The Papists Act 1715 ( 1 Geo. 1. St. 2. c. 55) was an act of the

Parliament of Great Britain The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in May 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union 1707, Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland. The Acts ratified the treaty of Union which created a ...

. The act required Roman Catholics who did not take the oath of fidelity to register their property. The act was passed in the aftermath of the

Jacobite rising of 1715 The Jacobite rising of 1715 ( ; or 'the Fifteen') was the attempt by James Francis Edward Stuart, James Edward Stuart (the Old Pretender) to regain the thrones of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland and Kingdom of Scotland ...

. The act's preamble claimed that the act was necessary because Catholics had plotted for "the destruction of this kingdom and the extirpation of the Protestant Religion" despite the "tender regard" the

King King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

had shown by not enforcing the many penal laws against them. It was further claimed that "all or the greatest part" of the Catholic population had been "stirring up and supporting the late unnatural Rebellion for the dethroning and murdering his most Sacred Majesty; for setting up a Popish Pretender upon the Throne of this kingdom; for the Destruction of the Protestant Religion and the cruel murdering and massacring of its Professors". Therefore, the act continued, Catholics are "enemies to His Majesty and to the present happy Establishment" who "watch for all opportunities of fomenting and stirring up new Rebellions and Disturbances within the Kingdom and of inviting Foreigners to invade it". The act ensured that justices of the peace tendered the oaths of

allegiance An allegiance is a duty of fidelity said to be owed, or freely committed, by the people, subjects or citizens to their state or sovereign. Etymology The word ''allegiance'' comes from Middle English ' (see Medieval Latin ', "a liegance"). The ...

, supremacy and

abjuration Abjuration is the solemn repudiation, abandonment, or renunciation by or upon oath, often the renunciation of citizenship or some other right or privilege. The term comes from the Latin ''abjurare'', "to forswear". Abjuration of the realm Abju ...

to all confirmed and suspected Catholics. If any Catholic had not taken the oaths by the deadline they were required to sign a register that included information about their estates. This was intended to facilitate a discriminatory tax on Catholics because, the act claimed, they should pay any "large share to all such Extraordinary Expenses as are and shall be brought upon this Kingdom by their Treachery and Instigation". The annual rent of the estates registered totalled £400,000.Jarvis, p. 305.

Subsequent developments

The act was amended by the

Papists Act 1716 The Papists Act 1716 ( 3 Geo. 1. c. 18) was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain. The Act enabled two justices of the peace to tender the oaths of allegiance and supremacy and the oath of abjuration of the Pretender A pretender is som ...

(

3 Geo. 1 This is a complete list of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain for the year 1716. For acts passed until 1707, see the list of acts of the Parliament of England and the list of acts of the Parliament of Scotland. See also the list of acts of ...

. c. 18), passed in the subsequent session of parliament. The whole act was repealed by section 21 of the

Roman Catholic Relief Act 1791 The Roman Catholic Relief Act 1791 ( 31 Geo. 3. c. 32) is an act of the Parliament of Great Britain passed in 1791 relieving Roman Catholics of certain political, educational, and economic disabilities. It admitted them to the practice of la ...

( 31 Geo. 3. c. 32)

Notes

References

{{Authority control Great Britain Acts of Parliament 1715 Repealed Great Britain Acts of Parliament History of Christianity in the United Kingdom 1715 in Christianity Law about religion in the United Kingdom Christianity and law in the 18th century Oaths