YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY A SACRAMENT CERTIFICATE 1673 1 X *; :: It? • ~ ) k ^s fen J ^. ) ^ iAH-0- -r \ i' T N- g. •? v i A. 1 a> < % ¦: i 1 ^ •' «• ^ - -^ , c 1> : -W ?! . -I ¦J J J > ^ ' S rf A ** > ?j H- $ : Ii rJ s •I i1 .*• t^l il h tf V£ V'- • 4 M 5 At I l$XA:k c *? K III ft 4M. ^ Mil ^ «sN s ci -J N:A$ JS T) A '^OiS 4 1 il ,tti,IM v ^ *« 3$ K V 5J ^» ^ il til Mi 4tk. : SACRAMENT CERTIFICATE 1673 REPRINTED FROM THE PUBLICATIONS OF €t>e Colonial &octetg of fl^assacljusctts; Vol. XIII Alotirt Martrie_w.£ CAMBRIDGE JOHN WILSON AND SON gSnttorsitg Press 1910 1910] A SACRAMENT CERTIFICATE, 1673 119 Mr. Albert Matthews read the following communication : A SACRAMENT CERTIFICATE, 1673 In the House of Commons on February 28, 1672-73, "Mr Sachev erell i Moves for removing all Popish Recusants out of military office or command." 2 On the same day it was — Resolved, That a Bill be brought- in for the incapacitating of all Per sons who shall refuse to take the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, and the Sacrament, according to the Rites of the Church of England, of holding any publiek Employments, military or civil: And that it be re ferred to the Committee, appointed to draw up the Address for suppress ing of Popery, to prepare and bring in the same.3 On March 13 "An Act for preventing Dangers which may happen from Popish Recusants" was read in the House of Lords for the first time, and for the second time on March 14 ; 4 and on March 21 there was received in the House of Commons — A Message from the Lords, by the Lord Chief Justice Vaughan, and Mr. Baron Windham;* Mr. Speaker, The Lords have commanded to acquaint you, that they have agreed to the Bill, sent from this House, intituled, An Act for pre venting Dangers, which may happen from Popish Recusants ; with some Amendments and Provisoes, to which they desire your Concurrence.6 The "Amendments and Provisoes" led to much discussion be tween the Lords and Commons,7 the controversy not being settled un til March 29. Sir George Downing, our Harvard graduate of the Class of 1642, was then a member of the House of Commons and took part in some of the discussions of that session of Parliament, but he does not seem to have spoken on the Act in question. An 1 William Sacheverell (1638-1691). 2 Grey's Debates of the House of Commons (1769), ii. 74. 3 Journals of the House of Commons, ix. 260. * Journals of the House of Lords, xii. 554, 555. 6 Sir John Vaughan (1603-1674) ; Sir Hugh Wyndham (1603-1684). e Journals of the House of Commons, ix. 271. » The matter can be followed in the Manuscripts of the House of Lords, Ninth Report of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts, part ii. pp. 29-31. 120 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [March, amusing episode that occurred on the last day of the session (March 29) is recorded for the benefit of those Americans who think that our British cousins are lacking in a sense of humor. Sir Thomas Lee said, "If you will adjourn now, adjourn the Debate likewise to the next Session, and let it be upon your Books." Whereupon "The House divided even upon the Question, 105 to 105 : The Speaker ' had the casting voice, and gave it for adjourning, and jestingly said, 'He would have his reason for his judgment recorded, viz. because he was very hungry.' " 2 It may prove interesting to give the procedure in the House of Lords on March 29 : King present. The King, sitting in His Royal Throne, adorned with His Crown and other Regal Ornaments, commanded Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to signify to the House of Commons His Pleasure, "That they presently attend his Majesty." The Commons being come, their Speaker made a short Speech, and presented to His Majesty a Bill, . . . Which Bill was received from the Speaker, at the Bar, by the Clerk of the Parliaments, and brought to the Table. And the Clerk of the Crown read the Title; videlicet, buib passed. "An Act for raising the Sum of Twelve Hundred "Thirty-eight Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty "Pounds, for Supply of His Majesty's extraordinary "Occasions." To which the Clerk of the Parliaments pronounced the Royal Assent, in these Words, "Le Roy, remerciant Ses bans Subjects, accepte leur "Benevolence, et ainsi le veult." Then His Majesty proceeded to give His Royal As sent in the like Manner, to these Bills following: Public Bills: "An Act for the King's Majesty's most gracious, "general and free Pardon." 1 Sir Edward Seymour (1633-1708). 2 Grey's Debates of the House of Commons, ii. 177. 1910] A SACRAMENT CERTIFICATE, 1673 . 121 "An Act for preventing Dangers which may happen "from Popish Recusants." To these Bills the Royal Assent was pronounced in these Words, "Le Roy le veult." 