Original Letters - Forgotten Books

ORIGINAL

LETTERS AND PAPERS

In lllutttatton

OF THE

HISTORY OF THE CHURCH IRELAND,

DURING THE REIGNS

OF EDWARD v1 ., MARY, AND ELI! ABETH.

EDITED,WITH NOTES,

FRO) ! AUTOGRAPHS IN THE STATE-PAPER-OFFICE,

EVELYN PHILIP SHIRLEY, Esq . M .A.

aloubou

FRANCIS JOHN RIVINGTON,

s'

r. mu m’

s 011 0c YARD, AND wA'rERm o PLACE .

185 1 .

P R E F A C E.

Our Relygyon is so abused, as the Papists rejoyce, the newters

do not myslike changes, and the fewe zelouse professors lamente

the lacke of pyetye.

”

TheEarl of Sm to Sir W. Cecil, July 22, 1562 .

EVERY one who has studied the History of the

Church in Ireland during the eventfu l period im

mediately sub sequent to the Reformation , mu st

necessarily have remarked how limited are the

sources of information which are accessib le to the

ecclesiastical inqu irer. Indeed, writers of every

party, both Churchmen and Dissenters, unite in

deploring the loss and ru inous waste which has

taken place amongst the Records of the Irish

Church.

Impressed with these views, when engaged some

years ago in the State Paper Office in collectingmaterials for the Topographical History of a dis

A 3

vi P REFACE .

trict in the north of Ireland, I was much struckwith the numerous letters relating to the affairs

of the Church, to be found scattered among the

vast collection of papers there preserved, and

wh ich have reference to Ireland. It occurred to

me at the time, that it might not be an uninte

resting labour, or entirely unacceptab le to the

Church, to make a selection from these papers, and

commit them to the press, after the model of Sir

Henry Ellie’s valuable series of letters illu strative of

English History .

The accession of Edward VI . evidently appeared

the proper point from whence to commence the

selection , inasmuch as the Ecclesiastical Papers

which remain in the State Paper Office of a date

anterior to the death of Henry VIII ., have been

already given to the publicin the generalcollectionof State Papers relating to Ireland, which were

printed in 1834.

The present series of Papers (for they cannotall strictly becalled Letters) commences then withthe accession of Edward VI ., and embraces every

document of interest affecting the state of the Irish

PREFACE . vfi

Church , or written to, or by, the Irish Prelates and

Dignitaries, which I havemetwith in the StatePaperOmce, from that time to the ninth year of Elizabeth,1567. In somecases indeed the extreme length of

the original papers, having reference not only to

the Ecclesiastical, but the Civil state of the king

dom, required extracts only to be given ; but in

these cases nothing which concerned the Churchhas been omitted, it having been my object to preserve every fact likely to throw light on the very

obscure state of the Church du ring the reigns of

Edward VI . and Mary and the early part of that of

Elizabeth .

If indeed the pub lication of these Papers should

assist in the smallest degree to unravel the complicated chain of the History of the Holy CatholicChurch , still by God’s blessing estab lished in Ireland,the object of thecompiler will be fully attained ;

for although they may be considered to throw but

little additional light on the all-engrossing topicof theday— the Pretension s of Papal Rome— they

may perhaps be of service in assisting to prove.

that

the assertions of those modern statesmen who affirm

that the Romish Church has existed in Ireland in

viii PREFACE.

unbroken succession from the time of the Reforma

tion , rests on a very inadequate fou ndation ; it is

evident, that although, from the distracted state of

the times, the Reformation was necessarily very im

perfectlycarried out in Ireland, the true successionof Bishops in the Church was ever preserved, and

that solely in the line of Prelates acknowledged bythe State ; the Romish intruders into their Dioceseshave derived their orders from Italy and Spain, sincethe Reformation, and not from the Irish Church

It remains for me to acknowledge the assistancewhich I have received from many friends during thepreparation oftheseLetters for thepress,among whom

I desire particularly to express my obligations to the

Ven . Henry Cotton, Archdeacon of Cashel;

John O’Donovan, Esq., the learned Editor of the

“Annals of the Four Masters John Holmes, Esq.,

of the British Museum ; the Rev. W illiam Reeves,

D .D., M.R.I.A and the Rev . John Jebb , Rector ofPeterstowe, in thecounty ofHereford.

See Perceval’s Apology for the Doctrine of Apostolical Succession , Ed. 1841 , Appendix, p. 260. and Palmer’s Treatise on the

Church, vol. ii. pp . 559—569.

C O N T E N T S.

REIGN OF KING EDWARD THE SIXTH.

PAGEI .— The Lords ofthe Councilto the Lord Deputy and CouncilofIreland, relating to the suppression of Saint Patrick’s College, Dublin the Plate to be sent to Bristol partof theCollege Church to be converted into a Church for the

II.—A Scheme for the Endowment of a University to be erectedin Dublin , from the funds of the late suppressed CathedralChurch of St. Patrick, &c., by George [Browne] , Archbishop of Dublin .

III.—Edmund [Butler], Archbishop of Cashel, to the Duke ofSomerset. State ofthecountry, praise ofMr . Bellingham,

and recommendation ofWalter CowleyIV.—Christopher [Bodekin] ,Archbishop ofTuam,to Sir EdwardBellingham, Lord Deputy, ofl

'

ering his services, thecountryneedeth reformation, lack of Justice

V .— lnterrogatories apparently againstGeorge [Browne] , Archbishop of Dublin

, for neglect of duty in the Government ofthe Church

VL—Walter Palatyne to Sir Edward Bellingham, Lord Deputy,desiring h im to help the bearer (Mr. Stephens) to a ser

vice ia the Church ; diligence in the book of reformation”.

CONTENT S.

PAGEVIL—Edward [Staples] , Bishop of Mouth , to the Secretary of

Sir Edward Bellingham, Lord Deputy relating to him the

excessive hatred which he has incurred for preaching theReformed Religion

VIII—Sir Edward Bellingham,

.

Lord Deputy, to John Esam,

or Issam, advertising him of the death of the Bishop of Kildare. Desires that no Bishopricks be granted but by theinformation of the Deputy

IX .—John Brereton to Sir Edward Bellingham, Lord Deputy,requesting preferment in the Church for the bearer, a poorpriest, who is desirous ofministering according to the orderthat shallbe set forth

X.—Sir Edward Bellingham

,Lord Deputy, to Mr. Fitzwilliams,

Treasurer of the late Church of St. Patrick’s, warning himnot to infringe the King

’

s injunctions for the ChurchXL—The Lord Protector Somersetand the Lords of the Council

to Sir Edward Bellingham, Lord Deputy of Ireland, andthe Lords of the Council there. The Dean of St. Patrick’sto deliver to Mr. Agard 1000 ounces of Plate for the Mint

XII .—The Sovereign and his b rethren of Kilkenny to the LordDeputy, Sir Edward Bellingham. Had received his letters,and, inconsequence, warned all the Priests to appear before his Lordship and the Council on Sunday next

XIII.—The Lord Protector Somerset and the Lords of the

Councilto Sir Edward Bellingham,Lord Deputy of Ireland,

and the Lords of the Council there. The Bishoprick of

Kildare to whom the Deputy shall think meet for the

XIV.-Walter Cowley to theLord Deputy, Sir Edward Belling

ham. The abolishment of Idolatry, Papistry, &c., withinthe Diocese of Cashel. TheArchbishop’s presence very ex

XV.—George [Dowdal], Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir JohnAlen

,Chancellor, and the Council of Ireland, has b een at

Armagh, with the Earl [of Tyrone] . The obedience of theClergy. TheBlind Bishop atDerry, in O

’Doherty’s Country

31

36

CONTENT S . xi

pAGE

XVI .— Instructions by the King and Councilto the Lord Deputy[Sir Anthony St. Leger] and the Council of Ireland. Re

gulations for the Church Service, and against embezzlement of the Church Property

XVII.— Sir Anthony St. Leger, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to theLord Treasurer. State of Religion the Bishoprick of

Ossory vacant ; recommends h is Chaplain to that SeeXVIII .— Sir Anthony St. Leger, Lord Deputy, and the Council

of Ireland, to the Council in England, recommending JohnBrady to be appointed to the Bishoprick of theBrenny [i. e.

Kilmore], now vacantX IX.

— Sir Anthony St. Leger, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to Mr .

Secretary Cecil , sorry the Lords of the Councilwill not appoint his Chaplain to the vacant Secof Ossory .

XX—Sir Anthony St. Leger, Lord Deputy of Ireland, toMr.

Secretary Cecil, hadcaused the whole service of the Com

munion to be put into LatinXXL—Sir Anthony St. Leger, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to the

Duke of Somerset. Thanks for the Bishoprick given to h isChaplain ; desires that he may hold with the same his two

smallBeneficesXXII .— Instructions requ ired by Sir James Croft, Lord Deputy

of Ireland, respecting the Archb ishopricks of Armagh and

Casheland the Bishoprick ofElphin answers fromtheKingin Councilto the above. Further instructions required bythe Lord Deputy, with His Majesty’s Answer to the same 50

XXIII .—George [Browne] , Archbishop of Dublin, to the Earlof Warwick, accusing Sir Anthony St. Leger, late LordDeputy, and the Archbishop of Armagh, who had fled theRealm, of Papisticalpractices 54

XXIV. Sir James Croft [Lord Deputy] to the Duke of Northumberland. The Sees of Armagh, Cashel, and Ossoryvacant, recommending one Leverosse,

” for either of the

latter SeesXXV — Sir James Croft [LordDepu ty] to Sir William Cecil,complaining of the negligence and ignorance of the Bishops

xii CONTENT S .

PAGEand Clergy of Ireland, and desiring that some learned menmay be sent over to set forth the king’s proceeding ”

XXVI.—Deposition of Sir Jobn Alen, Knight, relating tocertainwords against the Protestant Religion, said to have beenuttered by Sir Anthony St. Leger, late Lord Deputy of Ireland 65

REIGN OF QUEEN MARY.

XXVII.— Instructions to Sir Anthony St. Leger, Lord Deputyof Ireland

, to restore the Mass . [Articles for the re-esta

blishment of the Roman CatholicReligion , with the opinionof the Lord Fitzwalter

,Lord Deputy, l566.]

XXVIII .— Petition of Conoghour McKartie, Clerk, to QueenMary, for a Letter of Licence to go to Rome to obtaincertain poor Benefices from the Pope

XXIX.— The Archbishop of Armagh [George Dowdal] to the

Archbishop of York, Lord Chancellor, and theLords of theCouncil in England, complains that the Army had spoilt

the See of Armagh, and requ ires redressXXX. Private suite of GeorgeDowdal, Archbishop ofArmagh,

to have power to pass EcclesiasticalCensures on disobedientIrishry ; and for licence to purchasecertain premises at

Termonfeghin, for the purpose of founding a College 82

REIGN OF QUEEN ELI! ABETH.

XXXI .—Edward Staples, Bishop ofMeath, to SirWilliam Cecil,recounts howcruelly he had been used in the late Queen’stime, and deprived of his Bishopricfor having married awife, desires redress

CONTENT S . XIII

e E

XXXII.- Extract from Queen Elisabeth’s Instructions to

Thomas, Earl of Sussex, Lord Deputy of Ireland, and

to the Lords of the Council with him, for the Governmentof the same realm 90

XXXIIL—Memoranda ofcertain private su its. The Dean of

Tuam is allowed Confirmation of his Deanery, and otherBenefices. The Bishop of Leighlin, having submitted to theQueen, to beconfirmed in his Bishoprick, and certain ex

changes to be made 92

XXXIV.—Postscript to a Letter from the Earl of Sussex,

Lord Deputy, to Sir William Cecil. The Lord Chancellor (the Archbishop of Dublin) desires his recall intoEngland . 94

XXXV.—Alexander Craik, Bishop of Kildare, to the Lord

Robert Dudley. Hecannot preach to the people, or thepeople understand him. One Mr. Loftus his only help. He

XXXVI . - The Earl of Sussex, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to SirWilliam Cecil. The appointment of Mr. Loftus to the

Archb ishoprick ofArmagh .

XXXVI] .~ Alexander Craik, Bishop ofKildare, to Sir William

Cecil. Recommendation of Mr Adam Loftus, occasionedby the stay of his preferment to the Archbishoprick of

XXXVIII.—Alexander Craik, Bishop oi Kildare, to ss wn.

liam Cecil. Bishoprick ofMeath, which itwas theQueen’spleasure he should have

XXXIX -Alexander Craik, Bishop ofKildare, to SirWilliamCecil. Deanery of S. Patrick’s. Desires to be dischargedof his firstfruits, or that he may be recalled into England.

More preachers to be sent to lrelandXL.—Gerot, or Gerald, Earl of Desmond, to Sir William Cecil,recommending his Chaplain, Sir Edmonde Hiflirnau,” to

XLI.- Alexander Craik, Bishop of Kildare, to SirWilliam Cecil,not being able to endure much labour in preaching

, has

a

CONT ENT S .

mes

sent for his acquaintance David Padye Parson of CommonWestleys in thecounty ofSouthampton, to assist him, havingheard that the Bishop ofWinchester intends to deprivehimfor non -residence, desires proceedings to be stayed

XLII.—Alexander Craik, Bishop ofKildare,to SirWilliam Cecil.Desires licence to repair to England, for the dispatch of hisurgent afl

‘

airs, and for recovery of his healthXLIII .—Gerot, Earl of Desmond, to Queen Elizabeth. Will

assist the Bishop in the furtherance of ReligionXLIV.

—The Earl ofSussex, Lord Deputy, to SirWilliam Cecil.Lack of piety. The peoplecome to Divine Service as to a

May-game

XLV .—The Lord Deputy and Councilto Queen Elizabeth, have

received an answer from the Dean of Armagh. Thechapter there be so sparkekd, as hecan by no means assemblethem to the election of Mr. Adam Loftus. Queen Eliabeth in answer to the above

XMIL—Alexander Craik, Bishop of Kildare, to Sir WilliamCecil. In the Marshalsy for his first fruits desires the

XLVII .—Queen Elizabeth to the Earlof Sussex, Lord Deputy.The Dean of Armagh to bemade Archbishop there. The

Archbishop of Armagh to be translated to Dublin. The

Archbishop of Dublin to have a pension . Brady to beBishop of Meath

XLVIII.—A Scheme for a College to be erected in DublinXLIX.

—Commission given by David Wolf, Commissary fromthe Pope, to absolve allmanner of falls from the Church

L.- Hugh Brady, Bishop elect of Meath, to Sir William Cecil.Has arrived in Dublin . Hisconsecration fixed for the 19th

Ll -Extract from a Paper or Petition written apparentlyby William Pierres, Constable of

' Carrickfergus ; humbly desiring that it may be her highness’s pleasure to

prefer some worthy learned man to the Bishoprick of

Down

CONTENT S . XV

PAGELIL—Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, and Hugh Brady,Bishop of Meath, to SirWilliam Cecil, recommending thatMr. Beard, Vicar of Greenwich, may be preferred to theBishoprick of Kildare

LIII . -Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, to Sir William Cecil.The burden of his ofice. My Lord Chancellor preachethnow and then . The Primate diligently. Mr. Beard a greathelper in the business. Praiseof the Lord Lieutenant [theEarl of Sussex], who is not like to live over Midsummer

LIV.—Sir Thomas Wroth and Sir Nicholas Arnold, two of the

Commissioners for Ecclesiastical Causes, to the Lords of

the Privy Council. State ofReligion. Examfles of thosewho offend against the Laws to be made. EcclesiasticalInjunctions. Praise of the two good Bishops of Armaghand Meat The rest of the Bishops be all Irish.

” The

alteration of St. Patrick’sLV.—Hugh Curwin, Archbishop of Dublin, and Lord Chancellorof Ireland, to Queen Elizabeth, desires to be disburdened ofhis ofiices by reason of his sickness, notage, and to betranslated to a Bishoprick in England, or to be presented with apension of equal amount with his Archb ishOprich .

LVI -Hugh Curwin , Archbishop of Dublin , and Lord Chancallor of Ireland, to Sir William Cecil, to the same efl‘ect asthe preceding letter to Queen Elizabeth

LVII—Queen Elizabeth to the Earlof Sussex, Lord Lieutenant,for Robert Dale [Daly], one of the Prebendaries of St.

Patrick’s, well able to preach in the Irish tongue, andcommended for his good name and life, to be preferred to thevacant Secof Kildare

LVIII -Hugh Curwin,Archbishop of Dublin, and Lord Chan

callor of Ireland, to the Earl of Pembroke. Desires hisinterest to prevent St. Patrick’s Church from being converted into an University, and for licence to elect a new

Dean there

xvi CONTENT S .

PAGELIX.

—Sir Thomas Wroth to Sir William Cecil. Commen

dation of the bearer, Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath. JohnUsher, a zealous man in Christ’s religion, desires to farmthe Customs ofDublin

LX .- Queen Elizabeth to the Lord Justice and Lord Chancellorof Ireland, for the prefen nent of James Maccavill to theBishoprick of Down .

LXIF —Queen Elizabeth to the Lord Justice and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, tohave incommendam the Deanery of St. Patrick’

LXII.—Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, to Sir William Cecil.Mastership of the Rolls. Suit ofWalter Hopp. The alte

ration of St. Patrick’s Church into a University very necessary, and much recommended

LXIIL—The answers of Richard Creagh to the Interrogationsof Sir William Cecil, as to his going to Rome

, and as to the

English or Irishflmxbjects who were acquainted with his

LXIV.—Examination ofRichard Creagh, prisoner in the Tower

of London, taken by Richard Ousley, Recorder of London,and Thomas Wilson, Master ofSt. Katherine

’s Hospital

LXV.-The Explanation of Richard Creagh, prisoner in the

Tower ofLondon, as tosome points in the preceding Exam

L;1XVI.-Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, to Sir William Cecil,

laments that the Deanery of St. Patrick’s is bestowed onthe Lord Primate

LXVII. —Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to the Earl ofLeicester and Sir William Cecil. Thanks for their favourat his being at the Court. Hopes that her Majesty willexcuse hius

ttlse payment of the first fruits of the Deanery

of St. Patrick’s. Commends the suits of William Leech

LXVIII.—Hugh Brady, Bishop ofMeath, to Sir William Cecil.The first fruits of Alderchurch ; his poverty. Things wax

CONTENTs. xvii

PAGEworse than otherwise. Suits of RobertGorye and Geofi

‘

ry

Pinchback. The matter of Saint Patrick’ The victoryof O

’Neil against the ScotsLXIX.

—Adam Loftus, Archbishop ofArmagh ,andHugh Brady,Bishop of Meath, to Sir William Cecil, in favour of the

bearer James McCanwell on whom her Majesty has bestowed the Bishoprick of Down, which hecannot enjoy, asShane O’

Neil’s brother holds it by authority of the Bishopof Rome

LXX—Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Queen Elizabeth . Commission ofcauses Ecclesiastical. Great offencescommitted against thelaws. The nobility and ChiefGentlemen continually frequent the Mass. Desires further Instructions in order to their amendment, and recommendsthat they should be somewhat sharply dealt with .

LXXI - Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir WilliamCecil, begs him to deliver the preceding letter concerningcauses Ecclesiastical to the Queen, and to procure an

answerLXXII .—Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, to Sir William Cecil.

Thanks for his rightcomfortable letter. Thematter of the

College. Recall of the Archbishop of Dublin, The Old

Unprofitable Workman,” recommended, and provision tobe made for the Lord Primate at his resignation of the

Deanery of St. Patrick’s. The erecting of an Academy theonly way to extirpate ignorance

LXXIII .—RobertDaly, Bishop ofKildare, to SirWilliamCecil.Report of alteration of Religion in England. Triumph ofthe Papists. Reported that certain learned men of our

religion are put from their Livings in England. The poorProtestants often resort to him to learn what the matter

LXXIV.—Extracts from Instructions given to Sir Henry

Sidney,Knight of the Order of the Garter, &c.” Laws for

themaintenance of the Christian Faith. The Clergy to beWellinstituted. The Arehbishoprick of Casheland Bishop

a 3

xviii CONTENTs.

PAGErick of Ossory long void toconsider whether a union of

these sees would be advisable. Toconsider whether theBishoprick of Limerick is void. The College of St. Patrick’Alienations of Benefices. Ecclesiastical Commission

LXXV.-Extracts from S' H. Sydneys opinio'

uppo" y°minitof Instructio'

s first devised for by“

LXXVI—Extracts from an Instruction for Sf Henry SidneyKnigh

LXXVII—AdamLoftus, Archbishop ofArmagh, to SirWilliamCecil. The Rectory of Dunboyne for his brother the bearer .

First Fruits of the Deanery of St. Patrick’s. Report thatno small offence is taken with some of the ministry in England for not wearing such apparelas the rest do. All the

monuments, tokens, and leavings of papistry recommended

to be removed. Dr. Welsh, late Bishop of Meath, committed to theCastle ofDublin : itwere fit he should be sentto England

LXXVIII.—Sir Thomas k '

to Sir William Cecil. O’Neil

sends the Dean of Armagh with presents to the Queen.

There is none of his vocation more able to serve his Princethan the Dean . The north of Ireland would have greatcause to rejoice if he was made Primate. The presentPrimate to be preferred to a better dignity. O

’Neil to be

rewarded. TheDean’s virtuous exhortations have producedgood order in the north

LXXIX.—Adam Loftus

,Archbishop ofArmagh , to SirWilliam

M . St. Patrick’s the fittest place in the land for a

common place of learning. The old [arch-lbishop ofDublinto becalled home, and replaced by one willing to resign thePrebendal stalls, &c. Poverty alone hath prevented hispresence, or that of the Bishop of Meath, in order to pressthis matter. Suit for theRectory ofDunboyne. To bewareof one Johnson, who sueth for the Bishoprick of Ossory

LXXX .—Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy, to SirWilliam Cecil.

Begs that the Bishopricks of Ossory and Cashel be not

granted till Sidney writes out of Ireland his conceipt is,

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XX CONTENTS .

PAGELXXXIX—Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to SirWilliam Cecil, recommending the suit of the Archbishop ofDublin, to be disburthened forthwith of his ofice, and tohave the last half year’s rent of the Bishoprick of Oxford 250

XC.—Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to the Lordsof the Privy Council in England, in favour of the bearer,Christopher Gafi'

euey, to be Bishop ofOssory, enclosing twoletters from Curwin , Archbishop of Dublin , and Brady,Bishop of Meath, in hiscommendation

XCI.—Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to the Lords of

the Privy Council. That such Bishops may be hereafterappointed in Ireland, as may be Bishops indeed. That a

zealous and learnedman may beplaced in the See ofDublinand that St. Patrick’s be tu rned into a College of the

StateXCII .—Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir WilliamCecil, on the same subject. Thecase of the people to bepitied—much fieeced and nothing at all fed. Mr. ViceChamberlain , the bearer, fully instructed of this matter

XCIIL—Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir WilliamCecil, in favour of Christopher Gafi'

ney, to be Bishop of

Ossory. The place Irish, and none of h is country birthmoremeet than he

XCIV.—Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir WilliamCecil. If Gafi

‘

ney be made Bishop of Ossory, his Beneficesto be bestowed on some fit and godly man, viz ., Mr. Leche 261

XCV.—Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir WilliamCecil, recommending James Maccavill, or MacCaghwell, tobe Archbishop of Cashel

XCVI.—Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to Sir

William Cecil. Imperfection of the Irish Bishops. Deathof the t 0p of Ferns. John Devereux, Dean of Ferns,recommended to succeed to that See, and to retain his

Deanery '

mcommendamXCVII.- Nicholas Devereux to SirWilliam Cecil, recommend

ing his nephew John Devereux, Dean of Ferns, to beBishop

con 'rnN

'rs . xxi

pas s

of that See ; and that hemay enjoy the said Deanery incommendam 267

XCVIII.—Adam Loftus, Archbishop ofArmagh, to SirWilliamCecil, gone into England for the benefit of his health. The

College and Archbishoprick of Dublin. The Bishop of

Meath an unfitman for that See. Sorry that he formerlyrecommended him to it. Devereux most unfit for the

Bishoprick of Ferns .

XClX -Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath. to Sir.

William Cecil.The Lord Primate, now in England, hath threatened to

mission forcauses Ecclesiastical. If he is accused by his

hath drawn too fast fom rds. Trusts there will be no dis

sension between the Primate and himself .

0.—Adam Loftus, Archbishop ofArmagh, to Sir William Cecil.Presses the furtherance of his publicsuits as to the IrishChurch, and the Archb '

mhoprick of Dublin unreformed

state of thatDiocese. Excuses his absence from thecourtCL—Quoen Elizabeth to Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of

Ireland. The Bishoprick of Ferns, together with the

Deanery incommendam, to be bestowed upon John Deve

CII . -Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir WilliamCecil. The profits of his Archbishoprick not above 201. perannum,

which he desires to resign, for it is worth nothing tohim, nor is he able to do any good in it, as it is altogetheramong the Irish

CIII — Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir WilliamCecil, reminding him of the bearer, Mr. Maccavill (MacCaghwell) , to be preferred to theArchb ishoprick of Cashel:well recommended by my Lords of Canterbury and Salisbury .

CIV -Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir WilliamCecil, begs h is discharge of the debt of 1656. due to the

Barons of the Exchequer. If his request is granted, trusts

XXll CONTENT S.

pas s

he need trouble him with no further suits ; otherwise, fearshe shall be obliged to put away his preachers

CV.—Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to SirWilliamCecil. Necessity of an able Chancellor. Translation of the

Archbishop ofDublin to the See of Oxford. The excelleucyin learning, and unspotted life ofMr. Goodman, recommend

CVI —Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to the Lordsof the Privy Council, enclosing a letter from RichardCreagh, the Pope’s Titular Archbishop of Armagh, to hisLordship. His return into Ireland as Archbishop ofArmagh.

O’Neilland the Cathedral Church of Armagh. Peace withO’Neill. The old service in the Churches

CVII.—Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir WilliamCecil. Mr. Christopher Goodman the fittestman ofEnglishbirth to be preferred to the Archbishoprick ofDublin

CVIII . -Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to SirWilliam Cecil, recommending Daniel Cavenagh to be madeBishop of Leighlin

CIX.—Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to AdamLoftus, Archbishop of Armagh,communicating the Queen ’

s

pleasure to translate his Grace to the Archbishoprick of

DublinCX .

-Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir WilliamCecil, on the subject of the preceding letter ; hopes that ifhe succeeds to the See ofDublin hemay be allowed to enjoythe Deanery of St. Patrick’s incommendam ; if this maynot be, he is minded to remain in the poor state in whichhe is at present

CXI. -Queen Elizabeth to the Lord Deputy and Chancellor of

Ireland, nominating DanielCavenagh to the Bishoprick ofLeighlin ; reasonable time to be taken for the payment ofthe first fruits .

CXII—Queen Elizabeth to Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of

Ireland. Gutwin, Archbishop of Dublin, to be translatedto Oxford. Dr. Weston to be made Chancellor of Ireland,

CONTENT S . xxiii

n ot

and Dean of St. Patrick’s, which Deanery the Archbishopof Armagh was to bemoved to resign, and to be translatedto the Archiepiscopal Seat of Dublin.

,The ordinary enter

tainment of the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, and the extentor yearly value of the Archbishopn'ck of Dublin

CXIII.- Hugh Curwin , Archbishop of Dublin, and Lord Chancellor of Ireland, to Sir William Cecil, to hasten Mr. DoctorWeston hiscoming , desires that a house and land may beprovided for him at Oxford

CXIV.—Queen Elizabeth to Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy

of Ireland, “upon Mlf T. Agardscoming and report.” The

Dean of Armagh to be made Archbishop there. The sub

mission of theBishop ofDown . Thecounterfeited PrimateCreagh

.

to be sent to Dublin for trial, or, if need be, toEngland

CXV.—Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir WilliamCecil ; desires that the Archbishop’s Palace, and the Os

thedralChurch of St. Patrick’s, may not be brought withinthe jurisdiction and liberties of the Mayor of Dublin

CXVI.—TerenceDanyell, Dean ofArmagh, to SirWilliam Cecilaccepting of the Archbishoprick of Armagh

CXVII.—Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, to Sir William Cecil.Malicious reports against him. Trusts that he will suspendjudgment, and further his suit for the payments of his firstfruits. The Dean of Christ Church most fit for the Pri.m y . The Lord Chancellor the patron of virtue and godlymodesty .

CXVIII .—The Lords, Justices, and Council of Ireland, to the

Lords of the Privy Council ’

m England. The earnest pro

ceedings of Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, in setting forththe Gospel, both in English and Irish. His poor Estate as

to the payment of his first fruits, &c., an earnest recommendation that he should be disburthened of that debt byher Highness’s princely favour

CXIX.—Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Dublin, to Sir William

Cecil, recommending one Mr. Cartwright, B.D., Fellow of

CONTENT S .

pass

Trinity College, Cambridge, to be appointed to the vacantSee of Armagh

CXX.—Petition from Miler Hussey to the Lords of Her Ma

jesty’s Privy Council, in favour of Richard Creagh, the

Titular Archbishop of Armagh, lately escaped out of the

Castle of Dublin, that his life may be spared, as his (thePetitioner’s) honour is engaged

CXXI. -The examination of Richard Creagh, taken apparentlybefore Sir William Cecil

4 OR IGINA L LETTERS .

consideraco' fis you shall accordingly [as you all

redy begoffie proceeds further to the full executionof all th ings touching that College, in such sort as

was prescribed u nto you by your former instruction sin that behalf, saving (as we doubt nott but ye have)a sp

anconsideration in the appyetmét of ye pencofisto the honesty learning 81 other qualities of one

ther and his Mat’ [pleasure] is that in respect of

the good and service don by the deafi of

that Colleage you shall appoint unto him one yerely

pencoii ofccmarks sterling ’

, unto suche tyme as he

shalbe advaunced by his highnes to a lyving .

And as for the plate and ornaments of the said

Colleage his Ma“pleasure is that suche porcion of

the same as shall remaj‘

rn bes [ides] that wchyou

shall thinks mete by yor discr[etion to be gi]ven to

the other churche there [he 8]cut by somecouven ient and trusty messenger to Bristol] 8: there de

lyvered to theThreasourer of theMynt by indentu re.

And’ of the ornaments of saydchu rch such portoh

to your desyre alredy in that mater for the sur

vey and appointing of the pencofis w"h his Maty

taketh in very thankefullpte (erased).during his lief (erased).incase ther she] be among the said plate and

ornaments some notable or riche Jewell or other

thing mete for his highnés own use his Mat“plea

sure is ye shallcau se the same (erased).

ORIGINAL LETT ERS . 5

as you shall think mete for his Ma“we requyr yow

tocause the same [to be sent] hither accordingly.

And where as we have byfi enfourmed that a grete

nomber ofcomen people there have byn accustomedto have theirs pisshe Churohe w

iin the said Colleage

of S Patryk, his Ma"pleasure is you sh [all leave

su]che portion-1 of the sayd colleage churche [asmay] su ffice for a pisshechurchs, leaving for the same

iiij of the smallest bells 8csucheconvenient portionof other means ornaments as by your discretionsye shall thinks mete for the furniture [of the] said

pisshechurchs accordingly.

M : to the deputie and Counsel] of Ireland xxv°-

M-

au 1547.

II .

A Scheme for the Endowment of a University to be

erected in Dublin, from the funds of the late sup

p ressed Cathedral Church of St. Patrick, 8fo.,by

George [Browne,] Archbishop of Dublin. [15472]

The first plan of the Foundation of the University of Dublin ,eventually founded by Queen Elizabeth in 1591 , has been generallyascribed to the Government of Sir John Perrot in 1584, amongwhose additional Instructions was one to consider how a Collegemay be erected : and St. Patrick’s Church, and the revenue thereof,

B 3

ORIGINAL LETT ERS .

may be appropriated thereunto, and every diocese by Act of Parliament bemadecontributory out of the leases of impropriations.

” It

would appear, however, from the following paper, that GeorgeBrowne, the first Protestant Archbishop of Dublin, has thecredit ofthe original scheme.

A DEVICE: or peticion framed by th’archebysshop of

Dub lin for an Unifisitie to be founded and erectedin Irland wth a playne declaration h owe the same

maye be easilie doo'n by the King' Ma

t“to the great

glorie of God, his Maty honor and immortal] remem

brance, and the spedier reducemtof the people there

to a due obedience and acknowledging of their dutiesin that behalf.

fl‘

yrst where the Cathedrall churche of Saint

Patricks besides Dublin hathe of late been sup

pressed and dissolued, That the same Cathedral]

Churche may be erected agayne and established for

ever, to gether wtall the bowses appteyneng and

lyengcoi'

fiodiou sly abowte it, and therof a faire and

lardgecolledge to be made, for the fyrst planting of

an unifisitie there, and there to be placed a certainenombr of

;felowes to becontynwall studen ts (in all

discipline necessarie) and so in tyme and by degrees

convenient to growe to be prechers.

Secondarilie that for the better poeding in all good

litterature of the saide students and others that shall

repaire to the saide u n iversitie for learneng, there

may be founde ppetuallie to endure fi'

owre ordynary

lectours to be instytuted 8cerected, One of the

ORIGINAL LETTERS . 7

Latten tongue, an other of the Greke tongue, the

thirde of Cyvill Laws, and the iiijthof Dyvin itie, and

of theis the fyrst ij to be read en ;t working day‘ in

terms tyme, The other ij thrise in the wick, that isto saye, Mondaye, W ednisdaie, and frydaye, the

Dyvinitie lecto‘, and on Tu isdaie Thursdaie and

Saturnday the Cyvill lawe.

Itm eiiy sondaie and feastefull daie throughowte

the yere one sermoii to be preached in the saide

Colledge Churche by the dyvinitie reader or one

other of the felowes of the Colledge being a devyne,

or by some other godlie maii to be therunto ad

mitted by the Master and Seniors of the said Col

ledge, or by th’archebysshop'

there for the tyme

being.

Itm that where as Christechurche standeth w‘in

the Cittie, that the Dean and Mynistres therofmaye

be transferred to serve god at the saide Colledg, fi'

or

there is rowme ynoughe for theym all, and where the

Kings Me“ is nowecharged wt lxvii“yerely owte of

his g “cofers for mayntennce ofcertaine prestes andcoristors in Christechurche, the same may be releuedand resumed wt an honest portion of the tempalties

of the said Christechurche to the Kings Ma“u se,

appointing to the Dean and felowes n owe being

there suflicient lyvings and salaries to serve in the

said Colledge to be erected, during their lyves.ltr

'

fi, that the Churche nowecalled Saint Patricks

8 ORIGINAL LETTERS .

may be named the Churche of Holy Tryn itie and

the Colledge to be called Christes Colledge of the

fundacioii of King Edwarde the Sixt &c.Sixt, that theis benefices folowing may be annexed

to the saide Uniiisitie for the fynding of the forsaide

Lectours,fl

’

yrst the psonage ofTryi'

I'

I, the psonage of

Armulgh ii , the psonage of Rathewere, the psonage

of Callaii, the wardenship ofYoughil, the psonage of

Dungarvan, and a lector to be kept apon th’arche

deaconry of Mythe for ever, and that the M’of the

Colledge do paye to en? of the readers 1:1li yerely .

ItITI, that towardes thecomens of the saide Col

ledge and studentes maye be applied all and singuler

suche portions and allowfi'

ncs as ded belonge to fourepetycanons and xviten vycars afore the suppression

of Saint Patrichs aforsaid and thecomen s of the

churche whiche wt the benefics abouenamed will

su ffice ; wherin is to be noted that of the same

benefices the kings Matie is patrone of Rathewere,

Ardmulghan and Roslare, my lorde of Ormonde

patrone of Callane, The Bysshop ofMythe patrone

of TryI’

ri, and the Kinges Maiestie in possession of

Dungarvaii, th’erle of Desmond patrone of the war

denship ofYoughifl .

Iti'

n, the kings Mats moste gratious lrés tenderlie

to be directed to the lordes and bysshoppes of lrlandthat they will helpe wt some other more peonages

8: benefié’

s to be applied and annexed to and for


the better indowemt'

and mayntefi'

nce of the saide

u iiifisitie.

ItIYI, Thatcofi'

xission under the kings great seall

here maye be directed to suche as to his h ieghn is

shalbe thoght good,ad audiendas et terminandas

causas eccliasticas, to th’intent that thereby the

people may be occasioned to leave and omitt the

popishe trede, whiche many of them now imbraseth,

and also to swere allbysshoppes and preistes to the

Obedience of the Kings maiestie and his successou"as their immediate bed and goiino

'runder god and

for th’executio“ of other his Ma

tllpcedings according

th’order u sed in lnglande.

Iti'

n, That twoo Archedeacofis of Dublinmay beagnine restored to ayde and assist th’archebysshopthere for the tyme being whiche was taken awaie at

the supp“

ssion of Saint Patricks, and this the rather

that there is no bysshOp in Christendome w‘owte an

archedeacon , but onely Dub lin, and so the saide

Archebysshop the wors hable to supplie hischardgwho had befor the saide supp

“

sion ij Archedecons.

[they to finde ij lectours.]Itm, That now immediately may be sent thither

iii to beBysshoppes and to preche, efiy one of theymto have a sufficient lyving to th’intent that neither

they throughe defau lt or lyving be bordenous to any

peon , and yet may withoute thatcare moste diligently and emestly travail] in setting forthe to the

lo ORIGINAL LETT ERS .

people by an uniforme doctry ne the words of god

and the Chryfl'“poeding

'of the Kinges Ma

mas it is

here in Inglande.

Itfii that th’archebysshop of Dublin andcertaine

others may be incorporated by the kings chartor toreceyve to th ’u se of the saide unifisitie as well all the

saide landes tents Rectories and hereditam“ to be

gyven therto for the mayntennce of the same by the

kinges Matie

as by all other lordes and bysshopes

that woll depte wt any thing for that p“

pose, the

statute ofMortemayii not withstanding .

Iti'

n, that the Dean, dignities and phendaries of

Christechurche in Dublin upon theire translacion tothe saidechurche of the trinitie besides Dub lin maybe incorporated by suche name as shall pleas the

king' Mat“ w‘ honest lyvinges to them apointed

having a chapiter and coen seall to assist th’archeb isshoii for the tyme being, incomen mattirs as theKings lawes shall pmytt.

Thys may an noble Umu sitie be fou nded for an

immortallmemory of the kings hieghnis, and to his

maiesties no greatcharge, so thathis gracesco'

m‘nde

Int may goo withall unto the lordes and bysshopes of

Irlande that eiiy of thefii truelie and faithfully put to

their good aide and help for the saide unmsitie to be

erected in Dublin as a place of all other in lrland

moste ppir for the same.

Iti'

ii, that acOmissiO be nowe directed to resume

12 ORIGINAL LETT ERS .

suche as the kingl Mafi" 8: his mooste honorab le

Coun saill thinks goods , or others to be named bythe deputie 8: Counsayl] ther for 8: to th’uss of

the Chauncelor or ru ler of the same Unyiisitis, and

the felowes therof, and the deans 8: felowes of the

cathedral]chu rchs andcolledge there for six, or sucheother as the kings and his Ma

m” Counsaill shall

thynkemete 8:convenyent.Item, for the establishinge of a Deane 8: chapiter

ther, itmay passe well, that thedeans and felowes of

the Cathedral] Chu rchs of the blessed Trinitie of

Dublin be translated to the said late Churchs of

Saynt patricks, ther to c6tynue wth ther lyving' forever, for the bett

"

mayntennce of gods devynev ycether.

