The following is the 3d claufe, every word of which is of value, in order to fhew the cruelty with which the unfortunate Catholics of Ireland have been oppreffed: "And, be it further enacted,

by the authority aforefaid, that where and as "often as any child or children of any Popish

parent or parents hath or have heretofore pro"feffed or conformed him, her, or themselves, to "the Proteftant religion, as by law established, "and enrolled in the High Court of Chancery a "certificate of the Bishop of the diocefs in which

fhe or they fhall inhabit or refide, testifying 'his, her, or their being a Proteftant, and con" forming him, her, or themselves, to the Church "of Ireland, as by law established, it shall and

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may be lawful for the High Court of Chan

cery, upon a bill founded upon this act, to ob lige the faid Papift parent or parents to discover

upon oath the full value of all his, her, or their

eftate, as well personal as real, clear, over and "above all real incumbrances and debts contract"ed, bona fide, for valuable confideration, before "the enrolment of fuch certificate, and thereupon. "to make fuch order for the fupport and mainte"nance of fuch Proteftant child or children, by

"the

"the diftribution of the faid real and perfonal "eftate, to and among fuch Proteftant child

or children, for the present support of such "Proteftant child or children; and also to and "for the portion or portions, and future mainte"nance or maintenances, of fuch Proteftant child "or children, after the decease of such Popish

parent or parents, as the faid court fhall judge

"" fit."

The 12th claufe provides, that all converts in public employments, members of parliament, barrifters, attornies, or officers of any courts of law, fhall educate their children Proteftants..

By the 14th claufe, the Popish wife of a Papist, having power to make a jointure, conforming, fhall, if the furvives her husband, have fuch provision, not exceeding the power of her husband, to make a jointure, as the Chancellor shall adjudge.

By the 15th claufe, the Popish wife of a Papist, not being otherwife provided for, conforming, fhall have a proportion out of his chattels, notwithstanding

withstanding any will or voluntary disposition, and the ftat. 7th W. III. 6.

The 16th claufe provides, that a Papist teaching school publicly, or in a private house, or as usher to a Proteftant, fhall be deemed and profecuted as a Popish regular convict.

The 18th claufe provides, that Popish priests, who fhall be converted, fhall receive 30l. per annum, to be levied and paid by Grand Juries.

The 20th claufe provides, whimfically enough, for the reward of difcovering Popish clergy and schoolmasters, viz.

For discovering an archbishop, bishop, vicar-general, or other perfon exercifing any foreign ecclefiaftical jurif

diction

£.50 0 0

For difcovering each regular clergy

man, and each fecular clergyman,

The 21ft claufe empowers two juftices to fummon any Papist of 18 years of age, and if he fhall refuse to give testimony where and when he heard mafs celebrated, and who and what perfons were prefent at the celebration of it, and likewise touching the refidence and abode of any priest or Popish schoolmaster, to commit him to jail, without bail, for 12 months, or until he shall Fay 201.

By the 25th clause, no priest can officiate except in the parish for which he is registered, by 2d Anne, c. 7.

The 30th clause provides for the discovery of all trufts agreed to be undertaken in favour of Papifts; and enables any Proteftant to file a bill in Chancery against any person concerned in any fale, lease, mortgage, or incumbrance, in trust for Papifts, and to compel him to discover the fame; and it further provides, that all iffues to be tried in any action founded upon this act, shall be tried by none but known Proteftants.

The 37th claufe provides, that no Papist in trade, except in the linen trade, shall take more than two apprentices.

The following are the other acts paffed in this reign concerning the Catholics.

An act to prevent Popish clergy from coming into the kingdom.*

An act for registering Popish clergy. By which all the Catholic clergy then in the kingdom were required to give in their names and places of abode at the next quarter feffions; by this act they are prohibited from employing curates.†

An act to amend this act. I

An act to explain and amend an act to prevent Papists being folicitors or fheriffs, &c.§

Claufes are introduced into this act by which Catholics were prevented from ferving on grand juries; and by which, in trials upon any statute for ftrengthening the Proteftant intereft, the plaintiff might challenge a Papist, which challenge the judge was to allow. If abfurdity could catch the

* 2d Anne, c. 3.
4th Anne, c. 2.

attention

† 2d Anne, c. 7.

§ 6th Anne, c. 1.