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 f"^<"P« 
 
 THE CATHOLIC COMMITTEE^S LETTER. 
 
 ^.v-^v— -«..<...rB-"
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 P. 16. for impervioujly read imperiouny, 
 P. 17. dele No. VIII. in the Appendix. 
 P. 20. for 23d. rea^ 3d. 
 P. *ii. for 20th. lead 8th.
 
 LETTER 
 
 ADDRESSED TO TUE 
 
 : A T H L I C S OF ENGLAND, 
 
 BY THE 
 
 CATHOLIC COMMITTEE. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Primed by J. P. COGHLAN, No. 37. Duke-Street, Grosvenor-Square. 
 
 M DCC XCII.
 
 Knots
 
 t.^um^ m * I iiw^ ^M»-»y-* 
 
 My Lords and Gentlemen, 
 
 H E term for which we were appointed, under your unanimous rcfolution at the Ge- 
 neral Meeting on the 3d May, 1787, to be a Committee " to watch over and promote 
 " your public interefts," expires on the 3d of May in the prcfent year: but, before the 
 connexion, which has fo long fubfilled between us, is diflblved, we entreat leave to call 
 your attention to a fhort view of the paft and prefent (late of Catholics in this kingdom. 
 
 I.. 
 
 In the 11th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Pope Pius V. fulminated againft 
 
 her his Bull Regnans in Exccljis. Not content with excommunicating that fovereign 
 
 princcfs, the ill advifed Pope attempted to deprive her of her crown, and declared her 
 fubjcfts abfolvcd from their allegiance. 
 
 This is the fatal date of the penal ftatutes enafted againft that portion of Engliflimen, 
 who continued, after the change of religion, in their country, to profefs the faith of their 
 anceftors, and abide in communion with the See of Rome. 
 
 In fucceeding reigns, new penalties and difabilities have been conftantly accumulated 
 againft the Englifli Catholics. On the acceffion of the reigning family to the 'throne, the 
 Catholics were fufpefted of difafi'eftion to the government; — an Aft was pafTed authoriz- 
 ing two or more Juftices of Peace to tender oaths, which Catholics would negleft or refufe 
 to take, and being thus made Popifli Recufants convift, would become expofed to all the 
 rigour of the Penal Laws. 
 
 But jiiflice and humanity have ever charafterized the House of Brunswick. It 
 
 was the wifli of George the Firft to relieve his catholic fubjefts, and by attaching them to 
 his perfon and government, to admit them into a participation of the bleflings enjoyed by 
 
 A other 
 
 11931.^2
 
 C ^ 3 
 
 other Britons. A negotfation was opened with the Catholics. Mr. Craggs condufled,. 
 under the firft Earl Stanhope, that negotiation. Every thing feemed fettled, when an un- 
 fortunate difagreement among fome of the Catholic Gentry blafted their hopes of relief. 
 The negotiation was abruptly broken off,, — fufpkions were entertained, that, the Catho- 
 lics were not yet reconciled to the fettlement of the crown in the Briinfwick line. This 
 
 fuppofed difaffeftion was foon after punilhed by a fine of loo^ooo pounds ordered by 
 Aft of Parliament to be raifed, within one year, upon their eftates. 
 
 The Catholics however have fuffered very little moleftation from the government 
 of the Brunfwick family. No new fanguinary laws have been enafted; no old fanguinary^ 
 iaws enforced. Some reftriftions, indeed, have been added, and fome of the old ftatutes- 
 occafionally executed. — But the misfortune of the Catholics has ever been, that, the great 
 mafs of penal and difabling lUtutes have conftantly enforced themfelves by a filent and. 
 uniform operation. 
 
 The general profperity and the general- light which increafed, with rapidity, in the 
 nation, were favorable to the Catholics. In former periods the public hatred had been 
 direfted alike, againft their religious and their political tenets. Under the prefent 
 family their fuppofed political principles feemed alone to render them hateful to- 
 their country, and fufpefted to government. The fury of religious controverfy. 
 was every where abated. A right in national churches to perfecute diffenters on ac-- 
 count of any perfuafion, purely religious,, was a principle, which the humanity of an en* 
 lightened age could not confider without abhorrence. It was allowed, that Catholics 
 ought not to be puniflied. merely for their fpeculative doBrines;— but could they give fecu- 
 rity to government as men and citizens ? Arc their principles of focial, civil, and. political 
 duties confiftent with a free conPvitution in a proteflant country ? Their connexion with 
 the Pope as firft biftiop of their religion,, their fuppofed adherence to the intereft of the 
 abdicated family, were ftill thought fufficient motives to render them unworthy of any. 
 marked indulgence.— But whatever difaffeaion might remain among, them, they certainly 
 were not fingular in their old attachment ; but fhared that difaffeQion with other nonjurors^, 
 and a large number of their fellow-fubjcas, particularly of thofe who were denominated, 
 the Tory party. 
 
 The behaviour of the Catholics after the Revolution had, in general, been peaceable^ 
 even in the rebellion of 1745, few of any confideraiionin their body, had fhewn a difpofi- 
 lion to djftrcfs the fettled government. Prejudices gradually wore away. When his pre- 
 fent
 
 r 3 3 
 
 fent Majefty acceded to the throne, all parties were reconciled to the fettlement. Difaf- 
 fcftion to the perfon or government of the king was entirely cxtinguifhed. 
 
 It was not however till the year 1778, that the catholic body could embrace an op- 
 portunity of avowing their attachment to the principles of the Revolution, and their affec- 
 tion for the Brunfwick family. Amid the difafters of the American war, their Nobles and 
 Gentry prefumed to approach the royal prefence. In the * addrefs which they were per- 
 mitted to offer to the Sovereign, they affured him of the refpeflful affeftion which they 
 bore to his perfon, and of their true attachment to the civil conllitution of their country. 
 If they diffented from the legal eftablilhmenl in matters of religion, they declared their 
 iijfcnt to be purely confcientious. 
 
 Thus the Englifh Catholics pledged themfelves to fupport the conllitution of their 
 country, as paJeBcd by the Revolution. In civil concerns nothing remained to dilcriminatc 
 them from the moll loyal and. patriotic of their fellow-fubje£ls. They had fcen the happy 
 effetls, and had learned to love and admire the great improvements which the Revolution 
 bad produced. If in matters of religion they confcientioufly diffented from the legal ella- 
 blilhment, that dilTent was common to them, on however different grounds, with many other 
 defcriptions of their fellow-fubjeCls, w-ho were moll zealoufly attached to the laws and liber- 
 ties of their country. Equal then to the Proteftant Diffenters in attachment to the King 
 and Conllitution,, might they not lawfully conceive the hope of feeing themfelves indulged- 
 with an equal toleration of their religious creed and worfhip, and an equal participation. 
 in the blelfings of Britifli fubjefts ? 
 
 Some relief was granted in 1778 ; but that relief was extremely partial. It placed the 
 Catholics in a fituation unparalleled perhaps in the annals of any kingdom. For it autho- 
 rifed them to acquire, poffefs, and tranfmit property, and yet left them aliens in their na- 
 tive land, expofed to daily conviflion of recufancy, and trembling, perpetually under the 
 uplifted fcourge of an oppreffive and fanguinary code of laws. 
 
 If the penal ftatutes had been executed, in any periodj to thetr full extent, every 
 catholic family mufl have been extirpated in this land. Even the A61 of 1778 fecured 
 them no civil or religious exiftence. They continued to live by fufferancc. If they 
 walked in the ftreets of London, if they breathed, the air of England, it was only becaufe 
 
 • See the Appendix, No. I« 
 
 the
 
 r 4 ] 
 
 -tlie fpirit of the people was more merciful, Aan the injunQions of the law. Unfortunate 
 objefts of national odium and national oppreflion, when their neighbours grew ill natured, 
 they might be reviled and infulted with impunity ; and when vindiftive, they might be 
 molefled and removed beyond the protedion of government itfelf. 
 
 'Scanty as the relief granted in 1778 really was, yet the legiflature wifely fecurcd the 
 loyalty and obedience of the Catholics by a folemn Oath of Allegiance and Abjuration. 
 Frecautions were taken to make them difclaim thofe principles, which, in the heat of 
 religious animofities, had been imputed to them, as if they deemed it lawful to violate all 
 faith pledged to heretics, and meritorious to deftroy their perfons. They were called up- 
 on likewife to renounce and abjure the doflrine of murdering or dethroning kings in vir- 
 tue of a papal excommunication. The murdering doQrine had never been held by any 
 portion of Catholics in the moft ignorant, faSious, and turbulent times; but the depofing 
 power had fince the days of Pope Gregory Hildibrand met with too much countenance. 
 It had indeed been refilled, when firft claimed, as a profane novelty *; but while the influence 
 of Rome predominated in the governments of Catholic Europe, the principle of that doc- 
 trine was very generally admitted, and the praftice of it was not unfrequent. During the 
 ftruggles of the Reformation, when Rome faw her grandeur, and her interefts falling 
 on every fide, the papal court revived its claims of right to depofe monarchs with 
 'double energy and perfeverance. Unfortunately for the Catholics of England a power- 
 ful pasty among them blended that political doctrine of Roman ambition, with the 
 tenets of the catholic religion. For more than a century that party attempted to impofe 
 a groundlefs and pernicious opinion, as an article of faith. From the reign of Elizabeth 
 to the end of Charles the Second's reign, the Englifh Catholics never dared to condemn, 
 iji a body, the Tranfalpine ufurpation. But in 1778, none were found among them who 
 hcfitated, to renounce, rejeft, and abjure the dangerous impofture. The extravagances 
 of Parfom; and Sanders had no longer abettors. 
 
 Thus engaged by oath to fupport the crown and government of the country, could it be 
 forefeen, that the Catholics would be difturbed in the enjoyment of that partial relief, which 
 the legiflature had granted them ? Bui either their nddrefs to the Crown and the oath pre- 
 fcribed to them by Parliament were not confidered, or the inveterate prejudice, that, no 
 oaths could bind them to perfoiu of a different religion, revived with increafed acrimony. 
 Certain it is, that the fmall relief indulged to a body of men, formidable neither by their 
 
 • Id contigit quod folct rebus no\i» atquc in aaditit, nempe ad rei novitatem oMupefctre omne*. Boffuet 
 Dcicn&o Declarationlt Cleri Callicam, Pars 2. lib. 4. c. 7. 
 
 number)^
 
 i: 5 ] 
 
 numbers nor tlicir rcfourccs in this country, had nearly proved a national calamity, Ani- 
 mofuies biirfl forth among many over zealous protcftants, and the horrors of 1780 cnfucd. 
 — But the ferment was momentary : good fenfe and humanity prevailed over a mifguidcd 
 populace. In a few years the quiet temper of the nation encouraged hopes of obtaining 
 more ample redrefs. At a General Meeting of the Englifli Catholics in 1788, your Com- 
 mittee was dire^led to make an application to Parliament for their relief early in the next 
 Scflions*. 
 
 II. 
 
 In complying with your direftions the Aim or our Endeavors was toobtain, as far 
 as Government would allow it, a repeal of all thofe laws, which placed us in any refpeft in 
 31 fituation worfe than that of other non-conformifls to the National Church. In the letter 
 ve before had the honor to addrefs you, we mentioned the chief circumftances, which at- 
 tended our firft communications upon this fubjefl; withperfons in power. After the bufinef* 
 had reached a certain degree of forwardnefs, it was recommended to us to prepare the draft 
 of a Bill to repeal the laws which aggrieved us. 
 
 There were two plans upon which a Bill of this nature might be prepared. One — to 
 repeal, by a general claufe, all the laws againfl. the Englifii Catholics, with a fubfequent ex- 
 ception of thofe, which the Legiflature feemed inclined to continue. The other, — to re- 
 cite, under different heads, the a8s of Parliaments which the Legiflature feemed inclined to 
 repeal, and at the end of each particular head, to repeal the different a£ls comprized in it, 
 with fuch exceptions or rellriflions, as it was fuppofed the Legiflature would require, — 
 Each of thcfe plans had its advantages and its difadvantagcs, — After much deliberation the 
 latter plan appeared to be preferable; particularly as it prefentcd a more minute and dif- 
 tinft view of the objeCl and operation of the bill : and as in cafe of objections to any part of 
 it, the part objecled to might be difciiffed, without bringing the other parts into contro- 
 verfy ; fo that any part of it might be amended, or even rejected, without affefting the reft. — ■ 
 This plan therefore was adopted, and our Secretary prepared the bill accordingly. At his 
 requeft, it was kid before a Barrifter of diflinguiflied eminence, and perufed, figned, and 
 approved of bv him. \Vc fend you a copy of this billt. Had it pafl'ed into a law, it would 
 have repealed all the laws, by which, previoufly to the paffing of the acl of laft year, we were 
 
 * T!ic Committee bog.in the '"xecii'.Ion of tlx Tnift delegated to them, by prefc.ntirg the Memorial to Mr, Pitt, 
 (Af^cnJix, a.) 
 
 + It is printed in t'lie Appendix:, No. II. 
 
 B in
 
 C 6 ] 
 
 in a worfe fituation than the proteflant diffenters, and thereby placed us exaQly on a level 
 with them. 
 
 This Bill, and this Bill only, you willpleafe to confider, as the Bill of your Com- 
 mittee. We repeat from our letter to Mr. Douglas, that whatever alterations were made in 
 it, all were made more or lefs, againft our confent. Some of them neceffarily appeared to. 
 
 us lefs objetlionable than others: — but to all of them we objefled. If ultimately, we 
 
 adopted or acquiefcedin any of them, it was either in confequence of advice, to which it 
 vould have been unwife or imprudent in us not to defer, or of direftions which it was im- 
 poISble for us not to obey. We requeft you to give this bill your attentive confideration. 
 If you compare it with the bill, as it was firft brought into the Houfe of Commons, or as it 
 xas altered there, or as it was taken to the Houfe of Lords, you will find, that it neither con- 
 tains the appellation of protefting Catholic Diffenters, nor the oath, nor any of the provi^ 
 foes, which were objeQed to by the Apoftolic Vicars, nor any one of the claufes, (except 
 thofe relating to prefentations and the praftice of the law) which were objefted to by any one 
 Member of Parliament. 
 
 Such was the objeQ, and fuch the intended operation of our bill; and in this (late it 
 was communicated to thofe perfons, who particularly interefted themfelves in our caufe, or 
 whofe rank, abilities or fituation in the country, made fuch a communication ncceffary or 
 defireablc. 
 
 In this ftage of the buiinefs the inftrument of protellation * was tendered to us. In our 
 former letterwe gave you an account of the rife and progrefs of this event. — Again we re- 
 peat toyou,,that,. the proteftation. was not framed by us : — that it did not in any fenfe of the 
 word,originate with us:— that the inftant we received it we tranfmitted it to all the Apof- 
 tolic Vicars^ andithat it was tendered by us to no perfon in any diftritl, until the Vicar 
 Apoftolic of that diftrifcl' had ligned it or withdrawn his oppofition to it. — But after it had 
 •received the approbation of the Apoftolic Vicars, we exerted our utmoft efforts to circu» 
 late it; and Clergy and.Laity,.it was figned by all. 
 
 Salutary indeed v;ias the effeQ of this meafure.- — The inftrument of proteftation con- 
 tained the avowed objeQions of proteftants, and the anfwers, which they declared were fa- 
 tisfaftory. The fignatures to itfhewcdit contained the general fentimcnts of the Englifli 
 
 * Sec the Appendix, Nc-III. 
 
 Catholics,.
 
 r 7 ] 
 
 Catholics. Thus therefore, we had come forward as men and citizens, and difclaimed 
 every tenet of an impropertendency, which the weak or the wicked among Catholics had 
 ever maintained, or which ignorance or malice had ever imputed to the body: we had open- 
 ly avowed, to our King and our country, the purity anxl integrity of our moral and political 
 principles. After this. All muft acknowledge, it would be uiiwife, impolitic, and cruel in 
 in the extreme, to continue in force againft the Catholics, that code of fanguinary and op- 
 prelTive laws, which nothing had ever juftified, — nothing had even excufcd, — but the pre- 
 judice conceived againft them, on the fuppofed corruption of their moral and political; 
 creed. — Having openly and explicitly vindicated our innocence on thi^ head, the: nation: 
 felt the time was come, in which an eflential relief fhould be granted to us ; with refpeQito 
 the mode and the meafure, in which it fhould be granted, there was ftill fome difference of 
 opinion. — But that relief fhould be granted was denied by none. To continuethe pena!" 
 ftatutes in thefe circumftances would be worfe than to enaQ ihem*. 
 
 Struck with thefe happy efFeftsof the inftrument of proteftation, fome of our moll re- 
 fpeftable friends advifed, in a manner, which made it imprudent, if not impofTible, to rejeft 
 their advice, — that the proteftation fliould be altered to the form of an oath. — The faftie 
 perfons who advifed the proteftation fhould.be inferted in the bill, in the form of an oath, 
 advifed alfo, that the form of the aft fliould be changed, and that the bill fliould be framed 
 on the plan which we firft mentioned to you : viz. a repeal of the laws againft the Catholics, 
 by one general claufe, with a fubfequent exception of thofc laws, which the legiflature fliould 
 think proper to continue. This advice had the ianftion of the perfon, who holds the highcft 
 legal fituation in this country. We found it necelfary to obey, and the aft was altered ac- 
 cordingly. Thus altered it was brought into the Houfe of Commons. 
 
 It was received by the Houfe in the moft favorable manner. That the Catholics 
 ■were deferving of relief; that relief ought to be granted to them; that it fliould, THtN, 
 be granted to them, — was moft emphatically and moft eloquently declared from every quar- 
 ter of the Houfe. In two points only there was a difference of opinion ; — Whether the 
 form of the bill was proper, — and whether the oath it contained fhould be continued, or 
 altered, or entirely rejefted, and another fubftituted in its ftead? That the form of the bill 
 fhould be altered — feemed the general opinion. To this, bcfides other objeftions, there 
 was that of the delay which it would neceffarily occafion : but the opinion for an alteraiiou 
 prevailed. The bill was therefore altered, and in this its altered ftate, it approached ^cry 
 nearly to the form, in which we had firll drawn it. 
 
 * The Petitions prefented by tlie Committee to the Houfes of Parliament, and the Cafe circulated among themj 
 ate in the Appendix, No. IV. acd V. 
 
 With
 
 [ 8 ] 
 
 With refpccl to the oath, our Tentiments upon it were thefe;- The favorable difpo- 
 
 tion of the public, — and the rcaclinefs, which the legiflature fliewcd to grant the relief pe- 
 titioned for, were confidered by us as owing in a great meafure to the proteftation. — In this 
 ve were by no means fingular. It was the opinion of the beft and wifeft of our friends. 
 Tliat part of our fellow-fubjefls, from whofe prepofreffions we had mofl reafon to dread op- 
 pofition to our relief, were, after they had confidered our proteft, cordially reconciled to the 
 equity of the meafure. — The proteftant dilFentcrs furrendcred, by immediate conviftion, 
 every ancient jealoufy and fufpicion, and gave us their good wiflies and fupport. In a letter, 
 whicli the noble Lord, who moved our bill in the Houfe of Peers, has fince been pleafed to 
 write us, his Lordlhip thus expreffes himfelf; — " It is highly creditable to the liberal fpirit 
 " of 'the times, — that I could have but little diftinftion in the part that I took. The con- 
 " currence was univerfal, for reftoring you to thofe immunities to which your unambiguous 
 " abjuration of any intercll feparate from that of the comnmnity irrefragably eflabliflied 
 
 ** your right 1 am convinced your fentiments, as citizens, have long merited that indul- 
 
 " gence But it required your public profeffion, as an aggregate body, to authorize the 
 
 " legiflature to remove rellritlions, which the unfortunate temper of earlier times had ren- 
 ** dered perhaps indifpenfable." After this, you will not be furprifed at the partiality of 
 your Committee to the oath^ a§ it was originally framed upon the proteftation. 
 
 But this was not all — The proteftation was a folemn inftrument, figned (with few ex- 
 <:eptions indeed) by all the Clergy and all the Laity. To the Minifter, to the Houfes of 
 Parliament, to the Nation, your Committee had folemnly prefented it, as an explicit and 
 UTiequivocal declaration of the fentiments of the Englifli Catholics, as men and citizens. 
 The oath (whatever might be the fentiments of others) was, in the opinion of your Com- 
 mittee, a counterpart of the proteftation. To withdraw the oath appeared to us receding 
 from the proteftation. To recede from the proteftation we held in horror; we thought it 
 an aa of uujuftifiable perfidy; we were perfuaded it would cover the body, and ourfelves 
 in particular, with ignominy, and make us forever defpicable in the eyes of men of honor, 
 principle, confiftcncy of charafter.or truth. We never therefore could be induced to folicit 
 the withdrawing of the oath. — But here.we refted. When your prefent oath, or the oath of 
 1778, or the Canada oath, or any other unobjetlionable oath was propofcd, we never refufed 
 to teftify our readinefstotake it, ifthe legiflature fliould think proper to impofe it on us; 
 but at the fame time we uniformly declared, we had no confcientious objetlions to the oatli 
 
 as it then flood We faid we had figned the proteftation ; that we confidered the oath to 
 
 be a counterpart of the proteftation, and that from the proteftation we never would 
 recede. 
 
 Be fides.
 
 r 9 ] 
 
 Befides,— the highcfl. authority of adminiftration had cxprcfsly affured us, that none of 
 \hc above mentioned oaths would be admitted. 
 
 Some altciations however in the oath were introduced in the Houfe of Commons, and 
 if it had remained in the form in which it vas worded when the bill left the Commons, it 
 •was generally fuppofcd, few, if any of the Catholics, would have objefted to it. Some 
 new claufeswere introduced, and fomc of the old claufcs altered. 
 
 The moft_material difcuffion which took place refpcQcd the claufc enabling us to prc- 
 fent to advowfons. This right is a civil right annexed both by the civil and the canon law 
 to the perfon of the founder and his reprefentativcs.— RcprcTentation (we need not men- 
 tion to you) is affeQcd by tranfminion of blood, tranfmiffion of property, or tranfmifTion of 
 civil capacity. By the laws of England and of every country, when feudal defcent has pre- 
 vailed, advowfons have been annexed to the property (except where they have been an- 
 nexed to the civil capacity, as in cafes of corporations) of the founder. Thus it is a civil 
 right, and a part of our landed property. The ufe of it was denied us, and confequently 
 the recovery of it was properly an objeft of a bill framed to relieve us from the difabilities 
 incurred by the exercife of our religion. As few Catholics are poffeffed of advowfons, to 
 be deprived of this right was no great facrifice of property to them; but when all his Ma- 
 jelly's other fubjeQs, Diffenters, Quakers, even Jews, were permitted to enjoy it, that Ca- 
 tholics alone fhouldbe deprived of it, was an. humiliating exception, which as men of ho- 
 nor they could not but feel, and therefore fuppofed all honorable men would feel with them*. 
 Thefc arguments were allowed their weight, but it was fiid, the matter probably would not 
 be rightly undcrltond by the public at large; it might therefore give occafion to alarm and 
 jealoufy; and, by that means, difturb the general good humour towards the hill, which 
 fortunately prevailed every where. The claufc was rejeQed, and, with thefe alterations, the 
 hill was taken to the Houfe of Lords. On the firft reading of the bill in the Houfe of Lords, 
 the Houfe fhewcd a general difpofition in its favor. Amotion however was made to poft- 
 pone the fccond reading cf the bill to a day fo diflant, that the motion, if carried, would 
 have loft the bill for the felTions; but it was withdrawn, and fome alterations were made. 
 The Irifii oath, with an infcrtion of an exprefs recognition of the aft of fettlement, was fub- 
 ftituted in the place of that infcrted in the Houfe of Commons. The claufe which enabled 
 
 To explain tlic nature anil jcf.-c" oi" il'.is claim, the Committee circulated among the ^!c;tl'bcrs of Parliament the 
 pajKT in ilic Ai-pcnJ::'., No. XL 
 
 C us
 
 C »« ] 
 
 us to praflife the law was oppofed by the Chancellor ; the Houfe divided upon it, and it was^ 
 carried by a very confiderable majority. 
 
 On its return to the Houfe of Commons, the bill met the fame kind of reception which. 
 had attended it on its firft entrance there» The fubitution of the Irifh oath was acquiefced. 
 in. — After the bill was gone through rn the ufual forms in the Houfe of Commons, it was 
 returned to the Houfe of Lords. It paiTed there without further oppofition, and on the 
 loth day of June 1791 received the Royal Affctit. 
 
 This brings usto the cfofe of our narrative. — It was the good fortune of the Catholics, 
 that the bill wasufliered into the Houfe of Commons by a gentleman, of whofe honor, abi- 
 lities, enlarged and cultivated underftanding, the public have long entertained the highefl: 
 opinion : — and that it was condufled through the Houfe of Lords by a noble Peer, not more 
 illuflrious for his fplendid defcent and alliances, or his natural and acquired cndownienis,, 
 than his love of juftice and univerfal benevolence. 
 
 The marked and decifive fupport, v/hich on every oGcafion the bill received from Mr. 
 Pitt and Lord Grenville, both in their minifterial and their legiflative capacities; and the 
 powerful, we may add, the affeftionate exertions of Lord Loughborough, in more than one 
 critical ftage of the bill, during its palfage through the Houfe of Lords, will never be for- 
 gotten: — On every occafion Mr. Fox exerted, in its favor, the mightinefs of his powers: — 
 All parties, all orders, all defcriptions of men feemed to wi(h us fuccefs, and when oppor- 
 tunities offered exerted thenifclves ia our fervice. 
 
 Thus fince the year 1778 anew order of things is opened to the Catholics of England; 
 they have recovered the good opinion and confidence of their countrymen ; in matters of 
 religion, they are indulged in a confcientious diffent from the legal eftablifliment, and may 
 worlliip their God according to the mode which their faith ordains j in civil and political 
 concerns, they form no feparate combination, but may freely incorporate with their fellow 
 finhjefts for the public good : no longer aliens in their native land, they may now behold 
 the general profperity without envy or depreffion of fpirits: their property is fecure, and 
 no longer held on the'precarious and humiliating tenure of fufferance or connivance: they 
 have the fanftion of law to tranfmit it to their offspring: they may impart to their children 
 the bleffings of education : they are no longer looked upon as a degraded faClion, who har- 
 bour principles hoftile to the laws and liberties of their country : — in a word, they are 
 Englishmen, SUBJECTS, AND CITIZENS, and suchthey are acknowledged by ths 
 K*NC,THE Nation, and tiik Law. 
 
 UU
 
 r H J 
 
 III. 
 
 We now beg leave to trouble you with fomc obfcrvations on the nature of our contest 
 WITH THE Apostolical Vicars. 
 
 When the interefts of a confiderable body of men are concerned, it is next to impofTiblc 
 to obtain an unanimity of opinionsconceriiing the plans and meafures to be adopted. Con- 
 
 teftations will of courfe arife. But when fuch conteftations are to be carried on with 
 
 perfons, whofe characier, ftation and office entitle them to peculiar refpeQ, the tafk becomes 
 more than ufually painful. 
 
 This has happened to us. We felt it our duty to oppofe, in fome in{\ances, the man- 
 dates of Apoftolical Vicars; and, as our controverfy with them has been public, our cha- 
 raQers require the public fhould be informed, that we neither engaged in the contcfl upon 
 unjullifiable grounds, nor fupporied it by unjuftifiable meafures. 
 
 If all refinance to ecclefiaftical authority were in itfelf culpable, then the holy Robert 
 of Lincoln, that bright ornament of the Englifh church in catholic times, was deferving of 
 the fevereft eenfures, when he vigoroufly refilled the encroachments- of a Pope upon the 
 
 rights and liberties of England. A minute detail of particulars feems to be at prefent 
 
 unneceffary. 
 
