vict. c. 72) in the following form: I, [Insert full name], do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles , his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God. I, [Insert full name], do swear that I will well and truly serve His Majesty King Charles in

3538-647: The Oaths Act 1888 after the six-year effort (1880–1886) of noted atheist Charles Bradlaugh to claim his seat. After a general election, the new parliament is opened by the Royal Commission in the House of Lords, in the presence of Members of both Houses, after which the House of Commons meets to elect a Speaker and the Lords commences oath taking. Following the Demise of the Crown (the death or abdication of

3660-522: The Oaths Act 1978 , although the form of wording of the oath set out in the 1868 act was preserved. The 1978 Oaths Act contains provisions relating to the manner of administering the oath, the option of swearing with uplifted hand, the validity of oaths, the making of solemn affirmations and the form of affirmation. The current Oath of Allegiance or Official Oath is set out in the Promissory Oaths Act 1868 . I, A.B. do truly and sincerely acknowledge, profess, testify, and declare in my conscience before God and

3782-403: The Parliamentary Oaths Act 1866 , which repealed much of the earlier pieces of legislation insofar as they related to oaths taken by Members of Parliament. Finally, in the Promissory Oaths Act 1868 a further curtailment to the oath was made, thereby establishing the form of the oath still used today. The direct religious content disappeared along with the declarations relating to the supremacy of

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3904-490: The Privy Council only swear allegiance to the "King's majesty", not to the king's heirs and successors. The oath of allegiance was performed to King Edgar ( c.  944 –8 July 975). By the common law, the oath is due to everyone 12 years of age or older. The oath was certainly in use as of the date of John, King of England 's Magna Carta , signed on 15 June 1215. Once the terms had been finalised on 19 June,

4026-553: The Protestant religion. His attempts to impose them by decree met with opposition, and as a result, it has been argued it was a political principle, rather than a religious one, that ultimately led to his removal. In June 1688, two events turned dissent into a crisis. Firstly, the birth of James's son and heir James Francis Edward Stuart on 10 June raised the prospect of a Catholic dynasty, excluding his Protestant daughter Mary and her husband William III, Prince of Orange , who

4148-1028: The Senedd to take the oath of allegiance. A Welsh form of the Oath is prescribed by the National Assembly for Wales (Oath of Allegiance in Welsh) Order 1999: The Welsh wording is: Yr wyf i, yn addo trwy gymorth y Goruchaf y byddaf yn ffyddlon ac yn wir deyrngar i'w Fawrhydi y Brenin Siarl, ei etifeddion a'i olynwyr, yn ôl y gyfraith, yn wyneb Duw. The corresponding affirmation is: Yr wyf i, yn datgan ac yn cadarnhau yn ddifrifol, yn ddiffuant ac yn ddidwyll y byddaf yn ffyddlon ac yn wir deyrngar i'w Fawrhydi y Brenin Siarl, ei etifeddion a'i olynwyr, yn ôl y gyfraith. The Scottish Gaelic wording is: Tha mi a' mionnachadh air Dia uilechumhachdach gum bi mi dìleas agus daingeann d'a Mhòrachd, An Rìgh Teàrlach,

4270-513: The Speaker has allowed Members to recite Welsh , Scottish Gaelic , Irish , Scots , Ulster Scots or Cornish forms in addition, and texts of the oath and affirmation in Braille are available for use by Members of both Houses with impaired sight. While the oath is taken, the new member holds a copy of a sacred text. While there is no set list of sacred texts for use, this is normally a copy of

4392-604: The Tories were those who opposed it. Ultimately, the succession was not altered, but James was convinced to withdraw from all policy-making bodies and to accept a lesser role in his brother's government. On the orders of the King, James left England for Brussels . In 1680, he was appointed Lord High Commissioner of Scotland and took up residence at the Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh to suppress an uprising and oversee

4514-847: The slave trade (indeed English attacks on such forts occupied by the Dutch precipitated the war itself). James remained Admiral of the Fleet during the Third Anglo-Dutch War (1672–1674), during which significant fighting also occurred off the African coast. Following the raid on the Medway in 1667, James oversaw the survey and re-fortification of the southern coast. The office of Lord High Admiral, combined with his revenue from post office and wine tariffs (positions granted him by Charles II upon his restoration), gave James enough money to keep

4636-686: The " Gunpowder Plot ") under the Popish Recusants Act 1605 and the Oath of Allegiance Act 1609 . The oath required recognition of James I as lawful King and renunciation of the Pope. The 1609 Act required Commons MPs to take the oath of allegiance and of supremacy, but this was not a "parliamentary" oath, as it was not taken in Parliament, and there were no consequences if not sworn. After the Restoration , oaths of supremacy and allegiance were imposed upon all MPs and peers in Parliament. The Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy Act 1688 , passed after

