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Popish priests, &c. or degraded or pretended clergyman of the church of Ireland, celebrating marriage between protestants or so reputed, or a protestant and papist, felony without clergy.
6 Anne 16.
19 G. 2. 13.
the marriage void, if by popish priest.
23 G. 2. 10.
yet felony in him.
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WHEREAS clandestine marriages are for the most part celebrated by popish priests and degraded clergymen, to the manifest ruin of several families within this kingdom: for remedy whereof be it enacted by the King's most excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal and commons in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That if any popish priest, or reputed popish priest, or person pretending to be a popish priest, or any degraded clergyman, or any layman, pretending to be a clergyman of the church of Ireland as by law established, shall after the twenty fifth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and twenty six celebrate, or take upon him to celebrate, any marriage between two protestants, or reputed protestants, or between a protestant or reputed protestant and a papist, such popish priest, or reputed popish priest, and such degraded clergyman, and layman, pretending to be a clergyman, shall be, and is hereby declared to be, guilty of felony, and shall suffer death as a felon without benefit of the clergy or of the statute.([1]
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