 In our former letter addrefTcd to you, and in the letters we addrefTcd, firfl to the four 
 Apoftolical Vicars, then to Mr. Douglas, and laftly to Mr. Douglas jointly with Mr. 
 Walmfley and Mr. Gibfon, we have given an account of our conduQ; and, we perfuade 
 oiirfelves, have fully juflified it in thofe inftances in which it had been arraigned. 
 
 Thefe publications we again recognize, and beg leave to refer you lo them. If other 
 |)ublicaiions have appeared during the late controverfy, we alTurc you the Committee were 
 concerned in none of them. 
 
 We never engaged any auxiliary pen to defend ourcaufe ; — we recognize thofe papers 
 only relating to the prefent bill which we have infcrtcd in the appendix, and thofe wc have 
 before fent you fubicribed by our names. 
 
 One
 
 C 12 ] 
 
 'One tiling in particular we wifli fliould he clearly undciflood: — vc have invariably 
 -profcfled, that wc never conceived an idea of departing, in any one fingle inftance, from 
 the belief, or the acknowledged rules, of the Catholic Church; and confequently wc 
 have uniformly difclaimed the moft diftant intention of encroaching upon any one privi- 
 lege belonging to the epifcopal dignity. 
 
 In matters of fa£l we were convinced that the Apoftolical Vicars were miftaken. 
 
 We knew that they had mifconceived the nature of the bufinefs, which wc were con- 
 ducing, and had miftated our proceedings in it. 
 
 We conceived befides, that they had extended their authority to objeQs, which came 
 not within their competency. An implicit deference to orders, which equally at firft fight, 
 and upon refieftion, ftruckus as unwarrantable, would, in our judgment, have greatly pre- 
 judiced the moft effentiai interefts of the body of Englifh Catholics, and have juftly fub- 
 jefted ourfelves to an accufation of relinquifliing the duties of a public truft. 
 
 Did we infill, that the proteftation contained nothing which Englifli Catholics might 
 Dot with fafety declare ? 
 
 Let it be remembered, that fix bifliops and nearly two hundred and forty clergymen, 
 as well as almoft every refpeftable layman, in this kingdom, had already figned that in- 
 ftrument, and returned it to us as a public pledge of their focial and political fentiments. — . 
 Could we believe, that an inftrument figned by the whole body of Englifh Catholics, was 
 inconfiftent with Catholic principles ? 
 
 In the name of the body, we had folemnly prefented that inftrument to the Icgiflature, 
 and had earneftly called the public attention to its contents. We could not, therefore, 
 revoke it, in any circumftances, without difgrace; and unlefs exprefsly direfted by the 
 fubfcribers and our conftituents, we could not revoke it without betraying our truft. But 
 the body never inftrufted us to revoke their inftrument; and indeed we have never heard,- 
 that the apoftolical vicars enjoined their clergy or their flocks to cancel their fignatures. 
 
 If the protellation be uncatholic, v;hy was not the body fummoned to renounce it, and 
 abjure their pernicious errors ? 
 
 But
 
 . C i3 3 . 
 
 But if it be foundly catholic, what blame can the appointed reprefcntatives of the 
 body have incurred, by maintaining a declaration, which the whole body itfclf had con- 
 curred in authenticating ? It is true, the members of the Committee had figned the pro- 
 tedation, but they figned it only as individuals in their refpedivc diftrifts, and it was not 
 in their own names only, but in the name of the whole body, that the solemn insthu- 
 MENT had been pledged to their countrymen. 
 
 If therefore the Apoftolical Vicars have had any conteflation upon thisfubjeft, it ?ia* 
 certainly been lefs with the Catholic Committee, than with the body of Englifh Catholics. 
 
 To fpeak the truth without difguife, it has been a conteft with themfelves ; for they 
 themfelves, (if you except Mr, William Gibfon, who in the year 1789 was not a-refident 
 in this kingdom,) had all figned the proteftation. 
 
 Did we refufe to fubmit to a requifition made by Mr. Douglas and Mr. Gibfon, not to 
 proceed in the bufinefs of a Bill before Parliament, without their approbation ? It was, 
 becaufe we could not but deem that requifition an undue exertion of authority. It en- 
 crgached upon our rights as Englifhmen. 
 
 For we acknowledge no power, that can reftrain the fubjefts of thefc realms from ap* 
 plying to the legidature in a conftiiutional manner. 
 
 Confider, we intreat you, my Lords and Gentlemen, what muft have been the effc£l$ 
 of our compliance. Your Bill was loft. Every penal and difabling ftatute, which the 
 wifdom and humanity of Parliament have lately repealed, would ftill have continued in 
 full force againft you. Your difgrace too would have been complete. 
 
 For after attraBing, for fome years, the fixed notice of your fellow-fubje6ls, and of 
 the legiflaturc ; after making a folemn declaration of your principles as men and citizens; 
 after introducing a Petition and a Bill into Parliament, you muft fuddenly have fhrunk 
 back into former oppreflion and aggragated odium. As no reafons could be alledged for 
 flopping all proceedings relative to your Bill, except an ecclefiafiical order of two Apof- 
 tolical Vicar-s, the public muft ncccflarily have confidered you as equivocators, who dared 
 nui fupport tbeii- inoft lolcmn declarations, and who, in the moft important concerns, 
 
 D would
 
 Cm] 
 
 vouM at any time be difpofed to refign implicitly their beft and moft elTemial civil rrght-v 
 to the unmotived fuggcftian of Apoftolical Vicars. 
 
 Of aill the prejudices which had (b long prevailed againft Englifh Catholics, and which 
 had rendered them, in the opinion of majiy friends to civil and religious freedom, unfit to 
 participate in the blefiings of our happy coni'titution, none was more deeply imprinted, 
 than the fufpicions that Englifli Catholics were fo flavilhly dependant on their eccleliar. 
 lical fupeiiors, as to have, even in civil concerns, no judgment, no rule of action, which 
 was not, at kaft indireftly, fubjecl to their abfolute controul. This prejudice, you, by 
 your proteftation, had removed; but candor mud own, that the abrupt requifition of two 
 Apoftolical Vicars to dcfill from proceeding in the bufinefs of a Bill before Parlia- 
 ment, feemed too fatally calculated to revive the ancient fufpicions of the inglorious fer- 
 vitude. In complying therefore with that requifition, we could fee nothing but peril and 
 difgrace to the body of Englifh Catholics. 
 
 Accordingly wc declined to fubmit. But in notifying our motives of refufal, we did 
 not negle6\ to acknowledge aur fincere reverence for epifcopal authority, when equitably, 
 exerted within its own fphere. Civil concerns are evidently beyond its boundaries. 
 
 The Pope, (and of courfe his Vicars,) neither has nor ought to have, any temporal or civil 
 
 jurifiiElion, power, fupericrit)\ or pre-eviinence, directly or indircElly, within this realm. 
 
 This we had fworn, and jealous of our integrity, we felt it a duty to refift, as reprefenta- 
 lives of the catholic body, an encroachment on our conftituiional rights of exerting our— 
 felves in the bufinefs of a Bill,, then before the legjllature of the Iand,for redrefs. 
 
 If we were convinced that our inherent right, as Britons, of applying to Parliament- 
 for a releafe from penaUies and difabilities, and exerting ourfelves in the bufinefs of a. 
 Bill, producing fuch a releafe, cannot be controuled by Apoftolical Vicars, we were equal- 
 ly convinced that their authority could not reftrain us from taking the oath, taken by all. 
 OL'R FELLOW-SUBJECTS, of aflEgiancc to the fovereign of thefe realms. 
 
 This was the only oath annexed by government io our proteftation. When we com- 
 pared it with the oath of James the Firft, juftified by fo many of the moft virtuous and 
 moft enlightened of our anceftors ; when we compared it with the oath taken by all the 
 Catholics in 1778, and when we recollected the words of the addrefs, prefented that year 
 by the Catholics to the crown, we could difcern no reafons to hinder us from recovering 
 
 fome
 
 C »5 1 
 
 (bme fliare of the rights of Englifhmcn, by giving the fame pledge of fidelity, as is given 
 by all our fellow-rubje£ls, although the words "being Proteftants" were contained in 
 the oath. 
 
 Of all the difficulties maintained by the three Apoflolical Vicars this was the lad 
 tihey could prevail upon themfelves to refign *, though the right of fixing the fuccellion to 
 the Imperial Crown of Great Britain cannot, moft alfurcdly, be an objeQ of their ecclcfi- 
 aflical competency. 
 
 To the completion of our laxe fortunate bufinefs, they confh.ntly reprefented this dif- 
 ficulty as infuperable. 
 
 This they carried fo far, that, when the Bill was in the Houfe of Lords, the Bifhop of 
 St. Davids moved, that the Irifli Oath fhould be fubftituted in lieu of that adopted in the 
 Houfe of Commons. But Eail Guildford propofed, that an exprefs recognition of the A61 
 ©f Succeffion to the Crown in the heirs of the body of the Princefs Sophia, being Protcd- 
 ants, (ufing the terms of the A£l of Settlement,) fhould be inferted. To this the Billiopt 
 of St. Davids, in conformity wiili the wifhes of the three Apoftolic Vicars, objeded. 
 
 Earl Guildford however moved, that the words in queftion fliould ftand part of the 
 Oath, and his motion was carried. 
 
 Here then was an anxious moment for your Committee, — a critical moment for the 
 Englifli Catholics. On one hand it was uncertain whether the Miniflcr in the Houfe of 
 Commons would not oppofe the admifTion of the Irifli Oath, to the fubftitution of which 
 he had more than once pofitively objefled : on the other, although the Irifli Oath fhould 
 be admitted in the Houfe of Commons, it was uncertain whether the Apoflolical Vicars 
 
 would ever abandon their infuperable difficulty. In one cafe there were apprehenfions 
 
 cf your Bill being lofl^; in the other there were apprehenfions of a lafting diffention be- 
 tween the Apoflolical Vicars and the body of Englifh Catholics. 
 
 *. 
 
 The Bill pafTed and was fanctioned ; but the perplexing incertainty about the infuper-^ 
 able difficulty of the Apoflolical Vicars ftill continued. 
 
 See Mr. Walmcfley's Letfcr in the Appsndix, No. VII. 
 
 Even
 
 C i« 3 
 
 Even at the General Meeting held on the gih of June lafl, when Bifhop Douglaj 
 copdefcended to fay, that he had no objeftion to the form of the Oath now prefcribed by 
 Parliament, there was no perfon in the aflembly who could take upon him to make a, 
 fimilar declaration of the fcntiments of Bifhop Walmefley and Bifliop Gibfon. We arc 
 rejoiced to'learn, that they have fince overcome their fcruples. 
 
 Now in what inftance of the late controvcrfy does it appear that your Committee 
 have invaded any juft right, or declined to obey any juft command of the Apoftolical 
 Vicars ? Not in their abiding by the proteftation, for this was the authenticated pledge of 
 the whole body, both clergy and laity : not in their refufing to obey a requifition to ftop 
 their proceedings in the bufinefs of a Bill pending before Parliament; for to proceed in 
 the buGnefs of a bill pending in Parliament is a civil right: not in their alacrity to fwear 
 allegiance to the fovereign ; for allegiance is a duty of which we are all bounden to make 
 profelTion : not in renouncing with deteftation the depofing power, which ignorance and 
 fanaticifm had once attempted to fix in the papal chair; for that wicked and impious opi- 
 nion the whole body of the Englifh Catholics, with the laudable concurrence of the Apof- 
 tolical Vicars, had, in 1778, renounced, rejeQed, and abjured upon oath: not, laftly, in 
 fwearing to the fucceffion of the crown in his Majefty's Family, being Proteftants ; for 
 the whole body of Englifh Catholics, in 1778, had already engaged themfelves upon oath 
 to defend, to the utmoft of their power, the fucceflion of the crown in his Majefty's Fami- 
 ly, againft any perfon or perfons whatfoever; and by the Aft of Settlement that fucceflion 
 is limited to his MajeHy and the other defcendants of Princefs Sophia, being Proteftant*. 
 
 My Lords and ©entlemen, confiftency has uniformly been our aim ; confiftency in 
 ^principles, confiftency in aflion. The Addrefs to the Crown in 1778, the Oath prefcribed 
 that year by Parliament, the Proteftation, the Oath prefcribed by Parliament in 1791, 
 thefe are all folemn engagements taken by the body of Englifh Catholics, and they arc all 
 confiftent with each other. While we had the honor of tranfading public bufinefs in your 
 truft, we could not in any point deviate from your own folemn engagements *, and 
 when we conceived that the Apoftolical Vicars were prefcribing a line of conduct, 
 which muft have compelled the catholic body to appear inconfiftent and perfidious, re- 
 gard for your charatters, no lefs than for our own, impervioufly told us, that implicit 
 obedience would be criminal treachery. Depart from your Proteftation! defil't from the 
 feufinefs of the Bill ! This was the language of the Apoltolical Vicars. What fpntiments 
 
 * See our aflenion of your delffgation to us in the Appendix, No, VIII, 
 
 could
 
 C ^7 3 
 
 covild fuch commands imprcfs on the bofoms of men of honor ? Overwhelm yoiirfclvcs 
 with infamv, and ceafc to be Britons. 
 
 Such would have been the confeqiiences of our fubmitting to the requifitioii of the 
 Bifhops in not proceeding in the bufinefs of the Bill. 
 
 That they themfelves did not difcern that the fubmifTion they required from us would 
 have produced thcfe cffefts, we readily allow ; that it would have produced them, we were 
 
 convinced, and you, my Lords and Gentlemen, muft bo fenfible. Their commands, 
 
 therefore, it would have been unwife, and even criminal in us to obey. — — We therefore 
 refifted their ordinances. In our letter to the Vicars Apoftolic of the 25th of Novem- 
 ber, 1789, we explicitly avowed our rule of conduft. In that letter we tell them, that 
 *' In fatisfying the minds of the prejudiced, in proving our uprightnefs to the Icgiflature, 
 " in attempting by honeft means to recover thofe temporal advantages from which nothing 
 *' but mifreprefentation had excluded us, — in doing this, we were pcrfuaded, there could 
 
 " be no encroachment on the paftoral duty." In thcfe fcntiments, in this line of con- 
 
 duQ, we began the execution of the truft you delegated to us; in thcfe we invariably 
 pcrfifted in the difcharge of it; in thefc we now finifli. 
 
 Yet, my Lords and Gentlemen, it is on account of a fteady adherence to this line of 
 conduct, it is for a confcientious perfeverance in the difcharge of the truft repofed in him 
 by you, that one of the Vicars Apoftolic has by a feries of cenfures, equally in violation 
 of the civil rights of Britifh fubje£ls, and, as we are informed*, in contempt of canonical 
 difcipline, driven from his fituation one of the members of your Committee; and by a rc- 
 fufal to fpecify any charge againft him, endeavoured to tinge his moral charafter, with 
 that doubtful ftain, which undefined charges muft always in fome degree leave on the 
 pureft reputation. With the cccleGaftical part of this bufinefs we have no concern ; but 
 we muft call your moft fcrious thoughts to the ftate of your inferior clergy, whofe bread, 
 and, what is of more confequence, whofe fair fame, according to our prcfcnt ecclefiaftical 
 government, may be thus taken from them v.ithout any means either of defence or redrefs. 
 
 * Sec the Addrcfs to tie C'atliolic Clergy, No. V!I1. in the Appendix. 
 
 E IV.
 
 [ x8 3 
 
 IV. 
 
 You have probably heard of feme or amatory pamphlets, in which your Com- 
 miltee has been treated with little regard, and you approve, no doubt, of our inattention 
 to their contents. 
 
 One alone we think it may now be necelTary to notice. The ravings of enthufiafm 
 Ve can eafily overlook, and the calumnies of unauthorized individuals we know how to 
 defpife : but the writer of this libel afTumes an authority, which claims attention and 
 refpeft. He tells the public, that "he writes at the requeft of three Apoftolical Vicars, 
 •• and conceives himfelf to be fpeaking their language." He certainly docs not fpeak the 
 language of lenity, of conciliation, or of truth. 
 
 His mifreprefentations are neither few, nor unimportant. 
 
 He dalhes the foam of his declamation on all thofe Etiglifli Catholics, who have ap- 
 proved or co-operated in the meafures of your Committee, and your very votes of thanks 
 he cavalierly treats as futile compliments for loft reputation. 
 
 His refentments againft the majority of Englifli Catholics are immoderate, but his 
 charges againft us are of the moft atrocious kind. He defcribes us as " contrivers of 
 " mifchief:" we began, "he fays, by deceit: we would firft have deceived the body of 
 " Englifti Catholics, then infulted them for being overreached, and to rivet them down 
 ** in error, would have difplayed all the terrors of outrageous perfecution." Our letter 
 to the Vicars Apoftolic, he calls " a mafter-piece of diftimulation,. duplicity, and false- 
 " HOOD." There is hardly a page in this work, (and it is an oftavo of 165 pages,) 
 which does not contain fome reflection upon us. Grofs ignorance is the flighteft of his 
 imputations. He accufes us of many things, which impeach our honor and our veracity; 
 and which, if true, would make us unworthy of living in your fociety, or in any iociety 
 profefling the common rules of naorals, or the common decencies of manners. Our catho- 
 licity he denies ; — does not allow us common honefty ; and to complete our defamation,. 
 ferioufly infinuates we are tainted with Jansenism. 
 
 Such is this work, my Lords and Gentlemen; — a work inflated by paffionate vehe- 
 meace and acrimonious zeal, but a work declared to be written at the requeft of three 
 
 Apoftolic
 
 [ »9 I 
 
 Apoftolic Vicars: and TlicIi is their language in our regard, if we may credit the author's 
 own declaration. 
 
 After the Bill for our relief had paffed, it was the eanieR wifli of all lovers of 
 peace, that a conteftation, to which different ways of thinking in perfons contending for 
 
 the fame objed had given rife, might quietly fubfide. For our parts wc had not the 
 
 flighted wifh of continuing a controverfy, now become ufclcfs to the public caufc. Ex- 
 prellions of civility and mutual congratulation had paded between us and the Apodolical 
 Vicar of the Southern Diftritt. Even the Apoftolical \'icar of the Weltern DiUricl had 
 exhorted us to let all difcord fubfide, and to unite in the fwcet comforts of peace and concord. 
 The fweet comforts of peace and concord feemed aclually reftorcd, ^\ hen, on a fudden, 
 out burfts this violent attack, upon our honor, our probity, our religion, and upon the prin- 
 ciples and charaders of all our friends! And from whom this attack ? From a volunteer 
 gladiator ? It might be, but he pleaded a commiilion from regular chiefs. 
 
 To a paffionate adventurer wc could not ftoop to reply; but to reQify the mifcon- 
 ceptions of Apoftolical Vicars we thought both refpeflful and necelfary. To afcertain, 
 therefore,, whether the Rev. Charles Plawden had been commiffioned by the Right Rev. 
 Apoftolical Vicars, and to what extent he fpoke their language, we addreffed the follow- 
 ing letter to each of our four Prelates. If wc wrote to Mr. Talbot, it was not becaufe we 
 thought him capable of authorizing fuch a writer to abufc his name, but only becaufe that 
 writer had not fpecified the three Apoftolical Vicars, whofe commilhon he pretended to 
 have received. 
 
 The following are copies of our letter and their anfwers. 
 
 '*,My Loud, 
 
 " A pamphlet has been publiftied by the Reverend Charles Plowden, entitled, "An 
 " Anfwer to the Second Blue Book, containing a refutation of the principal charges and 
 " arguments advanced by the Catholic Committee againft their Bifliops, addrcffed to 
 " the Roman Catholics of England," which pamphlet contains many refleftions on the 
 " condutl of the Committee in the late buhnefs, and many imputations on their moral 
 " charaQer highly injurious to their reputations, as well as a very erroneous flatcmcnt of 
 *' feveral material fafts. 
 
 ••It
 
 C «o 3 
 
 *' It has been the conftant rcfolution of the Committee, not to notice the produ8ions 
 " of any individual, however grofs the abufe of their conduft may be, and however diftant 
 
 " from truth the Qatcment of facils contained in it. But Mr. Charles Plowden's book 
 
 *' bears on its firfl: page an information, which forbids us to look on it in the light of a pri- 
 " vate work. The public is told, that the anfwer was prepared at the requefl of three of the 
 " Apoftolical Vicars; and though by a very lingular mode of conduct this avowed agent 
 " declares, that he has afted "in this important bufincfs (for, my Lords, as chriftians, and as 
 *' gentlemen, we muft confider an attack on the moral charafler of a very large proportion 
 «' of the catholic clergy and laity of this country as no trifling matter) without having fub- 
 " mitted his manufcript to the cenfure and correQion of his employers, yet he exprefsly 
 " declares, that he writes attherequeft of the bifhops, and conceives himfelf to be fpeaking 
 " their language. 
 
 " Thus, my Lord, has the book in qucfiion been introduced to the world with the Ramp 
 " and fanQion of your Lordfhip's authority: — and we conceive, that we fhould be wanting 
 " both to ourfelves, and to the part of our clergy reflected on in it, if we did not endeavour 
 «' to know, how far Mr. Plowden fpeaks your Lordfliip's fentiments.— — 
 
 *' My Lord, 
 
 " We apply in the mod foleran manner to you. — We are charged with crimes of i 
 " very ferious nature ; you owe it to us as chriftians, either to undeceive the public with 
 " regard to the opinion they muft conceive your Lordfhip forms of us, and leave to Mr. 
 *' Plowden the fliame of having thus abufed your Lordfliip's refpeftable authority, or can- 
 " didly to fay, that fuch are your fentiments in our regard. We fliall then endeavour to 
 " vindicate ourfelves from the accufations brought by your Lordfliip againil our moral, as 
 *' well as civil, charafler, 
 
 " We are, My Lord, 
 
 " Your moft obedient humble Servants, 
 
 " Petrc. " John Throckmorton. 
 
 " Henry C. Englefield. " Tho;nas Hornyold, 
 
 Lincchi'i Inn, 2^d Feb. 1792. 
 
 ton^hirch,
 
 r «i ] 
 
 Longhirch, Feb. 6. 175 J. 
 « Dear Sir, 
 
 " My mod finccre and hearty wifli and dcfire has conf\antly been to promote and pre- 
 ** ferve concord and liannony, peace and charity among ourfeWcs; and I tliink I can truly 
 *' fay with the Apoftle, 1 Cor, xi. iG. ^ any man Jean io be contailioits, we have no fuch cujlom, 
 " nor the church 0/ God, You may therefore affure the very refpeftablc Gentlemen of the 
 ,' Committee, that I never employed, comniiffioned, or defircd Mr. Plowdcn, or any one 
 *' elfe, to utter or exprefs any thing derogatory to them, or any of their connexions, either 
 " individually or colleQively. Could any conciliating mcafure be devifed, an end be put 
 " to all feuds, contentions, and animofities, and every thing contrary to peace, charity, and 
 " brotherly love, be buried in entire oblivion, I fliould very much rejoice, and would moft 
 *' willingly concur in any fcheme that could cfFeftuate this moll defireable end, and that 
 " could make us, with one mind, and with one mouth, glorify God and the Father of our 
 " Lord Jefus Chrift.— 
 
 " Why fliouW the fmall body of Catholics now in England, who, by your endeavours, 
 " and the liberality and indulgence of an enlightned and beneficent legiflature, have ob- 
 " tained a more free exercife of their religion, why fhould they become more difunitcd thaa 
 *' ever, and more additled to quarrels and difputes? As a minifter of the gofpel of peace, I 
 *' have a right to put thefe queftions, and to ufe my utmod endeavors to bring about peace 
 *' and reconciliation with all difcordant members of our holy faith and communion. I firmly 
 " believe that all, that are at variance, mod fincerely wifli to be united again in the bands 
 " of friendfliip, cordiality, and brotherly love. Shall then fome punQilioes, or fome ovcr- 
 " weaning attachment to an over hafty rcfoluiion or ftcp, obdruft a meafure which would 
 " be attended with the mod happy confcquences ? Though this letter is not much to the 
 " purport of your letter, and I much fear not to any purpofe at all, yet being fo full of what 
 *' I fo much wifli, I could not refrain from committing my hady thoughts to writing. 
 
 " With rcfpeflfui compliments to all the Members of the Committee, I am their and 
 
 " Your mod obedient humble Servant, 
 
 " TaoMAS Talbot. 
 « CuAKLEs Butler, Efi.' 
 
 F My
 
 C 22 3 
 
 * My Lord, and Gentlemen, 
 " In anfwer to your favor of the 2d inftantwe beg leave to fay: 
 
 " That we do not conceive ourfelves under any obligation to give any declaration 
 *• whatever concerning Mr. Charles Plowden's pamphlet. 
 
 . " Charles Walmesley. V. A. 
 " William Gibson. V. A. 
 " John Douglas. V. A. 
 *' The Right Hon. Lord Petre» 
 
 " Sir H. C. Englefield. London, Feb. 16,1792. 
 
 " Sir John Throckmorton. 
 "Thomas HoRNYOLD. 
 
 Here then the matter refts. To Mr. Talbot we feel ourfelves greatly obliged for his 
 candid, friendly,. and truly pafloral anfwer. The refufal of the other Apoftolical Vicars, 
 either to avow or to deny the charges made, in their name, againft us, we, for their 
 fakes, fincerely lament. If they really commiffioned the author in queftion publicly to ac- 
 cufe and revile us in the manner he has done;, if it be true, that in this he has afted by their 
 defire and fpoken their language, do not the laws of the gofpel call upon them as chriftians 
 to avow it? The rules of honor, the common principles of equity, the acknowledged duties 
 and rights of fociety, die ufual pra8.ice in the intercourfe of civil life, do all mod certainly 
 call upon them for this avowal. 
 
 If on the contrary the writer had not their authority for his accufations and revilings ; 
 if he has imputed to them a language which they do not fpeak; it is a juftice which they owe 
 our charaflers, fo grofsly traduced in their names, and under the fanflion of their authority, 
 to declare publicly to the world, that it was not done at their requeft, and tbat this is not the 
 language in which they fpeak of us. — But here we paufe. 
 
 Let the three Apoftolical Vicars and the Rev. Charles Plowden balance their owr» 
 account, and fettle amongft themfelves, whether /ze has pretended a commiffion which they 
 
 never
 
 [ n 1 
 
 never gave him, or thty have given him a comniinion which they arc afiianied to avow. 
 We (after the following fhort obfervations on three charges in the libel) fhall difmifs from 
 us the inglorious controverfy, and difmifs it forever. 
 
 V. 
 
 The FIRST CHARGE IS fclcfled from page 1 2/ of thc Hbcl. We felc£l it, hecaufe it con.^ 
 rains the mod atrocious of all the Rev. Charles Plowden's charges againftus. — Behdcs(asthe 
 re\erend gentleman has evidently exerted in it all his pious fcnfibilities, all his eloquence 
 and all his reafoning powers) it is a fair fpecimen of the untlion with which tlic work is 
 written, the chridian charity with which the libeller, and thofe, whofc language he fpeaks, 
 have judged of our condufl, their profound knowledge of the fubjcft, and the fairnefs and 
 precifion with which they reafon upon it. 
 