4758-414: The Clerk of the House before taking the oath or making the affirmation. Section 84 of the Scotland Act 1998 requires Members of the Scottish Parliament to take the Oath of Allegiance at a meeting of the Parliament . Members of the Scottish Government and junior Scottish Ministers are additionally required to take the Official Oath. Section 23 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 requires members of

4880-546: The Counsellors you will not reveal it unto him but will keep the same until such time as, by the consent of His Majesty or of the Council, Publication shall be made thereof. You will to your uttermost bear Faith and Allegiance to the King’s Majesty; and will assist and defend all civil and temporal Jurisdictions, Pre-eminences, and Authorities, granted to His Majesty and annexed to the Crown by Acts of Parliament, or otherwise, against all Foreign Princes, Persons, Prelates, States, or Potentates. And generally in all things you will do as

5002-404: The Crown. James succeeded to the throne with widespread support, largely due to a reluctance to undermine the principle of hereditary succession, and the belief that a Catholic monarchy was purely temporary. However, tolerance of his personal views did not extend to Catholicism in general, and both the English and Scottish parliaments refused to pass measures viewed as undermining the primacy of

Oath of Allegiance (United Kingdom) - Misplaced Pages Continue

5124-559: The Declaration of Indulgence? During the first three months of 1688, hundreds of those who gave negative replies to those questions were dismissed. Corporations were purged by agents, known as the Regulators, who were given wide discretionary powers, in an attempt to create a permanent royal electoral machine. Most of the regulators were Baptists , and the new town officials that they recommended included Quakers , Baptists, Congregationalists , Presbyterians and Roman Catholics, as well as Anglicans . Finally, on 24 August 1688, James ordered

5246-407: The Elector of Hanover and Anne's second cousin. James's son James Francis Edward was recognised as king at his father's death by Louis XIV of France and James II's remaining supporters (later known as Jacobites ) as "James III and VIII". He led a rising in Scotland in 1715 shortly after George I's accession, but was defeated. His son Charles Edward Stuart led a Jacobite rising in 1745 , but

5368-450: The English Parliament to introduce a new Test Act in 1673. Under this Act, all civil and military officials were required to take an oath (in which they were required to disavow the doctrine of transubstantiation and denounce certain practices of the Roman Church as superstitious and idolatrous) and to receive the Eucharist under the auspices of the Church of England . James refused to perform either action, instead choosing to relinquish

5490-467: The English throne. When William landed in Brixham on 5 November 1688, James's army deserted and he went into exile in France on 23 December. In February 1689, a special Convention Parliament held James had "vacated" the English throne and installed William and Mary as joint monarchs, thereby establishing the principle sovereignty derived from Parliament, not birth. James landed in Ireland on 14 March 1689 in an attempt to recover his kingdoms, but, despite

5612-443: The Established Church, the traditional ally of the monarchy, in the difficult position of being forced to erode its own privileges. James provoked further opposition by attempting to reduce the Anglican monopoly on education. At the University of Oxford , he offended Anglicans by allowing Roman Catholics to hold important positions in Christ Church and University College , two of Oxford's largest colleges. He also attempted to force

5734-516: The Fellows of Magdalen College to elect as their President Anthony Farmer , a man of generally ill repute who was believed to be a Roman Catholic, which was seen as a violation of the Fellows' right to elect someone of their own choosing. In 1687, James prepared to pack Parliament with his supporters, so that it would repeal the Test Act and the Penal Laws. James was convinced by addresses from Dissenters that he had their support and so could dispense with relying on Tories and Anglicans. He instituted

5856-441: The French exile Condé . Given command of six regiments of British volunteers, he fought against his former French comrades at the Battle of the Dunes . After France and Spain made peace with the 1659 Treaty of the Pyrenees , James considered taking a Spanish offer to be an admiral in their navy, but declined the position. Soon after, the 1660 Stuart Restoration returned his brother to the English throne as Charles II. After

5978-422: The Governor of the Royal Adventurers into Africa (later shortened to the Royal African Company ) in October 1660, an office James retained until after the Glorious Revolution when he was forced to resign. When James commanded the Royal Navy during the Second Anglo-Dutch War (1665–1667) he immediately directed the fleet towards the capture of forts off the African coast that would facilitate English involvement in

