Abjuration

Abjuration. The oath of abjuration was imposed in 1701 upon all holders of public offices and members of Parliament, binding them to renunciation of all allegiance to the Stuarts. In 1858 the oath was remodelled, and became a declaration of allegiance to the present Sovereign combined with a promise to support the Protestant succession and a denial of all authority of foreign princes. In 1868 the Promissory Oaths Act enabled Jews and Catholics to substitute a short oath of true allegiance for the old abjuration oath.