Item,for asmycbe as the Chauntries there, ar yett

undissolved, 8: that tb’incumbents therof make spoils

of the same as in yevinge leases of them for so many

yeris, as in tyms nether the Kings shall have eny

pfate therof, us yet eny godlynes therby mayntened,

for avoyding wherof, 8: for the mayntefi lce of the

said u n ifisitis, it may please his Mafie to directs his

highnesco'

fnyssion for dissolucon of the samechauntries, and the revenuez therof to be applied to tb

’use

of the saide Unyiisitie in maii and forms folowyng.

fours lectors to be kept thercO’tynually, that is tosaye, viz . the grenke lector, thecivil] lector, pb isike,and the divin itie lector, to be reads from tyms to


tyms, as they are read in the Unyiisities of Oxford

8: Cambridge ; 8: that eiiy of the readers of the

said lectors shall have ysrlie of tb ’essuss 8: pficts of

the saidchauntries x] li. and furder that upon the

reaste of the yssues 8: pficts Of Chauntries ther shalbemeyntensd for en

“

in the said Unyiisitie the nomb |r

of ij"students to learns the said lyball artes, receving

of the said yssuyes 8: pficts ther living’ 8: susten

tac'Tén , as the th ing shall extends sufiicientlye forthat p

‘

pose, 8: so shall his ma‘“ haue 86tynua11

Orators to pray for his highnes moost victoriou s8: immortal] fame for en

and where upon the dissoluco"n of the said late

cathedral] Churchs, it was declared by Sr AnthonySentleg

’r then the King“deputi

° ther, that the Kings ,

his Mafi“pleasu r was, that the said Churchs shou ld

be oouerted to a bett"

use, viz : an u nyiisitie,

whiche mycb e the rather pvoked the deans 8: felowes

ther, to Od disende to the surrend"

therof; thsrfor yf

“it moght please the king8 Ma

tie to graunt the Vnion

of the bnfics late appending to the said Churchs, tothe said Unyiisitie thyssuy

'

pficts wherof was

wount to be payed in com e, 8: nowe dimised for

many to be payed to the Kingll Ma

m“u se. The

arcbbussbope of Dublin u nd"

b is chapiter Scale 8:the Maio' Of Dub lin und

"

his comen seals shalbe

bounds to pay the Ks“

highnes yerly according thesurvey therof taken, 8: this only becau se that the

C

14 ORIGINAL Lnrr s ns .

masters 8: students ther shall hauecome at a rea

sonable pryce for ther bett" mayntenaunce, not

ineanyng herby that eny of the p'ssnt fermors of any

peel] of the iimygs“

, other then sucheas woll for thatgodlyp

'

posedeptewalsomeo

'

bmoditie; shalbedampnyfied therby, butonly to haue thecome after the yeris

of the nowe fermors shalbe expyred in the p‘myss.

[endorsed in S' W . Cecils hand.]B. of Dubly

‘

s

devise for a Unifisite.

III .

Edmund [Butler] , Archbishop of Cashel, to the Duke

of Somerset, state of the Country,praise ofMr . Bel

lingham, and recommendation of Walter Cowley .

25th Feb. [15821][Orig-l

Edmund Butler, Prior of the Abbey of Athassel, was consecratedArchbishop of Cashel in 1627, and died in March 1550-1, and wasburied in the Cathedral there : his attachment to the Reformationhas been doubted but from his praise ofWalter Cowley in the following letter, who was general Surveyor ofAbbey Lands in Ireland,and therefore a decided partisan of the reformed faith, we may presume he was also a Protester against the errors of the Church ofRome. [See XIV.]

Pleasid yoJr noble grace to be adiitisid how hitherto

according thechargecomittid to me I baue done thebest Icouds for the quiets of thies ptice sitbnes the

1 Mant,I . 185 .


depturofthecountess doager of Ormonde, 8: altbogh

sundris roberres 8: ofl'

ences have bene comittidsithens, as I hau certefied thertber, yet be reason of

yor graces lettres at sundris times sent hither, 8:

other prudent devices addressed from them, many

inconuen iences baue the less taken effect, 8: dostands in such case of rsformaEOii as god willing

things shalbe w‘hout dificultie redressid, and for

asm"h as I doubt not yor good grace wth that moste

nob “counseil] will pvyde redresse in sundris things

wortbi reforma'c'Ofi, I putt in suspence to truble the

same wthany further particulariter' being the hering

8: discussing of thecircumstance (illegible)tak bettr place here then elswhere, as for c’cumstances 8: pollecies in reformaEOi

'

i of the people here,I neu “

saws the ways for to prosper therin as Mr

Bellinghams attempt"d 8: achevid in so short a time

,

who bath oppenid the veri gate of the right reforma

EOI'

I, whos nature as I judge will not triflill wt any

unfru itfull c‘cfistance. There repairith tbather

W alt”Cowley at this time, whos truth 8: his fathers

doth nowe apere in many things, 8: out of doubt in

myneopinion , is a greatdiscoraging uniiisally here to

the people, seinge theirs distrué'

é'

on, for their ernest

truth in declaracOn of abu ses, and forasmehas the

one deyed there, in p'aute therof, 8: the other re

pairing thother, who bath aft“

longs duran s sustain’d

m°h domadge, I beseech yor grace to behis goodLords0 2


8: to geve him wherebi occason may grow to sucotradge thecomen people to be ernest in awanu sing

thinga tending to the King‘ Ma

tell honor the surti°

of this his highnes’ pore realms ; so as be meanes

therof truth shalbe the less extinct, assurring yO'

Grace that I knows him to be of boneste disposiEOI‘

I,

8: one that hath great experience, who can do right

good Syvice. thus almighti god send unto yor

nob le grace yo"valiant bartes disure, !from kilkennythe xxvth day of februari

YOr Grass bounden orator

Edr'

niid of Casshell.

To the Duck of Sofiisetts right noble grace LordGou

“

norof the king“ Ma

fl“ mooste Royall psone

ptector of his highnes”

Rsalmes 8: Domynions 8:

highs Thesaurer of England.

IV.

Christopher [Bodekin] Archbishop of Tuam, to Sir

Edward Bellingham, Lord Deputy, ofi'

ering his ser

vices, thecountry needeth reformation, lack of Jus

tice. 25th July 1548 .

[Orig-JOf Christopher Bodekin, archbishop of Tuam from 1536 to 1572,

Ican find but little account, but it would seem from this letter thathe was attached to thecivil, if not to the ecclesiasticalReformationof the Realm : He wasconsecrated Bishop ofKilmacduagb atMar

seiles in 1533 or 1534, and after his Translation to Tuam by the

dispensation . He died fullof days at Tuam in 1572, and was buriedatGalway.

In my most humble and lousing man'

r I baue me

hartely recomI'I' Ided on to yor most honorab le good

Lordship, adiitissings tb ssam, had not ben the

greatconfidence and trust I hau yo' Lordship wold

sownecome in those ofownsconfynes, for the better

stay of the sam ; albeit the way is daungerus, by this

I hadcome to yor psence, ofl'

sryng my diligent ser

vice daylly to be att yo’r Lordshipis commndeme

“

8: pleasure, in as bartie mail”as I did shows to eny

yo'ancestores bering that honoIr 8: chardge yo'

Lordship are assiipted unto . And nowe att eny

tyms yow wol] sole for my psone or service here or

ther, assuredly I wole not fayll to serve yof lordship

att yo’ pleasure, to the utts moste of my pouere,

8:cordingly to myn estate, p“yng almight

“god to

augment yorvictory and famou s procedings, being

divolgated tbroughe owt all Ireland, to the grete

fere of myse‘

douesrs 8: malefacteres, all thoughe thecontres b erobouthes nowe nydyth reformaEOI

'

i more

then sti r to for, all for lack of regemsn 8: Justiceamong them to be Obsued, And thus Ofl

'

sryng me self

reddy and prompts att yo'commndemét, ffrom the

Kings towfie of Galway the xxvt of Ju lye

1548 Cristophor Tuame‘ “

YO' daylly oratore.

To the most honorable Lords Sf Edward Bellyngham Knygbt theK' deputie of Ireland wt Reverance gyve this

0 3

18 ORIGINAL LETT ERs.

Interrogatories apparently against George [Browne] ,Archbishop of Dublin, for neglect of duty in the

Government of the Church .

[probab ly in November 1548 ] [Orig.]George Browne was consecrated Archbishop of Dublin in 1535,

and was the Leader of the Protestant Party in Ireland during theReigns of Henry VIII. and Edward VI . ; in that of Queen Mary,he was deprived of his Archb ishoprick for matrimony, in 1554 ; andis supposed to have died soon afterwards .

The author of these injurious articles against Archbishop Brownehas not been discovered .

W hether my Lord Protectors grace and most

honorablecoun saile of Englands wrote u nto George

Arcbebisshop Of Dublin befor Cristmas last ; that he

shuld not alienate any parts or pyrcelle of his

bishopriebe befor he had advertised ther honors

what he had doon befor that. Neuertbeless the said

Arcbsbisshop made alienacons and leases in reuer

665 and otherwise of the most of his b ishopricke tohis childerne, Robert Baths, and other in Januarie

folowing and dated them in June befor that.

W hether the said Archsb isshop at several] tymes

befor master Seintleger was last sent for, said he had

suficientmatters of treason and other abu ses to laie

to the saide Saintlegsrscharge, if he, upOii the kingesprecisecomaundemsnt upon his allegiance, to declarein his boke all the saide seintlegers abu ses, signifie

them.


against the former abu ses as he began , and the said

bissbop and deans suffered the same withowt any

complaint to the kinges deputie : but Openlie in

the former appointed sermon oureversntlie invebed

against the said prechour and his maynteynours,

alledgeng in one point that he spake against good

wurkes : whichs in all his sermons he shewed vehe

mentlie thecontrarie.

VI .

Walter Palatyne to Sir Edward Bellingham, Lord

Deputy, desiring him to help the bearer (Mr .

Stephens) to a serv ice in the Church . diligence inthe book of reformation .

” 23rd November 1548 .

[Orig.]

By TheBabe of Reformation” here mentioned, must he intended

what the King, in his Order of the 6th of February, 1551,called,The Translation of the Liturgy and Prayers of the Church, in otherwords, The First Book of Common Prayer ofKing Edward VI ., notprinted

,however, till 1550.

Grace 8: peace unto yours Lordship from god the

ffatber of our Lords Jb iis Chrys“.

I tru st that yours lordsh ipp dothe remembre the

mattyr I desyryd ; that yours lordshypp shulde helpe

this bearer to a suies in the Church to the which he

ORIGINAL LETT ERs. 21

did appere u nto me to be able, bothe for by8 lyfe 8:

learnings, 8: yet apperythe. The matter was then

deferred becau se the Bysshopp Of fearnes camenot to see yours Lordeshipp. Nowe I hyrs thatthe Deans 8: the rest Of thechapit" contendith withthe BysshOpp, so that the Bysshopp may not gyve

this ofi'

yce, which things yours Lordeshipp maye

understands by Mr Stephan

’ys narracOii. As for

bym I says no more, but I besecbe yours Lordsh ippto helpe bym in thys ofl

'

yce for thecomenwelthe of

Gods Churchs . As to ours consultacOI‘ I withe

Bysshopp of Dub lin yours Lordsbypp will see our

dyligens by the boke of reformaEOii wbych ys madeand the sufl

'

recans bathe recsvyd yt. which (as theBysshopp of Dubliii snythe) wilbe with yours Lord

shipp uppon Saterday or Soudaye next to cum .

Almygbty God conserve your Lordesbipp’ys Body8: Sou ls eternaly . At Dublin the xxiii Of Novem

bre.

By your lordships moste humble S’vute.

W alters Palatyne.

To the right honorable Sf Edwards Bellyngham lord Deputys of

Irland.

[endorsed]from Mr W altl

'

the xxiii“l of Novembre 1548.

Alexander Devereux.

ORIGINAL LETTERS .

VII.

Edward [Stap les] , Bishop of Meath, to the Secretaryof Sir Edward Bellingham,

Lord Deputy ; relating

to him the excessive hatred which he has incurredfor preaching theReformed Religion.

December before Christmas 1548. [Orig.]

Edward Staples was ofEnglish origin , educated atCambridge, andafterwards oneof the Canons of CardinalW olsey

’s College in Oxford,

consecrated Bishop of Meath in 1530. He was active in promotingthe Reformation , and placed in several offices of Trust both by KingHenry VIII. and King Edward VI. He was deprived of his See

in the following reign, in the year 1554; and survived the accessionOfQueen Elizabeth in 1558. [See XXXI . ]The state of the Church in Ireland at this period [1548] may be

further illustrated by some Interrogatories preserved in the S. P. O.,

of which the following, being the only ones relating to the Church,are given as follows

How is the wurd ofGod set furths in this realms ! [Answer]the deades .

How many frere howses 8: other remayne using the old papistesort? [Answer] all Mounster in afl

'

ect, Thomoud, Counaght 8:t a

After most bartie commendacons In lyke maner

I thank you for y0' 11723, and whens by the same ye

wisshed me to be defended from yll tonges (res est

potins Obtab ilis q speranda,) ye have not hard sucherumors as is here all the Country over againstme as

my frendes douth shews me one Jentilwoman to

ORIGINAL LETTERs. 23

whom I did crysten a manchilde whichs berith myname,came in greatcounsel] to a fl

'

rende'

of myne

desiringe bows sbe myght flinde meanes tochangeherch ildes name, and he asked her whis ? and she

said because I wold not have him here the name of

an heryticke a Jentilman dwelling ny unto me for

headd his wif whichs wold have sent herchild to beconformed by me, so to do, sayenge hischilde shou ld

not beconformed by him that denysd the Sacrament of the Autor, a frinde of myne rehersing at

the marks that I wolde preache this next Soundaie

at the Novam dyvers answered they wolde not

come there at lest they shoulde lerne to be here

ticks one Of Or Lawers declared to a mu ltitude that

it was great pitie that I was not burud for I preachedherysie so was I worthie therfor, and if I preachedright yet was I worthie to be burned that kepte the

troths from knowledge. This Jsntilman lovyth no

sodden mete nor can skill b ut onely of rostinge

one of or Judges said to my self that it shoulde

be proved in my fi'

ace that I p’ached agan ist ler

nynge a benyfyced man of myn owns promoconsame unto me weepings and desired me that he

myght declare his mynde u nto me without my dis

pleasure I said I was well content my Lord said

he before ye went last to Dub lin ye were the best

Novam, i. e. Navan, Imp (30035b Nova Habitatio.

ORIGINAL LETTERS .

beloved man in yo' dioses that evercame in it, and

nowe ye ar the woarst beloved that evercame hereI asked W his ? W hie saitbs be for ye have taken

Open part w' the State that falsse herytick and

preached agaynst the Sacrament of the Autor and

deny Saints and will make u s worst than Jewes

where if the Countrie wists hows, they wolde sate

yow, and besoughtme to tak b eds of my self for he

fsred more than be durst tell me he said ye have

m6cu ssez then ye have berez of yor bedde and I

advyce you for Criste sake not to preacbe at the

Novam as I here ye will doo I said it was my

charge to preach and becau se there was most

resorts (God willing) I wolde not fail] but preachther, hereby y

e may pcyve what case I am in

but put all to God, and now as my especial] fl'

rinde

and a man to whom my hart berith earnest

I beseche you yoradvyce as god shal] judge me

I am afi'

rayde of my lifl'

dyvers wayes this beter

shall shews you settsu In structions let bym wryte

yoIfadvyce not wrytings yo

'name for chaunce. I

trusts the yonge man as my self I thanks the Lords

of the goddly successe that my Lords hath beyondmen s expectacOfi, I am never able to answers his

ientilnes and moste loving report of me but he

shall be assured of me to be his owns, duringe mylyfl

'

e, beseching" you that I mey be most humbly

recommended unto his Lordshipp, I thanks the

ORIGINAL LETTRRs. 25

Lord I am recovered, but anerly my strenght nor

stomach s be not as they have ben . l impute mycheof my disecas unto the being‘ where I lays at Saint

Patrecks bowndinge upon a sommen Jsakez and the

courts nothingclenly normetforme If I myght oh

tayne ach 'mbrs emongst the pstie Oarmond whichswas Syr John Russells with a lytle towre there, I

shou ld be bothenereunto you an d in muchs bettercasasme semythe, (8: herei

nas in allmy earnest afi

'

arez I

must beseche you to u se yo' helppe. I prays you I

may be most hertelycommended unto yor good bed

fellow I am sory that y° both wolde not take

paynez to be with me this Cristemas Thu s leyserlcsI bidde you both so well to fare as I wold do myself.

Edward Mid

written at Ardebragh'n

salutaconn myriades mills mittimus W altero nro.

(endorsed at ye time in y° hand of Bellingham’s man .)

acoppy of the b issh0ppe ofMoths lettre.

”

Leann-elem !


VIII .

Sir Edward Bellingham, Lord Deputy, to John Esam

or Issam, advertis ing him of the death of the Bishopof Kildare. Desires that no Bishopriclcs begrantedbut by the information of the Deputy .

probably December 1548 . [Original Draft.]

Jobn Esam or Issam appears to have been Secretary to the LordProtector Somerset. The Bishop of Kildare, who died 15th December, 1548, was William Miagh . His successor, Thomas Lancaster, was appointed in 1549 .

— [See XIII . for the answer to thisletter.

John Esam,after my usry bartiecomendacon s, and

having intelligence of the death of the bu sshoppe of

Kyldare, whether any other bath the grau iit thereof

as yett I knows not, I wolde have yow therefore to

move the thing to my lorde ptectors grace, and to declare unto bym what lacks we baue of good shep

'

des

here to illumynate the bartes of the flocks of Christ

wth his moste true and infallyble words, and if that

his grace do place any there by vertue of h is owns

auctoryte or otherwyss, as nere as yecan lett bym

be a man mete for the purpose, or ells if his graceshall thinks ytmete I shulde baue the nomynacOfiof that ptie, and suche other lyke rowmes during mydeputacOfi : Then his grass please

r to be signified :

and I shall gladly accomplysshe the same, bothe to

28 ORIGINAL L ETTERs.

IX.

John Brereton to Sir Edward Bellingham, Lord De

puty, requesting preferment in the Church for the

bearer, a poor priest, who is desirous of ministeringaccording to the order that shall be setforth.

[Orig holograph

My dutey pmysid, this ys to desyr yowt

good lord

shype for the loue Of Gods 8: zele 53

you baue to y°

educacyon Ofcrysts floke, to helps 8: pfer y"pore

sou lle that hath notbyng netbyr no Refuge, but only

trusty‘

g on ye

pfermétOf your lordshype, for yfl'

he be

not pferryt by your good lordshypt, he shall neuyr

fynde favor at no nothyr’

y° hand, becau se he ya but

pore 8: baths no money to gyve as his adu ’sary

'

do, your lordshypt may be ssu re that yf he baue

sit leuyng (y

‘v'

wbyche y‘ emong his freuds) that hewyll p

'che 8: set furtht the glory of gods emong

them u nfanytly y° wyche shalbe a Respecte for all

yecOtrey for then he may esly stody his boks, 8:

fryst edyfy 8: than mynystlracordyng to y

°ordyr

that shalbe set forth , I dout not but thatcOtreshalbecoi’rertyd from Idolatre to y

‘3 knowlyrghe of

gods by bym, (yf he lyue/ y° wyche shalbe to the

pfett of ther sou ls, also to you’ wyrshype 8:

honour, for I knows p'cher ys nous, yn all that


catre, yt cane, nether wyll do, so unfanytly as he

8: ther for, yf hit plesyd your good lordshypt hitwer

good that he wer sent houm because his freuds bedesyrous of bym to declare y° trew wyrshypyn of

goods to them, 8: they hatht desyrytme to wryt to

you r lordship of this matour (wherfors I besheycheyour good lordshypt as my syngular trust ys yn

you to be good lorde on to bym), for yf, I knew

eny that soulde othyr morght set fortht y° word

bettyr than he I wolde not wryt to your lordshypt

for bym thu s y° hey god kepe your gods lordshypt

Y"

By yourys tocomandJohn Brereton .

To y° Ryzght bonoraby

ll Sr Edward

Belingam knyzgh Depute to y°

Kyug’a Magiste hyzsnys yn

y'laud, gyue this wth Reu

’es

endorsed

from John Brerto'

cécsrfig thepore preist. 1548.

30 OR IGINAL LETT ERS .

X .

Sir Edward Bellingham, Lord Deputy, to Mr.

Fitzwilliams, Treasurer of the late Church of St.

Patrick’s, warning him not to infringe the King’s Ia

j unctionsfor the Church.

[Original draft, supposed date

Nicholas Fitzwilliam was appointed by King Henry VIII . Treasurer of St. Patrick’s, 9th of August, 1535.

M' fitz W hilliams (whereas as I am enformyd

that godly 8: tru order ys setforthe in the Churchsgrowndyd ap

‘

on holy wryt/ the kyuga Majestees In

In”cyon s beyngconsonant ther unto ; the archbychp

ofDublyn alb° Inglish mynyster thereof ; yetnotwyth

estandyng yow have gon abowtto enfrynge the same,

fl’yrst beyng movyd ofcharyte I req"

er yow to omyt

so to do, 8: by awtoryte I cOm'

ade yo'

, as a thyngthat may not be sufl

'

eryd, yow incyte nor stu re no

suche synne amOgst the kyng fayfull 8:crysten sug

gets, for yf yo" do as by lykelord yo

'ar Incytyd to

do yt thynkg‘

for fryndsbyp ytshalbe sufl

'

eryd, 8:

overpassyd in yo", being a spectakell to the peopull

more then the rest (tb whyche may b e a occasyon of

a occasyon for other me“

: to (erased) beware tru sts

me (as they saycofiily) yt shall not go wtThecopy of a Lré sent to fi itz

W illITIsTreasurer of the late saints

patricks of Dublin .

”

ORIGINAL LETTERs . 31

XI .

The Lord Protector Somerset and theLords of theCouncil, to Sir Edward Bellingham, Lord Deputy ofIreland, and theLords of the Council there. TheDean

of St. Patricks to deliver toMr. Agard 1000 ounces ofPlatefor theMint.

[Orig.]

Edward Bassenet was appointed Dean of St. Patrick’s in 1537,and was the person to whom the following order was addressed. Hedied during thesuppression of that Collegiate Church.

Somerset Place, of Jany. 1548—9.

[Extract.]fl

'

or the bettm furniture of themints, beeing ad

vertised that one thousand u nce of plate of crossesand such like things rsmayneth in t’hands of yo" theDeans of St Patrika, we have thought good to re

quire yo" to deliver the same to th’ands of Agard

the kings Ma“officer of theMynte there, indenting

w‘h him for the receipt of the same, to be employed

to his Ma“u se as by him shall be thoughtmost for

his hiegb iiés comoditie and for the save keping Of

ithitherto by yo' theDeans, his

MatieOf his liberalitie

by our advises is pleased t’allows unto yo" the some

Of xx“in redy money, which his Ma“ pleasure is the

Treasurer of the Mints shall paie unto yowaccord

32 ORIGINAL LETTERs .

XII .

The Sovereign and his brethren of Killcenny to theLord Deputy, Sir Edward Bellingham. Had receivedhis letters, and, inconsequence, warned all the Priests

to appear before his Lordship and the Council on

Sunday newt.

26th April, 1549. [Orig.]

From this letter it would appear that the Government were not

without some zeal in their endeavours to reform the state of the

Church , a factwhich Bishop Mant, in h is history of this period, seemsinclined to doubt.

Right honorable and ofueray singuler goods Lords,

after Or mooste humble commendacOiis according

O’ du sties unto yo

r

goods Lordship, It may please

the same to be adu‘

tisid, that Immediatly after the

recepte Of yor lordshippes lr

_

ss directid unto u s by

Mr Anthony Coltelought according the tenor Of thesame, I the sufi

'

rain baue warned all suche prestes asthe saide Anthony bathe named sp

‘

ally unto me,

except yr dean , whoo at the receipts of yo“ lord

sh ippes l'

iEs was as be yet is, sore seke atW at‘

ford

as we arecredablie info'med,togid

'

r wth the rest of

the prestes as well of the Collage as of the pishe

Afterwards St Anthony Colclough of Tintern Abbey in the

County ofWexford, Km.

ORIGINAL LET TERs . 33

churches of the towns, to appiers beforeyor lordshipsand the kings Ma

fi“counsaile wherso eu'

the same

shalbe, on Sonday nexts cOITIyng whichs prestesexcept‘ suche as we knows by ex

'

a'

iaEOI‘

I to be im

potent either to ride or goo were in man“

redy to goo

forth" according yo' Lordshippescomaundemsnt forany thing we knows to thecontrarie/ -and if uppon

anycontempts or defaults that they, or any of them

shall do orcomytt, knowing yo' Lordshipps pleasrtherin , we will not fails to do as fer as o' dusties to Or

sou”

ain lorde the kings highnes requyretbs, as

knowth the Lords, whom we moste humblie besecheto p

'

syue yoIr

goods lordship in longs honorable lyfe

withs psperou s victorie against the kings

Enemyes and Rebella d'

rom his Ma‘m towns of

Kilkenny the xxvj‘hofAprils 1549.

yO'

goods lordshippes tocomi unde,the sou

‘

ayn 8: his brethren of

kilkenny.

To the right hono'able o! uery

Singuler goods Lords my Lords

Deputies goods Lordshipps.

34 ORIGINAL LETTERs.

XII] .

The Lord Protector Somerset and the Lords of theCouncil to Sir Edward Bellingham, Lord Deputy ofIreland, and the Lords of the Council there. The

Bishoprick of Kildare to whom the Deputie shall thin/cmetefor the same.

[Orig-J

This appears to be in answer to the Lord Deputy’s letter to JohnIsam, Secretary to the Lord Protector Somerset in November, 1548.

[See VI II .]

Richmond, 24th of June, 1549.

[Extract.]—ws are very glad also t’understand your good

dsterminacOfi my lord deputie for the bestowing of

the bu sshopriks, and like as for the b usshoprike of

Kildare, upO'

fi knowlege from you whom you shall

thinks mete to be preferred to that busshoprike, we

will procure the kings Ma"collation for the same, so

is his Ma“by ou r advises pleased that you do take

the resignations of suche other bisshops as will volu ntaryly resigns whose resignations signified h ither,

withs the names Of suche as you thinks mete to be

preferred in ther places, order shall be given to

your satisfactiofi accordingly.

”


XV.

George [Dowdal] Archbishop of Armagh to Sir

John Alen, Chancellor, and the Councilof Ireland , hasbeen at Armagh, with the Earl [of Tyrone] . The

obedienceof theclergy . TheBlind Bishop atDerry, in

O’Doherty

’s Country.

[1549- 504 [Orig.]George Dowdel, a native of the County of Louth, succeeded to thePrimacy by the interest ofthe Lord Deputy St. Leger ,consecrated inDecember

,1543. He was aman of gravity and learning, and a very

assiduous preacher ; but, withs ], a most zealous advocate for Popery :although he wascontented to accept h is promotion from the king, heendeavoured to obtain, without success, a.confirmation from the pOpe,who had conferred the Archb ish0prick on RobertW auOOp, a Scot,who assisted at the Council of Trent from 1545 to 1547, and who

was the first to introduce the Jesu its into Ireland, he was the

Blind Bishop” alluded to in the following letters from Dowdal and

Con O’Done] Archbishop Dowdal fled the Realm in 1551 was

recalled by Queen Mary in 1553, and died in London, August 15,1558 .

Jesus

myn humb le dwyte all weys p'mysed, it may plese

yor honor

’s to be adu

‘

tised, that I hau receu th yorlettr the xxi of Marche, dated the xv Of Marche, 8:befor the rsceu t Of the sam, I hau bene 111 or a

day' in th ’erle y

’s coiisaion at Armagh, whom I

founds usry gentyll 8: kynde to my selfe, and spfily

conc”nyng theObediens of theclergy, who dothe nowexhibitme the sam as hiible as eu

r they dyde, 8: I

ORIGINAL LETTERs. 7

suppose more for his fere then of any goodenes in

them selfes, whichs cam nothyng of my request but

allweys was bu sy w‘h bym ; concernyng the frenchskyuga lett

‘r 8: other newys from the late Imbassitr

in O donyll"

yscontry, 8: all thogh pt of hisconsaillthoght h it notmete to disclose or send suche a noble

prynce ’

ys lettr to yo

’ honors or any others, I hau

psuadet so fare w‘h bym, brynging bym to the remé

herau s of by“ allegiens, 8: that the sendyng of that

lettr sholde be more thankful] then his horses 8:

grehunds that be send late to the kyng“maiestys,8: all the horses 8: goodes in his contrey , 8: thatall

”svyce 8: goods that cv' he dyde, aholds be

nothyng regardyt, yf he had not sends that lett',whichs therle dyde hygely regards, all thogh the

yugnorant people was of theco”

trary Opyn ian ; 8: so

delyu"

it me the said lett', wth another lettr send bym

by George Parys, but he desiret me to kepe them

tyll I had myselfs p"

sentyd them to thecon saill, 8:pssvyng as well yo

"honors ys plesu reconé’

nyng the

sam in yorsaid lett', as also the necessary expedicofi

Of the kyngs atfares in that behalfs, I hau send yo"

botbe the sayd letts here inclosed. other newes

therle tellytme, 8: so ya thecoméii truths here, thatther ys an army of frencb smen in Scotlands redy to

com to yrland syppes wthas many scotts 8: scott

syppes as they may send in the begynnyng of the

next som"

, the frence men hath maiiyd 8: stuffed w‘h


ordyn is two castells in O doghardys contry. the

blynde byssOpe lyes in Byrre in O donyllscontry, 8:thynke not departs tyllthat armycom, he ya a uery

skow“ spy as I hyrs say, 8: a gret brewrof warr

8: sedicon, my lord of Tyron 8: my lady thecontasconfessed me the sam by his behawor in ther own

behalfs, but in good feyght, yf my lord cO‘tynsu inthe myud that heys nowe of, I thynke hym u? feght

full 8: trew to his p“

ncs, 8: dyde now sware to me

befor my deine 8: others of the p'

lates of my

cbyrcbe toc6tynu the sam, I wyll do the best that

Icanco'c’ nyng ys” mocOi'

I to O donyll; other newys

I baue not as yet to c"tefy yo honors, 8: thus Ibyde yo ryght hartely well to fare.

yo' honors at all tymes tocomand

G. Armachan .

Post septii wher hit ahold seme by the frence kyng'lettr that there baue send some words by George

Parys to the frenes kyng, therle sware to methat be

neu'sey the sayd george Parys, nor know in the

world what he is, 8: that he neursend no word or

byssuss to the fi'

rence kyng by bym, or any otbir

To the Ryght honorable S t John Alankuyght the kyngs Chancellor In Irland8: bis grace is honorable 00a of

ORIGINAL LET-runs. 39

Con 0 Donel to the Lord Deputy aCouncil, March4. [1550]

[Orig.] Extract.

After all due Recon' Iendacion pleassid yo“

lship to

know that I rescuid yo' Jentylllet‘

the last ytcame

from yow, wherin yow wrot my showt a blynd

Skottes byschip yt iscO‘

to erland, itys so my lord yt

he was in owther plasys 8:cOtres afor hecame to mycOtrey, 8: yf yow by notcOtent y‘ be sbuld not by

in this lond of erlond, be scball not by mantinyd inthis cOtrsy, but at yo

' wylles, fro“

this tyms for

Instructions by the King and Council to the Lord Deputy [Sir Anthony St. Leger] and the Council ofIreland. Regulations for the Church Service, andagainstEmbezzlement of the Church Property.

[Copy of the time of Queen Elizabeth ]

The following Extract from the Instructions given on the appointment of Sr Anthony St. Leger contains the substance of the king’sorder of the 5th of February 155 1 ; with the additional Instructionsas to the Irish Language. They were repeated on the appointment ofSir James Croftthe new Lord Deputy in April 1551.

E 2


Given in Juli e Instructions to my L Deputie1550.

Of Ierlande, (and y° Councilof Irslnd)

S' Anthonis Sellenger.

1 ifyrst orsayd deputie shall with the advice of the

sayd .councell or the more part of them, sett forth

Gods service to be administered w‘hin Or

sayd

Realms amongstof lovings sub iects there, as largelyas be maye accordynge to o

fordinaunces and

pceadynges, in the englishs tongue in all placeswhere the Inhabitants or a conven ient nomber ofthem u nderstand the englishs tongue. And where

the Inhabitants understand not the englishs

tongue, they tocawse the englishs to be translatedtruly into the Irishs tongue, unto such tyms as

the people maye be brought to understand the

englishs, givynge straits order for the Observation

thereof.

2 ours sayd Deputie with the advice aforesayd shall

gyve order that no sale nor alteration be made of

anischurch goods, bells,chauntrie or freechapplelandes withowte o

f Royal] assent, and yf an is alte

ration baue been made, to reforms the same,and

that they shallcawse Inventories to be made inevsrie parishe as well of such goods, ornaments,Juells, 8: belles as of theChauntrie or freechapplelandes, and of allother landes given to anischurchs

ORIGINAL LETTnRs. 41

for anis intent, for the better knowledge, salfe andsure keapynge together of the premises, and of

euerie part thereof, lest some lewd persons might,or would, imbesallthe same, to thedetrimentof the

XVII.

Sir Anthony St. Leger Lord Deputy of Ireland, totheLord fl easurer, state of Religion, theBishoprickof Ossory vacant, recommend: hischaplain to that

from Dublin Sept. 27. 1550. [Orig.]

Milo Baron, alias Fitzgerald, had been Bishop of Ossory from

1527 he was succeeded by thecelebrated John Bale, a native of

place in 1552. The Chaplain hers recommended was Patrick Walsh,Dean of Waterford, advanced to the see of Waterford in 1551 . [SeeXIX. and XXL] Travers, Bishop of Leighlin, was named Robert,

Extract.

And to advertise your bonno’t hows I finds the

Land, I answer yor bonnot I neuer saws it so farre

outs of goods ordre"

, for in the fi'

oarts are as many

harlatts as Sowldyers, and there thies iii yeares no

E 8


kinds of dyvine Sy’uice, neither comuni i, nor yet

other sy’vice, having but one sermofi made in that

space, whichs the Bu shop'

ofMeathe made, who had

so litle reverence at that tyms as he had no greet

haste eftsonss to presche there My Lords, I wryte

this to yo' honnor as to my singler goods Lords, not

mynding the disparagsmét or hinderaunce of any

mar“

: thereby, Trusting in the Lords all shalbe

amendyd. And nowe my singléf goods Lords

wheare there is a poore Bu shopri'c' bs fallen voyde in

the partss where a pore Chaplen ofmyne is resident

the Bushopriche of Osserye 8: is not taxed in

the kings Boks, at one hundrethe marks by years, I

shall humb ly beseche your honnour to further mysaid chapleii thereunto, and the rather, for that at

my late being there I was pmised the BushOpricheof Leghlefi for him,

whichs notw‘standing was geven

to Sr JOhfi Traver’s Chaplefi, sumwhat to my dis

creadiete. My goods Lords in th is I shall reaken

my selfmuchs bounds to yor honno’.


derations, and for that also he ys well frendsd, and

wol] no doubt kepe those quartres bordering upOI’

I

Orayly (whoo bathe made intercessiofi to us on his

behalfs) in good pease and quyete, and to his power

sett fourths the kings most godly procedings, to thewhichs we shall by goddes Grace moste eonsstely

persuade bym ; we beseche yor honors to bemeanetothe kings highnes for his preferremsnte to the same

benefice, yf yo“ wysdomes upOii theconsiderationspremysed shall thinks yt so mete, and thu s remyt

ting bym to yo’r honors order 8: determynatiOii, we

beseche the lyving god long to preserve yo“nob le

estates to his pleasure, !from Dubliii this xxviii‘h of

October 1550.

YO'r honors tocomand

Antony Sentleger Thomascu sake CanEélG Armachon James of Desmond

Richard Dublin . Gerald AyliI'

I JusticeJohn Tranera.

Patricks Barnswell MrRolles

Thomas Houth Ju stice.

Edwards Basnet.

able Counsaill in Englands geove

thew

ORIGINAL LETT ERs . 45

XIX.

Sir Anthony St. Leger, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to

Mr . Secretary Cecil, sorry the Lords of the Councilwill not appoint hischaplain to the vacant see of

5th December 1550.

Gentle Mr Cicell, This evenig I receiued your gentleLE , and where I perceyvs that my right honnorable

Lords of that Counsel] be not mynded to graunte

my pore request for my Chaplen for theBusshoprickof Ossery, I am, and mu st be contented w‘h their

goods pleas', altho I wolde havewisshed for my pore

estimacOii they wolde have ben my goods Lords

therein . I neither sued for it for any gaigne to myself, nor yet required ofmy said Chaplei

'

i, but onely of

intent the bettre to have advau nced the Kings Mat“

procedings here, My said Chaplen being of that

Churchs, and as I thinck a max“

: that hath asmochetraveled the ssttingfurthe of his Ma

“S 'vice touch ingReligiofi, as anny other of his degree w‘hin this

Realms. It shuld seme to me by advertyseme‘of

my freends, that my Lords shuld take my said sute

to have ben for the Busshoprick I sued for at my

being there, b ut it is not so,for this is fallen void

sytbe mycomyng hither, where my said Chaplen is


Deans, and must have in that resigned his Benefycewhichs in value he as goods as the same Busshop

ricke, and sith I see their honnours pleasure is not

towards my said Chaplen I am now sorye I have

eftsonss by my late lr‘

ss of ij dayss passed moved

them therein, whichs was don ere I recsyved this

—And nowe as tuching the Busshoprick voyde, It

shalbe well don some honest man be placed therein

for theadvauncemétof relygioii, whichs, altho itbatheben hers muchs taulked of tines Ij or II] yeres passed,

yet baths it ben smaly set furth in dede and

pchaunce if the disposiciOfi of men here were

througblie knowen , it wolde be thoughts 9. thing not

easie to be brought to passe, and then so muchsmore hard fi

'

or me, ifmy Lords think me a man not

fete to set the same forworde.

from the Cyttie of Dub lin this vth

of December1550

Your owns assured

Antony Sentleger

TO the right W z

'

shipfull

Mr W illI'

I'

I Cecyl]Secreatory to the kingsMa

“


XX.

Sir Anthony St. Leger, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to

Mr. Secretary Cecil, had caused the whole serviceof the Communion to beput into latin .

19th January 1550-1 . [Orig.]

In theAct of Uniformity, 2 Elia.c. 2, is a remarkableclause authoriz ing a Latin service in thosechurches in Ireland where the priesthad not suficient knowledge of the English tongue. Bishop Mant, inhis History of the Irish Church, vol. i. p. 261, asks, In what waywas the Latin version to be provided ! W as it by publicauthority 1”and adds,“of that there are no traces of information.

” The followingin some degree answers this question , as it would appear that part ofthe Service Of the Church had been translated into Latin as early as155 1. The Bishop of Limerick at this time was John Coyn, or Quin,who soon afterwards resigned, being, as may be gathered from the

following, opposed to the Reformation . The Books sent to the Cityof Limerick were evidently the Books of Common Prayer, printed in1550. With respect to the translation of the Service into Latin , thefollowing rough note in the S. P. O. entitled Remembrances forlylande

” proves that the idea emanated from theEnglish Council; ithas no date, but was evidently written in July 1550, when St. Legerwentas Deputy.Ml“Smyth to translate y° Syvice into latin‘

, xxu reward

Itm th e printer for printing to be there—yol’ plaisur what heshallhave for his helpe.

Extract.

And nowe as tuchinge Religion , Altho it be hard toplants in mens mynds herein , yet I trust I am not

sinks to do what Ican t’advaunce the same I have

caused the whole v ice of the commyon to be


drawen into Latten, whichs shalbe shortly set furths

in print, I havecau sed Boks to be sent to the Cittyof Lym“ who most gladly havecondes-cended to

ymbrace the same wth alleffects altho the Bussboptherr who Is both owlde and b lindé bemoost ageynst

it ; moost hartely prayeing yo"r to procure the KMa

“eXpressecomaundemt not on ly to me, to put

his pleasr in use, but also to all his subjects to

follows and ob se‘

vs the same.

