Grinling Gibbons’ Transubstantiation Oath (Drapers’ Company declaration signature book 1689-1876)
Creator(s): Worshipful Company of Drapers
Date: Entry for 1714 (contained with Declaration Signature book dated 1689-1876)
Accession Number: DR/MD1
Materials: Work on paper (book)
Location: Drapers’ Hall, Throgmorton Avenue, London EC2N 2DQ
Credit Line (copyright notice for material) : © The Drapers' Company
NOTES ON THE ARTWORK
Upon his election as Master Warden in 1714, Gibbons was required once again to take the oath that he did not believe in transubstantiation (the change of the substance of bread and wine in Holy Communion). In Reformation Britain under the Test Act, Catholics were barred from holding any public office from 1672 to 1828. Transubstantiation was a key principle of the catholic faith, and explicitly denying belief in it was an effective means to preclude Catholics from office.
In the Drapers’ Company’s declaration, Gibbons’ signature sits below the oath wording which was set out by the law:
‘I do declare that I do believe that there is not any Transubstantiation in the Lord’s Supper or in the Element of Bread and Wine at or after the Consecration thereof by any person whatsoever’.
Entry in the Drapers' Company declaration book for 1714 © The Drapers' Company
