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to the next judges of affize, or to the juftice of peace at the next general quarter feffions.

Juftices of peace may apprehend and commit all popish ecclefiafticks, who remain in this kingdom contrary to this act, and fupprefs all monafteries, friaries, nunneries, or other popifh fraternities or focieties; and shall give account in writing of their proceedings in execution of this act, at the next general quarter felkons, to be there entered and registered.-If any juftice of the peace fhall neglect doing his duty in execution of this act, he fhall forfeit 100. one moiety to the king, and the other to the informer, and be disabled from ferving as a juftice of peace during his life.

2d Ann. ch. 3d. 1702.-Every clergyman of the popifh religion, that fhall come into this kingdom at any time after the 1st of January, 1703, fhall be liable to the penalties by 9th Will. 3d ch. 1. impofed on the popish ecclefiafticks therein mentioned, and any perfon who fhall knowingly harboar, relieve, conceal, or entertain any fach clergyman, fhall be liable to the penalties by faid act of 9th Will. 3d ch. 1. impofed on the harbourers, rerelievers, and concealers of the popifh ecclefiafticks therein mentioned, to be levied in fame manner.-Every fubject to use his utmoft diligence in apprehending fuch clergymen-If any juftice of the peace neglect doing his duty in execution of this act, he fhall forfeit £100. one moiety to the king, and the other to the informer, and be difabled from ferving as a juftice of the peace during his life.Every perfon who has returned, or come, and offended contrary to faid act of 9th Will. 3d ch. 1. or who fhall at any time hereafter return, or come into this kingdom contrary to the faid act, or to this act, fhall and may be indicted, and tried for fame

in fuch connty wherein found and taken, or in any county where the king by commiffion under the great feal fhall direct and appoint.

This act to continue in force for fourteen years, and to the end of next feffion of parliament after expiration of faid fourteen years, made perpetual by 8th Ann. ch. 3. f. 17.

2d Ann. ch. 6. 1701.-Whereas fuperftitions of popery are increafed and upheld by pretened fanctity of places, as St.Patrick's purgatory in the county Down, and wells, to which pilgrimages are made, by which the public peace is difturbed, and fafety of the government hazarded, it is enacted, that all meetings and affemblies for fuch purpofe fhall be adjudged riots and unlawful affemblies, and punished as fuch--and all magiftrates are required to be diligent in putting the laws in torce against all offenders, in the above particulars.

Every perfon meeting or affembling there, forfeits, on conviction before a magistrate, 10s. one moiety to the informer, and the other to the poor, and on default of payment to be publicly whipped, which is to be inflicted within twenty-four hours after order for fame-Every perfon who at fuch affemblies,builds booths, fells abe, victuals, or other commodities, forfeits on conviction before a magiftrate, 20s. to be levied by diftrefs and fale of the goods of the offender, and in default of diftrefs, by the imprifonment of the offender till payment, the faid 20s. to be applied to the fervice of the public, in fuch manner as the feffions fhall appoint.And magiftrates are required to demolish all croffes, pictures, and infcriptions that are any where publicly fet up, and are the occafions of any popish fuperftion.

2d Ann. ch. 7. 1702.--Popish priefts now in the kingdom, at next feflion after St. John the Baptift, 1704

fhall

hall return to the clerks of the peace, their names, abode, ages, parithes, time and place of receiving orders, and from whem, and give fecurity for gooi behaviour, and not to remove to other parts of the kingdom, under the penalty of transportation as popith regulars, and incurring like penalties upon their retura into the fame, as popifh regulars are liable to, under the 9th Will. 3d ch. 1. and the clerks of of the peace fhall tranfmit, in ten days ofter the feflions, fuch return (on pain of 10.) to the clerk of the council, who is to give a receipt without fee, (on pain of £10.) and the return fo tranfmitted, may be viewed without fee. Popish priests neglecting to regifter purfaant to this act, fhall leave the kingdom before 20th of June, 1706, on pain of profecution as popish regulars. No popish prieft fhall keep nor have any popish curate, affiftant, or coadjutor.