1 In a letter to Viscount Conway 2 written on March 29, Viscount Ranelagh 3 said The Parliament is to-night adjourned till 20 Oct., and your friend the Speaker made a very handsome speech, which I hope to send you by the next. Upon the King's giving the Royal assent to the bill against Popery there was the greatest hum amongst the Commoners that ever was heard.4 On the day following John Evelyn made this entry in his Diary : March 30th. Easter Day: ... At the sermon coram Rege, preached by Dr. Sparrow, Bp. of Exceter,5 to a most crowded auditorie; I staied to see whether according to costome the Duke of York receiv'd the com munion with the King ; but he did not, to the amazement of every body. This being the second yeare he had forborn and put it off, and within a day of the Parliament sitting, who had lately made so severe an Act against ye increase of Poperie, gave exceeding griefe and scandal fo the whole nation, that the heyre of it, and y® sonn of a martyr for ye Protes tant religion, should apostatize. What the consequence of this will be, God onely knows, and wise men dread.6 One consequence was that the Duke of York laid down his offices. The Act of 25 Charles II, Chapter II, which has gone into history 1 Journals of the House of Lords, xii. 584. Nine titles of public Acts are given, after which follow the titles of private bills. "To these Bills the Royal Assent was pronounced in these Words, 'Soit fait come il est desiri'" (xii. 585) 2 Edward Conway, first Viscount Conway. 8 Richard Jones, third Viscount and first Earl of Ranelagh. * Calendar of State Papers, Domestic, 1673, p. 100. Cf. pp. 397, 398, 482, 593. 5 Anthony Sparrow, later Bishop of Norwich. 0 Diary (Wheatley's edition), ii. 290. In 1885 the Rev. John H. Overton said that "This Test Act . . . originated in the panic which arose from the marriage of the Duke of York with a Romanist, and his Romish tendencies gen erally" (Life in the English Church, p. 170). James's first wife, Anne Hyde, died March 31, 1671; and his marriage by proxy to Mary of Modena did not take place until October 30, 1673 — and hence had nothing to do with the Test Act. 122 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OF MASSACHUSETTS [March, as the Test Act of 1673, contains fifteen sections, of which several follow : Persons that bear T70R preventing dangers which may happen from o?yTrustennde^lams ¦*- Popish Recusants and quieting the minds of his tt^oa&srfSupre^T- Majestyes good Subjects Bee it enacted . . . That all aey and Allegiance. ^ ^ eveiy person or persons as well Peeres as Common ers that shall beare any Office or Offices Civili or Mili tary or shall receive any Pay, Salary, Fee or Wages by, reason of any Patent or Grant from his Majestie or shall have Command of Place of Trust from, or under his Majestie . . . within the Realme of England, Domin ion of Wales or Towne of Berwicke upon Tweede, or in his Majestyes Navy or in the severall Islands of Jersey and Guernsey or shall be of the Household or in the Service or imployment of: his Majestie, or of his Royall Highnesse the Duke of Yorke who shall inhabite, reside or be within the Citty of London or Westminster or when and where within thirty miles distant from the same on the first day oaths*8 of Easter Terme that shall be in the yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred seaventy three or at any time dureing the said Terme all and every the said person and persons shall personally appeare before the end of the said Terme or of Trinity Terme next following in his Majestyes High Court of Chancery or in his Ma jestyes Court of Kings Bench and there in publique and open Court betweene the houres of nine of the Clocke and twelve in the Forenoone take the severall Oathes of 3 Jae. i. c. 4. § 15. Supremacy and Allegiance which Oath of Allegiance is contained in a Statute made in the third yeare of King Daring taking the James by Law established, and dureing the time of the eas o cease. take;ng theirof by the said person and persons all Pleas and Proceedings in the said respective Courts shall cease; And that all and every of the said respective persons and Officers not haveing taken the said Oathes in the said respective Courts aforesaid shall on or be fore the first day of August one thousand six hundred seaventy three at the Quarter Sessions for that County or place where he or they shall be, inhabite or reside on the twentyeth day of May take the said Oathes in open Court betweene the said houres of nine and twelve 1910] A SACRAMENT CERTIFICATE, 1673 123 of the Clocke in the Forenoone, And the said respective ?o'drecheiveathe0|icr™ Officers aforesaid shall alsoe receive the Sacrament of SentA°e°rdSgthe the Lords Supper according to the Usage of the Church Chnrch of England. of England at or before the firgt day of August m ^ yeare of our Lord one thousand six hundred and seav enty three in some Parish Church upon some Lords day » commonly called Sunday immediately after Divine n. Service