C ² R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT  English royal blazon, surmounted by a crown and flanked by the English lion and Scottish unicorn  
The Copy of an ACT of PARLIAMENT passed in Scotland the 29th of August 1681, for Security of the Protestant Religion against Papists and Fanatics: Together with the OATH to be taken by all Persons in Public Trusts.  
OUR Sovereign Lord, with his Estates of Parliament, considering that albeit by many good and wholesome Laws made by his Royal Grandfather and Father, of Glorious Memory, and by himself, in this and his other Parliaments, since his happy Restauration, the Protestant Religion is carefully asserted, established, and secured, against Popery and Phanaticisme; yet the restless Adversaries of our Religion do not cease to propagate their Errors, and to seduce His Majesty's Subjects from their Duty to God and Loyalty to his Vicegerent, and to over-turn the Established Religion, by introducing their Superstitions and Delusions into this Church and Kingdom; and knowing that nothing can more increase the numbers and confidencies of Papists and Schismatical Dissentors from the Established Church, than the supine neglect of putting in Execution the good Laws provided against them, together with their hopes to insinuate themselves into Offices and Places of Trust and Public Employment: THEREFORE His Majesty, from his Princely and Pious Zeal to maintain and preserve the True Protestant Religion contained in the Confession of Faith recorded in the First Parliament of King JAMES the Sixth; which is founded on, and agreeable to, the Written Word of God, doth with Advice and Consent of his Estates of Parliament, Require and Command all his Officers, Judges, and Magistrates, to put the Laws made against Popery and Papist Priests, Jesuits, and all Persons of any other Order in the Popish Church; especially against Sayers and Hearers of Mass, Venters and Disposers of Forbidden Books, and Ressetters of Popish Priests and Excommunicate Papists, as also against all Fanatical Separatists from this National Church, against Preachers at House or Field Conventicles, and the Resetters and Harbourers of Preachers who are Intercommuned, against Disorderly Baptisms and Marriages, and Irregular Ordinations, and all other Schismatical Disorders, to full and vigorous Execution, according to the Tenor of the respective Acts of Parliament there annent provided.  
AND that His Majesty's Princely Care to have these Laws put in Execution against these Enemies of the Protestant Religion, may the more clearly appear, he doth with Advice and Consent foresaid, STATUTE and ORDAIN, That the Minister of each Parish give up once in October yearly to their respective Ordinary, tru● and complete Lists of all Papists and Schismatical Withdrawers from the Public Worship in their respective Parishes; which Lists are to be subscribed by them: and that the Bishops give in a Double of the said Lists subscribed by them to the respective Sheriffs, Stuarts, Bailies of Royalty and Regality, and Magistrates of burgh's, to the effect the said Judges may proceed against them according to Law; as also the Sheriffs and other Magistrates foresaid, are hereby ordained to give an Account to His Majesty's Privy Council in December yearly of their Proceed against these Papists and Fanatical Separatists, as they will be answerable at their highest Peril; and that the diligence done by the Sheriffs; Bailies of Regalities, and other Magistrates foresaid, may be the better inquired into by the Council, the Bishops of the respective Dioceses are to send exact Doubles of the Lists of the Papists and fanatics to the Clarks of the Privy Council; whereby the diligencies of the Sheriffs and other Judge's foresaid, may be controlled and Examined: And to cut off all hopes from Papists and fanatics of their being employed in Offices and Places of Public Trusts, it is hereby STATUTE and ORDAINED, That the following Oath shall be taken by all Persons in Offices and Places of Public Trust, Civil, Ecclesiastical, and Military; especially by all Members of Parliament, and all Electors of Members of Parliament; all Privy Councillors, Lords of Session, Members of the Exchequer, Lords of Justiciary, and all other Members of these Courts, all Officers of the Crown, of State, all Arch-Bishops and Bishops, and all Preachers and Ministers of the Gospel what somever, all persons of this Kingdom named or to be named Commissioners for the Borders; all Members of the Commission for Church Affairs, all Sheriffs, Stuarts, Bailies of Royallities and Regallities, Justices of Peace, Officers of the Mint, Commissioners and their Deputies, their Clerks and Phefcalls, all Advocates and Proctors before any of these Courts, all Writers to the Signet, all Public Notaries; and other Persons Employed in Writing and Agenting. The Lion King at Arms, Heralds, Pursuivants, and Messengers at Arms; all Collectors, Subcollectors, and Farmers of his Majesty's Customs and Excise. All Magistrates, Deans of Guilds, Councillors, and Clerks of burgh's, Royal regality and Barony, and Deacons of Trades, and Deacons Conve●ners i 〈◊〉 the said burgh's; all Masters and Doctors in Universities, Colleges, or Schools; all Chaplains in Families, Pedagogues to Children; and all Officers and Soldiers in Arms, Forts, or Militia; and all other persons in any Public Trust or Office within this Kingdom, who shall publicly swear and subscribe the said Oath as follows: Viz.  
