Page:Studies in Irish History, 1649-1775 (1903).djvu/337

After Limerick Act for the better observation of the Lord's Day, commonly called Sunday," and it was aimed at suppressing the old sports and pastimes of the people on Sundays. Hurling, football, cudgells, and other pastimes on the Sabbath were forbidden under a penalty of twelve pence, or two hours in the stocks. These two Acts were suggested by the same spirit as prompted the Penal Laws proper, and they infringed in the same way the personal and religious liberty of the people.

During the next few years the Penal Code received its most important additions. So far the Articles of Limerick had only been partially repudiated; now they were to be set aside altogether. The Articles had provided that Papists should enjoy such privileges in the exercise of their religion as were consistent with the laws of the kingdom, or as they did enjoy in the reign of Charles II. But now, in 1697, an Act was passed for banishing all Papists exercising ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and all regulars of the Popish clergy out of Ireland. The idea of this Act was to keep out all the religious orders and sanction only the secular priests. These secular priests were in time expected to die out, for, as no bishops were to be allowed to remain in the country, or to come into it, no new priests could 325