Sayfadaki görseller
PDF
ePub

treasons, and traitorous conspiracies, which I shall know to be against him or any of them. And I do faithfully promise, to the utmost of my power, to support, maintain, and defend, the succession of the Crown against the descendants of the said James, and against all other persons whatsoever, which succession by an Act, entituled, an Act for the further limitation of the Crown, and better securing the rights and liberties of the Subject, is and stands limited to the Princess Sophia Electress and Dutchess Dowager of Hanover, and the Heirs of her body, being Protestants. And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge, and swear according to these express words by me spoken, and according to the plain common sense and understanding of the same words, without any equivocation, mental evasion, or secret reservation whatAnd I do make this recognition, acknowledgment, abjuration, renunciation, and promise, heartily, willingly, and truly, upon the true faith of a Christian.”

soever.

The Assurance.

"I do, in the sincerity of my heart, assert, acknowledge, and declare, that His Majesty, King George, is the only lawful and undoubted Sovereign of this realm, as well de jure, that is, of right, King, as de facto, that is, in the possession and exercise of the government. And, therefore, I do promise and swear that I will with heart and hand, life and goods, maintain and defend his right, title, and government, against the descendants of the person who pretended to be Prince of Wales during the life of the late King James, and since his decease, pretended to be, and took upon himself the style and title of King of England, by the name of James III. or, of Scotland, by the name of James VIII., or the style and title of King of Great Britain, and their adherents, and all other enemies, who either by open or secret attempts, shall disturb, or disquiet His Majesty, in the possession and exercise thereof."

The oath de fidele, or an oath for the faithful discharge of duty, is also administered.

Form of a Burgess-Ticket for a Protestant.

"Here I protest, before God, that I confess and allow with my heart the true religion, presently professed within this realm, and authorised by the laws thereof. I shall abide

thereat, and defend the same, to my life's end, renouncing the Roman religion, called Papistry. I shall be leal and true to our Sovereign Lord the King's Majesty, and to the Provost and Baillies of this Burgh. I shall obey the officers thereof, fortify, maintain, and defend them in the execution of their office with my body and goods. I shall not colour Unfreemens' goods under colour of my own. In all taxations, watchings, and wardings, to be laid upon this Burgh, I shall willingly bear my part thereof, as I am commanded thereto by the Magistrates; I shall not purchase nor use exemptions to be free thereof, renouncing the benefit of the same for ever. shall do nothing hurtful to the liberties and common-well of this Burgh. I shall not brew nor cause brew any malt but such as is grinded at the Town's Mills, and shall grind no other corns, except wheat, pease, rye, and beans, but at the same allenarly. And how oft as I shall happen to break any

I

part of this my oath, I oblige me to pay, to the common affairs of this Burgh, the sum of one hundred pounds, Scots money, and shall remain in ward while the same be paid.

"So help me God.

"I shall give the best counsel I can, and conceal the counsel shown to me. I shall not consent to dispone the common goods of this Burgh, but for ane common cause, and ane common profit, I shall make concord, where discord is, to the utmost of my power. In all lienations and neighbourhoods, I shall give my leal and true judgment, but price, prayer, or reward.

"So help me God."

Roman Catholics admitted Burgesses.

In 1793, an Act of Parliament was passed, authorising Magistrates of Royal Burghs to admit Roman Catholics to be Burgesses and Gild Brethren of their respective Burghs, on the administration of the following oath *:

