Protestation Oath

Question 1

What was the Protestation Oath?

Answer 1

• The protestation oath was designed to bind MPs together in this apparent time of crisis
• The language of the oath is indicated of the tension at Westminster
• in the preamble to the protestation oath there was reference to ‘endeavours to subvert the fundamental laws of England and Ireland, and to introduce the exercise of an arbitrary and tyrannical government by most pernicious and wicked counsels, practices, plots and conspiracies’

Question 2

To counter the threat of absolutism what were MPs expected to do?

Answer 2

MPs were expected to swear the Oath to defend the privileges of parliament and to swear their allegiance to ‘the true reformed Protestant religion’ against ‘all popery and popish innovation’

Question 3

What does the Protestation Oath indicate?

Answer 3

• The contemporary belief that Catholicism and absolutism went hand in hand
• ‘the Protestation sought in practical terms to underline Parliament’s role at the representative of the people’

Question 4

How did the Protestation Oath prompt people into action?

Answer 4

Those who agreed with it were expected to subscribe to it

Question 5

What occurred in a London Parish when the community gathered to consider the Protestation Oath in their Church?

Answer 5

John Blackwell addressed them:
‘ gentlemen, we have here made a protestation before Almighty God against all popery and Popish innovations, and these rails are Popish innovations, and therefore it is fit they be pulled down, and shall be pulled down’