Catholic Convert Rolls
The 'Act to Prevent the Further Growth of Popery (1704)' made it mandatory for individuals converting from Catholicism to Protestantism to provide proof of their conformity. According to the Act, a Protestant was defined as a member of the Church of Ireland. The legal disabilities imposed on Catholics regarding property, professions, and other aspects of life ceased to apply once an individual converted to Protestantism. Specifically, this change took effect:
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"from the time of the enrollment in the High Court of Chancery of a certificate from the bishop of the diocese where the individual resides, testifying to their status as a Protestant and their conformity to the Church of Ireland as established by law."
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"For the enrollment of each and every such certificate, a fee of six pence shall be paid, and no more." "No person shall benefit from this Act as a Protestant, within its intent and meaning, unless they conform to the Church of Ireland as established by law, subscribe to the declaration, and also take and subscribe to the oath of abjuration."
The Bishop's certificate was essential for enrolment until 1782, when a new Act was passed, 'An Act for the rendering the manner of Conforming from the Popish to the Protestant religion more easy (1782)''. From 1782 it was sufficient for the convert to take the sacrament from a minister of the Church of Ireland, take the oath and make the declaration before him, and file a certificate from him to that effect in Chancery within six months. These were known as Ministers' Certificates.
In 1709 it was further enacted that no convert should be deemed to be protestant "within the intention of this or the former Act' or should "take benefit thereby" unless within six months after declaring himself a protestant he received the sacrament 'according to the usage of the Church of Ireland', took the oath of abjuration and filed 'the certificate thereof'. A Sacrament Certificate, certifying that he had received the sacrament and taken the oath was to be lodged in one of the four courts in Dublin, in addition to the Bishop's Certificate of conformity. The rolls cover ther period from 1704 to 1845.
2. Date of Certification
Date Convert or Sacrament/Oath
Certificate is signed by the Bishop of Parish (After 1782. signed by Minister)
1. Date of Conformity
Date Convert Oath is given before Minister of the
Church of Ireland
3A. Date of Enrolment
Date Convert Certificate is enroled in Four Courts
3B. Date of Filing
Date Sacrament/Oath Certificate
is filed in Four Courts
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Time Line
OR
Oath OF CONFORMITY
" I A.B. do solemnly and sincerely, in the presence of God, profess, testify and declare, that I do believe that in the sacrament of the Lord’s-supper, there is not any transubstantiation of the elements of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ, at or after the consecration there of by any person whatsoever and that the adoration or invocation of the Virgin Mary, or any other saint, and the sacrifice of the mass, as they are now used in the church of Rome, are superstitious and idolatrous.
And I do solemnly, in the presence of God, profess, testify, and declare, that I do make this declaration, and everypart thereof, in the plain and ordinary sense of the words read unto me,as they are commonly understood by protestants, without any evasion, equivocation or mental reservation whatsoever; and without any dispensation already granted me for this purpose by the pope, or any othera uthority or person whatsoever, or without any hope of dispensation from any person or authority whatsoever, or without believing that I am, or can be acquitted before God or man, or absolved of this declaration, or any part thereof, although the pope, or any other person or persons, or power whatsoever should dispense with or annul the same, or declare that it was null and void from the beginning."
Oath OF Abjuration
I A.B. do truly and sincerely acknowledge, profess, testify and declare in my conscience, before God and the world, that our sovereign lady Queen Anne is lawful and rightful queen of this realm, and of all other her majesty’s dominions and countries thereunto belonging. And I do solemnly and sincerely declare, that I do believe in my conscience, that the person pretending to be Prince of Wales, during the life of the late King James, and since his decease pretending to be, and taking upon himself the style and title of King of England by the name of James III, hath not any right or title whatsoever to the crown of this realm, or any other the Dominions thereto belonging, and I do renounce, refuse and abjure any allegiance or obedience to him. And I do swear that I will bear faith and true allegiance to her majesty Queen Anne, and her will defend to the utmost of my power against all traiterous conspiracies, crown or dignity.
And I will do my best endeavour to disclose and make known to her majesty, and her successors, all treasons and traiterous conspiracies, which I shall know to be against her or any of them. And I do faithfully promise to the utmost of my power to support, maintain and defend the limitation and succession of the crown against him the said James, and all other persons whatsoever as the same is and stands limited by an act, entitled, An act declaring the rights and liberties of the subject, and settling the succession of the crown, to her present majesty, and the heirs of her body being protestants; and as the same by one other act, entitled, An act for the further limitation of the crown, and better securing the rights and liberties of the subject, is and stands limited, after the Decease of her majesty, and for default of issue of her majesty, to the Princess sophia, electress and duchess dowager of Hanover, and the heirs of her body being protestants.
And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear, according to the express words by me spoken, and according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words, without equivocation, mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever. And I do make this recognition, acknowledgement, abjuration, renunciation and promise, heartily, willingly, and truly, upon the true faith of a Christian. So Help me God
Naturalisation Records
Amongst the conversions database and written in the original Calendars of Convert Rolls are some records of people who became naturalised citizens of Ireland. In total these amount to some 63 records and have been included in the database for consistency purposes. To remove them from your filtered records, click filter, choose the field naturalised and the option N/A. A more meticulous record of people who became naturalised citizens of Ireland can be found in the book, Denizations & Naturalizations: Aliens in England and Ireland.*
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* The Publication of The Hugenot Society of London: Founded A.D. MDCCCLXXXV,
Volume XVIII DENIZATIONS & NATURALIZATIONS OF ALIENS IN ENGLAND AND IRELAND
Edited by William A. Shaw, Litt. D (LYMINGTON: Printed for the Society by Charles T. King
MDCCCCXI