The Arch Bishops, Chief Commanders of the Forces, and Officers of the Crown and State, and Councillors, before the Secret Council, all the Lords of Session, and all Members of the College of Justice, and others depending upon them, before the Session. The Lords of Justiciary, and those depending on that Court, the Lords and other Members of Exchequer before the Exchequer. All Bishops before the Arch Bishops, all the Inferior Clergy, Commissaries, Masters and Doctors of Universities and Schools, Chaplains and Pedagogues, before the Bishops of the respective Dioceses: Sheriffs, Stuarts, Bailies of Royallity and regality, and those depending on these Jurisdictions, before these respective Courts.  
All Provosts, Bailies and Ushers of the burgh's before the Town Council: All Collectors and Farmers of the Rings Customs and Excise, before the Exchequer; the Commissioners of the Borders before the Privy Council, all Justices of Peace before their Conveener, and the Officers of the Mint, before the General of the Mint; and the Officers of the Forces before the Commander in Chief, and Common Soldiers before their Respective Officers, the Lion before the Privy Council, and Heralds Persuivants and Messengers at Arms before the Lion: And his Majesty with Consent foresaid STATUTES and ORDAINS, That all those who presently possess or enjoy any of the foresaid Offices, Public Trusts, or Employments, shall take and subscribe the following Oath in one of the foresaid Offices in manner before prescribed, betwixt and the First of January next; which is to be recorded in the Register of the respective Courts and Extracts thereof, under the Clarks hand, to be reported to His Majesty's Privy Council, betwixt and the First of March next 1682, and thereafter in any other Courts, whereof they are Judges or Members, the first time they shall sit or exercise in any of these respective Courts. And ORDAINS, That all who shall hereafter be promoted to, or employed in any of the foresaid Offices, Trusts, or Employments, shall at their Entry into, and before their Exercising thereof, take and subscribe the said Oath in manner foresaid, to be recorded in the Registers of the respective Courts, and reported to His Majesty's Privy Council, within the space of after their taking the same: And if any shall presume to exercise any of the said Offices or Employments, or any Public Office or Trust within this Kingdom (the King's lawful Brothers and Sons only excepted) until they take the Oath foresaid and subscribe it; to be recorded in the Register of the respective Courts, they shall be declared incapable of all Public Trusts thereafter, and be further punished with the loss of their Movables, the one half whereof to be given to the Informer, and the other half to belong to His Majesty. And His Majesty, with advice foresaid, Recommends to his Privy Council, to see this Act put to due and vigorous Execution.  

I A. B. Solemnly Swear in Presence of the Eternal God, whom I Invocate as Judge and Witness of my Sincere Intentions in this my Oath;  
That I Allow and Sincerely Profess the True Protestant Religion contained in the Confession of Faith Recorded in the First Parliament of King James the Sixth; And that I believe the same to be founded on and agreeable unto the Written Word of God; And I Promise and Swear, That I shall Adhere thereto all the days of my Life-time; And shall endeavour to Educate my Children therein; And shall never consent to any Alteration contrary thereto; And that I Disallow and Renounce all such Principles, Doctrines or Practices, whether Popish or Fanatical, which are contrary unto, and inconsistent with the said Protestant Religion, and Confession of Faith.  
And for Testification of my Obedience to my most Gracious Sovereign CHARLES the Second, I do Affirm and Swear by this my Solemn Oath, That the King's Majesty is the Only Supreme Governor of this Realm, over all Persons, and in all Causes, as well Ecclesiastical as Civil; And that no Foreign Prince, Person, Pope, Prelate, State or Potentate, hath, or aught to have any Jurisdiction, Power, Superiority, Pre-eminence or Authority, Ecclesiastical or Civil, within this Realm; And therefore I do utterly Renounce and Forsake all Foreign Jurisdictions, Powers, Superiorities and Authorities.  
And do promise that from henceforth, I shall bear Faith and true Allegiance to the King's Majesty, His Heirs and Lawful Successors; And to my Power shall All it and Defend all Rights, Jurisdictions, Prerogatives and Privileges, Preeminencies and Authorities belonging to the King's Majesty, His Heirs and Lawful Successors.  
And I further Affirm and Swear by this my Solemn Oath, That I judge it Unlawful for Subjects, upon Pretence of Reformation, or any other Pretence whatsomever, to enter into Covenants or Leagues, or to Convocate, Conusant, or Assemble in any Counsels, Conventions, or Assemblies, to Treat, Consult, or Determine in any matter of State, Civil or Ecclesiastical, without His Majesty's Special Command, or Express Licence had thereto; or to take up Arms against the King, or those Commissioned by Him; And that I shall never so rise in Arms, or enter into such Covenants or Assemblies.  
And that there lies no Obligation on me from the National Covenant, or the Solemn League or Covenant, [so commonly called] or any other manner of way whatsoever, to endeavour any Change or Alteration in the Government either in Church or State, as it is now Established by the Laws of this Kingdom; And I Promise and Swear, That I shall with my utmost Power Defend, Assist and Maintain His Majesty's Jurisdiction aforesaid; And I shall never decline His Majesty's Jurisdiction, as I shall answer to God.  
And Finally, I Affirm and Swear, That this my Solemn Oath is given in the plain, genuine Sense and Meaning of the Words, without any Equivocation; Mental Reservation, or any manner of Evasion whatsoever; And that I shall not accept or use any Dispensation from any Creature therefore.  
So help me God.    

London, Printed for Randal Taylor. 1681.