1708: 7 Anne, c.5: An Act for naturalizing Foreign Protestants.
[Rot. Parl, 7 Anna, p. 2. n. 4.]
[Reasons for passing this Act.]
WHEREAS the Increase of People is a Means of advancing the Wealth and Strength of a Nation And whereas many Strangers of the Protestant or Reformed Religion out of a due Consideration of the happy Constitution of the Government of this Realm would be induced to transport themselves and their Estates into this Kingdom if they might be made Partakers of the Advantages and Priviledges which the natural born Subjects thereof do enjoy Be it enacted by the Queens most Excellent Majesty by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament assembled and by the Authority of the same That all Persons born out of the Ligeance of Her Majesty Her Heires or Successors who shall take and subscribe the Oaths and make repeat and subscribe the Declaration appointed by an Act made in the Sixth Year of Her present Majesties Reign
[Stat. 6 Ann. c. 78. §3.]
intituled An Act to make forther Provision for electing and summoning Sixteen Peers of Scotland to sit in the House of Peers in the Parliament of Great Britain and for trying Peers for Offences committed in Scotland and for the further regulating of Voters in Elections of Members to serve in Parliament
[In what Manner and where the Oaths to be taken.]
which said Oaths shall be taken and subscribed and Declaration made repeated and subscribed in the Courts of Chancery Queens Bench Common Pleas or Exchequer in Term Time in England or in any of them in open Court or before the Lords of Council and Session or Lords of Justiciary or Barons of the Exchequer in open Court in Scotland or at some [General’] Quarter Sessions of the Peace to be held for the County where he or they do or shall inhabit reside or settle between the Hours of Nine and Twelve in the Forenoon the taking and subscribing of which Oaths and the making repeating and subscribing such Declaration shall be entred on Record in the same Courts for the doing whereof [only’] One Shilling shall be paid all and every such Persons shall be deemed adjudged and taken to be Her Majesties natural born Subjects of this Kingdom to all Intents Constructions and Purposes as if they and every of them had been or were born within this Kingdom.
[Persons naturalized, first to take the Sacrament, and produce Certificate thereof.]
II. Provided always and be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Person or Persons of what Quality Condition or Place soever shall be naturalized by virtue of this Act unless the said Person or Persons shall have received the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in some Protestant or reformed Congregation within this Kingdom of Great Britain within Three Months before their taking the Oaths in this Act mentioned and shall at the Time and Place of taking and subscribing the said Oaths and of the making repeating and subscribing the said Declaration produce a Certificate signed by the Person administring the said Sacrament and attested by Two credible Witnesses whereof an Entry shall be made of Record in the said Court without any Fee or Reward.
[Children of naturalized Persons, born out of England, deemed natural-born Subjects.]
III. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Children of all natural born Subjects born out of the Ligeance of Her Majesty Her Heires and Successors shall be deemed adjudged and taken to be natural born Subjects of this Kingdom to all Intents Constructions and Purposes whatsoever.
[Persons born out of Ligeance, to qualify themselves.]
IV. And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all Persons born out of the Ligeance of Her Majesty Her Heires or Successors who shall qualifie themselves in the Courts of Chancery Queens Bench Common Pleas or Exchequer within the Kingdom of Ireland or at some General Quarter Sessions of the Peace to be held for the County where he or they do or shall inhabit reside or settle within the said Kingdom in like Manner as Persons are by this Act required to do within the Kingdom of Great Britain all and every such Persons shall be deemed adjudged and taken to be Her Majesties natural-born Subjects of the said Kingdom of Ireland to all Intents Constructions and Purposes as if they and every of them had been or were born within the said Kingdom of Ireland.
* interlined on the Roll.
Source: Statutes of the Realm, vol. 9.
Further reading: Wikipedia.
See also: 1711: 10 Anne c.9: Repeal of the Foreign Protestants Naturalization Act; 1731: 4 George 2 c.21: British Nationality Act.
Note: Ruffhead’s and Pickering’s editions of the Statutes at Large give this as 7 Anne c. 9.