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Power of Court to summon and examine Witnesses.
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XXXIII. It shall be lawful for the Court, by Summon under its Seal, to require the Attendance before One of the said Judges or any Officer of Said Court, at a Time and Place to be mentioned in such Summons, of all such Persons as in shall think fit to examine in relation to any Question or Matter depending before the said Court, and to require all such Persons to produce before the said Court or Judge or Officer all Deeds Books, Papers, Documents, and Writings relating to such Question or Matter, and to examine upon Oath, or, in case of Persons allowed to make Affirmations or Declarations in lieu of an Oath, upon Affirmation or Declaration (as the Case may require), all Persons who shall attend under such Summons, and all Persons who shall voluntarily attend as Witnesses; and it shall be lawful for either of the said Judges or any Officer appointed for that Purpose generally or in the particular Matter to administer such Oath, Affirmation, or Declaration, and every Person required by such Summons so to attend who without reasonable Cause, to be allowed by the said Court, shall fail to appear according to the Tenor of such Summons, or shall refuse to be sworn or to make Affirmation or Declaration (as the Case may be), or shall not make Answer to all such Questions as shall be lawfully put to him on such Examination, or shall refuse or fail to produce before the said Court, Judge, or Officer any such Deed, Book, Paper, Document, or Writing, being in or under his Custody, Possession, or Power, as shall be lawfully required to be produced by him before the said Court, Judge, or Officer, shall for such Default of Appearance, Refusal to be sworn or to make Affirmation or Declaration, or for not answering any such Question as aforesaid, or not producing such Deed, Book, Paper, Document, or Writing, incur and be liable to all such Penalties, Prosecutions, Actions, and Suits as a Person might incur or be liable to for failing to appear or refusing to be sworn or to give Evidence in any Suit or Matter depending in the High Court of Chancery in Ireland; and the said Court, and each of the Judges thereof, shall have the like Powers, Jurisdiction, and Authority for enforcing the Attendance of Persons summoned as aforesaid, for punishing Persons failing to appear or refusing to be sworn or to make Affirmation or Declaration, or to give Evidence, or guilty of Contempt, and generally for enforcing all Orders made by the said Court under any of the Powers or Authorities vested in it under this Act, and otherwise in relation to the Matters to be inquired into and done by them under this Act, as are by Law vested in the High Court of Chancery in Ireland for such Purposes in relation to any Suit or Matter depending in such Court.
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