Collection of British documents against the Papacy, 1673-1689.
RECORD GROUP NUMBER 020-7
ACCESS: Unrestricted
REPRODUCTION: All requests subject to limitations noted in departmental policies on reproduction.
COPYRIGHT: Information on copyright (literary rights) available from repository.
CITATION: Collection of British documents against the Papacy, RG 020-7, Archives and Manuscripts Dept., Pitts Theology Library, Emory University.
In 1670, King Louis XIV of France entered into an agreement with England's Charles II, known as the Treaty of Dover. Under the public terms of this treaty, England and France would join together in a war against the Netherlands. Secretly, Charles declared that he would accept the Catholic religion at some time in the future. In return Louis offered him troops and money. In 1672, before the war began, Charles issued a Declaration of Indulgence, which suspended the penal laws against Catholics and non-conformists. The Commons resented this arbitrary use of power, and refused to vote funds for the war until the Indulgence was withdrawn. Parliament then passed the Test Act, which required that all Crown officials - military and civil - take the Anglican Sacrament and make a declaration against transubstantiation. This legislation effectively removed all Catholics from the administration.
By 1678, England was in an atmosphere of panic and suspicion. The realm was shocked by the revelations by two disreputable informers, Titus Oates and Israel Tonge, of a Jesuit plot to assassinate Charles II and place James, his Catholic brother, on the throne. As a result of these false accusations, a wave of anti-catholic sentiment and legislation swept across the land.
This collection consists of broadsides of proclamations issued by Charles II ordering the suppression of Catholicism in England by forbidding Catholics to practice their religion, bear firearms, or gain access to London, Westminster, and the surrounding areas. One of the proclamations orders the suppression of the Catholic clergy in England with the notable exception of John Huddleston. This collection also consists of broadsides of Anti-Catholic legislations issued by the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The miscellaneous items include a broadside of a speech made by the Earl of Essex at the petition to the King, as well as a broadside entitled “Loyal Subjects Littany.”
Box
Folder
Description
Dates
1
1
King
Charles II proclamations
1673-1680
1 2
Parliament
legislations
1679-1689
1 3
Miscellaneous
1680,
n.d.