AN ACT FOR ENCOURAGING PROTESTANT-STRANGERS AND OTHERS, To Inhabit and Plant in the KINGDOM OF IRELAND.   royal blazon or coat of arms 
C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE DIEV ET MON DROIT 
DUBLIN: Printed by John Crook, Printer to the KING'S most Excellent MAJESTY, and are to be sold by Sam. Dancer, 1662.   

AN ACT For Encouraging PROTESTANT-STRANGERS And Others, To Inhabit and Plant in the KINGDOM of IRELAND.  
FORASMUCH as the Late Intestine Troubles and cruel Wars have much despoiled and wasted this Your Majesty's Kingdom of Ireland, whereby the Trade & Commerce thereof is much decoyed and lessened for want as well of Merchants, Traders and Dealers of Ability to exercise a Traffic as of skilful Artificers, Artizens and Workman for the making and working all Sorts of Manufactures there:  
And whereas for this cause many of the Materials and Commodities of the growth of this Kingdom, as Wool, Flax, Hemp,  and Linen Yarn, Iron, and sundry others the the like, are usually transported, and carried into Foreign Parts, there to be wrought and manufactured into sundry Commodities whereby the people of this Your Majesty's Kingdom are derived of the benefit which might arise by working those materials themselves, and for want of Employment are necessitated to live idly, and poorly, and so apt to run into Thefts, Robberies, Rebellions, and all other sorts of Mischiefs, and if any of the Materials and Commodities aforesaid do happen to be wrought in this Kingdom, either through unskilfulness or other indirect practice of the Workmen, they are usually so wrought, as they are most commonly unfit for wearing at Home, or Merchandizing abroad, and therefore much Coin, and ready Money is carried out, and transported for buying and purchasing of Foreign Manufactures to the great exhausting and diminishing the Treasure of this Kingdom:  
And whereas many Strangers and other● from the consideration of Your Majesty's mos● Princely Wisdom, Clemency and Goodness, and of the plentifulness of all sorts of useful and pro▪ fitable Commodities with which this Your Majesty's Kingdom abounds in a very great measure, might be induced and inclined to transport Themselves and Families to the filling and replenishing of this Kingdom, as well with people as Trade, if such Strangers might be made Partakers of the Advantages, Liberties and Privileges which this Kingdom hath formerly and doth still enjoy, under the most Gracious and Benign Government of Your Majesty, and Your most Royal Predecessors, and have the free Exercise of their Trades, Mysteries, Crafts and Sciences of buying, selling, working and manufacturing the said Materials without Interruption and Disturbance.  
May it therefore please Your most Excellent Majesty that it may be Enacted, And Be it Enacted by the Kings most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and of the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled, and by the Authority thereof, That all and every person and persons born out of Your Majesty's Dominions, of the Protestant Religion, and all Merchants, Traders and Dealers in any Goods, Wares or Merchandizes, Artisans, Artificers or others working or manufacturing any Goods or Commodities, or any Maririners or Seamen who are at present inhabiting within any part of this Kingdom, and all others who shall at any time hereafter within the term of seven Years from the end of this present Parliament, transport his or their Stocks and Families into any part of this Kingdom, with intention that Themselves and Children after them, will inhabit, reside and abide in some part thereof, shall after his or their arrival with his or their Stock, Substance and Family or Families within this kingdom, and after his or their taking the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy, to and of Our Sovereign Lord the King, before the Lord Chancellor, or the Lords Precedents or Vice-Presidents of the Province of Munster or Connaught respectively for the time being, or any judge in his Circuit, who are hereby authorized to administer the said Oaths unto any such person or persons as aforesaid, and thereupon to certify his or their doing thereof unto His Majesty's High Court of Chancery there to remain on Record, deemed, adjugded and reputed Your Majesty's liege, free and natural Subject or Subjects of this Your Majesty's Kingdom, and be adjudged reputed and taken in every respect, condition and degree, to all Intents, Constructions and Purposes, Your Majesty's natural and liege Subjects of this Kingdom, as if they and every of them had been or were born within this Kingdom of Ireland, and that they and every of them, their Wives and Children, in all things, and by all lawful ways and means whatsoever, shall and may use, have and enjoy the full grace