6100-443: The North Sea to The Hague . Following their victory in the 1648 Second English Civil War , Parliament ordered the execution of Charles I in January 1649. The Covenanter regime proclaimed Charles II King of Scotland, and after lengthy negotiations agreed to provide troops to restore him to the English throne. The invasion ended in defeat at Worcester in September 1651. Although Charles managed to escape capture and to return to

6222-420: The Polish crown might (in the minds of the English people) disqualify him from being King of England. After Louis concluded peace with William in 1697, he ceased to offer much assistance to James. During his last years, James lived as an austere penitent . He wrote a memorandum for his son advising him on how to govern England, specifying that Catholics should possess one Secretary of State, one Commissioner of

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6344-950: The Pope or his Successors, or by any Authority derived, or pretended to be derived from him or his Sea, against the said King, His Heires or Successors, or any Absolution of the said Subjects from their Obedience; I will bear faith and true allegiance to His Majestie, His Heires and Successors, and Him and Them will defend to the uttermost of my power, against all Conspiracies and Attempts whatoever, which shall be made against His or their Persons, their Crowne and Dignitie, by reason or colour of any such Sentence, or Declaration or otherwise, and will doe my best endevour to disclose and make known unto his Majesty, His Heires and Successors, all Treasons and Traitorous Conspiracies which I shall know or heare of to be against Him, or any of them. And l do further sweare, That I do from my heart abhor, detest and abjure as impious and Hereticall this damnable Doctrine and Position, That Princes which be Excommunicated or deprived by

6466-936: The Pope or his successors, or by any authority derived, or pretended to be derived from him, or his See against the King, his heirs or successors, or any absolution of the said subjects from their obedience: I will bear faith and true allegiance to his Majesty, his heirs and successors, and him or them will defend to the uttermost of my power, against all conspiracies and attempts whatsoever, which shall be made against his or their persons, their crown and dignity, by reason or color of any such sentence or declaration or otherwise, and will doe my best endeavor to disclose and make known unto his Majesty, his heirs and successors, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies, which I shall know or hear of to be against him or any of them. And I do further swear, that I do from my heart abhor, detest and abjure, as impious and heretical, this damnable doctrine and position, that princes which be excommunicated or deprived by

6588-525: The Pope, may be Deposed or Murthered by their Subjects, or any other whatsoever. And I doe beleeve, and in conscience am resolved, that neither the Pope, nor any person whatsoever hath power to absolve me of this Oath, or any part thereof; which I acknowledge by good and full Authority to bee lawfully ministered unto me, and do renounce all Pardons and Dispensations to the contrary. And all these things I doe plainely and sincerely acknowledge and sweare, according to these expresse words by me spoken, and according to

6710-512: The Pope, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects, or any whatsoever. And I do believe and in conscience am resolved, that neither the Pope nor any person whatsoever, hath power to absolve me of this oath, or any part thereof, which I acknowledge by good and full authority to bee lawfully ministered unto me, and do renounce all pardons and dispensations to the contrary: And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear, according to these express words by me spoken, and according to

6832-434: The Prince of Orange, had neglected to detain them or put a stop to their recruitment efforts. Argyll sailed to Scotland where he raised recruits, mainly from his own clan, the Campbells . The rebellion was quickly crushed, and Argyll was captured at Inchinnan on 18 June 1685. Having arrived with fewer than 300 men and unable to convince many more to flock to his standard, he never posed a credible threat to James. Argyll

6954-423: The Protestant Prince William III of Orange , son of Charles's and James's sister Mary . James reluctantly acquiesced after his brother and nephew had agreed to the marriage. Despite the Protestant marriage, fears of a potential Catholic monarch persisted, intensified by the failure of Charles II and his wife, Catherine of Braganza , to produce any children. A defrocked Anglican clergyman, Titus Oates , spoke of

7076-635: The Queen was pregnant, and the birth of a son reinforced their convictions. On 30 June 1688, a group of seven Protestant nobles invited William, Prince of Orange , to come to England with an army. By September, it had become clear that William sought to invade. Believing that his own army would be adequate, James refused the assistance of King Louis XIV of France, fearing that the English would oppose French intervention. When William arrived on 5 November 1688, many Protestant officers, including Churchill , defected and joined William, as did James's own daughter Anne . James lost his nerve and declined to attack

7198-409: The Solicitor General, Heneage Finch . The case of Godden v Hales affirmed his dispensing power, with eleven out of the twelve judges ruling in the king's favour after six judges were dismissed for refusing to promise to support the king. In 1687, James issued the Declaration of Indulgence , also known as the Declaration for Liberty of Conscience, in which he used his dispensing power to negate