”

Maynooth xixm of January 1550

To Mr Secretary Cecil.

XXI .

Sir Anthony St. Leger, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to the

Duke of Somerset, Th anks for theBishop rick givento his Chap lain, desires that he may hold with the

same his two small benefices.

18th February 1550- 1 . [Orig.]

The Seas ofWaterford and Ossory are evidently intended ; [SeeXVII. and XIX.] The former was conferred on Patrick Walsh onthe Resignation of Nicholas Comin in 1551, the latter on John Balein 1552 .

Extract.—As yet I never received answer from your hon

nours, but onelyconcerning these ij BusshOpricks the,

OR IG INAL LETT ERS . 49

one grau nted to the kings Mai“pore orator sum

tyms mychaplefi , for the whichs I rendre yor gracemoost bartie thanks And yet w

il‘out yo

r

gracefurther favourr, hewill nOt tak upon him thechardgsof a BusshOp, u nles he may have to maynteane the

same to the kings honours and the bettre S'vice of

God and his Mat“

,h is Benefice being but x1“StS by

yere, the Late Bu sshOp had bothe Benefice and pen

ci5n wth the same Busshoprick, wherefore I humblybesech your grace to be so much his goods Lords as

that he may haue his ij smale Benefyce in oommen

dam. and for the Deanrey of Kilkenny, If it shall

please yo’r

grace to bestows the same upon a

Scoller of the kings Mail“

at Oxfords called JamesBicton who was Chaplen to the Erle of Ormond and

a born man Of thatcountry, I th ink yor grace shall

do agoods dede, wherein yolr

pleasu rr knowen incaseyo

‘ bounours passe it h ither, I shall see it disposed

here accordingly, having authorite undre his Ma“l to

gyve all such promocOfiS here.

Kilmayna this xviijthof ffebruary 1550.

Antony Sentleger.

To my Singler goods lorde TheDuk of Somerset his goods

Grace &c.

fi"

'

He mentions, in a former part of this letter, that

the Lord Chancellor, accompanied by the Master of

r


the Rolls, had made a late journey to Limerick and

Galway, and had estab lished the kings Mam“

ordres for Religioii in such sorts as there is greet

assueraunce the same shalbe duely ob served, so as I

trust those parties be w‘houte su spects of adhearing

to anny forreigne power.”

XXII.

Instructions required by Sir James Croft, Lord Deputyof Ireland, respecting theArchbishopricke ofArmaghand Cashel, and the BishOpricl: of Elphin answers

from theKing in Council to the above ; Further In

structions required by the Lord Deputy, with His

Maiesty’s Answer to the same.

[Original minutes ]Edward Bassenet late Dean of St. Patricks was the person de

signed to fill the Archiepiscopal Seat of Armagh in a temporarymanner , vacant by the absence ofDowdal.

Edmund Butler Archbishop of Cashel died March 1550- 1 [see

his place was not supplied till 1553.

Roland de Burgo, or Burgh , was appointed Bishop of Clonfert in

l54l, b s died in 1580. The Secof Elphin had been filled by BernardO’Higgin, and was now joined to that of Clonfert in the person of

Roland de Burgo. The King’s sensible notions as to pluralities are

remarkable.

Instructions for M' W oods, to declare to my LordesOf the Kings Ma

i? most honorable prevy Counsel]

the xxviii‘“of Julye. 1551 .


voyde, and Of smale pfi'

ett, yet w“1 the same, he

mought becomforted to good syu ice.

xv II Augustn 1551 . M. to the Lord Deputy

of Ireland.

f or th’eight touching the BisshOppricks of Armacb

and Cassells wd now be both voyde we mynding

above all things the good educacOii of our people,think convenyent that such mynisters as wilbe

earnest in the setting forth of Gods glory shuld be

appointed to be bisshops in all places ; and therfore

p'

pose to send two person s of our owns elecEOn fromhence to be bisshops there until] whosecumyngour pleass' is, you shall take order wth theDeanes and

Chapiters of both those cathedral] churches to se

God served and his holy word preachyed for the

means tyms and incase you fynd theim negligent,

ye may of yo'self appoints such mynisters as may

do good for the tyms who for their well doings

may be hereafterconsidered.

1 1 . and for the Deans Of St Patrickes, though weestyme him wo'thie of goods rewards andconsideracOii and will devise 8: help him, as it may be, yet

may we not allows that he abu lde have the fruicts ofthe busshOprick,considering it is meets for no man,


n or no man ought to have it, b ut a good mynister

and a preecber of the words of God.

20. your motion for the BusshOp of Clonfert

seemeth unto u s notconvenyent, ffor a goods Pastorcan not noorishe twoo flocks at once, and it agreethnot wth our Religion .

Instructions for Mr W oods to the Counsall ofEng

land the xxix‘h Of Septembre.

Denyed for the To remembre agayns for the B Of

kyng liketh no Clonefart and to shows of what

Union . a small value the thing w°h he

sued for is of, also hows mete a

man he was to be ioynsd for any

busynes in that countrey, bothfor discrete wysdom, and for

th’eStimacOfi he hath w“ the

xxvr Novembre 1551 .

The Coppie Of the Kings Mail“ lr

'

eTs for answer to

the In structions sent by W ood.

YOIr requests for the byshOpp of Clonfartie, to baue

ioynsd unto his BisshOprick, the Bis prick next to

bym now voyde, whose name the messenger re

s 3

54 ORIGINAL LETTERS.

me"

breth not, being bothe so small, as bothe to

gither Shall b ut suffice for a lyving of soche a

myn ister, we have accorded unto uppon you r

motion , who we thincke hath considered the thingnot to be any hy

‘

dsraEe, but rathlr a f lrtheraunce of

relligion , the lyvinge being so small, when they be

severed for eny mynister in the degree Of a B. and

for thecoiiiendation you give to the saideBisshopp“

,

in his knowledge, wisdoms, and creadicte in those

pties, we thincke he shalbe a fitt man to serve as

one of the saide news Counsel] erected, whereinhaving this encrease of lyving, we thincke he

maye serve well w‘out fee, to the helpe of our

charge.

XXIII .

George [Browne] , Archbishop of Dublin, to the Earl

of Warwick, accusing Sir Anthony St. Leger, late

Lord Deputy, and theArchbishop of Armagh, who

had fled the Realm, of Papisticalp ractices.

6th Augu st 1551 . [Orig.]

The following paper throwsconsiderable light on what has beenhitherto a disputed point, the circumstances of the recall of St

Anthony St Leger, as well as the voluntary banishment of Dowdal,the late Primate. [See also XXVI . ]

Due and most bartie cOmendacOns : may it plesse

ORIGINAL LETTE RS . 55

yolr honor, lesse my other letre abulde not be in

aredynes wtyo

‘

goods lordshype, wrytten beretofor

about the books delyv"

ede me by Mlr Sentleg

' than

Deputie (the coppies wherof I sent yor hono') I

thought goods at this psent to certyfie the same

pticularlye accordinge trewtht : The same Syr An

thouy Sentlegr then deputie, upon his last arrival] in

that auctoritis, went to the chyf churchs of this

realms, chryste Churchs of Dubliii, and ther aft”

thoolde sorts, Ofi'

srede to the aulter than of stone ; to

theconforte of his to many like papistes, and the discoragement of the pfessours of godda words : Sons

therefipon the primate ofArdmagbe, the next father

in words and dede of pOperie, repayrede to him,

whichs primate psistinge in his naughtie sorts to

maynteyne thoold rightes of the busshOp of Romes

S'

nyes, and refusinge to imbrace and set fourth the

Kings Maiest’amost godlie pcedinge, was advised as

it wer to the contrarie, and_

d_

sptede to his rule

W herupon the same Lord Deputie to content theoutwards apparance Of the world, made pclamatOiisfor the setting fourth of the sayde Kings pcedinge.

the same notwithstandings, tbs massinge, holie watt,candlemascandels, and suche like,contynewde u nderthe pmate and elleswhsr ; wherof the same deputie

havynge knowlege, nether sent for any of the

ofi'

endours, us yetcau sede ponishement ne redresse

to be executed in this behalfl'

, whereat thoughe I


sayde to his lordshype, th’

yngecoulde notbetaken ingoods pte to be totellie pclamede, and the desdes so

apparentcontrarie unponisbed, at tymes herupon

the sayd deputie sayde to me and other goe to

goe to yor matters of religion woll marre all. about

candlemas last he callede me to him alone ; and

sayde, my lords of Dublin“

I have fyue ,

books for yo'

lordshypé whichs aftr ye haveconsiderd sends themto me accordinglie and so takings the books wth me

I toke my leave of him : and at mycomInge homepusinge theis books, I found them so poisoned to

mayteyne the mass with Transub stantiacon and other

naughtines (as at no tyms I have ssin suche a

surname of scrypturs collectede to establyshe that

ydolatrie), elenecontrarys the sincere meanings of

the words of God, and the kings most godlie peed

ings which wt the rest of the sayde deputies peed

ings wered, I soulde gather no goodnes he ment in

th is behalfi'

, according my most bounden dustie

to the kings maiestie, I coppiede the books, and

spedely sent them to yo' honor, that mought be

ameane of redresse, This mattIrcam to the seyde

Sentlegs‘

knowlege : W hereupon he is muchs gravailede with me, spekynge behinds me (than trewthe

wol] bears h im) sainge that it shall cost him an

thowsande pounds (he bathe plentie in store of golds

and sylv"

had to homlie here but he woll wourke

had to homliehere, had toocommonly here.


me displeasur : yf 1 have don herin otherwise than

besam a subject Of my vocacOii, I beseche yor hono‘and the rest to judge, and so let me by the same be

ptected agayn st his malyce whos before god is a

man of suche nature that aft“

displeasureconceyved,he forstudieth by all possible meanes to execute hismalyos : To whom I take my Savio

’r to witnes, though

I doe wishs no harms of bodys ne of goods, yet I

wolde beseche yo’r b onor to stalecredit to his wordsand psuaEOns : lesse therby he shulde hinder me and

many an honestman ; that worthelye and paynfullye

have, and doe, ”sue thekyinge here. whyche he neu

dyd as his pcedings here declareth, to the grete

charge of the kings , to the let of the pu blique weale

of the realms, and the undoings of many honest

men whereby he is wonderous ryche : This massinge, w

tlike beings spoken in opencounsel] agaynst,by the liefteuhnt Syr Raphe Bagnalland me that it

was to muchs agayn st dutie to sufi'

er the primate so

to contempne the kings pcedy"

gs, and requ ired be

mought becallede befor him and the rest, whoscamand disputed playnlie themassinge and other things,

contrarie the kinges pcedings and that he wolde

not imbrace them : whereat the Depu tie seyde no

things : the same Syr Raphe Bagnallcalled bym

errante trayto'

, Syr Thomas Cu sacks the Chauncellor

the sayde primate cosin , answered Mr Bagnall no

traytor

so the pmate departeds, andcontynewd as

58 ORIGINAL LETT ERS.

he dyd, tyll the sameMlr Sentleg' was discharged of

the deputacOn , whoscomynge h ither, sent in message

to therle of Tyrone by his erv'

at, have me most

hartelycomended to my lorde yo‘ m'

, and p‘

ye bym

in any wyse to folowe thecounsel] and advise of that

good father, sage senatoIr and godlie bushope, my

lorde pmate in every things, and so he shall dos

well : howsoeu r the matt' was, the primate like a

traytolrsons upon fled ; wrytinge to the sayd Chaun

selor (I pray god to send in that trustie vo

cacon an Englishs ma“

) that he wolde neuIr be bus

hope where tholie masse (as he called it) was

abolished/. It may please yor honoIr to he means

that the most honorable counsayle, seinge ther

hath ben contencOI' i betws the sayde p’mate and

his p’decessours, and tbrchebu shope of Dublifi and

his p’decessours, for the p’mecie and tytle Of thooll

realms ; the p’mate claymynge by the bushope Of

romes bulles, and I by the kings maiestie 8: his

most noblepgenytours graunts and giftes ; seings also

I am, andmustbe, atgreatscharg‘ to mayteynehouse,intertayne gentlemen comynge thens h ither, and

theircapteynes and other Suynge the kings highnes

here ; the poorenes of my lyvinge for my vocaEOii,8: the disloialtie of the sayde primate ; that I maybaue gewen and grau nted to me and my successoursarchebushOps (whos synnes the Conquest bathe

been chiefs staies under the kings in theis pties of


remembered, at this tyms bathe ren iicsd the bushopeof rome and his wycked sortes, by oothe, and by thatothe humblie sworne to be the kings trews sub iects .

In all his iornay and trayvayl] the same nowe lord

deputie, saws the kings maiesties most godlie pee

dings put in execucfifi, and thother naughtie abol

yshede in deade : and hischargs is, andmustbe, ferreaboue any other goiino

's, fl

‘

y nallie I cor-

fiends him

not somuchs for his sobrietie [and] afi'

able sorts ; but

the min“

: is in vertous doings, the mar“

: he pfesseth by

wordes : Th is leavings of forther to troble yoIr honor,

the lorde grau nt to the same, long helthefull lyf w‘

increse ofhonor ; !from Dublin y"vith ofAugust

yor honor tocomaunde

G DubliI’

I .

To the right honorable therle of

W arwycke 8: lorde greats Mr of

England ysus this.

(endorsed)

6 of august 155 1 The b of Dublin“

to the Counsel].

ORIGINAL LETT ERs. 61

XXIV.

Sir James Croft [Lord Deputy] to theDuke of North

umberland. The Sees of Armagh, Cashel, and

Ossory vacant, recommending one Leverosse, for

either of the latter sees.

1 1th November, 1551 . [Orig.]

The following notice of Thomas Leverous, who became Bishop ofKildare on the deprivation of Lancaster, is very remarkable. W e

find him here recommended by the Protestant Sir James Croft, asthe fittestman in the kingdom to becalled to the EpiscopalBench,to which he was eventually raised by Queen Mary’s Popish Government in 1554. The great obligations which the present House of

Leinster are under to Bishop Leverone, by his having preservedthe heir of that illustrious family, is mentioned in Harris’s edition of

W are’s Bishops, and is further illustrated in this letter.

Ytmaie please yo1rgrace to beaduertissd, thatwheare

sondrye Busshoppricks in this lands be voyde, as

Armagh , Cassell, and Osserie, to w°hchardgs I knowsof no men yet nomynated, but do dayly looks theCounsells pleasure therein, and Specially atArmagh ,atwiche place, yf some discrete man war appoynted,andchefely suche a man as had lyving in England

to maynteyne hymself, that thereby be mought be

ab le to takechardgs as a Coffiyssioner in thoseptieS,

withoutwch ordre taken there, and in other places,it

is not possyble that the varyance and questions w°“

shal] dayly rysecan be descydyd And for thother

G


Busshoppricks, beyng nere at hand and in the more

quyetercountrey, we have not here any for suche a

chardgs, saving one Leverosse, that was skools

master to the Lords Garrett, who for lernyng, dis

crescon , and (in outwards apparaunce) for goodlyving, is the metyst man in this Realms, and best

able to preache both in the Englishs and the Iryshe

tongs Neuertbeles forasmucbe as be was thought

an Offendor, forconveying the said L . Garrett out of

theRealms, and notwthstanding syns had his pdon , I

dare notbecOITI a suter for bym; albeit as I haue saidI knows no man so mete I harde bym presche suchea sermon, as in my symple Opynefifi, I bards not in

meny yeares.

I have alrsdy wrytten in the favor of the Busshopp

Of Kyldare for the BusshOpprick Of Osserie, doubt

ing lest my sute for this man wolde not take place,howbeit yf yo

r grace think good upon thiscomendacon to preferr the man, I shalbe hable to avoucheasmuche as I have said.

Kylmanam the nitll ofNovembre 1551 .

&c

yo’ graces evermore bounden at

comaundemsnt. James Croft.

To the Duk of

Northumberlendes grace1 Thomas Lancaster.


XXV.

Sir James Croft [Lord Deputy] to Sir William Cecil,comp laining of the negligence and ignorance of the

Bishops and Clergy of Ireland, and desiring that

some learned men may be sent over to set forth

the kings proceeding .

”

15th March 1551 . [Orig .]

This a very interesting letter, and was probably thecause of thegreater earnestness and attention manifested about this time by theEnglish Government towards the stateof the Irish Church. Cranmerwas consulted, and soon afterwards Goodacre and Bale were sent

over to Ireland,the former to fill the Archiepiscopal seatOfArmagh,

the latter to the Bishoprick of Ossory.

Beyng a man not lerned, nether sens in any other

thing worth ie of thechardgs comyttsd to me, I ambesyds myne othercares, b urdened with the settingforth of religion , wiche to my skyll I cause to beamended in eusry place where I travel] : and never

theless through the neglicence of the Bysshopes and

other spyrituallmynistres, it is so barely looked unto,as the olde seremonies yet remayne in meny placesThe Bu sshops as I find, be negligent and fews

lerned, and none of any good zeale as it semeth ,

wherfor yf it wolde please yo" to move the Counsai]

that for suche bu sshOppricks as be here voyde, some

lerned men mought be sent ouer to tak chardg,G 2


and so to preche and settforth the kings pcedinge, Iwolde trust so to mayntayne them, as they mought

do good to meny, and sett forth this as it ought to

be And yf thiscannot be brought to passe, I prayyo

wsends me some lerned man to remayne with me,

by whose counsaill I may the better direct the

blynd and obstinate busshops, and what stypend

soeuer yo"pmys I will gyve it praying yo

" to helps

me with Speds, for I have gret want of suche a one,

so I betak yo" to god, fi

'

rom Kylmanam the xvm of

MarcheYo“ tocomaund

James Croft.

To the right honorable W illm

Ceycill knight one of the twopryncipal] Secreteries to theKings Majestic.

O RIGINAL LETTERS . 65

XXVI .

Deposition of Sir John Alen knight, relating to

certain words against the Protestant Religion, said to

have been uttered by SirAnthony St. Leger, late Lord

Deputy of Ireland.

1552.

[See XX] II .]

19 ma n 1551 .

The deposition of me Jobn Alen knight, latechauncelor of Irlands, upon my oothemade before S’ JamesCroftes kn ight, Lord Deputie of Irland, Sr W '“

Brabason and S? John Trauers knightes, by vertue of

the highcun sells l'i‘

Es, upon this Interrogatory, what

wordes or convation S’ Anthony Sentleger late thekings deputie here had unto me in Kilmaynan

toch ing religion . and whether he said unto me, then

or any tyms ellis. Goa to. Goo to religioii wol

marre all and whether at any tyms I declared to

my L of Dub line that M’ Sentleger spake the lik

wordes to me or not. In vertue of myn oothe I

declare, that neither Mlr Sileger spak thois wordes to

me, neither made I any soche Declaration to my L .

ofDublyn . and yet for explanation upon what occasion by like thatmy L . of Dublyn avowcheth me toafiirme win him in thiscase, I wol] declare somecir

G 3


cu‘

stance, w"h holly in effect is true, so god iudgeme:/It was 800, that about this tyms xij monethes, in

lents, baneng the dais before receyued li'

Es both byoon Mr W oods, 8: Brooks, aswel from my Lordes of

the Cunsell, intymating to me both ther determyna

tions of the sending byther of my L Cobh‘m wth an

armys, signyfieng also ther plesure to me to attends

upon my L Cobh‘m to mak all necessary puisionsfor his furnyture, I repaired to Kylmaynam, to speke

w“1 M’ Sileger then Deputy : and beyng ther,he

sents for me into a Chamber w°h iscalled St JohnsChamber, wher he, wtn dybe of the Cunsell wer then

sitting, and when I came in, they all roose, so after

salutations, Mr Sentleger went aparte from the rests

to the gret wyndowe taking me wth bym, and en

tring intocofiation wth me Of thecau se ofmycomeng,I shewed him thefi

'

ects of my liés 8: instructions,desiring him, because I wold not be seen to contempne neithr his p

‘sente ané

'

tie, ne dismynysh his

estimation amonge the people, that I moght haue

hisco‘

missions to settsu peons to puyde their pro

visions, rather then to do it by vertue of my 1558,

and he said I shuld have and after thi scomonengof the frenchmen s comyng hither, Mr Alen , saithe

he, ye ar a man of knowleg, what shall the frenchmen I praie you doo here, and so declaryng his

opin ion therin mary q, I, that w"h they went abouts

the last yere, to psuade the Yrishmen toconsents to


w‘h is no small hinderance to the kings affaires,

spially in soch a tyms as this is, but saithe be, if

th’empero

’ we] remembred the kindnes of the kings

fader to him, he shuld shew no soche ingratitude tohis son and then said I, when I was in Ingland, I

culd neu“

hears that he had anycause of unkindness

to us, saving some said he was offended w‘hOIrreligion,

w°has me semyth all thingsconsidered, shuld be a

small cau se of unkindnes, well said be, it wer not

gretm”

uel] that he, and his, shuld be offended therin

as to see daylie at yoreye, that in that matter at

home among o‘selves, oon of u s is ofi

'

ended w‘h

another, and I am suer that you, and eu“

y man w“

haue th’experience of this realms do knows, that if

the frenchemens do some hither, they shall haue

more frendship amongs th is nation , for religious

cau se, then for ther own s sakes, and all thatthey wol]

give them ; and so God helps me said be, for myn

awne pie, knowing the maner and ignorance of this

people, when my Lordes of the Cunsellwilled me to

set furth the matters of religion here, weh to my

power I baue doon, I had raither they had sente me

into Spayne, or any other place wher the king shuld

b aue hadcause to mak warre ther, theii burdeynedme to set furths the matters of religion here, and I

told my Lordes no les befor mycomeng aways ; and

here pawsinge, he te'ned him to goo to the horde to

sitt for dispatchs or consultation wth the rests, and

ORIGINA L LETTERS. 69

imsdiately 005came, saying his meats was upon thehorde and so we went to dyner weh doon , becauseI see not theclerks mak Spede to mak mycomIs

sions, I went to a side horde, and wrote them myself, and assuneas I had gotten them sugned, I depted

to my lodging to Dublyn, and when I came ther,after I had pulled of my riding gerre, I determyned

to goo to repast that eventide w‘h Mr Deans of

Cristchurche, and when Icame th ider, I founds thermy L of Dublyne, and M

r Basnet late Deans of S‘

Patricks, and so after repaste, we fowre together (all

oth advoyded out of thechamber)comoned of the

newes of the frenchs meiies comenge, 8: manyother thing' toching th’occurrhfits pacnte, amongw°h

Mr Sentlegers fau lts, noither of me, ne the rest was

not forgotten : and Spially my L of Dublyn assign

eng diiis ifaultis to him in religion for his Ofl'

ering at

thaulter at his landings the prymate 8: other

things toching masse— among all, he said hewas but

adissymuler in religion , and was neu“

willings to baue

it set fu rths here, By OI Lady said I, (as I suppose)

ye goo not farre amyass ther, !for this day to my self

heconfessid not moche less, (ded he soo saith myLord) I praie yo

ureméber that. Now to shorten the

matter, longs after this my Lord and I mett not

together, but it was told me that he said, and I hard

him self say no les, thatMr Sentleger shuld say to

h im, that if the Lords of the Cunsell had letten all

70 ORIG INAL LETTERS .

things aloone in th’order king Henry VIIIth lefte

them,8: medled not to alter religion, neither bad the

rebellion of Ingland, nor all thies bu rly burleye baue

happened : and to proue this article, it was told mehe shuld advouche me for a witnes wherin I said

albeit M' S‘leger baue so wronged me by taking

from me hono', estimation 8: lyving, so as if I shuld

folowe the fleshe if I moght drink him up in acuppOf water, he hath desyned it ofme, w

"hconsidered, noman wol accompts me for an indifferent witnes

against him, yet if I shalbe used for a witnes upon

the matter proponed ; they ar lik to haue a faynt

witnes, f or ifMr S‘leger wold do tomeas mochemoreharms as he hath doon, I wol] not lye to hurts him

Long after this about the latter sands of harvests,when my Lordes S

'uantecame out of Ingland, who

broght h im lr_

ss from my lordes of the Cunsell for

his repairs thider, his lordship sente for me to him,

and shewing me b oth the said 1558, 8: what he had

proponed againstM‘ S'leger, he asked mycunsell(as

indeed I am of his fee) and among other things he

desired me to reméber what wordes Mr S‘leger shuld

haue had to me in Kylmaynam,when the brute of

the frenchemen was at his going to Mounster

Rehersing theis wordes if my Lordes had letten all

thinges in th’order the kings fader lefte them 843. I

aunswered, that besides that no man upon thecasewold tak me for an indifferent witnes against Mr


S‘leger. I rem'

ébred no soch words spoken by him,

(fl'

or of this pposition conteyned w‘in the interro

gatory I neu“

b irds till now, Go to Go to so ) yes

said my lord, reme’

bre yo'selfe better, fi

'

or ye told it

me the same day he spake them in M’ Deans of

Cristchurches lodging, he and Mr Basnet being

p‘

sent, we] my Lord said I, I think yemystok me,

But if itmay please yo“, when ye mete them next to

inquire the truths of them : and if they say as yo"

say, I wol]calls them 8: myself both to better reme"

braunce, Wherupon I meting them after, I enquired

of them,whether they harde me spsk after soch sorts

to my 1. of Dublyne, and they said my Lord had

spoken w‘h them alredy in that matter, and they told

h im that they bards not me say as he alledged.

Neu‘

thelis after this, when at my Lordes request a

litle before his going on“

,I wold mak no testi

monyall to him in wrytinge of this article, The

b ishop of Kildarecame to me psuadingeme on his

behalf to put in writing the wordes Mr Sentleger

spake to me in Kylmaynam, To whom I made this

aun swer, Shew my lord that albeit I love his litle

too bettir than all Mr S‘legers body, yet I wol] do

nothyng against truths, nor that wch shall not be

decent for oon that hath been placed as I baue been ,Therfor if it shall plesemy Lords of the Cunsell, to

cofiifiunde my Lord deputie to examyne me upon

my oothe, I will tru ly declare, [if that may do my

ORIGINAL LETTERS .

Lords plesure] what M' Sileger said to me in Kil

maynah . written wth thande ofme.

Iohn Alen .

endorsed

1552

depositOI'

Is of Sr Iohn Alen

kn ight, touching certainewords laiyed by theArchebusshop of Dublin to St

Anthony S‘legerscharge.


arvies and admi'

stracOii of the Sacraments, to beusedamonge O

Irloving subjects there, as ni‘e as they maye

that bathe ben Of olde tyms used, and as is now

begoune again wi n this Or Realms of England.

Artycles sent by the Queues most excellentMai8

to the L fl'

ytzwau'

,to beconsydered, and answer to

be returned to her Mat“; which artycles were in

closed yn her Ma“ letter beryg date the xvij

tnof

Novemb r 1556.

8 . To baue a specyal] forsyght hows the peoplew°h

shalbe sent thether, maye be instructed yn the

Catholyk relygion , and whatchurches ther be fetefor the same.

[The preceding articles refer to the project of

resettling and planting”the N. Eastern coast of

Ireland.]

To the eyghte, I says that when townes be bylt,ther also Churches mu ste be hylte, for the tyms aswell as they maye be, and at]:r amended. The

Pryests and mynystsrs must be sent owt of Ingland

and well chosen , who maye as well instructs thepepell yn the Catholyk faythe, as also see ther

churches so kept and adorned, as the syght therof

maye bryng reverence and more devotyen, whichs


yn my Opynyon fereth the harts of the pepel] more,beyng dayly put yn remembrance by ther yes, thenthe words of the rare precher whichs for the tymsmoste Fomenly fedethe the ere, and ai’t' falheth

from the remembrance of the ignorante.

I would also wyshe a discrete man to be sent out of

England, who showld be bysshOp of thosepts, aswell

to see the premysses Ob served yn his dyoces, as alsoto gyve exempel] to other bysshopps to do the lyk

yn refermyng of ther dyoces, and the myn isters

under them, who (it is as pyteful] as trews), be nowe

the comOii spyes and messengers of myscbefl'

, and

make therchurches not only in the norths, but also

thoroughs the moste of Irlond, lyke stabells for

horses, and herd-bowses forcattell, then holly placesto mynyst

" wt due reverence the moste blyssed

Sacraments yn ; and use them, as apperethe bv the

fylthe yn them, more to that perpose, then to the

other ; whichs ungodlynes amongstcrysten men , itmaye plese yo

‘ Mai“wi

’the advyse and auctoryte of

my L Cardynalls grace, to see abolyshed and the

disorder reformed ‘.

1 Holograph of la Fitzwalter.


XXVIII .

Petition of ConoghourMcKurtis, Clerk, toQueenMary,

for a letter of license to go to Rome to obtain

certain poor Benefices from the POpe. [W ithout

date.]

To the queues most excellentMatie

Pleaseth yolr highnes, yo

t daillie Subiecte ConoghotM°Kartie, home w‘hin yo

'

gracs realms of Irland,being piitlie bound towards the popes hollines, in

tending to Obtains c’teine poore benefics, whetherthei be spiritual] or Reguler, wth in yo

f highnes

forsaid realms of yrland, fearing lest eny of the

forsaid benefices be of yor highnes presentacéii or

nominacOii, and also considering the statute of

pmunire that dothe phib ite eny of yorsaid sub iects

to Obtains eny suche dignities from the see of Rome,

wthout yor highnescon sent and assent therein bad

yt may therforeconsist with yolr highnes pleaso‘, inconsideracOii Of the p

'misses, and also to the fur

therauncs Of yorsaid sub iects, to the studie of honest

literature, to graunt yolr highnes

’is 1558 of license foryo

rsaid subject ’is discharg, in case he can Obtain s

eny suche benefics from the forsaid sea of Rome,


pcedings, wher I thought the b ind’

raunce of the

queues subiects They have latly burned 8: spoyled

my pore see ofArdmachan wth threchircbes 8:c’tainlmags in the same, besids boks 8: westm

“I that they

fonds in my Cathedral] Churchs, 8: because of this

hind rau nce 8: yivyll wyll to me, I am reputed

amonge them tobe ontrue 8: in shy Soldyo‘

_mouths

called a trayto‘

, 8: bycOsultacOii amongs them as

I am enformed, 8: bruted abrode, that they fonds mylr5s agains the queue in a Chests in Ardmagbs, w

°h

they 8: all the world shall nev5 be able to pr'

ve, or

eny other point of ontruthe in my behalfi'

e unto her

made

In answer to thesecharges the Lord Ju stice and

Council informs the Lord Deputy Sussex, [then in

England,] in a dispatch dated from Dublin , March20, 1557, that these accu sations against his lordshipshould be imputed rather to private malice than

care be (the Archb ishop of Armagh) had for the

Reformation of the Country.

ORIGINAL LETTERS. 81

Albeit,” They say, TheTowns” [ofArmagh] was

sett on fyer, yetwas not a quarter of yt burned, and

in that fyer a thatched rofe or twoo of lytle prophane

Chappells used as storehowses, toke fyer emongest

the rest, against the will of y0' L : or any oother

there to your knowledge, and for the taking away of

Vestements or any oother ornaments pteyning to

the Divine service of God, we know that your L.

dyd not onlycau se Open proclamacOfi to be made,

that none such should be taken, but also as much ascame to your knowledge you cau sed to be restored

ageyn ; and for evellwords spoken by m. l. prymat,we never hard of any suche spoken by him, and if

at any tyms he had complayned of yt, he might

have byn assured the partie faultie, shuld have byn

punished for his so doing. nor we never hard re

ports of eny evelllr5s of his writings, found there.

”


XXX .

Private suits of George Dowdal, Archbishop of Ar

magh, to havepower topass Ecclesiastical Censureson disobedient Irishry ; and for license topurchasecertain premises at Termonfeghin ,for thepurp ose offounding a College.

Archbishop Dowdalreceived a favourable answer from the Queento both these requests, as appears by the draft of her Majesty’sanswer of the 4th of August, 1558, by which she gave him leave to

exercise the saidcensures Ecclesiastical, in such sort as he or his

predecessors hath been accustomed to do heretofore.

” The Archbt p was at this time in London, where he died eleven days after

the date of the Queen’s answer, on the 15th of August, 1558.

Heresnsv’

i’

rth suche pettis sutts as I the archbyshopeof Armachan have at this

"

psente by yot honor to

[be] obteyned Of the queues

— Itm where there is no remedy or Redresse had

againis th’

yrishrie that dothe not awnswere w“tt or

byll for eny hurts that they do either to bysshope or

eny other Inferyo’ place but onely by thecensura

of the Chirche as bathe sue“contynued there and

yett su " of the lerned m5”

there bethe of that Oppynyon , that it Shou ld be acause of fimunyre tocurseeny of them in eny tempallcause, aswell as tocursea sub iects, of whom Remedy may be dayly had by


why was layed agaynstme, butfor that I did marrie a

wif, they did putan Ireyshemonks in my place, whosechefe matter in preachyng, hath bene iu realeyinge

agaynst O’oldeM'

, wherewml I was more greved then

w‘h my owns trobles, the Lords Cardyuall layed

agaynst me for a greveus article that I fisumed inmy sermond to pray for his sole ; now for if yt

please you to be enter to the Queues Maiestie for

me, eyther to hauemy Leveiug agayns, or ells to Oh

tayne some state of Leveiug to my vocacou , youshall doo no les then is my expectacon at yo

r

bandes, I wolde hauecomau my self to you, butanerlysuche is my pon

"

tie, that I am not ab le to beare the

charges Of my iouruey, and therefore I beseche youto petie my state, and accordyugly nowe show yo

t

self my good maister as I have alwayes found you,

for I had never more nede ; the Lorde Cardynall

pmysed me that I shuld haue an honest stey of

Leveing owte Of the spiialties here that were

graunted to his disposytion by the acte Of plyament,

but nothing did be, but gene me leaue almost to

begg my breede ; yf it please you to confer w‘h

my Ladie Sydney I trust she will further yOrsute

for yor pore frend, I trust in the Lorde by yo

'

meanes to fynd the queue my gratious Ladie, her

noble grandfather was my especyall good Lorde

and (I) thenke I am the Oldest chapleyne that

Oltolde maister bath now Leveiug, and therefore

ORIGINAL Lurr uRs. 89

trust that his noble dowghter will not see me lackeleveing

—And if this Suplycaeou herein enclosed,(wanting) and directed to the queues Ma

“eseme

unto you convenyEt, then I beseche you ytmay bedelyu

“

ed, or ellschaunged as you shall thinke best,thus I take my Leave of y0

' good maistership, be

secheug the Lorde tocoutenewe you long in muchhealth wth increase Of honor. wretten at Dublen

the xvi“ day Of Decembrey’ p

' bedysma"

8: OtremaEdw Staple laat

byshop OfMeth

To the Right Hbable and

my most especiall goodMr

S'W illm Cicellknight andsecretorie to the queues

majestic.”

endorsed

xvi Of decemb .

Edw : Staple.

Signed only by the bishop.


XXXII .

Extract fi om Queen Elizabeth’s Instructions” to

Thomas , Earl of Sussex, Lord Deputy of Ireland,and to the Lords of the Council with him for theGovernment of the same realm.

Dated 16“ Of July 1559 . [l"t Eliz

[Original drafi:corrected in Cecil’s hand.]

The following Extracts are extremely interesting, and éhiucethe judgment and caution with which the restoration of the Re

formed National Church was attempted on the accession of Elizabeth.

— Her Mato willeth and commaufideth the sayd

Depute and all and everye Of her sayd counsaill,that in all their doyngs and goueruaunce, they sett

the si'

vice Of almighty god before their eyes and

preferre the same in allcases, And that spiallythe sayd Depute, and such others Of that counsaill, w

ch be natif home sub iects of this Olt Realme

Of Englande, do as moch as conueniently maye

wth good order lye in them, u se the rites and

ceremonyes of the Srvice of god at ye best in

there bowses, wch is by Lawe here approved

92 OR IGINAL LR'r'rRRs.

XXXIII .

Tuam is allowed Confirmation of his Deanery, and

submitted to the Queen, to be confirmed in his

Bishqm’ch, andcertain exchanges to bemade.

[Orig-J

The name Of the Dean Of Tuam at this period was WilliamLealley, preferred to the Rectory of Graustay (l) Diocese Of Tuam,

Nov. 7, 1558 (Liber Hibernies, part II. p. Thomas Fyllye, or

fi eld, was Bishop of Leighlin, having been appointed by Papal provision in 1555 . His submission to the Queen, and abjuration Of the

Pope’s authority, was signed at Greenwich, June 23, 1559 . He diedin 1567, and was buried in the CathedralOf S .Laferiau, at Leighlin.

16 Julii

a° p° Reg Elizab . ausw’ for privat sutes.

1559.

RE . where the sayd Erle (Of Clanrickard,) thatchsb isshopp of Tuameii, the bisshopp Of Clamfortoii,

haue wryteu to hir Matie in the favor Of the Des I

'

i Of

Tuameii, for confirmacOii unto him Of the sayd

Deaurye, 8: the peonage Of Ballouey , Aghasgavagh,

Killosaylaryfi, 8cthe prebende Of Lekaghe, h ir Mat“

is pleased that her sayd deputy [TheEarl Of Su ssex,]shall by cOIYIissioii or otherwise u nderstand the

nature Of the same thiuge, and if he shallfyude no

inconvenience therein to the service Of her Mat“,


then in her name, 8: under her greate seale Of

Ireland to make aconfirmacOI'i thereof to the sayd

Desii .

Itm. W here S' ThOI‘

i‘

I fi’

yllye Bisshop of Laugh

ly ii , hath been contented to acknowledge bothe byh is othe, 8: writeing under his hand, his allegeauce toher hieghnes, as to his sou

'

eigne Lady, with aRenu'

ciacOI' I of all forreyn aucthoritie 8: iurisdicfin, makengh is humble sute to have the sayd b isshoprikeconferred unto him by hir hieghnEs lrEs patents ; Her

Mat“is pleased that her sayd deputy, taking wtb bym

the said othe and renu’ciacoii, uppon cou sideracon

thereof, do make a graunt of the said bisshoprike

u nto bym, and bycau secerteyn Of the temporalties

Of the same bisshoprike be so nere adioyueng to the

fort at Laughly ii, so as the samecan no wayes be

spared for the s'vice of her and yet the sayd

Bisshopp mete to be recompenced for the same ;

her Mat“ doth aucthorise the sayd deputy to deliu

"

u nto the sayd bysshop by waye Of exchangecerteynoth

'

lauds (spiiallpossessios) to that value, such, andwhere, the sayd deputy shall thiuke mete for the

sayd b isshopp, in fu ll recompence of the lands

adnexed to the sayd forte, and for further gratefieug

Of the sayd bisshopp, shall sufi'

er him to enjoye, if he

see it soconvenient, the benefice Of Dalighny incomendacon towards his better sustentacoii 8: lyveng .

ORIGINAL LETT ERS .

XXXIV.

Postscript to a Letter from the Earl of Sussex, Lord

Deputy, to Sir William Cecil. The Lord Chan

cellor (theArchbishop of Dublin) desires his Recallinto England. Dublin, Nov.

[Orig. Holograph ]

Hugh Curwin , a native Of Westmorland, was appointed Archbt p of Dublin in 1555, on the deprivation of Archbishop Browne,and the same year Lord Chancellor Of Ireland. He had been Deanof Hereford in 1541, and it would appear from the following note

that he was desirous Of being made Bishop Of that See, in exchangefor the ArchiepiscOpalseat OfDublin. In 1567, he was translated toOxford, and died in 1568 .

