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


STATUTES BY SUBJECT -- EDUCATION


7 Will III c.4 (1695):
An Act to Restrain foreign Education

Sec. 1. In case any of his Majesty's subjects of Ireland shall go or send any child or other person beyond the seas to be trained in any popish university, college or school, or in any private popish family, or shall send any money for the support of any such person, then the person sending and the person sent shall, upon conviction, be disabled to prosecute any action in a court of law, or be a guardian or executor, or receive any legacy or gift, or bear any public office, and shall forfeit all their lands and estates during their lives.


7 Will III. c.4 (1695):
An Act to Restrain foreign Education

Sec. 2. Justices of the peace shall make prompt examination, upon the filing of any information that a person, child, or money has been sent beyond the seas contrary to this Act. A finding that such offences have been committed, shall be a conviction as well of the person so being sent as of the parties so sending, and they shall forfeit and incur all the penalties and disabilities before mentioned. One half of all forfeitures shall go to his Majesty, and the other half to the informer.


7 Will III. c.4 (1695):
An Act to Restrain foreign Education

Sections 3-8. Contain detailed procedures for examining the truth of such allegations, presumptions of intent to violate the act, appeals, jurisdiction, etc


7 Will III c.4 (1695):
An Act to Restrain foreign Education

Sec. 9. Whereas it has been found by experience that tolerating at papists keeping schools or instructing youth in literature is one great reason of many of the natives continuing ignorant of the principles of the true religion, and strangers to the scriptures, and of their neglecting to conform themselves to the laws of this realm, and of their not using the English habit and language, no person of the popish religion shall publicly teach school or instruct youth, or in private houses teach youth, except only the children of the master or mistress of the private house, upon pain of twenty pounds, and prison for three months for every such offence.


7 Will III c.4 (1695):
An Act to Restrain foreign Education

Sec. 10. Those cited acts of parliament which require every incumbent of each parish to keep a school to learn English, and provide that a public latin free school be constantly maintained within each diocese, (which acts have generally been kept, but have not had the desired effect, by reason of Irish popish schools being too much connived at), and all other statutes now in force concerning schools shall be strictly put in execution. And for the more effectual doing thereof, the justices of his Majesty's court of Kings Bench each term, and the judges of assize in their respective circuits, and the justices of peace in their general quarter sessions of peace are required to give this and the said former acts in charge to the several grand juries, and to be very circumspect in seeing the same in due execution.


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

Sec. 1. Any person who shall seduce any protestant to forsake the same and to profess the popish religion, as also any protestant who shall be so seduced, shall incur the penalty of praemunire.
And any person who for any reason, shall send any child under the age of 21 into France, or any place beyond the seas, except ships boys and merchants' apprentices, without special licence of her Majesty or the chief governors of this kingdom and four or more privy councillors, they shall incur the penalties of 7 Will 3, ch 4.


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

Sec. 2. Where any judge or two justices of the peace shall have reasonable cause to suspect that any child has been sent abroad, they shall convene the father, mother, or guardian, and shall require them to produce the child within two months. If such persons shall not produce the child without good reasons, or prove that the child resides elsewhere in her Majesty's dominions, such child shall be deemed educated in foreign parts and shall incur all the penalties established for the same.


8 Ann c.3 (1709):
An Act for explaining ... an Act to Prevent the further Growth of Popery

Sec. 16. Whereas notwithstanding the act of 7 Will. III c.4, many persons of the popish religion continue to keep publick schools, and when prosecuted for so doing, do abscond to other counties to keep publick schools, and whereas several protestant schoolmasters, to increase the number of their scholars, so chose to combine with such papists rather than prosecute them, and frequently become negligent of their said duties and leave the instruction of the youth, as well protestant as popish scholars, to the instruction of such popish assistants, whereby popery doth continue to grow in this kingdom, whatever person of the popish religion who shall publickly teach school or instruct youth in learning in any private house, or as an usher or assistant to any protestant schoolmaster, shall be prosecuted as and incur such penalties as a popish regular clergyman.
And no person shall publickly teach school or instruct youth in a private house, or as an usher or assistant to a protestant schoolmaster, unless he first take the oath of allegiance, and subscribe to the declaration against transubstantiation, and the oath of abjuration.
And if any person shall offend herein, or hire one not qualified herein as usher or assistant, he shall forfeit ten pounds, half to the informer and half to the use of the poor of the parish.


8 Ann c.3 (1709):
An Act for explaining ... an Act to Prevent the further Growth of Popery

Sec. 20. For discovering, so to lead to the apprehension and conviction of any popish archbishop, bishop, vicar general, jesuit, monk, or other person exercising foreign ecclesiastical jurisdiction, a reward of 50 pounds, and 20 pounds for each regular clergyman or non-registered secular clergyman so discovered, and 10 pounds for each popish schoolmaster, usher or assistant; said reward to be levied on the popish inhabitants of the county where found.


8 Ann c.3 (1709):
An Act for explaining ... an Act to Prevent the further Growth of Popery

Sec. 31-33. Any papist clergy or schoolmaster liable to transportation under these Acts shall within three months be transported to the common gaol of the next seaport town, to remain until transported. If any merchant freighting any ship outward bound for any port not within the kingdoms of Great Britain or Ireland refuse to take such papists, not exceeding five per ship, if required by the chief magistrate, the collector of customs shall not discharge such ship until such merchant shall consent to receive and transport such papists. Such merchant shall receive 5 pounds for the transportation of every such person to any part of the West Indies not being subject to her Majesty, and 3 pounds to Europe, and shall enter into a recognizance in the amount of 50 pounds that he shall transport such papist outside of her Majesty's dominions. If any such papist shall be found in this kingdom out of the custody of the said merchant or ships master, he shall suffer the penalties of such regular clergyman who hath been banished and returned again.


1 Geo II c.20 (1727):
An Act for Regulating the Admissions of Barristers at Law, ...

Sec. 3. Any convert from the popish to the protestant religion who shall after the time of their conversion, permit their children to be educated in the popish religion shall be liable to all the disabilities of papists.


1 Geo II c.20 (1727):
An Act for Regulating the Admissions of Barristers at Law, ...

Sec. 5. If any protestant permit his children under the age of 14 years to be educated in the popish religion, such protestant shall be subject to all the disabilities of papists.


9 Geo II c.25 (1735):
An Act for ... providing for and educating Foundling Children

Sec.17 and 20: The work-house in Cork shall receive all exposed or foundling children in Cork and the liberties thereof and take due care that they be nursed, clad, and taught to read and write, and thoroughly instructed in the principles of the protestant religion. And whereas many of the children exposed in the streets of Dublin and Cork are of popish parents, and many of such children, by access of their parents and popish relations, who notwithstanding all possible care to prevent it, find means to converse with them, are prevented from embracing the protestant religion, the governours of the work-houses of Dublin and Cork may exchange children.


19 Geo II c.7 (1745):
An Act for the more effectual preventing his Majesty's Subjects from entering into foreign Service, ...

Sec. 6. The statute of 7 Will. III, c.4 is to be read at all assizes etc.

 


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