OATH. 
book; the kifs being rather an a& of reverence to the 
contents of the book, as, in the Papifts’ ritual, the prieft 
kiffes the gofpel before he reads it, ee any part of the 
This, according to our law-books, is called a cerporal 
sath; becaufe, as it has been commonly faid, the party, 
ws 
i term is borrowed 
ae of ane upon thefe serie “ corporale, or 
cloth which covered the confecrated elem 
But in fome old cuftoms of Anjou and "Maine, it appears 
that corporal oath was anciently a fimple affirmation, or vow 
of faith and fidelity, made by a vaffal who has no hege, 
by lifting up his hand ; in contradiftin@ion to that made 
y a liege vaffal, which was made by laying his hand on the 
ofpe 
. pe oath is called canonica purgatio, becaufe allowed of by 
the canons ; 
ug 
ms’ 
a n {mall egies which the plaintiff could not prove, 
or, if he ould, is proof were fet afide, the defendant 
might purge himfelf by his own oath: this was called jurare 
sale shi 
oe of more Pa ight, he was to bring other 
credible peiony: ufually of the fame quality with the plain- 
tiff, to {wear that they id the defendant had {worn the 
trut 
Thefe were called weak ell or facramentales 3 and 
their number was greater or lefs, acco o the qua- 
lity of the defendant, | "the e thing in 
Hence, gurare duodecima manu. See Compur- 
offices, 
hem cheap in the minds 
This acl writer fuggefts, that the 
w may pried its own ions, without adding t the 
een of an oath: and ate it is neceflary, let it an- 
nex to penne penalties Sie ala to the public 
confequence of the offence. be the form of an 
oath, the oe is the fame. Tt | is the calling upon 
od to witnefs, 7, e. to take notice of what we fay, and 
pola his vengeance, or renouncing his favour, if what 
we fay be falfe, or what we promife be not performed. 
he Qual san Mores refufe t upon 
cafion ; pone their {cruples ea ¢ the lawfulnefs 
of oaths ee 8 pe ohi : Itio + 34 
fay unto ear r to reconcile with 
with what follows, neither “b 
the earth,’ &c. So that ‘not at all’? does not mean 
upon no oan, but by none of thefe form 
Saviour himfelf was ‘ abjured by the mer Goat o ne 
clare whether he was the Chrift, the Son of God, or not, 
he condefcended to anfwer the meh ones, without rnaking 
n which 
Romane “ God is my witnefs,” and 6 
“I call God for a record upon m 
preffions which contain the nature of oaths: 
to the Hebrews {peaks of the cuftom of Pig: judicially, 
without cenfure or difapprobation: “ Me ear 
words are underftood as relating, not to judicial oaths, but 
to the praGice of vain, — and unauthorized {wear. 
ing, in common difcourfe. author further obferves, 
or a ger them no for 
n 
rule our author applies to the explication of certain 
ticular oaths, the nature and obligation of which he 
nin ah the oath of set irene oe ALLEGIANCE; ) he 
t excludes and w erm It excludes 
han the 
pepe fo overeign ; : and all defign at the ne of depofing 
the reigning prince, for any reafon whatever. It forbids 
the takin up of arms ped fuch princes with views o 
private advancement, or from motives of ac igs refent- 
ment or diflike. On the other rie this oath permits re- 
continue our allegiance to the king, after he is depofed, 
driven into exile, carried away captive, or otherwife ten- 
dered incapable of see the regal office, whether by 
his fault or without it. As to the oath againft bribery in 
the election of members of parliament, our author abferves, 
that the feveral contrivances to evade this oath, fuch as the 
open for the gies or promifes of mone to be paid after 
the eleGtion ; or ftipulating for a place, living, or other 
ft 
which it was prefcribed, it may ily ee that pi 
Mm fou 
