ABSTRACT

This paper examines a neglected aspect of the history of the early Royal Society. Though it’s first two Royal Charters of 1662 and 1663 did not contain any religious-political restrictions, its 3rd Royal Charter of 1669 did. For the grant of an investment property in Chelsea, and the right to appoint more than one Vice President, the 3rd Charter restricted the sale of the property in Chelsea back to the Crown, and all Presidents and Vice Presidents were required to swear the Anglican religious-political state oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy before admission to the positions. Thus the Royal Society, for the first time, was placed under a similar oaths system as those covering state, corporation, and religious organizations. The paper analyses the chaotic events leading up to the passing of the 3rd Charter: the impact of the Fire of London, the Royal Society’s move to Catholic aristocrat Henry Howard’s Arundel House, its failed plan to build a permanent ‘college’ there, and its forced acceptance of both the oaths and the non-alienation of Chelsea College. The paper concludes with the aftermath, the replacement of the oaths by a statutory declaration in 1835, through an Act of Parliament.

摘要

本文考察了早期皇家学会历史中一个被忽视的方面。尽管 1662 年和 1663 年的前两个皇家宪章没有包含任何宗教政治限制，但其 1669 年的第三个皇家宪章却包含了任何宗教政治限制。为了授予切尔西的投资财产，以及任命一名以上副总统的权利，第三宪章限制将切尔西的财产出售给皇室，所有总统和副总统都必须宣誓为英国国教- 在任职前宣誓效忠和至高无上的政治国家誓言。因此，皇家学会第一次被置于与国家、公司和宗教组织类似的宣誓制度之下。该论文分析了导致第三宪章通过的混乱事件：伦敦大火的影响，皇家学会搬到天主教贵族亨利霍华德的阿伦德尔故居，在那里建立一所永久性“学院”的计划失败，并被迫接受了切尔西学院的誓言和非异化。该论文以 1835 年通过议会法案的法定声明取代宣誓的后果结束。