Exclusion Bills

In England, series of measures in the reigns of Charles I and II attempting to exclude Catholics from office. The first bill, proposed June 1641, aimed to exclude bishops from sitting in parliament in order to weaken Charles I's support in the House of Lords. The measure was initially rejected by the Lords, but after Charles' attempt to arrest the Five Members it was reintroduced, becoming law February 1642.

From 1678-81 a series of measures were proposed during the Exclusion Crisis which were designed to bar Charles II's Catholic brother, James, duke of York, from the throne. A bill was introduced in the aftermath of the Popish Plot to ensure the succession of Charles' illegitimate son, the Duke of Monmouth and Charles dissolved parliament to prevent the bill's passage. A similar measure was introduced 1680 but was rejected by the House of Lords. Charles summoned the next parliament to Oxford, but another exclusion bill was put forward 1681 and Charles again dissolved parliament.