and benefit of all and every the Laws, Preeminences, jurisdictions and Customs of this Kingdom, to all Intents, Constructions and Purposes in the Law, or otherwise whatsoever, in the same manner and form as any natural born Subject hath, may or can have, use and enjoy; and that they and every of them shall answer, and shall be answered unto, and shall and may implead or be impleaded in whatsoever Court or Courts of justice or otherwhere within this Your Majesty's Kingdom, as the natural born, free, liege Subjects of this Kingdom of Ireland; And that they and every of them by force of this present Act, shall have full Licence, Freedom, Liberty Power and Authority as well to have, occupy, possess and enjoy, retain and keep, as to ask, demand, challenge and have, and also to acquire, buy and purchase, or receive by gift or otherwise by any lawful ways or means to the use of them, and of all and every or any of them, their Heirs, Executors, Administrators and Assigns of all and every or of any of them for ever, all, any and whatsoever Manors, Messages, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Services, Offices, Hereditaments and other Possessions, Goods real and personal whatsoever, as well by any of their Ancestors and Predecessors acquired and purchased, or to them or any of them made, granted, enfeoffed, conveyed or assured, or which at any times hereafter shall and may be made, granted, enfeoffed, given, conveyed or assured, or shall come as Heir or Heirs to their or any of their Ancestors lineally or collaterally by reason of any Descent, Remainder, Reversion, Right, or any other Title, Gift or Conveyance whatsoever, or which after the first day of this present Parliament, shall descend, remain, revert accrue, come or grow unto Your said Subjects, or any of them, and in the same to inherit, succeed and come by Right of Inheritance or otherwise howsoever, without the Let and Impediment of Your most Excellent Majesty, Your Heirs and Successors, any Law, Custom, Statute, Act, Provision, Ordinance, Restraint or Inhibition to the contrary, before this time made, Enacted, Ordained and Provided, or  other Matter, Cause or thing whatsoever notwithstanding. And also to prosecute, pursue, maintain, avow, justify and defend all and all manner of Actions, Suits and Causes, and all other lawful things whatsoever, to do as lawfully, frankly, fully, liberally, surely and freely as if Your said Subjects had been and were born within this Kingdom of Ireland, and as any other person or persons naturally born within this Kingdom of Ireland, may Lawfully or in any wise do, any Act, Law, Statute, Custom, Ordinance, or other Thing whatsoever, had, made, done, premulged or provided to the contrary hereof in any wise notwithstanding.  
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every person and persons as well Strangers and Aliens as His Majesty's Subjects of the Protestant Religion, who is, are or shall be Traders, Artisans, Artificers, Seamen or otherwise skilled and exercised in any mystery, craft or trade, or in the working or making any Manufacture or Art of Navigation, who are at present residing and inhabiting within this Kingdom, or who shall at any time hereafter come into any City, Burrough, Privileged and Incorporated Town or Place of this Kingdom, with Intent, Purpose and Resolution, there to inhabit, reside and dwell, shall upon his or their reasonable Suit or Request made, and upon payment down or tender of Twenty Shillings by way of Fine unto the Chief Magistrate or Magistrates and Common Council, or other persons authorized to admit and make Freemen of such City, Town or Corporation where he or they do intent to inhabit, reside or dwell, be admitted a Freeman of any such City, Burrough or Privileged or Incorporated Town or Place within this Kingdom, and if he or they shall desire it, of all or any Guild, Brotherhood, Society or Fellowship of any Trade, Craft or other Mystery within all or any the same, and during his or their Residence for the most part, and his and their Families constant Inhabiting within this Kingdom, and no longer to have, exercise and enjoy all Privileges and Immunities of trading, buying, working and selling, in as large and ample manner as any Freeman of any such City, Burrough, Privileged and Incorporated Town or other Place, might have, exercise or enjoy by virtue of his or their Freedom; and that every such person or persons whatsoever, who shall be admitted to be free as aforesaid, shall from thenceforth be deemed, esteemed, taken and be Denizen and Denizens within this Kingdom, any former Law, Statute, Charter, Usage or Custom of this Kingdom, or of any City, Burrough, Privileged Incorporated Town, or other place of the same to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.  
