(Vol. viii., pp. 364. 471.)
In Primate Colton's _Metropolitan Visitation of the Diocese of Derry_, A.D.
1397, edited by the Rev. William Reeves, D.D., it is stated, at p. 44.,
that several persons therein mentioned took their oath "tactis sacrosanctis
Evangeliis;" and in a note Dr. Reeves says that--
"Until the arrival of the English the custom of swearing on the holy
evangelists was unknown to the Irish, who resorted instead to croziers,
bells, and other sacred reliquaries, to give solemnity to their
declarations. Even when the Gospels were used, it was not uncommon to
introduce some other object to render the oath doubly binding. Thus in
a monition directed by Primate Prene to O'Neill, he requires him to be
sworn 'tactis sacrosanctis Dei evangeliis ad ea, et super Baculum Jesu
in ecclesia cathedrali Sanctæ Trinitatis Dublin.' (_Reg. Prene_, fol.
117.)"
The following lines upon the subject in question will be found in the _Red
Book_ of the Irish Exchequer:
"Qui jurat super librum tria tacit.
"Primo quasi diceret omnia que scripta sunt in hoc libro nunquam mihi
perficiant neque lex nova neque vetus si mencior in hoc juramento.
"Secundo apponit manum super librum quasi diceret numquam bona opera
que feci michi proficiant ante faciem Jeshu Christi nisi veritatem
dicam quando per manus significentur opera.
"Tercio et ultimo osculatur librum quasi diceret numquam oraciones
neque preces quas dixi per os meum michi ad salutem anime valeant si
falsitatem dicam in hoc juramento michi apposito."
Judging by the character of the handwriting, I would say that the
above-mentioned lines were written not later than the time of Edward I.;
and as many of the vellum leaves of this book have been sadly disfigured,
as well by the pressure of lips as by tincture of galls, I am inclined to
think that official oaths were formerly taken in the Court of Exchequer of
Ireland by presenting the book when opened to the person about to be sworn
in the manner at this day used (as we are informed by Honoré de Mareville)
in the Ecclesiastical Court at Guernsey.
It appears by an entry in one of the Order Books of the Exchequer,
deposited in the Exchequer Record Office, Four Courts, Dublin, that in
James I.'s time the oath of allegiance was taken upon bended knee. The
entry to which I refer is in the following words:
"_Easter Term, Wednesday, 22nd April, 1618._--Memorandum: This day at
first sitting of the court, the lord threasurer, vice threasurer, and
all the barons being present on the bench, the lord chauncellor came
hither and presented before them Thomas Hibbotts, esq., with his
Majesty's letters patents of the office of chauncellor of this court to
him graunted, to hold and execute the said office during his naturall
life, which being read the said lord chauncellor first ministred unto
him the oath of the King's supremacy, which hee tooke kneeling on his
knee, and presently after ministred unto him the oath ordayned for the
said officer, as the same is contayned of record in the redd booke of
this court; all which being donn the said lord chauncellor placed him
on the bench on the right hand of the lord threasurer, and then
departed this court."