This act to continue in force for five years, and until the end of the next fucceeding parliament, and no longer.

It never was continued, and it is of courfe expired.

4th Ann. ch. 2. 1704.Popish priests, or perfons exercifing the of fice of popifh priests, other than such priefts who have actually registered, purfuant to the 2d Ann. ch. 7. if found in this kingdom after 24th of June, 1705, fhall be liable to the penalties by 9th Will. 3d ch. 1. impofed on the popish ecclefiafticks therein mention ed. Any perfon who fhall, after 24th of June 1705, knowingly harbour, relieve, conceal, or entertain any fuch unregistered popish prieft, or perfon exercifing the office of popifh prieft, fhall be liable to the penalties by 9th Will. 34 ch. 1 impofed on the harbourers, relievers, and concealers of the popish ecclefiafticks therein mentioned, to be leveid in faid manner.

All fubjects to ufe diligence in ap. prehending fuch as are not registered. -If a magiftrate neglects his duty in execution of this act, he forfeits 15. one moiety to the king, and the other to the informer.

This aft to continue in force to the 21ft of September 1708, and to the end of the then next feffions of parliament.

This act made perpetual by the 8th Ann. Ann. ch. 3. f. 17.

8th Ann. ch. 3. 1708.-No popish parish priest, fhall keep or have any popifh curate, affiftant, or coadjutor; and every popifh arifh prieft, that fhall keep any fuch popifh curate, affiftant, or coadjutor, fhall loofe the benefit of having been registered, and fhall incur and fuffer all the pains and penalties of a popish regular, and shall be profecuted as fuch, and every fuch popish curate, affiflant or coadjutor, fhall be deemed and taken as a popish regular, and shall be profecuted and proceeded against accordingly.

If a any perfon after the ift of September, 1709, fhall difcover any archbifhop, bishop, vicar general, dean, jefuit, monk, friar, or any other regular popish clergyman, or any papift exercifing any ecclefiaflical jurifdiction, or any fecular popith clergyman who hath not been legally registered, fo as the faid regular or fecular clergyman be apprehended and legally convicted, every perfon making, fuch difcovery, thall receive as a reward for the fame, the feveral fums following, viz. £50. for every archbishop, bishop, vicar general, or other perfons exercifing any foreign ecclefiaftical jurifdiction in this realm, and the fum of 20. for each regular clergyman, and each fecular clergyman not registered purfuant to the law, to be levied on the popish inhabitants of the county, where fuch regular or fecular popih clergyman did refpectively exercife fuch fo

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reign jurifdiction, or officiate as a popih prieft, and fhall be convicted thereof.

Two juftices may fummon any papift fixteen years old to appear before them in three days, at a certain time and place not above five miles from his habitation.-If fuch papift fhall Deglect to appear, or appearing, fhall refufe to give his teftimony on oath, where, and when he heard, or was prefeat at the celebration of the popish mafs, and who celebrated the fame, and who, and what perfons were prefeat at the celebration thereof, and likewife for, and touching the being refidence and abode of any popifh regular clergyman, who may be difguifed, concealed, or itinerant in the county, and alfo fully anfwer to all fuch matters, circumftance and things for, and touching such popish perfon of fending, within thirty days, contrary to this and the former act, to prevent the further growth of popery, fuch papift fhall be imprifoned for one year, unless he or she pays a fum not exceeding 20. to the poor of the parih-the papift fo examined and confeling, fhall be discharged from any penalty by him incurred, by reafon of any offence fo confeffed.

Popish priefts registered pursuant to the act for that purpose, fhall take the cath of abjuration, before the 25th of March, 1710, in one of the Four Courts, or at fome quarter feffions held for the place where fuch popish priefts were registered; upon neglect or refufal, and after faid 25th March, 1710,celebrating mafs, or officiating as a popish pricft, fuch popish prieft fhall incur and foffer fuch penalties as a popih regular clergyman convict is liable unto.