Provided always, and Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Strangers, Artificers and others, to be admitted Freemen as aforesaid, before he or they be admitted to be Freemen as aforesaid, shall take the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance to Our Sovereign Lord the King, his Heirs and Successors, and also such other Oaths as is accustomably taken by all or any Freemen or Member of any City, Burrough, privileged or incorporated Town or other place in this Kingdom, or all or any the Members of any Guild or Brotherhood, Society or Fellowship of the Trade, Craft or other Mystery which he or they shall occupy or exercise, in case he or they shall desire to be incorporated into any such Guild, Brotherhood, Society or Fellowship aforesaid, and shall pay, bear and sustain all such Offices and like Charges as all Freemen His Majesty's Subjects of all like Trade, Craft or Mystery shall or do always use to bear and pay, and no other or more.  
And Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Chief Magistrate, Magistrates or other persons authorized as aforesaid. of any City, Town or Corporation, or any Master, Warden or other Governor of any Brotherhood, Society or Fellowship, or any Trade, Craft or Mystery within any such City, Town or Corporation, shall refuse to admit any Trader, Artificers, Artisan, Workman or Seaman, being or coming into this Kingdom with Intent as aforesaid to be a Freeman of the City, Town, or Corporation where he or they intent to inhabit, reside or dwell, or to be a Brother or Member of any Brotherhood, Society or Fellowship within the same, every such Chief Magistrate or Magistrates, Master, Warden or other Governors respectively, shall forfeit for such his denial the sum of one hundred pounds; And every Trader, Artificer, Artisan, Workman or Seaman so denied to be admitted a Freeman of any City, Town or Corporation, or to be a Member or Brother of any Brotherhood, Society or Fellowship within the same, upon tender by him or them made of Twenty Shillings by way of Fine, as aforesaid, and taking the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance as aforesaid, before any justice of Peace of the County next adjacent to such City, Town or Corporation, or wherein such City, Town or Corporation is situated, who is hereby authorized and appointed to administer such Oaths, shall thereupon by virtue of this present Act, be deemed, reputed and taken to all Intents and Purposes to be a Freeman or Member of the said City, Town, Corporation, Brotherhood, Society of Fellowship of any Trade, Craft or Mystery where he or they shall inhabit, reside or dwell, and be denied admission as aforesaid, and thenceforth have, exercise and enjoy the Liberty and Privilege of trading, working, buying or selling of any Commodities whatsoever in as large and ample manner as if he had been admitted a Freeman of such City, Town or Corporation, a Brother or Member of such Brotherhood, Society or Fellowship of any Trade, Craft or Mystery within the same, taking the usual oaths of such Brothers or Members, which Oath any one justice of Peace near adjoining, shall have power to administer, and bearing and sustaining all such Offices and Charges as aforesaid, any Law, Charter, Custom or Usage to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.  
And in case any person or persons shall give any interruption or disturbance to any Trader, Artificer, Artisan, Workman or Seaman aforesaid, to the hindering him in his working, buying or selling as aforesaid, contrary to the intent and meaning of this present Act, every such person or persons shall for every such offence forfeit the sum of Twenty pounds.  
And Be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That no Stranger born out of the King's obeisance, using any manner of Trade, Craft, Manufacture, Mystery or Occupation, and inhabiting within any of the Cities, Burroughs, Towns and Suburbs and Liberties thereof, or other places as aforesaid, shall at any one time use, take, retain and keep into his or their services, any Apprentices or any manner of journeymen or Covenant-Servants above the number of Six, besides his or their Sons or Daughters, who are all to be Protestants, or else the Protestant Subjects of Our Sovereign Lord the King, & born under his obeisance, upon pain to lose his or their Freedom, and to forfeit for every such Apprentice, journeyman or other servant that he or they shall take or entertain above that number, contrary to this Act, the sum of ten pounds, the one half thereof shall be to Our Sovereign Lord the King, and his Heirs, and so of all other forfeitures mentioned in this present Act, and the other half to him or them that shall sue for it or them in any of the King's Courts of of Records, or before any judge or judges of Assize in his or their respective Circuits, by Bill, Plaint, Action of Debt or Information, wherein no Wager of Law, Essoyn or Protection shall be allowed.  
And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That all Strangers of the Protestant Religion transporting themselves and families, and being Naturalised as aforesaid, shall for the space of seven years from & after such transporting of themselves and families, and taking the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance, as aforesaid, be freed and exempted from payment of Excize, for any of their private Household, 〈…〉 or Provisions, any Statute, Law, 〈…〉 Customs to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.  
FINIS.