195 
The Suspension of the Penal Laws and Test, 1687-88. By 
EMANUEL GREEN. 
(Read 23rd January, 1884.) 
After all the struggle of the Civil War, a struggle against 
Popery and tyranny, Monarchy was restored in 1660. In 1671, 
but ten years afterwards, and during the lifetime of many actors 
in that struggle, James, Duke of York, announced himself a 
Papist : a change which produced an intense agitation and also 
much debate about the succession to the Crown. The immediate 
consequence was the passing the Test Act in 1673, by which 
everyone holding office was compelled to take the oaths of 
allegiance and supremacy, and to receive the Sacrament as in the 
Church of England. The Duke of York, being unable to accept 
these terms, resigned his appointments and could only bide his 
time. This came in February, 1685, when he succeeded as 
James IJ. In April, 1687, having in the meantime governed 
without a Parliament, he on his own authority superseded the 
Law and abolished these Tests, which had been specially aimed 
at himself, by issuing what was called a Declaration of Toleration 
and Liberty of Conscience. By this declaration all Penal Laws 
against nonconformity were immediately abolished, the idea being 
to gain relief for his own co-religionists, the Papists. Having 
done this it was necessary to obtain support, or at least the 
appearance of it, and for this purpose every effort was made to 
get addresses of approval sent up from the various districts. 
After much labour, however, the success was but small. 
From Bath, on the 25th August, “the Address of several 
Members of the Corporation and of other Freemen and Inhabitants,” 
told his Majesty that after all their expressions of joy at his late 
visit, they cast themselves at his sacred feet, with all deference 
to his pleasure and undoubted prerogative in publishing the 
Declaration, and so they would whenever writs for a Parliament 
