or any

2. That the pope or cardinals, or any body of men, individual of the church of Rome, cannot ab"solve or dispense with his majesty's subjects, from "their oath of allegiance, upon any pretext whatsoever.

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"3. That there is no principle in the tenets of the "catholic faith, by which catholics are justified in not keeping faith with heretics, or other persons differing "from them in religions opinions, in any transactions, "either of a public or a private nature."

The opinions of the universities of the Sorbonne, Louvaine, and Douay were first received, and were transmitted to Mr. Pitt with the following letter.

"The committee of the English catholics have the "honour to lay before you, the opinions of the univer"sities of Sorbonne, Louvaine and Douay, which have "been transmitted to us in consequence of your desire.

"You will, we hope, see, from these opinions, that "the sentiments of the most famous foreign bodies per

fectly coincide with those which we had the honour "of stating to you last year, as our firm and sincere "tenets.

"At the same time, we beg leave to call to your re"membrance, that our opinions were fully stated to you previously to the obtaining those of the foreign uni"versities; and that they were consulted, not as the "rule by which we form our ideas of the duties of good subjects, but as a collateral proof to you, that our "sentiments are consonant to those of the most enlightened and famous bodies of catholic divines on the "Continent upon these subjects.

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We have the honour to be," &c.

As soon as the other opinions were received, the committee transmitted them also to Mr. Pitt.

A translation of all these answers is inserted in the Appendix to the first volume of Mr. Butler's "Histo"rical Memoirs of the English, Irish, and Scottish "Catholics."

Note II.

The Oath taken by the English Roman-catholics, under the Provisions of the Act passed for their Relief, in the Year 1791.

"I, A. B., do hereby declare, that I do profess the "roman-catholic religion.

I, A. B., do sincerely promise and swear, that I will "be faithful, and bear true allegiance to his majesty king George the third, and him will defend, to the "utmost of my power, against all conspiracies and "attempts whatever that shall be made against his per

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son, crown or dignity; and I will do my utmost en"deavour 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, sup

port and defend, to the utmost of my power, the suċ"cession of the crown; which succession, by an act, intituled, 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 duchess dowager of Hanover, "and the heirs of her body, being protestants; hereby

да

" utterly renouncing and abjuring any obedience or al"legiance 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 pre"tence 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 any authority of the see of Rome, or by any authority whatsoever, may be deposed or murdered by their

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subjects, or any person whatsoever: And I do promise, "that I will not hold, maintain or abet any such opi"nion, or any other opinions contrary to what is ex"pressed 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, or declare it was null and void."

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A similar oath was prescribed to the Irish romancatholics, by the act passed for their relief in the 33d year of his late majesty. No roman-catholic objects to either oath.

FINIS.

Luke Hansard & Sons, near Lincoln's-Inn Fields.