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XIII. ‘And whereas a Practice has prevailed of administering and receiving Oaths and Affidavits voluntarily taken and made in Matters not the Subject of any Judicial Inquiry, nor in anywise pending or at issue before the Justice of the Peace or other Person by whom such Oaths or Affidavits have been administered or received: And whereas Doubts have arisen whether or not such Proceeding is illegal;’ for the more effectual Suppression of such Practice and removing such Doubts, be it enacted. That from and after the Commencement of this Act it shall not be lawful for any Justice of the Peace or other Person to administer, or cause or allow to be administered, or to receive, or cause or allow to be received, any Oath, Affidavit, or solemn Affirmation touching any Matter or Thing whereof such Justice or other Person hath not Jurisdiction or Cognizance by some Statute in force at the Time being: Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to extend to any Oath, Affidavit, or solemn Affirmation before any Justice in any Matter or Thing touching the Preservation of the Peace, or the Prosecution, Trial, or Punishment of Offences, or touching any Proceedings before either of the Houses of Parliament or any Committee thereof respectively, nor to any Oath, Affidavit, or Affirmation which may be required by the Laws of any Foreign Country to give Validity to Instruments in Writing designed to be used in such Foreign Countries respectively.
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