No popin prieft fhall officiate in any part, except that for which he was registered, under the penalties popin regular convict is liable to. zift and 22d Geo. 3. ch. 24 1782. -No popith ecclefiaftick, who hath

heretofore taken and fubfcribed, or who fhall hereafter take and fubfcribe the oath of allegiance and declaration, prefcribed by 13th and 14th Geo. 3d. in the manner and form herein fpecified and fet forth, and who fhall regifter his chriftian and furnames, place of abode, age and parish, if he have a parish, and the time and place of his firft and every other popish orders, and from whom he received them, with the diocefe where his place of abode is, fhall after the paffing of this act, be fubject to any of the penalties, incapacities, or difabilities mentioned in 9th Will. 3d ch. 1. 2d. Ann. ch. 3. 2d. Ann. ch. 6. 2d. Ann. ch. 7. 4th. Ann. ch. 2. 8th Ann, ch. 3.

No benefit to regular popifh clergy, who fhall not be in the kingdom at the time of pafling this act, nor to any regular popifh clergy then in this kingdom who fhall not have taken and fubfcribed the faid oath, and registered his name and additions fix months after the paffing of this act, nor to any popish ecclefiaftick, who fhall not upon his change of place of abode, or of popish orders, or removal from the parifh towhich he had fo returned,and as often as it fhall fo happen, make a return of fuch change and removal within fix months after it fhall hap. pen, to the then regifter of the dio. cefe, where he had originally register. ed his name and additions as aforefaid.

No benefit to any popish ecclefiaftick, who fhall officiate in any church or chapel with a fteeple or a bell, or at any funeral in any church or churchyard, or who fhall exercife, any of the rites or ceremonies of the popish. religion, or wear the habits of their order, fave within their feveral places of worship, or in private houfes, or ecclefiaftick dignity or authority, or who fhall ufe any fymbol or mark of affume or take any ecclefiaftick rank or title whatsoever.

(To be continued.)

Maynooth College.

When a Catholic philofophet takes an extended view of the revolutions and viciffitudes in human affairs for thefe last thirty years, when rifing above the petty cabal and the party fpirit of the times, he looks abroad into the world and contemplates the ftupendous works which Providence to effect its own wife ends, has performed; when he fees a confpiracy of infidels, in France, against the R. C. faith,

baffled and made the means of exalt

ing that faith to the greatest glory; when he fees almost all the anti-catholic princes of the continent fallen from their high protestant estate into annihilation or infignificance; but particularly, when he fees the circumftances of Europe and the world forcing the English people into a fyftem of liberality and toleration; what a triumph muft he not enjoy? With what contemptuous fatisfaction muft not he behold the puny efforts of men against a religion defended by the fpirit of God? He muft feel that the blood of his forefathers was not inglorioufly or vainly fpilt; he must be convinced that Ireland having expiated her national crimes, is deftined fhortly to be happy. The old man who looks back to the days that are gone by, who remembers the perfecutions of his father's time, wonders and rejoices at the change in favour of his religion.

The contraft indeed is ftriking between a fyftem of animofity, bigotry and blood, and one of quiet and conciliation.

The greatest mark of the revolution in public fentiment from intolerance to liberality, what moft attefts the rapidly encreafing toleration of our age is the establishment of an Irish Catholic College at Maynooth. The foundation of this college was certainly an æra aufpicious to Ireland; for the reluc

1

tance with which the boon was beflowed to the Catholics only difplayed the expediency or rather the neceflity of fuch a public favourable measure being adopted by the English government.

We have our ears every day din'd by the brawling of political hypocrites who would fain make the people of Ireland believe that they owe all the political favours they have received to the benignity, the affection, and the generofity of their fifter country.