— S' my L‘l Chancellor hath hym hartely commended unto you , and besecheth you to hau e his

revocation into England to the Byshopryck Of

harthford, [Hereford in remembrance he is theman that of his cote hath surlyest stood to the

Crowne ether in Ingland, or Irland, 8: therfor it

shall be well her Maty hath bym in rem'

ébranceaccordingly, tocO“fOrt him in his Old yeres ; I besechyou he maye understand from you , I haue had him

in remembrance.

96 ORIGINAL Lnr 'rnRs.

ye wilhe the like instrument to the Queues maiestye,

that I may he exonorated and u nhu’

doned Off the

same, for there is not a preacher to assiste me in

settings fourth Off goddes worde, or the queues

maiestye her procedinges, saving oneM' Lofthowse ;

meyue owuechapleme"n is but latlyecomed ouer to

me ; ifl'

this he a lamentle heriug or not, I referre it

to yO' honors judgement and discretion , I do most

humblye hesiche yow good my Lord, to ponder thismatter well and depelye, for it is goddes cause,wherin you shall do bym acceptab le servyce and yo

r

dewtye—my firste frutes I trust yo

' honOr will not

forget, and the dispatche Off my servantwhich hath

so louge attended upon yor Lordship

— dign itie

and promotion is good and acceptab le for a worldlyman, but quyetues Ofcoicieuce and sincere servynge

Off god, iscomfortab le for a man fearinge god and

acceptable unto hym, which thinge I do mosthumblyecraue Ofl

'

my Lorde and God, for yt I haue not any

other helpe of?man to ayde and assiste me herein , I

tru ste the next messeng'

ytyo

t hono' shall receiuefrome me, shalbe my selfe, ifi

'

I can procure leaue,and dothe stande wt the queues maiestye her plea

sure, and than I shall communicate my mynde

and afi'

aires u nto yo' honor more largelye z— Thu s

leavinge Off the lamentinge Ofl’

all my grefe by pen,

w t distance and seperaEOii Ofi'

Or bodyes, by the in

tervallOf seas, which is notthe leaste Ofmy grefes, wt


my most humble comendacons unto my honorable

and good Lord, my L. Ambrose yO’ L . brother; and

u ntomy good Ladyes yo'sisters, I besechethe etem all

god to preserve you all in his faith feare and loue, wt

muche encrease Ofi'

hon’, defacinge Off yO'enemyes,

comfourts andcon solaEiiI' I off yo' frendes, and to yO'hertes coutentaco '

ri ; frome my howse at Suyut Pa

trickes the laste day Off aprill, by yo’ honor his

moste humble and addicted servant duringe lyte.

Alexander Craik .

TO the right honorable and my ult aprilis 1561 .

[defaced] My L B. of Kildare to my L. Roht.

RoubertDuddeleye,Master Ofthe craving to be discharged Of

horse gyve his Bishoprick.


XXXVI .

The Earl of Sussex, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to Sir

William Cecil. The appointment of Mr . Loftus to

the Archbishopriclcof Armagh .

Dec. 25. 1561 .

The Archb ishoprick of Armagh had been vacant from the deathOfHugh Goodacre in 1553, except during the temporary restorationof Dowdal during the reign Of Queen Mary. Adam Loftus, a member Of an ancient and wealthy family in Yorkshire, was at this timeChaplain to the Lord Deputy Sussex

,whose chagrin at the delay

which had taken place in the advancementOf h is friend, is suficientlyevident. Loftus was notconsecrated to the See of Armagh till theend Of the year 1562, although the Queen had written to the Archbishop Of Dublin,commanding his consecration , as early as Oct. 39,1561, inclosing a letter of the same date to the Dean and Chapter OfArmagh, recommending his election to that see. [See XLV. ]

It may pleas yo“ to understande that I receyued the

xxiijtll

Of this present in the morning at St Thomas

Cu sakes howse, yor LrEs Of the xiiij

mof the same,

and the xxiiijthat my arryvall here, yO

‘r Li’e’

s Of the

xxviiith Of November : By the first writen that

came last to my bandes, I perceyve the Quens Mah e

had at my motion conferred upon Mr Lottehowse

the Archebu sshopricke Of Armaughr, by the secondthatcame souest to me, I perceyve her pleasure forthe stay thereof, whereupon I doe deteyne in my


fitt, he was allbwed, and nowe thought unfitt ; God

send a fittman shortely to haue the place, and I willprovide none other shall by my mens su steyne like

reproch hereafter. God send you as well to doe as

I woulde my self. mom Kilmanam the xxvtll

of

December 1561.

YO“ assuredly tocomand

T Sussex.

To Sf W ill‘m CecellKnight, PrincipallSecretare to her Ms“

A former [holograph] Letter of to Sir Wm.

Cecil, dated from Carbery, Nov. 29, 1561 ,

states,

I beseche you to haueM‘rAdam Loftehowse

in remembrance for thearchebyshoprick ofArmaugh ,whose lernyng is fit for a better place ;

ORIGINAL LETTERS . 10]

XXXVII.

Alexander Craik, Bishop of Kildare, to Sir William

Cecil. Recommendation of Mr . Adam Loftus, occasioned by the stay of his preferment to theArchbishopricl: of Armagh .

January 2. 1561-2. [Orig . Holograph ]

Itwould appear from the following memoranda in the S. P. O., and

which, although without date, from internal evidence has been re

ferred to about this period [ 1561 that the Bishop of Kildarehimself had been thought Of for the Archiepiscopal Seat at Armagh.

Bale, Bishop Of Ossory, deprived in 1553, was still living, beingPrebend of Canterbury, where he died in 1563. For Bishop

Leverous seeXXIV. He survived in retirement, till 1577.

The Bisshoppericks voyde in Irelande,

Archebu sshOprick Of Armachan Ijcli.

Of Casseles lx li. xiiii'. iiiid

Bisshoprick of Osserye . cm:11

The names Of men eligible to the same places . The Bisshop of

Killdare—D. Bale—MrDethick—Ml'

Leverosse Mr Bicton dean of

Kilkennye. xxvili xiiis iiiid.

”

Right wo'shipfull and my approved frend, my moste

humb le cémendacéiis remembred, whereas I did

make mencyon in acerteyne wrytinge Off myne,the

comendacofis off one Mr Adam Lofthow se mynister

Of goddes worde, servant unto the right honorab le

my especyall good Lord the L . Leutenant, for his

K 3


preferment unto the archbySSOpricke of Armaugh ,

by the assent andconsent off my good Lord, w‘houtwhose consent I do nothinge as touchinge the

settinge fourth of? goddes moste holye worde, and

the queues maiestyes procedinges there, as to my

bounden deautye appteyneth ; upon whichs comendacb iis yt pleased yOr wo'shyppe to wryte unto me

yor letters, that upon mv Lord Leutenantescomen

dacofis and yo' procurement, yt pleased the queues

Ma“ to preferre the sayed Mr Lofthowse to the

aforesayed promocyon and yet notwthstandinge

immedyatlye therecame an other letter unto me for

the staye Off the same, the occatyon I knows not

but yfi'

any man haue enformed the queues Mat“

that the sayed Mr Lofthowse is unworthie the sayed

promoEéfi, or haue otherwyse incensed yor worshipagainste bym ; haue-doue yt eyther off some synister

malice againste the sayed Lofthowse, or envye

again ste goddes worde and the queues Ma“pro

cedinges for yfi'

I had wrytten never a word in the

matter, I thought my Lord Leutenantes comenda

Ec'iiis Shou ld have beene a suflicyant testymonyee Offthe same, but yff my symple jugements may be

admytted or stande in steade, yor wo'shippe shall

u nderstands, thathe is fervent and zelou s in religion,

settinge fourth the queuesMafi“procedinges, and is

learned to defende the same accordinglye ; and is

not onelye wyse and discrete, but also of? a syncere


XXXVIII .


Cecil. Bishoprick of Meath, which it was the

Queen’s pleasure he should have.

January 10, 1561—2. [Orig. Holograph ]

The Bishoprick Of Meath [See XXXI . ] was at this period vacantby the deprivation of William Walsh in 1560, and was eventuallyfilled by the promotion Of Hugh Brady in 1563 . [See L.]

Ryght worshypfull, aft’

i"my nery hartye comenda

coiiS, whereas I do understande by my deare frendM'

Leach e who hath bene latelye w“l yO‘r worshyppe,

thatyou do beareme a frendlye goodwyll, as yo

u haue

ever done heretofore, and also by yO' lrES to my

syng‘ler good Lord my Lorde Leauteuaiit, whose

honor declaryd u nto me thys lastcrystemas that th’

queues Mafi“pleasure ys, that I shuld tak upon me

the bysshoppryck of Meath, unto whose hygbnes’

ordinaiis I ame Oblygyd 8: most addyctyd, heying a

forener, and reaceuyd by fano', notwyth standyng mylate scut tocome into Englond in theyse my sycklydayes ; and what I Shall do therein, I most instantly

desyre to km the Queues Mail“ pleasure, by yo

t

worshyppe, and that I may have the assysteuce Of


preachers yf I tarye here, w"11 I wold be lothe to do,yf yt shuld SO stand wtll the Queues Ma

m” pleasure,— all other thyngs yo

ushall know by theconference

Ofmy vetye synglé'

f and approvyd good Lord my L .

Lewtenant, thu s levyng Of to trowhle yo“wth manye

wordes, most humbly I bed yo" well to fare in the

fayth, feare, 8: love, of Ib us Chryst, wth mooch en

crease Of worshyppe. from Saynct Paths by Dublynthe xth OfJanuary An° 1561 .

By yO' most humb le to hys

lytle power, duryng lyfl'

.

Alexander DarEii.

To the RyghtW orshypfulland his verye

approvyd fl‘

rende Sr W yll“

m Cysell

Knyght cheyfl‘

e Secretery to tb e

Quenys Matte of Englond yeve theyse.

[endorsed ]10 Jaun'

1561.

B . Of Kildare to myMr


XXXIX.

Alexander Craik, Bishop of Kildare, to Sir W illiam

Cecil. Deanery of St. Patrick’s. Desires to be dis

charged of his first fruits, or that he may be re

called into England. More preachers to be sent toIreland.

February 10, 1561-2 . [Orig. Holograph ]

The Deanery OfSt. Patrick’s, vacant by the deprivation Of ThomasLeverous, had beenconferred on Craik, by the election of the Chapter in 1560. He held it till his death in 1564.

Ryghtworshypfull, and my syuglE? approvyd fi'

rende,

after my very hartye comendacofis, wth lyk thanks

for yo“gentle lr5s, whereas I haue bene here tofore

in sewte Of the Lawe for my lyvyng Of theDeanreye,

the w°ll I suppose yS not u nknowen unto yo' wor

Shyppe, and as my synglE'

f good Lorde, my L .

Levetenaud knowth, whose honor heretofore hath

cOih andyd the sewte to he stayed, yet notwthstaudynghis honorscofiiandement, I haue bene sewed Of late

bothe in the exchequer and Comén place, syth hySlOp depture owt Of Irelond, In the éxchecker Iame sewed for not cOI'i'Ipowndyng for my fyrst

frewtes, w“I thought had bene long syth remyttyd

and forgyven me of the queues Mam, as I was

credybly informyd, els I wold not haue incurryd


instantly desyryng yo“I to procure and solyste for me

lyceus tocome ouer into Engloud, for the recoveryeof my healthe, wyth yO

r

good remembrance and

furtherance in allmy sewtes, as my su re exspectaco‘ I‘Iya in yo

", and as I haue heretofore at all tymes

exsperymentyd —and thu s I most humbly bed yo“

well to fare in the fayth, feare, and love, Of Ihiis

Chryst, wth m6che increase Of worshyppe, !from my

pore howse the Deansrath the vmOf ffebruary A

n°

1561 .

YO' Lovyng frend toc6maiide du ryng lyfl

'

e.

Alexander Daré'

ii.

Postsc‘pta, I beseech yo“ that there maye he morepreachers sent into thys the queues Ma

t? rude

realme of Irelond.

To theRyghtW orshyppfullmy veryapprovyd ll

'

rend SrWylla'

m Cycell,Knyght, cheafi'e Secretery unto

the queues Maw.

[endorsed.]

5 Febr . 1561.

B Of Kildare to my Mr.

Deansrath was the Manorial seat Of theDeans OfSt. Patrick’s, inthe parish of Clondalkin , near Dublin .


Gerot or Gerald, Earl of Desmond, to Sir William

Cecil, recommending his Chap lain, Sir Edmonde

Hifl’irnan,

”to beArchbishop of Cashel.

February 18,1561-2 [Orig .]

The Archbishoprick Of Cashel, void by the decease of RolandBaron or Fitz-Gerald, on the 28th OfOctober, 1561, was not filled tillthe year 1567 when James Mac-Caghwellwas promoted to that seeThe Chancellorship Of Cashel, at this period held by EdmundHiflirnan, was, on the 21st Of June following the date Of this letter,conferred on John Archdeacon.

—Liber Hibernia , pars v. p . 100.

I cOmend me veray harttillie u nto yor worsh ipfull

M’ship, having sent my veray loving chaplane 8:

frende Sr EdmondeHifi rnafichauncellolr OfCasshell,(of whom passing goode Opinion is conceavedemongs u s Of civilitie 8: goode man’

s) to be su itor

to theQueuesMatie for tharchhusshoprick Of Casshell

now woide, 8: have written to my frendes in his

fano’s, Of whom I recken yo“, (allthough I be not

yet acquainted wth yor M’

Ship,) as any oth ', th ies

shulbe therfore moste harttilly to beseache yo“ toshowe yo

fself my goode frende, in presenting my

said chapleners IrEs, 8: mowing his p’

pose to hir

moste excellentMat“8: theco‘ saill

, wherby I douhte

L

1 10 ORIGINAL LETTERS .

not, (yor M'

ship standing my aid,) to have goode

successe in my attemptates, knowledging me bounde

to acquite yOr

goodenes wth any pleasure I can ,

when occasion Sic, thus resting yo'owue assured

frende, I take my leave w‘hyo

r M'Ship, (from Corcke

this xviiith Of Februarii 1561 .

YOr veray lou ing frende

GerotDesmond.

To the right worsh ipfull and myn se

peciale gOOde frend Mr SecretarieSicile give thies

[endorsed]

18 Feb . 1561. ErleofDesmondtomyMr in favo' Of Sr Edmund Hifi rnanto be Arch B. of Casshell.

1 12 ORIGINAL LETTERS .

queues Mat“procedyngs. and thu s moste h I

’

II'

I'

ibly

desyryng yo“ to haveme in memorye for my former

seutes in my late li'

ES, and to haueconferens thereinw“my synglEi

"approvyd good Lorde, my LordeLean

ten‘

aiit, for I haue no frende in whom my tru stys re

posyd undergod, and thequeuesMa”, as in hys honor

,

wtn my Lord Robert and my L . AmbroseDuddeleye,

and also in yO'r worshyppe, whose frendshypp I

haue exsperrymentyd ; and thus most humbly I bedyoti well to fare in the fayth from the love Of God,

wth moch increse Of worshyppe, fi'

rom St Pat’cks byDublyii the xviii

'hOf ffebruary, An

° 156l°

By yo's addyctyd and tocémand

to his lytle power, duryng lyfl'

e,

Alexander Daren .

TO the ryght worshypfullmy

syngl'

er approvyd frende S'

W yllyam Cycell knyght,Cheyfi

'

Secretory unto the

Queues Matie

Of Englonde

yove theyse.

[endorsed. ]

18 Febt 1561.B . of Kildare to my Mr

.


XLII.


Cecil. Desires licence to repair to England, for thedispatch of his urgent afiairs, and for recovery ofhis health .

April 23, 1562. [Orig. Holograph .]

Ryght worshypfull aftré my verye hartyeco“

menda

coils, wth lyke thanks for yOr approvyd gentlenes,

whereas I have wrytyn unto yo“sundry lr

'

e’

s de

claryng unto you my pore state, trowhle and

syckenes that I now have, and have had syth I

arryvyd into thys cofitroye, Of the wch my sewtes I

neu er had answer from yo“as yet, Theyse shalbe

most humbly to desyre yOu to contynew my fi

'

rend

as yo“have bene here tofore, that I may have lycens

to come over for my u rgent afl'

ares, and for the

recoverye Ofmy healthe, the w°h

Obtayuyd, (yf yt be

godds wyll) I shalbe the better able to set forthe

godds glorye. Thu s most humbly I bed yo“well to

fare, in the fayth, feare, 8: love, Of Ihiis Chryst, wyth

the encrease Of moch worshyppe, defacyng Of yor

enymyes, 8: to yo' bartescontentacOI' I, most Instantlye

cravyng, yOr speadye answer, yf yt SO shall seame

L 3


good to yor dyscrea'

on ,.

unto the w"ll I refer me,

ffrom my pore howse the Deanerath in Irelond the

xxiij‘hofAprell. An°, 1562.

YOr assuryd to hys lytle power durynglyfl

'

e.

Alexander Daren .

TO the ryght worshypfull

and hys syngler approvyd

frende Slt W yll‘m Cycell

Knyght, Cheyf Secretoryeunto the Que“ Ma

tyo yeve

theyse.

[endorsed.]23 Apr 1562.

B Of Kildare tomy Mr for licame

tocome into England.

Memoryall, July 3. 1562.

Armagh iiicm"k

Busshoprickes Casshelle 50“

voyde and the MetheBusshoppe to Corks

bewellchosen . Dyverse small busshopricke in the Irishry.

Lymerikemay be void by Deprivacyon .

}archbusshoppes .

acomission toreceyvesurrendred bulles 8: to grauntLré's Patents.

[The Bishop Of Limerick mentioned above, was Hugh Lacy, whohad been, at the instance of Queen Mary, advanced to that see byPope Paul IV. , during the life, by Deprivation Of Bishop Casey.Lacy resigned in 1571, and was succeeded by the deprived Bishop,William Casey.]

Articles exhibited by Gerrot Earle of Desmonde tothe Queenss Majestye after his submission made,

and the favoiir of herMat“obteyned for him, by the

intercession Of her Matapryvyecouncell, and thearle

Of Sussex the lieuetenfit Of the Realme of Irlande,

the xxviiith day of June 1562.

[Extract.]Item. I doo firmely vowe and promesse, that I will

to the uttermost Of my powre, ayde and assist the

Bu sshoppe, and all other Spirituall mynisters, to

cau se the honnour and divyne service Of almighty

ORIGINAL LETT ERS . 1 17

god, to be mainteynid, furtherid, and establisshid in

allchurches and parties Of the Realme Of Irland,and Specially in your Ma

m Comtees Of Corke,Lymerike, and Kerry, as is, and shalbe orderid and

lymitid by the lawes, statutes, and orders of the

Realme Of Irland, and to punishe the Ofi'

endors

therof according to the qualitees of their Offenses.

XLIV.

The Earl of Sussex, Lord Deputy, to Sir

Cecil. Lack of p iety . The peoplecome to DivineService as to aMay

-

game.

Fro‘

m Chester the 22nd Of July, 1562. [Orig.]

See XXVII . for the opinion Of the Earl Of Sussex, then Lord Fitzwalter, as to the state of the Irish Church in the Reign Of Queen

Extract.

- O'

i"relygyon is SO abu sed, as the papysts rejoyce,the newters do not myslike changes, 8: the fewezelou se pfessers lamente the lacke Of pyetye. The

pepell wtowt dysciplyne, utterly voyde Of relygyon ,

come to divine Svyce as to a may game. The

1 18 ORIGINAL LETTERS.

mynyst" for dishabylyte, 8: gredynes, be had in

co'

tempt, and the wyse, fere more the impieti Of the

licentiouse professers, than the superstityou Of the

erronyouse papists. These mett“ be SO farrecome,as they be not I think to be holpen by private

comyssions, but rather by plament, wheryn lymytsin relygion 8: discipline maye be appoynted, w'

suche severe orders for punyshmeut Of the brekers

therof; as men may fere to go beyond orcome Short.God hold his hand ouer u s that O

’ lycencyousedysorders, 8: lacke Of relygyouse harts, do not

bring in the meane tyme, his wrath 8: revenge

upon us.


having geuen ordre according to your pleasure, andcomaundemsnt, for the electyng Of Mr Adam Lofte

howse to be arcbebysshop Of Armawghe, we haue re

ceived answere from theDeane OfArmaghe, that the

Chapter there, whereof the greatest pt be temporell

men, and Shane Oneles horsemen , be SO Sparkeled

and owte Of ordre, as hecan by no meanes assem

ble them to precede to thelection Of h im accordingyO

r Ma‘l“ nomynacOfi in yiiIr LrEs to the Deane and

Chapter, and the conge deisleyer grau nted to them

from me yourchaunceler, by yor highnescomaundmét ; whereupon we have taken ordre for the staye

Of the frutes in the tenants handes, u ntill yor Ma

ties

pleasure be furdre knoweu , and doo thinke the best

waye to precede herein , wylbe to delyver unto h im

by your Mam“ warrant the possesseyons Of the

Archbisshopryke abegcomputo from the date Of your

LrEs, as in likecases hath been used ; and thereupon

to graunte u nto himcomyssIon here to ordrecausesecclesiastical] wthin that Dyoces, according the sta

tutes Of the last plyament, whereby the place may besuficiently supplyed, till yo

r Matie may take furdre

ordre therein . The people in those pties be far dis

ordered in religion, he ys discrete, welllerned, and

bathe a goodlye gyfte Of utterance in the pulpet,

whiche moveth u s the rather to beseche yor h ighnes’Spedy resolution herein, and so we Shall pray to


God louge to preserve yOlrMe.

“ in prosperite, from

Dub lin the second of Septembre 1562.

YOr Mat“most bhell 8: faythfull

Subjects 8: Svants .

T Sussex H. Bib—lin Canc‘ .

James Bathe.

Jo : Pliiket.

W . Fitswylliams. Henry Radcélyfl‘

John Chaloner.

To the Queuesmost excellent Math[endorsed]

2 Sept 1562. Counsell in Ireland tothe Q Matie for Adam Lofthowse.

Cecil has written opposite a note Of the abovea lre

‘

for this.

”

The following is a copy of the answer to the above

Letter, which, after reciting the same, p roceeds

—W e do uery well allowe yorsaid desire, and doo

giueaucthoritieunto yO“, Or said Deputie,chancellor,and euery other O

1rOffycers to whom it shall

appteIgu , aswell to make out under Or great scale,

and otherwise as thecace may move, suche, and as

manye writings as shalbeconveniéfit for the pformu


ance thereof towards him, as also to give due allow

sn‘

éé of the said revenues by way of accompt, as Of

money by u s speacially graunted unto him by warrant

hereof, and SO tocontinue untill he may receave hisestab lishment in the b isshoprick by such ordinary

meanes, as in semblablecases hath been accu stomed,and th ies 0

' Lrés shalbe yo' warrafit and discharge

for the doing Of all 8: Sifi‘

g'

ler the pmisses. yeueu

[under] OrSignat at O

' honnolr of Hamptoncourt, thexj‘bOf Octobre the fourth yere Of Or reign

XLVI .

Alexander Craik, Bishop of Kildare, to Sir M lliam

Cecil. In theMarshalsy for his firstfruits, desires

the Queen’spardon .

August 5, 1563.

This is the last letter, in point of date, of severalpreserved in theS. P . O. Of the unfortunate Bishop Craik, who died the following year,1564.

My duetie most humb ly remébred u nto yor hono', I

am pI’

Itly forcyd to move the same by theys my lrés

8: most humble suyte, being pI'

Itly my self in the


XLVII .

Queen Elizabeth, to the Earl of Sussex, Lord Deputy .

The Dean of Armagh to be made Archbishop there.

The Archbishop of Armagh to be translated to

Dublin. TheArchbishop of Dublin to have a p en

sion. Brady to beBishop ofMeath.

October 15, 1563. [Orig. draft ]

Terence Danyellwas Dean of Armagh at this period, and is theperson mentioned in a letter of Sir Thomas Wroth to Lord RobertDudley, July 23, 1564. The Deane of Ardmaughe to be b isshop

of Ardm agb s , wold promesse to do moch w“ Shane Oneyle and

soi l thinko he sold pj orme it.” However, this political promotionnever took place. [See CXIV. CXVI .] The Translation of AdamLoftus to the See Of Dublin was eflected in 1567, when Hugh Curwin was translated to Oxford. [For Bishop Brady, See L.]

[Minute in SlrW m Cecils hand writing dated,

atW yndsor 7 Augusti

That y° Deane OfArmagh may be p

’mat.

That y° P’mat may be bish of Kildare and Deane

Of S‘ Patryk’

That y° Bish Of Kildare may be B. OfMethe.

Ye Chantor OfArdmagh to be deane.

[Queen Eliz : to the Earl Of Sussex, 15 . Oct. 1563 .

being a draft in the handwriting of S' W . Cecil ]Extract.

W e ar moued to allow that theDeane ofArmaugh

ORIGINAL LETT ERI . 125

shuld be made archbishopp there, and the archbishopp ther to be archbishopp Of Dubly and y

°

archbishopp of Dubly“

, now being our chaEellorthere, to he eased as he hath Ottentymes desyred, and

as his great yeares doo regre, of y° Burden both Of

y° Bishoppryck, and Of the Chacellorshipp, for whichpurpose we wold he wer SO frendly used by yow, or

some other, that his sayd suyte might be renewed,and to have a pension duryng his liffe Of ii° u by

yere, as SlrThomas Cusake Shall devise wt yew.

And for y‘ Bishoprick Of Methe, we have deter

myned to bestow y°same, uppo

"

a honest lerned ma"

Of yt coutrey named Bredy, whose ler

‘

ing and

suflici’ etry is here SO well reEOméded uppo‘

proofi'

e,

as we thyk by“

very mete for the same, and uppo

eoié'

aton“

wt the Cha‘cellor there, and knowledg

fro“

hy'

self of his COIe'

IitatiO“

to leaue y°same, we

meane to appoynt Sr Tho Cusack to be our Che

“

el ! “wa r p ,


XLVIII .

A Schemefor a College to be erected in Dublin .

October, 1563. [Orig.]

SecII . There were various devices or Platte,” for the founds

tion ofa University, before Trinity College was at last established byQueen Elizabeth, in 1591 . In themean time there was no sort Of

education for the Clergy, whom ignorance was naturally extreme, asmany Of the presentcollection Of letters abundantly testify.

The Platt Of acolledg to be erected, wth a principal]or pvost, two preachers, a reader Of dcviu itye, a

reader of Logick, a reader Of philosophic, xii fel

lowes, xl Skollers, a MlrOf the grammer skools, an

u ssher to the same, wtllall other necessary Officers,

andchardgs, by estymate requ ired, fytte for the said

colledge

fi'

or the principallby the yere(for the vicepriucipall being one Of

the fellows over 8: above his dy

vidente by the yeere

For the Bowcer being allSO one Of

the fellows, ouer 8: above his

dividente by the yeere

For two preachers by the yeere 1Hfor a peece, and for both


For otemeale, Salt, Candells, uspye

8: VesseIlS p' aii

For repacons, suyte, 8: extraor

dinarychardgs p' annSums xii° lxx“xu '

[Endorsed in St wanam Cecils Hand,]Irland Octb 1563, a de

vise for a Colledg to be

erected in Dubly“

.

XLIX .

the Pope, to absolve all manner

December 7, 1563. [Orig. Copy.]

For David Wolf, Commissary or Nancie from the Pope, see the

LXIVJ

Dauid W olf presbiter societatis Jesu , acsanctissimidiii nostri diii Pii diuina providentia pape 4, ad

illustrissimos principes et universum hibernise regnu Co

'

missarius, dilecto nobis in Christo Tadeo


sacerdoti Dublii dioé’

Salutem in ccqui est vera

salu s . Cum impossibile nobis sit, Ob discrimiuaitineris illaS ptes Lagen iae visitare iuxta Ofiiciumnob is a sede apostolica c6missum, in qua nonnu lli

rcperiuntur qu ibus indulto apostolico et nostrO

min isterio opus est necipsi propter bella et istas queutrinq, inter hOS tirannos reipuhlice V3., et omnia

prob itatis expuguatores exorte Sint Simultates et

Odia pessima, has ptes adire audeant ; visum est nobis

tib i c6mittere vicem nostram, quem ad hOcmunussubeundum fidelem arbitramur et idoneum, ut omnes

ct Singulas utriu sq, sexu s psonas tam Ecclesiasticas quam secu lares a quibu svis casubus quantumvis gravibus et euormibu s et spetialiter acrimin ibu s heresisct schismaticis ab soluere valeas, ctsancte matri ecclesiae recOciliare, facta priu s privatevel publica ab iuratione, put tibi melius videbitur

expedire in domino, et accepts salutari penitentia,Tib i igitur ea aucthoritate qua fungimur, omnem

potestatem absolveudi in hacparte couferimus, ctvolumus quod Oifi omn ibus gratis et sine spe alicu iustu eri facias.

Dat Limerici 7° die meneio decembrie, sub nostri

sigu i testimonio et proprie men us subscriptione An :

dn'

i . 1563. Pontificatus supradicti sanctissimi aunOquarto.


Dauid W olf presb iter Societatis Jesuco"missariusapostolicus et 0.

[endorsed]a Copie Of acomission geuen bye Dauid W olfe

Comissarie from the pope, to Taub Newman prest,

to absolue allmaner of falls from thechirehchefelieheresies and scismaticall fautes.

L.

Hugh Brady , Bishop elect of Meath, to Sir William

Cecil. Has arrived in Dublin. His Consecrationfixedfor the 19th of December .

December 10, 1563. [Orig. Holograph .]

Bishop Brady’s appointment to the Secof Meath appears to havebeen one Of the bestmade at this time. Queen Elizabeth bore testimony to his worth [See

.

Maut, i. 276] and the letter Of Sir HenrySidney

,on the state Of the Irish Church in 1576, makes mention of

the care with which he had visited his Diocese. [Mant, i.Bishop Brady dying on the 13th of

' February, 1583, at Dunboyu,was there buried in the parishchurch.

My duti Of most b ilble cofiiendations unto you r

honou '

, withcoutinuallthanks for your great goodnestowardes me, praing god long to continew you

‘

belth and prosperitie to his glori,comfort and stay Of

his poorchurch, I thought itgood, ryght honourable,to Signifie unto you , that aft

lra long and troublesume


Extractfrom a Paper or Petition written apparently

by William Pierres, Constable of Carriclcfergushumbly desiring that it may be her highness

’s p lea

sure to prefer some worthy learned man to the

[Supposed date [Orig .]

This lettermay probably be supposed to fix theperiod of the deceaseof Eugene Magenis, who had been Bishop Of Down and Connor from1541 was living in 1560, but whose death is not recorded. JamesMacCaghwell, or Maccaville, received a grant Of the Sees, January6, 1564

-5 but, as willappear by severalletters hereafter given , wasnever actuallyconsecrated Bishop Of Down , although a draft Of the

mandate for hisconsecration is preserved. He afterwards,viz . , in

1567, was promoted to the ArchiepiscopalSeat OfCashel. John Mer

riman wasconsecrated Bishop Of Down and Connor in 1568, the Seehaving been previously held by Shane O’Neil’s brother, by authorityOf the Bishop OfRome. [See LXIX] .

ltm as in all afi'

ayres Of vertue the honOr and Sp iceOf God ischief, and principallie to becontemplate :SO whear for the gu idings Of u s all w

'

thin the

compas Of religis life to the glorys Of god and good

example, wee are determyned to Obtains certeinlearned meii as preacho“ emongest us wee yet for

the better establishmtandcounten ilos Of the religion

Of the gospell, humblie desyre, yf ytmaye be her


highnesss pleass“that She will preferre sumewurthie

learned man to the bisshopryck ofDowns wthin that

pale, (a goodlye b iiefyce), to th’intent that he, beingsassisted bye certein Irysh prelates nere adjoyn inge,whoo are verey zealowslye affected, maye wth spEciallseverite establish order in the Churche.

Adam Loflus Archbishop of Armagh, and Hugh

Brady Bishop of Meath, to Sir William Cecil,recommending thatMr. Beard, Vicar of Greenwich,may bep referred to the Bishoprick of Kildare.

March 3, 1563-4. [Orig .]

The Bishoprick Of Kildare was just vacant by the death of Alexander Craik, and was soon after filled, not by Mr . Beard, but byRobert Duly, for whom see LVII .

Right honorab le, our duetie Of moost lovingcomendacOI’ is remembred, itmay please yow to u nderstand,

upon Sayncte Stevens daie arryued here Mr Beard

vicar OfGrenewich , who in diligentwise hath sithencejoyned wth us in preching Of the gospell, to our

comfort and furtheraunce of Or bu synes, and havingthis while the tryall Of his honestconversaeon , witha fu ll resolution Of his intent tocontyncwe here still,


if he were in anny wise provyded for, we thought it

good, to become sewters to yet honor, to move the

Queens maiestie he may be imploid ; for as there is

greate nede of suche, SO wee wou lds be right sorry,that for lacke Of lyvinge, wee shoulde be depriued Of

his helpe ; and therefore yf it maye please the

Queens Mai“to bestows upon him the Bishoprick

Of Kildare, with some things in Co'

mendam, for in

all, (as wecan learns) it is not above one hundreth

pounds by the yere. And if there be noth ing pre

sentlie to geve in Coméndam, yet rather then for

lacke he shoulde departs, wee had rather in the

means tyms to impart some porEO'

Ii Of O"

owns, tyll

some other augmentacOii maye more couvenyentliebe had ; Thu s leving anny further to troble yO

r

honor, wee pray god longe tocontynewe your belthewith increase of godly honor, to thecomfort Of his

Churche : !from Dublin the thirds ofMarche 1563.

Your bone“ with their

contynuallprayerAd Armachan . H. Miden .

TO the right honorable Sr WilliamCecile Knight, principall Secretorie to the Queens most excellentMat“

[endorsed.]

B of Armagh 8: Methe for the

Vicar of Greuewch


thorowecontynuall ignorans, hardli to be wone, so

as I find angustia undig ; my Lord Chanceloulrpreacheth none and then, primatdiligentli, M

' Beard

is a good helper in this busines, forwhom I bcs youlr

honou' provid eu’

stay Of living, the lake Of bym

wolde much discorage us,the great grau itie and

zelous wisdom Of Sr Thomas W roth , and S' NycolasArnold, shall

,and doth, further much godes cause

here, whos diligens and upryghtnes in the serves thei

be sent for, Shell better appear hereafl:r then none I

can writeOf; for my oune diligens I have rather otherdo speak, then my self, and yett this far I dare pre

sume, by godes helps to do as much good as anny

othercou ld be sent bethers, for a great niibre of the

simple people, and Specalli wher I was home, are

gredie herers, and such as I trust wilbe unfaued“

wone ther is notmuch done touching St Patriks,and yeat I fear not the good successe, if it be not

hinderid thens, wich god defend it suld. The state

here, I may say to your honou ’, is both fikle and

strange, the malefactors increase and ar boldened,and thechefs minist“ discoraged, and in effect nubabled ; let it be loked to betime, for els ther mayfoloue that I wold not as ; Of the rebellion late

attempted by the O’moreS I nede say nothing, for that

the Queues Ma‘il is sufficient11 instructed of the hole

procedings therof, I trust it wilbe sons ended. the

blustryng wind and darkecoudes of the L . leftcnts


’is accusers, I se itwell, willvanish away withoutannyraiug, and the bright beames Of his upryghtnes

brust ou t to his honour and glory, and ther shaiu

(shame) for, ryght honou rable, if I may say what I

think Of that man,he is so rychli adourued and

beutified with such singuler giftes Of nature, as I

knou s nonecoparable to him, and so much the moreto be made Of andcherishid, as his mach is hard tobe found, and therfor when I as and considre hisweaknes and deb ilitie, and the iminent hassard Of

his life, I cannot but fear and so lament the loses

the prince and hiscontry shall su stain by his death .

His Phiciciau being my contryma'

told me, if he

haue not Sii present help, he is not like to live ou"

mid somer day, he is in a greatcon sumption , besidesmani other diseases, and therfor a very u nfitt ma

for this servis — if ther were none other cau se, helphim a way therfor spedeli if you will have his life,the queues Ma

tiShall not onli lack SOcoragious and

nob le a mafor her serves, but also in lackyng Of

him Shall haue gruge in her con scien s, in not

su fferyng him to cii wher he myght recou r helth .

I am not wery Of him here, I assur you r honor

, but

wold joy of h is cOtinuing SO, as belth and creditwere recouered without wich both , he can, not

oneli, not do no good here, b ut also is incontinuallhasard Of h im self and Of the state also ; consciensand dutie moveth me thu s much to sai - I trust to

N 3


as your honou lr short“, whens I will Speak frell Of

things I as here ; in the means time as I am bound, I

will pray God he will pour hiscontinuall b lessingsupon you , and prosper you

' doings to his honou lrand

the profitt Of his Church. from Dub lin this 14 Of

March .

You Ir honou“ bounden oratour so long as life do

last.

H Miden .

To the ryght honourable SrWilliamCecile Knight, principall Secretory to the queues Mati


the leadre to supstitic‘

iu , SO set his, as it is harde to

pswade willingnes to here the troth soberlie tawght,

and yet ther aperith in this people fears to Offend,

wherfore they be not to be dispayred, b ut to be

hoped Of, !for thosewe haue to do will, we fyndconfirmable to lawes, and the Judges wth others Of the

Lawers readie as they seme to us, to execute the

Lawes for Religion, and accordinglie haue pmessedu s, news in the sises and sessions to enqu ire spe

ciallie Of fewters against those Lawes for Religion ;

yet w‘h this causiou , as we thought good that they

meadle not w‘h the simple mu ltitude news at the

first, but w‘hone or two hosting masse men in

every shire — That it maye be sens that the pon

ishment Of soch men is ment.

— The Lord Licvetenn'

t hath willed the Bisshops

here to agree u pon In iu uctions which his Lordshipwill set forth wth

aucthoritie,they will seurlie do

moch good ; hereare two good Bisshops ofArmaugheand Meath, ther lives be unblaimed and ther dili

gence in preaching worthy to becommended, espe

ciallie Meath . The Chaunceller is civile andconformable, and willdo as he semith , what aucthoritieShallcommau nde. The rest Of the Bisshops as we

here be all Irishs, we nede say no more ; here is

also one Berde a preacher, who semith honest and

preacheth well, and finding this Contrie SO far

backwards in religion , we somewhat dowghted euen

OR IGINAL LETT ERS . 141

emongst Or Companions in Commission , whither the

Offer Of the altering Of Senct Patricks wolde be SO

accepted as it ought, (for ther be emOiigst us fews

earnest favorers of religion , b uttheMrOf theRolls

we therfore SO u sed the matter emongst them his

occasion Ofi'

rede hie them, that they haue desired us

to be humb le suters to the Q. that the said

College maye be alteride to the same that her Mam

hath appointed ; and have entered into devise hows

the prebeuders that will not be conformab le mayebe w‘hout wrongs, his Lawscompelled. SO as news

her Matie may chewse whither She will do it at there

humb le sute and request, or Of her selfe ; and if her

Matie meau ith to pcede upon ther sute, that we may

have h i s accordinglie. If we had commission bieespeciallwords to visit, it wolde, as well for Christa

Chu rch, as Seinct Patricks, have furthered vearie

moch . The tyms tillwe here his yOr Lordships, her

Mat‘e'

pleasurecoucem iug theis th ings, we tru st

shall not be moch hinderaunce, as we hOpcto use it,

for we wilbe doings as other things will geve us

1 John Parker was Master of the Rolls at this time.


Hugh Curwin Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chan

cellor of Ireland, to Queen Elizabeth , desires to be

disburdened of his ofices by reason of his sickness,not age, and to be translated to a Bishop rick inEngland, or to bepresented with a pension of equal

amountwith his Archbishoprick.