 Speaking of the claufe in the bill, as it was brought into the Houfe of Commons, by 
 which Juftices of the Peace were authorized to tender the oath toperfons frequenting places 
 of religious worfliip licenced by that aft, he fays: " The Committee,, in the excefs of their 
 " extravagance, had even the hardinefs to hope, that the prefcnt Bench of Bilhops would 
 " concur, by their votes, to drag catholic prelates, priefts and laymen from the foot of their 
 " altars to the receptacles of murderers and robbers. The deteflable penal claufe far ex- 
 " ceeds the bitternefs of laical malevolence, it could only be conceived or ripened in the 
 ." bread of corrupted priefts. Indeed we do not impute the invention of it to the lay 
 " gentlemen of the Committee ; their guilt in admitting and defending it is fufticiently 
 " enormous,. but ftiil it leaves room for compaffion. We can pity finners, but we have not 
 " language ftrong enough for the dccmon that feduces them. O let them fink into dark- 
 " nefs; let them hide their heads confounded and abaflicd." Speaking again of the claufe, 
 ■in page izg, he calls it " a diabolical claufe, which our mifguided Committee have endca- 
 
 " vouredto enaft againft us." Thofe are the charges. What is the truth? — 
 
 The truth is as follows; — The aft of the firft of King William and Queen Mary,, com- 
 monly called the Aftof Toleration, contains, among other claufes, a claufe from which that 
 in queftion is copied. Our aft, asyouwill find by the perufal of it,, does not contain the 
 claufe in queltion, or any claufe of the like eflcft. It was (hewn to a perfon of the highell 
 lituation in the country. He took notice of this circumftance, and required the infertion of 
 Uie claufe. The gentleman, through whom' we had this communication, fignified thisrequi- 
 
 (ition
 
 t H 3 
 
 fuion to us, and feiU^ys the claufe, written out in his own hand, for the infertion of it in 
 our Bill, and in his own hand-writing it is now in our cuftody. 
 
 The following arc the claufes, as tl>cy ftand in the Aft of Toleration, and in our 
 Bill. 
 
 Copy of the iStla Claufe in the ift of Wil- 
 liam and Mary, c. 18. — Ruffhcad's Sta- 
 tutes, 3, V. p. 426.'——— 
 
 •" And be it further enaQed, by the au- 
 " ihority aforefaid, that every Juftice of 
 " the Peace may at any time hereafter re- 
 ■" require any perfyn that goes to any meet- 
 *' ing for excrcifc of religion, to make and 
 " fubfcribe the declaration aforefaid *, alfo 
 ♦* to take the faid oaths t, or declaration of 
 " fidelity hereinafter mentioned J, in cafe 
 " fuch perfon feruples the taking of an 
 " oath, and upon refufal thereof fuch Juf- 
 *' tice of the Peace is hereby required to 
 *• commit fuch perfon to prifon without 
 " bail or mainprife, and to certify the name 
 " of fuch perfon to the next General or 
 '* Quarter Seffions of the Peace, to be held 
 ** for that county, city, town, part or divi^ 
 *' fion where fuch perfon then refides ; and 
 " if fuch perfon fo committed, fhall, upon a 
 *' fecond tender at the General or Quarter 
 *' Sefljons, refufe to make and fubfcribe the 
 *' declaration aforef;iid, fuch perfon reftif- 
 
 Capy of the Claufe above referred to in 
 the Catholic Bill. 
 
 " And be it farther enaCled that every 
 " Juftice of the Peace, may, at any time 
 *' hereafter, require any perfon that goes 
 *' to any place of congregation or meeting 
 " for exercife of religion, certified and re- 
 " giftered under this aft, to take and fub, 
 " fcribe the oath of allegiance and abjura- 
 •' ration, and of proteftation and deelara- 
 " ration herein before prefcribed, and upon 
 " refufal thereof fuch Juftice of the Peace 
 ** is hereby required to com.mit fuch per- 
 " fon to prifon without bail or mainprife, 
 •♦ and to certify the name of fuch perfon 
 " to the next General or Quarter Seffions 
 ♦* of the Peace, to be held for that county, 
 *' city, town, part or divifion where fuch 
 " perfon fliall then refide, and if fuch per- 
 ♦• fon fo committed, ftiall, upon a fecond 
 " tender at the General or Quarter Sef- 
 *' fion, refufe to take and fubfcribe fuch 
 " oath of allegiance and abjuration and of 
 
 * Tlie deelaratiaa here referred to U the oath preforibed \>y the 30th C^r, ii. ft. ii. c, i. commonly eallecl 
 tic declaration agsinft popery. 
 
 + The oaths referred to here are the oaths prefcribed by the firft of Wjiliam and Mary, c. ;. 
 J Ths declaration of fidelity here referred to is contain«i in the fame ilatute. 
 
 jng
 
 r 25 ] 
 
 " ing (liall be then and there recorded, and " proteflation and declaration as aforefaid, 
 
 " he fliall be taken thenceforth to all in- " lucli perfon refilling fhall be taken and 
 
 " tents and purpofes fur a PopilJi Recu- " there recorded, and he fliall be taken 
 
 " fant Convift, and fuffer accordingly, and " thenceforth to all intents and purpofes 
 
 " incur all the penalties and forfeitures of " for a Popifli Recufant, and falTer accord- 
 
 " all the aforefaid laws." " ingly, and incur all penalties and forfeit- 
 
 " urcs as if this .icl had not been made." 
 
 Befides, this Aft did not authorize Juftices to tender the oath to any pried or any 
 layman, but fuch as fiiould go to fome place of congregation, or meeling for exercife of 
 religion, certified and rcgiflered under that Act. 'I'hofc, therefore, who objefted to the oath, 
 (and who confidently with their own principles muft have refrained from reforting to the 
 places in qtieftion,) would not be liable by the claufe in quedion to have the oath tendered 
 to thcra; not one of thefe would have come under the operation of the a6l. 
 
 It was even fuggeded to the Committee, that this claufe, fo far fiom being penal, 
 might aflually be ferviceable to the Catholics. No perfon is authorifed by the Aft to take 
 the oath, except at the place appointed by the Aft, viz. the Courts at Wedminder, or the 
 Courts of Quarter Scdions. From any place of this defcription many Catholics live at a 
 confiderable didance. Now it was conceived, that, by a liberal condruftion of this claufe, 
 Catholics might be intitled to the benefit of this Aft, if they took the oath when required 
 by Judices under this claufe. 
 
 Thus, my Lords and Gentlemen, you fee the claufe in quedion was neither con- 
 <:eived nor ripened by us ; that it was copied, verbatim, from an aft of the lad century ; 
 that it was not infertcd in our Bill ; but that it was forced into a Bill for out relief, which 
 did not originate with us; and that none but thofe who took the oath in quedion would 
 have been fubjeft to its operation, and to thofe Catholics it might have been ed'entially 
 
 ferviceable. We fhall dwell no longer on the horrid accufation. The charge and 
 
 defence arc before you. If at this moment, the feelings of the Reverend Charles 
 
 Flowden, and of thofe whofe language he fpeaks, are not of the mod painl'ul kind, they 
 are to be pitied indeed. 
 
 W'c proceed to the next charge. Your protedation, the libeller bewail.s, as the caufe 
 cj all our woes, and boldly declares, that we obtruded principles vpon you : exerted ourfelvcs to 
 •ohlain fignatura, and prevent exaninaticn : employed emijfaries to hijh your fcrnples^ and pal- 
 
 -G liaie
 
 [ ^6 ] 
 
 Hate deJtBi ; and that hundreds among you wi/Jitd in vain to retracl your fgnaiures. Obtra- 
 fion, the arts ol" cunning, the employment of emiflf^iries, we know nothing of. Who 
 among you, my Lords and Gentlemen, will fland forward, and charge us with having 
 bubbled you by inhdious. artifices ? 
 
 The firll public, and mod important, fantlion given to the inOrument of protefta- 
 tion, was the fignature of the Apollolical Vicar of the Southern Didrid, accompanied liy 
 the fignatures of his clergy, whom he convened for the very purpofe of figning that 
 inftrument. This was the firlt inftance, fince the Reformation, of a Catholic Prelate 
 fvnodically convoking his clergy in this kingdom. The occafion was worthy of the 
 fvnod, for it was to give the death-blow to ancient prejudices, and, by removing the 
 fufpicions of our proteftant fellow-fubjefls, lay the bafis of civil and religious freedom 
 for the Catholics of England. As to the defire of hundreds to retraft their figna- 
 tures,— you, my Lords ind Gentlemen, are the beil judges of your own fentiments, 
 and of the fentiments of your refpeflive friends ; you confequently bed know, how 
 much of truth, or how much of calumny, there is contained in that affertion. For 
 ourfelves we can only an"ure you, that no fuch defire was ever communicated to us, 
 and we never received diredions to erafe any fignatures, except thofe of Mr. Charles 
 Walmefley, Mr. Robert Banifter, and Mr. Weld of Lullworth *. On the contrary, 
 at a meeting in Caftle-Street, on February 2, 1790, eleven clergymen declared, in 
 the prefence of two Apollolical Vicars, and their coadjutors, that to recede from the 
 proteflation would be to overwhelm the Englifh Catholics with accumulated odium. At 
 the meeting on the 3d February, 1790, the fame language was fpoken. At the general 
 meeting in May we were again inltruded to proceed upon the proteftation. At no meet- 
 ing whatever has a hint been thrown out of a defire to recede from that inllrument. The 
 prefent Apoftolical Vicar of the Southern DiftriQ, never required the name of Johm 
 Douglas to be withdrawn, and although at the laft general meeting there were feveral, 
 who did not wi(h the inftrunvent to be depofited at the Britifli Mufeum, not one perfon 
 prefent exprelfed a defire of cancelling his fignature. Vv'here then are the hundreds of 
 the Reverend Charles Plowden ? ar ase he, and a few (perhaps) of his intimates, the 
 lairba Mundi ? 
 
 In page 117, he fays, " Let him count the names of catholic bifhops, from Rome to 
 *' France, to Flanders, to Ireland, through all its churches to Scotland, to England, and 
 
 * Mr Weid, in a letter to the Secretary, exprefsly defued it might be mentioned to the Officer at 
 the Miifeum, that he wilhed his name to be withdrawn, as it luat agcinji bisiicill, and iKuhmt bis ciiTijtut, that 
 
 it •WO! brought to lie Mufaan, 
 
 be
 
 [ 27 3 
 
 " he will find tlicir verdid unanimous, that the Committee's oath was unlawful. Let him 
 " add the anfwcrs of univcrfitics and theologians. Let him count the clergy throughout 
 " the realm, except the Commiite-mcn and their few fccrrt advifcrs,not one in an hundred 
 " would have accepted thtir original oath. Let him add the deteftation iii which it wa* 
 ** held by the great majority of the laity." • 
 
 My Lords and Gentlemen, we folemnly declare, that neither the whole,, nor any 
 part of this evidence, was ever laid before your Committee. It is now more than a 
 twelvemonth fincc we had the honor of addrefTing our lad letter to you, and no part of 
 that evidence has yet appeared to illuminate our judgment. And on what part of the 
 
 intended oath could fuch condemnation fall ? On our renouncing with dctedation the 
 
 pofuion. That Princes excommunicated by the Pope may be depofcd by their fubje£ls ? 
 To the Reverend Charles Plowden this pofuion may flill fcem innocent, and unworthy of 
 any bitter word of condemnation ; yet the very Apollolical Vicars, under whofc com- 
 miffion he pretends to write, fcruplcd not to rejeft and de eft it as falje^ fcanda'ous, fedi^ 
 
 iious, and traitorous *. Does then the condemnation fall upon fwearing to the fettlc- 
 
 ment of the crown in the proteftant line ? But the Apoftolical Vicars at length have 
 
 fworn to it. Does it then ultimately fall upon the inftrument of proteftation ? My Lords 
 
 and Gentlemen, this is your authentic a£l, your public pledge as men and citizens, and 
 you will no doubt wait for better evidence, and a higher authority,, than that of the Chap- 
 Jain of Lullwoith, before you feel yourfelvcs inclined to make an aviende honorable, and 
 abjure as a body an inftrument, which you figned and prefented as a body to the Legida- 
 ture and to your country. 
 
 In the mean while we beg leave to acquaint you, that in purfuance of the refolu- 
 tion of the laft general meetiRC, the proteftation has been depofited at the Britifti Mu- 
 leum, to remain there, a conftant and irrefragable evidence of the purity and integrity 
 of the moral and political principles of Englilh Catholics. 
 
 VI. 
 
 It remains for us to prefent you, my Lords and Gentlemen, our moft fincere thanks 
 for the obliging and kind i'upport we have received: from you, on every occafion, during 
 our five years appointment, and our grateful acknowledgments of the many honorable 
 teftimonies of approbation, which our conduQ has received from you. — Thele will never 
 efcape our memory or our gratitude. 
 
 * See the form of oath printed by three Apoftolical Vicars. 
 
 teftimonics
 
 C 28 j 
 
 As individuals, our fervices arc at tlie command of all and every of you. As 
 a Committee wc fliall meet no more. Wc, therefore, furrender our truft into your 
 liands; happy in our confcioufnefs of having, on every occafion, endeavoured to dif- 
 chargc it well, and in the approbation you have conllantly and uniformly been pleafcd 
 to bellow on our endeavours. 
 
 My Lords and GENTTE^4E^', 
 We have the honor to be, with the greateft refpeB, 
 
 Your moll obedient humble Servants, 
 
 CHARLES BERINGTON. 
 JOS. WILKS. 
 
 Jjincolns Inn, April 21, 1792. 
 
 STOURTON. 
 
 PETRE. 
 
 HENRY CHARLES ENGLEFIELD. 
 
 JOHN THROCKMORTON. 
 
 JOHN LAWSON. 
 
 WILLIAM FERMOR. 
 
 JOHN TOWNELEY. 
 
 THOMAS HORKYOLD. 
 
 P. 5. The Committee requefl, you will compare the firll claufe of the Bill as prepared by them, witk 
 the claufe in the Bill as it now Hands. The claufe in their Bill direfls that the oath, contained in the i8ih 
 year of his piefent Majefly, fliould no longer be taken, but that the oath, contained in that Aft, fhould 
 thenceforth be adminiflered in its ftcad, and fliould give the fame benefits and advantages, and fhould ope- 
 rate to the fame effects and purpofes, as the OJth contained fFTthe A£l of the iSih year of his prefent Majefly. 
 
 In the A6t, as it now flands, it is not faid, that the oath therein contained fhall intitle the perfons taking 
 the fame to the benefiis of the Aft of the 18th year of his piefent Majefly. It is only fjid, that it fhall be 
 kiwful for Catholics to lake that oath, at the places and times, and in the manner thciein mentioned. 
 
 Thus, it is very uncertain, whether peifons, taking the oath of the lall year only, will be entiikd to 
 <he benefit of (he aft of the 18th of his prefent Majefly, fo as to be relieved frotn the penalties and 
 difabilities from which the perfons, taking the oath therein prcfcribed, were relieved by that Aft. B/ 
 thefe penalties and difabilities the Englifh Catholics were expofed 10 more real grievances, than they were by 
 any other law iiifliflcd againfl them. It feems, therefore, advifcablc for eveiy Catholic, particularly if he 
 wilhes to fecure his landed properly, fo take both the oath prefcribed by the Aft of Padiament of iafl year, 
 and the 03th prcfcribed in the Statute of the i8th year of his prefent Majcflv. 
 
 This alteration of the claufe in queflion in our Bill was made upon the motion of the pre'eni Lord 
 Chancellor, when the Bill for our Relief was in the Houfe of Lords.
 
 APPENDIX, ( *a ) 
 
 TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE 
 
 WILLIAM PITT, 
 
 FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURY, AND CHANCELLOR OF HIS 
 MAJESTY'S COURT OF EXCHEQUER, 
 
 THE MEMORIAL 
 
 O F H I S 
 MAJESTY'S ENGLISH SUBJECTS PROFESSING THE CATHOLIC RELIGION, 
 Sheweth; 
 
 A HAT by the laws now in force againft perfons profefiTmg the Catholic Religion, your Memotialifts are 
 deprived of many of the rights of Englifh fubjefls, and the common rights of mankind. 
 
 They are prohibited, under the raoft fevere penalties, excrcifing any a£l of religion according to their 
 cwn mode of worfhip. 
 
 They are fubjeS to heavy punifliments for keeping fchools, for educating their children in their own 
 religious principles at home, and they are alfo fubjeft to heavy punifhments for fending their children for 
 education abroad. 
 
 They are made incapable of ferving in his Majefly's Armies and Navies. 
 
 They are reftrained from pra^ifing the Law as Barriflers, Advocates, Solicitors, Attornies or Proflors. 
 
 » a i They
 
 They are obliged on every occafjon to expofe the mod fecret tranfaflion of their families, by reafon of 
 the expenfive and perplexing obligation of enrolling their deeds. 
 
 They are fubjefled, by annual afts of the Legldature to the ignominious fine of the double land-tax. 
 
 They are deprived of that connitutlonal right of Engllfh freeholders voting for County Members } 
 they are not allowed to vote at the eleflion of any other Member, — they are therefore abfolutdy unrepre-^ 
 fented in Parliament. 
 
 They arc excluded from all places civil and military. 
 
 They are difqualified from being chofen to a feat in the Houfe of Commons. 
 
 Their Peers are deprived of their hereditary feat in Parliament. 
 
 And their Clergy, for exercifing their funflions, are expofed to the heavieft penalties and ptinifliments, 
 and in fome cafes to death. 
 
 That the laws, which fubjefl them to thefe difabilities, penalties and punlfhments, were paffed againft 
 them in times of intolcration, for crimes of which they are not guilty, and for principles which they do not 
 profefs. 
 
 That if any motn-es of policy ever exifled, which, in any point of view, or by the opinions of any fet 
 of men, could juftify the general neceffity or expediency of thefe laws, they have long fince entirely ceafed ; 
 to continue them, therefore, niufl be unjuft, as it wiih-holds from fo many fubjefts the fiift rights and com- 
 forts of fociety; unwife, as it produces difunion among the people; and impolitic, as it deprives the flate 
 of the labours and fer vices of fo many of its loyal fubjefts. 
 
 That by the gracious and falutary AB. paffed in the 2Qth of his piefent Majelly, that one particular law, 
 which mofl. prevented their fafely and quietly enjoying their landed property, was formally repealed, and an 
 oath prefcribed to ihem by which, in tlie moii folemn, moft explicit and mofl unequivocal terms they dif- 
 chim the beli'.f, that there exifls in any foreign Prince, Prelate, State or Potentate, either direflly or indi- 
 re£lly, any civil junftliflion, power, fupeiiorily or pre-eminence whatfoever within tliis realm; and by which, 
 in terms equally folemn, equally txplicit and equally unequivocal, they avow their abfolute and unreferved 
 allegiance and fidelity to his Majefty's perfon and' government, the fuccelTion of the Crown in his famiiv,. 
 and the Britiih conftitution. 
 
 That the Englifli Catholics have univerfally taken this oath.
 
 C '►iii 3 
 
 Tliat their general condutl has been blamclefs and inofTenfive. 
 
 That they hold no principle \Uiich can be conftrued to extend to the fubvernon, dlfluibancc, or difquict 
 of the civil or ecciefidflical government of this country. 
 
 That they live in the completeft harmony v.'ith their fellow-fubjefts, only feparated from them by a dif. 
 fcrence of opinion in matters of religion, and only prevented from lalling into the general mafs of the 
 community by the diflinflions produced and kept alive by the laws flill remaining in force againit them. 
 
 That the Britilh Government, and the Nation at large, have long been fenfible of this, and therefore 
 (with an humanity for which the Englifh Catholics are truly grateful) have not permitted the laws againfl 
 
 them to be executed in their utinoft extent. Hence, for a conhderable time, none of the laws which 
 
 affefl their lives have been carried into execution, and there have not been many inrtances where thofe laws 
 
 which afleft their fortunes or their liberties have been enforced. Profecutions againft them have received 
 
 no aid from the legiflature; no countenance from the courts of juftice; no encouragement from the ma> 
 giflracy, and no favor from the people- Inforiners agaiiiil them have been univerfjlly defpiftd, the moll 
 
 virtuous and enlightened men of the age have been their advocates The nation is their friend, the letter 
 
 of the law their only enemy. — To that it is owing, that they flill languifh under difabilities which cramp 
 their induftry, prevent their providing for their families, drive them from their own country for education, 
 ©Ltrude them on foreigners for fubfiftence, and inake them as it were aliens among their fellow- fubjeftj. 
 
 That the dofhine of general toleration univerfally prevails. 
 
 And that, no plea can be urged for tolerating in foreign countries, the Diflenters from the mode of wor« 
 fliip ellablifhed there, which may not, %vith aj great propriety, be urged for tolerating in England thofe of the 
 Catholic pcrfuafion. 
 
 Upon thefe grounds your Memorialifls hope for your concurrence and 
 fupport, on their intended application for redrefs of their giievances. 
 
 No. L
 
 ^■j...«ti.— fii I f^.-r- '" --^^ .«(» 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 ^..v-<yi-— I ■ I y>...p. Ill I )^,jtt. 
 
 No. I. 
 
 ADDRESS of the Catholic Peers and Commoners 
 
 of Great Britain, in 1778, 
 
 To the KING'S Most Excellent Majesty. 
 
 The Haaible Address of the Roman Catholic Peers and Commoners of 
 
 Great Britain. 
 
 Most Gracious Sovereign, 
 
 VV E your Majefly's dutiful and loyal Subject, tlie Roman Catholic Peers and Commoners of your 
 KmgHom of Great Britain, moH humbly hope, that it cannot be offenfive to the Clemency of your Majefty's 
 Nature, or to the Maxims of your juft and wife Government, that any Part of your Subjefts (hould approach 
 your Hoyal Prefence, to affureyour Majefly of the refpe6\ful Afflftion which they bear to your Perfon, and 
 <heir tniL- Attachment to the Civil Conftitution of their Country, which having been perpetuated through 
 all Chanijes of religions Opinions and Eftablifhments, has been at length perfefted by that Revolution which 
 Jias placed your MajeRy's illiiftrious Houfe on the Throne of thefc Kingdoms, and infeparably united your 
 Title 10 the Crown wiih the Laws and Liberties of your People. 
 
 Our Exclufion from many of the Benefits of that Conllitution has not diminifhed our Reverence to it. 
 We behold with Satisfaftion the Felicity of our Fellow Siibjefls: And we partake of the general Profperity 
 which rcfults from an Inftitution fo full of Wifdoni. We have patiently fubmitted to fuch Reflriflions and 
 Difcoura^cmenls as the Legiflature thought expedient. We have thankfully received fuch Relaxations of 
 
 A the
 
 [ 2 ] 
 
 tlie Rigour of the Laws, as the Mildnefs of an enlightened Age, ami the Bcnig'iliy of your M.ijcfly's Govcjii. 
 nieiit, have gradually produced; And we fubmifTively wait, without prefiiming to fugged eiilier Time or 
 Meafuie, for fuch other Indulgence, as thofe happy Caufes cannot fall, in their own Seafon to effcfl. 
 
 W'e beg Leave to alfure your Majedy, tliat our DifTent from the legal Eftablilhtneut, in Mjtters of 
 Religion, is purely confcieniious; that we hold no Opinions adverfe to your Majedy's Government, or 
 repugnant to the Duties of good Citizens. And we truft, that this has been fhewn more decifively by our 
 iircproachable Condufl for many Years part, under Circumnances of public Difcountenance and Difplea- 
 fure, than it can be manifefled by any Declaration whatever. 
 
 In a Time of Public Danger, when your Majefly's Subjeftscan have but One Interert, and ought to 
 have but One Wilh, and One Sentiment, we humbly hope it will not be deemed improper to alfure your 
 Majefly of our unrefervcd AfTeiiion to your Government, of our unalterable Attachment to the Caufe and 
 Welfare of this our common Country, and our utter Deteflation of the Defigns and Views of any Foreign 
 Power, againft the Dignity of your Majefly's Crown, the Safety and Tranquillity of your Majefly's Subjects. 
 
 The Delicacy of our Situation is fuch, that we do not prefume to point out the particular Means by 
 which we may be allowed to teflify our Zeal to your Majefly, and our Wilhcs to feive our Country ; but 
 we entreat Leave faithfully to affure your Majefly, that we fhall be perfectly ready, on every Occafion, to 
 give fuch Proofs of our Fidelity, and the Purity of our Intentions, as your Majefly's Wifdom, and the Senfc 
 of the Nation, fhall at any Time deem expedient. 
 
 Norfolk, C. M. 
 Surrey 
 Shrewsbury 
 Linton, for the Scotch 
 Stourton 
 Petre 
 Arundell 
 Dormer 
 Teynham 
 Clifford 
 Charles Stourton 
 Hugh Clifford 
 Thomas Fletewood 
 Henry Englefield 
 Henry Tichborne 
 W. Jerningham 
 Francis Mannock 
 Walter Vavafour 
 Robert Throckmorton 
 Walter Blount 
 Henry Hunloke 
 
 Richard Afloii 
 John Webb 
 Thomas Gage 
 Edward Swinburne 
 Richard Bedingfitld 
 Edward Smyths 
 William Stanley 
 Henry Lawfon 
 Thomas Stapleton 
 Robert Berkeley 
 William Sheldon, yu«. 
 Thomas Hornyold 
 Francis Talbot 
 Philip Roper 
 John Barnwall Curfon 
 W. H. Maxwell Conftable 
 Henry Dai ell 
 Thoinas Hawkins 
 Henry Charles Englefitld 
 Thomas Hornyold, /m//. 
 Thomas Berington 
 
 Williatit Jones 
 Thomas Weld 
 John Biddulph 
 Anthony Wright, y«fj. 
 John Towneley 
 Robert Dolman, ya/j. 
 Robert Dolman 
 Robert Strickland 
 Thomas Witham 
 Francis Witham 
 Charles Stoiior 
 John Giffard 
 John Vincent Gandolfi 
 Peter Jofeph Gandolfi 
 Francis Hutton 
 Anthony Wright 
 Thomas Langdale 
 William Witham,yu;7. 
 Ferdinand Huddlefloi) 
 Henry Boftock 
 James Hunloke 
 
 Robert
 
 Robeii Hunlof;e 
 Windfor HunloLe 
 Thomas Huddleflon 
 Richard Huddlefton 
 Thomas Taunton 
 Samuel Taunton 
 Philip Jones 
 Jofeph Webb 
 Ignatius Geoghegan 
 Charles Biddulph 
 Charles Talbot 
 Francis Eyre 
 EdmondPlowden 
 Francis Plowden 
 Francis Sheldon 
 Robert Kilbye Cox 
 Francis Wright 
 Charles Dormer, j«n. 
 F. Fortefcue Turvile 
 Edward Sheldon 
 Miles Stapleton 
 
 George Cary 
 
 T. Strickland 
 
 Henry Maire 
 
 J. Strickland, jun. 
 
 Thomas Swinburne 
 
 Edward Bedingfeld 
 
 Henry Crathorne 
 
 T. Dillon 
 
 William Charlton 
 
 Henry Fermor 
 
 Edward Cary 
 
 William Colegrave 
 
 Philip Langdale 
 
 George Heneage 
 
 Robert Cansfield Gerard 
 
 John Frankland 
 
 Edward Jerningham 
 Francis Prujean 
 
 William Prujean 
 
 C 3 ] 
 
 VIn. Eyre 
 Michael Blount 
 James Butler 
 Thomas Fitzherbcrt 
 John Berkeley 
 Robert Stanford 
 William Aflon 
 James Stanford 
 William Sheldon 
 R. Sheldon 
 William Fenwick 
 John Fenwick 
 Henry Witham 
 Henry Wafceman 
 Francis Cholnilcy 
 Francis Cholmley 
 John Chichefter 
 Thomas ClifTton 
 
 Sim. Scroope 
 
 John TrafTord 
 
 William Witham 
 
 Andrew Mathcw 
 
 John Wright 
 
 Charles Dormer 
 
 John Lawfon 
 
 Francis Trapps 
 
 R. Clavering 
 
 George Ann 
 
 William Kirfopp 
 
 James Nelfon 
 
 John Stanley MalTey 
 
 James Fermor 
 
 Henry Howard 
 
 Richard Lacon 
 
 George Silvertop 
 John Silvertop 
 
 John Lawfon 
 
 Robert Dalton 
 Jofeph Scarifbick 
 
 Jeremy Norris 
 
 Ci-orge Tafburgh 
 
 Thomas Tunftall 
 
 Robert Macclesfield 
 
 P. Holford 
 
 Thoma Havers 
 
 Thomas Shutilcwort 
 
 David Nagle 
 
 Jofeph Nagle 
 
 John Stonor 
 
 Henry Blundell 
 
 John Berington 
 
 George Towneley 
 
 Edward Ferrers 
 
 William Fermor 
 
 Robert Throckmorton, ^b?;. 
 