7320-476: The Sovereign), and in 1702, abjuration (repudiation of the right and title of descendants of James II to the throne). Oaths of allegiance were exacted from the Lords by Henry IV and Henry VI in 1455 and 1459, and an oath of supremacy was introduced under Henry VIII in 1534. Elizabeth I introduced an Act of Supremacy in 1563 requiring an oath to be taken by all future members of the House of Commons . A new oath of allegiance appeared under James I (prompted by

7442-401: The Succession of the Crown which Succession, by an Act, intituled An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown, and better securing the Rights and Liberties of 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 any other Person claiming or pretending

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7564-407: The Treasury, the Secretary at War, with the majority of the officers in the army. James died aged 67 of a brain haemorrhage on 16 September 1701 at Saint-Germain-en-Laye . James's heart was placed in a silver-gilt locket and given to the convent at Chaillot , and his brain was placed in a lead casket and given to the Scots College in Paris. His entrails were placed in two gilt urns and sent to

7686-458: The United 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 plain and ordinary Sense of the Words of this Oath, without any Evasion, Equivocation, or mental Reservation whatsoever. So help me God. The Oath of Allegiance or Official Oath is made by each of the following office-holders as soon as possible after their acceptance of office: The Oath in England

7808-427: The beginning of 1686, two papers were found in Charles II's strong box and his closet, in his own hand, stating the arguments for Catholicism over Protestantism. James published these papers with a declaration signed by his sign manual and challenged the Archbishop of Canterbury and the whole Anglican episcopal bench to refute Charles's arguments: "Let me have a solid answer, and in a gentlemanlike style; and it may have

7930-551: The beliefs and ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church, and both he and his wife Anne became drawn to that faith. James took Catholic Eucharist in 1668 or 1669, although his conversion was kept secret for almost a decade as he continued to attend Anglican services until 1676. In spite of his conversion, James continued to associate primarily with Anglicans, including John Churchill and George Legge , as well as French Protestants such as Louis de Duras, 2nd Earl of Feversham . Growing fears of Roman Catholic influence at court led

8052-546: The collapse of the Commonwealth in 1660, Charles II was restored to the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland. Although James was the heir presumptive , it seemed unlikely that he would inherit the Crown, as Charles was still a young man capable of fathering children. On 31 December 1660, following his brother's restoration, James was created Duke of Albany in Scotland, to go along with his English title, Duke of York. Upon his return to England, James prompted an immediate controversy by announcing his engagement to Anne Hyde ,

8174-461: The confidence of many of his Anglican supporters. Sunderland's purge of office-holders even extended to the King's brothers-in-law (the Hydes) and their supporters. Roman Catholics made up no more than one-fiftieth of the English population. In May 1686, James sought to obtain a ruling from the English common-law courts that showed he had the power to dispense with Acts of Parliament. He dismissed judges who disagreed with him on this matter, as well as

8296-402: The couple married secretly, then went through an official marriage ceremony on 3 September 1660 in London. The couple's first child, Charles , was born less than two months later, but died in infancy, as did five further children. Only two daughters survived: Mary (born 30 April 1662) and Anne (born 6 February 1665). Samuel Pepys wrote that James was fond of his children and his role as

8418-403: The crown to Charles's illegitimate son, James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth . In 1679, with the Exclusion Bill in danger of passing, Charles II dissolved Parliament. Two further Parliaments were elected in 1680 and 1681, but were dissolved for the same reason. The Exclusion Crisis contributed to the development of the English two-party system: the Whigs were those who supported the Bill, while

8540-407: The current monarch), all Members of Parliament and members of the House of Lords have the opportunity (though this is not a formal requirement) to take an oath of allegiance to the new Sovereign at the first meeting of Parliament under a new monarch. The House votes an Address to the Crown in response to the official notification of the previous monarch's demise, expressing condolences upon the death of

8662-413: The daughter of Charles's chief minister, Edward Hyde . In 1659, while trying to seduce her, James promised he would marry Anne. Anne became pregnant in 1660, but following the Restoration and James's return to power, no one at the royal court expected a prince to marry a commoner , no matter what he had pledged beforehand. Although nearly everyone, including Anne's father, urged the two not to marry,

8784-455: The details below. Request from 172.68.168.150 via cp1114 cp1114, Varnish XID 923545337 Upstream caches: cp1114 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 07:52:45 GMT James II of England James II and VII (14 October 1633 O.S. – 16 September 1701) was King of England and Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II , on 6 February 1685, until he

8906-533: The effect of laws punishing both Roman Catholics and Protestant Dissenters . In the summer of 1687 he attempted to increase support for his tolerationist policy by a speaking tour of the western counties of England. As part of this tour, he gave a speech at Chester in which he said, "suppose... there should be a law made that all black men should be imprisoned, it would be unreasonable and we had as little reason to quarrel with other men for being of different [religious] opinions as for being of different complexions." At