April 3, 1564. [Orig .]

The present an d the following letter [LVI . ] relate to the resignation Of the Secof Dublin by Archbishop Curw in , which event

,how

ever , did not take place till 1567 Bishop Mauthas noticed acuriousfact, on the authority Of Strype, in h is life Of Archbishop Parker, bywhich it would appear thatCurwin ’

scharacter suffered under someheavy moral imputations ; and it is observable in the followingletters, that the Archbishop fears lest her highness, upon sinister

information,hadconceived somemisliking towards h im.

” See BishopMant’s History of the Irish Church , i. 282.

It maie please yOr most excellent maiestie, wheare,

information hath be geven to yor maiestie, that by

reason Of my great age I am insufficient, and not

lyable to serve yor

grace in th’ofiice of Chauncellor

of this Realm, and to accomplish the myn isterie

belonging to Th’archhu sshopp hears, I acknowelege

that having served yo" highnes and the Queue yO

r

Sister eight yeares and a haulf in Th’ofiice and

function Of Chau ncello' Of this Realm, and Archb usshopp OfDublin , by travaylles in the Office gotten


the small value Ofmy said archhusshopprick, w°h was

well helped by the !fee of th’oifice Of Chaunceller ; in

respect Of the true service that I have w‘outcorruption don unto yO

Irmaiestie and the Queue yO' Sister

in thois emcee ; that thereby the svell disposed have

no cau se to conceave or report that for my svell

desertes, or lacke Ofdue service in them,I was thought

worthys to lose them ; and especiallie Tb’archbusShopprick, the leaving wheareof, and not reseaving

a nether, shall ingender sclaunder against me that

I was deprived yt.

Obteiguing any of th ies my pore su ites at yolrmaies

ties handes, I Shall dispose my-sealf to serve god

and yoIr maiestie to the u ttermost Of my power and

calling .

I fears much, lest yOIr h ighnes upon Sin ister information haveconceaved some misliking towardes me and

my doings, which greveth me more then any worldlie

matter, and therefore I humb lie besech yO‘r maiestie

to will my Lord Lievetenaun t or the Commissioners

to inqu ier and certifie my doings to yO' maiestie,

wheariu I tru st yOr maiestie Shall u nderstand my

dutie, doings with outcorruption , and my travayll infurthering all yo

Ir

proceadings belonging to my function , and SO referring my scalf holie, and mycau se toyo

r highnes onlie, elwaies contented to be ordred as

shall please the same, I Shall daylie praie to god to

send yor

grace a long and prosperous raigne over u s,


in gOOd health , with victorie against allyor enemyes.

AtDublin the third OfApri11 1564.

Yo' Grac’is most humb le subiect, Daylie orato',and pore Chapplen

H Diblin Cane.

TO the Queues most excellent maiestiehis most graciouse Soueraigne Ladie.

[endorsed] .3 April 1564, Th’aroh B of

Dublin , Chaunceller Of Irelandto the Q. Ma"ie

LVI.

Hugh Curwin, Archbishop of Dublin, and Lord Chan

cellor of Ireland, to Sir William Cecil, to the sameefl

‘

ect as thep receding letter to Queen Elizabeth .

April 3, 1564. [Orig. Holograph .]

My humble comendacoiis fimised unto yo‘rright

honorable M'Shipp, wheare my especiall good Lord

the Lord Lievetenaunt Of this Realm, hath shewed

me in the Queues behaulf her maiesties pleasr to be,

that I shuld be perswaded in respect Of myne age to

sue to be exonerated both Of my Archbusshopprick,and Th’oflice Of ChauncellO', and to take a pencoli OfTowe hundred poundes Itmaie please yo

Ir honOr to

O


understand I haue more needs of an augmentacc'iii tomy pore lyving, then to haue yt diminished ; flOr sith

I haue serued here in this Realm, I haue yearelie

spend the hole revenues Of my Archbu sshopprickand the fee Of Chauncellor evere penye, I haue serued

her highnes and her nob le sister in this Realm the

space Of eight yeares and a haulf, and haue don them

true service I trust, and the same with out any kind

ofcorruption , howe so ever I have bene reported ;and haue stand in the furtheraunce of her maiesties

proceedings the best Ofmy power, SO that they hauetaken the better successe by my meanes as my Sin

gular good L the Lord Lievetenaunt knoweth and

touching the geving up ofthies towcROI'i'IeS, althoughI am not of SO great age as to be utterlie unhable to

serve in them, and 80 gladlie wou ld, being three

yeares u nder th’age of threescore ; yet yf her pleaser

SO be, I will gladlie geve them up unto her handes,

In respect whereof my most humble suit to her

Maiestie shalbe, that in the lue Of them yt maie

please the same to geve me such a bu sshopprick inEngland, as shall stand wt her pleass' ; fi

'

or in leving

this that I have, and not receaving another, I shall

runne into the sclauuder that I am put from this,and deprived for svell deserving, wh ich I take god torecord I haue not deserved, but in both thoflicesrather as I thinks, thankes, then to lose any things ;and wheare [as I feare,] I haue been untrulie re


yor hono', ofi

'

ring my sealfi'

in all things to be ordred

as shalbe her highnes most graciouse pleassr Most

humblie besechyng yo'

good M‘shipp, not to be

offended with this my rude bouldnes thus trubling

yo' hono', having nothing deserued toward yowe, but

being utterlie unacquaynted, and ann imated there

u ntO by thecomfortab le report made by all meii of

y0'

goodnes in fauorable hering Of pore suters, Be

seching the same to prefl'

er this my simple su it with

my h i s to her maiestie, procuring the knowelcge Of

her pleaser therein to this bearer, which is my natural]

brother, whom yt maie plese yowe to permyt to

repayer unto yO' honOr from tyms to tyms, to knowe

yo’r pleass' herein, Thus I humb lie take my leaue of

yet honO', wishing the same good health, long lif with

increase ofmuch honor. atDub lin thethird ofAprill

1564.

yor dalie orator alwaies tocomaund.

H Dublin Cane.

To the right honorable Sir W illm Cicillknight, principall Secretarie [to] theQueues Maiestie.

[Endorsed ]3 april, 1564.

Chauncellor in Irelandto Mr SecFE.


LVII .

Queen Elizabeth to the Earl of Sussex, Lord Lieute

nant, for RobertDale, [Daly,] one of the Preben

daries of St. Patrick’s, well able to preach in the

Irish tongue, andcommendedfor his good name andlife, to bepreferred to the vacant Secof Kildare.April 16, 1564.

[Orig . draftcorrected by Sir W . Cecil.]Bishop Daly succeeded Craik as Bishop Of Kildare by letterspaten t dated the 2nd Of May, 1564, and was consecrated in thatmonth . He had received his education at Paris . He sat (says

Ware) above eighteen years in this See, and was during that periodthree times turned, in a manner almost naked, out of his house, andplundered Of his goods by the rebels. He died in winter, 1582 .

His knowledge Of the Irish language was indeed a good reason for

h is promotion, and one which was too generally lost Sight Of in the

selection Of new Prelates.

TO therle Of Su ssex.

W e grete yo“well, whereas by the death Of the late

B . of Kildare, both the samecure, and ye deanry Of

S‘ Patrycks remayneth voyde, 8: as we understand

the bisshoppryk is Of SO smallvalue, as w‘out some

furder help no pson mete therforecan be induced totake it, we have ben 80 well informed by diverse

good meanes Of the habylity for lerniug, 8: other good

condition s ioynsd wth age, of one of the pbendaries

Of StPatrickscelledRobertDalethatwe have thoughthim very mete, w‘“out any sute Of his Owns, to be

pferred to that bushoprick , 8: the rather because0 3


he is well ab le (as we hears says) to pche in the

Irish tilge, 8: is well comended for his good name,

8: mafiér Of lyving there, wherfore we require you , 8:

if yO’r self of ye

towns knowledg Shall not pceave him

to be u nmete for y‘ place, then we wold, 8: by these

O‘ lr5s we aucthorise yo“, Or liveteniint 8: Chancello',to peeds by such warrants 8: othercOmissions as thecause shall requ ire, to pferre him to be elected, instituted, 8: installed, as BushOp Of Kildare, accordingto the lawes 8: usages Of O‘ realms in thatcase requisite : Aud further also onconsideration Of the small

value Of thatBusshoprick, being as we here says , not

worth clere by the yere above L“, we wold that he

should have incOI'i‘Iendam w“1 the same, the phend in

St Patricks, 8: a Vicaredg, w"h he now holdeth in the

diocese ofDub lin ‘. And these Olt lrEs shalbe to ether

Of yOua sufficient warrant for the execution Of the

pmisses or any part therof, and if you shallthynl: hym

forconsideratio'

not to us know"

, unmete, than we wold

have you to stey and tocertej y us thereof ’

[endorsed.]16. April 1564. Minute to the

Erl Of Sussex Lieuten‘nt Of

Ireland and to ye Chancellothere. for Rob

'

t'

Daly to be

B Of Kyldare.

The Vicarage Of Swords. Erased.


Church in the state that nowe yt is in , the notion Of

the Chaungecometh Ofcerten greedye psons whichhathe repaired out of this Realm to the Court, w

°h

lOke more for theyre owue gains than any profi'

ett to

thecontrey, thincking at the disolviug therof to haue

the prebeudes to fearme at a lowe pryse, as diners Of

them hauemade theyre boast here. My uereie good

L. in this Realm Of Irland a Univ“

sitie wilbe b ut Of

smale profytt, for here be no promotions to bestows

upon Glerkes when they be learned, wh ich is re

quisit Of necessatie, and an univ‘

sitie hears wears

unprofi table, for the Irish enemyes undercollo’r ofstudy wou ld send there fl

'

rcndes hither, who wouldlearns the secrettes Of the contrey, and adiityse

them thereof, SO that the Irish tehslls shuld by them

knows the pryvitie Of the English Pale, whereof

we are lyke to grows uoe smale hurt, and besides

thies the prebeudes be proch Churches, havingcureOf souls, and therefore needfull to be bestowed upOu

auncient meii, and not emongest yong scollers, thehole profct Of them standeth in Tythes, wtout anytemporell land, w°h

nowe, corne being extreamelie

deare, be some what worth , b ut yf the price ofcome

Shall fell, they would be Of to smale a value to healp

any nomber of Scollers, moreoii thechau ng Of the

Chu rch wou ld be a distructiou to Th ’archbu sshopphears, who hath not one beuefice w‘in the Englishe

Pale to bestows upoii learned men“

, but onlie the

ORIGINAL LETT ERS. 153

Prebendes Of Sainct Patrickes which be in nomber

not past xxiiij , SO that yf they be altred, he shall not

be hab le to haue one learned mail to preach godesword in his diocess, and wheare the Deanry being

nowe void, and they prohibited to elect them a news

Deane according to th’ordinaunce Of that Church,It maie please yo

r honOr tO be a suter for them tO

her highnes to license them to proceed to the ellection Of a news Deane, whearein ye shalldoe a meri

torrouse deade to godward, and b ind the porecompanye of that Church

,and me and all Or Successors

to be yOr dailie oraters . Thus being bould to truble

yor houOrw"my pore suites I humb lie takemy leaue,comitting yor good L . to almightie god who longe

preserve the same in health, with increase Of muchhonor. atDublin the xxith Of Juue 1564.

YOr honors tocomaundH Diblin Cane

TO the right honorable and my veraie

good L. Therls of Pembrouke gene

[endorsed.]

21 Junii 1564.The L . Chauncellor of Irelandto th

’erle of Pembroke.


Sir Thomas Wroth to Sir William Cecil. Gommeh

dation of the bearer, Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath.

John Usher, a zealous man in Christ’s religion,

desires tofarm the Customs of Dublin.

July 30, 1564. [Orig. Holograph .]

John Usher was,

I conclude, the same person who was Mayor of

Dublin in 1571 , and father to Sir William Usher the elder, Knight.He was the author of a Treatise de Reformations Hiberniae.

—See

Ware’s Writers, p. 97. The S. P. 0 . contains a Letter from Adam

Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, dated July 31, 1564, in further tecommendation of John Usher .

S’, if I shuldetake uppon me tocomende this bearerthe bisshop of Meath, I might som

“

waye argue his

neade of mycoméndation, and therfore I will ouelisconfirme that hath ben thought of him, and saye her

Matie was not disseyvid when shechose him, ouelle

this, make on“

him and incorage him, for we Gospel

lers becofiienlie weake Spirited, which youe that bepillers mu st propp upp as youe maie, !for if youe

driue God to‘

do it, it wilbe done with yorreprofe,

and that I trust I shall not see.

Here is one John Ussher, a zealou se man“

in Christs

religion , an honestman of life, and well reported of

them that hawe to do W th him. He desireth to have

156 ORIGINAL LETT ERs .

Queen Elizabeth to the Lord Justiceand Lord Chan

cellor of Ireland, for the p referment of James Maccavillto theBishoprick of Down.

January 6, 1564. [Orig. draft]

The following draftwas originally written for the purpose of pro

moting Christopher Gafney to the Archiepiscopal Seat of Cashel.This appointment, however, never took place, although Gafney wasadvanced to the See of Ossory in 1567.

For James MacCaghwell, or Maccavill See LI. and LXIX.

By the Queue.

Ryght trusty and welbeloved, 8: trusty and wel

beloved, we grete you well, and understanding that

the bushoprick Of Downe w‘in that ou r Kealme of

Irland is at this put destitu te of an Incumbent, wehaue thought good by these our lr5s to name 8:

appoyncte thereunto, our welbeloved in Christ, JamesMaccavill clerk, as one recofiiended unto us bothe

for his lernyng, 8: other good qualities, mete for that

rome, wherfore we will 8: comaunde you , furthw‘upéfi the recepte herof, to procede to the prefermentof the said James to the busshOprick aforesaid,

making furth suche warrants, co'

missione, or other

thamhbisahop rikeof Casahell, erased.W apit i

"Gaftney, erased.


writings, as in thiscase shalbe requisite for the election ,con secration, 8: fu ll inuesting of the said James

in theb isshOprikeaforsaid, wt the spualties 8: tempo

ralities of the same, according to the lawes 8: usagesof that our realme. and these our lrEB shalbe sufi

cient warrant, aswell unto you or Justice, as to

you our chauncello', 8: all other our ministers

there, for any thing that you shall do tuchingthaccomplisshment of our pleasure in this behalf, /

yeuen 8:c

[endorsed.]

6 Januar u 1564. M. to the

Lord Iu stice of Ireland 8:

Lord Chauncellor, for thepferment of James Maccavill to the busshoprickofDowne.


Queen Elizabeth to the Lord Justice and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Adam Loftus, Archbishop of

Armagh, to have in commendam the Deanery of

January 6, 1564-5. [Original draft ]

The letter of which the following is the draft, is printed from the

Patent Rolls, in Mason’s History of the Collegiate and CathedralChurch of St. Patrick’s, page 166.

The real reason for Loftus’ presentation to the Deanery of St.

Patrick’s is hinted at in the Archbishop’s letter to the Earl of Leioester . (See LXVII.) It appears he held it, under a bond of £1000,to res ign itwhensoever the Queen should convert that CollegiateChurch into a University, or House Of Learning —the very plan ,however, which Loftus, after his resignation of the Deanery, was theprincipal instrument of preventing.

By ye Queue.

lyke as we hard hertofor good report of y° Arch

bishopp of Armacha’ for his lernig"

and other good

quallities mete for ytvocatio‘

,so haue we now by

good experience perceaued hym to be very well

endued w‘ singu lar good gifts, mete.

for y°

place and

dignite which he holdeth in the Chirch, In so

much as we thynk bym worthy not (fly to have by


for the full admission of the saidArchebusshop to thedeanery aforsaid, in sorte before by u s expressed,

these our lrés shulbe u nto you , 8: euery of you to

whom respectively it shall appteyn, warraunt suffi

cient in this behalf, yeven under our Signet

[endorsed .]

6. Januarii 1564. M. to the LordIustice of Irland Chauncellorfor theArchebusshop ofArmachanto have in the deaneryof St Patricks.

LXII .

Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, to Sir William Cecil.Mastership of the Rolls . Suit of Walter Hopp .

The alteration of St. Patrick’s Church into a Uni

versity very necessary, and much recommended.

Januaray 10, 1564-5 [Orig. Holograph .]

Cecil’s opinion as to the plan for the alteration of S. Patrick’s , sooften alluded to in thecorrespondence of the time, appears in the

following extract from a letter of h is to Sir N. Arnold, ult. Feb .

1664-5 I am sorry to bears no good done in the survey of St.Patricks, how it might serve for thecofi onweale

,w"h now serveth

for lurking papists.

My hiible duti to you r honou r p’mised, wher it is

thought that Sr Henrie Draicot, nowe remembrescer


of the exchequere here, shalbe preferred to the rolles,and the same office to be bestowed upon one or other

fitt person , I thought good to move you for one

GeofraiePichebeke, now herewith me in Irland, who

as he maried my wifes doughter, so wascontentwithher to travaille this farre at the request of his wife,but both for thecomfort of my wife in this strange

place ; he is in my opin ion a fitte m5 for the office,and heoueli dependith upon you r honou r, and hopeth

by you to be p’

ferred : all hecan do for you is toprai, wherof he is nothing forgettfull; y

tDraicott himself is very willyng he shuld have it, and promiseth

he will from time to time help to make him perfectin such things as are to be done, yo

wshall do for

a poor ma“

, but yeatt a thankful] and honest, I will

sai no more, Icommend him to you r wisdom, oueli

next god he trusteth of you ; the berrer hereofW al

ter Hopp, a merchant of Dublin, requested me to

comend his sute unto you r honou r, he thinketh I mai

do sééthing with you , and I wish he be not deceavedin his Opinion , and I trust he is not ; to be knouen

here that I haue your fawourable contenan s is no

small furtheran s to the bu sines I haue in hand, and

therfor good pollicie in her Ma"!i serves, I be knoven

to haue both favvoure andcredit ; so farr will I sekeit, as to adwan se godes glori, and do her Ma

”y serves,

wich to do, when I slake, I prai god to takecreditand life both from me ; I knoue not the mafia sute,

P 3


oueli I desire he mai knove he fareth the bettre at

you' hand for my sake ; I am nery bold, but you r

goodnes hath made me so hold ; it is said here for

certain, my L. of Sussex ciiiI' Iith with spede, and

althoug to mani he be scantwelcu yeatt to myself

he is most derest weh T , as one whom I honor, and

reverens, oneli I sai I marvell what he meaneth , if

hecii" as touching saintPatrikes that ther is nothingdone I marvell, the thing so necessari, so muchwished for here, so well liked of ther, the promes of

so noble a prince to performe it, and yeat noth ingdone ; Ican sai nothing, but I knoue the devell doth

envye so godli an act ; therbe a sortof dume [dumu]dogges mainteined, of the lining enemies to the truth ,and all setters furth therof, nether teaching nor fed

ing saue themselues ; I Speak generalli of them from

bushOp to pitie Chanpn , none but disguised dis

semblers, thei sai them selues thei be old botteles,

and can not a wai with th is neue wine ; for godes

love, lett ther be neue gotten, that mai awai with

it. The tendre yought of this land placed in thertoume, and brought upe in lem ing, will make this

land to florish, happi and twies happi shall the

bringers hereof to passe be, ther names shalbe re

gistred in the boke of pptuall memori ; and as I

said, I am glad that here Maty was not preueuted of

anny of her noble predesessors, but that She mai

pfurm so nob le an act ; I haue forgotten myself to


education at Louvain, where he became eminent for learning, andentered into priest’s orders . W e have here h is own account of hisjourney to Rome, and of h is being invested with the titular Archbishoprick of Armagh, for which he was now undergoing imprisonment in the Tower of London . The original questions, to which theanswers are in the autograph of Creagh, exist in the handwriting ofSir William Cecil.Creagh’s imprisonment at this period did not exceed five weeks ;

but in 1567 he was again brought to the Tower, and died there in theyear 1585 . For a catalogue of h is works, see Ware

’s Writers of

Ireland, p . 97.

To the questiones, what Lords of Irland and bone

mehy wer previe to your goyng out of Irl'

a'

d towarde

Rome, and bone many Euglishmé wer preu ie ther

to ?

I answher tryuely that as I neuer went aboute to

hide my goyng away, so in likewise I neuer, nother

by my self nother by anny other, by worde, writting,or other wyse, madeanny Lorde thatis, or was lyvyngunder 85 1

-

1 prevye ofmy goyng to Rome, nother also

anny Englishman that I remembr : for goyng away

I intended, if God wou ld, for to enter u nto suchreligion as I shou ld there in Rome sye best, or moste

agryable to my weke complexion, but as I was

coifiauded by obedience to take my way to Rome,

so byeng there ready for to entre to ye Religion of

the Teatines, [Theatines] otherwysecalled Paulius,duelyng atMontecavalo, I wascomand by the Cardinal, 6ther payn of i6bedience, to chang nothyng

abou th my self tell I shou ld know further of y° Pops


wyll, which wyll by the sayd Cardinal was either

warde declared unto me, and onder payn ofcoursyngif I should be inobedient, 8: so was send w‘ the

same will unto Ireland.

To the quES

Houe many wer acquayted w tyou in Room being

English or Irish and by whom were you ther succored ?I answher that I sane and spake som tymes wt

diverse English and Irishmen, as M' Sekwhil‘the

Erle of Derbyes son , the Itof the English hospital

called there the bushop of Saint Asse 8: others

duelyng in the sayd hospital, one also of my Lords

of Lesheters men ,called Edmond an Irishman , for

lak ofcosts was at my pour tab] and house, duelyng

y°space two mouethes or ther abouth ; Of Irishmen

also I was acquayted with Muiryrtagh 8: Donough

1 Mr . Sekwhil, i. e. Thomas Sackvill, afterwards Lord Buckhurstand Earl ofDorset, detained for a time a prisoner in Rome.

St. Asse, i. e. St. Asaph, Thomas Goldwell, born at Sheet-Chart,in Kent, scholar ofAll Souls about 1520, M.A. in 1531, R D. in 1533.

By Queen Mary he was made Bishop of St. Asaph. He was de

prived under Elizabeth, and going abroad, made his appearance inthe Council of Trent in the year 1562 . The remainder of his life

was for the most part spent in Rome having an apartment in the

English hospital, which a few years after wasconverted into acollege, or seminary ofmissioners.

” He died about 1582.—Dad’s Church

History, i. 507. Wood’s Athense.Leicester’s.


Obrien scholeres, Diermvid o Mady, Knoghour 0g,

on Mvires, 8: other scholers whose names I te

membr not, also a fryer of SaintAustin s, and a priste

from O’neilsc6trey, which byeng send thedr

’for to

genre the bishOprik of Doune and Coner for ONcilsbrother, as also Ju spatrouatus of som benefices forOneil, wou ld not be so acquayted wt me as other

Irishmen were. Also one Robard 8: an othercalledDiego seruyng men or soudyers, which, becaus Ihaue cast them away from all acqu itance for displeasure (of y

° which, as I hard saye, they were

ptetakers) made to Mr Sekwhil, were aboute either

warde to doe me hourt, yea also to accuse me of

heresye for favor shouen to Englishmen , andchieflythe sayd Robard, as I thynk y

°aforemencioned

Edmond knowes, I meane th’ Erle of Lesheter

’s

man .

At the tyme that I haue ben in Room I was succoredby the Pope both in methe, drynk, and house reutts,becau s I was seud theder by obedience toward hismesangers cémadament, which for to obey I was

bounde by myne oth, made whan I was receaued tostudient in thecomoune schoules of Lovayn .

To y° question

In your retourn by Lovayn houemany English , Irish,or others did you make preu ie to y

ecause of you r

retou rne into Irland ?


I was asked som tymes what I was, I told that

I have spend a pyce of my tyme with merchandise,which was tryu s.

To y° questions

To whom was your intent to resorte at your lendyngin Irland, and whose frendshipp mé

‘

you to have

u sed in Irland ?

As I was send by obedience from Irland, 8: so also

to Irland send back wt loss both of my freuds, kins

ffolk, and allcomodities that I had among them, and

send for to duel end serue emong barbarou s, wilde, 8:

u ncivil folkes, hewyng no body before me ther that

ever before tyme I was ecqueyted with, (save onely

that I seue som of y°

preletts of Ardmech '

a'

in y°

English pale at Queue Maryes tyms,) so the pope

toghtconven ient to send som kynde of letter with

me to ShaneONeil, with the letter also for a pension

to be gyuen to his brother on y° bishoprik that the

priste eboveseyd required in Rome for yesayd bro

ther, which priste fayned tocom at ones wt me to

Irland, but taryed nevertheles there. for e direght

enswher, I saye tryuely that I intended onely to go

streght to y°

place that was by Obedience appoynted

toe, kuowyng notwhether ShaneOneil should repute

me for his foe, or for h is frend, fyrst becau s that hismesangers both in Irland (as I herd saye) of the

pops mesanger, wer desyring letters ofcomendetions

ORIG INAL LETT ERS . 169

to Rome for to haue that ArchbushOprik of Ard

magh 'a" , for (I think) the Dene that is ther, wh ich(I wen) is of his fostred brethren and also in Rome

8: Trent were psuasionsco”cernyng y‘ same, made to

y‘ CardinalMoronus (overseyer of such metiers) andto others, and therfor were much displeased of my

sendyng to Rome. Secoundely, becena that themesangers haue iudged that I haue made notmy deuoir

in Rome in procuryng the b ushoprik of Dune and

Coner for Shans brother, a yong men unlearned, not

passyng 23 year Old. If Shane or enny other

Should gyne som help for erection of 80111 schouleswherein yought should be broght upp in som good

mauers and begynyngs of leeru j‘

r

g, I shou ld wysh it ;thynking eernestely that long egou they should for

sake theyr barbarous wildnes,crueltie, and ferocitie,if theyr yought were broght upp cb irenientely inknowleg

'

of they dutie toward God and theyr princesas for erection ofanny u niversitie, I am not so ignorant

b ut that I know itcan n ot be don w‘hout y°eyde 8:

authoritie of the Quens maiestie ; for other frenship

orco“uersetion w‘them I intended doubtles to shuh

it, wh ile they shou ld lyne that er broght up in such

Giovanni Morons , Of Milan, born 1509, Bp. of Modena in 1529,Cardinal in 1542, afterwards Bp. of Novarra, and finally CardinalBishop of Ostia. He was Papal Legate at the Council of Trent.


allkynds of iniquities, mordoures, adoultrys, drokens,

robyng, stellyng, forswhering, 8: otherlyke, with

out enny punishment to be spoken of.

Now be it death or lyfe, prison or frydom, or enny

other thyng, the truth is that I haue an swhered, and

all-togh, I lost my parte of e shipp (estimed to be

worte ix thousand duketts) by the frence gelees in y°warr at o’r Souereyn Lorde kyng Heryes tyme, 8: also

by the sarcher of Dover were taken xxxii“from my

brother,comyng wt them to Lovayn , for my help

ther byeng at schoule, at outelends mens costs,neuertheles, my poore pouere from my yought

hitherto, was (as I toght) elwayes spent for to serve

thecroune of England, es of nature and datie I was

bounde, knowyng 8: also decleryng in diuerse placesthe joyfull lyfe that Irishmen have under England,

(nothing so pluked of y"irgood, as by sondry wayes

other princes’is sugettes er oppressed in othercontreys) if they were gods and tryue in them selfes.

for a c651u sion, as much sorow as I had for byengoppressed or charged with such bourden that I wascomeded to com with to Irland, so much pabs joyI haue to be discharged therof; houebeit, if I shou lddye to day, and that of my death Vlstermen should

know to-morow, the Archbu shoprik of Ardmagb s ,

and such other should be pcured from Rome, (as

I thynk, and as hitherto it was wont to be,) for


BisshOppes did their dewties there, 8: what sees ware

voyde, and touching hyselfe he sayth , that he hath

been mostcomonlie heretofore in the Bisshopprickeof Lyfiierike and there toughtchildren , Th’occasion of his acquaintance w' the Nu

’cio was, that theNu

’cio herde of th is examinate that he was learned,

and so requ ired bym to goe to Rome, to tak upon

by the Arche Bisshopperike Of Cesshal, and after

wandes the Arche b isshopperike of Armagh, beeiug

voyde before his departure, hecharged bym upon

h is obedience to goe to Rome, for th’archebisshoprikeofArmagh or Cesshel, the w

°h heculde not refuse to

be, becau se y‘ when he proceded Bacheleue of Divi

nitie in Loveyne, he swere obedieE'

é to the Pope, and

y'fore du rst not disobeye his Nu

'cio. Beeiug asked

what instruc“ous he had by the Nu‘cio at his gig to

Rome, he seyde, the Nu"cio wrate in his favo' to

Cardinal Morone the w°h° letter he did reede, but

doth not wel remeber theco‘ tents therof, but he welrefnebreth that he seyde he woulde not willinglie

take the Archebisshopperike of Armagh upon hym,

but rather y‘ he shoulde heere of bym, to be one of

the Religion . And at his ciimy'

ge to Rome, he

delyu"

de his letters to the Superiors of the Jesuites,my

‘

dy’

g'

to enter into Religio"

, but he was comendedshortelie after, by CardinalGoezago that had the

Francesco Gonzaga, CardinalArchbishop ofCosentino, afterwardsofMeutua. Ob . 1566.


place of Cardinal Morons, whé‘

he wét to the Cown

ssl et Trent, that he shoulde not enter into the

religion , tyl he knew the popes pleasure ; Beeiug

dem'

aded whet monys he had at his goyng out of

Irelands, he saythe that the Nu“cio gave by 40

crownes, the BysshOppe of Lymericke 12 markes,

the w°h° 12 markes he had as an exhibi6ii for his

fyndy‘

g there, and 20crownes he had of his own ,

and more he had not, by credits or otherwise.

Beeiug asked where the Nu”cio doth commenlie

keeps in Irelands, he sayth that he doth secretliscufiis to Lyfiiericks and hath been this last Sufiier

in Tyrone, w' Shane Cnsls, as he herde, and the

letters that he receaued were delyuered unto by in

Ly“

msricks, in the presence of e Prsestcelled SrThomas Molam.

He went out of Irelands in Augu st twos yeres pest,andcame to Rome in Jeuuaris, end in fi

'

ebrueris next

he wascomended not to enter into the Religion , and

eftarwerdss charged upc'

i the Popes curse, not to

refuse th’archbisshopperiks of Armagh, end ebowte

Easter twelve moneths after, he was cosecretsd byLomslinus and an other Bisshopps in the Popes

chapel, and socame frome Rome in Julis last past.

Hugh Lacy.Benedetto Lomellino of Genoa, born 1517, Clerk of the Apostolic

Chamber, Bishop successively of Anagui, Vintimiglia, Luni, and

Sarzana, and afterwards Cardinal. Died in 1579.

Q 3


In al tyms Of his abode at Rome, the pOpe did

bars his charges, after he had warnyg not to enter

into Religion , and had dails meats, dry“ks, and wyns

for hyself and his Suende at the Popescost, peyg forhis howse rowme sixscrownes by themonths, hav

'

yg

had at dya“

ss tymes frome the Pope to the nu’

ber of

700crownes, of the w‘3l1su

’

ms he had at his goy‘

g

out of Rome geeuen unto by by the POpe 300

crownes, and one 100crownes for the Na’cio. he

had apparel of three sortes, of b lew and unwetred

chemlst, and wars the same in Rome, having fours

Or fyue guendss weyting there upon bym, and at

cu”my"g out of Rome, he had the Popes blessy'

g, and

Cardinal Moronus toulde by, that he was enformed,

the Queue wou lds tourne shortelie to the Catholike

feythe ; hecame frome Rome on horsebacks, w‘ aPriest and one mi , the w

chgui de besing a Scholer

was of Volster, and went thorowe w‘ by, but the

Preset returned shortelie to Rome, At Augu sta he

tack an other suende, where he was wel entreated Of

the Cardinal ofAugusta for a ssusn nyght space, at

hiscu‘

my'

g toAuwarps he spake wt D . Cleme

’

t‘

, end

tou lde by that he was co“

pelled to receave th’erchsJohn Clement, educated at Oxford, Tutor to thechildren of Sir

Thomas More ; in the reign of Edward Vl. ,he being then one of

the College of Phys icians at London , he left his nativecountry forreligion

’s sake returned in the time of Queen Mary, but finally

leaving England after the accession of Elizabeth, he retired toMechlin , where he died, July 1 , 1572.


Also he sayth that Goldewel and he dynsd and

talked toguethsr dyn’

es tymes, and at one tyms this

examinate herds that a fl'

renchem'

a of the popes

Palace shoulde rseporte, that the tfrenchmen hadentred and invaded Englands, the w

"he talks Golds

wel dowted to be trew, end thsrsepon they sent to

the Palace to enqu ire thecertsyntie, end then after,

the h'

sushe ma denysd it, and so they fownde it

untrsu .

[endorsed. ]

17 Martii 1564.

Rich Creaghes ex in the tower .

by Mr Recorder 8: Mr Wilson .

LXV.

The Eap lanation of Richard Creagh, in the

Tower of London, as to somep oints in theprecedingExamination.

March 23, 1564-5 . [Orig. Holograph.]

t are as I was asketh , whstsr the Religious men

or mesanger heu s send anny letter wt ms for to re

cseue anny money in enny place, I was not remem

bered, that he haue send a letter to the Rectour of

thecolledg of his Religion in Paris, that if [I] should


goe y‘way I Shou ld receave 80crownes send thether

from the pope to be send to y°sayd mesanger to

Ireland, but I passed not by Paris, and yet I re

seaned y°said 80 at Rome, for y

"1 were y° 80 that

I sayd I haue receaued from y°

pOpe wt y‘ 20 end

100 crownes du ryng my byeng there. Also Wher

I answhered that if [I] shou ld not be receaued bythechapter of Ardemeghe, I shou ld goe to duel at

Lovayn , I was not than remembred that I haue

asked lyve of y° pops (when I was co

‘

maded under

payn ofcursyng to take y"Archbushoprike,) for toenter to Religion when I should thynk it gods, whichlyue it is like he should grant in case I were not

receaued ther, end to Religion in Lovayn or other

place [I] should enter hauyng that lyve. Also where

I sayd that y° Cardinaldid name that mese

‘

gsr in his

send to Ireland (peter reveréds,) my remembrancefeyled, for y

° li‘was written in Italian thong, and the

wordes that I msansd was (nose reuontia,) in Italian

wer written also y° letteres that y

°sayd mesanger

have wt me to his superiours and to y° Cardinal,

wherfore Icould not then understand them, but as

he did declare them to me whster I did declare themwholys or not, The sayd mesangers priste Thomas

Mothem whom I sayd that he was present, when the

sayd mesanger did so'

mad ms in all aucthorites thathecould (that were his wordes as I remEb) for to

goe to Rome, I am not sure whether he herd y°sayd


mesanger so Speakyng, b ut as I thynk he was at

least abouthe, or nye in y°

placebefore and either me,

he have send diuers wt h is letteres also, as on W il

liam an Moiryrtagh or Morgan, Brien Tayg Richibliceu or Kiblican, also Domighe fr Rikard, CrcsunDiermvidMady, Richard Ardur (or so)Moris Derby,

(ofy° which som wer heusomly learned ; also beyou nd

sees, whose names I did not so rsm‘br byeng asked

befor of y°right honoreblM

’r Secretary Cicell with

many others of diuers partss of Ireland ; of y‘ wh ich

aforenamed thrye or fours had of y° pope exhebition

for y’mselfand theyr servates, (as also y

° th ry bu shopes

thatwere at the Co'ceyl of Trent,) as I had, excepte_

that besyds the two servatss that I had at the pops

expense, I had also for y°specs of abouth ij or iij

mouthes som tyms Ij , 8: somtyme iij , poore scholersbyeng co'

tent onely wt som msett 8: dryk . W hat

I haue learned at y° Emperour Charles and other

gods mens charges and costs, I have bestoued it tomy pour poner, for y

" profit 8: wealth of the Quena

Maiestees sugetts old and yong, and thanks be now

unto almightie God and to her gracious highnes formy reuarde, byeng hier in such pousrtie (beside dinersmy pour bodys seknes) that Ican nother day nother

nyghtchange apparel, hauy‘

g nother Ofmy self, nother

of euny body one peny to cans the broken shsrth

that is on my bek to be ones washed, whos incomo

ditss honestie will not haue it declared, besyds the

180 ORIGINAL LETTE RS .

LXVI .

Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, to Sir PVilliam Cecil,laments thattheDeanery of St. Patrick’s is bestowedon the Lord Primate.

April 3, 1565. [Orig . Holograph .]

In 1567 Archbishop Loftus was translated from Armagh to Dub

lin by letters patent dated the 8th of August, having, in obedience tothe Queen ’

s letter dated the loth Of Jun s preceding, resigned thedeanery of St. Patrick’s, which he held about two years and a half.The present letter is interesting as a specimen of the style probablyadopted in preaching, as well as in writing

, of one of the most

enlightened of the Irish Prelatss of the day .

That I shuld envy (ryght honorab le) euny benefitte

my lord primet my workefslows hath , ferre be it

from me, as he was poor so by si'

I'

good means he

was to be releved, but alas tocontynue not oneli the

pov“tie and mysery of en infinit n iibre

, wich fromtime to time myght haue bene releved, but also the

geuerell ignorens end barbarou s w ilfullnes of a hole

realm, to releve one m5, if I du rst sai it, as I thinks,it was bu t svell hu sbandri. —t u I first herd myI. primate was deans of Saint Patriks, I wold haue

laid my best gouns it was not so, for said I, if he

myght, he wold not, and if he wold, I thought he

could not, bu t when I kuswe it was so iudede, lord,

houe my comb s was cutt, the“ bege"

I thu s with


my self, is the solemne promes of so nob le a prince,made in the presens of so noble personages,cI' I' tothis ? is the gsnerell assenting end well liking of the

holecounseil off to this ? or is the faithfull promes

and reioising the thing was kepte by h is ounemeans

to so good a purpose of M’rsecretorycii" to this ? is

thecarefull travails and painsfull studie to th’ad

wansing of godes glory of Sr Thomas W roth on”

to

this ? finelli, is the general] thenkes gyuyng of Eng

lish and Irish , yong and old, rich and pore, Oh“

to

this ? 0 unfortunate realms, unworthi.

of so great a

blessing O Sethan, old enemy to all godli proceding, houe best thou s prevailed in stoping a works so

necessary for this poore ciitry, so famous for the

prince, so honourable for hercounseillors memory,the one and the othercou ld neii by time be forgotten,

nor ageweire out ofmemory ; thus (ryghthonorable)when I had awhile with Si

'

I"

passion of myud passed

over and digested as I could then so soden neu ss

onlokeds for, I beganne at length to bridle and bringundre my oune rash and unskilful judgment, and to

refur alto godes will and you r

godli wisdoms, whom

I knou s in his fears cerefulli to seke his glory and

the profitt of this wrechett Ciitry ; seing with all to

my self, as I chefsli tru sted yIr secretory in this

mettre, so wil I be bold what soch 06“

of it, to ryng

one peels about his eerss ; wich thing, right honou rable, as I do thu s boldli, so 1 hiiblicrave pardon, and

R


as In an anguish ofmyud 1 writ, SO I desire sii'

thing

to be satisfi ed ; you will say pheps as my L. s'

I'

I‘

way

was to be holpen, so none other way than th is he

could ; I say, fearyng the like matter, befor my

on myng ther, I tolde him, as he can witnes, two

maners wais, hone by ether he myght as he wol be

speds, wherunto he thenconsented, promysing withall neu

“

to attempt this ; wich breach of promes,thoughe it offend me, no amarvel ; and if the deanrywere indede to be bestowed but on one me

“

, who

edvisedliconsidered, and as well as I, knsue the lake

is here, not oneli of such as shuld further godes

cause, but also gyve sound and wisecounseil to thewel orderyng of the state here, wold rather adds one

to ou‘rni

'

Ibrs, then by casting two roumes upon on

m5, hindre that we have taken in hand ; a lane, Sir,

small fruts are we twoo able to bring furth in this so

baren a ground ; and ons again s, that I be not sue

psctsd to envy his prosperiti. I protest befor god

I think him worthi of as much as he hath, so he

were otherwise spede, wherof as I was not without

care, so I gene my best advise houe hemyght as welbe sped, butcontrary to his promes made unto me

and others, that he is this wai holpen , hath not oneli

discoragsd me utterli, but also offended other ; and

wherfor, remembring yo’rgood naturemaketh ms thus

boldli end frankli to utter my grefe, requiryng as

befor hi‘

Ibli, if ther be enni thing said which beseem


LXVII .

