Oath of Allegiance. See Oaths of Alle-
GIANCli AND Sl'l'ttliMACY.
Oath, Burgess, an old oath in some Scottish burghs. It was —
"Here I protest before God and your lordships that I profess and allow with my heart tlie true religion pres- ently jirofessed within this realm, and aiithoiized by the laws thereof: I shall abide thereat, and defend the same to my life's end, renouncing the Roman religion called papistry."
— Eadie, Eccles. Cyclop, s. v.
Oath of Canonical Obedience. See Institu- tion ; OniiiJiiiNct: ; Uojianlsm.
Oath of a Christian. See the last of the
TllIKTY-NINE AllTICMiS.
Oath of Conformity and Obedience is the
title (jf tlie vow taken by all beneficed priests, profess- ors, and bishops of the Romish Church. The oaths taken by the priests and professors will be inserted in the article Komanisji. We make room here only for the bishop's oath, which is translated from the Pontiji- cale Romanum, published by authority of the popes, and reprinted at Rome in 18t;9 by the Congregation of Rites and the Propaganda :
"I, N, elect of the Church of N, from this hour hence- forward will be faithful and obedient to the blessed Pe- ter the apostle, aud to the holy Roman Church, and to our lord, the lord N [Pius], pope N [IX], and to his succes- sors canonically coming in. / will not adcise, or consent, or do awithinri that they may lose life or ■mruihcr, or be taken by an evil dece23tion, or have hands rinlnillii hiiil upon them in any way, or have injuries ojl'nrd la tlirm under any ■pre- tence lohatsoever. The counsel indeed v'Idcli they shall in- trust to ine, by themselves, or by their messengers or letters, I will not, to their harm, knowingly reveal to any one. The
Romish Bishop elect taking the Oath.
Roman papacy and the royalties of St. Peter I will help them to retain and defend, without prejudice to my order, against every man. Tlie legate of the apostolic see, in his going and returning, I will treat honorably and lielp in his necessities. The rights, lionors, privileges, aud authoiily of the holy Roman Church, of our lord the pope, and of his aforesaid successors, I will take care to preserve, de- fend, increase, and prom(/te. Xor will I be in any coun- sel, or deed, or loorking, in ivhich any things may be contrived against our lord hi in self or the said Roman Church, to the injury or prejudice of their persons, rinht, honor, state, and power. A ml if I shall kmnn such th rngs to be taken in ha7id or managed by any whomsoever, I will hinder this as far as I call ; and as soon as I shall be able I will make it known to our said lord, or to some other one by ivhom it mail come to his knowledge. The rules of the holy fathers, the de- crees, ordinances, or dispositions, reservations, provis- ions, aud mandates apostolical, I will observe with all my might, and cause to be observed by others. Heretics, schismatics, and rebels against our said lord or his afore- said successors I ivill, as far as I can, follow after (perse- quar) and fight against. When called to a synod I will come, unless I shall be prevented by a canonical imjiedi- ment. / loill myself personally visit the thresholds of the. apostles [i. e. Home] every three years [this period ai)plies to those in Italy and its vicinity; once in fmu' years is the rule for those in France, Spain, Germar.y, Great Britain aud Ireland, etc. ; once iu live years for those in remoter parts of Europe, in North Africa, etc. ; ouce in ten years ibr those in Asia, America, etc. — thus the Ponti- ficale Romanum (Ictcrmines] ; a)td I will render to our lord and liis aforesaid nueressovs an arcoitnt of my wliole pasto- ral office, and of all lltings in anywise pertai iiing to the slate of my Churcli, to the discipline if the clergy and jM'ople, finally to the Kalvaliun of the soids committed to my trust; and I will in. tarn huoibln receive and with the iitmost dili- gence perform the ajiostolie commands. But if I sliall be detained by a lawful impediment, I will perform all the things aforesaid by a certain messenger specially author- ized for this purpose, one of my chapter, or some other one placed in ecclesiastical dignity, or else having a par- sonage ; or, if these are lacking to me, by a priest of the diocese ; and if the clergy are altogether lacking, by some other secular or regular presbyter, of tried hime.-ity and l)iety, well instructed in all the above-named subjects. In res2>ect to an imjjedimeiit of this sort, however, Iivill give in- fin-mation by legitimate proofs, to be transmitted by the aforesaid mess:mger to tlie cardinal proponent of the holy Roman Church in tlie Congregation of tlie Sacred Council. Assuredly the possessious belonging to my table I will not sell, nor give away, nor pledge, nor enfeoff anew, or in any way alienate, even with the consent of the chapter of my Church, without consulting the Roman pontifl". Aud if I shall make any alienati<m,"l desire by that very act to incur the penalties set forth in a certain constitution pub- lished on this subject. So help me God, aud these holy Gospels of God."