9028-574: The effect which you so much desire of bringing me over to your church." The Archbishop refused on the grounds of respect for the late king. James advocated repeal of the penal laws in all three of his kingdoms, but in the early years of his reign he refused to allow those dissenters who did not petition for relief to receive it. James sent a letter to the Scottish Parliament at its opening in 1685, declaring his wish for new penal laws against refractory Presbyterians and lamented that he

9150-407: The eighteenth century is essentially Jacobite poetry", and both Ó Buachalla and fellow-historian Éamonn Ó Ciardha argue that James and his successors played a central role as messianic figures throughout the 18th century for all classes in Ireland. In France, James was allowed to live in the royal château of Saint-Germain-en-Laye . James's wife and some of his supporters fled with him, including

9272-668: The exiled court in Paris, the Royalist cause appeared hopeless. James, like his brother, sought refuge in France, serving in the French army under Turenne against the Fronde , and later against their Spanish allies. In the French army James had his first true experience of battle, in which, according to one observer, he "ventures himself and chargeth gallantly where anything is to be done". Turenne's favour led to James being given command of

9394-619: The hearts of the people with his continual and indefatigable pains day and night in helping to quench the Fire", wrote a witness in a letter on 8 September. In 1672, the Royal African Company received a new charter from Charles II. It set up forts and factories, maintained troops, and exercised martial law in West Africa in pursuit of trade in gold, silver and African slaves. In the 1680s, the RAC transported about 5,000 slaves

9516-414: The highest offices of his kingdoms, and received at his court the papal nuncio , Ferdinando d'Adda , the first representative from Rome to London since the reign of Mary I . Edward Petre , James's Jesuit confessor, was a particular object of Anglican ire. When the King's Secretary of State , the Earl of Sunderland , began replacing office-holders at court with "Papist" favourites, James began to lose

9638-438: The incumbent king or queen, currently Charles III . The oath also specifies that this same oath to the king, is equally sworn to his "heirs and successors", in the plural, rather than a single heir and successor. This indicates that any oath given to the king is equally given to William, Prince of Wales , Prince George , and all of his heirs and successors to the British throne , in the event that any one of them should accede to

9760-641: The invading army, despite his army's numerical superiority. On 11 December, James tried to flee to France, first throwing the Great Seal of the Realm into the River Thames . He was captured in Kent ; later, he was released and placed under Dutch protective guard. Having no desire to make James a martyr, William let him escape on 23 December. James was received by his cousin and ally, Louis XIV, who offered him

9882-639: The issue of writs for a general election . However, upon realising in September that William of Orange was going to land in England, James withdrew the writs and subsequently wrote to the lord-lieutenants to inquire over allegations of abuses committed during the regulations and election preparations, as part of the concessions he made to win support. In April 1688, James re-issued the Declaration of Indulgence, subsequently ordering Anglican clergy to read it in their churches. When seven bishops , including

10004-621: The king, but not his heirs and successors. Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) do not swear an oath of allegiance. The PSNI in 2001 replaced the Royal Ulster Constabulary , whose members pledged their allegiance to the late Queen Elizabeth II , but not her heirs and successors. The Scottish police have never pledged allegiance. Members of

10126-476: The line of succession established in the Bill of Rights were extinguished, the crown would go to a German cousin, Sophia, Electress of Hanover , and to her Protestant heirs. Sophia was a granddaughter of James VI and I through his eldest daughter, Elizabeth Stuart , the sister of Charles I . Thus, when Anne died in 1714 (less than two months after the death of Sophia), she was succeeded by George I , Sophia's son,

10248-536: The majority of MPs and Members of the Lords have been sworn in, both Houses of Parliament are ready to hear the King's Speech at the State Opening starting the business of the session. MPs who have been elected at a by-election are accompanied from the bar of the House by two sponsors. The new Member will have collected a certificate relating to their election from the Public Bill Office to hand to

10370-416: The name of " Loyal Parliament ", was initially favourable to James, who had stated that most former exclusionists would be forgiven if they acquiesced to his rule. Most of Charles's officers continued in office, the exceptions being the promotion of James's brothers-in-law, the earls of Clarendon and Rochester , and the demotion of Halifax . Parliament granted James a generous life income, including all of

10492-643: The oath comes from the Promissory Oaths Act 1868: I... swear by Almighty God that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles , his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me God. Members who object to swearing the oath are permitted to make a solemn affirmation under the terms of the Oaths Act 1978 : I... do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles , his heirs and successors, according to law. The oath or affirmation must be taken in English although