Adam Lofius, Archbishop of Armagh, to the Earl ofLeicester and Sir W illiam Cecil. Thanksfor their

favour at his being at the Court. Hopes that her

Maj esty will excuse him the payment of the first

fruits of the Deanery of St. Patrick’s. Commends

the suits of William Leech and Henry Draycot.

April8, 1565 . [Orig. Holograph .]

The great qualities of this Prelate,” says Harris in h is additionsto Ware, were something tarnished by his excessive ambition and

avarice for besides his promotions in the Church, and his publicemployments in the State, he grasped at every thing that becamevoid, either for himself or family.” AS to the first fruits of the

Deanery of St. Patrick’s, which it appears by the following letterLoftus held for a particular purpose, the Queen acceded to his

request, the warrant for their discharge hearing date June 15, 1565.

My dutys to yours honorss remembred with most

humble thenkes for yours Special favours and benevolence shewed towerdss mes, at my besing at the

courts, whichs when 1 cell to mynde, I finds on

euerye side so great, and the same so worthy matter

of thenckss geuyng to yours honores, that Ican not

tel on what parts first to commence and begyn the

same. But for yours whole recompence in this

behalfs, ye are lyke to haue no more of mes, but

this, myne humb le seru ice and heartys prayer, whichu nfeynedlys shalbee youreS during my lyfe. Itmay


please yours honores to understand that upon myne

arryuell hears, and after the taking possession of the

deanerys of Sainct Patrikes, the berones of th’excheker requyrsd of mescomposition for the first frutesof the saide deanerys, and for that I had the same

by way ofcommendam, I alleged that I ought not to

beecharged with the frates, and doubted not the

queenss me‘“ meaning was that I shoulde haue it

gratis. And upon that the Lords Chauncelor and

councell (in the ebsens of the Iustis, beeiug then a

W aterforde, gave order by theyrconcordatum (thecopys wheerof I have sent yours honors beers in

closed,) that I sholde without anye peril of damage

rscsaue the profi ts of the“

saide deanerys, so that

I did compownds for the first frutes therof, or elsbring from the queenes Me

t“a sufficient warrant for

the discharge of the same, at eny tyms before the

first day of the nextmighslmes terms, 1 doo theere

fore humblye beseechs yours honoree (for that as

I knous I haue it uncertaynslye, and em bownds in

a thousand powndes to resigns it whensoever the

queenes Me“°

shouldeconvert the same to e schoolsor howse of learning, which I thought good forcerteyne respectes not to declare unto theym hears,) it

wolde please you to bee a means to her highnesss for

a warrant to the berronnes and officers of th ’sxchsker foi; the discharge of the said first frates ; and

whensoeuer her Me“shal resolve that I shal enioy it

R 3


withoutcondicion I shal not feyle tocompownds forthe first frates, yf it bee not her h ighnesss pleasure

to remitthe same. This bearerW illiamLssche (whoI thincke is partelye knowns to you bothe) betheearnestlye desyred mes to moove yours honors on his

behalfs . His sute hes bym selfs wildeclare unto you .

Besides the Justice of his cause (for that I myselfdoo knows hes hethe susteyned greet losses by the

late bysshop of Kildare,) this is not the leastcau sethat he hathe mooved ms to condiscsnd to his

request, that hes is wel thought of, and baths good

reports of manye, and one that hethe no kinds of

lining but onelye a small ennu itis of the qussnes

Me“, which I understand was procured by you . And

that I may leaue in time to trouble yours honores,I must end in commending unto you the ante of

Henrys Draycot for the Office of the rolles, a man ,

besides his peineful seru ice and upright dealinghitherto at this present, such a furtherer of ours

businesss in godscau se as the lacke of him shoulde

giue good cause of this commendation, and for the

omcs, yf I j udge aright, as fit a man as anye other

in this land. Thu s wisshing yours honoree the

abundance of godes holys spirits to th ’edvauncement

1 A William Leech, of Brasenose Coll., was elected Proctor at

Oxford, April 24, 1566.

Henry Draycott was appointed Master of the Rolls oby PrivySeal, October 5, 1566.


men of thecitys of London, w“h was bownds wth

me for the fyrste fruytes of Alderchurche is sore

troub led, and in a manner undone, for two pey

msntes of the same, not due at mye removyngs to

this rowme, wch things bethemuche greved ms, and

yet not ab le of mye selfs to remedys it. It maye

please your honour of your goodnes, and in the

ways ofcharitys, to tynde some means to ease the

same. If I myght haue enioysd the bsnsfycs so

longe as that sommemyght grows, I wolde wyllynglye haue payed it, But seynge yt was geven aways

from me so sodenlye before the payments were due,or I receavsd so muchecomoditye of it as to pays

the same, I see not in conscience whie I shulde becharged wtll the same, nemslye, that her Me

tie hathe

her full fruitss of the nexts incumbent, for so shulde

her highnes receave two fruitss for one. And yet I

protests before God, yf I were able to paye en hun

dred pownds I had rather do yt then susteyne the

grssfe of the poore mens undoynge, to gether wth

some losse ofcredit to my selfs . It rsstethe (there

fore with) you to do that things, here in I am not

able, and therfor I rsquyer yous, in gods name, and

as mye oulye trust is in youe, to procure at her

mail” hands of her graciou s goodnes the forgevenesof the seyde somme, beynge all together under the

somme of xxiii“; in doynge wherof, as I am all

1 Alderchurch , i. e. St. Mary Aldermary, London .


rsedys, so wyll Icontynewe your beadsm‘

adurynge

lyfe : I am at this p’

ssnt verye poore,charged w“I egreate house, dryven to large expenses, or els infamys

and dyscredit, for these people wyll haue the one orth’other, I meane theys wylleyther sate mye meats

and dryncke, or else my selfe ; and that I maye

speaks of yt w‘hout vaunt or comperyson, I feds as

menye’contynuallys as any bysshopps in Englands

dothe, end haue not as yet provysion towards the

same, but all of the pennys ; and to do otherwyse I

can not, unles I shulde uttsrlye dys-credyt boths myselfs end my doctrine, w°h boths makeths me to

haue often an heavys harts, and en emptys purse ;and to helps me forwards to more greefe I am

pssntlys compelled to go into the Earle O’Des

mondes contrye, leavyngs my owns function and

busines behinds me undone, to my greats chargesand some hasherds, emongest so untamed a people

and yet I speaks yt not as to Spare eyther chargeor lyfe to do her me

t“servyce accordynge to my

bounden dewtye. I haue of late wryttsn to your

honour by Leche, I fears me youe wyll scarce takemy boldenes in good parts ; and yet of the one syde

mye dutys to god and my poorecontrye dyd enforceme to yt, end of the other syde your good nature

and greate discretion dyd encorage 'me to yt, and

wyll not yet leave, ou les youecommeunds me. Yf

yous knsws houe welcom a fews lynes of yours


shoulde be to me, youe wolde not stycke to bestowsthem. To saye any things farther of the state at

this present I wyllnot, oulye this, all thinges wax

ethe rather worse than otherwyse, end, as I seyde

before, I fears me, wil‘out some Spedy redres, the

whole bodys wyllbe SO sycks as it shall wth dyfli

cultys recover, so frowardlye be men hers dysposed,I prays god youe v yll dutyfullye loks unto yt.

This pooreman, Robert Gorys, havynge acustodfi‘

I

uppon the place of a gayle in W ests Meathe, haths

ellreadye bestowed a good peece of monys of the

same N0 man can tell better howe necessarys ytwill be, then I myselfs, yt ys w

‘hin my Diocssss, and[I] have of late travaylsd there myselfs, and ther

fore rsquyer your honor to furder the same. I wrote

unto yous for the ofi'

yce of the remembrsstershippe

for Jsfl'

erye Pintchbecke, a poore kynsmen of your

owns . Deaths haths ryd boths yous and me from

farder trouble of that suyt, god send him a ioyfull

resurrection . As for the matter of Saincte Petrickes,I am afreyde to saye any more, and yetmore afreyde

to kepe silence ; yf youe wyll saye ther is alreadye

done as done, I says there is to

hinder yt end to furder yt ; and yf youe wyll asks

me howe to further yt, I can tell youe howe to

pforme yt, wherof I wyll says no more, tyll I here

from youe ; thus leavyngs at this tyms furder to

trouble youe, desyeringe god longs to contynewe


LXIX.

AdamLoftus, Archbishop ofArmagh, andHugh Brady,Bishop of Meath. to Sir PVilliam Cecil, in favourof the bearer James McCauwell, on whom her Ma

j esty has bestowed the Bishop rick of Down, whichhecannot enjoy, as Shane O’Neil’s brother holds it

by authority of the Bishop of Rome.

May 16, 1565 . [Orig.]

See LI. and LX. for James Me Caghwell, Shane O’Neil’s Brother ,the Titular Bishop of Down , is mentioned in Creagh ’s first Examination . See LXI II.

Itmay lykeyour hon' to beadvertised, thatallthoughe

it pleasid the Queenes me“ to bestows the bis

shoppricke of Downe, in the norths of this realms,on this bearer, James M° Canwell, yet hes cannotenioye the sameby reason thatShaneOneles broothsr

p’sently possessithe that b isshopprike, by collsr of

e grants ther of procurid frome Rooms (as we er

creedebly enformid ) for w42hcawse the sayd Canwell

durthe not traueyls to Downe for doubts of boddsly

harms, wherefor we er movid inconscience (for thatwe percseve hime to be a discreete men , and on fit

for that fonction, and lyke to doo muche good beersin his nativecountry) humbly to beseache yor honot


to be a means that her mat“will have considerecifiof hime, and in respecks of his greats traueyle and

chergis, to bestows on hime suche other linings here,as he shall sign ify to yo

' honor presently to be

voyde, and the rather at or humble desire ; and so

we take leaue of y0' honor. fi

'

rome-Dublyn this xvith

ofMay 1565 .

Yo’r bonnor' at Comendmsnt.

Ad. Armechen .

To the right honnoureble SfWillim CecyllKnight, andprincipall secretory to the

Queues Mam.

[endorsed.]

26 [16] Maii 1565. Archb . Of Armangh , 8: y° B of Methe.

for James Me Canwell being named to y° B of

Downe.


LXX .

Adam Loflus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Queen Eliza

ofi'

encescommitted against the laws. The Nobility

and Chief Gentlemencontinually frequent theMass .

Desiresfurther Instructions in order to their amendment, and recommends that they should be somewhat

May 17, 1565 . [Orig. Holograph .]

The Commission for Ecclesiasticalcauses, in which Loftus borethe chief place, was dated atWestminster, October 1, 1564 ; aboutthe same time was also set forth a Proclamation in aid of the Act forUniformity, Of the 11th Of Elizabeth, 0 . 2, which imposed a fine of

twelve-pence, to be levied by the Churchwardens for the use of the

to their Parish Churches on all Sundays and Holydays. Ware

It may please yours most excellent Met“,whereas

yours highnesss haths givencommission and auctoritye to me and other yours faithful seruantes and

sub iectes hears, for th’ordering of alcauses ecclesiasticalwithin this yours realms : I haue thought

fit (for as yours Mefi" haths placed mes chiefs in

commission, so in deeds the rest arecontented to

put thechiefscare, and, in e maner, the whole bur

then on mes) to signifie to yours highnesss the

196 ORIGINAL Lur 'rnu s .

required the nobilitys to answears upon theyr honors

and dutys to yours Mat“,w ithout othe ; the rest of

the gentlemen answearsd upon theyr othes. And

when they brought unto us theyr ssueral answeatss,wee fownde by theyr ownsconfessions, that the mostparts of theym had continuallys, since the last

parliament, frequented the masse, and other ser

u ice and ceremonies inhibited by yours Mam” lawes

and iniunctions, and that verie few of theym suer

receaued the holyecommunion, or u sed suche kindsof pub like prayer and seruice as is presentlys

estab lished by law. t arsupon I was ones in

minds (for that they bss so lincksd together in

frendship and alliauncs one with an other, that wee

shal neuer be able to correct theym by th’ordinaryecourse of the statute) to cesss upon sustye one of

theym, according the qualitie of theyr ssusral

offences, a good rownds fyne and somme of money,to bee payds to yours Ma

t‘“ u se,and to bynds

theym in sure bondes and recognisaunces, suer

here after dutifullys to ob serus yours Mam most

godlie lawes and iniunctions. But for that they

bee the nobilitie andchiefs gentlemen of the English

pale, and the greatest nomber too ; I thought fit not

to deals anis further with theym, until yours Ma‘i“

pleasure wears thsarin speciallie knowen , whichs Ihumblye craus with suche expedition as conuenisntlyemay bee. And vsrslys in myneopinion, yf they

onw man LETTERS. 197

wears ones brought to some good order and dutifun

obedience to yours Mam lawes and Iniuuctions, andindeeds somewhat sharpelye dealt with a] now ; it

shoulde bee no smal furtherauncs to yourMat“pro

csedingss, and theyr example shoulde bee a great

cause to bring the rest and meaner sorte to a godlie

reformation . And thus I humblyecommyt yoursMa

‘“to almightie god, who send yours highnesss a

long and prosperouss reigns ouer us. From Dublin,the 17 ofMay, 1565 .

Yours Mam”most humb le

and faithefull subiect,Ad. Armechen .

To the queenss most excellentMam

[endorsed]

17 Maii, 1665. Arch B of

Armaugh to the Q. Mnm

198 ORIGINAL La'

r'rans .

LXXI .

Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir William

Cecil, beys him to deliver thepreceding letterconcerning causes ecclesiastical to the Queen, and to

procure an answer.

May 17, 1565. [Orig. Holograph .]

The intentions of the Government at home about this period maybe gathered from a memorandum in the S. P. O.,

entitled in the

autograph of Sir W. Cecil : Advises for ordery'

g of Shan 0 Neyle.

”

To cause the peopleto resort to cofi'

ion prayer, and to be

instructed to understand th ’articles of their fayth comandmentsof God, and to place convenient min isters for this purpose inplaces convenient.”—Alas l it was much easier to plan suchdesirable educational schemes than tocarry them into efl

'

ect, whichindeed the distracted state of the country rendered absolutely

My humb le dutys to yours honorconsidered, I havesent hears enclosed a letter to the queenss Ma

fi",

concerning ours procedings in cau ses ecclesiastical],I humblye beseechs you to deliuer it to her high

nesse. Yours honorsmostgodlie inclination towardsthe ghospsl and pure religion, maketh mes holds to

troub le you now : and surelye manicgood men hauefelt and reioyced of it, and none indeeds more

200 ORIGINAL Ln'r'rnns.

LXXII .

Hughmay, Bishop of Meath, to Sir William Cecil.Thanks for his right confortable letter. The

matter of the College. Recal of theArchbishop ofDublin, The Old Unprofitable Workman,

”re

commended, and provision to bemadefor the Lord

Patrick’s. The erecting of an Academy the only

way to extirpate ignorance.

Juns 28, 1565 . [Orig. Holograph.]

TheRecall of Hugh Curwin , The old unprofitable workman ,

here recommended, took place in 1567, when the Archbishop wastranslated to Oxford [see CXII .] at the same period the Primateresigned the Deanery of St. Patrick’s, and became Archbishop ofDublin in his place.

Your lsttrs, ryght honourab le, of the 24 of Man , was

unto me ryght comfortab le, for that I prai god

blesse and prosper you, I have not, nor will slaks

tocall upon my L of Leicestr for the mattre of the

College, I prai god kindle both you r hertes to

further so comen a benefitt for this poor cu’

try.

In uery dede my L primat may much further themattre, so he be as wel provided him self, wich


wilbe hardli done in this land, and therfor by

bestowing the deanry is the mattre put bake that

steps, but the Bushop Of Dublin removed and an

other placed, willyng to go thorons, and so joining

with my L . Primat, may without anny great dificultibring that, wich otherwise wilvery hardli be brought

to passe ; the hole lett then is, both thss twoo nowe

unprovided, wich ons provided for, the mattre is at

an end ; wich end, ryght honourable, is the beginyngof all happines to this poorcu‘

try ; call home thenthe Old unprofitable workma

'

, and give him an“

living, he mai in his old dais live at home quietli ;

and place an other to joins with my L . Primat,

him self being provided for, then haue you done,it shal be worthi of no small praise, such a monu

ment to be erected in you ' time you rself being therofthe chefs furtherer ; it is, being one done, to be

rsksnsd amonge, nai befor, al the notable actes herMa

ty bath or shal do ; the erecting of acollege inOxford or Cambrigs hath deserued ju st comendations to the foundourss, what shall the erecting Of

an hole achadsmi in this so barbarous and ignorant

acu“trie deserus ? this is the wei to extirpe ignorans,the oneli mother of murther, robberi, adulteris, with

vices infinit, wich daili we have perpetrated withoutchsks, itis th’oneliwai, ryghthonourab le, in placeof wilful] stubournes to bring ciu ils Obediens with

comodities more, twoo many voue to reherse ; wherof,

202 ORIGINAL Ln 'r'rnRs .

though we for our time do not so plentifulli reps

the frates, yeatt lett them thatcum1th all! becaredfor, thei shall not oneli injoy the benefitt, but also

blesse the procurers. I fears you will mislike so

many wordes, in a mettre so well knouen , I will

therfor at this time leve, with purpose yeatt from

tim to tim tocall on , wich is al lcan do./

from Dublin, this 23 OfJuns, you' honoures alwais in

his praier.

H Miden .

To the ryght honourable M“ Cecile

Knyght. Secretory to theQueues

The Bishopp of Methe


yt good to abstayns frome wrytyngs, tyl such tyms

as sums urgent cause should provoke me to the

same ; buts nowe the brute of alteracyon of relygion

yn England ys so talkyd Of hers emongests the

papysts, and they so tryu iiph Opon the same, that

yt wold g‘eve eny good chrysten hert to hyrs

ther rsyoysynge yn that behalil'

, ye yu so muche,that my lord primate, my lord of Meth and I,

beyng the queues Mat“cofi’rissioners yn ecclesias

tical causes, w‘hothyrs ow'

assocyats, dare not be

so bolds nowe yn sxecutyng the sayd coiiiissyonas we have ben on to thys tyme : to what end thys

talks wyl grows u nto, I ame note ab le to say, but

only by ciiiectur, I fears yt wyll grows to the greatsc6tempte of the gOSpel, and Of the ministers of the

same, excepe that sparks be extyiigesed befor yte

grows yn to a greatyr flame. The occasyon of thys

brute ys nothynge elste buts that certeyn lerned

men Of owrreligion ar put frome ther lyvinges yn

England as yt ys reported here, but Opon what

occasion yt ys not knowyn her as yet. The pore

protestants, b syng eamasyd at the talks, doth offte

resorts towards me to lerns what the mattyr meanes :

whoms I do c6forte w“ the moste frutful texts Of

scriptu r that I can fynd, wyllynge theme to put thertrusts yn god, who promised that the fayth should

not dekay yn hys elects, and that he promised neu

to leve hys flokecc’ifortles ; nowe, good mastlr secre


tari, because I wold not be tedina on to yo”

, I moste

h iimbly bechsch yOr honor, for gods sake, to acceptsmy pore requests , and my bold sntsrpryse, seudynge

me siis c6fortable words cb‘csrnyngs the stablysh

yngs of on"

relygion, whsrwtil I may both confyrme

the wauerynge harts Of the doutful, and also sup

press the stou te bragges of the stu'

dy and proud

papists ; and thu s I pray the lyvynge lord to be

yorshylde and bukkler for evyr ; wryteu at Kyldare,

the 2 of Juli 1565 . By yo" whylles lyfl

'

e sudher

Robert Busshop Of Kyldare.

To the ryghte honorable SyrWillmCicel Knyght, the Queues MamlSecretari, and on of byr hyghness

privycoun sayl.

[endorsed]2 July 1566.

B of Kildare to my In!


LXXIV.

Extracts from Instructions given to Sir Henry

Sidney , Knight of the Order of the Carter,

Laws for the maintenance of the Christian Faith.

The Clergy to be well instituted. TheArchbishoprieli of Casheland Bishoprick of Ossory long void ;

toconsider whether a union of these sees would be

advisable. To consider whether the Bishop rickof Limerick is void. The College of St. Patrick’s.

July 4, 1565 .

[Original draftcorrected by SirW . Cecil.]The Archb ishoprick of Cashelhad been vacant since the death of

Roland Baron in 1561 . Ossory had been filled in the time of QueenMary, and on the flight Of Bale, by John Thonory, who, according to Ware, died this very year, 1565, but from the expressionhere used

,“long vacant

,

”we must understand the death of Bale

in 1563 to be intended. The Bishoprick of Limerick had beenfilled by William Casey, who had been deprived by Queen Maryin 1556, and Hugh Lacy advanced to this see by the Pope. Thisis the Prslate who at this period occupied the see of Limerick,which he resigned in when Casey was reinstated.

1 . Item, the principal] and firstcare w"h her Matie

comitteth to the said Lieuteiint 8: Coun sel] is, that

l Thecorrections are distingu ished by italics.


acou’

sell shuld be there estab lished for gov'

nac"e ofthe same partes.

Inquisié‘

on also wold be made of the bushoprick of

Lymerick, whether it be voyde, or that by some

meanes some mete pson were placed there to serve

for the like purpose in such acoiisell.6. There was alsocharge giuen to Sr Tho : W roth 8:

S' Niches Arnold, at their going ouer thither in

comission , to cau se the colledge 8: reuenues of St

Patricks to be surueyed, to the entent the funda

tion Of the same might be reformed 8: reduced to

the more pffitt Of teaching 8: learn ing for the sub

jects of that Realms ; But because, as it appsth by

reason Of the mu ltitude Of other matters coih ittedto the said comissions, litle hath ben don therein,therfore to th’entent the same may be w“1 more

caseconuerted to the good purposes entended, it is

necessary, and so her Mat“ willeth 8: comandeth

the Archbusshop of Dub lin , ChaiicslloIr there, toforbears to put any hereafter to any pbends there,when the romes shal become voyde, until her Ma

ty

pleaser shalbe furder determined ; and that assone

as possrble may be, the state 8: survey of the same

Colledg may be made 8: sent ouer wth advise how

the same may be reformed 8: newly erected to a

more publick benefitt for the service of God 8:

the Realms than now it is ; wherein the advise of

the two Archbushopps of Armaugh 8: Dub lin, 8:


the bushop of Methe wold be had, and a good

estab lisht herof wold serve to bring up the youth

of that realms to increase knowledge 8: civility insundry parts of the same, wher now nothing but

barbarous and savageco“ditio” s remayneth .

7. It wold be foreseen that no alienatoiis were

suffered to be made by theclergy of any of ther

possesson‘

s, nor imppacofis of ther benefics ; for thelett wherof

,if there be not sufiicient lawe, yo“r shall

do well to have at the next pliament some special]lawe pvided for the same

8 . There was of late a comission sent thithIr for the

gouernaiice Of the state ecciiasticall, according to

the statute giving her Matie

authority so to do ; The

execution wherof wold be so u sed w‘hin the english

pale, as there shuld not be suffered in such open

sort as is reported, the use of thingsmanifestly in the

Church and in other obscurep laces,contrary to thelawes of y

"realm estab lished. And whatsoeuer

hath therein negligently ben lately by sufi'

ra'ce past

ouer, wold be from henceforth more seuerely re

formed, and the bushope and other ye ordynaryes

wold be moved to visit their cures, w‘out burdeing"of ye carats or peop le, and to see the lawes 8:

iniu'ctions heretofore pub lished, duly kept 8: Ob

served.

[endorsed.]

4 July 1565 . first draught ofye Instr. for Irlcid.

T 3

210 ORIGINAL LRTT nRs .

LXXV.

Extracts from Sr H. Sydneys opinio'

uppo‘

y6

of Instructio'

sfirst devisedfor hy’

[Orig.]

I . The estate Of the Clergy as yt is, and the defectstherof, shall becertified, and hows the samemay be

rspairid, as the Counsel] theirs shallthinks metest ;

but the only way is by sending lernid pastoures

frome hence, and by giving them comp°tent livingsthere, for w

'-'h their is presently a good oportunity

Ofiird by the vacancy of the Sees of Cassell 8: Ossery,w “ioynsd togither will make a sufficient living fora sufficientman to be an ArchebisshOp there.

5. My opinion for Casshell and Ossery is before

written ; neuertheless I will, god willing, certifieth

’opynion of the counsel] theire, aswell touching

those Bisshopricks, as the Bisshoprick of Lim

berick .

6. fibr the Surusy Of St Patricks, and all matters,

conteyned in this article, as the order in the same is

very good : so shall yt be by me (as nere as Icanne)Observed.

7. To pvent alienation s and imppriations, I willconferre with the Judges, and what may be done laws

212 ORIGINAL LRTTRRs .

as otherwise, that devotion and godlinesss may

encreasse from the highest to the lowest, and errors

and contempt of Relligiou may be restrayn id,

punished, and suppressed. And because the goodorder of aclergy shall avail] much heerin, her Ma

tie

willeth the same lieuteiit and consell to inquire of

the state therof, and to aduertiss how the same

might be betterid for the advancement of Gods

service ; and piitly to consider whether it wer not

meets that the Archbusshoprick of Cassells and the

bushoprick of Ossery being voyde, that some fits

pson wer apointed to have the Archbusshoprick, andthe bushoprick in a commends“ , considering the

small valew of th’archbusshoprick, wherby such a

person well chosen might be principall minister inaconsell to be estab lished in Munster.

2 . Item. where charge was gyven to Svr Thofiis

W roth and Syr Nichas Arnold to survey thecolledgof St Patricks, to th’intent the foundacOii therofmight have ben refourmid and reducid to the morepfiit Of learning and teaching for the whole Realms ;considering the same hath not ben psscuted to effectby reason (as it is thought) that the saidcoii’riss‘i'swer otherwise occupyed : her Ma

tie chargeth the

said Lieutsfifit and Counsel] wthout delay to gyve

com‘

ission and order to yoMr of y° roolles, ye auditor,and surveyor that for ye tyme shall be, wt any others

to be named by ye sayd Lieutend

'

t, for the survey

ORIGINAL LETT ERS. 213

therof, and willitbe and comandith th’archbushOpof Dub lin ,chauncellolr there, to forbears from the

putacoii Of any pson heerafter to any pbend there ;and that he, w

‘h th’archbu shop Of Armaugh, and

bushop ofMeth, and such others as the said Lieu

teu fit shall adjoyne to them, do well and speedely

consider the best meanes for reforming and reducingthe saidcolledg to the publicq benefyte of learning

in that Realm

3. Item, her Mat“ willith the said Lieuten iit and

consell, for the more relief Of the eccliasticall state,to pvide that no alienacion s or waste be sufi

'

rid to be

made by any of theclergy there, nether that any

impropriacions of benefices be put in vss, in w“I

cau ses, if there be not piitly sufficient lawes in force,it shalbeconvenient y‘

t remembrance be had therofagainst the next parlement.

4. Item, thecOmission which lately was sent thitherto the Iuetics, th’archbushops, 8: Bushops, 8: sundryothers, for the governmentof the state ecciiasticall, isto beconsidered by the said Lieuten iit now being, and

uppo" certificatmadefro“ hy '

, usy"

g th’in ycadvise of

such of ye Bish. as he shall thgnh mete, what they

shall thy‘

lcmete to befurder doone for y"renewing qfy‘ same, ther shall be sent thyther suchcomission w‘out

214 ORIGINAL LRTTRRs .

LXXVII.

Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir W illiam

Cecil. The Rectory of Dunboyne for his brother

the bearer. First Fruits of the Deanery of St.

Patrick’s. Report that no small aj'

enos is taken

with some of theministry in England for notwear

ing such apparelas the rest do. Allthemonuments,

tokens, and leavings of pap istry recommended to beremoved. Dr. Welsh, late Bishop of Meath,committed to the Castle of Dublin it werefit he should

be sent to England .

July 16, 1565 . [Orig. Holograph .]

The Puritan principles of Archbishop Loftus here appear withoutdisguise. W e find him here sympathizing with the Calvinisticpartyin the Church of England in their Opposition to the surplice and

other Popish apparel,as the authorized dress of the Clergy Of the

English Church was termed, and which has been alluded to in the

note to the Bishop of Kildare’s letter. (See LXXIII .) For BishopWalsh or Welsh see XXXI . 8: XXXVIII .

My duty (right honourable) humb ly considerid,where it pleasid the Qwsenes Ma

tlle to direckt herfavorab le letters of warrant to Sir Niccolas Arnowld,the nowe L. Iustis, and to Sir Thomas W rothe, in

the behalfs Of a brother of myne, the bearar here of,

cofr‘randinge them ther by, to make a lease of the

6 O RIGINAL LETTRRs .

I have heere to fore written to my L . of Leycester,and your honor, that uppon my takings possession

of the deanery of St Patrickes, the Barones of th ’excheker required me to compounds for the first

frutes, and uppon myne allegacion that the QueenesMa pleasure was I showld have it gratis, u nbur

dened of allcharges, (for you knows I am bounde ina thowsand pownd to resigns when so suer itmay be

conu srtid to an achademy or howse of learnings,whichs things for diueres respectes, I thought not

fit to declare to them,) they condiscsndid to thee

condicfiiis, that ether I shou ld compowud the next

mighslmes tearme, or else in the means tyms pro

cure a discharge frome the Queenes Ma“, whichs I

humbly beseache you to obteyne for me Of her

highnes- and nowe I humblycrane pardons of your

bonnor, that I may withs out Offence unborden my

conscience in a matter that troblithe the same not a

littill; it is reported beers (I pray god it be untrewe)that no small ofi

'

ence is taken withs sums of the

ministery for not wearings suche apparel] as the

rest doo, and that for the same many godly and

learnid preacheres be deprivid Of ther livings ; O

crafty deuyle and subtill Sathan , when he cannotover throws, (no, nor once shake,) thechefestpoyntssOf our religion , what adoo makes he aboughte tryfies

and light matteres ; this enemy Of god and Of all

sincerite and truths cu stomably is wont to dsceavs

ORIGINAL LETTnRs. 217

the ruleres Of this world, so that eyther they utterly

neclects or cruelly persecute the trews and sincerereligion ; and where hecan brings neyther of thes to

passe, then he tormoyles and turnes allthings topsey

torvey, untillhe haths browght in amixid andminglid

religion , neyther playnly again st, nor whOly withs

gods woord, whichs mixid and mingled religion is so

muchemore dangerous, as it is accoumptid for goodandcomely : hows earnestly it is forbidden by the

lord him-selfe, the manyfowld examples Of the scriptures do playnely declare, but for want Of laysure toomitt them all, Remembre the seings of Elias the

Prophet, how longe (saythe he) will you halts on

bothe sydes, yf the Lord be God follows hime, yf

Baal], go ye after hime ; evyns so may be trswly

sayde, yf the presthode and ministsry of Christ

withs his notes, tokenes, and markes, be trew, holy,and absolutly perfects , receave yt ; yf peradventureit be not, follows the pope. Chrystcannotabyde tohaue the leuen of the phariseys myngled withs his

swete flowrs, withs him or against him must we

nedes be ; yf we be luke warms he will spews us owt

of his mowthe, and not withs out sewee, for surely

he accusithe god Of ignorance and folishnes that

gothe abought to bewtify his religion, or adorns his

doctryne by things inventyd by mans breyue. 0

good mastr secretary, be earnest in thes seweis, for

U

2 18 ORIGINAL L s TT s Rs .

surely it is very dangsrus to urge a necessite inthings that godes woorde doothe set at liberty ; and

shall not this sumewhat move us, that throughout

allchristendome, where the Chirche is pure and re

formid, it haths cast away the Pops withs all his ?

and shall we so deerely esteems that whichs thes

hollychircbes so earnestly ab horre? 0 what inconvenience were it to thrust owt of ther livings and

ministery so many godly and learn id preachsres,only for this, that they will not be lyke the papistes,the professid ministers of Sathan and Antichrist, insupersticious and wickid order Of apparel] and owt

ward shenwe i S Pau ls saythe, ab omni specie maliabstinete, rsfrayns from all apparancis or owtward

shews of euyle ; and yf popery be euyle (as no

doubts it is most wicked,) in wearinge:the popishs

apparel] we commit a manifest sheawe of muchsabhomiuacO‘n ; so longeas thes things wsr in different,and left at liberty, for a tyms to wine the weke they

might be wome but nowe, beings urgid, andcompellid of necessite, Icannot perceyu e, (to wryte to

you my conciencs frely,) howe they can be safely

neid, as Pau les u sage withs Timothe and Tits doothe

playnely declare. I knows S Pau les woordes will be

elegid against me, that we showld not allwayes re

specte what we may do, and is lawful], but rather

what is fittest, and most to sdifycation ; Alas, Master


vertu of our COmission for seweis ecclesiastycall,wecOmittid to theCastsll ofDublyn, doster W elche,late bissippe ofMethe, there to remayne until] the

queenss mam pleasure were knowns ; he rsfusid the

othe, and to answer suche articles as we rsquirid

him ; and, besides that, ever sithens the last parle

ment, he haths manifestly contemned and Openly

sheawid himselfs to be a mislyksr Of all the queenss

ma‘“proceedings ; he oponly protestid before all thepeople the same day he was before u s, that he wold

nevercommunicate or be present (by his will) wherethe seruice showld be ministrid, for it was against

his conscience, and (as he thought) against gods

woord. Yf it shall seems good to your honor, and

the rest of her Mat“most honorablecounseyls ; in

myne Opinion, it wer fit he showld be sent in to

England, and psradventure by conferrings withs

the lernid bishoppss there, he might“

be brought to

sumconformitie ; he is one Of greatcreadit emongesthis cuntrimsn, and uppon whoms (as tutchingeseweis of religion) they wholy depend ; I beseacheyou let me understand yours myud here in (and of

another letter that I wrote to the queenss Matiecon

csrniuge proceedings withs the lordes and gentilmsnheere,) withs suche expedicion as conueniently maybe ; the god of hsauyus longe preserve your honnor,and stirs up a dilligsutcare in you to helps andcom

ORIGINAL LnTTRRs. 221

fort [this] afi ictedchirche. I have sent your honor

a goshawks and a tarssll [by] this bearer, yf thes

doo like you , I maye happe another yere helps you

withs more. from S. Patrikes this xvi of Ju ly

1565.

Your bonnots atcomandmsnt,

Ad. Armachan

To the right honorable Sr W illamCecile, knight, principali secretory to the Queenes

[endorsed] .16 July 1565. Archb ofAnnaugh

to my M? by his broth'.

222 ORIG INAL LRTTnRs .

LXXVIII .

Sir Thomas Cusack to Sir William Cecil. O’Neil

sends the Dean of Armagh with presents to the

Queen. There is none of his vocation more able

to serve his Prince than the Dean. The north

of Ireland would have great cause to rej oice ifhe was made Primate. The present Primate to

be preferred to a better dignity . O’Neil to be

rewarded. Th e Dean’s virtuous er hortations have

produced good order in the north.

August 23, 1565 . [Orig. Holograph .]

The promotion ofTerence Daniel, Dean ofArmagh, to thatArchiepiscopalThrone, though repeatedly recommended by the ministersof Elizabeth, allowed by the Queen herself, and accepted by theDean, never took place ; it appears to have been prevented byLoftus, who was much oppomd to the Native, or Irish Clergy. See

XLVII. CXVI. CXIX .

And for thatOne] hath Bent over the Deans of

Armaugh wt presents to her Ma

“, being a wyse and

discreate gent, who can and will declare to yourshonours the stats of all the North, and Of Onels

proceedings uppon the Scotts, w‘h souche aunsweres

as he made to Jeamss M° Done], upon request Of

224 ORIGINAL L sTTRRs.

lrE of thancks to the said One] for his good servicewiths reward, and then her highnes may trust

assuredly to have him atcomaundemsnt, to yeld allthings that shalbe requyred, w

“hys greatly to be

consydersd ; in this I have bene a greate travailer,bringeing him to her Ma”devofi

'

on, w"hof truth was

a thing easely done, for any outward shows Icouldperceyve in him ; and the soner the deans be

dispatched, the better it ya ; for his being in the

company of One], do not putt him [only] in remem

brance of his duty, but also the rest of the gentle

men of thecontrey to her Maty with preaching and

good andvsrtuouss exhorta6‘

ons ; to whose preachingand talk they giue great fayth grounding himself

therein uppon the Gospel] and theEpistle, reproving

synne, and declaring howe eiiy maii shou ld lyve byhis owns, w

thout the raven or spoyle of other, and to

lyve in the fears Of God, and Obedysnce Of their

prynce ; whose preaching to them in sonch sort 1

have herd ofte tymss. Through w"h occacoii thatcountry ys mouche the more reduced to good order,so as no lik contrey in Ireland ys so well at this

p'ut, wherby siiry man may lyve by his owns in

souche sort as marchauutemen and all others, as well

foreners as countreymeu, may passe through the

contrey wth theyre merchaund'

, or any other thing,w! ut fears of robbing, by day or night, w°h is verey

rare to here the lik.

ORIG INAL LETT nRs. 225

LXXIX.


Cecil. St. Patrick’s the fittest place in the land

for a common place of learning . The old [archbishop of Dublin to becalled home, and rep lacedby one willing to resign the Prebendal stalls g

'c.Poverty alone hath prevented his presence, or thatof the Bishop of Moath, in order to p ress this

matter . Suit for the Rectory of Dunboyne. To

beware of one Johnson, who sueth for the Bishop

October 8, 1565. [Orig. Holograph .]

Loftus probably little thought when he penned the followingletter, that in less than two years he would be himself in the

position of him who was to be warely dealt with-all,” as Archbt p of Dublin, and himself interested, for his pri vate profit,”

in the bestowing of the Prebendal Stalls, and thus defeating, as heactually did, the plan of the Government in converting St. Patrick’s,the fittest place in the land for a place of learning,

” into a Uni

Could the one Johnson,” against whom Cecilwas warned, be thesame with WilliamJohnson , of whom Wood, in hisFasti Oxouienses,

[part i. col. 118. ed. Bliss] says, The Cat. of fellows of that house[All-s. Coll.] saith thathewas afterwards Dean of Dublin , and Bishopof Meath, in Ireland ; Wherupon, recurring to the Commentaryof Irish Bishops, written by Sir James W ars, I could find no suchperson l [See Harris’s Ware, vol. i. p.

