No MacPope! Scotland holds out forever against imaginary Papal sons

After my yelp of surprise when the Pope Trivia Quiz claimed that it is illegal for a Scot to become Pope on pain of banishment,  kindly reader "Recusant" linked me to the original 1560 text of this law:  and yes, it is still on the statute book. Government websites confirm.   So, prospective Scottish cardinals please note:
     "The Jurisdictioune and autoritie of the bischope of Rome callit the paip  within this realme in tymes bipast hes bene verray hurtful and preiudiciall to our soueranis autoritie and commone weill of this realme Thairfoir hes statute and ordanit that the bischope of Rome haif na Jurisdictioun nor autoritie within this realme in tymes cuming And that nane of our saidis soueranis subiectis of this realme sute or desire in ony tyme heireftir title or rycht be the said bischope of Rome or his sait to ony thing within this realme vnder the panis of barratrye That is to say proscriptioune banischement and neuir to bruke honour office nor dignitie within this realme"  So there.

Comments

[Stuart Hartill]

As I recall, it was less than 20 years ago when the Manx finally and officially repealed a law requiring us to shoot Scotsmen on sight, so we are no better!
Less amusingly, it was not until a 2001 review of our Education Act that the Catholic community was invited to provide a member for our Religious Educational Advisory Council (equivalent to LEA Standing Advisory Councils on Religious Education in UK), and even that review brought neither a chance for other faiths to advise nor an end to a strange situation dating back to the 1940's where the Bishop of Sodor and Mann must chair the body. Thus in years when we get sent somewhat somnambulent bishops little is discussed.

[Luggie]

As a Scot I am deeply saddened at this, however I would be happy that the next one be from as close to home as possible. Even England! Perhaps Liverpool with a name to suit - we've already had 'John Paul' how about 'George Ringo?'

[Phil]

Yea, so. As I understand it, to insure the independence of the Holy See, a newly elected Pope renounces his citizenship to become a citizen of the Vatican City State.

[Johanna]

So no Jimmy Pope then?

[Doug Chaplin]

Any chance of discovering a law (ancient or modern) preventing a Scot from being Prime Minister?

[JamboJimbab]

Desuetude?

[Edward Murdoch]

It should of course be noted that the doctrine of desuetude is applied to Acts of the original Parliament of Scotland, meaning that obsolete laws, rather than being subject to attempts to enforce at a later date, will simply lapse due to lack of continuity, as I suspect this Act would be found to.

[cambayne]

This is interesting but of little relevance.

In Scots Law, unlike English Law, outdated acts are discontinued by the doctrine desuetude.

[Ian Welch]

Goshe thys isse importante for thosse who styll holde hoppes of a Stewart restoramentum. I hoppe it doth notte includde us'n exiles who swoppe shoppe.

I am delighted that in Australia, we can be any thing we like, so long as it is not a Pommy cricketer and even, then, we will stretch it a bit if the bloke is real good.

Crikey, we even let Prods and Micks mix in the pubs now that none of us go to church.

Ian Welch, Canberra

[Grumpy]

Ian Paisley for Pope. He's technically not a Scot. Or, is he?

Tasteless.

[volov]

Libby

This is the big difference between the Scots (a nation I much admire) and my fellow Jews

Our respose would be a collective shrug of the shoulders:

"Pope, Schmope,what's the big deal?"

"Another of our boys was already Jesus Christ!"

[Terence Hale]

Hi,
Is it illegal for a Scot to become Scottish ? don’t talk about whiskey
Regards Dr. Terence Hale

[Nicholas Lee]

Crivvens! Why can't we have a similar law that stops Scots from becoming the English Prime Minister?

[Bob]

Erm Nicholas Lee... because there is no such thing at all as an "English" Prime Minister! It is British - not English. Something some of you people simply cannot grasp.

[A. Graham, Glasgow]

"English Prime Minister"? Ooh, are we all independent countries again or is Nicholas Lee confusing England with the U.K.?

[dunlochan]

I couldn't care less where any pope comes from (or goes to for that matter) but this is the best laugh I've had this week.

Thanks to all you wags.

[dearieme]

"English Prime Minister": there has never been such a post.

