The Seventh Year of George II. - Chap. VI.

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A.D. 1733

Whereas it is necessary for the preservation of the protestant interest, and of the peace of this kingdom, that no persons whatsoever should be justices of the peace in any part thereof, but such only as are of known affection to the protestant religion and our present happy establishment; be it therefore 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 no person, who is or shall be converted from the popish to the protestant religion, shall be capable of being or acting as a justice of the peace within this kingdom, whose wife is or shall be a papist, or who doth educate or cause to be educated in the popish religion all or any of his children, who shall be

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under the age of sixteen years; and if any person, who is or shall be converted from the popish to the protestant religion, shall from and after the twenty ninth day of September, which shall be in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty four, act as a justice of the peace within this kingdom, whose wife is or shall be a papist, or who doth educate, or cause to be educated, in the popish religion all or any of his children, who shall be under the age of sixteen years, such person, so acting contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, shall upon legal conviction thereof suffer one year's imprisonment, without bail or mainprize, and forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds, to be recovered by bill, plaint, or information, in any of his Majesty's courts of record; one moiety of which forfeiture is to be to the use of his Majesty, his heirs and successors, and the other moiety to him or them, who shall sue for the same; and from thenceforth, such person so convicted as aforesaid, shall be for ever incapable of being an executor, administrator, or guardian.