As Icsrtsynly knows, Right honorable, your toward


use and herty desi[re to] preserve acommon placeof learnings in this rude and ignorantc[ountry] ,so will I, (leaving all arguments Of perswasion as

superfluous,) procede in sheawinge myne Opinion

the next and rsadisst ways to brings the same to

perfection ; on ly assuringe your honnor as the want

thereof, haths browght a gencrall disordrs in this

land, so the heu ings, wil] not only brings godly

qu ieatnss withs good ordre, but also ppetuall fame

and praise to her highnes, but commendation to

your honour as to thechsefe instrument in preferr

inge the same ; As S. Patrykes (lestchargings herhighnes and readiest for that porposs) ther-for is the

fittest place in the land, and as I am by her graciouslibsralyte placed in the deanry , as well willings to

forder this woorke as any man els, so the olde

bisshoppe, a man (yf I shall says my Opinion) as

nu -willings to this, as to furder anuy other our

busince, to be provided for at home, and in the

bisshOppriks one placed as willings faythfully to

ioyns wt me, as I wt him, bethe we shall procurethe voluntary resignation or ju st deprivation of all

the gansaysrs, and placings favorers Of the mat

ter, then folowethe the full resignation in to her

highsues hands of the bisshops, the deans, and the

chapter, to doo w‘all what her graciou s wil] shall be ;and as the geuings Of the prebeude, w

tother th inges

therunto appertayuings, is a speciall ornament of the


heere saye ther is one Iohusou snithe for the

bisshOppriks Of Ossery, of whoms I beseache you,beware. from Termonfeghoue this x of octobre1565 .

Your honouree assured atcor'haudment,Ad Armechen .

To the right honourable SirWillimCecile, knight, principall secretare to the Queues most excelent

[endorsed.]

x 8bris, 1565 . Therch b .

of Armaugh to my Mlr

for the deanry of StPa

tricks to be éployed forlerg.

ORIGINAL LETTERs . 229

LXXX .

Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy, to Sir William Cecil.Begs that the Bishopricks of Ossory and Cashel be

notgranted till Sydney writes out of Ireland ; his

conceipt is, to remove the Primate of Armagh to

those Sees, and to place the Dean of Armagh

in the Primacy .

November 24, 1565 . [Orig . Holograph .]

Sir William Cecil, as appears by his answer to this letter in the

S. P. 0 . under date of the 23rd of December, 1565, assured SirHenry that he would never advise any resolutions in matter of

moment without his advice.

” However, as we shall see hereafter,other influence prevailed, and thechangescontemplated here never

[Extract.]— S', I here that earnest suts is made to her maiestyfor the bu shOpryk of Ossery 8: Cashell, I besecheyou most hartely, and that for the servyce of the

queens, that you wyll procure the stay Of it untyll

you shall here from me out of Ireland ; myconcept8: Intendment is thys, to remove the prymate of

Ardmagh to those sees, 8: to place the dean of

Ardmagh in yt, by thetranslatyon theprimetshall lose

no thyng, but in ioy lyke dyngnyte in efi'

ect whychehe dyd, more lyuyng, 8: in a morecyuyll place, 8: a

greater flock to understand bym than he had before ;


on the other part, the dean greatly pleased, who

is as able to dyrsetShane [O’Neill] as you 8: all the

consellare to dyrect me 8: I beleue he wyll do well,8: usq thynk whyle I govern theer he wyll do no

euyll. S', trust me thys is a matter of greatconsequens, 8: therfore I beseche you ,

ether send me

auctoryte thus to dyspose 8: place, if I she] so

thynk good, 8: can, or at least stay the graunt to

any, tyll [you ] eftsonss hear from me beleue ms,

S', mutch by thys mean may be wroght w"l Shane,

for godye loue stay at least. I tary here only for

wynd, whych , god on s sendyng, I wyll not be

wyllyng [to] omyt to go to the see. I have no

more but my most herty comendatyonys 8: my

wynes doon to you to my lady your wyfe, 8: to mylady Bacon . I wysh to you all a long, quyet, 8: happy

lyfe. from Chester thys 24 of November 1565 .

You rys, a aynsdly yourys,

H. Sydney.

To the right honorable Sf W illm~

Cycell knight, principall Secretory to the Queues most excelentMa.tie

[endorsed. ]24 9ber 1565.

Sr H Sidney L . Deputy of Irland tomy Mr from Chester.

1 For the submission made (anuo 1563) by Shane, or John O’Neill,

son of Conacius, late Earle of Tirone, see O’Douovan

’s translation of

the Annals of the Four Masters, vol. ii. p. 1588, note.


said Chaplain, being of thatcontrey , might, for hisunderstanding, serve well the tourne 8: rome. It

may please you (being acquainted, as I understand,

of the ability of him to serve there) to recomend himhither as yo

r L . shall think mete ; for in all suchomes ofcharge there, her me“ will be pleased to

place such men as yo“shall think metest for the

place; and so leaving theconsideration of this parties

desert and service to yo’ good recomendation , wherupon her Ma

‘“may determin her furder pleasure in

this his sute, I leave to troble yorL.

—from Grenew°h

the first OfMarch 1565 .

Your L. at Com

W . Cecil].

To the right honaable myuery good lord St HenrySidney, Knight of Garter

,Lord Deputy the

Realm of Irlond

[endorsed.]

Martil 1565 .

Mr Secretary for M oneyto be b isshopp of Ossery.


LXXXII.

Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy, and the Council ofIreland, to theLords of the Privy Council in England, in answer to the Instructions of the 5th ofOctober, 1565. Diligence of the Archbishops of

Armagh and Dublin, and the Bishop of Meath .

Work of Reformation goeth slowly forward. Decayof Churches, aye. Survey of the College of St.

Patrick’s. Alienations.

April 15, 1566. [OriginaL]

One is rather surprised in reading the following dispatch, to findthe Archbishop of Dublin [Hugh Curwin ] , the old unprofitableworkman ”

alluded to before [see praised for his fruitfulpreaching and setting forth of God’s glory . This apparentcontradiction is however explained when the signatures to the dispatch areexamined, and that of the Archbishop in question, found with thoseof the other Prelatss. His Gracecould not be expected to omit hisown name in the general praise of the principles of the reforming

Bishops.

Extract.

And for the Residsw of her Ma“said Instrucions

digested into fowre principall pertss ; yt may lykeyour It to be advertised ; that as to the first articleof thefirst parts, I, her Ma

ts deputys, and theresidew

Of hercounsel] here, w"h ar lays men“

,can no lesse

x 3


then (as trewthe is) declare for Th ’archebisshops ofDublyn

“

and Ardmaghe and the Busshopp of Methe,that they or diligent in the function Of their Ofi

‘

ycespastoral], as well in Often, and frutefull preaching,and setting furths of gods glory and trews Christian

Relligion themsellfs, as also in the earnestcalling on

and loking to the other pastorss . and ministers with

in their provinces and dioc‘ s to do the lyke ; and er

earnt andcarefu l] exhorters and overssars over the

residew under their chardgs, to reduce them by all

good meanes owt Of errolr and contempts Of god

lynes, unto right belief and trews devotion ; and

lykewiss on the pticof me her Ma“ deputys, with

the rest of hercou nsel] here, our best endevoir (bygods gracs) hath been, and shall be, boths by good

example and earnestnes, and by all other good

meanes, to maynteyne and further the same there,

and throughe owt all this Realms universally.

Howbeit that for all th is, yt gothe slowsly forward,

boths within their said three diocesses (by reason of

the former erro“

and superstiéons inveterated and

levsned in the peoples hertes ; and in wants of ly

vinge suficient for fitt intreteynement of wellchosenand learned curatss emongest them,

for that those

livings ofcu re beeng mooste parts appropriated beneficss in the Queens Ma

“ possession, er letten by

leases u nto fi‘

armers wfl‘ allowance or reservation Of

very small stipendes or entretrsynementes for the


rsfourming thereof; and I, the ArchebusshOpp of

Dublyfi, shall, according her Ma“cor' irau ndment,

forbears from the absolute presentation of eny pson

to be prebend there until] her highnes pleasslr

further knowsn . The lyvinge of the prebeudes er

mooste pte in benefices with cure, and they for the

more parts aged men, who, with the rest of the

ministers Of thatcollege, according the ru les of the

same, geve their dewe attendance on thatcollegiatechurchs, daylis doeng dyvyne srvice, and devotion

with dewe reverence and harmonysconvenyent, andsome of them do preache also. Neuertbeles, they

have been treated with by u s, th’

archebu sshops and

busshop of Dublyfi, Ardmagb s, and Methe, and ar

foundsconformable to departs withs suche porEon of

their lyvinges as shall be thought fitt by her high

use for the settyng furths and maynten iice of learning and teaching for this Realms . And for that the

survey and oppynyon of the former comissIonersaforesaid is already there to be shewed to you r il.,and related to her we have steyed of procedingfilrther therein

, untill thereuppon it may lyke your

ii. to procure her highnés further pleass‘ to be signy

fied unto us .

To the thirds article thereof, we knows not as yett

of army alienations or wastes sufi'

ersd to be made by

theclergys, nor of any appropn acons of benefics bythem putt in vss, nor that theclergy of this Realms


at greatly enclyned to ofl'

ende in that parte, exceptthe alienacons or wasts donne by the Bu sshop of

fi'

ernes‘

, who to the use of his sonnes hath putt awaye

the moost pte of the living of his bu sshOprick ; forthe w°h

, and other the lyke w°" might hereafter

happen , Remembrance for remedy and proviso shall

be had against the next pliament.

To the fourth and last article thereof, thecomIssxoners for thecauses ecclesiasticall do (as they may,)procede therein, how beyt slowly for thecau ses aforesaydo.

[The dispatch is signed by] H. Sydney.

H. Diblin Canc.Ad. Armachan .

Io Plunket.

Nychs Bagenall.FrancsAgarde.

W . Fitzwilliam.

Robt Dyllon .

James Bath .

Henry Draycott.Alexander Devereux, Bishop of Fernes, of whom Harris [Ware

,

vol. i. p. 445] says that he made several leases in favour of his rela

tions and others, to the great detriment of his See. He died at

Fethard, in 1666, having been Bishop of Fernes almost twenty-sevenyears, and was buried there in thechancel of the parish Church.

ORIGINAL LETTERS.

LXXXIII .

Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to Sir

W illiam Cecil. The Bishop ofMeath [Hugh Brady]the mostfit to beArchbishop of Dublin . The Archbishop of Armagh to succeed theBishop ofMeath .

April 23, 1 566. [Orig. Holograph.]

The translation of Hugh Curwin, Archbishop of Dublin , to thesee of Oxford, had been just determined on, and is mentioned ina letter from the Queen to the Lord Deputy, under date of March28, 1566 it did not take place, however, till the following year,when Loftus succeeded him as Archbishop of Dublin . Harris tellsus, that it is not to be admired that Loftus sought a translationfrom the primatical see to the Archb ishoprick of Dublin ; thenorth was then ruined by the rebellion of Shane O’Neil, and

Armagh afi'

ordsd but little profit and we see here that it waseven contemplated that he would willingly embase h is estate to

encrease so much h is revenue,” by accepting the Bishoprick of

Meath instead of the Primacy.

S', as yt pleasid the Queenis Mat?graciously to

determin the transla n of the Archebisshop of

Dublin to Oxfords, so yt were not amisse to te

solve who shuld be presented to the place uppoii

his removing hence, wherein the bisshop of Meeth

is, in my opinion , the fyttest to succede both for hissufficiency in preaching, wherin he is squall to the

best of the bisshops here, and for his graue iudge

msnt in Counsel], wherin he farrs excedith the rest;

240 ORIGINAL LRTTRRs.

LXXXIV.

Hugh Carwin, Archbishop of Dublin, to Queen Eliza

beth. Thanks for the Bishoprick of Oxford, whichit was her Highness

’s p leasure to bestow upon

him.

April 24, 1566. [Orig. HOlograph .]

It maye please yor moost excellent Maiestie to be

adv'tised, that’

the right honorab le, and my especyall

good Lords, the L. deputie hers, shewed me latelye

a letter Of yO‘r moost excellentMaisstiss unto him,

wherein yorsaid Maiestie (of yo

lr bountifu l] and

gratious goodnes towards me) sign ifyed him that it

was yor h ighnes pleasure to bestows upon me the

busshopricke Of Oxfords, w°“proceded Of yo

’ moost

godly disposition s, Wmout any deservings upon my

parts ; fl'

or, servings yolrMaiestie here in this realms,

I was not hab le to deserve the hu ndrethe parts of

such yor highnes gratious goodnes ; but althowghe

I mustconfesse my said service not to be suche as

my dutie was to doe, yet was it done with all my

hart, to the best of my power, wth wh ichs (I thanksgod) I pleased the cu ntrey hers indifi

‘

erently, and

there I tru st to dos yO‘ highnes service w tll more

healths Of body than I have had here,and therefore


moost humbly I thanks yor moost nob le mail8 for the

same, acknowledgsings bethe my self and all my

frinds, not only to be moost bounds to ren derunto

yO' highnes alwaies O

lt moost humb le thanks, but‘

also duringe our lifi'

ss, Olt dailys prayers for the

p‘ssrvaé

'

on Of yoIr moost cxcsllEt Ma

tie in healths,longs life, and prosperitie, w

‘hvictorie again st all

yo'enemyes. fi

'

rom Dublin the xiiiith Of Aprill

1566.

YOI Mad“ moost bounden subjects,chaplyn, and dayly orator,

H. Dublin , youlr CanE.

To the Queues most excellent Maiestie, this be

[endorsed.]

April, 1566.

Archb . of Dublin Cha'cell“of Irland, to the Q.

Ma“!


LXXXV.


Cecil, infavour of Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, to

be translated to the Archbishoprick of Dublin. Suit

of the bearer [Mn Vernon] .

April 29, 1566. [Orig.]

After my right hartiecomenda nns unto yolr honor,

where I understand Th’archebisshop here Of Dublin

is by herMai“

sent for whoms, andconsyderinge thep'nte state Of the decaid Churche Of Ireland, and the

sute made by myself and the Bysshop OfMeathe for

turnynge this howse to thecomon a fyte Of learn

ing, I thought it my dutie to become an humb le

Suter unto yor honor to be a means hir Ma

fi"will

make some goodchoise of one for that rowme, who

may, in joyn ing. fl'

aithefully wth me, either brings the

former purpose to some good effects, or, if thecountrie be not so happis to receave suche a blessings,yet wemay reforms this Churchs, and brings it to a

better state than it is and if yOr honor will hauemy

Opinion in makings choise of some fl'

ytt person, I

thincke none more ffytter (aswell for the respectsbefore rehersed, as for sondris others) than the

BysshOp Of Meathe ; and having said thus muchsfor that mater, I am driven to become an humble


LXXXVI.

Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, to Sir William Cecil.

to Dundt to see if O’Neilwillcome to any good

end: The two young men from Cambridge

April29, 1566. [Orig. Holograph .]

My dusti most hiibli to yot honour, I ame hold one

again to be an hu’

ble suster for my veri frend M'

Vernon ; he is minded to lsds the rest Of his life in

this land, wherof I am not a litle glad, wishing ther

were mani such ; he sueth for an Old castle in

Rathouth, not far from my house, and mindeth, when

it shal cfi into his handes, to do su cost on it,

wherof it bath great nede. I besech yoI honou lr hemai by this my hiibls suts the rather Obtain the same,with this condition, I will not hereail:r be troublesfifor the like ; this present dai goeth my L . deputi

with the rest of theconsall, accompanied with a m

horses, to Dondalks, to as if 0 Nels willcii to annygood end, wherof ther is great doubt; his pride,joined with his tiranni, is intollerable ; he bath of

late spoiled the ciitri of macGwire, takingcertaincastles, and putting ward of his can in them ; he

ORIGINAL Ls 'r'runs. 245

hath also taken 0 Donelss brother, and vericmelli

put him to death, and by report killed vi or vii scoreof his men ; siidri outrages he doth co’

mitt, and I

fears will do more he is feared of the Irishri the

rest are in meteli good quiet and bettre will, if anny

ordre be nous taken with this m“a‘

my L. deputie is

well liked here with al sortes, his painel deserveth

no lesse ; I haue by yo' meanes rescued a yong mi

from Cambrig ; I hertali thanks you for it ; my L.

primat hath an other ; I prai God send you a long

and an happi life ; from Dublin, this 29 ofApril.

YOr honoures

H. MideI'

I.

yght

able 5:lm Cecile

knyght principali secretaryto the queues Mat?

[endorsed]xxix Aprilis 1566.

B of Meth to my Mr

246 ORIGINAL LR'r'rRRs.

LXXXVII .

Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy, to the Lords of the

be an ointed Bishop of Leighlin.

May 18, 1566. [Orig.]

The decease of Thomas Field, Bishop of Leighliu according toWare, took place the Friday before Palm Sunday, 1567. The

date should be 1566. The Queen’s letter for the appointment Of

Daniel Cavenagh is dated April 10, 1567, and Ware states that hewasconsecrated in St. Patrick’s, Dublin, byHugh Curwin , Archbishopof Dublin . He died on the dtb of April, 1587.

My dustie done to yor ii: at my late returns out of

my journey made in Leinster, I u nderstode of the

deth of the late incumbent in the Bisshopricke of

Laughlyu , to whose place and Office I haue beneernestly entrsatid tocomende oneDaniellCavsnaugh,a gsntelmaii Of those pts, and a pfessor Of Divinity .

And allthough I haveconsiderid the smallness of the

benefice to be such, as (not amounting to one hun

dreth pounds by the yere Of this money,) fews wold

have acceptid the dignitie wth

so small comodity :

yet finding this gentellman enhabled by the welth

and strength of his frende in those pts to be a good

Srvauntto theQueens for the preserva n of Ju stice,wherof that Countrey hath great nead, I have her

248 ORIGINAL Lu 'r'rERs .

LXXXVIII.


cellor of Ireland, to Sir William Cecil. Desires

permission to leave Ireland before next winter.

Another Archbishop to be amointed with speed

if the see stands vacant, much of the lands will be

pilfered by Irishmen .

May 21 , 1566. [Orig.]

My humb lecomenda ns premyssd unto yo“right

houo'able mastershippe, whear yt hath pleased the

qunss most excellent Maiestie to signyffie her most

graciouse pleasurs hyther to bestows upon me the

busshoppsricks of Oxford, considering my sicknesand inhabillitis hears longer to Brve ; I am so bou ld

upoii yorsaid good M'

shipps, allthough I haue not

desrsd any thing of yor honOr for the goodnes that

I haue hearetofor found in yo", to desysr yo

fsaid

honorable M’shipp to moue her Maiestie that yt

myght stand with her gracioss pleasur that I myghtcome hence befor the winter next ; for I am hears inthe winter so sicke, and lycke wise weke, as heartofore I haue ben scante hab le to pass yt ouer with

lids ; and very glad wold I be, if itmight stand with

her graciouse pleasur, tocome aways in such tyms as

ORIGINAL LR'r'rs Rs. 249

I mought pvid fire for winter, and hays for my

horsses ; moreou"

, yt should bewell done Of her high

nes, at? my going away hence, to appoint an other

Archbusshoppe with spid ; for yf the see stand va

cant, muche Of the lands wilbe pilfered aways by

irishmen , and the howsses spoylled, which nowe

I shall leave in good estate. Thus am I bould to

trub le yolr honor with my rude suttes, not hable to

recompence the samewith any thing sauemy prayer,which yo‘r honolr shalbe assuried of during my lif,as knowiths God, who long prefive yo

Ir honorable

M'shippe in . good belthe, and increase yOr hono'.

At Dublin, the xxi“l OfMaii, 1566.

YOlr hono" at Comaundment.

H. Diblin Cane.

To the right Honorable Sir W ill“mSissell knyght, principall secretoryto the qu

”

nes Mat“, be theis geucu

endorsed)2 1 Maii, 1566. Arch b. of DublinChauncellr of Irland to myMr for his

LXXXIX .


William Cecil, recommending the suit of theArchbishop of Dublin, to be disburthened forthwith ofhis aj ies, and to have the lasthalf year

’s rent of the

May 22, 1566. [Orig.]

after my most hartis comendaéons. The ArcheBisshop ofDub lin (who imputeth all his good happe

Of his revocation to my Lord of Lscester and yow, as

by whose mediation he hath receiued comfort and

favor from the Queens Maty,) hath bene vearie ernest

w“l ms to rscoi'fiends unto you his desier to be disburdeu id forthwth of his Office here, allsadgyug

his infirmity of the pallsey, and therby h is dishabilityto travell towards winter. adding to this his desier

of spedy degtur hence, an humble seuts to bee re

lieusd and rscompsnsid for his long service wth thelast half yeres rent of the Bishoprick Of Oxfords . I

have wsied his requests meets to receive mycomenda u, the one being necessary for her Ma

“Service,if an other ChauncelloIrmore sufficient for the placemight forthw“l be appointid, the other honorable for

her highnes to graunt, wherin his long continuid

252 OR IGINAL LETT ERS .

Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to the

Lords of the Privy Council in England, in favour ofthe bearer Christopher Gafi

'

eney, to be Bishop ofOssory, enclosing two letters from Carwin, Archbishop of Dublin, and Brady, Bishop of Meath, in

hiscommendation .

June 8, 1566. [Orig .]

Christopher Oatney, Prebendary of Tipper , in St. Patrick’s,Dublin ,was advanced to the see of Ossory, by Letters Patent, dated the 7thof May, 1567 was restored to the temporalities the day following ,and wasconsecrated in St. Patrick’s Church, Dublin, the same month .

He died on the 8td of Augu st, 1576, and was buried in achapel onthe north side of thechoir of thecathedralchurch of St. Canice, inKilkenny. Gafney had been chaplain to the Earl of Sussex. [See

LXXXI. ]

Myne humble dentis done u nto yor 11. I have

received sondris letters from thence in thecomenda n of this bearer, Sr Ch

'

i‘Ophsr Gafi'

sney,

requ iring my Opinion Of bym to pswade his election to the Bisshoprick of Ossery ; wherin after

my accustomid maner of dealing win all such on

whom I bestows enie spirituell functions here, I

haue instructed my self w“1 the judgements Of

the bisshops, and uppon such conference as the

Archbisshop of Dublin and the b ishop of Methe

haue had wth bym, they have written unto me the

ORIGINAL L sr'rnas . 253

enclosed letters of his hability and suficiency . And

therefore, building my comend a n uppon thatwell

they hauecertified, and finding bym besides of goodfame, and well reported, I thought good to testyfie

the same unto yo‘ ll, and to referre bym for his ad

vauncemsnt to yo’ honorable considerations. And

so I humb ly ends, at Killmaineh ifi, the viijthOf June,

1566.

Your Lordshyppys Vmbls and Obedeyent

H. Sidney.

To the right honorablemy singulergood Lordes the Lords of the

Quene’sMa“mosthonorableprievie Counsall.

[endorsed.]

8 Junu 1566. L. Deputy of Irlandto thecounsell towchiug St XfrGafi

'

ney for the B. of Ossery.

Inclosing. [Orig.]

This bersr, SltXpofer Gafney (my very good L.) hav

ing in way ofcharitie requested me to say of him my

knowledg 8: opinion, aswell in life orconiisa n , as

in lsrning or abilitie to serve in godes churche, Iz


thought it good this farre to do the same, that as

farrs as ever I herds of other, or knows my self, he

hath honestly 8: orderly behavid himself to thecontentacion Of his brethren ; and for his abilitie to do

good in godschurch, am bold to say, he is more then

meanly lernid, joinyd w“a good Judgment

,and, to

my deaming, well willing to his habilitis to further

the establisshed religion . SO humbly takingmy leve,from my house of Sainct Spulcres, this xv of Maii,

1566.

Y‘ L. for suer tocomand.

H Dublin Cane.

[Orig . Holograph .]

I have staied hitherto (my Singulsr good L.) to

comend this Bearer, S’ Xiifsr Gafney, for that I hadno great acquaintance w‘h bym, and have therfore

made diligent enquiry, aswell Of his Lif8:conusacon ,as also, byconference w‘h bym self, of his ability to

do good in godschurchs ; and havings so instructedmyself by the meanes aforesaid, am bould nowe this

ferre forthe to comend bym to yor L ., hopings by

gods grace he will so behave bym self, as nether

I shall forsthinck thus muche to say of bym, nor yet

yor L. repent to be the meanes of his further ad

ORIGINAL LETTERS .

tyms to timemaie be sente, as for their lerninge and

zeale in god his holie woorde, maie be bisshopps in

deeds . Ther bee sente bisshops to occupie almosts

all the bests roomes in the Lands, Of whose unhable

nes 8: untowardnes, yf yt might doo good, I wolde

saie more ; But nowe, if yt like yO' honors, where

yt is saide that the queenss Mai“

entendeth the

removing of bym thatsittethe on the sea ofDublinge

now, I beseche yow yt my swits towchinge the

placings there of a zealows and lerned man in god

his holie woorde, to the queenss Me“ by yo

' honors

maie be fiIrthered to the uttermosts . The like hum

ble swits I make for St Pattricks to be turned to a

Colledg of the state, whereof I make no mention ,

becawse M‘rVicechamb 'lains, bis instructions therofto bym by me yeven, can resolve you fullis therin .

My singuler good Loordes,consider that this is not

my swits alone, but yt is th’erneste praier Of all those

that desire the godlie and psaceabls subiection to thequeenss highnes. And, my good Lordes, remEb?

also that yow shall anewr before the tribunall seats

of Issue Christs, yf this Lands perishe for wants Of

faithfull and lerned teachers ; for the keyes of this

realms are 0061t to yow ; yow maie Open the

doors to whom yow will, yow maie shutt yt aienste

whom yow lists. And [sic] will remeber yow in mypoore praers to the lyvinge god for encrease of yo

lr


honors to his glorie, and profits Of his churchsIreland. fi

'

rom Dublin, the x“1 of June, A° 1566.

Your good lordshipps all atcomandm‘.

Ad. Armachan .

To the right honorable my singuler

good lordes the lordes of thequeenssMail“moste honorable priviecoun

[endorsed]x Junu . 1566. Archb . of An naugh to

the Counsel] for lerned busshops tobe placed in Irland.

XCII.

Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir

Cecil, on the same subj ect. Thecase of thepeople tobepitied

—muchfleeced and nothing at allfed. Mr .

Vice Chamberlain, the bearer, fully instructed of thismatter.

June 10, 1566. [Orig.]

Right honorable, my dewtis remembered unto yow,

yt comethe to passe Ottentymes w”ll is said in the

proverbs, that w"h is spoken to all is spoken to none.

I haue therfore, besydes my aim lres to all the

honourablecou nsaile, severed (P) also in writings to

yor honor, that yo

' care being (as I hope) alrediez 8

258 ORIG INAL Le'r'rnas.

greate for the sendings of somechoise, godlie, zeal

ows, and lerned man to succede bym that sitteth

here presentlie in the bisshopricke of Dublinge,

might be (yf yt were possible,) encreased, at the

lestecontynued. YOr honor knoweth right well that

the Queenes highnes shall never have inste obedi

ence, onles thecawse of the gospell be firsts pro

moted and alas,how can that bee, excepte suche

sitte inchsofe placs eccl'

iasticall as are

‘

Of approved

zeale and knowledge in god his holie laws ; and for

S‘Patricks to be turned into a howse of Leruings ;

Ican not leave to hope but I shall haue yow a greate

freende and furtherer of yt, according to that W “yo'honor haths signified in yo

' lasts lrEs, and the rather

becawse yow seems to pitie the co'

uercyc'

) Of the

tythes,co‘

trarie to the institution, from the use of

their pastors ; for if yer honor nuderstoode how sim

plie they are serued now, 8: hereto fore haue beene,

yew wold rather pitie thecase of the people, muchedeced and nothing at all fedd ; and th

’erecting of the

Colledge, wherin manicgodlie ministers and learned

preachers shall be placed, wold discharge the”

, for

that the benefics are almoste all wthin five miles of

Dublynge ; wherfore yo' honor beings lemed, and a

publicke and professed patrons of lerned me, yt

can not be but yew willbe an earneste furtherer of

this suyte, weh

rsspectethe nothings .but lerninge.

I haue yeueu MrVichamberlaine further instructions

260 ORIGINAL Ln'r'rnns.

bearer is comended by my L . Deputys and others

here, as fytte for the busshOpricke of Osserye, d'

or

that the place is Iryshe, and none of his contreybirths (that I knows) more meter then he, I haue

thought good not to deny hym mycomenda’c’on like

wyse, prayings yor honOr to gene bym suche favo’

and furderance therein as thecase shall requ ire, and

I doubts not ye shall haue good cause to lyke wellOf [his service in that function . !from Dub lin , the

xvn Of June, 1566.

Your honours atcomandment.

Ad. Armachan .

To the right honorable Sir Willi :

to the queues moste excellentMam.

[endorsed .]

17 Junu , 1566. Archb . of Armangh

to Mr Sec! for to be B. of

Ossory.

ORIGINAL LR'I' rnRs. 261

XCIV.

Adam Lofius, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir William

Cecil. H Gqfl‘ney be made Bishop of Ossory, his

Benefices to be bestowed on somefit and godly man,viz Mr. Leche.

June 26, 1566. [Orig. Holograph.]

“One Master Leche, sometime servant to King Henry VIII.,was, no doubt, the same as William Leaehe the bearer of a letter

from Archbishop Loftus to the Fu rlof Leicester the preceding year[see LXVIIJ, where he is mentioned as having sustained greatlossesby the late Bishop of Kildare [Alexander Craik]. On the 9th of

May, 1567, W illiam Leech was presented to the Prebend of Tipperin the Cathedral of St. Patrick’s, and on the 9th of October , hadlicence to hold with the same the Vicarages of DunshOghlin and

Donockmashe, in the Diocese of Meath. The prebend, and probablythe livings, had been held by Gafney. [See Mason

’s St. Patrick’s,

Notes, LXXX.]

It may please your honour, where one Gafuey is

comendid unto you as fit for the Bushopriks of

Ossery, w"h

of it selfs is a lyberall stypend, and a

linings sufficient to maynetayne the stats of the

Bushope theere, I haue thought good to besecheyour honour, that yf he make suts to haue the bene

ficss whichs he presently enioyethe in comedem, it

wold please you to stay them, to be bestowen on

some fit and godly man heere, namely one Master

262 ORIGINAL LR'r'rRRs .

Leche, sumetyme servant to kings Henry th’aight,

and nowe atendinge on the L . depute, one well

knowns to your honour, to whoms they ar promised

uppon the preferment of the sayd Gafney . d'

rom

Dublin, the xxvi Of June, 1566.

Your 1 atcOmandmsnt

Ad. Armachan .

To the right honorable SirW llm

” Cicile, Knight, principall Secretary to the

queues moste excellent

[endorsed.]26 Jnnu, 1566. Archb . of

Armaugh to my M'. for

Gufi'

neys living, yf he bep“

ferred to theB. of Ossery

to be bestowed on Leche.


shopricks ; 8: I doubts not he will so dutyfully u se

hymself therein , as ye shall haue goodcause to lykewell of yo

rchoyse ; !from Dub lin , the iii of Ju ly.

Your honours atcomandment.Ad. Armachan .

To the right honorable Sr Willi'

n

Cicile Knight, principall Secretary to the queues most excellentMat} .

[endorsed. ]

3 July 1566. Archb . of Armangh

to my M? for James Machawellto be Archb . of Cashell.

XCVI .

‘

Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of to Sir

William Cecil. Imperfection of the Irish Bishops .

Death of the Bishop of Forms. John Devereux,

Dean ofFernes, recommended to succeed to that See,and to retain his Deanery in Commendam.

August 19, 1566. [Orig.]

The Bishop whose death is here mentioned, and who appears tohave so unworthily filled the Secof Ferns, was Alexander Devereux ;he was consecrated in 1539, and had therefore occupied this See

ORIGINAL L ETT ERs . 265

almost twenty-seven years. Notwithstanding theopposition ofLoftus,hewas succeeded by theJohn Devereux here recommended

,who was

consecrated in 1566, and allowed to retain his Deanery with the

Bishoprick for five years : he died in 1578. The quarrel betweenArchbishop Loftus and the Bishop of Meath, explains, in some degree,the different Opin ions they severally hold of the new Bishop.

S‘

, I lens to the reports Of my lord primat in what

pitifull estate the ecclesiastical]cau ses in this Realmsdo staunde ; where, bym self and the b isshop Of

Meethe exceptid, I finds fews or none, ether worthslie to walk in his function, willing to reforms their

.clargie, or able ether to teache enie wholsom doctrine, or to serve their Cuntrey or Comen W elth as

magistrates ; such is the impfection Of Or irish bus

shops in this tyms, wherof one (the b isshop of

fi'

ernes), being latelie disseased, hath lefte his see so

naked, as his bastards, the toakens Of his incontinency, haue at this daie in maner the hole of his

livings, in whose place I haue receivedcomenda’

é’

ou

for one John Devorox to succeeds, deane of the same

church , whose Lern ing and sufiiciencie, like as the

same Bisshop of Meath hath comendid, so do I

thinks bym the bestchosen man for other respectsthat is in this lands ; for besids that he is a gentel

man Of the best house in the Countis OfW exfords,

and b rought up in the Universitie in Englands,

I finds h im of good discretion and judgement, and

hable in cau ses of Iuetics to dos her Matie

and this

A a


Countrey verie good s’vice ; and therfore I hartelie

requisr you to procuer his presenta n , wherw‘h, if it

might please her highnes, in respect of the smallnes

of the living, to graunt a tolleraéon for the keping of

his deaneris, and to be gracius u nto bym in h is first

frutes, in my opinion the benefites were verie well

bestowed ; and so, recomending bym unto you , I b id

you most hartely well to fare. !from Drogheda, the

xix“OfAugust, 1566.

YO' assurid frend tocomaund.

H. Sydney.

0

To the right honorable 8" Will‘mCicill knight, her Mat! principali

[endorsed.]

19 Aug. 1566. L. Deputy of Irland tomy M"for John Devreux, Deans ofFemes, to be B. there. answered


for thecommédaéon Of a nevewe Of myn, St John

Deveroux, Deans of Fernes, in whose favor the said

L . Deputy haue written u nto yo’ honor to se him

p‘

ferred u nto the saide Bisshopprik, beings all made

away for the moars pte by the bisshop that was last,th

’exignity and smalenes therofco"sidered beings all

dismembred, that yt may please yor honolr to be a

means to hir Maiestie to graunts him a tollera u to

enioye his saide Deanry w“1 the b isshoprike affor

saide, w“‘I itmay please yo

r honoIrtocompasse accordingly, to whom I commytt Richard Deverox, th is

herrer, brother 8: factor Of the saide Deane, whom yt

may please yOr honours to accepts accordinglye ;

thu s moste humbly takings my Leave, frO Balms

ghie, in the Countys Of W exfi'

orde in Irelands, the

xxvith Of August, 1566.

YOr bono's humb le supplia”

t tocoifiand.

Nycolas Deuo"

ux.

To the rights honourable Sf W y'

llm

Ciscill,knghte, Secreatary to the

queues moste excellentMaiestie.

[endorsed.]

27 Aug. 1566. Mr Deverouse of

Irland, to my M',for his nephew

the Deans of Fearues to have theB. there.


XCVIII .


Cecil, gone into England for the benefit of his

health . The College and Archbishop rick of Dublin.

The Bishop of Meath an unfit man for that See.

Sorry that he formerly recommended him to it.

Devereux most unfitfor theBishop rick of Ferns.

October 5, 1566. [Orig.]

The difference between Archbishop Loftus and Bishop Brady isfurther elucidated by the next Letter It would seem thatthe Primate was thought by_ the Bishop of Meath to carry out hisideasOf Reformation to an extreme length and ifwemay judge fromhis Grace’s own expressions in some Of h is former letters, and his in

timacy with Knox‘, and his patron the Earlof Argyle, there appearsgreat reason to believe that the t op was right.

My dewtie humblie remembred, Right honorable, I

amcome into Engloud to enioye the lycense weh is

grau nted u nto me for the riddance (yf yt please god)ofcertaine deseases wch I am disposed unto ; yt was

my parts, and accordinglie I had purposed to repairs

to the courts, bothe for my dewties sake, and to

1 In the S. P. O. is a letter from Argyle to Loftus , dated Nov .

18, 1565 , in which he mentions that he had heard from John Knox,of his lordship’s fervency in suppressing the tyrannicalkingdomof thecommon antichris &c

270 OR IGINAL LETTERs .

make open to yor honor, and to others to whom yt

appertainethe, th’estate in Ireland. Butmy deseases,

w4moccasioned my comings, arecawse also why I

make not my immedyate apperance there ; for they,w"h lurked before somewhat, doo 300, after my travails

upon the seas, shew them selves, that Cambridge

(where I haue some freuds and cofiioditie Of Lodg

inge) isconstrenedlie the firsts place wherin I make

eny aboode, w"h I had purpossed ahold haue beene

the lasts ; alwaies notw‘hstanding at yO' cO’

mand

ments, if a haistiercomynge upp then I purpose Of,

seems nedefullto yor honors, I doo spars my selfs in

providinge for my health s ; the rather becau se thestate Of Ireland maie as fully be Opened by my lrEs,as if I were presents my selfs ; Let me, therfore,

not onelie, w‘hyO

' honors good leave, serve my

healths awhile, but also (wchyo

r honor can ) bringsto passe, that I maie doo yt w

tll the like good lesve

of other my lordes Of thecounsaile. Ico'

tynew my

swits unto yo‘ hono' for thecolledge and the his

shopp of Dublin , especiallye at this p'sente for the

bisshopp, because I understands the bisshopricke tobe now in yevinge. The matter is as weightie as is

the good and godlie. estate in Irelands ; Therfore I

tru sts I am not grevon s to yor honor in this my

importunate and repeted requests ; my desire is ther

fore, as yt was in my former lrés, that some lerned

man notab le maie be thrust owts from hence thether,


XCIX .

Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, to Sir William Cecil.The Lord Primate, now in England, hath threat

ened toprocuremore absolute authority in executionof the Commission forcauses Ecclesiastical. If he

is accused by his Grace of having drawn backwards,he answers that his Grace hath drawn too fast

forwards. Trusts therewill be no dissension between

September 14, 1566.

Extract.And having thus muchs troubled yo

‘r honor w

these matters, [thecivil state of the North of Ire

land,] I mu st .also crave patience for a fews words

for my self; my Brother, and workefellowe in the

L ., the L . Prymats, is there nowe psent, who, before

his depture hence, haths said to some of his fronds

and myne, he woldcomplains of small asystance hehad in executinge his Comyssion for causes Ecclesiasticall

,and therfore would genre to him self a

more absolute aucthorite. I wote not whether he

will towchemy self ; if he do, I mosthumblie requireyo

” honor to stop one of your cares, till eyther I

answeare formy self, or a nomb ' of hiscontrey'

msn

and myne both, may report the truths betweens him

and me ; if he saie I haue drawen backward, I onlis

ORIGINAL L ETT ERs. 273

saie again s he haths drawen to fast forward, as the

circumstancs shall well declare ; and therfore, if hedo get ab solute power to himself alone

,or what ells

soeu"

he dothe there obteyne, tfarre be it !from me

to envie it ; I wisshe (wth

all my harts) he u se no

unhonest means to come by euny things he shall

demand. I tru st’

yor good nature will take in good

parts, and use discreetly,what I haue herin said.

Sateen , Orenemie, is veris b ussy by his Instruments

to set dissention betweens my L . and me ; I trust he

shall not p"

vaile : The L. God grant u s so to lOke

diligentlie to ofOfi

‘

ycs and fi'

unction , andcomon dutiewe owe to his Churchs, that we fi'

orgett ofowns pry

vats quarells orcauses. It had benemy spetialldutie

to haue visyted yor honor wth some hawkes, or one

things or other ; the L . god knoweth it was not lackOfgood will, neyther will I hereafter (by his help and

assysteuce) be so u ngrateful] ; and so I humblie tak

my Leave, Besechinge almightie god long to contynewe yo

r belth, to the comfort of his churchs .

!from my howse ofArbrachan, this 14 of Septemb’.

YOr hono" alweie in h is praier.

H. Mideh .

To the enable SrW cellknight, principall Secretory to

the queues mat“.