10614-478: The oath in place of the former three. This single form retained a declaration of allegiance and a promise to defend the Hanoverian succession. A declaration relating to the supremacy of the sovereign was also included and the oath continued to be made "on the true faith of a Christian". However, both of these latter elements disappeared from the revised version of the single oath that was subsequently prescribed in

10736-583: The oath or affirms, then moves along the Table to the Clerk Assistant and signs the Test Roll, a parchment book headed by the oath and affirmation which is kept by the Clerk of the House of Commons . After the initial swearing in process, most MPs and Members of the House of Lords are able to sit and vote in each House. Any remaining MPs or Members of the Lords can take the oath at later sittings. When

10858-436: The office of [Insert office of]. So help me God. I, [Insert full name], do swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign King Charles in the office of [Insert judicial office of], and I will do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of this realm, without fear or favour, affection or ill will. So help me God. The oath is generally sworn to the Crown , monarch , sovereign , or regent , as represented by

10980-847: The old oaths, while the Security of the Succession, etc. Act 1701 added an oath of abjuration of "the Person   [...] pretending to be and taking upon himself the Stile and Title of King of England by the Name of James the Third". This oath pledged support for the Hanoverian succession and for the exclusion of the Stuarts. The Oaths Act 1858 ( 21 & 22 Vict. c. 48) prescribed a single form of

11102-739: The parish church of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and the English Jesuit college at Saint-Omer , while the flesh from his right arm was given to the English Augustinian nuns of Paris. The rest of James's body was laid to rest in a triple sarcophagus (consisting of two wooden coffins and one of lead) at the St Edmund's Chapel in the Church of the English Benedictines in the Rue Saint-Jacques, Paris , with

11224-542: The pilot about the navigation of the ship before it ran aground on a sandbank, and then delayed abandoning ship, which may have contributed to the death toll. In 1683, a plot was uncovered to assassinate Charles II and his brother and spark a republican revolution to re-establish a government of the Cromwellian style . The conspiracy, known as the Rye House Plot , backfired upon its conspirators and provoked

11346-440: The plain and common sense and understanding of the same words, without any Equivocation, or mental evasion, or secret reservation whatsoever: And I doe make this recognition and acknowledgement heartily, willingly, and truly, upon the true faith of a Christian: So help me God. I A. B. doe truely and sincerely acknowledge, professe, testifie and declare in my conscience before God and the world, That our Soveraigne Lord King CHARLES ,

11468-485: The plaine and common sence and understanding of the same words, without any Equivocation, or mentall evasion or secret reservasion whatsoever. And I doe make this Recognition and acknowledgement heartily, willingly, and truely, upon the true Faith of a Christian. So help me GOD. I A.B.do sincerely promise and swear, That I will be faithful and bear true Allegiance to His Majesty King George the Fourth , and will defend him to

11590-514: The post of Lord High Admiral. His conversion to Roman Catholicism was thereby made public. King Charles II opposed James's conversion, ordering that James's daughters, Mary and Anne, be raised in the Church of England. Nevertheless, he allowed the widowed James to marry Mary of Modena , a fifteen-year-old Italian princess. James and Mary were married by proxy in a Roman Catholic ceremony on 20 September 1673. On 21 November, Mary arrived in England and Nathaniel Crew , Bishop of Oxford , performed

11712-423: The previous monarch and pledging loyalty to their successor. After the death of Elizabeth II , members of both houses of Parliament met the following day to pay tribute. Senior members of Parliament took the oath to King Charles III on Saturday 10 September. Other members of Parliament were offered the opportunity to take the oath to the new sovereign but it was confirmed that this was not a formal requirement. At

11834-499: The proceeds of tonnage and poundage and the customs duties. James worked harder as king than his brother had, but was less willing to compromise when his advisers disagreed with his policies. Soon after becoming king, James faced a rebellion in southern England led by his nephew, the Duke of Monmouth, and another rebellion in Scotland led by Archibald Campbell, 9th Earl of Argyll . Monmouth and Argyll both began their expeditions from Holland , where James's nephew and son-in-law,

11956-449: The rebels again swore allegiance to King John . The later Bill of Rights (1689) included the Oath of Allegiance to the Crown, which was required by Magna Carta to be taken by all crown servants and members of the judiciary. Over the following centuries this evolved into three separate oaths: of supremacy (repudiation of the spiritual or ecclesiastical authority of any foreign prince, person or prelate), allegiance (declaration of fidelity to