 Thomas Riddell 
 
 Henry Errington 
 
 William Conftable 
 
 Marm. Tunflall 
 
 Peter Parry 
 
 William Saltmarlh 
 
 J. Gibfon 
 
 Thomas Waterton 
 
 Nathaniel Pigott 
 
 J. Powell Lorymer 
 
 Thomas Selbye 
 
 Thomas Selbye, _/«;?. 
 
 R. Riddell 
 
 George Maxwell, /or the 
 
 Scotch 
 John Chadwick 
 Thomas Mannock 
 John Lacy 
 William Lacy 
 John Webbe 
 Thomas Webbe 
 Thomas Taylor 
 P. S. MoHyn 
 Edwaid Salgard 
 Charles Towneley 
 
 John
 
 r 4 3 
 
 John Prujean 
 Samuel Cox 
 Jofeph Blount 
 f rancis Canning 
 Thomas Rowe 
 Thomas Scutlicote 
 William Clavering 
 Edward Clavering,_;'i^«. 
 
 William Dicconfon 
 Francis Manby 
 Jolui Porter 
 John Newton 
 John Vaughan 
 Ambrofe Eyies 
 Francis Wbitgrave 
 Edward Willoughby 
 
 Thomas Gibfon 
 John Needham 
 John Fifher 
 Tiiomas BafTett 
 William Meadcr 
 John Meffenger 
 Charles Butler 
 Thomas Eyre 
 
 No. II.
 
 [ 5 ] 
 
 No. II. 
 
 Draft Bill for the Relief of the Englifh Catholics — Drawn by Mr. Butler — 
 
 Settled by Mr. Hargrave. 
 
 VV HERAS by an A£l paffed in the iSih Year of his prefcnt Majefly, intitled, " An Aft for relieving imroduftoty 
 
 liis Maieflv's Subiefls proteflinfi the Popilh Religion from certain Penalties and Difabilities impofed on 
 
 •' ■' -^ ' ^ '^ ° . . ' Full Pan of 
 
 llicni by an Aft made in the nth and J2th Years of the Reign of King William the Third, intiilcd, " An the Bill. 
 
 Aft for the furiiier preventing the Growth of Popery," certain Provifions in the faid Aft of the iith aiid AUerition of 
 
 ' S ' ■" lllcOarh pic 
 
 12th Years of the Reign of King William the Third impofing Penalties and Difabiiities on Perfons profcf- fcu'.vd by ihe 
 fing the Popifh Religion were repealed : And whereas it is deemed expedient to give furthL-r Relief to his fcmMjjefty. 
 Majefty's Suhjcfts profefTing the Popifh Religion : And whereas the Perfon who in the Oath appointed 
 to be taken in and by the faid Aft of the i5^th Year of the Reign of his prefent NLijefty is meniioncd 
 as being faid to have taken upon hirnfelf the Style and Title of Prince of Wales in the life time of his 
 Father, and fmce his Father's Death, to have affumed the Siyle and Title of King of Great Britain by 
 the Name of Charles the Third hath departed this Lifefince the pafling the faid Aft, and in that Refpeft 
 therefore the Oath prefcribed by the faid Aft requires fome Alteration in the Language. May it there- 
 fore pleafe your mofl Excellent Majefly tha' it maybe enabled, AND BE IT Ei^ACTtD by the King's mod 
 Excellent Vlajefly by and with the Advice and Confent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons 
 in this prefent Parliament affembled, and by the Authority of the fame, 
 
 That from and after the Day of 178 the Oath mentioned in and 
 
 appointed to be taken by the faid Aft of the iSth Year of the Reign of his prefent Majefly (hall no longer 
 be adminiflred, but there flidll be adminiflred, taken and fubfcribed in the Place and Stead thereof, an Oath 
 in the Words following: (that is to fay) 
 
 I A. B. do fincerelv promife and fwear, That I will be faithful and bear true Allegiance to his Ma- 
 jefly King Georoe the Third, and him will defend to the uiinoft of my Power againft all Confpiracics and 
 Attempts whatfoever that (hall be made againfl his Peifon, Crown or Dignity, an<l I will do my utmoft En. 
 diavoiir to difclofe and make known to his Majefly, bis Heirs and SuccefTors, all Treafons and traitcrous 
 Confpiracies which may be formed againfl him or them; and I do faithfully promife to maintain, fupport 
 and defend, to the uimofl of my Power, againft any Perfon or Perfons whomfoever, the Succcnion of the 
 Crown * in ihe Family of his Majefly, againft any other Perfon claiming or prctendiiur a Right to the Crown 
 
 of 
 
 • I think the v/ords fcorcd under too large and unqualified. In the 6th of Anne, chap. 7. fed. 20. the Oath 
 appointed to be taken after the Qiiecns death was to maintain the fiicceffion of the crown as it ftood limited by the 
 iitli and 12th William IIL ch. z. to the Princefs Sophia, Elcdrcfs and Dutchcfs Dowager of Hanover, aiij the Iieirs' 
 
 B ,,
 
 [ 6 ] 
 
 of thefe Realms : And I do fwear ihat I do reje£l and deleft as an unclitiftlan and Impious Pofnion, iliai it ii 
 lawful to murder ordeflroy any Perfon or Perfons whatfoever, for or under Pretence of their beiiijr Here- 
 tics ; and alfo that unchriftian and impious Piinciple, that no Faith is to be kept with Flen-tirs. 1 furtlier 
 declare, That it is no Aiticle of my Faith, and that I do renounce, reje6f, and abjure the Opinion, that 
 Pi inces excommunicated by the Pope and Council, or bv any Authoiity of the See of Rome, or by any 
 Authority whatfoever, may be depofed or murdered by their Subjefls, or any Perfon whatfoever : And I do 
 declare that I do not believe that the Pope of Rome, or any other foreign Prince, Prelate, Stale oi Poten- 
 tate, hath or ought to have any temporal or civil Jurifdiflion, Power, Superiority or Pre-eminence, direfliy 
 or indirefll), within this Realm. And I do folemnly in the Prefence of God, profefs, teftify and declare, 
 that I do make this Declaiation, and every Part thereof, iti the plain and ordinary Senfe of the words of 
 this Oath, without any Evafion, Equivocation, or Mental Refervation whatfoever, and wiiiiout any Dif- 
 penfation aheady granted by the Pope, or any Authority of the See of Rome, or any Perfon whatever, 
 and without thinking that I am or can be acquitted before God or Man, or abfoived of this Declaiation or 
 any Part thereof, ahhough the Pope, or any Perfon, or Authority whatfoever (hall difpenfe with or annul 
 the fame, or declare that it was null or void. 
 
 Which Oath, fo exprefTed as aforefaid, may and fhall be adminlftered by an\' of the fairie Courts, and 
 may and (hall be legiftered in the fame Manner, and fhall give the fame Benefit and Advantages, and Ihail 
 be and operate to and for all the fame Intents and Purpofes whatfoever, as in and by the faid Ati of the 
 1 8th Year of the Reign of his prefent Majcfly is enafcled, expreffed, and declared of and concerning the 
 Oath thereby prefcribed. 
 
 Second Pan of And whereas bv an Aft of Parliament pafTed in the firO Year of her late Majefty Queen Elizabeth, in- 
 
 titled, " An Aft for the Uniformity of Common Prayer and Service in the Church and Adminiflration of 
 La V, s of Recu- the Sacraments," and by fevera! other Afts, particularly, an Aft paffed in the 23d Year of the Reign of her 
 ^*"'^'' faid Majefly Queen Elizabeth, intiiled, " An Aft to retain the Queen's Majc-fly's Subjefts in their due 
 
 Obedience;" an A6t pafTed in the I'gih Year of her faid Majefty's Rtign, intiiled, "An Aft for the more 
 fpeedy and due Execution of certain Branches of the Statute made in the 2 ^d Year of the Queen's Ma- 
 jefty's Reign, intitled. An Aft to letain the Queen's Majefty's Subje61s in their due Obedience ;" an Aft 
 pafTed in the a5th Year of the Reign of her faid Majefty Queen Elizabeth, iniitlcd, " An Aft for reftiain- 
 ing of Popilli Pvecufants to fome certain Places of Abode;" an Aft pafTed in the fecond, or as it is com- 
 monly called, the firft Year of the Reign of his late Majefty King James the Firft, intitled, "An Aft for 
 the due Execution of the Statutes againfl Jefuits, Seminary Piiefts, Recufants, &c. ;" an Aft palTed in the third 
 
 of her body, bein^ Proteflants. Here too, in like manner, I recommend a reference to the fame Aft for fettlementof 
 the Crown. F- H, 
 
 In the fame A&. of Qi^ieen Ann the Oath fo prefcribed is with a blank, for the Name of the King or Queen on 
 the throne for the time being, and the Oath is followed with a claufa, direding how the blank is to be filled ii|> from 
 time to time. This sppeirs to me a more corred and complete mode of framing and .idjufting the 0.-ith than is 
 Y.trt ad'Ojited : bec.-iufe it provides for adapting the l.ingi:age of the Oath according to the time prefent, and fo rcnJeri 
 a future Aft for altering tht Oath, on the acceifion of every prince, unnecchary. F. U. 
 
 Ycir
 
 [ 7 ] 
 
 Year of his fiid MajcHy Kin;"; Jjtnes the Fiift, intiilcci, '« An Afl for the Iietlerdifcovering and reprefTing 
 Popilli Reriirjiiis ;"' an Atl pjffed in the f.iid tl)inl Year of his faid Majefty King James the Firft, intiiled, 
 " An Afl to prevent and avoid Dangers whicli may grow hy Popidi Rccufants ;" and an AEl pafTed in tlie 
 ft'venth Year of the Reign of his faid late Mjjeny King James the FiiH, intitled, "An Afl for adminifler- 
 ine ih" Oath of Allei;iancc and Refnimation of married Women Reciifants;" all Perfons are required to 
 refoit to (heir PaiKh Cliuicli or Chjpc-l, or fome nfn. il Place where the Comrr.on Prayer fiiall be ufed, 
 upon pain ot incurring the Piinilhmcnts and Difabilities in the faid A€ts refpcflively mentioned, and alfo 
 are liable to Profecution and Penalties for kecniiip- or havinpr in theit Houfcs an\- Servant or other Pcrfoii 
 not fo refoiting: 
 
 Now r>E IT FURTHER EN ACTED, That from and after the faid Day of 
 
 178 no Papifl or reputed Papifl, or Perfon piDfcding (he Popifli Religion, who before the faiij 
 
 D.iv of fliall have taken and fubfcribed the Oath fpecified in the aforefaid A/1 
 
 of the iRih Year of the Reign of his prefent Majefly in Manner thereby recpiired, or who after the faid 
 
 Da\- of 178 fhall take and fubfciibe the Oath herein before appointed 
 
 to be tikcn and fubfciilcd, fliall be convifled or profctutcd upon, or he liable to be profccutcd upon the 
 faid laft recjiid Statutes, or any of (hem, or upon any otiier Statute, or any oihcr Law of this Realm, by 
 Inihtlment, Information, Aflion of Debt, or otherwife, or be profecuted in any Ecclcfiaftical Court for not 
 reforting or repairing to his or her Paridi Church or Cliapel, or fome other ufnal Place of Common Prayer 
 to hear divine Service and join in public Wordiip according to the Forms and Rites of the Church of Eiif- 
 lanH as by Law eflablifhed, or for keeping or having any Servant or other Perfon being a Papifl or reputed 
 Papift, or Perfon piofefTing the Popifh Religion, who fliall not Co refortor repair to his or her Pdrilh Church 
 or Chapel, or fome fuch other ufual Place of Common Prayer aforefaid. 
 
 And BE IT FURTHER EN ACTED, That from and after the faid Day of Thir.! Pjr- of 
 
 no Perfon who before the faid Day of Hiall have taken and fubfcrihed the *'" •*'"■ 
 
 Oath fpecified in the aforefaid Aft of the i8ih Year of the Reign of his prefent Mrjertv in Manner ilicrebv P'"!!""-^V.'^' 
 ^ ^ » .' y / ing 1 olciaiion. 
 
 required, or who after the faid Day of (hall take and fuhfcribe the Oath 
 
 herein before appjintcd to be taken and fubfciibed in Manner hereby reqtiind, fliall be prcfentcd, indicU-d, 
 fued, impeached, profecuted or convifted in any civil or ecclefiadical Court of this Rcalui for being a Papifl, 
 or reputed Pcipld, or for irrofefllng or being educated in the Popilh Religion, or for hearing or faying Mofs, 
 or for being a Pried or Deacon, or entering or belonging to any ectkfiafclical Older or Community of the 
 Churcli of Rome, or for being prefent ai, or performing or obfcrving any Rite, Ceremony, Prafitice or 
 Obfervance of the Popifli Religion, or maintaining or affilling others therein. 
 
 Provided always and be it enailed. That if any Alfcmbly of Paj)ids, or reputed Papids.or Peifons 
 profefling the Popifh Religion, fliall be had in any Place for religious W'oifhip with the Doors locked 
 barred or bolted, during any Time of Inch Meeting together, ail and every Perfon or Perfons that liidll 
 come to and be at fuch Meeting, (hall not receive any benefit from this Law, but be liable to ail lije 
 Pains and Penalties now iti force refpefling fuch Meetings notwiihllanding his or their takinLi the Oath 
 afoiefaiJ. 
 
 And
 
 [ 8 ] 
 
 An-d be it further enacted, That if any Papift, or reputed P.iplil, or Pcifon profeiling the 
 Popifh Religion, wlio befo.e the f-nd D^y of Ihuli have taken and fubfcribed 
 
 the Oa;h fpecified in the aforcfdid Aa of the 181 1) Year of the Reign of liis prcleni Majefly in Manner 
 thereby required, or who after the faid Day of fhull take and fubfcribe the 
 
 ■Oath herein before appointed to be taken and fubfcribed in Manner hereby required, fhall hereafter be 
 chofen, or oiherwife appointed to hear the Ofiice of High Conllable or Petty Conllable, Church- Warden, 
 or Overfeer of the Poor, or any other Parochial or Ward-Ofhce, and fuch Pci fon fliall fcruple to take 
 upon him any of the faid Offices in regard of the Oaths, or any other Matter or Tiling required by the 
 Liw to be taken or done in refpea of fuch Office, every fucli Pcrfon fliail and may execute fuch OfF.ce or 
 Employment by a fuflicient Deputy by him to be provided thai fliall comply with the Laws in thisEchilf: 
 Provided always that the ftiid Deputy be allowed and appointed by fuch Perfon or Pcrfons, and in 
 fuch Manner as fuch Officer or Officeis refpeaively (liould by Law have been allowed and appointed. 
 
 And be it further enacted, That every Teacher or Preacher in holy Orders, or fuppofed holy 
 Orders, that is a Miniller, Preacher, or Teacher of a Popiflr Congregation, who before the faid 
 j)a„ of fl.all have taken and fubfcribed the Oath fpecified in the aforefaid Aft of the 
 
 i8ih Year of the Reign of his preferu Majeffy in Manner thereby required, or after the faid Day 
 
 of (hall take and fubfcribe the Oath hereby appointed, in Manner hereby required, 
 
 fhall be exempted from ferving upon any Jury, or from being chofen or appointed to bear the Office of 
 Church-Warden, Overfeer of the Poor, or any other Parochial or Ward-Office, or any other Office in 
 any Hundred, or any Sliire, City, Town, Parifh, Divifion or Wapentake. 
 
 Pi^oviDED ALWAYS, and be it further enaaed. That nothing contained in this Aa (hall exempt 
 any other Perfon or Perfons from any of the Laws made and provided for the frequenting of divine Service 
 on the Lord's Day, commonly called Sunday, than and except fuch Perfons as (hall refon to fome Congre- 
 gation or AlTembly of religious Worffiip allowed or permitted by this Aa. 
 
 Provided also, and be it further enaaed, That neither this Aa, nor any Ciaufe, Article, or 
 Thing herein contained, ffiall extend, or be conflrucd to extend, to give any Eafe, Benefit, or Advantage 
 to any Perfon that fhall deny in his Preaching, Teaching, or Writing, the Doarine of the Blelfed Trinity 
 as it is declared in the Articles of Religion mentioned in the Statute of the 13th Year of the Reign of her 
 Majefty Queen Elizabeth, or who (hall by preaching, teaching, or writing, deny or gainfay the Oath or 
 Declaration herein before mentioned and appointed to be taken as afoiefaid. 
 
 And be it further enacted, That if any Perfon or Pcrfons at any Time or Times after 
 ,| J3jy. of do and fhall willingly and of Purpofe malicioufly or con- 
 
 temptuoufly come into any Place of Congregation, or Affembly for religious Worlhip, permitted by this Aa, 
 and difquiet or diftuib the fame, or mifufe any Preacher or Teacher, Aich Perfon or Perfons, upon Proof 
 thereof before any Juflice of the Peace by two or more fufficient WitnefTes, (hall find two Sureties to be 
 bound by Recognizance in the penal Sum of 50I. and in default of fuch Sureties (hall he committed to 
 Prifon there to remain till the next General or Quarter Seffions, and upon Conviaipn of the faid Offence 
 at the General or Quarter SelTions fhall fuffer the Pain and Penalty of 20!. to the Ufe of the King's Majefly, 
 
 his Heirs and Succeffors. 
 
 Provided 
 
 a
 
 r 9 ] 
 
 Provided always, an<i be it funlier enafled, That no Place of C<)npiegaiioii or AfTcinbly for 
 religious Worfhip fiidll bo permiited or allowed by this Aft until the Place of fuch Meeting (liall he cerii- 
 fied to the Bilhop of the DIocefe, or to the Archdeacon of that Archdeaconry, or to the Juftices of the 
 Peace at the General or Quarter Scdions of the Peace for the County, City, or Place in which fuch Meet- 
 ing fliall be held, and until the Place of fuch Meeting (hall be regillered in t!ie faid Bifhop's or Archdea- 
 con's Court rtfijeftively, or recorded at the faid General or Quarter ScfTions, the Regifteror Clerk of the 
 Peace whereof refpcrtively is hereby required to lejjifter the fame, and to give Certificate thereof to fuch 
 Perfon as fliall demand the fame, for which there ffiall be no greater Fee or Reward taken than the Sum of 
 Sixpence. 
 
 Provided also, and be it furtlier enafled, That nothing herein contained fhall be conflrued t 
 exempt any of the Perfons aforefaid from paying Tjthes, or other parochial Duties, or any other Duiie 
 to tlie Church or Minifler, or from any Profecution in any ecclefiaflical Court or elfewlieie for the fame, c 
 to repeal any Part of the Statute made in the 26th Year of the Reign of his late Majefly King George th 
 Second, intitlcd, " An Aft for the better preventing of Clandefline Maniages," or any Part of any olli 
 Statute concerning the Solemnization of Marriages. 
 
 o 
 
 :s 
 
 Of 
 
 le 
 ler 
 
 And whereas by a Statute made in the firfl Year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, intitled, fo""'' P»rt of 
 " An Aft to reftore to the Ciown the ancient Jurifdiftion over the Ellate Ecclefiaflical and Spiritual. , 
 
 ' Rrptil of the 
 
 and abolifhing ail foreign Powers repugnant to the fame," the Perfons therein mentioned were made Ath rrfpramg 
 compellable to take the Oath therein mentioned, conimonly called the Oath of Supremacy: And fciiuuonj. 
 whereas by a Statute made in the 3d Year of King James the P"ir!f, intitled, " An Aft for the better 
 difcovering and rcprefTing Popifli Recufants," another Oath, commonly called the Oath of Allegiance 
 or Obedience, was required to be taken by the Perfons therein mentioned : And whereas by a Statute 
 made in the firfl Sedion of the firft Year of King William and Queen Mary, intitled, "An Aft for the 
 abrogating the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance and appointing other Oaths," the faid Oaths fo required 
 h\ the faid Statutes of the ill of Ellzabeih and 3d of James (he Firff were abrogated, and a new Oath of 
 Alltgiance and a new Oath of Supremacy were introduced and required to be taken: And whereas 
 by a Statute made in the fecond SefTion of the firft Year of bis late Majefly King George the Firft, 
 intiik'd, "An Ait for the further Security of his Majefly 's Pci fon and Government, and the Succeflion 
 of the Crown in the Heirs of the late Princefs Sophia, ()eing Proteflanis, and for exiingnifliing the Hope 
 of the pretended Piince of \\'ales and his open and fecret Abettors," amongfl; other Oaths thereby 
 appointed to be taken, one is an 0<ith of Supremacy in the fame Words as the Oath of Supremacy 
 required by the faid recited Statute of the firll Scillon of the firR Year of King William and Queen 
 Maiy: And wheieas under the Provifions of the faid two lall recited Statutes Perfons in general are 
 liable to have the Oath of Supremacy therein mentioned tendered to theiii, and are expofed to Pe- 
 nalties lor not taking (uch Oaih when tendered, as is required by the faid two laft lecitcd Statutes refpcc- 
 tivcly. Now, ficni lendcrncfs to the Sciuj)les and Objeflions which Peifoiis profcffing the Poiiifh 
 Rflii>ion have to a Part of the faid Oath of Supremacy fo appointed bv the faid two la!l lecited Statutes- 
 Bk it kur ! her F.N act En, thai from and after the faid Day of 
 
 no Papifl, or reputed Paj)iil, or peifoii piufefling the Poplfli Religion, ^4ho before the faid Day 
 
 C of
 
 [ 10 3 
 
 rifih part of 
 the Bill. 
 
 Repeal of the 
 laws which dif- 
 able Catholics 
 from voting at 
 eleSions. * 
 
 of fhall have taken and fubfcrlbed the Oath appointed by the faid Statute of the 
 
 eighteenth Year of his prefent M<)jefty, or after the faid Day of (hall take 
 
 and fubfcribe the Oath hereby required, fhall be liable to any penalty or punifhir.ent, or to be conv.ifled or 
 profecuted in any Manner whatever, for not taking and fubfcribing, or for refuCng or declining to, uke and 
 fubfcribe the faid Oath of Supremacy fo appointed by the faid two lall recited Statutes, or by any other 
 Statute or Law now fubfifting, except where fuch Pei Ton fhall be required or liable by any Statute or Law, 
 to take and fubfcribe fuch Oath as a Qualification for taking or holding any Office or Einployment, or fof 
 afting in any ProfefTion, or for receiving any Pay, Wages, Salary, Fee or other 5.molument. 
 
 And be it also enacted, that from aiid after the day.of the Aftmade 
 
 and palTed in the firfl Year of their Majefties King William and Oueen Mary infilled " An Aft for the 
 removing Papifls and reputed Papifts from the Cities of London and Weflminfter" (hall not extend, or b^ 
 deemed, taken, or conftrued to extend toany Papift, or reputed Papiii, or Perfon profefling the Popifh Reli. 
 gion» who before the faid Day of fhall have taken and fubfcribed the Oath ap- 
 
 pointed by the faid Statute of the i8th Year of his prefent Majelly, or aftei the faid Day of 
 
 fhall take and fubfcribe the Oath hereby required. 
 
 And whereas by an AQ made and pafled in the 7th and 8th Years of the Reign of his Majefly King 
 William the Third, intitled " An Aft for the better Security of his Majefty's Royal Perfon and Govern- 
 mcnt," it is enafted, that no Perfon who (hall refufe to take the Oaths direfted by the faid Aft of the firfl 
 Year of the Reign of their Majefties King William and Queen Mary intitled " An Aft for abrogating 
 theOathsof Supremacy and Allegiance, and appointing other Oaths," or being Quakers, fiiall refufe to 
 fubfcribe the Declaration of Fidelity, direfted by one other Aft of Parliament made in the faid firft Year 
 of the Reign of their faid Majefties King William and Queen Maiy, intitled " An Aft for exempting their 
 Majefties Proteflant Subjefts difTenting from the Church of England from the penalties of certain Laws," 
 (which Oaths and Subfcription refpeftively the SheiifFor Chief Officer taking the Poll, at anyEleftionof 
 Members to ferve in Parliament, at the Requeft of any one of the Candidates, is, by the faid Aft of the 
 7ih and 8ih Year of his Majefty King William the Third, empowered and required to adminifler) fiiall be 
 admitted to give any Vote for the Eleftion of any Knight of the Shire, Citizen, Burgefs or Baron of the 
 Cinque Ports to ferve in Parliament. 
 
 Now BE IT ENACTED, that from and after the faid Day of the Oaths of De- 
 
 claration prefcribed by the faid Aft of the 7th and 8th Years of his faid Majefty King William the Third, 
 (hall not be put or adminiftred to. or be required to be taken by any Papift, or perfon profeffing the PopiQi 
 Religion, as a Qualification or Requifite to enable him to give his Vote for the Eleftion of any Knight of 
 the Shire, Citizen, Burgefs or Baron of the Cinque Ports to ferve in Parliament. But, in the place and 
 ftead of the faid Oaths and Declaiation, the Oath ia and by this prefent Aft mentioned and appointed to bs 
 
 I wifh to confider this and the two following Claufes further. — F. H.. 
 
 taken
 
 taken as aforcfaid ftiall Ic put to, and be required to be taken by Papifls, or reputed Papifts, or perfons 
 profefTing tlie PopiOi Religion, before they fliall be fo admitted to vote as aforefaid, and fliall be adininiftered 
 by the fame perfons and in the fame manner as the fjid Oaths and Declarations are by the faid laft mentioned 
 Aft prcfcribed to be admlniflcred. 
 
 And whereas by an Aft made and pafTcd in the 30th Year of the Reign of King Charles the S'lth pan. of 
 Second, intituled " An Aft for the more efltflual picfeiving the King's Perfon and Government by 
 
 iriin-nr r--iYirrt-.i. Repeal of the 
 
 dilabhng Fapiils from (itting in either Houfe of Pailianiem, it was enacted, that no Peer of this Realm, Uwswiuchd.fe 
 or Member of the Houfe of Peers, fhould vote or make hi* Proxy in the Houfe of Peers, or fit there during from fmingm 
 any Debate in the faid Houfe of Peers, nor any Member of the Houfe of Commons (hould vote in the ''"''''"""'■• 
 Houfe of Commons, or fit there during any Debate in the faid Houfe of Commons, after their Speaker 
 fiiould be chofen, until fuch Peer or iMember Qiould take the feveral Ouths of Allegiance and Supremacy. 
 
 Now be it further enafted, that from and after the faid Day of the Oath ia 
 
 this prefent Aft mentioned and appointed 10 be taken as aforefaid, fiiall be taken and fubfcribed by fuch of 
 tjie Peers of this Realm, or Members of the Houfe of Peers, or Members of the Houfe of Commons, who 
 Ihall be PapifU or reputed Papifls, or who fhall profefs the Popifh Religion, iadcad of the Oaths and Decla. 
 ration aforefaid prefcribed by the faid Aft of the 30th Year of the Reign of King Charles the Second, and 
 fhall be admlnlftered by the fame perfons, and in the fame manner, and (hall have the fame operation to 
 qualify Papifls, or reputed Papifls, or perfons profefling the Popifii Religion for fitting and voting in the 
 Houfeof Lords and Houfe of Commons refpeft.ively, as in and by the faid Aft of the 30th of Charles the 
 Second is mentioned refpefting the Oaths and Declaration thereby prefcribed. 
 