[Harry Chiltern]

The English don't have a prime minister... the UK does... but of course the English forget that they are part of a larger country.... they don't learn quickly.. it has been 300 years so far

[Luggie]

I suppose once England becomes a nation on its own then it may be worth considering you having only an English prime minister. But at the moment we have a British government and therefore a British prime minister.

[John Leesh]

Nicholas Lee - What is the English Prime Minister? There is no such thing.

[Jules]

Dear Nicholas Lee,

I doubt it. It's taken us Scots 700 years and we still haven't been able to get a law preventing an English person governing Scotland. Still, making progress though!

[David Walton]

Being Pope is hard work and we know the Scots don't like that.

[james j mertins]

As a Scot I would remind Doug Chaplin that we in the united kingdom are british first and then what ever country you were born in second. we all have british passports not English, Scots ,Welsh or Irish. AS FOR A SCOTTISH POPE WELL GOD HELP US.

[jb]

er, The UK doesn't have a Prime Minister either- the Queen does

[Roman Catholic]

On another note: If you were to deface an image of an Islamic figure there would be uproar. Why should you deface our POPE TIMESONLINE? I am not amused.

[Jorge G. Hidalgo González]

A Scot cannot be Pope? I'll have a scotch on the rocks, cheers!

[Charles Addison]

Jings, I don't know what the fuss is all about; it's no as if it's that great a job. Anyway I expect all those ex-Anglican priests have got first dibs on it.
I would however like to take the oportunity to tell TIMESONLINE that it was extremely poor of them to deface a sacred national icon like the Jimmy Wig in such a tasteless manner.

[B Clark]

Can you still be hung in Scotland for using a snare to trap wild Haggii on the hills of Badenoch?

[jamsie]

Well I have an Irish passport and I'm bloody sure it's not british!

[pehman]

It has been noted with great interest in Scotland, that when PM maggie broon was being interviewed on US TV and asked where he was from;

REPLIED; NORTH BRITAIN, the man can't even speak it's name anymore, and Scotland is well shot of him and labour

The papacy could use a little Protestant work ethic I reckon.

[Bobby]

Some folk getting carried away about refering to the English Prime Minister its no big deal England make up 85% of the population. most of the world do not know the difference between England and Britian so get over it.

[Edmund Burke]

When it comes to a clash between kilt and cassock, one of them has to give way.

[Jack E Smith]

Nice wee story, as some would say.
A point of note: you have used the Royal Coat of Arms, Scottish version, presumably because of the extraction of the statute from the 1964 Act. Mary Queen of Scots was on the throne when the Act was originally passed. As all good Scots know the lady was a fervent follower of Rome but recognised that peaceful co-existence with the protestants was a precondition for survival.
As an aside the Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland, during that period of her reign, reflected her marriage to the dauphin of France (changed when he became King of France in same year, I believe). This coat of arms would have baffled many readers: - Mary_I.jpg

[David B. Monier-williams]

Just as a reminder, It's: St.Patrick for Ireland, St.David for Wales, St. George for England and St. Pancras for Scotland.

David. B. Monier-Williams Scottsdale, AZ.

[Rick Beekman]

CATHOLIC;
so you are not amused by people poking fun at your illustrious leader; Holy Papa;

Get over it! We who are not Catholic are also not amused by the world and world media falling all over themselves over this guy and all his former predecessors either. It is sad..Really Sad.

My Maternal Grandfather Was a Scot (Mc Gillis).

I Can Just hear him now "Aye Laddie No Scot has any buisness being a Pope..First The Italians are not fond of Cutty Sark Or Johnny Walker..And We Would Have To Lengthen Our Kilts To Our Shoe Tops And Worst Of All Believe False Doctrines...Not Me Laddie..Not Me!

[bruno (ROME)]

The Pope is the Vicar of Christ on Earth. Our religion follows the apostolic line something your religions lost when they broke from the Catholic Church. No one is asking you to follow us or follow our Pope you do what you want. All I know is that our church is the true church of our lord and savior jesus Christ and Peter the Apostal was our First Pope. I can't say the same thing for the Church of England started by a Horny King and the Presbiterian church from Scotland.

VIVA IL PAPA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!