Handel's Naturalisation Act 1727

Handel's Naturalisation Act 1727
Act of Parliament

Long title An Act for naturalizing Louis Sekeyhaye, George Frederick Handel, and others
Citation 13 Geo. I
Introduced by Private bill
Status: Repealed

An Act for naturalizing Louis Sekeyhaye, George Frederick Handel, and others (13 Geo. I),[1] later given the short title of Handel's Naturalisation Act 1727,[2] was a 1727 Act of the Parliament of Great Britain with the intent of naturalising and granting British citizenship to German-born composer George Frideric Handel and other foreign citizens.

Background

George Frideric Handel

In 1723, Handel had been appointed as Composer of Music for King George I of Great Britain's Chapel Royal. He was also expected to teach the princesses of the Royal Family; however the Schism Act 1714 prohibited foreigners officially teaching without a licence from a bishop, though there was an exemption in the law for educating children of nobility.[3]

Process

In February 1727, a petition was presented to the House of Lords to grant Handel the status of a British subject as this was the only method available to do so.[4] In order for the petition to be valid before it could be considered, Handel was obliged to provide evidence that he had taken the Oath of Supremacy and the Oath of Allegiance as well as entering into communion with the Church of England.[3] The petition was accepted and brought before Parliament as a private bill and added to a bill for naturalising Louis Sekeyhaye and others.[5] Prior to Second Reading, Handel took the oaths in the presence of the House of Lords.[6] The certificate that he had accepted communion with the Church of England was also presented,[4] though it was suggested that Handel accepted just to conform with the law and maintained elements of his Lutheranism while praising the Church of England for affording him protection under which he would not "suffer any molestation or inconvenience on account of his religious principles."[7] The bill passed through parliament and was granted Royal Assent by the King with the Norman French phrase Soit fait comme il est desiré. (Let it be done as it is desired).[4]

References

  1. ↑ Runnington, Charles (1786). "The Titles of the Statutes". The statutes at large from Magna charta to [the forty-first year of George III. 5. Eyre & Strahan.
  2. ↑ "Private Act, 13 George I, c. 2 [Handel's Naturalisation Act]". Parliamentary Archives Catalogue. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  3. 1 2 Hunter, David (2015). The Lives of George Frideric Handel. Boydell & Brewer. p. 177. ISBN 1783270616.
  4. 1 2 3 "British Citizen by Act of Parliament: George Frideric Handel". Parliament. 2009-04-14. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  5. ↑ Lords, 36
  6. ↑ Lords, 37
  7. ↑ Van Til, Marian (2007). George Frideric Handel: A Music Lover's Guide to His Life, His Faith & the Development of Messiah and His Other Oratorios. WordPower Publishing. p. 137. ISBN 0979478502.

Sources

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