If I understand the underlying question correctly, though, it is: did such tests--any of them--end at any point *before* the Statute for Religious Freedom went into effect?  

This isn't my area of specialty, but (for example) it does seem odd to think that after the Peace of 1783, Virginia legislators were still taking the Supremacy Oath upon assuming office. 

I think we're still awaiting an answer to that opening question....

--Jurretta Heckscher

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 10, 2010, at 11:33 PM, Langdon <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Everyone arriving in a Virginia port took an oath of allegiance and the Supremacy Oath, which attested that the King was the only true head of the Church of England. [Charter 1609-]  The English Supremacy Statute, which was also in effect in Virginia, required that anyone holding office must take the Supremacy Oath.  The Church Act, passed in February 1631-2, required weekly attendance in the [Anglican] parish church. Act III of that year required that the Governor, Council, Burgesses, Commanders, captains and church wardens enforce the religious attendance law.  Later, it was a crime punishable by fine to not attend services at least twice a month. Virginia passed its own Toleration Act in 1699, which exempted only Quakers from paying a fine if they didn’t attend the Anglican Church.  At the same time, the House passed a law titled, An Act for Prevention of Undue Election of Burgeses, which required anyone voting for a Burgess to be male, 21 years
> old, and a freeholder, who had to be Anglican.  
> 
> The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, written by Jefferson, passed 16 Jan 1786:
> …that therefore the proscribing any citizen as unworthy the public confidence, by laying upon him an incapacity of being called to offices of trust and emolument, unless he profess or renounce this or that religious opinion, is depriving him injuriously of those privileges and advantages, to which, in common with his fellow citizens, he has a natural right…
> Be it enacted by the General Assembly, That no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested or burdened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities." 
> 
> This was the first statute granting all male Virginians the right to participate fully in government, regardless of religion, or lack thereof. 
> 
> Langdon Hagen-Long
> Virginia Beach
> 
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