commonly known as the
PENAL LAWS
STATUTES BY SUBJECT -- FAMILY RELATIONS
2 Ann. c.6 (1703):
An Act to prevent the further Growth of Popery
Sec. 3. The Protestant child of popish parents may bring a complaint
in the Court of Chancery, which court may order such popish parent
to maintain such child suitable to the degree and ability of such
popish parent and the age of such child, and order an appropriate
portion for every such Protestant child to be paid at the decease
of such popish parent.
If the eldest son and heir of a popish parent shall become protestant,
such popish parent shall, from the time of inrolment in chancery
of a certificate of the bishop of the diocese testifying the son's
being a protestant, become only tenant for life of any real estate
which the popish parent shall then own, and the reversion vested
in such protestant eldest son, subject to maintenances and portions
for the other children, as the court shall order, not to exceed
one third of the estate, and free of all settlements, sales and
incumbrances made by the popish parent after conversion of the
son. And rolls shall be kept in a publick place of such certificates,
where all persons may at seasonable times resort to and peruse
the same without fee.
2 Ann c.6 (1703):
An Act to prevent the further Growth of Popery
Sec. 4. No person of the popish religion shall be guardian unto,
or have custody of, any child under the age of 21 years, but such
orphan child shall be disposed of by the court of chancery to
some near relation of the child being protestant and to whom the
estate cannot descend, or, in case there be no such fit protestant
relation, to some other Protestant, who is required to use his
utmost care to educate such minor in the protestant religion until
the age of 21 years.
And the court of chancery shall order the education in the protestant
religion of the children of any papists, where either the father
or the mother of such children shall be a protestant, to the age
of 18 years, and appoint where, by whom and in what manner such
child shall be educated, and the father of such children shall
pay the charges of such education, and such children shall be
taken from such popish parent for education according to such
order.
And any person professing the popish religion who shall take upon
themselves the guardianship of any orphan contrary to law, shall
forfeit five hundred pounds the benefit to the Blue-coat hospital
in Dublin.
8 Ann c.3 (1709):
An Act for explaining ... an Act to Prevent the further Growth
of Popery
Sec. 3. Where any children of popish parents shall conform themselves
to the protestant religion as by law established, the court of
chancery upon a bill brought by such children, may oblige such
popish parents to discover upon oath the full value of all their
estate, personal and real, and to make such order for the maintenance
of such protestant children as the court shall judge fit..
By such order the estate of the popish parents shall be charged
with such portions, future maintenances and support, notwithstanding
any fraudulent gift or sale or voluntary disposition, provided
not more than one third of the estate shall be disposed of for
such maintenance and support of protestant children during the
life of such popish parents.
8 Ann. c.3 (1709):
An Act for explaining ... an Act to Prevent the further Growth
of Popery
Sec. 4. Whereas such popish parents do set up fraudulent settlements
and incumbrances to make their estate appear small, in order to
deprive such of their children as shall become protestants of
a reasonable maintenance, the court of chancery upon new bills
may augment such maintenance and portion allowed to such protestant
children, according to the value of the estate at the time of
such new bills.
8 Ann. c.3 (1709):
An Act for explaining ... an Act to Prevent the further Growth
of Popery
Sec. 5. Provided that if such new bills are groundless and vexatious,
they shall be dismissed, with costs to the defendant.