 And be it further hnacted, that nothing contained in the Aft of the firft Year of the Seventh part 
 Reign of their Majeflies King William and Queen Mary, intitled " an Aft to vcft in the two Univer- °^"''"'"- 
 fitiesthePrefentationofBenefices belonging to Papifls," or in the Aft of the 12th Year of the Reign of h'^wh^hdrf! 
 her Majefly Queen Ann, intituled " an Aft for rendering more effeftual an Aft made in the third Year fr''om ™,u! 
 of the Reign of King James the Firfl, intituled " an Aft to prevent and avoid Dangers which may grow by "'^ '" "*''■'"" 
 Popifh Recufants," and alfo of one other Aft made in the firft Year of the Reign of their Majefties King ^""'' 
 William and Queen Mary, intituled " an Aft to vefl in the two Univerfities the Prefentations to Benefices 
 belonging to Papifls, and forvcfling in the Lords of Jufticiary, power to infiift the fame punilhments aoainft 
 Jefuits, Priefts, and other trafficking Papifls, which the Privy Council of Scotland was empowered to do by 
 an Aft paired in the Parliament of Scotland, intituled " an Aft to prevent the Growth of Popery;" or in 
 the Aft of the nth Year of King George the Second, intituled " an Aft for fecuring the Eft.atcs of Papifls 
 conforming to the Proteftant Religion againfl the Difabilities created by feveral Afts of Parliament relating 
 toPapins, and for rendering more effeftual the feveral Afts of Pailiament made, for vcfling in the two 
 Univerfities in that part of Great Britain called England, the Prefentation to Benefices belonging to Papifls," 
 fhall difable or prevent any Papift, or reputed Papift, or perfon profefTing the PopiOi Religion, from pre- 
 fenting, collating or nominating to any Benefice, Prebend, or Ecdefiaflical Living, School, Hofpital or 
 Donative, or from Granting any Avoidance of any Benefice, Prebend or Ecdefiaflical Living, provided 
 that the perfon fo prefented, collated or nominated, be properly qualified as by Law is required. °' 
 
 And
 
 C 12 ] 
 
 F.ic;>iih ptrt of /^„^ Whcicas bv a Statute made in tlie fecond ScfTion of tlic fiiR Ycir of bis late Majefty King 
 
 , f , Georce iliefiift, iniitulc<l " an A6t to oblige Papifls to regiller theit Names and Real Eftdtes," all and every 
 
 Krpcal nf the o * n r ^ ... 
 
 livs rrguliin^ fiich ])erfon and Perfons as tbcicln aie defcilbed, are in Default of taking, witliin ilie Time tliereby limited, 
 gidfr' ihci'r"^' the feveral Oaths of Allegiance, Supremacy and Abjuration required by the faid Statute of the firfl SefTion 
 dc-cJi& wills. ^j.jj^^ ^^^ Y^.^^ (,f iiis faid late Majt-ny King George the Firft herein before recited, and of repeating and 
 fubfcrihing the Declaraiiim ag^intl Tranfubflantiation and Popery expreflcd in and required by a Statute 
 made in the fecond Seifion of the 30th Year of King Charles the fecond, required to regifler their Names, 
 and alfo their Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments, in manner and under the penalties in the faid now 
 recited Statute mentioned and exprelTed: An D WHEREAS by an Aft pafTcd in the third Year of his faid 
 Majefty King Geo! ge the Firfl, intituled " an Aft for explaining an AB pafTed in the laft SefTion of Parliament, 
 intituled " an Acl to oblige Papifts to regillcr their Names and real Eflates, and for enlarging the Time 
 " of fuch regiftering, and for fecuring Purchafes made by Protellants," — and by other fubfequeiu Afts, It is 
 ENACTED, that no Manors, Lands, or any Interefl therein, or Rent or Profit thereout, fliall pafs, alter or 
 change from any Papitl, or ptrfon profefTing the PopiOi Religion, by any Deed or Will, except fuch Deed 
 within fix Months after the Date, and fuch Will within fix Months after the Death of the Teflator, 
 be enrolled in one of the King's Conns of Record at Wellminflei, or within the County wherein the 
 Manors or Lands do lie: And whereas the faid two recited ABs for Regiflryand Inrolment, do expofe 
 Perfons profefTing the Popi{h Religion, and their Eflates, to great Inconvenience and EmbarrafTmem ; 
 Now BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, that the faid two laft recited Afls of the firfl and third Years of his 
 faid Majefty King George the Firfl, and alfo fuch Parts of all other Afts as require the Regiftry of the 
 Names and Eft-ites of perfons being Papifts, or profefTing the Popifh Religion, or being reputed to be fuch, 
 fliall be, and the fame are hereby utterly repealed, abrogated and made void J and, from the pafiing of this 
 Aft, no perfon whatfoever ftiall be profecuted, fiied, inolefted or otherwife afTected, by reafon of not having 
 complied with or conformed to the faid hereby rejiealed Acts, and pans of Acts, or any of them; and all 
 Deeds and Wills fliall, from the pafTing of this Act, be as good and effectual, both at Law and in Equity, 
 and to and for all Intents and Purpofes whatfoever, as if the faid hereb) repealed Acts and part of Acts had 
 never been made. 
 
 Kimt' part of And WHEREAS bv an Act made aiidpaffed in the 7th and 8th Years of the Reign of King William 
 
 '^^ ^'"- and Queen Mar)', intitled " an Act requiring the Practifcrs of Law to take the Oaths and fubfcribe the 
 
 Repeal of the j^ecjaration therein mentioned ;" and an Act made and palTed in the firft Year of the Reign of his Majefty 
 
 jav. s which dil- * o j j 
 
 able the Ciitho- King George the firft, intituled " an Act for the further Security of his Majefty 's Perfon and Govern- 
 tiii.ngtheLaw.* ment, and the Succeffion of the Ciown in the Heirs of the late Princefs Sophia, being Proteflants, and for 
 exlirguifhing the Hopes of the pretended Prince of Wales, and his ojien and ft-crct Abettors," all Perfons 
 acting as a^ergcantat Law, Counfellor at Law, Barrifler, Advocate, Attoine), Solicitor, Proctor, Clerk or No- 
 tarv, by practifiiig in any manner as fuch, in any Court or Courts whjtfoever, not having before the Time 
 of fuch afting taken the Oaths and Declaration in the f-iid Acts rcfpectively prcfciibcJ, are made fiibjcct or 
 liable to the PeiiaUies in the fame Acts reipeciively mentioned. 
 
 ' J wlf.i to have an opportunity of confidering this C'aufc furtb.er — F. fl. 
 
 Now
 
 i: ^3 ] 
 
 Now r.E IT FURTHER LNACTED. that the Oaths and Declaration in and by the faid lafl. mentioned 
 Afis refpeflively mentioned and a])pointed to be taken and fubfcribed by pcrfons afting as a Sergeant at 
 Law. Counfellor at Law, Barrifler, Advocate, Altorney, Solicitor, Proflor, Cierk. or Notary as in tlie faid 
 Afls rerpoflively is nicmioiitd, fli^ll from an.l afier the Day of next after 
 
 pafling this piefent Aft, he no longer put or adminiftered to. or required to be taken by any Papid or perfon 
 profefling thePj;>;ni Religion, as a Qualification or Requifite to enable him to a£t in the Capacities afore- 
 faid, or any of th;ai ; But the Odih in and by the prefent A£l exprtlTcd and appointed to be taken and fub- 
 fciibed as aforefaid, lliiill from and after the faid Day of nett be admi- 
 
 nidered, taken and fubfcribed to and by Papills, or perfons profeffing the Popifh Religion, and acting or re- 
 quiring to act in the Capacities aforefaid, or any of them, in the flead and place of the faid Oaths and Decla- 
 ration, and every of them . And in order thereto, the Oath in and by this prpfcnt Act cxprefled ar.i 
 appointed to betaken as aforefaid, may and Ihall be adminillered, taken and fubfcribed in ihe fame Couns,and 
 may and /hall be regiftered in the fame manner as the Oaths and Declaration, in the room of which it is here- 
 by fubflituted, are by theActs fo prefci ibing the fame Oaihs and Declaration refpefli vely as aforefaid, appointed 
 to be adminiftered, taken, fubfcribed and rcgiflered : And when fojtaken, fubfcribed and regiftered fhall. for the 
 purpofe of enabling Papifts, or reputed Papifts, or Peifons piofclling the Popifh Religion, to act in the Ca- 
 pacifies aforefaid, or any of them, have tha fame Effect and Operation, to all Intents, Conaructidns aUd 
 Purpofes whatfoever, as the Oaths and Declaration, in the Room of which it ij hereby fubftitutcd*. 
 
 Drawn, by the Direction of the Committee of English Catholics, by m* 
 
 Charles Bt;TLfis. 
 
 Lincoln's Inn, 14^^^.1788. 
 
 * SIR, 
 
 The fubjeclofthis Bill is of immenfe Extent, the Statutes meant to be repealed beirig numerous ini 
 complicated : And though I have confidered this Draught of the propofed Bill, «-ith a laborious Anxiety to accomplilh 
 the Views with which I have been confulted, yet I do not feel myfelf juftificd in returning this prefent Draught of the 
 Bill, in conformity to the requeft made to rae. without expreflinga wilh. that I may once more have the opportunity of 
 revifmg it. What are the parts of the Bill, which appear to me moll to require ray revifal, I have explained in my mar- 
 ginal annotations. The arduoufnefs of properly fettling a Bill, on a fubjcft of fuch great complication and variety, 
 and alfo of fuch peculiar delicacy, being confidered. I truft, that my requeft of being permitted once more to deli, 
 bciatc upon the draught of the propofed Bill, will not be deemed unreafonable. 
 
 i> /• n .- T^ ^« Y9..\, Harcravi. 
 
 Bofwell Court, 10 Dec. 1788. 
 
 I have further confidered this Bill, and I approve of the draught as it now ftands, fubjeft only to the marginal 
 obfervatioF.s I have mude in fol. 5. 
 
 D y. „ „ yv ,■ Fra. Haroravk. 
 
 B.olweli Court, 24 March 1789. 
 
 C No. III.
 
 Cm] 
 No, III. 
 
 THE 
 
 DECLARATION and PROTESTATION 
 
 SIGNED BY THE 
 
 ENGLISH CATHOLIC DISSENTERS IN 1789: 
 With the Names of thofe who fi?ned it. 
 
 o 
 
 W. 
 
 E whofe Names are hereunto fubfcrlbed, Catholics of England, do fieely, voluntarily, and of our 
 own accord, make the following folemn Declaration and Proteftation. 
 
 Whereas Sentiments unfavourable to us as Citizens and SiibjVfts have been entertained by Englifh 
 Proteftants, on account of Principles which are afferted to be maintained by us and other Catholics, and 
 vhich Principles are dangerous to Society, and totally repugnant to political and civil Liberty;— is is a 
 Duty that we, the Englilh Catholics, owe to our Country as well as to oorfelves, to proteft, in a formal and 
 folemn Manner, againllDoflrines that we condemn, and that conllitute no Part whatever of our Principles, 
 Religion, or Belief. 
 
 We are the more anxious to free ourfelves from fuch Imputations, becatife divers Protefiants, who 
 profefs ihemfehes to be real Friends to Liberty of Confcience, have, nevenhelefs, avowed therafelves 
 hoftile to us, on account of certain Opinions which we are fuppofed to hold. And we do not blnme thofe 
 Proteftants for their Hodility, if it proceeds (as we hope it does) not from an intolerant Spirit in Matters of 
 Religion, but from their being mirinformed as to Matters of Fa£l. 
 
 If it were true that we, the Englifh Catholics, had adopted the Maxims that are erroneoudy imputed 
 to us, we acknowledge that we Oiould merit the Reproach of being dangerous Enemies to the State; but 
 we deteft thofe unchrillian like and execrable Maxims: and we feverally claim, in common with Men of 
 all other Religions, as a matter of natural Juflice, that-we, the Englilh Catholics, ought not to fuffer for or on 
 account of any wicked or erroneous Dofirines that may be held by any other Catholics; which Doflrines 
 we publicly difrlaim ; any more than Britifh Protefiants ought to be rendered refpouGLIe for any dangerous 
 Doftrines that may be held by any other Protefiants, which Doftrincs they, the Britifh Protefiants, difavow. 
 
 ift. We have been accufed of holding, as a Principle of our Religion, that Princes excorarounicated 
 by the Pope and Council, or by Authority of the See of Rome, may on depofed or murdered by their 
 Swbjefls, or other Pcrfons. 
 
 But
 
 r ^5 ] 
 
 But, fo far is tlic above-mentioned uticliviflian-like and abominable Pofition from being a Principle 
 that we hold, that we rejefl, abhor, and drtcft it, and every Pari thereof, as execrable and impious; and 
 we do foiemiily declare. That neither tlie Pope, either with or without a General Council, nor any Prelate, 
 nor any Piiefl, nor any AlFemblv of Prelates or Piiefls, nor any ecclefiaflical Power whatever can ablolvc 
 the Subjcfts of this Re^hn, or any of them, from their Allegiance to his Majefty King George the 
 Thiud, wlio is, by Authority of Paiiiament, the lawful King of this Realm, and of all the Dominions 
 thereunto belonging. 
 
 fid, We have alfo been accufed of holding, as a P inciple of our Religion, That implicit Obedience is 
 due from us to tiie Orders and Decrees of Popes and General Councils; and that therefore if the Pope, or 
 ally General Council, fhould, fur the Good of the Church, command us to take up Arms againfl Govern- 
 ment, Of by any Means to fubvert the Laws and Liberties of rhis Country, or to exterminate Perfons of a 
 different Pi rfuafion from us, we (it is aiferted by our Accufers) hold ourfelves bound to obey fuch Orders 
 or Decrees, on Pain of eternal Fire ; 
 
 Whereas we pofltively deny. That we owe any fucli Obedience to the Pope and General Council, or 
 to either of them ; and we beheve that no Atl that is in iiielf immoral or dilhoneft can ever be jullificd 
 by or under Colour that it is done either for the Good of the Church, or in Obedience to any eccleC.iftical 
 Power whatever. We acknowledge no Infallibility in the Pope ; and we neither apprehend nor believe, 
 that our Difohedicnce to any fuch Orders or Decrees ((hoiild any fuch be given or made) could fubjefl u» 
 to any Punilliment whatever. And we hold and infifl. That the Catholic Church has no Power that can, 
 direflly or indireflly, prejudice the Rights of Protf flams, inafmuch as it is ftriflly confined to the tefufing 
 to them a Participation in her Sacraments and other religious Privileges of her Communion, which no 
 Church ^as we conceive; can be expsfted to give to thofe out of her Pale, and which no Pcifoii out of her 
 Pale will, we fuppofe, ever require. 
 
 And we do folemnly declare. That no Church, nor any Prelate, nor any Pried, nor anv AITembly of 
 Prelates or Piiefls, nor any ecclefiaflical Power whatever, hath, have, or ought to have any Jurifdiflion, 
 or Authority v/hatfoever within this Realm, that can, direftl)' or indirefily, affcfl or interfere with the In-,, 
 dependence, Sovereignty, Laws, Coiiftiiution or Government thereof; or tlie Riglif;, Libeities, Perfons 
 or Properties of the People uf th? faid Rejlm, or of any of them, favc only and Cvcepi by the Autiiorily of 
 Parliament ; and that any futh Affuinption of Power ^vould be an Ufurpation, 
 
 3d, We have likcwife been accufed of holding as a Pi inciple of our Religion, Thnt the Pope, hj 
 Virtue of his Spiritual Power, can difpenfc with the Oblignions of any Compaft or Oath taken or entered 
 into b}' a Catholic : that therefore no Oath of Allegiance, or other Oath, can bind us ; and, coiifenuently, 
 that we can give no Security for our Allegiance to any Government. 
 
 There can be no Doubt but that this Cimclufion would be juft, if the original Propofuion upon which 
 it is founded were true; but we pofitively deny that we do hold any fuch Piiiiciple. And we do folemnly 
 declare, That neither the Pope, nor an}- Prelate, nor a^y Pried, nor any Aflcir.bly of Prelates or Piierts, 
 
 nor
 
 r 16 ] 
 
 nor anv Ecclcfiaflical Power whatever, can abfolvc us, or any of us, froui, or' Jifpciifo with, the Obliga. 
 tions of any Cumpdit or Ojt'.i wljaifofcver. 
 
 4tb, We have alTo been acciired of holding as a Principle of our Relinion, that not only the Pope, 
 biit even a Catholii. Pried, has Power to paidon the Sins of Catholics at his Will and Pleafure ; and there- 
 fore, that no Catholic can poffibly give any fecurily for his Allegiance to any Government, inafmuch as 
 the Pope, or a Priefl, can paidon Perjury, Rebellion, and High-Treafoii. 
 
 We acknowledge alfo the juflnefs of this Conclufion, if the Propofition upon which it is founded 
 were not totally falfe. But we do foleinnly declare, That, on the contrary, we believe that no Sin what- 
 ever can be forgiven at the Will of any Pope, or of any Prieft, or of any Perfon.whomfoever ; but that a 
 fincere (orrow for part Sin, a firm refolution to avoid future Guilt, and every polTible Atonement to God 
 and the injured Neighbour, are the previous and indifpcnfable Requifites to cflabliDi a well-founded Expec- 
 tation o! Foririvenefs. 
 
 5th, And we have alfo been accufed of holding as a Principle of our Religion, That "no Faith is t9 
 " be kept with Heretics;" fo that no (government which is not Catholic can have any any Security frjns 
 us for our Allegiance and peaceable Behaviour. 
 
 This Doflrlne, that " Faith is not 10 be kept with Heretics," we rejePt, reproba'c, and abhor, as 
 being contrary to Religion, Morality, and common Honefty : — and we do hold and folemnly declare, That 
 no Breach of Faith with any Perfon whomfoever can be juflified by Reafon of or under Pretence that 
 fuch Perfon is an Heretic or an Infidel. 
 
 And we further folemnly declare. That we do make this Declaration and Profeflation, and every 
 Part thereof, in the plain and ordinary Senfe of the Words of the fame, without any Evafion, Equivoca- 
 tion, or Mental Refervation whatfoever. 
 
 And we appeal to the Juftice and Candour of our Fellow- Citizens, whether we, the Englifh Catho- 
 lics, who thus folemnly difclaim, and from our Hearts abhor, the abova-mentioned abominable and un- 
 chriftian-tike Principles, ought to be put upon a Level with any other Men who may hold and profefs 
 thofe Principles ? 
 
 Shrewsbuky 
 Stourton 
 Petre 
 Dormer. 
 James Dormer 
 Eveling Dormer 
 Cha. Dormer 
 John Dormer 
 James Dormer, jun. 
 Clifford 
 
 Cha. ClilTord 
 
 Robt. E. Petre 
 
 Henry C. EngleGeld, Barf. 
 
 Bernard Ed. Howard 
 
 John Towneley 
 
 John Throckmorton 
 
 George Throckmorton 
 
 Win. Throckmorton 
 
 Tho. Hornyold 
 
 Tho. Hawkins 
 
 Tho. Stapleton 
 Miles Siapleton, jun. 
 John Webbe Weflon 
 Henry Curfon 
 John Lawfou 
 Edvvard Pafloa 
 Wm. Thomas 
 Tho. Smallwood 
 Wm. Ferruor 
 George H^ncage 
 
 Wm.
 
 C »7 ] 
 
 Wm. Witiiam 
 
 Hen. Eningloii 
 
 Cha. Towneley 
 
 Henry Conner 
 
 Hiigii O'Connor 
 
 James Nagle 
 
 Tho. Fletewood, Bart. 
 
 Henry Addis 
 
 John Coddan 
 
 John Ncedham 
 
 Tho, Canning 
 
 Will. Jones 
 
 Cha. Connelly 
 
 James Burke 
 
 John Vincent Gandolfi 
 
 Peter Jof. Gandolfi 
 
 John Moore 
 
 Cha. Wilmot 
 
 James Moore 
 
 Jno. Jones 
 
 R. Fitzherbert 
 
 A. Duxbury 
 
 Rt. Rev. Ja. Talbot: 
 
 Rt. Rev. Charles Berington, D. D. 
 
 Rev. James Barnard 
 
 Rev. Thomas Rigby, D. D. 
 
 Rev. John Lindow 
 
 Rev. Richard Smith 
 
 Rev. Tho. Varley 
 
 Rev. Tho. Horrabin 
 
 Rev. Thomas HufTey, D. D. 
 
 Rev. Gerard Robinfon, D. D. 
 
 Rev. John Greenham 
 
 Rev. Pat. Donnellan, D, D. 
 
 Rev. Richard Underbill 
 
 Rev. Charles Stevens 
 
 Rev. James Home 
 
 Rev. Michael Copps 
 
 Rev. Jufeph Dungan 
 
 Rev. Daniel GafTey 
 
 Rev. Fran. Bouilie 
 
 Rev. James Archfr 
 
 Rev. John Green way 
 
 Rev. William Garflang 
 
 Rev. Edmond Coen 
 
 Rev. Jno. Bolton 
 
 Rev. M. E. Cocn 
 
 *Rt. Rev.CharlcsWalmefley.D.D, 
 
 Rev. John Griffiths 
 
 Rt. Rev. William Sharrock 
 
 Rev. James Parker 
 
 Rev. Jofeph Wilks, L. D. 
 
 Rev. Thomas Beringion 
 
 Rev. Hugh Heatley 
 
 Rev. Thomas Ingram 
 
 Rev. Alexander Clinton 
 
 Rev. Tully Dillon 
 
 Rev- Edward Jones 
 
 Rev. Peter Prendergaft 
 
 Rev. Tho. Stanley 
 
 Rev. W. Strickland 
 
 Rev. Charles Booth 
 
 Rev. Jofeph Ferrers 
 
 Rev. Edw. Nihell 
 
 Rev. Thomas Gabb 
 
 Rev. Blafe Morey 
 
 Rev, W. Short 
 
 Rev. James Adams 
 
 Rev. JoF. Knapp 
 
 Rev. Matthew Cafey 
 
 Rev. Rob. Tomming 
 
 Rev. John Sudell 
 
 Rev, Cha. M'Carthy 
 
 James Nelfoa 
 
 Rev. Jofeph Addis 
 
 John Gabb 
 
 Rev. Peter Poole 
 
 John Thew 
 
 Rev. Thos. Payne 
 
 Wm. Witham 
 
 Rev. Robert Chapmaa 
 
 Fran. Witham 
 
 Rev. John Penketh 
 
 Hen. Witham 
 
 Rev. John Gregg 
 
 Rev. James Garden 
 
 Rev. Antony Petrogalli 
 
 Bazil Fitzherbert 
 
 Rev. Thomas Bennet 
 
 Wm. Fitzherbert Brockholes 
 
 Rev. Robert Goold 
 
 Edward Shee 
 
 Rev. John Stanley 
 
 F. Douglafs, jun. 
 
 Rev. John Earlc 
 
 T. Richardfon 
 
 Rev. W. Pilling 
 
 Jno. Talker 
 
 Rev. John Kimberley 
 
 John Eyfton 
 
 Rev. Geo. Gildart 
 
 George Eyfton 
 
 Rev. Arthur O'Leary 
 
 Charles Butler 
 
 Rev. Simon Lucas 
 
 Jof. Thackeray 
 
 Rev. Charles Bellafyfe, D. D. 
 
 Thos. Lloyd 
 
 Rev. Peter Coghlan 
 
 John Heather 
 
 Rev. Charles Juliacns 
 
 Thomas Wright 
 
 Rev. Peter Browne 
 
 Leon. Gibfon 
 
 Rev. Tho. More 
 
 James Burchall, M. D. 
 
 Rev. James Campbell 
 
 Rev. Francis Howard 
 
 Rev. Tho. Talbot 
 
 James Pringle 
 
 Rev. Tho. Lawfon 
 
 William Pratt 
 
 Rev. Edm. Harrifon 
 
 Chiif. Piieftman jun: 
 
 Rev. John Jones 
 
 Rev. Rowland Davie* 
 
 E 
 
 Miles
 
 [ tB ] 
 
 Miles Stapleton 
 
 Tho. Shuttleworth 
 
 Rev, Ri.b. Joiinfon 
 
 Tho. Witham 
 
 Arundell 
 
 John Lawfon, Bart. 
 
 Heory Howard 
 
 Geo, Petre 
 
 Rev. Raph. Holkins 
 
 William Wiihana- 
 
 Samuel Cox 
 
 Hen. Boftock 
 
 Thomas Stonor 
 
 Mich. Blount, jun. 
 
 Tho. Wright 
 
 Rob. Clifford 
 
 Henry Clifford 
 
 Geo. Cary 
 
 Stephen Tempeft 
 
 Will. H. Maxwell Conftable 
 
 John Trafford 
 
 Mar. Maxwell 
 
 Fran. Goold 
 
 Charles Bifhop 
 
 Jof. Nagle 
 
 Henry Fermor 
 
 Thomas Weld 
 
 Tho. Huddlefton- 
 
 Rich. Huddlefton 
 
 Jamei Douglafs 
 
 Maimaduke Langdale 
 
 Jimes Birkiu 
 
 Robert Kilby Cox 
 
 Row. Conyers 
 
 Robert Selby 
 
 Jam'^s Fitzgerald 
 
 Geo. Parvin 
 
 Fiancis Plowden 
 
 Tho. Strickland 
 
 Rev. Thomas Meyiiell 
 
 William Strickland, jun. 
 
 Tho. Clifford 
 
 Tho. Mallam 
 John Danby 
 Edmund Burke 
 Adam Dale 
 Henry Reavley 
 Rob. Meynell 
 John Hickfon 
 Fra. Tidyman 
 Chrif. Piieflman 
 Rev. Tho. Nandyke 
 Edw. Meynell 
 Will. Morgan 
 Wm. Salvin 
 Wm. Salvin, jun. 
 Tho. Riddell, juii. 
 Wm. Farmen 
 Rev. John Lodge 
 Rev. John Slater 
 Tho. Hill 
 Rev. Edw. Waifh 
 Rev. Charles Cordell, C. A. D. A. 
 Rev. John Turner 
 Tho. Herbert 
 Michael Holland 
 M. Holland, juR. 
 Henry Clark 
 James Smith 
 Jbfeph Hare 
 John Smith. 
 Daniel Robertfon 
 Rev. Mich. Tidymati 
 Rev. John Cotes 
 Rev. Jofeph Howe 
 Tho. Riddell 
 Rev. Nic. Tbompfon 
 Rev. Charles Hanne 
 Edw. Clavering 
 Wm. Jamefon 
 Wm. Clavering 
 Wm. Krifopp 
 John Andrews 
 William Byrne 
 
 Wm. MawlSood 
 Cha. Mawhood 
 Edw. Foxhall 
 Tho. Shuttleworth. 
 Rob. Gillow 
 Rob. Fogg jun. 
 Jofeph Haedy, jun. 
 Cha. Hornyold 
 William Cody 
 TIkv Halford 
 M. Hutchifon 
 Jlohn Malo 
 Sam. FuIIam 
 Jofeph Hunt 
 Tho. Eyre 
 Chriftophcr Haedy 
 John Hunt 
 Tho. Thorpe 
 John Lampard 
 James Eyre 
 Jof. Leoni 
 Samuel Wefley 
 Harry Bagley 
 Jofeph Clark 
 Tho. Jackfon 
 Rev. Rob. Tindal 
 Francis Cholmeley 
 Rev. Rowl. Lacon 
 John Ratcliff 
 Chrif. Meynell 
 Jas. Meynell 
 George Tafburgh 
 Rev. Tho. Nixon 
 Tho. Cialhorne 
 Rev. Tiiomas Gurnall 
 Rev. Andrew Ryding 
 Phil. Langdale 
 Rev. Tho. Slater 
 Stephen Tipladey 
 Matthew Henry Withain 
 Wm. Conftable 
 Rev. John Douglafs 
 
 Jarard
 
 C »9 3 
 
 Jhrard Strickland 
 
 Philii) Salimaifti 
 
 TiiO. MilrlicU 
 
 Tho. Atkiiilon 
 
 J<jlui All- iiifon 
 
 George R.ifT.-l! 
 
