The Popery Act 1698 (11 Will. III, c. 4) was an

Act of Parliament Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...

of the

Parliament of England The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England from the 13th century until 1707 when it was replaced by the Parliament of Great Britain. Parliament evolved from the great council of bishops and peers that advised t ...

enacted in 1700. The

long title In certain jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom and other Westminster-influenced jurisdictions (such as Canada or Australia), as well as the United States and the Philippines, primary legislation has both a short title and a long title. The ...

of the Act was "An Act for the further preventing the Growth of Popery".'William III, 1698-9: An Act for the further preventing the Growth of Popery. hapter IV. Rot. Parl. 11 Gul. III. p. 2. n. 2., Statutes of the Realm: volume 7: 1695-1701 (1820), pp. 586-87. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=46963. Date accessed: 16 February 2007. Section I was intended to address an alleged recent growth of Roman Catholicism by ensuring the existing anti-Catholic laws were more strongly applied. To that end, the section provided that any person who apprehended a "Popish Bishop, Priest or Jesuite" who was then prosecuted for "saying Mass or exerciseing any other Part of the Office or Function of a Popish Bishop or Priest within these Realmes" would receive £100 from the

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

of that county within four months of the priest's conviction. In effect, it placed a

bounty Bounty or bounties commonly refers to: * Bounty (reward), an amount of money or other reward offered by an organization for a specific task done with a person or thing Bounty or bounties may also refer to: Geography * Bounty, Saskatchewan, a g ...

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

priests A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deity, deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in p ...

. Section II provided for the Treasury to reimburse Sheriffs for money expended on such payments. Section III, expanding on the existing legislation, enacted that if a Catholic priest celebrated Mass, etc., as above, or if any Catholic clergyman or layperson ran a school or "take upon themselves the Education or Government or Boarding of Youth"; he was on conviction liable to "perpetuall Imprisonment" at the discretion of the King. Despite its severity, that was to some extent a mitigation of the provisions of the Jesuits, etc. Act 1584, which prescribed the death penalty for any priest who failed to leave England within 40 days of being so ordered. Another provision disallowed Catholic schooling, inheritance and purchase of land. The

Papists Act 1778 The Papists Act 1778 is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain (18 George III c. 60) and was the first Act for Roman Catholic relief. Later in 1778 it was also enacted by the Parliament of Ireland. Before the Act, a number of "Penal laws" ...

exempted those taking the oath under that act from some of the provisions of the Popery Act 1698. The section as to taking and prosecuting priests was repealed, as was the penalty of perpetual imprisonment for keeping a school. The Act was repealed by section 1 of the Religious Disabilities Act 1846.Religious Disabilities Act 1846 (9 & 10 Vict c 59)

References

*''The Law & Working of the Constitution: Documents 1660-1914'', ed. W. C. Costin & J. Steven Watson. A&C Black, 1952. Vol. I (1660–1783), p. 90-1. 1698 in law 1698 in England Acts of the Parliament of England concerning religion Anti-Catholicism in the United Kingdom Christianity and law in the 17th century 1698 in Christianity {{statute-stub