The British may have been a generous race, but certainly their charity never began at home. We are mightily inclined to think that it was a like generofity which gave Ireland in 1782 her legislative independence, that has for thefe laft thirty years exerted its munificent influence in favour of the Irish catholic. When we read over the melancholy pages of our hiftory not a bright paffage can we find where this proverbial British generosity recommends itself even by one folitary noble deed to after-love or to afterglory. The very Stuarts for whom the Irifh inceffantly shed their pureft blood, rewarded their obftinate, their too pertinacious loyalty with the bafeft ingratitude, with the most scornfull forgetfullnefs. Everyone knows thatitwas during the minifterial reign of litt the college of Maynooth was founded. It was Lord Camden too that laid the foundation stone. Both these statesmen were indeed affectionately attached to the old religion of Ireland. No Irish Catholic at prefent can dwell on the memory of the former without enthufiafm, and the name of the latter revifits his ear with all the sweet endearment of the most happy remembrance. Thefe were the men thro' whom British generofity chofe to convey to the Irish her fpontaneous bleffings.

We have been very diligent in our endeavours to come at the private his

tory

tory of the Catholic college, and to learn the courfe of ftudies followed in the house, knowing that such a subject maft highly interest the whole catholic body, as its welfare involves what to them has always been the dearest confideration, their religion. Every information that could be got concerning it, we have obtained from the most authentic fource, and we feel the utmoft forrow in declaring that we have been greatly disappointed in the fanguine hopes we entertained of the -fourishing state of this establish

ment.

It is a melancholy truth that for thefe fix years paft this college has been very badly governed. This is the more aftonishing when we confider the character of the men to whofe care it has been entrusted. The board of trustees confifts of the most refpectable and the most dignified of the Catholic bishops of Ireland. That fuch men who poffefs fo much pure integrity of life, and so much fanctity of manners fhould be warped from their duty by any little party fquabbles, aflords a gloomy picture of human nature; our aftonishment however foon fubfided when we heard that a certain lay Lord whom we have had occafion to mention in another place, holds a very predominating influence in the cabinet of the Bishops. Unfufpecting men unused to the intrigue or iniquity of the world may have been impofed on by fpecious cunning, wearing the appearance of religious zeal. At beft we have no other apology to make for the bifhops, for fuffering themfelves to be duped into a dereliction of their duty, and a total neglect of the true intereft of the college. We can never impute to them a wilful defign of injuring that establishment to which alone they can now look for a fucceffion in the catholic miniftry; and the only alternative however that remains for the falration of their characters is that the

ftate of the college bas been always mifreprefented to them. Very few are acquainted with the true character of the Lay Lord above alluded to. We wish that the people knew him, and then we fhould not fee them blindly repofe in him that confidence which his nature must make him abufe. The manner in which he has used the little power, attached to his office as a trullee of Maynooth college, difplays more the lowlinefs and the vindictiveness of his mind, than any other part of his public conduct. The fmalleft portion of power, was enough to turn the head of a man remarkable for nothing more than a weak, drivelling, but cunning intellect. He is we are told, a complete abfolute monarch in his little college-kingdom, and he exercifes his fway most unmercifully. He has carried his high crushing principles fo far, that in the courfe of laft year, he perfecuted with the most unabating animofity, a young man, a ftudent of the college, for no other known reafon, than because the young man refented an unjust and wanton expulfion pronounced against him by the prefident, who happened to be a favourite with the Lay Lord. The ftudent appealed to the trustees for redrefs against his Lordship's minion. His Lordship presided at the board, and the unaffilled ftudent (whose bishop was influenced to withdraw his protection from him) was treated with the most fovereign contempt. The student however, determined if poth ble to clear his character from the ftig. ma of expulfion, and boidly brought his caufe before Lord Manners and the other visitors at the triennial vifitation in June last. The Lay Lord, who himself had retaine counsel againf the Student, had the impudence to fit on the fame bench with the judges, but in defpite of all his endeavours, the ftudent was triumphantly reinftated in the college ftated in the college his orip's

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