12078-596: The rebels to transportation and indentured servitude in the West Indies in a series of trials that came to be known as the Bloody Assizes . Around 250 of the rebels were executed. While both rebellions were defeated easily, they hardened James's resolve against his enemies and increased his suspicion of the Dutch. To protect himself from further rebellions, James sought safety by enlarging his standing army . This alarmed his subjects, not only because of

12200-456: The repression of Whigs and dissenters . Taking advantage of James's rebounding popularity, Charles invited him back onto the Privy Council in 1684. While some in the English Parliament remained wary of the possibility of a Roman Catholic king, the threat of excluding James from the throne had passed. Charles II died on 6 February 1685 from apoplexy , after supposedly converting to Catholicism on his deathbed. Having no legitimate children, he

12322-479: The royal government. James returned to England for a time when Charles was stricken ill and appeared to be near death. The hysteria of the accusations eventually faded, but James's relations with many in the English Parliament, including the Earl of Danby , a former ally, were forever strained and a solid segment turned against him. On 6 May 1682, James narrowly escaped the sinking of HMS Gloucester , in which between 130 and 250 people perished. James argued with

12444-536: The same time, James provided partial toleration in Scotland, using his dispensing power to grant relief to Roman Catholics and partial relief to Presbyterians. In 1688, James ordered the Declaration read from the pulpits of every Anglican church, further alienating the Anglican bishops against the Supreme Governor of their church . While the Declaration elicited some thanks from its beneficiaries, it left

12566-483: The same to the uttermost of your power, and either cause it to be revealed to His Majesty Himself, or to such of His Privy Council as shall advertise His Majesty of the same. You will in all things to be moved, treated and debated in Conscience; and will keep secret all matters committed and revealed unto you, or that shall be treated of secretly in Council. And if any of the said Treaties or Counsels shall touch any of

12688-547: The sovereign. In its current form, the oath conforms fairly closely to the medieval (feudal) oath of allegiance. After the general right to affirm was guaranteed in 1888, the Oaths Act 1909 introduced a change to the ordinary method of taking oaths, which provided for oaths to be sworn on the Bible : in case of a Christian , on the New Testament , and in the case of a Jew on the Old Testament . This Act also established

12810-554: The start of a new Parliament, after the Commons Speaker has taken the oath, MPs come forward one by one to swear or affirm at the despatch-box, in order of seniority: If two or more MPs enter the house at the same election their seniority is determined by the date and/or time they took the oath. The Principal Clerk of the Table Office at the despatch box offers a choice of affirmation or oath cards to read. The MP takes

12932-569: The suspension of the Test Acts, the prosecution of the Seven Bishops for merely petitioning the Crown, the establishment of a standing army, and the imposition of cruel punishments. The Declaration was the basis for the Bill of Rights enacted later in 1689. The Bill also declared that henceforth, no Roman Catholic was permitted to ascend the English throne, nor could any English monarch marry

13054-481: The throne. Thus, the pledge of loyalty to the Crown made in the oath does not end at the death of the current monarch. The oath to the king, his heirs and successors is now administered in citizen ceremonies to immigrants becoming naturalized British subjects. Members of the judiciary (justices of the peace, district judges, circuit judges etc.) swear their allegiance to the king and his heirs and successors; police officers in England and Wales pledge their allegiance to

13176-545: The trouble soldiers caused in the towns, but because it was against the English tradition to keep a professional army in peacetime. Even more alarming to Parliament was James's use of his dispensing power to allow Roman Catholics to command several regiments without having to take the oath mandated by the Test Act. When even the previously supportive Parliament objected to these measures, James ordered Parliament prorogued in November 1685, never to meet again in his reign. At

13298-571: The usual form of taking the oath, with the phrase "I swear by Almighty God that...". Section 1 of the Oaths Act 1888 (on the right to affirm) was replaced in the Administration of Justice Act 1977 . The Oaths Act 1961 extended the Oaths Act 1888, but did not apply to parliamentary oaths. All of the provisions in the Oaths Act 1838 , Oaths Act 1888 , Oaths Act 1909 , [[Oaths Act 1961 and Oaths Act 1977 were repealed and consolidated in

13420-402: The utmost of my Power against all Conspiracies and Attempts whatever, which shall 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 traitorous Conspiracies which may be formed against Him or Them: And I do faithfully promise to maintain, support, and defend, to the utmost of my Power,

13542-611: The utmost of my Power the Settlement of Property within this Realm, as established by the Laws: And I do hereby disclaim, disavow, and solemnly abjure any Intention to subvert the present Church Establishment, as settled by Law within this Realm: And I do solemnly swear, That I never will exercise any Privilege to which I am or may become entitled, to disturb or weaken the Protestant Religion or Protestant Government in