 John CUviiing 
 
 Rv. Nicli. CUvering 
 
 Thomas Selhy 
 
 Rev. J J N^v'or 
 
 W'in.jir (^on rn\ ns 
 
 Rv\ . Jalpn Leadbitter 
 
 Jafper Gibfon 
 
 Js'per Gih'bn, jun. 
 
 Jbhri Cihion 
 
 Tho. Leadhitter 
 
 Ralph Leadbitter 
 
 Tho. Jeffeifon 
 
 J. Errington 
 
 Tho. Haggerflon 
 
 Edward Charhon 
 
 Rev. William Warrilow 
 
 Rev. Arthur Story, L. D. 
 
 Tho. Taylor 
 
 William S. Davifoa 
 
 Edward Ellcrker 
 
 Marmaduke Tnnftall 
 
 Rev. Tho. Pcnfwick 
 
 Henry Maire 
 
 Simon Tho. Scroope 
 
 Rev. Rich. Talbot 
 
 Edw. Haiker 
 
 Jof. Hill 
 
 Rev. Wm. Danfom 
 
 John Cornforth 
 
 Rob. Cornforth 
 
 Matt. Whitfield 
 
 Jno. Swale 
 
 Rev. Jolm Daniel 
 
 Tho. R. Reynoldfon, Efq. 
 
 Geo. Jof. Ruffell 
 
 Geo. Gibfon 
 Fran. Hunt 
 William Chariton 
 J-'iii Riigham 
 W n. Bi igham 
 R leit Bifhoprick 
 J )hn Berber 
 Tho. Gibfon 
 Cottam Birdfall 
 Wm. Gage 
 Edward Bedingfieid 
 Rev. John Chamberlain 
 Michael Thompfon 
 John Lawfon, M. Di 
 Rev. J.imes Melling 
 Tho Heptonflall 
 Sir W. Vavafour, Bart, 
 William Langdale 
 Rev. Tho. Marft. 
 Wm. Middleton 
 Geo. Ann 
 Rev. Rich. Butler 
 F. Trapps 
 
 Rev. James NewQiam 
 Jno. MefTenger 
 Rev. Rob. Bullen 
 Rev, Tho. Butler 
 Rev. John Rigby, D. D. 
 Rich. Gillow 
 Tho. Worfwick 
 Rev. James Fofler 
 Rev. John Shuttleworlh 
 Rev. John Serjeant 
 Rev. John Barrow 
 Rev. Fr. Cliffe 
 *Rev. Rob. Baniftcr 
 Rev. Jof. Orrel, M. A. 
 Rev. Jofcph Dunn 
 Rev. Richard Morgan 
 Rev. Ja. Maudfley 
 Rev. John Carter 
 
 Rev. Henry Carter 
 
 Rev. Jno. Chadwick 
 
 Rev. Rowland Broomhead 
 
 Rev. S. Tempefl 
 
 Rev. J. Shaw 
 
 Rev. G. Duckett 
 
 Rev. Jof. Higginfon 
 
 Rev. Rich. Barrow 
 
 Rev. Bernard Bradfhaw 
 
 Rev. Wm. Meynell 
 
 Rev. Nic. Sewall 
 
 Rev. Jos. Barrow 
 
 Rev. Jno. Orrell 
 
 Rev. Fdw. Church 
 
 Rev. Heniy Dennct 
 
 Rev. Edward Hawarden 
 
 Rev. Edward Barret 
 
 Rev. Mr. Fillier 
 
 Rev. Rob. Moleyneu.x 
 
 Rev. William Houghton, D. D. 
 
 Rov. George Crooke 
 
 Rev. Charles Taylor 
 
 Rev. John Builcr 
 
 Rev. Tho. Caton ■ 
 
 Rev. Mr. Gregfon 
 
 Rev. Mr. Penington, Incumbentof 
 
 the Old Chapel Liv, 
 Rev. Raymund Harris 
 Rev. Arch. M'Donald 
 Rev. John Alleway 
 Rev. Wm. Blackoe 
 Rev. John Marfden 
 Rev. John Leadbitter 
 Rev. Jas. Sharp 
 Rev. Jas. Pope 
 Rev. A. Gordon 
 Rev. Jno. Bew, D. Di 
 Rev. Wm. Barrow 
 Rev. Wni. Fletcher 
 C. Chichefter 
 John Cowling, M. D. 
 
 C. Tern-
 
 ■C. Temped 
 John Daltcjii 
 John Weftby 
 Charles Stapleton, M. D- 
 Evan John Gerard 
 Hen. Brewer 
 Tho. Townley 
 Hen. Brewer 
 Tho. Leeming 
 Peter Holdernefs 
 Thomas Woodcock 
 Rob. Hihon 
 John Weftle 
 Will. Pemberton 
 John Valentine 
 John Heatlcy 
 John Grayftock 
 John" Eaftwood 
 Richard Sharrock 
 Tho. Naylor 
 James Bane 
 Nic. Rigby 
 Ed. Leach 
 Wm. Rigby 
 Lewis Naylor 
 Jofeph Valentine 
 Tho. Rigby 
 Richard Ingham 
 Thomas Turner 
 Rich. Turner 
 Rob. Townley 
 Rich. Townley 
 Nicholas Mathew 
 Will. Salifijury 
 Thefp. Holdernefs 
 Will. Eaftwood 
 Hen. Brewer, jun. 
 Tho. Gregfon 
 Chriftopher Rawfthorn 
 James Dewhuerft 
 Tho. Dewhuerft 
 
 [ 2o 3 
 
 Tho. Chclve 
 Culbord Cottam 
 John Bolton 
 John Hine 
 Tho. Horinby 
 Rich. Horinby 
 Rich. Brewer 
 Jas. Ormfton 
 R. Tempeft 
 Rich. Hope Price 
 Cha. Calvert 
 Francis Reynolds 
 John Fryer 
 J. Brettargii 
 Henry Sanderfon 
 John Sanderfon 
 Richard Smith 
 Richard xMarfli 
 John Heyes 
 James Crouchley 
 Jno. Simpfon 
 Rich. Simpfon 
 Ralph Caldwell 
 Jofeph Caldwell 
 Henry Caldwell 
 Peter Boardman 
 Jas. Unfworth 
 Tho. Unfworth 
 Rich. Unfworth 
 Rich. Jenkinfon 
 Tho. Jay 
 William Wood 
 Matthias Smith 
 James Mather 
 Tho. Turner. 
 Ja. Taylor 
 Ga. fielding 
 Edward Richardfon 
 Peter Marfh 
 Wm. Anderton 
 B. Tho. Ecclefton 
 
 Edward Standifls 
 Tho. Ecclefton 
 Peter Mofs 
 Peter Johnfon 
 W. J. Formby 
 James Glover 
 William Befwick 
 James Orrel 
 John Lancafter 
 Tho. Latham 
 Tho. Tomlinfon 
 Will. Dicconfon 
 Richard Johnfon 
 John Bamber 
 Will. Spencer 
 Tho. Occlefhaw 
 Ralph Watt 
 Dennis Halliwell 
 Rob. Holbrook 
 George Annefley 
 James Holcroft 
 Hugh Bullin 
 \\'illiam Culchet 
 William Caldwell 
 James Spakeman 
 John Fell 
 James Harrifon 
 Michael Baron 
 Jofeph Spakeman 
 Tho. Holcroft 
 Thomas Ecclefton 
 John Tafcar 
 James Leigh 
 James Millar 
 James Rainsforth 
 James Rainsforth 
 Hugh Howarth 
 William Occlefhaw 
 John Halliwell 
 John Scott 
 Roger Scott 
 
 James
 
 [ 21 ] 
 
 James Scott 
 John Halliwell 
 Tho. Bullen 
 Ralph Higginfon 
 John Whalley 
 John Barton 
 Geo. Turton 
 James Turton 
 Jofeph Diaper 
 John Draper 
 Wm. Culfhaw 
 Jofeph Glover 
 John Haughton 
 Michael Harvey 
 Michael Harvey, jun. 
 Wm. \''augl;an 
 Jofeph Walker 
 Thomas Langtres 
 Tho. Culfhaw 
 Jno. Culfhaw 
 Peter Wright 
 James Dobfon 
 Wm. Halfal 
 Rob. Bullen 
 Tho. Bullen 
 EJw. Chadwick 
 Tho. Chadwick 
 Chrift. Crookc 
 John Crooke 
 James Crocks 
 Tho. Giltebrand 
 Henry Fazakerley 
 Wm. Arrowfmith 
 John Aflieton Nelfon 
 Nicholas Blundell 
 Hen. Bluncicll 
 Robt. Blundell 
 Jno, Blanchard 
 Edu-. Breitargh 
 Rich. Hewett 
 Thos. Banniller 
 
 Robt. Loveladay 
 Henry Formhy 
 Thos. Unfworth 
 Thos. UnHvorth, jun. 
 Wm. Unfworth 
 William Mofs 
 Robt. Mofs 
 Roger Leigh 
 Jno. Featon 
 Rich. Chaffers 
 Hen. Billingc 
 Jos. Kaye 
 John Kaye 
 William Wood 
 William Stanley, Bart. 
 John Stanley Mafiey 
 Tho. Stanley Mafiey 
 John Stanley 
 Thos. Huntley 
 Wm. Bolton 
 John Bolton 
 Charles Morin 
 Math. Smith 
 Thos. Sanderfon 
 Wm. Ferrry 
 Laurence Whiteley 
 James Anderfon 
 Wm. Hunter 
 John Burrell 
 Jof. Shippin 
 Thos. Bell 
 Ralph Younger 
 Rich. Younger 
 Thos. Moore 
 Mich. Pickaring 
 Henr)' Mogie 
 Ralph Wilfon 
 Wm. Topcliff 
 Thos. Himilcy 
 Chrift. Kendry 
 Ralph Galley 
 
 F 
 
 Wm. Gcddis 
 Geo. Stephenfon 
 Edw Ta)lor 
 Robt. Roberfon 
 Wm. Scott 
 Geo. RobinfoB 
 Nic. Moody 
 Alex. Hardy 
 Robt. Rakeftraw 
 Thos. Stevenfon 
 Jas. Mitchell 
 Jas. Mitchell, jun. 
 John Mafham 
 Sam. Doutay 
 Thos. Hind 
 James Galley- 
 George How 
 James Macdonald 
 John Greame 
 George Galley 
 Thos. Burton 
 Sam. Field 
 George Huntley 
 Rayney Huntley 
 John Galley 
 Wm. Campbell 
 Robt. Hogden 
 Thos. Anderfon 
 Francis Whitehead 
 James Whitehead 
 Wm. Whitehead 
 Peter Knight 
 Rich. Wright 
 Wm. Scott 
 John Huntley 
 Rich. Jackfoa 
 Peter Bunn 
 Philip Shaftoe 
 Samuel Tinbic 
 Henry Deborc 
 John Mulhann 
 
 Nicholas
 
 Nirbolas Leadbittcr 
 
 E. H. Widdiington Riddell 
 
 Ralph l<idde!l 
 
 John Potts 
 
 James Johnfon 
 
 Wlllism Hodfhowr ' 
 
 Willi")m Sandcrfon 
 
 John Sanderfon 
 
 Thomas Sanderfon 
 
 James Gibfon 
 
 Robert Bullock 
 
 Ralph Sanderfon 
 
 John Leadbitier, fen, 
 
 John Leadbitter.jun. 
 
 Matthew Leadbittcr 
 
 Phillip Jefferfon 
 
 Thos. Stokoe 
 
 Robert Cooke 
 
 John Swinburne 
 
 John Swinburne, jun. 
 
 Ralph ThicknefTe 
 
 Roger Anderton 
 
 John Greenough 
 
 Pierce Leaiherbarrow 
 
 Geo. Price 
 
 Thomas Bolton 
 
 Peter Greenough 
 
 George Rice 
 
 Edward Pegge 
 
 John Greenough, jun. 
 
 John Ward 
 
 James Sanderfon 
 
 John Gob in 
 
 William Wright 
 
 James Hargreaves 
 
 Samuel Wright 
 
 Thomas Appleton 
 
 William Morley 
 
 William Pofcow 
 
 James Bolton 
 
 John Ecdes 
 
 C 22 3 
 
 Wm. Margefon 
 James Fairclough 
 Thos. Buller 
 Michael Morley 
 Rich. Cowling, M. D- 
 Rich. Wdlmdey 
 Thos. Breers 
 John Moore 
 Rich. Norris 
 Nich. Moore 
 Jn. Anderton 
 Georsre Bohon 
 Jon. Bolton 
 Jn. Choppen 
 Wm. Cdldwell 
 Henry Bibby 
 Robt. Fairclough 
 The. Morfon 
 Tho. Walker 
 Geo. Wathington 
 Peter Greenough 
 Francis Lenthall 
 Wm. Copple 
 James Hawarden 
 John Woods 
 Tho. Boardman, jun, 
 Peter Boardman 
 Thomas Boardman- 
 Geo. Mann 
 Tho. Swinburn 
 John Lambert 
 Waller Blount, Bart. 
 Edward Blount 
 , George Blount 
 Ji)lm Giffard 
 Tho. Moore 
 Robt. Plunkett 
 John Stapleton 
 Geo. Cary.jun. 
 Edward Sheldon 
 Dom. Sheldon 
 
 George Sheldon 
 Cha. Hen. Sheldon 
 Rev. John Shairock 
 Rev. Cbrinopher Rofe 
 Chviflopher Metcalf 
 Jjmes Fofs 
 Wm. Allan 
 William Allan, jun. 
 James Shaw 
 John Blenkinfon 
 Tho. Buckle 
 William Furnace 
 John Lawes 
 Tho. Slaier 
 George Winter 
 Wm. Stott 
 William Mead 
 John Mdlam 
 John Malam,jun. 
 Francis Wharton 
 Rich. Carr 
 Simon Smith 
 George Bulmer 
 Thomas Wittingham 
 John Nicholfou 
 Thomas Plowden 
 Thomas Wilkinfon 
 George Stothart 
 Edward Dobfon 
 Henry Wilfon 
 Luke Ellifon 
 
 Rev. Ferdinando Afhmall 
 John Taylor 
 Edward Taylor 
 Thomas Pinkney 
 Thomas Pinkney, jun. 
 George Worthy 
 John Forman 
 Francis Forman 
 Charles Humble 
 Robert Dunn 
 
 Ralph
 
 [ 23 ] 
 
 P^Iph Younger 
 
 W'illiaT" Hunter 
 
 John Stoker 
 
 Koberi Mufhens 
 
 Cuiliberi M>i{hens 
 
 John ' tn< ifon 
 
 Rithard Emerfon 
 
 George Emerfoh 
 
 Thomas Clark 
 
 John Swinburn 
 
 William Hutchinfon 
 
 William Forfter 
 
 John Pinkney 
 
 Rev. Geo. Witliam 
 
 Jno. Wright 
 
 Rev. Charles Howard, D. D. 
 
 Rev. John Taylor 
 
 Rev. Tho. Johnfon 
 
 Rev. Michael Wharton 
 
 Jarrard Strickland, jun. 
 
 John Shutt 
 
 Robeit Ball 
 
 George Salvirlge 
 
 Jofeph Sdlvidge 
 
 John Bird 
 
 John Rdines 
 
 James Bird 
 
 George Caley 
 
 John Caley 
 
 John Caley 
 
 Thomas Caley 
 
 Chrif. Chap. Bird 
 
 John Taylor 
 
 William Williamfon 
 
 George Harrifon 
 
 Thomas Wilfon 
 
 Thomas Champney 
 
 Leonard Robinfon 
 
 Thomas Ow (I 
 
 David Wright 
 
 John Wright 
 
 John Robinfon 
 John Dreffer 
 John Johnfor^ 
 Michael Watfon 
 Lfonard Caley 
 William Craggs 
 John Booth 
 John Richardfon 
 Thomas Collinfon 
 Jofejjh Harrifon 
 Edmund Chambers 
 Jiifeph Denton 
 Rob. Coupland 
 George Shires 
 William Cottam 
 William Lacy 
 John Du Viviers 
 Rev. John Brindle 
 John Nicholls 
 Henry Beefton 
 Tho. John Eyfton 
 Rev. George Bruning 
 Rev. Robert Anderton 
 Bryant Barrett 
 William Davey 
 Rev. Jofeph Syers 
 Bdfil Eyfton 
 Rev. John Xutt 
 John Johnfon 
 Jofeph Palmer 
 John Pcndrill 
 John Parke 
 Thomas Si Ike 
 John Palmer 
 James Baker 
 John Downer 
 John Spurrier 
 John Spicer 
 Ja. Hardman 
 John Hard man 
 Wm. Clarkfon 
 
 JoVin Fielding 
 Edward Nee 
 John Hill 
 James Weflwood 
 Mathew Fournc 
 Thomas Lewis 
 Anthony Forell 
 Edward Millward 
 Tho. Millward 
 Will. Green 
 Antli. Clough 
 William Lewin' 
 Peter Marchant 
 James Day, fen. 
 John Pierotti 
 Wm. Powell 
 Samuel Jefferys 
 James Day 
 Wm. Watkins 
 ElidS Darley 
 James Groves 
 John Finozier 
 John Nail 
 Wm. Hodgkinfon 
 Clia. Sheridan 
 Tho. Mantle 
 Will. Keen 
 John Purfdlle 
 Clia. Lowe 
 James Ufley 
 John Jefferys 
 Michael Kenedy 
 Wm. Hafkew 
 John Richards 
 Charles Hodgetts 
 John Moreton Ledfam 
 Jof. Pdrroit 
 Richard Bromfield 
 James Bromfield 
 Sam- Bratt 
 Will. Holmes 
 
 Tho,
 
 Tho. Powell 
 Jno. Powell 
 Rev. James Howfe 
 Rev. Jobn Pilling 
 George Mafcal 
 Rt. Rev. Thomas Talbot 
 Rev. Anthony Clough 
 Rev. Edward Eyte 
 Matthew Ellifon 
 John MackreU 
 John Lockley 
 Edward Ward 
 Rev. Tho. Ballyraaa 
 John Howell 
 William Corvifor 
 Edw. Onion 
 David Moody 
 Rev. Thomas Stone 
 Era. Whitgreave 
 Francis Whitgreave, juu. 
 Rev. John Carter 
 Tho. Heveninghara 
 Jas. Marfh 
 Lawrence Brown 
 Anthony Lane 
 Jafa. Doody 
 Jas. Peard 
 Sam. Jones 
 
 Samuel Peard 
 
 Rich. Savage 
 Tho. Mjore 
 
 John Harrifon 
 
 George Richards 
 
 Peter Richards 
 
 John Barney 
 
 Charles Lane 
 
 William Eagle 
 
 Tho Green 
 
 Fran. Green 
 
 Tho. Simkifs 
 
 P,.ev. Tho, Southworth 
 
 r u ] 
 
 Rev. John Roe 
 JdS. Harbut 
 Wm. Hayes 
 
 Donald Mac Donald 
 G. Sanderfon 
 
 Charles Afhtou 
 
 Thomas Sanders 
 
 Jofeph Williams 
 
 Mich. Lewis 
 
 Henry Ferraor 
 
 Leo. Mole 
 
 Jas. Beezley 
 
 Jno. Powell Lorymer 
 
 Tho. Wm. Lutwych 
 
 Tho. Raymcnt 
 
 Tho. Bowyer 
 
 John Raymcnt 
 
 Jofeph Prefton 
 
 Jam. Bowyer 
 
 James Smith 
 
 Jam. Powell 
 
 Leo. Mole.jun. 
 
 J. Hawkes Sanders 
 
 Jas. Lewis 
 
 Jos. Gibbins 
 
 Ignatius Hand 
 
 William Thorapfoa 
 
 Tliomas Phillipfon 
 
 Rob. Berkeley 
 
 Rob. Berkeley, jun. 
 And. Robinfon 
 William Aflon 
 Rob. Stanford 
 Rev. Edw. Wriglit 
 Rev.^TIio, Barr 
 Rich. Reeve 
 Jno. Gardner 
 jolin Reeve 
 John Chatterly 
 Thomas George 
 Edward ^Vilks 
 
 Rev. Jobn Come 
 Rev. JamesTafker 
 Rev. James Corne 
 Rev. George Beeflon 
 Rev. George Maire 
 Eafil Fitzherbcrt 
 Wm. Fitzherbert Brockholes 
 Rev. Wm. Digby 
 Tlio. Hornyold, jun. 
 Charles Bodcnham 
 Charles Hanford 
 Rev. Benj. Stone 
 Rev. John Williams 
 William Walton 
 William Saunders 
 Stephen Morgan 
 John Wilks 
 John Harris 
 John Morgan, jun. 
 John Morgan 
 John Chefton 
 Rich. Morgan 
 Edw. Morgan 
 Jos. Clarke 
 Rob. Harris 
 Rich. Harris 
 Jos. Allwood 
 John Stephens 
 
 John Wheeler 
 Abel Morrel 
 Abel Morrel, jun, 
 James Hall 
 
 Tho. Lea 
 
 Rev. Jofeph Berington 
 
 John Berington 
 Tho. Berington 
 
 Chailes Berington 
 
 Rev. William Hornc 
 
 Rev. John Kirke 
 
 Rev. Henry Bifliop 
 
 Rev. James Caley 
 
 Ell ward
 
 r 25 ] 
 
 Edward Ferrers 
 
 Edw. Ferrers, jun. 
 
 Rev. Joliii Ingram 
 
 Wm. Sinythc 
 
 Edw. Smytiie, Bart. 
 
 Geo. Smythe 
 
 Hugh Smythe 
 
 Rev. Charles Blount 
 
 John Grafton 
 
 Jofeph Weetman 
 
 Jofeph Lea 
 
 Cleinent George 
 
 Will. Layton 
 
 Will. Harris 
 
 Will. Chaire 
 
 Tho. Davis 
 
 Jof. Currier 
 
 Will. Layton, jun. 
 
 P. Holford 
 
 Cjefar Johnfon 
 
 William Sutton 
 
 Jno. Knight 
 
 Wm. Knight 
 
 Rev. George Baudouin 
 
 Jofeph Long 
 
 Richard Cave 
 
 James Hanne 
 
 Richard Couche 
 
 Rev. Jofeph Strickland 
 
 Michael Blount, of Mapledurham 
 
 James Everard Arundell 
 
 James Arundell 
 
 Raymond Arundell 
 
 Heniy Hunloke, Bart. 
 
 Wiiidfor Hunloke 
 
 Rohert Hunloke 
 
 James Hunloke 
 
 John Bowdon 
 
 James Bowdon 
 
 Rev- Rich. Turner 
 
 Rev. Jof. Johnfon 
 
 Rev. Mr. Crofs 
 Rev. Mr. Poole 
 Rev. Mr. Shuttlcworth 
 Rev. Mr. Martin 
 Rev. Mr. Southworfh 
 Rich. Afion, Bart. 
 Rev. John Baynham 
 Rev. John Reeve 
 Jacob Stoker 
 Wm. Collins 
 Wm. Field 
 Jas. Mackrell 
 Edw, Rofs 
 Rich. Smith 
 Rich. Parker 
 Jno. Hughes 
 Chr. Parker 
 Jas. Williams 
 Benj. Efner 
 Edw. Cary 
 Wra. Culcheht 
 Wm. Smith 
 John HufTey 
 Ant. Fcrrall 
 Rev. Chas. Necdham 
 Rev. Jof. Reeve 
 Rev. Chas. Timmings 
 Rev. J. Smyth 
 Rev. T.Al ford 
 John Reeve 
 Tho. Smith 
 James Archer 
 John Rand 
 Richard Freeman 
 John Parker 
 Jofeph Rofs 
 
 Wm, Couche 
 William Hull 
 Julian Moifibn 
 John Filher 
 
 John Morris 
 
 John Eldridge 
 
 Richard Peach 
 
 W. Weaving 
 
 Henry Peach 
 
 Rjjv. Philip Wpdham 
 
 John Winter 
 
 James Lahy 
 
 Charles Ibbelfon 
 
 Charles Lane 
 
 John Poynicr 
 
 James Danhy 
 
 Richard Stacy 
 
 William Connor 
 
 James Bennet 
 
 John King 
 
 James Winter 
 
 Ant. Morris 
 
 Jofeph Hegcr 
 
 Ant. Baert 
 
 Peter Rich. Lahy 
 
 John Ibbetfon 
 
 John Lane 
 
 Michael Drifcol 
 
 Jof. Gregfon 
 
 Cha. Warden 
 
 Henry Pattrick 
 
 Anthony Rcfoy 
 
 Charles Connor 
 
 Jofeph Siill 
 
 Robert Batt 
 
 George Winter 
 
 Henry Innes, Pricft, charged 
 with the Care of the Catholic 
 Congregation at Arlington 
 Phil. Compton 
 
 Richard Pile 
 
 John Snow 
 
 The Mark •!• of Bartholomew 
 Fogwell 
 
 William 0'B;ien 
 
 Edward Gill 
 
 John
 
 John Woon 
 Jno. Benfon 
 Frincis Dennis 
 William Gill 
 John Sparkf 
 John Grimfliaw 
 Edw. Gary 
 Rev. Char. Timings 
 John Chefter 
 Robert Rowe 
 Andiew Kelly 
 John O'Donnoghu* 
 John Huffey 
 Rev. John Smyth 
 C. Bodenbam 
 Wm. Home 
 H. Haddon 
 John Berington 
 Chas. Berington 
 Edw. Ferrers, jun» 
 Thos. Tancred 
 Thos Berington 
 John Prince 
 Peregrine Prince 
 Thos. Biddulph 
 L. H. J. Haloran 
 Ambrofe Ferrall 
 John Flood 
 John Tatietfhall 
 John Trefcott 
 Jdn>. Lynn 
 James Herbert 
 Wm. Smith 
 James Brooke 
 John Marfland 
 John Devereux 
 William Cornelius 
 Walter Roney 
 Daniel Ntale 
 John Sullivan 
 James Stenfon 
 
 C ^6 3 
 
 James Lupton 
 Thomas Bourke 
 James Byrn 
 Thomas Edwards 
 Jas. Malone 
 Tobias Conway 
 Wm. Holt 
 Mark Love 
 Thomas White 
 Pat. Maxwell 
 John Young 
 John Collins 
 Francis Connor 
 Geo. Morgan 
 John Neper 
 John DufF 
 Jno. Moran 
 William Ring 
 Jno. Marfli 
 Henry Daniell 
 W. Weeks, fen. 
 W, Weeks, jun. 
 
 Jno. Weeks 
 
 Jno. Lavenu 
 
 James Wilmot 
 
 Wm. Frampton 
 
 Thos. Penifton 
 
 jno. VandenbofF 
 
 William Argile 
 
 James Baltch 
 
 John Haylock 
 
 Edw. Joy 
 
 Wm. Blount 
 
 John Clark 
 
 Sir Thomas Gage 
 
 Thos. Gage, Efq. 
 
