THE CATHOLIC RELIEF ACT, 1782

In 1782 the right to purchase land was restored to Catholics, and a number of restrictions on the Catholic clergy were relaxed, though various limits placed upon these concessions reflect the continuing unease among Protestants over granting full civil and political liberty to Catholics.

AN ACT FOR THE FURTHER RELIEF OF HIS MAJESTY'S SUBJECTS OF THIS KINGDOM PROFESSING THE POPISH RELIGION

I. Whereas all such of his majesty's subjects in this kingdom, of whatever persuasion, as have heretofore taken and subscribed, or shall hereafter take and subscribe, the oath of allegiance and declaration prescribed by an act passed in the thirteenth and fourteenth years of his present majesty's reign, entitled An act to enable his majesty's subjects of whatever persuasion, to testify their allegiance to him, ought to be considered as good and loyal subjects to his majesty, his crown and government; and whereas a continuance of several of the laws formerly enacted, and still in force in this kingdom, against persons professing the popish religion, is therefore unnecessary, in respect to those who have taken or shall take the said oath, and is injurious to the real welfare and prosperity of Ireland; therefore be it enacted ... that from and after the first day of May 1782 it shall and may be lawful to and for any person or persons professing the popish religion, to purchase, or take by grant, limitation, descent, or devise, and lands, tenements, or hereditaments in this kingdom, or any interest therein (except advowsons, and also except any manor or borough, or any part of a manor or borough, the freeholders or inhabitants whereof are entitled to vote for burgesses to represent such borough or manor in parliament) and the same to dispose of as he, she, or they shall think fit, ….

V. And be it enacted ... that no popish ecclesiastic, who hath heretofore taken and subscribed, or who shall hereafter take and subscribe, the oath of allegiance and declaration, prescribed by an act passed in the thirteenth and fourteenth years of his present majesty's reign, entitled An Act to enable his Majesty's subjects of whatever persuasion, to testify their allegiance to him, in the manner and form as hereinafter is particularly specified and set forth, and who shall register his Christian and surnames, place of abode, age, and parish, if he have a parish, and the time and place of his receiving his first, and every other popish orders, and from whom he received them, with the register of the diocese where his place of abode is (for every which registry the sum of one shilling and no more shall be paid to the register) shall, after the passing of this Act, be subject to any of the penalties, incapacities, or disabilities, mentioned in an Act made in the ninth year of the reign of King William the Third, entitled An Act for banishing all popish papists exercising any ecelesiastical jurisdiction, and regulars of the popish clergy out of this kingdom, or in an Act made in the second year of Queen Anne, entitled An Act for registering the popish clergy, or in an Act made in the second year of Queen Anne, entitled An Act to prevent the further growth of popery or in an Act made in the second year of Queen Anne, entitled An Act to prevent popish priests from coming into this kingdom, or in an Act made in the fourth year of Queen. Anne, entitled An Act to explain and amend an Act, entitled An Act for registering popish clergy or in an Act made in the eighth year of Queen Anne, entitled An Act for explaining and amending an Act, entitled An Act to prevent the further growth of popery

VI. Provided always, that no benefits in this Act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any regular of the popish clergy, who shall not be in this kingdom at the time of passing this Act, …

VIII. Provided always, that no benefits in this Act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any popish ecclesiastic who shall officiate: in any church or chapel with steeple or bell, or at any funeral in any church or church-yard, or who shall exercise any of the rites or ceremonies of the popish religion, or wear the habits of their order, save within their usual places of worship, or in private houses, or who shall use any symbol or mark of title whatsoever, …

IX. Provided also, that nothing in this Act contained shall be construed to extend to any person or persons who shall be perverted from the Protestant to the popish religion, but that all the pains penalties and disabilities, which now subsist, according to the laws now in being, shall remain in full force against such ...

X. Provided also, that no benefits in this Act contained shall be construed to extend to any popish ecclesiastic, who shall procure, incite, or persuade any Protestant to become a papist; …

XII. And be it enacted ... that so much of an Act passed in the seventh year of King William III, entitled An Act for the better securing the government by disarming papists, as subjects any papists, who shall after the twentieth day of January 1695 have or keep in his possession, or in the possession of any other person to his use or at his disposal, any horse, gelding, or mare, which shall be of the value of five pounds or more, to the penalties therein mentioned; and also so much of an Act passed in the eighth year of Queen Anne, entitled An Act for explaining and amending an Act, entitled An Act to prevent the further growth of popery, as enables the Lord Lieutenant or other chief governors of this kingdom, to seize and secure any horse, mare or gelding belonging to any papist, or reputed papist, upon any invasion likely to happen, or in case of intestine war broke out, or likely to break out, shall be, and is, and are hereby repealed.

XIII. And be it enacted ... that so much of an Act passed in the ninth year of King George the Second, entitled An Act for continuing and amending several statutes now near expiring as enables the grand jury to present for the reimbursing such persons who have been robbed by privateers in time of war, for such losses as they shall respectively sustain thereby and for applotting and levying the same on the lands, tenements and hereditaments, goods, and chattels of all the popish inhabitants of the county where such robbery shall committed, shall be, and is hereby repealed.

XIV. And be it enacted ... that so much of an Act passed in the sixth year of King George the First, entitled An Act for the better regulating the parish watches, and amending the highways in this kingdom, and for preventing the misapplication of public money, as subjects such papist or papists who shall not provide a Protestant watchman to watch in their turn, to the penalties therein mentioned, shall be, and is hereby repealed.

XVI. Provided also, that no benefit herein contained shall extend or be construed to extend, to any person who hath not heretofore, or who shall not hereafter before the accruing of such benefit to such persons or persons, being of the age of twenty-one years, or who being under the age of twenty-one years, shall not within six months after he or she shall attain the age of twenty-one years, or being of unsound mind, or in prison, or beyond the seas, or under coverture, then within six months, after such disability removed, take, and subscribe the oath of allegiance and declaration prescribed by an Act passed in the thirteenth and fourteenth years of his present Majesty's reign, entitled An Act to enable his Majesty's subjects of whatever persuasion, to testify their allegiance to him, …

STATUTES AT LARGE PASSED IN THE PARLIAMENTS HELD IN IRELAND, 1310 1800 (1786 1801), vol. xii, pp. 237 242.

Extracted from Edmund Curtis and R B McDowell editors, Irish Historical Documents 1172-1922 Methuen London 1943 pp196-198