STATUTES BY SUBJECT -- CIVIC LIFE


LAWS IN IRELAND FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF POPERY
commonly known as the
PENAL LAWS


STATUTES BY SUBJECT -- CIVIC LIFE

 


7 Will III c.15 (1695):
An Act for granting a supply to his Majesty, by raising money by a poll,....

Sec.17 and 39. Every person, except women, persons 16 years of age and under, and those paying only one shilling tax, who fail to take the oath of allegiance and the declaration against transubstantiation, shall be charged double the tax he would otherwise pay. And no person shall be a tax commissioner under this act unless he take the said oaths.


9 Will III c.8 (1697):
An Act for granting a supply to his Majesty, by raising money by a poll

Sec. 4 and 27. All persons, except women, children under 18, and persons paying no more than 2 shillings tax, who fail to take the oaths of allegiance, abhorrence, and the declaration against transubstantiation shall pay double the tax that they otherwise would be charged with.


6 Ann. c. 6 (1707):
An Act to explain ...An Act to prevent Papists being Solicitors

Sec. 5. No papist shall serve on any grand jury unless it shall appear that a sufficient number of protestants cannot be had for such service. And at all trials on any presentment, indictment or information on the popery acts, any papist on the petit jury may be challenged and such challenge shall be allowed.


2 Ann c.6 (1703):
An Act to prevent the further Growth of Popery

Sec. 25. Any advowsons of churches, or right of presentation to any ecclesiastical benefice claimed by papists shall vest in her Majesty until such papist shall conform.


2 Geo I c.10 (1715):
An Act to Restrain Papists from being High or Petty Constables,...

Sec. 7. Although in times of peace papists as well as protestants may be watchmen, yet in times of danger watchmen should be of the protestant religion; thus whenever it shall seem necessary to the lord lieutenant, or other chief governor of this kingdom, that the parish watches shall be kept by protestant watchmen only, warrants shall issue to the several high and petty constables requiring them to settle protestants, and none other to be watchmen in their several parishes, and as often as it shall come to the turn of the papists to watch, such papists shall provide protestants, to be approved of by one or more justice of the peace residing within such parish; and for default thereof the said justices are required to appoint protestants to serve in the stead of sch papists, and to issue their warrants for the levying by distress and sale of the goods of such papists in whose turns such protestants shall serve, 12 pence for each night to be paid to such protestants as shall watch in the turn of such papists.


4 Geo I c.15 (1717):
An Act for the better regulating the town of Gallway (sic)...

Sec 1.Whereas the protestant interest and security of Connaught depend upon the fidelity of the inhabitants of Galway, yet for several years a design hath been formed in Galway by the magistrates and governing part of the corporation to support a popish and discourage the protestant interest; nunneries and other places of refuge for illegal clergy have been connived at; and great numbers of papists by notorious neglect of the magistrates have been permitted to inhabit the town, contrary to law; by reason of which a sufficient number of protestant freeholders cannot be found to try offenders against the several acts against papists, whereby a great number of popish priests etc frequently land from foreign parts and find opportunities to disperse themselves into all other parts of this kingdom; and whereas the mayor and recorder, have formed a common council which carries on their evil design, from the 25th day of December 1717, protestant freeholders residing anywhere in the entire county of Galway may be called to serve on the juries within the town of Galway.


4 Geo I c.15 (1717):
An Act for the better regulating the town of Gallway (sic)...

Sec. 5-6. All persons who profess themselves of any trade or handy craft that shall reside in Galway shall be free of the town and corporation and exempted from corporation taxes for 7 years from arrival. Provided that no persons are to have the benefit of their freedoms aforesaid unless they have been professed protestants for 7 years or upwards, and shall take the usual oaths of freemen, and also the oaths of allegiance, and supremacy and abjuration and subscribe the declaration against transubstantiation.


