The Corporation Act represents the limit to which he was prepared to go in endeavouring to restrict the power of the Presbyterians.

They were influentially represented in the government of cities and boroughs throughout the country, and this act was designed to dispossess them.

The Act provided that no person could be legally elected to any office relating to the government of a city or corporation, unless he had within the previous twelve months received the sacrament of "the Lord's Supper" according to the rites of the Church of England.

These two acts operated very prejudicially on Catholics, forming an important part of the general Penal Laws which kept them out of public life.

In later times the number, even of non-Catholics, who qualified for civil and military posts in accordance with their provisions was very small, and an "Act of Indemnity" used to be passed annually, to relieve those who had not done so from the penalties incurred.