[See TEST sb.1 3.] The name given in English History to various acts directed against Roman Catholics and Protestant Nonconformists; particularly, the act of 1673 (25 Chas. II., c. 2) by which the provisions of the Corporation Act of 1661 (see CORPORATION 7) were extended to include all persons holding office under the Crown, and a declaration against transubstantiation was introduced. It was repealed 9 May, 1828.
Also sometimes applied to (a) an act of Elizabeth, 1563, imposing the oath of allegiance, and abjuration of the temporal authority of Rome, on all office-holders except peers; (b) the Corporation Act of 1661; (c) a Scotch act of 1681, exacting a declaration of conformity to the Episcopal Church of all holders of municipal and government offices.
1708. Lett. Gent. Scotl. agst. Sacr. Test, 5. This Test Act requires an End in the Receiving of the Sacrament, that must consequently prophane it.
a. 1715. Burnet, Own Time, an. 1673 (1823), II. 13–4. A sure law against popery, which had clauses in it never used before; for all that continued in office after the time lapsed, they not taking the sacrament, and not renouncing transubstantiation, (which came to be called the test, and the act from it the test act,) were rendered incapable of holding any office: all the acts they did in it were declared invalid and illegal, besides a fine of five hundred pounds to the discoverer.
1738. Neal, Hist. Purit., IV. 458. This is commonly called the Test Act, and was levelled against the Duke of York and the present Ministry, who were chiefly of his persuasion.
1769. Blackstone, Comm., IV. iv. 57. To secure the established church against perils from non-conformists of all denominations, infidels, turks, jews, hereticks, papists, and sectaries, there are however two bulwarks erected; called the corporation and test acts.
1874. Green, Short Hist., vii. § 6. 400. But the Test Act [of 1563] placed the magistracy in Protestant hands.
1886. A. Ferguson, Laird of Lag, iii. 36. The famous Test Act was passed by the Scots Parliament at one sitting on the 30 August 1681.