 Charles Kenyon 
 
 John Gage 
 
 Charles Thompfon 
 
 Edward Pugh 
 
 James Hunt 
 
 James Felton 
 James Beefton 
 William Goodrich 
 James Plummer 
 Thoinas Jellet 
 Jno. Perry 
 
 Rev. Charles Needham 
 Rev. Joft-ph Reeve 
 Rev. Jolin Haitord 
 
 Francis Wf bber 
 Edward Kofliter 
 Richard Shimell 
 John Wefton 
 Wm. Culcheth 
 John Bennett 
 Jas. Knight 
 John Shimell 
 William Shimell 
 John Lovelace 
 Thos. Pyke 
 Lawrence We (Ion 
 
 Luckin Richard 
 George Babidge 
 
 M. Liftan 
 
 John HufTey 
 
 Rev. J. Smith 
 
 James Weetman 
 
 Ralph Moody 
 
 Charles Weetman 
 
 Francis Weetman 
 
 W. Vaiighan 
 
 Charles Bofvile 
 
 James Jones 
 
 William Kingfton 
 
 Tho. Embry 
 
 John Powell Lorymer 
 
 William Williams 
 
 Peter James 
 
 jno. S. Woollett 
 
 George Morgan 
 
 George Knight 
 
 Edward
 
 C «7 ] 
 
 E'^wird Morgan 
 
 George Wyrhall 
 
 J. W^r!.dll 
 
 Tno. Croft 
 
 Jo'm Lambert 
 
 Jo'in Jo es 
 
 Rob. J 'tn-s 
 
 Michael Watkinx 
 
 W. Prichatd 
 
 W. Piirhanl, jiin. 
 
 Tho. Hobbes. M. D. 
 
 James R)berl» 
 
 Bich. L e 
 
 A. Pen.Irill 
 
 William Hall 
 
 Thomas ProfTer 
 
 Jiihn ProfTtr 
 
 Tliomas Kemble 
 
 Tim. Newman 
 
 Wm. Roberts 
 
 Richard Davies 
 
 Ma. Jones 
 
 Thomas Mullowny 
 
 John Andrus, fenior 
 
 Jno. Andrus, junior 
 
 William Adams 
 
 Samii>°l Cox, fenior 
 
 Samuel Cox.jun. 
 
 John Bofvile 
 
 James Cothlen 
 
 Wolie. Watkins 
 
 Wm. Gerard 
 
 John Williams 
 
 Tho. Langdale 
 
 Tho. Langdale, jun. 
 
 Wm. Tufftall 
 
 Wm. Sheldon 
 
 William William , 
 
 John Wright, jun. 
 
 Robert Throckmorton, Bart. 
 
 Rev. John Ornic 
 
 George Hal fey 
 John Croucher, fen. 
 Wm, Siubbin^ton 
 Fran. Higinfon 
 {'hrift. Ctouchcr 
 Benj. Ellis 
 Francis Croucher 
 John Croucher, jun. 
 Win. Damer 
 John Montier 
 Henry Tichborne, Bart 
 Rev. Charles Peters 
 Thomas Baflet 
 Jof. Freeman 
 Jas. Stubbington 
 Thomas Bulbeck 
 Jno. f iflier 
 Henry Moody 
 John Savage 
 Thomas Tilbury 
 Thomas Nowcll 
 John Ibitfon 
 Richard Maudefley 
 Thomas Banes 
 Tho. Banes, jun. 
 James Midfhall 
 Thomas Blackburn 
 Richard Huiherlal 
 James Bruerton 
 George Ibitfon 
 George Corbifhley 
 George Swarfbiek 
 William Cottam 
 John Swarfbick 
 Rob. Snape 
 George Bolton 
 Thomas Gardner 
 Thomas Ethrinston 
 Rob. Bland 
 John Richardfon 
 Robert Ibitfon 
 
 James Walker 
 James Whitchcjd 
 John Gardner 
 Edward Blackburn 
 James Sympfon 
 John Critchlay 
 John Banes 
 John Gardner, jun. 
 Michael Gardner 
 Richard Fitzwiiliami 
 John Sympfon 
 Nicholas Gardner 
 Thomas Finch 
 Thomas Duckeit 
 John Hutheifal 
 John Whittinam; 
 James Ecklcs 
 Tho. Wiifon 
 James Djckett 
 James Smith 
 Robert Huiherfal 
 Wm. Rubottom 
 Tho. Wjlindey 
 James Clarkfon 
 Richaid Dunderdalc 
 Richard Suthard 
 James Mercer 
 John Wilcock 
 Robert Gardner 
 George Eckles 
 Richard H. Lacy 
 James Biddiccombe, fen. 
 Martin Biddlecombe, jun. 
 John Grccnwcil 
 George Corbifhley, jun. 
 Robert Haithornwhitc 
 Tho. Dohf. ■ 
 Henry Kitchin 
 Edward Peg 
 Thomas Pyke 
 Hctirv .Abbott 
 
 Win,
 
 C 2S ] 
 
 "^Villiam Pierpoint 
 Richard Fletcher 
 Wm. Shackleford 
 John Reaves 
 ;Richarfl Collier 
 Thomas Poynter 
 Francis Ford 
 Henry Budd 
 Chailes Fletcher 
 Thomas Heath j 
 John Dalton 
 Hugh Byrne 
 James Scott 
 Francis Clare 
 JohnPlunkett 
 J. H. Miller 
 J. Kirwan 
 Edw. Crean 
 Daniel Thompfon 
 'Rich. Befley, fen. 
 Rich. Befley, jun. 
 Jas. Ingo 
 
 William Jerningham, Bart. 
 Newbukgh 
 Thomas Kiernan 
 John Bradlhaw 
 James Bradfliavv 
 Henry Witham 
 Geo. Bryan 
 J. P. Coghlan 
 William Bullock 
 Patrick Keating 
 Samuel Waterhoufe 
 John Frankland 
 Hugh Croke 
 John Prujean 
 William Crulfe 
 Law. Nihell, M. D. 
 Thos. Savage, M. D. 
 Philip Howard, of Corby 
 Rich. Arkwright 
 
 Will. Kighlev 
 Tho. Gornall 
 Chrif. Butler 
 Rich. Leach 
 •Will. Wiilcock 
 Wm. Loxliam 
 Tho. Walker 
 Jas. Walker 
 Tho. Moore 
 Rich. Cayton 
 Tho. Robinfon 
 Tho. Hodfkinfon 
 Jas. Hall 
 Tho. Barrow 
 Jas. Barton 
 Rich. Carter 
 Jas. Danfon 
 Wm. Grcgfon 
 Jas. Gradwell 
 Evan Wearden 
 Rich. Parker 
 John Martin 
 Henry Brindie 
 Giles Craven 
 W. Brindie 
 Pet. Holiday 
 Jas. Singleton 
 Jas. Poftlewhite 
 Jno. BillingtoM 
 Tho. Smithies 
 Adam Helum 
 Jno. Valentine, jun. 
 Wm. Gorton 
 Chrif. Goodear 
 Rob. Garftang 
 Jno. Hartley 
 Jno. Slack 
 Jno. Gorton 
 W. Hartley 
 Geo. Wearden 
 Pet. Baldwin 
 
 Jno. Whittle 
 Jno. Crooke 
 Jno. Woodacre 
 Tho. Banks 
 Wm. Tootale 
 Jas. Bolton 
 Jno. Bolton 
 Jno. Gerard 
 Wm. Brown 
 W. Cook 
 Ed. Banks 
 Jno. Middleburft 
 Jno. Bury 
 Tho. High 
 Geo. Parkinfon 
 Jno. Blacow 
 W. Brown 
 Alex. Gregfon 
 Jno. Smith 
 Jno. Gregfon 
 Jno. Walton 
 Jas. Talbott 
 T. Edsforth 
 Jas. Chew 
 Hen. Clarkfon 
 Jas. Crook 
 T. Burgefs 
 Jas. Pilkington 
 Pet. Newby 
 Robt. Hubberftey 
 Jno. Dickinfon 
 Jas. Dickinfon 
 Rich. Cooper 
 Ro. Brindie 
 W, Brindie 
 W. Smith 
 Jas. Proclor 
 Edw. Brown 
 Jno. Felton 
 Jno. Hubberftey 
 Rd. Swarbrick 
 
 Jno.
 
 C 29 3 
 
 Jno. Swaibrick 
 
 Jas. Norris 
 
 Hen. Keiinyon 
 
 Rog. Howarth 
 
 W. Pennington 
 
 Jas. Cowpe 
 
 Jof. Tabcrner 
 
 T. Grimbaldcfton 
 
 Jas. Brand 
 
 W. Latus 
 
 W. Lund 
 
 Fran. Wells 
 
 La. Turner 
 
 Rd. Johnfon 
 
 T. Wilkinfon 
 
 Jno. Wilkinfon 
 
 Robt. Parkinfon 
 
 W. Adamfon 
 
 Jas. Heailey 
 
 Jno. Dickinfon, jujj. 
 
 Jas. Valentine 
 
 R. Cooper 
 
 Ra. Brindle 
 
 Jno. Smith 
 
 Rog. FiHiwick 
 
 W. WorOey 
 
 Jno. Sharrock 
 
 Th. Burn 
 
 Jas. Hubberftey 
 
 Rd. Almond 
 
 Hen. Pope 
 
 Edw. Threh^ail 
 
 Rd. Tlirelfall 
 
 Rt. Adamfon 
 
 T. Adamfon 
 
 W. Sharpies 
 
 J no-« Horn 
 
 Jno. Walker 
 
 Jno. Kay 
 
 Jno. Banks 
 
 Rt, Hubbcrfley 
 
 Pet. Walton 
 Hen. Tomlinfon 
 Jno. Ciiew 
 T. Charnlcy 
 T. Woodacre 
 J. Gradwell 
 Mat. Brindle 
 Jno. Billingtoit 
 T. Billington 
 W. Rigby 
 W. Shepherd 
 Seth Eccles 
 W. Wilfon 
 Jno. Ofbildeflon 
 Alex. Oibaldefton 
 Jno. Turner 
 
 Geo. Turner 
 
 Jno. Crookall 
 
 Tlios. Brown 
 
 R. Lacabanne 
 
 T. Miller 
 
 N. Rigby 
 
 Jno. Billington 
 
 W. Barton 
 
 Jas. Southworth 
 
 Jas. Wilcock 
 
 Jno. Arrowfmith 
 
 Jas. Sitgreaves 
 
 Jno. Midghall 
 
 Ra. Ratcliffe 
 
 J. Crook 
 
 T. Snape 
 
 Jas. Rigby 
 
 £d. Blackburne 
 
 Jas. Mercer 
 
 Jno. Chew 
 
 Rt. Kilfiiaw 
 
 Jno. Fairbrother 
 
 Jno. Afhton 
 
 Jas. Hubherfley 
 
 Hen. Miller 
 
 H 
 
 Edw. Waimfley 
 
 Jas. Parkinfon 
 
 T. Sister 
 
 W. Cothara 
 
 Jas. Parke 
 
 Jas. Turner 
 
 T. Burfco** 
 
 W. Roper, jun. 
 
 P. Rufhton 
 
 Jas. Turner 
 
 Jno. Lomax 
 
 W. Bennett 
 
 Ra. SwaiSrict 
 
 W. Catierall 
 
 Jno. Turner 
 
 W. Catferall, jun. 
 
 Jno W.lkrr 
 
 Jno Holderuefre 
 
 Rd. Melling 
 
 Thos. Smith 
 
 Cuih. Kirk 
 
 Jno. Kiikham 
 
 Jno. Jamcfon 
 
 T. HoIdernefTe 
 
 T. Holdernefle, jun. 
 
 W. Roper 
 
 Rob. Roper 
 
 Jas. Roper 
 
 T. Critchley 
 
 W. Parkinfon 
 
 J. Diggles 
 
 W. Diggles 
 
 Rob. Hummer 
 
 Jno. Clarkfon 
 
 Geo. Clarkfon 
 
 Geo. Rogerfon 
 
 D. Rogerfon 
 
 W. Bambcr 
 
 T. Bamber 
 
 Ra. Bamber 
 
 Ed. Bamber 
 
 Jno.
 
 C 30 3 
 
 Jnd. Hoghton 
 HeiJ. Wearden 
 Jno. Wearden 
 Th. Wearden 
 W Wearden 
 P. Wearden 
 P. Wearden, jun. 
 Jno. BiHington 
 Jno. BiHington, jun. 
 Ra. Walmefley 
 Jno. Carroll 
 Jas. Carroll 
 Wm. Carroll 
 Geo. Hetherfall 
 Jno. Rigby 
 Ra. Rainfoid 
 W. Appleton 
 Rd. Singleton 
 Jas. Blackburn 
 Rd. Willcock 
 Jno. Grimbaldefton 
 W.Brindle 
 Ig. Walmefley 
 Ra. Fidler 
 P. Fidler 
 W. Livfey 
 Robt Livfey 
 
 L. Pemberton 
 
 Jno. Crookall 
 
 Evan Brindle 
 
 Wm. Brindle 
 
 Law. Johnfon 
 
 Jno. Gregfon 
 
 Jas. Brindle 
 
 W. Slater 
 
 W. Dickinfon 
 
 John Silvertop 
 
 M. Hoghton 
 
 Rev. Mr. Cuerden 
 
 Rev. Mr. Manfell 
 
 Rev. Edward Beaumont, Clericus 
 
 Tho. Suffield 
 
 Rob. Suffield 
 
 F. Goflling, fen. 
 
 John Pitchford 
 
 John Pitrhford, jun. 
 
 Thomas Bokenham 
 
 John Barwell 
 
 Tho. Havers 
 
 Thomas Havers, jun.: 
 
 Jere. Norris 
 
 J. Gobbet 
 
 Henry Dobfon 
 
 F. Goftling, jun. 
 
 Spinks Chapman 
 
 James Moore 
 
 James Moore, jun.- 
 
 Fra. Jas. Rivett 
 
 John Rifeborough, fen. 
 
 John Rifeborough, jun. 
 
 Jno. Brown 
 
 Wm. Chaplin 
 
 Geo. Carr 
 
 Francis Barlh 
 
 Edward Miles 
 Edward Morton 
 
 Heniy Knights 
 P. Knights 
 Thomas Deday 
 
 Thomas Deday, jun, 
 
 Rich. Diiimore 
 
 Rev. Jas. Lane, Clericus 
 
 Rev. Geo. Chamberlayne^ Clericus 
 
 Fra. Hutton 
 
 Fra. Hutton, jun. 
 
 Robt. Barnes 
 
 Jas. Barnes 
 
 Wm. Meader 
 
 John Moody 
 
 John Mooily, jun. 
 
 Ji>hn Greenwood 
 
 Thomas Vinn 
 
 Wm. Cave 
 
 Jofeph Charker 
 
 William Jones 
 
 Charles Mahany 
 
 John Doran 
 
 Charles Moody 
 
 John Linguard 
 
 Jofeph Cox 
 
 John Gilbert 
 
 James Cox 
 
 Thomas Akers 
 
 Thomas Baldwin 
 
 Inigo Jones 
 
 William Brewer 
 
 John Clapcott 
 
 Samuel Stnbbington 
 
 Wm. Morley 
 
 James Charker 
 
 Rev. Jno. Milner 
 
 John Hyde 
 
 Samuel Taunton 
 
 Rev. Dr. J'>hn Lonfdale 
 
 Lewis Wallet 
 
 Rev Chriftopher Taylor, Cler. 
 
 Thomas Bower 
 
 Michael Little 
 
 John Prujean, jun. 
 
 No. IV.
 
 C 3t ] 
 
 No. IV. 
 
 To the Honorable the COMMONS of Great 
 Britain in Parliament aflembled. 
 
 The humble PETI T 10 N of the Perfons whofe Names are hereunto 
 lubfcribfd, on Behalf of themfelves and others. Catholic 
 Dissenters of England. 
 
 S H E W E r H, 
 
 A HAT Sentimentj unfavorable to your Petitioners as Citizens and Subjefls have been entertained by 
 Englifh Protpftants, and that your Petitioners arc fubjea to various penal Laws on account of Principles 
 which ate affcrted to be maintained by your Petitioners and otlier Perfons of their Religion, and which 
 Principles are dangerous to Society, and totally repugnant to Political and Civil Liberty. 
 
 That your Petitioners think it a Duty which they owe to their Country as well as to themfelves to 
 protefl in a formal and folemn Manner againft Doarines that they condemn, and that confliiute no Part 
 whatever of their Principles, Religion, or Belief. 
 
 That your Petitioners are the more anxious to free themfelves from fiich Imputations, becaufe divers 
 Profellants, who profefs themfelves to he real Fiiends lo Liberty of Confcience, have neverthelcfs avowed 
 themfelves hoftile to your Petitioners, on account of the Opinions which your Petitioners arc fuppofcd to 
 hold; and your Petitioners do not blame ihofe Proiedams for their Hoftillty, if it proceeds ^as your Peti- 
 tioners hope it does) not from an intolerant Spirit in Matters of Religion, but from their being mifmformed 
 as to Matters of Faft. 
 
 That your Petitioners acknowledge that they fhould merit the Reproach of being dangerous Enemies 
 to the Slate, if it were true that they had adopted the Maxims that are erroneoiifly imputed to them ; but 
 your Petitioners deteft thofe unchriflian-like and execrable Maxims : And your Petiiion.rs feverally claim 
 (in common with Men of all other Religions) as a Matter of Natural Jurtice, that your Petitioners ought 
 not to fuffer f)r or on Account of any wicked or erroneous Doflrines, that may li,ive been holden or that' 
 may be held by any foreign Roman Catholics, which Doarines your Petitioners publicly difclaim, any more 
 than any of the Brltilh Proteftants ought to be rendered refponfible for anv dangerous Doarines that may 
 be held by any foreign Proteftants, which Doarines they the faid BriiiOi ProteRants difavow. 
 
 irt, That-
 
 [ 32 ] 
 
 ifl, Tliat your Pel itioners have been accufed of holding as a Principle of their Religion, That Piinces 
 cxcornmiHiicated by the Pojjc and Council, or by Authority of the See of Rome, may be dcpofed or 
 fniinlered by their Subjefts or other Perfons : — But fo far is the above-mentioned unehriftian-like and 
 abominable Pofition from being a Principle that yoiJr Petitioners hold, that they rejeft, abhor, and detefl it, 
 and every Part thereof, as execrable and impious. — And your Petitioners do foleninly declare. That neither 
 the Pope, eiilier with or without a General Council, nor any Prelate, nor any Prieft, nor any Affcmbly of 
 Prelates or Priells, nor any Ecclcfi.iftical Power whatever, can abfolve the Subjefts of this Realm, or any of 
 them from their Allegiance to bis Majefty King George the Third, who is, by Authority of the Legiflature, 
 the lawful King of this Realm, and of all the Dominions thereunto belonging. 
 
 cdly, That your Petitioners have alfo been accufed of holding as a Principle of their Religion, That 
 implicit Obedience is due from them to the Orders and Decrees of Popes and General Councils; and that, 
 therefore, if the Pope, or any General Council, fliould, for the Good of the Church, command your Peti- 
 tioners to take up Arms againfl Government, or by any Means to fubvert the Laws and Liberties of this 
 Country, or to exterminate Perfons of a different Religion from your Petitioners, the Accufers of your 
 Petitioners affert that your Petitioners hold tliemfeives " bound to obey fuch Orders or Decrees on Pain of 
 eternal Fire ;" — whereas )'»ur Petitioners pofitively deny that they owe any fuch Obedience to the Pope 
 and General Council, or to either of them : And yoiii Petitioners believe that no A£l that is in itfelf im- 
 moral or difiionelt can ever be juftified by or under Colour that it is done either for the Good of the Church 
 
 or in Obedience to any EcclcfiaJlical Power whatever. Your Petitioners acknowledge no Infallibility 
 
 in the Pope; and they neither apprehend nor believe that their Difo'jedience to iny fuch Orders or Decrees 
 
 ((hould any fuch be given or made] could fubjeft your Petitioners to any Punifhment whatfoever. That 
 
 your Petitioners do folemnly declare. That no Church, nor any Prelate, nor any Piieft, nor any Aflembly 
 of Prelates or Priefts, nor any Ecclefiaflical Power whatever, liath, have, or ought to have any Jurifdiflion 
 or Authority whatfoever within this Realm, that can, diretlly or indireflly, affe£l or interfere with the 
 Independence, Sovereignty, Laws, Conftiimion or Government thereof, or the Rights, Liberties, Perlons 
 •or Properties of the People of the f.iid Realm, or of any of them, fave only and except by the Authorit) of 
 Parliament; and that any fuch AITumptionof Power would be an Ufurpation. 
 
 3dly, That your Petitioners have likewife been accufed of holding as a Principle of their Religion, 
 That the Pope, by virtue of his Spiritual Power, can difpenfe with the Obligations of any Compaft or Oath 
 taken or entered into by any Perfon of the Religion of your Petitioners; that, therefore, no Oath of 
 AUegiar.ce, or other Oath, can bind your Petitioners, and confequently that your Petitioners can give no 
 
 Security for their Allegiance to any Government. That your Petitioners admit that this Conclufion 
 
 would be juft, if the original Propofition upon which it is founded were true ; but your Petitioners pofitively 
 deny that they hold any fuch Principle : And they do folemnly declare. That neither the Pope, nor any 
 Prelate, nor any Piiefl, nor any AlTc-mbly or Prelates or Priefls, nor any Ecclefiaftical Power whatever, can 
 abfolve your Peiiiioners or any of them from, or can pteviouliy or fubfequenily difpenfe with the Obliga- 
 tions of any Compaft or Oath whatfoever. 
 
 4thly,
 
 r 33 ] 
 
 4tlily, Tliat your Petiuoncis have nlfo been accufed of IioIJIng as a Principle of their Religion, That 
 not only the Pope, but even a Pricft, has Power, at his Will and Plcafure, to pardon the Sins of Pcrfons 
 of the Religion of your Petitioners ; and therefore that no Pcrfon of tlic Religion of your Peiitioncrs can 
 pofTibly give any Security for his Allegiance to any Government, inafniuch as the Pope, or a Prieft can 
 
 pardon Pei jury, Rebellion, and High Treafon. That your Petitioners acknowledge alio the juftriels of 
 
 this Conclufion, if the Piopofition upon which it is founded were not totally falfe; but your Petitioners do 
 folemnly declare. That on the contrary, they believe that no Sin whatever can be forgiven at the Will of 
 any Pope, or of any Priefl, or of any Perfon whonifoever; but that a fincere Sorrow for paft Sin, a firm 
 Refolution to avoid future Guilt, and every pofTiblc Atonement to God and the injuied Keigiibour are the 
 previous and indifpenfible Requifites to ellablifh a well-founded £xpe£laiion of Forgivcnefs. 
 
 5thly, That your Petitioners have alfo been accufed of holding as a Principle of their Religion, That 
 *' Faith is not to be kept with Heretics ;" fo that no Government which does not profefs the fame Religion 
 as your Petitioners can have any Security from your Petitioners for their Allegiance and peaceable Lei.avi- 
 
 our. That your Petitioners reje6l, reprobate, and abhor the Doflrine, that " Faith is not to be kept with 
 
 Heretics," as being contrary to Religion, Morality, and common Honefty : — And your Petitioners do hold 
 and fulemnly declare, that no Breach of Faith with, or Injury to, or Hofliliiy againft any Perfon whomfo- 
 €ver, can ever be juflified by Reafon of, or under Pretence thai fuch Peifon is an Heretic or an Infidel. 
 
 That your Petitioners further folemnly declare. That they do make this Declaration and Protellation, 
 and every Part thereof, in the plain and ordinary Senfe of the Woids of the fame, without any F.vafion, 
 Equivocation, or Mental Refervation whatfoever : — And, that your Petitioners humbly conceive that your 
 Peiiii< ners who thus folemnly diftlaim, and from their Hearts abhor the above-mentioned abominable and 
 uiul rifllan-like Piinciples, ought not to be put upon a Level with any other Men who may hold and proo 
 fcfs thofe Principles. 
 
 Your Petitioners therefore humbly pray that this Honorable Houfe will be pleafed fo 
 grant fuch Relief to your f ciitioncrs as this Honorable Houfe in it's Wifdom (hali 
 deem to be jufl. 
 
 No. V.
 
 I 34 3 
 
 No. V. 
 
 THE 
 
 CASE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 ENGLISH CATHOLIC DISSENTERS. 
 
 HE Laws in force against the English Catholic Dissenters may be ranged under 
 foUK, Heads, 
 
 2. Thofe which fubjefl them to Penalties and Punifhments for exkrcisino their religious 
 WoR&HlP; under which Head may be ranked the Laws refpefting tlieir Places of Education, and 
 the Miniflers of their Church. 
 
 By thefe Laws, if any Catholic Diflenting Prieft, born in the Dominions of the Crown of England, 
 aj, EUi. c. 2. come to England from beyond the Seas, ortaiiy in England three D^ys, without conforming, to the. 
 Church, he is guilty of High Treafon : Thofe alfo incur the Guilt of High Treafon who are reconciled to 
 3. jac, 1, c. 4. jj^^ g^^ ^j- i^yjjjg^ gj procure others to be reconciled to it. 
 
 For the laft Offence, a Catholic DifTenting Clergyman was tried in 1786, One Witnefsonly being/ 
 produced againft him, he was acquittrd upon the Statute of the feventh Year of King William, by svhkh 
 two Wiinelfes are required to convifl a Man of High Treafon. 
 
 By thefe Laws alfo, theEnglifh Catholic DilTenters are totally di fabled from giving their Children any 
 
 _.. Education in their own Religion. If they educate their Children ai home, — then, for maintaining the 
 
 School-Mailer, if he do not repair to Church, or be not allowed by the Bifhop of the Diocefe, tltey ar« 
 
 JiaUle to Forfeit Ten Pounds a Month ; and the School-Mailer is liable to forfeit Forty Shillings a Day.-; — 
 
 , , Then, if ihey fend them for Education to any School of their Peifuafion abroad, they are liable to forfeit 
 
 3 jac. i.c 5. One Hundred Pounds, and the Children fo fcntare difabled fiom inheriting, purchafing, and enjoying any 
 
 S3. M."i c. 1." Lands, Profits, Goods, Debts, Duties, Legacies, or Sums of Money. Saying Mafs is puniinable by. a For- 
 
 3. jjc.i.c.j. fj.;j^,g Qf Ywo Hundred Marks : Hearing it by a Forfeiture of One Hundred Marks. 
 
 For
 
 C 35 ] 
 
 For the Offences of celebrating Mafs, fcvcral Catholic DIlTenting Priefls, now living, have been pro- 
 feciitcd. In 1770, the Hon. James Talbot, the Broilic-r of the late Earl of Shrewlbury, was tried at the 
 Old Bailey Scflions for exercihng the Funaions of a Romifh Pried, and acquitted for Want of Evidence. 
 At tlie Summer Affizes for the County of Surrey, in 1767, Mr. Malony was tried and found guilty of 
 adminflciing the Sacrament of Our Lord's Supper, according to the Rites of ihe See of Rome. He re- 
 mained in Prifon for fome Years, and was afterwards pardoned on Condition of perpetual Banifhment. 
 
 II. Under the fecond Head are thofe La vs which punifh the Enfjlifli Catholic DifTc-nters for not conform- 
 ing to the Eflablifhea Church: Thcfe are generally called the Statutes of Recusancy. 
 
 It (hould be obferved, that Abfence from Church, alone, and unaccompanied by any other AB, con- 
 Aitutej Recufancy. 
 
 Till the Statute of 35th Eliz. Chap. 2. all DilTenters were confidered as Recufants, and were all 
 equall) fuhj.ftto the Penalties of Recufancy : That Statute was the firft Penal Statute made againQ Popilh 
 Recufants by that Name, and as diflingui(hed from other Recufants. From that Siatute arofe the Diilinc 
 tion between Pioteftant DifTcniers and Engllfii Catholic DifTenters;— or, as they are called in the Law, 
 Recufants. Tiie former were fubjea to fuch Statutts of Recufancy as preceded that of the 3jth of 
 Queen Eiizabeih, and 10 fome Statutes againft Recufancy made fubfequently to that Time; but they were 
 relieved from them all by t^le Aft of Toleration in the fiift Year of King William's Reioti. 
 