4 Geo I c.16 (1717):
An Act for the better regulating the Corporation of the City of Kilkenny,...

Sec. 1 Whereas for several years past there has been a design formed to support a popish and Jacobite interest in the city of Kilkenny in support of the pretender and for the encouragement of rebellion, in pursuance of which many illegal practices have been used to procure persons disaffected to the king to be admitted into the government and offices of the city, to pervert public justice, and especially to render prosecutions against papists and other enemies to the government ineffectual, certain named individuals are removed from the corporation, and other acts are taken against them.


6 Geo I c.10 (1719):
An Act for the better regulating the Parish Watches, ...

Sec. 5. Whenever it shall seem necessary to the lord lieutenant, or other chief governor of this kingdom, that the parish watches shall be kept by protestant watchmen only, warrants shall issue to the several high and petty constables requiring them to settle protestants, and none other to be watchmen in their several parishes, and as often as it shall come to the turn of the papists to watch, such papists shall provide protestants, to be approved of by one or more justice of the peace residing within such parish; and for default thereof the said justices are required to appoint protestants to serve in the stead of sch papists, and to issue their warrants for the levying by distress and sale of the goods of such papists in whose turns such protestants shall serve, 12 pence for each night to be paid to such protestants as shall watch in the turn of such papists


10 Geo I c.6 (1723):
An Act for explaining and amending ... an Act for real Union and Division of Parishes;...

Sec. 2. Whereas by the act of 2 Geo I c.14, the consent of the parishioners or the major part of them is necessary to the ordering new churches to be built in more convenient places, and in divers parishes great numbers of the inhabitants are of the popish religion, who by refusing to consent to the building new churches, greatly obstruct the execution of the said act, the consent of the protestant parishioners of such parish shall be a sufficient consent.


12 Geo I c.9 (1725):
An Act for the more effectual erecting and better regulating of Free Schools, ...

Sec. 7-8: For preventing papists having it in their power to obstruct the rebuilding and repairing churches for divine worship, no inhabitant of any parish being a papist, shall be capable of giving their vote at any vestry to be held for the purposes aforesaid. Such money as shall be agreed upon for building and repairing of churches shall be levied by warrant under the hands of two justices of the peace by the church wardens, by distress and sale of the goods of the persons refusing or neglecting to pay the sums applotted on them.


9 Geo II ch 3 (1735):
An Act for the better regulating of Juries

Sec 1 and 12. No person shall serve on a jury in the Four Courts or before a justice of the peace or of assize (except in cities and towns) who shall not have a freehold of value of 5 pounds per year, or, being protestant, shall not be possessed of a lease of which not less than 10 years remains, or of 61 years on which a profit rent of not less than 15 pounds per year shall accrue to the lessee. Nothing in this act shall qualify any person of the popish religion to serve on a jury which any other act renders him incapable of so serving.


11 Geo II c.7 (1737):
An Act for ... preventing the Enlisting of His Majesty's Subjects to serve as Soldiers in foreign Service ...

Sec. 3. No papist or reputed papist may serve as a juror upon the trial of any offender against this act (which forbids on pain of death the enlisting or inducing enlistment in any foreign army.)


21 Geo II c.10 (1747):
An Act to amend and make more effectual ... an Act for the better regulating Elections of Members to serve in Parliament ...

Sec. 8. Whereas many towns corporate, not being cities, have been obliged for want of protestant inhabitants resident within such towns, to elect non-residents into the corporate offices, despite the letter of their respective charters, causing controversies whereby the peace and good government of such corporations may be interrupted, it shall be made lawful for duly elected persons to hold such offices as if they were residents.


29 Geo II c.6 (1755):
An Act for better regulating Juries.

Sec. 1. No person shall be qualified to serve as a juror that shall not be seized of a freehold of a yearly value of 10 pounds, or if a protestant only, possess a leasehold of which 15 years or more is unexpired, or leases of 61 years or more with a clear profit rent of not less than 15 pounds


29 Geo II c.6 (1755):
An Act for better regulating Juries.

Sec. 12. No papist may serve on any jury in the trial of any suit between a protestant and a papist, and any challenge to such a juror being papist shall be allowed.

 


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