The First Year of George II. - Chap. XX.
A.D. 1727
An Act for regulating the
Admissions of Barristers at Law, six Clerks, and Attornies, and of other Persons,
into Offices and Employments; and for preventing Papists practicing as Solicitors:
and for further strengthening the Protestant Interest in this Kingdom.
For the better regulating the admissions
of barristers at law, six clerks, and attornies, and of other persons, into
offices and employments, and for preventing papists practicing as solicitors;
be it enacted by the King's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the lords spiritual and temporal and commons in this present Parliament
assembled, and by the authority of the same, That every person who from and
after the first day of August one thousand seven hundred and twenty eight shall
apply to be called to the bar, or to be admitted a six clerk, or attorney, or
shall take upon him to practice as a solicitor, or to act as an officer, or
deputy officer, in any of his Majesty's courts of law or equity, shall before
such application, or taking on them to practice or act as aforesaid, take and
subscribe the several oaths, and repeat and subscribe the declaration, mentioned
and appointed in and by an act made in the second year of the reign of her late
Majesty Queen Anne, intituled, An act to prevent the further growth of popery;
and that every person converted from the popish to the protestant religion,
or born of a popish parent or parents, who from and after the said first day
of August one thousand seven hundred twenty eight shall apply to be called to
the bar, or to be admitted a six clerk,
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or attorney, or shall take upon him to practice as a solicitor, or to act as an officer or deputy officer as aforesaid, shall upon such application, or before taking on him to act or practice as aforesaid, prove before the lord chancellor, or the commissioners of the great seal, the two chief justices, the chief baron, the justices of the one bench and of the other, and the barons of his Majesty's court of Exchequer in Ireland for the time being, or any two or more of them (of which the lord chancellor, or one of the commissioners of the great seal, or one of the said chief justices, or the chief baron for the time being shall be one) by sufficient witness or witnesses upon oath, which they or any two of them are hereby authorized to administer, that such person has professed himself and continued to be a protestant for the space of two years immediately before the time of making such proof.
II. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That every person, who after the first day of August aforesaid shall be called to the bar, or admitted a six clerk, or attorney, or who shall practice as a solicitor, or shall act as an officer or deputy officer as aforesaid, who is or shall be converted from the popish to the protestant religion, shall educate, or cause to be educated, in the protestant religion according to the church of Ireland as by law established all and every of his or their child or children, who at the time of his or their admission, practicing, or officiating respectively as aforesaid, shall be under the age of fourteen years, or shall be born after such time; and that all and every person or persons whatsoever, who now is or shall hereafter be converted from the popish to the protestant religion, shall in like manner educate, or cause to be educated, all and every his, her, or their child or children, who at the said first day of August, or at the time of their respective conversion, if such conversion shall be after the said first day of August, shall be under the age of fourteen years, or who shall be born after.
III. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any person or person, who now is, are, or hereafter shall be converted from the popish to the protestant religion, shall after the said first day of August, or after the time of his, her, or their conversion (is such conversion shall be after the said first day of August) educate, or knowingly and willingly permit or suffer his, her, or their child or children to be educated, in the popish religion, then and in such case every such person or persons offending herein shall be subject and liable to all such disabilities and incapacities, as persons professing the popish religion are subject and liable unto by the laws and the statutes of this realm.
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IV. Provided always, and be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That from and after the said first day of August no person whatsoever shall be capable of acting as a sub-sheriff or sheriff's clerk, who shall not have been a protestant for five years immediately before such his acting, according to the intent and meaning of this act; and that all and every person or persons offending herein shall be subject to such disabilities and incapacities, as persons professing the popish religion are subject and liable unto by laws and statutes of this realm.
V. Provided, that nothing herein contained shall extend to any solicitor, who has heretofore been allowed to be comprehended within the articles of Limerick or Gallway.
VI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any protestant, or person professing himself to be a protestant, shall from and after the first day of August educate, or knowingly and willingly permit or suffer his child or children, or any of them (not already a papist, and above the age of fourteen years) to be educated in the popish religion, such protestant, or person professing himself to be a protestant, shall from thenceforth be subject and liable to such incapacities and disabilities, as persons professing the popish religion are by law made subject to.
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