"I do hereby declare that I do profess the Roman Catholic religion. I do sincerely promise and swear that I will be faithful, and bear true allegiance to His Majesty, King George III. and him will defend to the utmost of my power, against all conspiracies and attempts whatever, that shall be made against his person, crown, or dignity, and I will do my utmost endeavour to disclose and make known to His Majesty, his Heirs and Successors, all treasons and traitorous conspiracies, which may be formed against him or them. And I do faithfully promise to maintain, support, and defend, to the utmost of my power, the succession of the Crown, which succession, by an act, (entituled, an Act for the further limitation of the Crown, and better securing the rights and liberties of the Subject,) is, and stands limited to the Princess Sophia, Electress and Dutchess Dowager of Hanover, and the Heirs of her body being Protestants, hereby utterly renouncing and abjuring any obedience or allegiance unto any other person, claiming or pretending a right to the Crown of these realms. And I do swear that I do reject and detest, as an unchristian and impious position, that it is lawful to murder or destroy any person or persons whatsoever, for, or under pretence of their being heretics or infidels, and also that unchristian and impious principle, that faith is not to be kept with heretics or infidels. And I further declare, that it is not an article of my faith, and that I do renounce, reject, and abjure the opinion, that Princes, excommunicated by the Pope and Council, or

*

Applications under this Act were first made in Glasgow in 1801.

[blocks in formation]

any authority of the See of Rome, or by any other authority whatsoever, may be deposed or murdered by their subjects, or any person whatsoever. And I do promise that I will not hold, maintain, or abet, any such opinion, or any other opinion, contrary to what is expressed in this declaration. And I do declare, that I do not believe that the Pope of Rome, or any other foreign Prince, Prelate, State, or Potentate, hath, or ought to have, any temporal or civil jurisdiction, power, superiority, or pre-eminence, directly or indirectly, within this realm. And I do solemnly, in the presence of God, profess, testify, and declare, that I do make this declaration, and every part thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of the words of this oath, without any evasion, equivocation, or mental reservation whatever, and without any dispensation already granted by the Pope or any authority of the See of Rome, or any person whatever, and without thinking that I am or can be acquitted before God or man, or absolved of this declaration, or any part thereof, although the Pope or any other person or authority whatsoever, shall dispense with, or annul the same, and declare that it was null or void.

"So help me God."

When this oath has been administered, the name of the applicant, and his designation, is entered in a book, and attested by a Magistrate. The oath which is usually administered to a Protestant Burgess, is then taken by the Roman Catholic; with this difference, that in the preamble of the oath, the latter protests before God, that he professes the Roman Catholic religion.

CHAP. XVII.

An Abridgement of Papal Bulls, Charters of the Crown, Royal Letters, and Acts of the Scotch and British Parliaments, in favour of Glasgow-Commerce and Manufactures of the City-Chamber of Commerce, with a list of the Chairmen, Deputy Chairmen, and Secretaries-Marine Society-An account of the Ships and Tonnage, and number of Seamen, belonging to Clyde in 1785 and in 1815— An account of the Goods Exported, and Produces Imported, in 1815-Steam Boats-History and particular description of those of the Clyde, &c.-History of Patronage, and the various modes of presenting Ministers to Churches in Glasgow, from the Reformation in 1560 till the present time.

PAPAL BULLS AND ROYAL LETTERS.

Charters of the Crown, Royal Letters, Acts of the Scotch and British Parliaments, appearing on public record in favour of the City of Glasgow, and Abridgement of Papal Bulls. THE narration of these documents, abridged from papers, many of them never printed, and by far the greater part of them difficult to read, illustrate the transactions of the early part of the history of the City.

"Bull of Pope Alexander III. that the People of the Diocese of Glasgow shall visit the Cathedral annually.

"Alexander, Bishop, the servant of the servants of God, to his beloved children, all the Clergy and people of the Bishoprick of Glasgow, health, and the blessing of the Holy See.

"It becomes all the professors of the Christian religion to visit their mother-church, from which they have received their faith, and to honour the sacraments with devout reverence and due veneration, that, by this means, and by the grace of the Highest, they may be more fully able to merit and obtain pardon of their sins. For he who does not love and honour his mother-church, as becometh, offends the eyes of the divine Majesty, and suffers in his good name and reputation: therefore we exhort, command, and enjoin, one and all of you, that you visit yearly your mother, the Cathedral Church, according

« ÖncekiDevam »