and Sermon. PrtofCttefeo?'upon • • • And every of the said persons in the respective ?ntohctSurtoieh™rrt Court where he takes the said Oathes shall first deliver cewng the Sacra, a Certificate of such his receiving the said Sacrament as aforesaid under the Hands of the respective Minister and Churchwarden and shall then make proofe of the truth thereof by two credible Witnesses at the least upon Oath, All which shall be inquired of and putt upon record in the respective Courts. . . . vm. AND bee it further enacted by the authoritie afore- oaths to subscribe said That at the same time when the persons concerned lowing. in this Act shall take the aforesaid Oathes of Supremacy and Alleigiance, they shall likewise make and subscribe this Declaration following under the same Penalties and Forfeitures as by this Act is appointed. X A. B. doe declare That I doe beleive that there is not -¦- any Transubstantiation in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, or in the Elements of Bread and Wine, at, or after the Consecration thereof by any person what soever. . , . xv. Provided alsoe That this Act or any thing therein Tythingmen, &c. ' contained shall not extend to the Office of any High Constable, Petty Constable, Tithingman, headburrough, Overseer of the Poore, Churchwardens, Surveyour of the Highwayes or any like inferiour Civili Office, or to any Office of Forester or Keeper of any Parke, Chace, Warren or Game, or of Bayliff of any Mannour or Lands, or to any like private Offices, or to any person or persons haveing onely any the before mentioned, or any the like Offices.1 1 Statutes of the Realm (1819), v. 782-785. The Act is printed in full in Gee and Hardy's Documents Illustrative of English Church History, pp. 632-640. The Corporation and Test Acts Repeal Bill received the Royal assent on May 9, 1828 (Journals of the House of Commons,. lxxxiii. 333). 124 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OP MASSACHUSETTS [MARCH, Turning once more to Evelyn we find, under date of April 26, 1673, this entry: Dr. Lamplugh ' preached at St. Martine's, the holy sacrament follow ing, which I partook of, upon obligation of the late Act of Parliament, enjoyning every body in office, civil or militarie, under penal tie of £500, to receive it within one moneth before two authentiq witnesses; being engrossed on parchment, to be afterwards produced in the Court of Chancery, or some other Court of Record; which I did at the Chan cery barr, as being one of the Council of Plantations and Trade ; taking then also the oath of allegiance and supremacy, signing the clause in the said Act against Transubstantiation.2 It is reasonable to suppose that the certificates made necessary by the Test Act must at one time have existed in large numbers; but however that may be, few appear to have been preserved. Owing to the kindness of a friend — Mr. E. P. Merritt of Boston — I am able to exhibit to-day one of these certificates, recently bought by Mr. Mer ritt in England.3 In the sale catalogue it is called a "sacrament cer tificate" and is said to be "a very curious and rare item." The term "sacrament certificate," not recorded in the Oxford English Diction ary, is perhaps due to the cataloguer; and statements found in sale catalogues as to rarity should be received with caution. Nevertheless the document is, I think, one of considerable interest. It is written on a piece of parchment which measures 8| inches in height by 8^ inches in breadth, and reads as follows : Wee Robert Jones Minister of the parish and parish Church of Welles- borne in the County of Warwick and Thomas Jackson Churchwarden of the same parish and parish Church Do here by certify that John Eeds of Wellesborne in the County of Warwick Gent vpon the Lords Day commonly called Sunday the nine & twentieth day of this in stant June immediately after divine Service and Sermon did in the parish Church aforesaid receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper according to the vsage of the Church of England. In witnes whereof we have hereunto subscribed our hands the nine & twentieth Day 1 Thomas Lamplugh, Bishop of Exeter, 1676-1688; Archbishop of York, 1688-1691. 2 Diary, ii. 291. 3 I am also indebted to Mr. Merritt for permission to reproduce the certifi cate in facsimile. 126 THE COLONIAL SOCIETY OP MASSACHUSETTS [MARCH, 1910 l memorandum showing that on April 1, 1746, "His Excellency Wil liam Shirley Esqr CoUonel of a Regiment, to be forthwith raised for the Defence of Cape Breton, came into Court . . . and produced a certificate of his having receiv'd the Sacrament of the Lords Supper according to the Usage of the Church of England, immediately after Divine Service & Sermon, on the thirtieth Day of March last."1 Shirley had been rewarded after the Louisburg campaign with an appointment as colonel in the British Army. 1 Publications, iii. 194-195.