13664-931: The world, that our Sovereign Lord King James , is lawful and rightful King of this realm, and of all other in his Majesties Dominions and Countries; And that the Pope neither of himself, nor by any authorities of the Church or See of Rome, or by any means with any other hath any power or authority to depose the King, or to dispose any of his Majesty's kingdoms, or dominions, or to authorize any foreign prince to invade or annoy him, or his countries, or to discharge any of his Subjects of their allegiance and obedience to his Majesty, or to give any license or leave to any of them to bear arms, raise tumult, or to offer any violence, or hurt to his Majesty's royal person, state, or government, or to any of his Majesty's subjects within his Majesty's dominions. Also, I do swear from my heart that, notwithstanding any declaration or sentence of excommunication or deposition made or granted, or to be made or granted by

13786-514: Was also his nephew. Secondly, the prosecution of the Seven Bishops was seen as an assault on the Church of England , and their acquittal on 30 June destroyed his political authority. Ensuing anti-Catholic riots in England and Scotland led to a general feeling that only James's removal could prevent another civil war. Leading members of the English political class invited William to assume

13908-407: Was declared Queen; she was to rule jointly with her husband William, who would be King. On 11 April 1689, the Parliament of Scotland declared James to have forfeited the throne of Scotland as well. The Convention Parliament issued a Declaration of Right on 12 February that denounced James for abusing his power, and proclaimed many limitations on royal authority. The abuses charged to James included

14030-477: Was deposed in the 1688 Glorious Revolution . The last Catholic monarch of England , Scotland , and Ireland , his reign is now remembered primarily for conflicts over religion. However, it also involved struggles over the principles of absolutism and divine right of kings , with his deposition ending a century of political and civil strife by confirming the primacy of the English Parliament over

14152-640: Was not there in person to promote such a law. In response, the Parliament passed an Act that stated, "whoever should preach in a conventicle under a roof, or should attend, either as preacher or as a hearer, a conventicle in the open air, should be punished with death and confiscation of property". In March 1686, James sent a letter to the Scottish Privy Council advocating toleration for Roman Catholics but not for rebellious Presbyterian Covenanters. Presbyterians would later call this period " The Killing Time ". James allowed Roman Catholics to occupy

14274-521: Was often maligned, with Gilbert Burnet famously remarking that James's mistresses must have been "given [to] him by his priests as a penance". Anne Hyde died in 1671. After the Restoration, James was confirmed as Lord High Admiral, an office that carried with it the subsidiary appointments of Governor of Portsmouth and Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports . Charles II also made his brother

14396-484: Was succeeded by his brother James, who reigned in England and Ireland as James II and in Scotland as James VII. There was little initial opposition to James's accession, and there were widespread reports of public rejoicing at the orderly succession. He wished to proceed quickly to the coronation, and he and Mary were crowned at Westminster Abbey on 23 April 1685. The new Parliament that assembled in May 1685, which gained

14518-450: Was taken as a prisoner to Edinburgh. A new trial was not commenced because Argyll had previously been tried and sentenced to death. The King confirmed the earlier death sentence and ordered that it be carried out within three days of receiving the confirmation. Monmouth's rebellion was coordinated with Argyll's, but was more dangerous to James. Monmouth had proclaimed himself King at Lyme Regis on 11 June. He attempted to raise recruits but

14640-524: Was taken to London and held with his younger siblings Henry , Elizabeth and Henrietta in St James's Palace . Frustrated by their inability to agree terms with Charles I, and with his brother Charles out of reach in France , Parliament considered making James king. James was ordered by his father to escape, and, with the help of Joseph Bampfield , in April 1648 successfully evaded his guards and crossed

14762-511: Was ultimately defeated at the Battle of the Boyne on 1 July 1690 O.S. when William arrived, personally leading an army to defeat James and reassert English control. James fled to France once more, departing from Kinsale , never to return to any of his former kingdoms. Because he deserted his Irish supporters, James became known in Ireland as Séamus an Chaca or "James the shit". Despite this popular perception, later historian Breandán Ó Buachalla argues that "Irish political poetry for most of

14884-503: Was unable to gather enough rebels to defeat even James's small standing army. Monmouth's soldiers attacked the King's army at night, in an attempt at surprise, but were defeated at the Battle of Sedgemoor . The King's forces, led by Feversham and Churchill, quickly dispersed the ill-prepared rebels. Monmouth was captured and later executed at the Tower of London on 15 July. The King's judges—most notably, George Jeffreys —condemned many of

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