 By the Statutes againft Popifti Recufants Convia, they are punin^able by the Cenfurcs of the Church, 
 and by a Fine of Twenty Pounds for every Month during which they abfent tliemfelves from Church ; they I ri'r Vi 
 are difabled from holding Offices or Employments; from keeping Arms in their H,>ures; from main- 3> EnV. c. j.^ 
 taining Aaions or Suits at Law or in Equity; from being Executors or Guadia.is ; from prefenting to ^ '''''■ '•'''^•*-' 
 Advo^vfons; from praaifii.g the Law or Phyfic ; and from holding Offices Civil or iMilitary Tbey are l.C^i'ltr' 
 fubjea to the Penalties attending E-xcommunication ; are not j)ertnitied to travel Five Miles from Home 
 unlefs by Licence, upon Pain, of forfeiting all their Goods; and may not come to Court under Pain of 
 One Hundred Pounds. A married Woman, wlien conviaed of Recufancy, is liable to foileit Two-Tliirds 
 cf her Dower or Jointure. She cannot be Executrix or Adminilhairix to her Hufband; nor have any 
 Part of his Goods; and, during her Ma. riage, (he maybe kept in Piifon, unlefs iter H.ilhand ledceiBS 
 
 her, at the Rate of Ten Pounds a Month, or the Timd Part of his Lands Popifh Recufants Convia 
 
 mufl, within Three Months after Conviaion, either fubniit and renounce their religious Opinions, or, if 
 required by four Juflices, muH abjme tbe Realm ; anri if they do not depart, or if they return without Li- 
 ccnce, they are guilty of Felony, and fuffer Death as F'elons. 
 
 It materially encreafes the OpprefTion and Severity of thefe Laws, that any Juftice of the Peace may 
 convia a DifFcnting Catholic of Recufancy, by a veiy/ummary Proujs, wnhoui any p>ev.ou» In:orination or. 
 Cotjiplaint againft hira. 
 
 In the Year 1-82, two very poor Catholic DltTnting Labourers and their Wives were fumnroncd by 
 one of his Majefly's Juflices of the Peace, and fined One Shilling, cach, fornut repairmg.iu Church j ami. 
 
 the.
 
 r 36 ] 
 
 the Conftable raifed it by diflraining in the Hoafe of one of thein an Oak Table, a Fir Table, and a Plate 
 Shelf; in the Houfc of the other, a Shelf, and two Dozen of Delft Plates, one Pi;wt.er Difh, with four 
 Pewter Plates, one Oak Table, and one Arm-Chair. Tlie Sale was publicly called at the Market-Day, and 
 the Goods were fold by Auftion at their refpeflive Houfes. The Conftable's Bill was in thefe Words: 
 
 To not attending Church — — 020 
 To a Warrant — — — o i o 
 
 To Conftable's Expences — — 020 
 
 III. The Laws which fubjcft them to Penahies for NOT takin-c tiieOatii or Supremacy, and 
 
 THE Declaration against Popery. 
 
 t. W &M. ift, With refpefl to the Oath of Supremacy^ the Statutes of the firft of King William and Queen 
 
 '■ ■ *■ Mary, and the firft of George I. contain an Oath by which Perfons are made to fwe;ir, that " No foreign 
 
 " Prince, Perfon, Prelate, State, or Potentate, hath, or ougiit to have, any Jurifdiftion, Power, Supre- 
 
 " macy. Pre-eminence or Authority, Ecclefiaftical or Spiritual within this Realm." It is required 10 be 
 
 taken by the Perfons therein named, and it may he tendered to any Perfon by any two Juftices of the Peace. 
 
 TheEnglifti Catholic Diffenters objefl to take this Oath, becaufc, like eveiy other Church in Commu- 
 nion with the See of Rome, they acknowledge the Spiritual Primacy of the Pope. But they do not acknow- 
 ledge in him any Right, Power, or Pre-eminence, either temporal, ecclefiaftical, or fpiritual, within this 
 Realm, that can, direfily or indireclly, affeft or interfere with the Rights, the Perfon, or the Property of 
 the King, or the Rights, Perfons, or Properties of any of his Subjefls. 
 
 7. & 3. \V. 3. By refufing to take the Oath of Supremacy, when tendered to them, they become liable to all the abo\e- 
 
 i.G.^t' C.2. mentioned Penalties of Recufancy : Tliey are reflrained from praflifing the Law as Advocates, Barriflers, 
 ''* 0!°' Solicitors, Aitornies, Notaries, or Proftors : They are reflrained from voting at Eleflions, and confequently 
 are unreprefented in Parliament. 
 
 sdly, With refpefl to the Declaration againjl Popery, an Aft pafTed in the 30th Year of King 
 " ' ' ' Charles II. contains a Declaration to be made by the Members of either Houfe of Parliament before 
 
 they take their Seats. By this they declare their Difbehef i)f the Doftrine of Tranfubflantiation, and their 
 Belief that the Invocation of the Saints and the Sacrifice of the Mafs are idolatrous. 
 
 This Declaration the Englifii Catholic DifTcnters cannot make, as the Doctrines to which it refers 
 are among the Articles of their religious Credence. But whatever may be their Sentiments on the Sa- 
 crament of our Lord's Supper, on the moR proper Mode of publicly wuifliipping the Deity, or the Nature 
 of the Intercourfe between the Living and ilie Dead, they beg Leave to obferve, that all thefe Doftrines 
 are in themfelves harmlefs and inoffeiifive ; and that as they cannot difable thofe who hold them from per- 
 forming any of the Duiies, they ouj^ht not to deprive them of participating in any of the Rights of Englifh 
 Subjects. Yet for their particular Opinions upon thefe Doflrines, the Englifh Catholic Diffenters are 
 
 difqualified
 
 C 37 ] 
 
 diTqualifiecI from beintr cliofeu Members of the Houfe of Commons, and iheir Peeri are deprived of their 
 hereditary Seats in Parliament. 
 
 II. The Laws afTefling their Landed Property. 
 
 How this is afTcfted by the Laws againft Recufancy, has been already mentioned. — Befides which, the i w. u m. e. 
 
 Englifh Catholic Diflenters aredifabled, by other Laws, from prefenting to Advowfons, and all other Eccle- u Ann, c. i«. 
 
 fiaftica4 Benefices, and to Hofpitals and other charitable Eftablifhments, though founded by their own An- " ' ''^' '''* 
 
 ceftors. — They are fubjefled by annual Afts of the Legiflature to the vexatious and ignominious Burthen of ' ^- J- ^- 5^* 
 
 the double Land-Tax ; and tliev are obliged, on every Occafion, to difclofe the fecret Tranfaflions of their continued hy 
 
 Families, by reafon of the expcnfive Obligations inipofcd on thcni of enrolling tlioir Deeds and Wills. qucntSmuicj. 
 
 Thefe are the principal Laws againft the Englifli Catholic Didenters. To the Test Act, and to «5Car. II, 
 every other Penalty to which other DilFentcrs are fubjeil, — the Catholic Diffentcrs are equally liable. 
 
 There have been recent Inftances of Profecutioiis againft them upon thefe Laws. But (o give them 
 Effeft, no actual Profecution is neceftary. In many Cafes, without the Formality of an Action, and in fome, 
 without even the Intervention of an Informer, by an Operation unobferved by the Community at Urge, but 
 feverely felt by the Viftims of it, thefe Laws continually force themselves into execution, 
 — and, in an Age of Science and Philofophy, in a Land of Freedom and Happinefs, and in the midft of 
 Univerfal Toleration, deprive the Englifh Ortholic DilTenters of many of the Rights of Englifli Subjefls, 
 and the common Rights of Mankind; — invite public Prejudice and Defamation upon them; — cramp their 
 Induftry ; — abridge them in the Means of providing for their Families ; — drive them Abroad for Education ; 
 — obtrude them on Foreigners for Subfiftence ; — and make them, as it were, Aliens in their own 
 NATIVE Country. 
 
 The Aft pafTed for their Relief in the i8th Year of his prefent Majefty, was a Repeal of one particu- 
 lar Law, which greatly obftrufted them in the Enjoyment of their Landed Property, and was otherwife very 
 oppreffive on them ; but it was not a Repeal of any one of the Laws above fpecificd. 
 
 K No. VI.
 
 C 38 ] 
 
 No. VI. 
 STATE OF THE LAWS 
 
 RESPECTING 
 
 PRESENTATIONS BY R O MAN CATHOLICS 
 
 T O 
 
 ECCLESIASTICAL BENEFICES, 
 
 B 
 
 Y the 3. James I. c. 5. Popish Recusants are made excommunicate. From that Circumflance 
 alone, their Prefentations, however good againft Strangers, are void as to the Bifhop; he may refuTe the Pre- 
 fentee, and take Benefit of the Lapfe. But independently of that, they are by this Aft exprefly difabled 
 from prefenting to Benefices with or without Cure of Souls, to Free Schools, Hofpitals, or Donatives; and 
 their Right of Piefentaiion is given to the Univerfities. Upon iliis A£l, therefore, when a Papift prefents, 
 the Univerfities may pioceed to convia him of Recufancy, and then prefent in his Right. If the Univer- 
 fities do not proceed in this Mannir, the Bifliop of the Diocefe may, and thereby make the Papift excom- 
 municate : he is then iniitled to lefufe the Ptefcntee of the Papift, and may himfelf prefent on the Lapie. 
 
 The Statute of 1. William III. c. 26. makes theRefufal of the Declaration againft Tranfubftantiation, 
 and aCeitificate and Record of fuch Refufal made at the Quarter-SefFions, equal to a Conviftion of Recu- 
 fancy: the Perfon fo recorded is by that Aft as much difabledasif he wercaPopifbRecufantconvift by Law» 
 
 The Statute of the 12. of Anne extends the former Difahillties to all Perfons making ProfefTion of the 
 Popifli Religion; and all Perfons inirufted direftly or indiieftly for any Papift are difabled in like Manner. 
 
 If any Prefentationberaadeby a Perfon whom theBifhop fufpefls to be a Pjpift, or a Truftee for a 
 Papiff, the Onlinary may adminifter to the- Perfon pieTenting the Declarati.in againft Tranfubftantiation, and 
 upon his Kefufdl to make and fubfcribe it, tae Ordiiiiry is to certify it, and the Univeifuies may thereupon 
 
 prefent
 
 r 39 :i 
 
 prefent. For tl.r better Difcove.v of any fecrct Tri,ns. the Or.linary may examine the Perfoii prefenlea 
 upon Oah, whether the Pcrloi.prcfen.ing be a Papin. or a Perfoa cntrufted by a Papitt; imd the Univer- 
 fnies mav file their Bill in Equity againtt the Perfon prefenting. his Prefentee. and any other Pe.fon tbey 
 n,;.y think proper, to illfcover any Tccrct Trnfl refpefling the Livings. When the Truft is difcovered, they 
 ,„ay tender the Detlaraiio., againfl Popery lo him ; and if he refufe it, he is to be cfleemed a Popifh Rccu- 
 fantco;i\itl ; upon vvhieli the Univeifitiei may pitfent. 
 
 By the 11. George II. c. 17. evny Grant made of an Advowfon by any Fapift or perfon profeding ihb 
 Popifh Religion, is void, unlcfs tuade to a Proieftant lor the Benefit ol himfeJf or fonie other Proicadnt, and. 
 for a full Confideiaiion. 
 
 By thefe ARs, that Defcription of Perfons, whom tlie Law ftylesPapins, are utterly difabled from pre- 
 fenting to the Livings upon their Eft-tes, and to every other Ecclcfialiical Benefice belonging to thcin. The 
 Pfocefs which thus difables tliem has not only the EfFc-a of fubjeft.ng them to that Dtfabilay, but makes them 
 Recufants. By this they become Perlons excommunicated, and are punilhable by a Fine of Twenty Po.mds 
 for every Month during which they abfent iliemfelves from Church : They are d, fabled frotn being Execu- 
 tors or Gn.rdians; praailingthfLaworPhyfic; and are fubjed to many other Penalties equally grievous. 
 If after being conviHed they perfill in their Opinions, they are compellable to abjure the Realm; and if they 
 do not inftamly depart, or, having departed,, if they return without Licceivfe, they aie to fuffer Death as Felons. 
 
 Such is the Situation, eq^willy dreadful and humiliating, of Perfons profeding the PopiOi Religion, 
 refpeaing their Prksentation TO Ri.NKFiCE.s. The extreme Cruelty of thcfe Laws, (0 far as they 
 operate to convia Papilla prefenting to Livings of Reculancy, cannot, it is humbly conceived, meet with 
 the Approbation of any Perfon. 
 
 It is obvious, that the Security of the Proieftant Religion does not, in anv Refpea, require that any 
 Difabihty of il.is Nature IhouLl be impofed on the Papilt, ordep.ive him of his Right of Prefentation. No 
 Perfon can be prcfentcd to a Living who has not been o.dained according to the Rites of the Cbu:Cliot Eng- 
 land. P,.vwujly to his 0,dinanon,ht ,s examined on his Kaith and Morals by the Bilhop; he takes the 
 Oaths of Supremacy and AlleKi-n.e, and fnbfcribes the Thirty-Nine A.t.cles: ;,ni pr<:viouJ!y to his Admijjwn, 
 he fabfciibes the Three Articles rcfpeaing the Supremacy, the Gammon Prayer, and the Thirty-Nine Arti- 
 cles, and the Declaration of Conformity : and by the Aa of Unilormity, he is bound to ufe the Common- 
 Frayer, and other Rues and Ceremonies of the Church of England. 
 
 Thzse
 
 C 40 ] 
 
 THESg Laws fully provide for theldoneity of the Perfonprefenfet!. Tlie Inteiefls of Religion, fo far as 
 Religion is inteieftetl in Prefentations, being thus completely guarded, there can, furely, be no Reafon to de- 
 prive the Roman Catholic of his civil Right of Prefentation by thefe djfabling, rigorous, butniliating, and 
 :Cruel Penalties. 
 
 Ch. Berincton. ~ Stourtoh. 
 
 Jos. WiLKS. Petre. 
 
 Henry Cha.Englefield. 
 
 John Lawson, 
 
 Jno. Throckmorton. 
 
 Wm. Fermor. 
 
 John Towneley. 
 
 Thos. Hornyold. 
 
 No. VII.
 
 C 41 1 
 
 No. VII. 
 STATE OF FACTS 
 
 BY THE COMMITTEE OF ENGLISH CATHOLICS. 
 
 Respecting THE OATH contained in the bill for their relief now before thi; 
 
 Hon. house of COxMMONS — 1791. 
 
 In the Name of the CATHOLICS of ENGLAND: 
 
 Ar 
 
 .N Idea having been thrown out, that the Bill introduced into the Honourable Houfe of Commons will 
 not extend Relief to the whole Body, but only to a niinor Part of the Englifli Catholics, — We the Under- 
 signed beg Leave to reprefent, ■ 
 
 First, — That, at a General Meeting of the Catholics, held on the 3d of May 1787, a Committee 
 of Noblemen and Gentlemen was appointed to watch over and promote the public Intereft of the Englifh 
 Roman Catholics: 
 
 Secondly, — That, at a General Meeting held on the 15th of May 1788, the Committee was direfled 
 to make an Application to Parliament for the Relief of the Englilh Catholics early in the next SelTion of 
 Parliament. 
 
 Thirdly, — That, in 1789, an Inflrument of Proteflation was prcfented to the Committee, the 
 Objeft of which was to remove Sufpicions and Prejudices, and convince both the Legiflature and the Pub- 
 lic, that Englifh Catholics holds no Principles hoftile to Civil or Political Freedom ; 
 
 Fourthly, — That this Inflrument was figned by the Clergy and Laity among the Catholics. It was 
 not deemed neccfTtiry to collcfl the Signature of every Individual ; it was thought enough to collefl a fuffi- 
 cient Number of Signatures to prove that the Inllrument contained the Sentiments of the Body. Accordingly, 
 it was figned by Two Hundred and Forty Clergymen, — and the whole Number in the Kingdom is not fup- 
 pofed to exceed Two Hundred and Sixty, — by every Peer, and, with few Exceptions indeed, by every 
 Catholic GL-nilenian of R<ink, Foitune, or Refpeftability. — Tiiis will appear by a Glance over the Names of 
 the Sublcribers to the Protellation : — 
 
 Fifthly, — That the Oath inferted in the Bill, concerning which Scruples are now faid to be raiftd, 
 contains no more ihaii the Proteftalion, except the common Profeflion of Allegiance to His Majefly and his 
 
 L SuccelTors.
 
 C 42 3 
 
 Siicceflbrs. To this no loyal Englifhman objcfls; and this the Catholics had equivalently fworn to, in the 
 Odth prefcribcd in the Aft pafled for their Relief in 1778 : — 
 
 On what Grounds, then, arc thefe Scruples brought forward ? Two Perfons only, — (they are the Two 
 W'liorc Naiiu's are marked with an Afterifin in the primed Proteddtion,) — who had fubfcribed the Proleftaiion, 
 hdvcexprelTed a D -fire to have iheir Names withdrawn. The Pioteflaiion, therefore, continues, and ever 
 will continue, to be the Pledge of the Sincerity of Englidi Caiiiolics. 
 
 In a Publication, called " Fafls relating to the prefent Contefl amongft the Roman Catholics of this 
 " Kingdom, concerning the Bill to be introduced into Parliament for their Relief," figncd John Milner, 
 it it afTerted, ihat the Gentlemen of the Committee had abandoned the Majority of the Roman Caiholics, 
 and taken them by Surprife. — But the Committee have uniformly afled by the Inflruflions, and have uni- 
 formly received the Thanks and Suppoit, of their Body. In this Paper John Milner alTumes to aft in the 
 Names of Tlioufands; but, when called upon to fpecify the Names of thefe Perfons in whofe Trull he afled, 
 lie could onlv produce Three Names, and confelfed he had obtained the Appointment of thofe Three Perfons 
 after the Publication of this Paper. Of thofe Three Names Two had been figned 10 the Proteflation, and we 
 have never heard tliat thofe Three Perfons were ever chofen by the Catholic Body, or any Portion of the 
 Catholic Bodv, to tranfafl Bufinefs in their Names. No Meeting was ever called for that Purpofe : and 
 although Attempts have been tnade by them to procure a Counter-Pioteflation, never could they obtain any 
 one refpeitable Name 10 it. 
 
 The Bill is now before the Wifdom and Humanity of the Houfe; and the Catholic Committee heg 
 Leave to reprefent in their own Names, and in the Names of thofe in whofe Trufls they have a£led, that they 
 never will recede from the Instrument of Protestation. Anxious as they are that every Individual 
 of their Perfuafion (hould be admitted to Relief, yet they cannot depart from this soeemn Pledge of the 
 Integrity of their Body. 
 
 It remains with the Wifdom and Condefcenfion of Parliament to determine, whether it will accommo- 
 date itfcif to the Scruples of a few Individuals. — The Committee, and thofe in whofe TiuOs they have aflcd, 
 will deem ihemfelves for ever bound by the Protestation, and will repeal it as often as called upon. 
 
 Charies Berington. 
 
 JobEPH WlLKS. 
 
 Stourton. 
 
 Petre. 
 
 Henry Cha.Englefield. 
 
 John Lawson. 
 
 Jno. Throckmorton^ 
 
 "Wiw. Fekmur. 
 
 Jt)HN TowNf ley. 
 
 Thos. Hoknyoed. 
 
 M^rcli 31, 1791 
 
 No. VIII.
 
 [ 43 3 
 
 No. VIII. 
 
 LETTER FROM Mr. W A L M E S L E Y. 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 T, 
 
 HIS comes to infom your Lorddilp, t!iJt, at our Meeting on the 19th indanf, we the Four Vicars 
 Apoftohc, unanimoudy coiiflemned the new Oiih lately printed. Tliis we did, without the ieafl Intcn'ion 
 of givitig Offence, either to your Lordfhip, or to the other Members of the Committee; and we hope 
 that your Loidfhip and thev will take it in that light. Our Duty, and the Call of our People, neceffarily 
 induced us to piouounce our Judgment upon it. 
 
 And now we beg Leave to offer to you a few Obfervations. 
 
 Fii ft, As Things ftand, may it not he more prudent to drop, at prefenf, any further Purfuit of the Mea- 
 fures which have been begun ? Such a Step feems almoft neceffary, in order to alldy that Feiraent which has 
 rifen among our People, to put a Stop to Difputes, and re-cllabli(h the Concord and Union which before 
 fubfilled among us. 
 
 Secondly, But if the Mrafure of petitioning Government mud at prefent, upon urgent Reafons, be 
 purfued, let it be grounded on the Oath of 1778. That Oath is a very fuflicient Tcft of our Allegiance to 
 th^ King and Fidelity to Government, and was admitted as fuih at that Time by the whole Legillative Power, 
 and therefore ought to fatisfy at prefent. Bcfide.s, it was adopted, as we undeillanJ, by the Committee laft 
 
 Year, as the gtound-werk (if a B:ll formed for the l.inie Puipufes. Then, the Bill itfcif, beloic it be pre- 
 
 fented in Pailiament, we think, (liould be accurately revifed, that no Claufes be infeiied in it, clafhing with 
 Rel gioti, 01 ihocking the Minds ot the Catholies. The Appcllalioij of P.iotrflir,g Catholic DiJJcnlers (hould 
 be exploded; it is higldy difapproved, and would raife in all foreign Couniiies, a bad notion ot the Englifh 
 Catholics*. Let us be named, asheietotore, either Catholics or Roman Catholics — Such Claufes alfo, as not 
 
 * It appears, tl. at in foreign countries tfiis aj pcllation would h.ive been properly underftood to convey no more, 
 
 than a conjcuathiis JiJJint from the U^al eftablijhment ii matters of Religion. The Prelates and Clergy in the National Af- 
 
 fembl) of France figned a prAiJl, and profe.Tia^ no longer the mode of Religion folemnly authorised by the State, they 
 
 knew no name more appropriate to their fmiation, than that of Catholic Dijjhiters. '* Mais les vucs qui rnt di<tc la 
 
 " nouve le loi embrallent tons les UiJiJem, et cette denoniination consprcnd 1 univerfalite de ceux qui ne profcflent pas 
 
 " la religion fom.ieuement antorifec dans I'etat ! . . . . Or, que vont etre delormais aux ycux de la puifi'ance ti-mpc- 
 
 " ralle lesCath-iliques, qui rcruferonr de rcconni.itre les Evcqiics et Its Cures D0U\ellenient inititues par lAiicmblce 
 
 " Nati' nil , fi non dc -vtriahis Dijfia ns K p. 30. inllruCtion donucc par ties 1 Eveque de Lanj^rcs, avcc les noms de» 
 
 des Prclais, qui ont auoptc la preltotc initruClion. 
 
 to
 
 r 44 ] 
 
 (0 (Juca{e any C/tiU a Papi/l, \i inn'^mlfTMe, (or UmWzr Reafons — Again, the Claufe oi not educating any 
 Child of prntejlanl Parents a Prolefling Catholic Dijfenler, is likewife inadtniffible. — Laflly, we wilh to be fup- 
 prefTed the Claufe, that all U/es, Tru/l and Difpo/itions, whether of real or petfonal Property, which imme- 
 diately bfore pajfing the Act, fjiall have been deemed fuperjliiious or unlawful, fliall coniinue to he f deemed 
 and taken. — But, if even in the origindl Bill, no fuch Claufes be inferted, we have ftill very great reafon to 
 fear, that fuch will he fuggefted, when the Bill comes to be debated in the two Houfes, and probably will 
 pafs, as many of the Members are ignorant of the real Tenets of our Religion, and likewife, by reafon of 
 their Prejudices, our Enemies. Such new Statutes would be more grievous to us, than all the old cruel Laws, 
 which no one, in thefe Days, chufes to hear mentioned. 
 
 Thirdly, To form a new Oath would be a vain Attempt. For, in the firft place, our People having 
 taken the Oath of 1778, are averfe to take another, and cry out againfl having a fecond forced upon them. 
 Then, it would be in all Appearance, impoIFibleto frame fuch an Oath as would fatisfy all Parties, fuch an 
 Oath as our Catholics would take, and at the fame Time, fuch as would fatisfy the Minifteis, &c. 
 
 Laflly, As any Bill which may be offered to Parliament for our Relief, relates to the whole Body of the 
 Catholics, their previous Confent ought to be had, not only a very few, but the general part, both of our 
 Clergy and Laity, ought to be previoully confulted. If this be not done, the Bill will be liable to be difapprov- 
 td, oppofed, and brought to nothing. 
 
 Thefe Obfervations we, the four Vicars Apoftolic, earnellly rccommfnd to your ConGderation. 
 
 I have the Honour to be, 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 Your Lordfhip's very humble Servant, 
 London, Oa. 83, 1789. C H A. W A L M E S L E Y, 
 
 SENIOR BISHOP VICAR APOSTOLICK.. 
 
 The fame is written to Sir Henry Englefield, Mr. Throckmorton, and Mr. Fermor of Tufmore. 
 I am returning to Chapel Row, Bath. 
 
 No. IX.
 
 U ID all 
 
 C 45 3 
 
 No. IX. 
 
 Present Mr. C. BERINGTON. 
 
 Mr. BROWN. 
 Mr. STRICKLAND. 
 Mr. WILKS. 
 Mr. BARNARD. 
 Mr. O'LEARY. 
 Mr. MENNEL. 
 Mr. RIGBY. 
 Mr. BELLASYSE. 
 Mr. HUSSEY. 
 Mr. ARCHER. 
 
 Perfons hereprefent f\gn the Proteftaiion? 
 
 Castle Street, Feb. 2, 1790. 
 
 ^J'ir. Unan, 
 
 Did ail fign it as a civil Teft merely, without meaning to infringe on the Pope's Spiritual Power, or the 
 Spiritual Power of the Church ? 
 
 /iffi^' Unan. 
 
 Do any Perfons hereprefent think. themfelvcs obliged in Confcienceto recede from it? 
 
 Ncgat. Unan, 
 
 Can the Catholic Clergy, Gentry, Sec. who have deliberately figned it, recede from it now, confidently 
 with their Chara61ers as Men of Honour, and without bringing Odium on Religion ? 
 
 Negat. Unan. 
 
 Whether any public receding from the Proteflation at prefcnt will not tend to confirm the Stigmas 
 and odious Imputations with which the Catholics have been hitherto afpcrfcd? 
 
 Affirm. Unan,
 
 I 46 ] 
 
 At the ^onclufion of the foregoing bufinefs, Mr. Bamaid difclaimed any further 
 interference. 
 
 Whether in framing that part of the oath which is grounded on the Proteflation, there has been any 
 material andeffential deviation from the meaning and purport of the Proteflation. 
 
 Mr. O'Leary fees an effential difference in the parts refpefting the fpiritual jurifdiftion of the Church. 
 
 Mr. Brown fees a deviation in like mannefi 
 
 Mr. Strickland and Mr. Mennell fee a material and effential difference. 
 
 Meffrs. Rigby and Bellafyfe, Huffey, Berington, Wilks and Archer fee none. 
 
 Whether the infcrtion of the following claufe after the words, Jhbjecls ihereoj. 
 
 In as much as the only fpirtiual authority which I acknowledge is that which I 
 confcientiouily believe to have been tranfmitted by Jefus Chrift to his Church, 
 not to regulate by any outward coaftion, civil and temporal concerns of fubjefls 
 and citizens, but to dire£l iouh hy perjuajion in the concerns of everlafling 
 falvation, 
 rcinoves every difHctiliy rcfpcfling the fpiritual jurifdifllon ? 
 
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