1753: 26 George 2 c.26: An act to permit persons professing the Jewish religion to be naturalized by parliament; and for other purposes therein mentioned.

WHEREAS by an act made in the seventh year of the reign of King James the First, intituled, An act that all such as are to be naturalized or restored in blood, shall first receive the sacrament of the Lord’s supper, and the oath of allegiance, and the oath of supremacy; every person who shall apply to be naturalized by act of parliament, being of the age of eighteen years or upwards, is required to receive the sacrament of the Lords supper within one month before the bill for such naturalization be exhibited whereby many persons of considerable substance professing the Jewish religion are prevented from being naturalized by bill to be exhibited in parliament for that purpose;

And whereas by an act made in the thirteenth year of his present Majesty’s reign, intituled, An act for naturalizing such foreign protestants, and others therein mentioned, as are settled, or shall settle in any of his Majesty’s colonies in America, persons professing the Jewish religion who have inhabited and resided, or shall inhabit and reside for the space of seven years or more in any of his Majesty’s colonies in America, and shall not have been absent out of some of the said Colonies, for a longer Space than Two Months, at any one time, during the said Seven Years, are naturalized, upon their complying with the Terms therein mentioned, without their receiving the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper:

Be it therefore 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 Persons professing the Jewish Religion may, upon Application for that Purpose, be naturalized by Parliament, without receiving the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper; the said Act of the Seventh Year of the Reign of King James the First, or any other Law, Statute, Matter, or Thing, to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding.

Provided also, and it is hereby further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person shall hereafter be naturalized in pursuance of this Act, unless in the Bill to be exhibited for that Purpose there be a Clause inserted, declaring, That such Person shall be subject and liable to the Disabilities expressed in the Act, made in the First Year of the Reign of his late Majesty King George the First, intituled, An Act to explain an Act, made in the Twelfth Year of the Reign of King William the Third, intituled, An Act for the further Limitation of the Crown; and better securing the Rights and Liberties of the Subject: And no such Bill of Naturalization shall hereafter be received in either House of Parliament, unless such Clause be first inserted or contained therein.

Provided also, and it is hereby further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That no Person shall be naturalized, by virtue of any Act to be made or passed in pursuance of this Act, who shall not, for the Space of Three Years or upwards, before the time of the exhibiting the Bill for that Purpose, have inhabited and resided in his Majesty’s Dominions of Great Britain or Ireland, without being absent out of the same for a longer Space than Three Months at any one time during the said Three Years; of the Truth whereof Proof shall be made in such of the Two Houses of Parliament, in which the said Bill shall be exhibited, by Two credible Witnesses.

Provided also, and it is hereby further Enacted, That no Person shall be naturalized by virtue of any Act to be made or passed in pursuance of this Act, unless Proof shall be made by Two credible Witnesses, That such Person professeth the Jewish Religion, and hath for Three Years past professed the same; the Proof, in both Cases before-mentioned, to be made in such manner as is now practised in both Houses of Parliament respectively when Proof is made, that any Person hath received the holy Sacrament, in order to Naturalization.

And it is hereby further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That, from and after the First Day of June One thousand Seven hundred and Fifty-three, every Person professing the Jewish Religion shall be disabled, and is hereby made incapable, to purchase either in his or her own Name, or in the Name of any other Person or Persons, to his or her Use, or in Trust for him or her, or to inherit or take by Descent, Devise, or Limitation, in Possession, Reversion, or Remainder, any Advowson, or Right of Patronage or Presentation, or other Right or Interest whatsoever, of, in, or to, any Benefice, Prebend, or other Ecclesiastical Living or Promotion, School, Hospital, or Donative whatsoever, or any Grant of any Avoidance thereof; and all and singular Estates, Terms, and other Interests whatsoever, of, in, or to, any Benefice, Prebend, or other Ecclesiastical Living or Promotion, School, Hospital, or Donative, which, from and after the said First Day of June, shall be made, suffered, or done, to or for the Use or Behoof of any such Person or Persons, or upon any Trust or Confidence, mediately or immediately, to or for the Benefit or Behoof of any such Person or Persons, shall be utterly void, and of none Effect to all Intents, Constructions, and Purposes, whatsoever.

Notes: This act was repealed the following session of parliament by 1754: 27 George 2 c.1.

Source: Baskett, A Collection of Statutes for the year 1753.

Further reading: Wikipedia.