[endorsed. ]14 1566. B ofMethe to my M7

.



Cecil. Presses the furtherance of his publicsuitsas to the Irish Church, and the Archbishoprich ofDublin unreformed stateof thatDiocese. Excuseshis absencefrom thecourt.


Consideringe the goodnes and weightenes Of the

matters well I haue preferred, and desire to be pfited

by your honor, I take them to be in that nombre,

that the greak proverb s (a good thing may be twiss

and thrise msncyoned) well defends bothe me and

them, if not from the sospition, yet from the gylt of

unreasonab le importnnatye : and there is in deeds

nocawse why I ahold fears ether the one or th’other ;for as thecawsewilldelyiir me from the gilt, so your

former goodnes towards me (even in myne owns and

pryvate swites), doo assure me that I shall be fined

from suspition in thesecomon swytes, and notmyne,b ut the lorde godda and hischurches : I am therfore

(as yor honor seethe) beholding to my sawaea, wold

to god they were also beholdings to me ; I means,I wolde I were Of suche habilitis to further them as

they deserve, and are worthy ; having made this


upp ; I tru st your hono' will acquyte ms of that, that

yt is not for wants Of good will, Of doings my dewtye

to the Queenes Mat“, and your honorss all; and I

praise god I maye boldslye says, that yt is for no

uotoriuscryme that I fears to becharged wt“; and

yet there arecawses, wherof parte you r honor hathsreceyved in my former ires ; and more there are Of

that nature, that as I had rather enys shold tell the

then my self, so peradventure your honor had rather

understande them Of anye then of me ; and becawseI knows there is nothings whereof your honoreemaybecertified by my p“sence, but the same I am hable

to make knowen by my ires, and suche as are as

p“vye to thechurchs state as my self, therfore I will

ingly ab steyns fromcomynge ; Recompsnce at my

hands your honorcan not looks for ; yt ya the lorde

gods sewee ; hewill rec5peuce yt, and baths alredye,(praysed be god my praier and service your honorshall be assured Of. !from Trinitys Colledge, in

Cambridge, the vui of Octobre, 1566.

Your honours atco‘

maudment.

Ad. Armechen .

To the right hono'

able Sf WilliamCecil] Knight, p

'

ncipall Secretory to the Queens moosteexcellentMajestie.

[endorsed.]5 8“Archb of Armagh to my M?


Queen Elizabeth to Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy

of Ireland. The Bishoprick of Ferns, together

with the Deanery in Commendam, to be bestowed

upon John Devereux .

October 12, 1566.

[Original draft,corrected by Sir W . Cecil.]

—By lrEs h'

om you , our Deputy, to our Secretary,we understand that the Sea Of fl

'

ernes is voids by

the deaths of the late Bushop there, and that you ,

having had therin th’opynion Of the B Of Methe,have recomended unto u s one 8” John Deverox,

deaneOf the samechurchs, to be a meets man for his

discretion, learn ing, judgement incau ses of justice,8: other good vertues, to haue that place ; we, in

respect of your good report Of him, hoping Of

th’efi

'

ect Of yourcomendaé'on in him, er wellcontent8: pleasid to bestow that bushoprik upon him. And

therfore we will 8: authorise yow to cause all

things mete 8: requysyts by y° order of o" lawes for

the electy‘

g , confirmi‘ g,cosecraty‘

g, and instituty'

g Of

him in that place 8: function , to be devised, made 8:ewecuted 8; delyv

‘

ed unto him in due forms, as in

n b


such lyke cases is u sid and furder, for his better

hability for houskeeping in this begin I'

Ig, we at

pleased, uppo'

your comedation and request in that

behalf, that he shall injoy h is said Deanry in co”

mendam during or pleas”, or untill it shall befound

mete by 0' deputefor y. tyme being to revoke ye same.

And touching the first fru its of the said bushop

prick, wherof yow wold have us to use so'

e remzssw

to bym, ourwill and pleass' is, that ye shall take suchreasonable dayeswth himw"I sufficient surety for thepayment therof as ye shall think meets, in whichmater (wer it not for p

“

sideucs [ewdple] sake) we

colds becontent upon your instance to haue shewed

somemore favor.

Yeuen atW estm xij 8"Ir 1566.

CII.

Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir Wi lliam

Cecil. The profits of his Archbishop riclcnot above20l. per annum, which he desires to resign, for it isworth nothing to him, nor is he able to do any good

November 3, 1566. [Orig.]

The rebellion of Shane O’Neil, which had justoccurred, was the


the Irishs . fi om my lodging in Sow‘hworke, this

third ofNovembre, 1566.

Your honours atco'

mandment.

Ad. ArmachonTo the right honorable S' WilliamsCicill, knight, principall Secretarys to theQueenes most excel

s Ohr'

, 1588. Archb of Am mato my M'

.

0111.

AdamLoftus, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir

Cecil, reminding him of the bearer, Mr . Maccavill(MacCaghwell) tobep referredtotheArchbishop richof Cashel well recommended by my Lords of Canterbwy and Salisbury .


See the Primate’s fon uer letter of the 3rd of July, 1566. [No.

XCV.)

This bearer hath desired me once agayns to put yourhonor in mynde of him. The last tyms I was in

In Letter LXIX ., p. 192, he iscalled McCanwell.


Englands, he was a suter for tharchb isshOpricks of

Casshell; and as yt semid in some good forward

nes, I humblye prays you to further his fiferment to

that rowme nowe ; for the seat lyethe voyde, and

very nedefull to haue somecareq man placed inyt ; It is mete for none but one Of the Irishs births,and I do not knows where a fyttsr men might be

provided ; and for proofs of his ablenes I haue not

on lyconferred wth bym many tymes myself, but also

have receyved in his behalfs the testimonys of myLords Of Canterb ury, my L . Of Salisb ury, and other

good and godlye men , to his great comendae' on .

from my lodgings, the vijthOfNovembre, 1566.

Your honours atcofiiandmsntAd. Armechen .

To the right honorable Sr WilliamsCicill, knight, principallSecretaryto the Queenes moste excellentMatie

[endorsed] .

7 9b ? 1566. Archb Of Armangh to

my Mr for Mr Machavell.

282 ORIG INAL LETT ERS .

CIV.


Cecil, begs his discharge of the debt of 165l.

due to the Barons of the Ewchequer. If his

request is granted, trusts he need trouble him with

nofurther suits ; otherwise, fears he shall be obliged

to put away his preachers.


The present Letter is interesting from the incidental notice Of

the preachers,” contained in it. One of the young men fromCambridge, noticed in a former letter, [LXXXVL] is probably

I dare not waits on you my selfe, I so you continuallye so overladed wm enters ; and yet nede

dryvsthe me to put you in mynde Of mycau se wtbtheis fews lynes : If ye doo procure my discharge forthe debt to the barones of th’excheker, I beseche youthat nothings be lefte to theirs discretion or order ;

for enemyes they are to religion, and (as I haue

alredy felt) not frendes to me, and therfore I fears

I shall fynds smallcurtesey at theirs handes : Th’olesome is but one hondreths, thre score, and five

poundes englishs, for w°h, if it please you to procure

aclears remyssion , I trust I shall not hereafter nede

284 ORIG INAL LETT ERS .

CV.


William Cecil. Necessity of an able Chancellor .

Translation of the Archbishop of Dublin to the Secof Oaford. The eacellency in learning, and nu

spotted life of Mr . Goodman, recommend him to

January 18, 1566-7. [Orig.]

In a letter written from Waterford on the following 4th of March ,Sir Henry again addressed Cecil in favour Of Goodman . If

Armagh,” he writes, have Dublin, then I umbly besech you, S , to

help Chrystopher Goodman to the deanry of St Patryckes, for God

forhyd that he should be bushOp 8: dean in one Church in sntch a

Cytte. S', I thynk you did know thys man in Scotland ; he hathbyn in my house almost a year : yf ever man on earth, sins the

hpostylls dayes, desarned to be held a saynt, he is one. 87, the holeChurch of thys realm shal be boua pray for you yf you prefer[him] to that place, 8: I shall thynk it a great grace doon to myselfso to place hym.

”[For Christopher Goodman, see CVII. ]

Sir, I think it sufficient that I haue, in my Lettersto the Queens Ma

ty and to the lords, written Of suchdefects as I finds for the service here, wth

out that

I make to you eny pticuler repiticOn of those things,knowing that you shall first acquaint yor self wm

them ; and therfore, to the supply therof, I most

hartely desisr yO'accustomid frendship, andcare of

mycauses.


I hepe my importunacy, and the necessity of an

hab le Chauncelor, hath framid a resolucOn to sends

some such hether, and to tran slate the bisshOp Of

Dub lin to Oxford, or some likebenefice in Englande,which , if it so happely fall out, I hertsly beseech youto rememb the excellency in lernig, and the unspot

ted life and good example ofmy fi'

end M' Goodman,who'ms I think I cold pswade to enter into that

function, if itmight stand w‘h her h ighnes plesusr tobestows the bisshoprick uppon bym ; I cannotcomend hym enough, and th inks it needles to you ,whocan wth such perfection judge of his hability andfitnes for that place. And so I b id you m

’

ost hartely

well to farr. ffrom Killmainshm, the 18 Of January,1566.

Your very fi eynd tocomand

H. Sydney.

To the ryght honorable Syr W ill'

m

Cicill knight, her Ma“ principallSecretory.

18 Januar 1566. L. Deputy of Irland to myMr

for achancellorfor M' Goodman to be Bm nblin .


Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to the

Lords of the Privy Council, enclosing a letter from

Richard Creagh, the Pope’s Titular Archbishop

of Armagh, to his Lordship . His return into oIre

land as Archbishop of Armagh. O’Neill and the

Cathedral Church of Armagh. Peace with O’Neill.The old service in the Churches.

December 25, 1566. January 18, 1567. [Orig.]

The difi'

erent tone of the enclosed letter, written by the TitularPrimate, Richard Creagh, from O’Neill’s residence in thecounty of

Armagh, to that Of his examination and confession, indited in the

Tower of London, is very evident. [See LXIII. LXIV. LXV.]

Onecannot wonder that Sidneycondescended not to answer th is veryimpertinent epistle. By the Lord Robert, is intended the Earl of

Sir Henry Sidney, to the Lords of the Councilfrom

Jany . 18, 1566. Extract.

At my retum e to this house, I receivid letters

from Spane, and from bym who sscapid the towre OfLondon , that now by the popes presentationcallithhim self primat Of Armagh, thecopies Of wch LrEs


bounde by o'r catholyck relygion for to come to

Irlands, wherein, being before the lord Onsyll’s

going to Tyreconell, wee desyred h im (according o'r

lrés abouemsncion id, directed to the lord Robert) toprovide for all possyble meanes whereby he might

be at accord wth the Queenes Maty and yo

' l b ut

he was then so hueys abowt his afl’aires, that he toks

not than hyde therto ; and now , before wee shou ld

crnestlie speaks thereof unto him, wee thought beset

to know Of yO’r 1. will and what yo

' I. shall will u s

to dos therein, wee shall by Gods lyve doe the best

weecan : The said lord Onsyll, for saufegard of his

contrey, haue burned thecathedral]churchs and the

holl town s OfArdmagh , although wee hauecrnestliechydcd with him .before 8: after he did the same ;

But he alledgyd suche hurts as was before doli to hiscuntrey by meanes Of that place ; yf it bee yo‘ l.‘pleass‘, you shall not dysdane to wryte unto u s,

fyrst, whether you wyll haue us speaks concerningany peace w“ the said lord Onsyll, 8: howe ;Secondly, yf that peace shold be or not, whether yt

should please yo' 1. thatwee shold haue our old Srvice

in O‘churches, and suffer the saidchu rches to be up

for that u se, so that the said lord Oneyll shold the

lesse destroy no more churches, and phaps ahold

help to restore suche as by his procurement weeredestroied ; fynally, whether yO

’r 1. hard any thing


concerning Or lrEs sent by the Kings of Spayn

u nto his Ambassydor 8: to my lord Robert ; so we

comende yor

unto allmighty god. fi'

rom Duay

newll this instant Chrystmas.

By yO' tocomau nde in what weecan

lawfully execute.

Richard Archb Ardmagh .

[endorsed

xxv° Decembrie 1566. The

popes prymate Of Ardmagh

to the Lord Deputys.

CVII .

Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Armagh , to Sir William

Cecil. Mr. Christopher Goodman the fittest man

of English birth to be p referred to the Arch

Jannary 22, 1566-7. [Orig.]

Notwithstanding theextraordinary praiseofMr . Christopher Goodmanconveyed in this letter, and the equally strong recommendation

1b ill] 134 54 114 ,

anglicised Dundavally, or Dunavally, in theparish of Longhgall, andcoun ty of Armagh,close to Charlemont.

C O


of the Lord Deputy, Sir Henry Sidney [see this promotionnever took place ; and well was it for the Church in Ireland thatsuch was the case, if we are to believe half what is said Of h im in

Wood’s Athena Oxon isnses (Ed. Bliss, vol. i. p. 721) a more bitterNonconformist never lived he even went beyond h is friend Calvin ,and, although in the latter part Of his life he in some degree moderatedthe extreme violence of his Opinions, he appears to have been totallyunfit for the Episcopal Bench. He died at Chester, June 4, 1603,aged eighty-five.

Blame mes not, yf mi letters present theym u nto

you agains and agains also, yf occasion shall SO

requ ire ; For to whom sholde I repairs but to you rs

honor, in whom I knows thears wanteth no zealou se

good will to preferre thechurchs causes Of Ireland,and in whom thears is of auctoritie and abilitie so

moche, as may eyther finish or singulerlie further

theym ? I stillcrane the placing Of a good man in

the b isshopricke of Dublin ; and for that mi L .

Deputie, at my motion , haths considered of the

worthinesss Of Mr Christopher Goodman, and, as

I u nderstand, will commend h im to yours honor

and the rest Of thecounsel], as fittest for that rowme,

I humblie pray you , suen for goddescause, to further the suts, and with expedition to fin ish it ; yf it

please god to moue yours honor to like as well Of yt

as all the godlie and professors Of his name doo

hears, I shall not needs to write to you ani thing in

h is commendation ; Hes is, in mine opinion, the

fittest man to profitt goddes churchs of anis that


Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to Sir

Cecil, recommending Daniel Cavenagh to ben.

March 10, 1566-7. [Orig.]

The former letter which Sir Henry here mentions in favour of

Daniel Cavenagh , was written the preceding November, 1566. Her

Majesty having by her letter Of the loth of April, 1567, signified herassent to this nomination [see the necessary Letters Patentwere granted on the 7th of May, and Cavenagh was soon afterwardsconsecrated in St. Patrick’s, Dublin, by Hugh Curwin, ArchbishopOf Dublin .

S', I remember well that at the last repaier Of Capten

Peire‘wmmy letters into England, Icomendid one

Daniell Cavenagh, a preset, to the bisshoprick Of

Laughelin ; and at that time I receivid from you

verie comfortab le words for his admission to the

same, Since wch tyms, thorough the necligsnte sute

of the pty, the matter hath lien dead, w‘hout resolu

con ; and for as much as I now under stand that a

yong man”

Of thecounty Of Kilkenny is repairid

into England to optaiue the same by an other mans

comendaton, I haue thought good to rememb you of

my former LrEs in the favorOf St Daniel], and her

Captain Peire, probably William Pierres, Constable of Garrickfergus

, see p. 132.


tely to desier yow to be a means to her Matie for

bym,as an apt man , for his elliaunce in the dioses,

to be a minister Of Ju stice, and not uncomendsd bythe clergy here for his Lerning andconformitie inReligion . And so I b id you most hartely well to

fare. !from Yonghell, the xthofMarche, 1566.

YOr assurid ffrende at Comanndsment.

H. Sydney.

To the right honorable sr

cill knight,her

ncipall Secretory.

[endorsed.]x Martii, 1566. L. Deputy OfIrland for DaniellCavenaughto be B. of Laughlin .

CIX.

Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to Adam

Loftus, Archbishop pf Armagh, communicating theQueen

’s pleasure to translate his Grace to theArch

bishopriclcof Dublin.

March 11 , 1566- 7.

[Orig. The PostscriptHolograph .]

It appears by a memorandum in the State Paper Office, that thetranslation of Loftus to the See of Dublin had been underconsiders .

cc3


tion by the Privy Councilascarly ss October, 1563 ; we may perhapsconclude thatthe Puritan principles professed by his Grace were thesecretcauses for the long delay of this appointment.

My veery good Lord, by such letters as I haue lateliereceivid out of Englands, I understand her Ma

“

pleasure for revocacon of my lord Chauncellor, toestablish bym bisshop Of Oxford, and to translate

you to the sea Of Dub lin, wherof I am glad, in as

much as you shall finds yorself advaunsed in hono‘

or living, but most becau se by this meanes I am in

hope, that as the City Of Dublin is thechief placewfi in this Realm, 8: most opeti for eny good exam

ple ; so it will grows (by yOr good andcarefu l] order)

to reformation in religion ; I thought these ne

'

ives

not unfitt tocome to yolr knowledge, and so fare you

hertely well. AtYonghell, the 1 1‘hOfMarche, 1566.

YOr L . loving frende.

H. Sydney.

Postscriptum. Nnncvenithora ecclesiam reformandi.

To my verie good Lord the Primat


(leste I shulde be more senseles then the u nsen syble

creatures) I thought it my dutys to Offer, to wit, in

these fews lynes to tsstifie my myndfulnes of yor

good will, and redynes also to honour and serne yow

as moche (to my power) as any that suer ye haue yetdon ; for I receyued this letter herein enclosed frommy L Deputie, whereby it semeth some mocion hathbyn for my transla n to the Archebu sshopprick of

Dublin and althoughe I knows ithath byn wrought

(yf any suche things be) by yor onely meanes, yet I

am hable to make no other recompence for this, thenI haue don for the rests, that is to pray u nto the

Lord God to deals with yow and yours with like

mercys and kindenes as many waysa yow have delts

with me ; and now I beseche yow let notmy presentsuts (whersw

‘h I am almosts ashamed to trobleyow)be

grevon s and displeesaunte unto yow . The Bushopp

rick ofDublin is so alienated and set owt in leise bythe busshope that nowe is, that nothings is reserved

for h is successor, but onely fours hundreth pounds

Irishs, and xn score acers of grounds . I humblye

therefore beseche yor honor

, yf it be yor plea

sure to be a meanes for my p'ferment to that

Busshopprick, to be a means also that I may haue

in comendam the Deanery of S‘ Patricks in suchesorte as I haue it with the Archebushopprick Of

Armaughe ; for yf I shulde pays the first fru its of

Dub lin, beings altogither as muche as the Bus


shOpprick is worth nowe, I shulde be in a greate

deals worse case than I am presentlye ; and when

soeu‘

I am discharged of my firsts fruits and out of

debts, I byndemy selfs to yor honor by th is my LrE

to kepe it afterwards at yor Deuocon , and to resigns

it when soefi it shalbe yor pleasure to requ ire me by

yor lr

'

é'

s ; but I besecheyow that in this Imay stands

at no man scurtesy but yo“ ; thus yow see in steeds

of some paim’

et,I indebte my selfs deeper unto yow.

I beseche yor honor let me u nderstande yor mynde

herein by this bearer my servannts, whos I have sent

to yow for that purpose ; for I am mynded not to

chaunge atall, but tocontyneue in this poore state Iam in nowe, rather then I sku lds leaue the Dean srye

and enter into news payments of the firsts fru its.

fi'

om Dublin the xIIi‘h ofMarche 1566.

Your honom atcomandsméte

Ad. Armechen .

To the right honorable Sf WilliamCscyll Kn ight, Secretary to the

Q. mostexcellentMane.

[endorsed]21Martii, l566. Archb ofArmanghto my M’

.


Queen Elizabeth to theLord Deputy and Chancellorof Ireland, nominating Daniel Cavenagh to the

Bishoprick of Leighlin reasonable time to be taken

for thepayment of thefirstfruits.

April 10, 1567. [OriginalDraft ]

R. t. 8:c. W here the see of Laughlin is now destitu te

of a b ushOp, for the supply wherof we wish the

same to a man that, both for lem ing, good governmt

8: othr good vertues,were mete for that roums for

asmuch as by yor lr

'

e'

s to or“

p'ncipall Secretory, you

haue shewed yorOpinion 8: liking Of o

" loving sub

jcetDaniell Cavenaugh , recomending hym for diversegood respects to be mete for that function : upon

yor

good report of him, 8: hoping of th’

effect of

y0'recomendatz'on , we are pleased 8: content to

bestow that bu sshoprick upon him ; and therefor we

will 8: authorise you to cause all th ings mete rs

quisit by the order of Or lawes for electing,confirming,consecrating, 8: installing of him in that place8: function , to be devised, made, executed, 8: u sed indue forms, as in such likecase is u sed ; and fu rder,

towching the first fruits of that bushoprick, Or will8: pleaser is, that you shall tak such reasonable dayes


in 1536 ; D.C.L. 1556 ; Dean of Arches 1559. In 1570, the Deaneryof Wells was conferred upon Weston, to be held in commendam,although still a Layman, with his Deanery of St. Patrick's. He diedMay 20, 1573.

To the L. Deputy of Irland, x Jun II 1567.

Right trustys, 8:e., wheres by yorsundry lrEs, ad

dressed ou the behalfs and at the specyall instanceOf th

’archsbysshop of Dublyn , nowe O

r Chau ncello‘rof thatRealms, you haue made suts unto u s to dis

burden him of the’xsrcyse of that offyce, lyke as we

haue wellwayd theconsydera n s by you alleged to

move the same, and theruppon condyscended to

rsvoque h im, wtn dete’mynacon to bestows on h im

the Bysshoprycke of Oxford. SO we haue made by

good delyba n a news choiss for the supplys of

that rome of Chauncelo‘, by namyng therunto o’

tru sty welbeloved Doctor Weston , Deans of the

Arches here, a man for his lsrnyng 8: approved

integrytye throughly qualyfyed to receyve and pos

sess the same, uppon whose arryvall, and exhybyting

unto you or lrEs patents, jointly wth these o

r lrEs, Or

pleasureys, you shallcbfer wt the saydArchebysshop,and after declaration made unto h im, as well Of o

‘

grau nt for his revocacon , and his trdslatio‘

to a

bishoppryclcin E '

gldd, as Of this Orsayd choise of

D . Westb you shall reg"

re hy"

to delyulrOr

great

seals,nowe in his cu stodys, into yor hands, signe

fl/ieg‘

to hy, that hemay at his ownchoiss be admitted

ORIGINAL LETTERS . 30]

to yo Bishoppryclcof Oxford, at hiscomig over hyther inhis ownepg

"

, or otherwise by his p ,curatio" , which being

don , you Shall delyver or sayd great scale to the

trust 8: custodys of the sayd Doctor W eston, accordyg to o' Ire

"

s palets, and Shall not onely gyve

him yor good advyse for his bettre admynystra n of

y‘sayd ofice, taking the ordynary othe of him for

that row s of Chauncello‘, and the place of a counseylo

’

, but also geve ordre that he do enyoye all

those benefyts, p“hemynences, 8: aucttorytyes w°h

be ordrely appteynyng to such an offycsr, and whichhath bene e

'

ioyed by y° sayd Archbishopp in respect of

y°aj ies of Cha

‘cellorshipp . W e or further pleased,for siime encrease of his lyving whiles he remayneth

in or Ervyce there, to geve unto him the deanery of

Saint Patrykes, wherof ye Archbisshopp of Armagh is

now Deane, and yet is to leave it at our ordre, as we

know he will; and therfor we will that you move ye

sayd Archbish: to surredre ye same, and theruppo

‘

causeD". Westo'

, of Chdcellor, to be fully admytted,

undre such forms as other deans of that place haveheretofore obteyned, and held the same ; neiithelss,

for that or specyall msauyng ys, that he shall yeld

on“

that Deanery agayns unto o‘ dyspOSycon , when

soeu"

he shall leave ya oflice to be 0’ chdcellor, you

Shall before his acceptatz'

on therof take bonds of h im

to Oru se in suche some as shalbe fytt for suche a

case, that he shall duly accomplyshe Or intent and

D d


pleasure for the surrendreofyt in forms aforeseyd

you shall lykswyse understand that uppon his nowe

sending on”

,we have appoincted to be delyu

‘

ed unto

him of o' treaso

'

r here the some ofco marks, andthsrof have geven him,

in respests of his trans

portaton 8:chargs on the way, one hundreth m‘

kes ;

the rest olt pleasure ys shalbe taken by him as peel]

of his int‘

teignement to be due for the rome of

Chauncello’, wherof you shall geve notyce unto our

treasurer, 8: to all others having charge of his payment, so as they may make defalca n in avoyding

of doblcchardges, w"h might els grow by 0'sayd lr

'

e'

s

patents, bycause by the same,payment is due unto

him fro“

the tyms of his entree into ofl'

yce ; and

wheres the Archebysshoprycke of Dublyn shalbe

ptitly voyd w“I the saidchauncellorship by the revo

ca n of the sayd nowe Archebyshope, we have

dete‘

myned to conferrs the same by way of trans

la'c' on uppo

‘

the Archbysshop of Armaghan , au stbo

rysing you therefore to . geve order that he may fu lly

enyoye the seydeArchebysshoprycke of Dublyn by

tran sla n upon this vacacon therof, and that h e be

placed therin by accOplisheng of all suche dyrections8:ceremonyes as er usually to be doti by any graunt

to pcede from us, or by the due and orderly admy

nystra n of any other w‘hin that Realms . And for

the sxeéu'c' on Of all thinges tending to fu ll pform

auuce of any orsyd dyreccons, touching the sundry


CXIII.


celler of Ireland, to Sir W illiam Cecil, to hastenMr . Doctor Weston hiscoming desires thata house

and land may bep rovidedfor him at Oxford.

June 25, 1567. [Orig.]

It appears from letters in the S. P. 0 . thatDr. Weston arrivedin Dublin about the 8th of August, 1567, and was invested in the

Deanery of St. Patrick’s, and I in the see of Dublin,” writes Loftus,on the 24th of August. The Dean himself, two days before, in a

letter to Cecil, says, Dr. Curwin , late Chancellor and Archbishop ofDublin, took ship on the 11th August, a verie weak and impotentman, through the palsey, leavinge a good report behynde him.

”

The see of Oxford remained without an episcopal residence until

Dr. John Bancroft, Bishop of Oxford,completed a palace at Cuddesden, near thatcity, in 1636.

Ail;r my right hertycomenda ns unto yolr honor, wfin

most due thanks unto the same for yOr greate and

contynuall goodnes towards me alwayes, the last

parte whereof I neither was or shall be hable to de

serve, I am so bolde at this present as to beseche yorhonolr so to hasten Mr. Doctor W eston his comingehither, as I maye be hable to take my jorney into

Englande in longe and warme dayes and shorte

nights ; for if I shulde be dryven to travel] in the


cold weather, I doe feare it woulde putme in dangerOfmy life ; and thuscoffiittinge theconsidera n of

my case unto yof honor, I beseche almightie god

longe to p'serve the same ; !from Dublin the xxv

th

of June 1567. Yolr dayly orato’ duringe my lif.

H. Dublin CanE.

Post. I doe understande by my servant that ther is

no howse belongenge to the busshopricke of Oxforde

w"h is for the busshOpes mansion, wherefore itmaye

please yor honor to haue sucheconsidera n of me

in that behalf as to yor wisedom shall seeme good,

and expedient ; and that I maye haue an howse for

me and my familie, and some lande w‘ball to finde

mycattell and geldings, upon a reasonable rent.

YoIr hono" as aforesaid.

H. Dublin . Cane.

To the right hono'able Sf W illm” Cecile Knight,principall Secretary to her Ma“, and one of

her highnes prveycounsell.

[endorsed.]26 Junii 1666.

Archb . of Dublin to my Mr

for a howse in his B. of Oxford.

n d 8


CXIV.

Queen Elizabeth to Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy

of Ireland, upon Mr T. Ayards coming and re

por The Dean of Armagh to be made Archbishop there. The submission of the Bishop ofDown. The countedeited Primate Creagh to be

sent to Dublin for trial, or, if need be, to Eng

land .

July 6, and July 22, 1567.

[Original draft,corrected by Cecil.]

For the Dean of Armagh (Terence Daniel), see XLVII. and

CXVI. ; for Creagh, see LXIII ., LXIV., LXV., and CXX .

The Bishop of Down, herementioned, has been formerly n oticedas the brother of Shane O’Neil [see who prevented JamesMacCaghwell from qu ietly succeeding to that See. There is no ao

count Oi him in Ware. The fact of his submission is thus given ina letter from Thomas Lancaster to Sir W. Cecil, written from

Drogheda, May 31, 1667. The xxix [of this monyth ,] ther cameunto his honor [S H. Sidney], McGwyer to Drougheda, the thyrd

beast in all Ullster, and wth bym the fayned bushop of Down, whoof latecame from Rome

, notwithstandinge he shond an humble sub

missio'

God grant that it be from ther herts as they declare it out

wardly .

Extract.W e do notmislyke to haue the deane of Armagh


and to receave that he hath deserved, although

y‘cza'ple wer much better ther, to restray

'

thecom”

CXV.

Adam Lofius, Archbishop of Armagh, to Sir William

Cecil; desires thatthe Archbishop ’s Palace, and theCathedral Church of St. Patrick’s, may not be

brought within thej urisdiction and liberties of the

Mayor of Dublin.

June 16, 1567 [Orig.]

For the Privileges of the Dean and Chapter of St. Patrick’sCollegiate and Cathedral Church, see Mason’

s admirable History,page 18.

Itmaye please yo' hono', I do understande that the

Queues Attorney here and one M' W hite are pfitlie

to be depetched from hence wth a memoriall of all

suchematters as are thoughtmete to be passed in thenexte pliament to be holden here ; amongest w

°Ill

there is one pointe tendinge to pull awaye the

auncient pryviledge of the ArchebusshOppes pallaiceof Dublyn , and the Cathedrall Churchs of Sainte


Patricks to be brought w‘hin the iurisdic'éon and

librties Of the maio’ Of Dub lin, wherein I shalbe

greatlie towched, ptelie remayninge in the place Inowe do, and cheifly if I be translated to the

Bu shOprick of Dublin , w"h comethe to me by y’

honors good meanes ; and am so muche the moreb olde to beseche yo' aide and helpe, that I be not

made inferiolr to suche as hathe bene before me ; and

the rather for that the same is presumptuoslie sought

by the Maior and Burgesses of Dublin, not apon eny

reasonable grounde or cau se, but only of arrogancyand disdaine

,that eny psonage shulde leve so nere

there nose not sub iecte to theme ; ffor the solicitingewhereof the saide pties are speciallie enterteyned wth

greate somes of money (as I amcredeable enformed)w°h makithe me the more to dislike of thatenterprise,wherof I humble beseche yo' honOlr toconsider thecause, as to yo

r wisedome shall seme most fittist.

Other things there be that be also to be marked, w°b

I will not nowe note, not dowtinge butyof hOnOIrand

the rest will espie the suttell devises of these people,who thinke to worke greate matters by these theire

wise advocates, especialliechosen asmuchefor privaterespects, as for the publicke afi

’

aires. whereof I dowt

not but yo’ honolr and the rest Of her highnes honor

ablecounsaile will have dewe regarde : Thus beinge

bolde to pticipate my opyn ion of theise things, wth


yo' hono’ only ; I humble take my leave !from Dublin

this xvim Of June 1567.

YOr honors mostbounden tocomande,Ad. Armachan .

To the right honorable Sir W illmCeceillKnight,principallSecretoryto the Queries most excellent

[endorsed.]

16 July, 1667. Archb . of Arm aghto my Mr by the Q. Atturney 8cM1 White.

CXVI .

Terence Danyell, Dean of Armagh, to Sir

Cecil, accepting of theArchbishqericlcof Armagh .


The present letter is an answer from the Dean of Armagh to thatpart of Queen Elizabeth’s Dispatch of the preceding 6th of July, inwhich her Majesty had authorized the Lord Deputy to confer thePrimacy on the Dean . It will appear, however, by the passagewhich follows, in a letter from Cecil to Sidney, dated July 22, 1567,that the intended promotion of the Dean was very soon laid aside,probably on the opposition of the Lord Depu ty himself, I lykewellof yechag

"

made froye deane of Armagh to ye lusty good prestlancaster, to be archb . of Armag.

” Thomas Lancaster was consecrated Archbishop of Armagh, Jone 13, 1588.

312 OR IGINAL LETTERS .

my L. Deputie my Resolucon in Th’accepta n of

the same dignitie, whome I haue fou nd alwaies my

vearie good L and the rather by yof honors good

comendaéon, for well I humblie besech yoIr honor togyve unto his L . bartie thanks.

[he proceeds with an account of thecivil state of

Ireland, having accompanied the Lord Deputy in

his late Ulster Progress, in thecourse of which heObserves]

we take fynall order and securite for ther (the IrishCaptains) Obedience to her mam“

, and restored the

busshops and clerge of all that pvince to ther

anscient libertie from the tyranny and extorEons Of

the same gent, in such good order and comendablesort as the lyke was not Observed thesetwo hundreth

yeres past.

from Rathwyer‘this fytt of October, 1567.

YIr honors daylie orator,

Terens DanyellDean Armachan .

To theRighthonorableand his singulergood M"S"W illm Cycill, knight, her

[endorsed.]

5 8ber. 1567. The Deane of Armaughto my M'

, by my L. Deputy, for acceptaoou'

of ye A. B. of Armangh .

1 Rathwyer, or Rathmu ighe, once an episcopalseatand monastery,now reduced to a small village with achurch, on thesea-shore of the


CXVII .

Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, to Sir William Cecil.Malicious reports against him trusts that he will

suspendj udgment, andfisrther his suitfor thepayment of hisfirstfruits. The Dean of ChristChurchmostfitfor the Primacy. The Lord Chancellor, thepatron of virtue and godly modesty .

Nov. 27, 1567. [Orig. Holograph .]

Bishop Brady accompanied the present letter to Cecil with therecommendatory Epistle from the Lord Justices and Council whichfollows ; wemay observe by the way, in this place, that it does not

want the signature of Adam Loftus, although that Prelate had not

scrupled but a twelvemonth before to use very derogatory expressions against thecharacter of his Lordship. [See XCVIII .) The

Dean of Christchurch at this period was John Garvey, afterwardsBishop of Kilmore, and eventually Primate in 1689.

Of the extraordinary merit of Dean and Chancellor Weston thereremains ample proof. See Mason’s St. Patrick’s, p. 171 .

I am sure (ryght honourable) maliciou s and Sinistrreportt, wich hardli a mi of my vocation shal

eschene, nameli among this so wreched and spitefu l

a generation, hath giuen SI'

I occasion of bending

August is sentens towardesme, for the wich, as Imostlovingli thanke yo

' honou r

, so deme I yo’ honou r

E e


scarseli discharged in dueti so supficialli to pass on

to me so weighti a mattre ; and therfor I most hI'

Ibli

require yo“

, for that yo‘

were the oueli mean and in

strument Of mycalling to this functio‘

, and for the

love yo“

beare to men of mycallinge, yo“

wil wouchsanlf more largli tocharge me with what yo

“

haue

herd Of me, in the mean time susspending credittuntill I haue for my self answered.

I trust the spirit of god so ruleth you that as that

yo“ will not for anny respect be a hinderer Of my

sute to her me”; a hinderer yo“

wilbe onless yo“

take

upon yo"

to be therof a further“

yo’ houou

‘

hath

plentifulli blessed other that hadd not so much nede

as I haue, I trust to god yo“

haue also reserved a

blessing for me.

Sins myciimyng hether, butchefeli the time of thislast warr, I haue spent al I could gett upon hospitalitie, besides thecharges of a preacher and of a fra

scole erected upon my ounecharges, wich with thebeggari Of myclergi not able to pai ther xx

li part,wherof I am accomptab le, and brought in thecassheOf 2 hiidereth and forti pound Irish, which alredi I

have paid, and resting in debt yett Of that xxti part,lxxh xvj

fx‘l Ob . and Of my first frutes twoo hI

'

Idereth

twenti foure poundes, bysides that I haue alredie of

thes first frutes paid seven scor and oyne poundes,wich debt, as the lord god knoweth, I am not ab le


wel deserving if I shuld with silens pass the good I.Chancelou', the patron of vertu and godli modesti, I

speaks it befor God, as I think one of the greatest

blessings that en“

god bestowed on thiswrechetcfitriby the sending of onemi to them, so as if the good

1. deputi, and be one again mete here, happeli ther is

great hope of such reformation as neIi‘

happened

here.

To the right honorable Sr

cypall Secreatory To the

Queues Maiestie.

[endorsed.]

27 9br, 1667.

B. of Meth to my Mr.


CXVIII .

The Lords, Justices , and Council of Ireland, to the

Lords of thePrivy Council in England. Theearnest

proceedings of Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, in

setting forth the Gospel, both in English and Irish .

His poor Estate as to the payment of his first

fruits, he ; an earnest recommendation thathe shouldbe disburthened of that debt by Her Highness

’s

princely favour .

Oct. 27, 1567. [Orig.]

The useof the Irish language, by the Bishop ofMeath and a few of

the preceding Prelates, in their sermons, has been already noticedit appears, however, by the following note, that the government at

home were not unmindfulof the equal, if not stillgreater importanceof printing the New Testament in the Irish language ; a work whichwas not actuallycompleted till 1603, although Irish type had been ,”it is recorded by Ware, introduced into Ireland in 1671, by NicholasWalsh and John Kerney ; a Catechism, written by the latter, beingsaid to be the first book printed in Irishcharacters.

Remembranc‘ s taken upon the accompte of Sr W illm”

fitzwillm"

,

Knight, by thecom'

issiofis of the same xc.Itm‘

, wheare her maiestie hathe paid lxvill xiii' iiijd to thebusshoppes there for the making ofcart for the testemét in irishs,that oncles they do presently put the same in print, her maiestiemaybe repaid xc.”

[endorsed by Cecil.] 1667, Remembran“

s uppo‘

Sr WmF’itzm'

s

mm.

!

E e 3


Our most humble duties to your honoures premysed,beingemoved w

‘theconsideraé'ou of the sufficiencyof the reverend father Heugh Brady, Bushope of

Methe, in the founction Of his Omoe pastorall, andhis earnest andcareq settings foorthe Of her Ma

m

most godly proceadings, and sincere preachinge godsmost holy gospell, as well in the Englishe, as the

Irishe tounge, uppon theconfynes heere, to the rightgood edefienge of many Of the ruder sorte, and no

lesse aluringe of the resedue ; emonge other things

he hath erected a scoole for the better educacion of

the yonthe w‘in his dioces at his propercostes, besides the iutertaynement he hath hetherto gevyne to

a learned preacher, to healpe him in that founctionw‘bn his sayd dioces as also w‘ the respecte Of his

dishabillitie to mainstayne hOSpitalitie, or to repayre

his decayed mancions or churches wch were becomevery ruenus before his entry to the same, and by

reason Of the late northen warres, where by his L.

lands for the most parte there borderings, were

remayn inge as wast,and Of diveres other vagaraut

kearns, w"h have and doo still wast diveres Of his

tennants ; and remayninge also indepted presently

to her Ma“as he hath declared unto u s, in certaine

severall sumes Of mony, wellchefely have growne byreason Of the u nhabilyte and evyle payment Of his

cleargie, Of there twenty parte due to her Ma“, and

by him answered in her highnes excheker, amountinge


andcallinge, andmayntayne his beguuecommendablehoopitalite, and to be encoraged to the perseveriuge

of his good proceedings, rather then wtconstraint Offurder dishab ilite growing on him, to be (against his

owns will and good zeale), disinhabeled from the

executinge Of the efl'

ectuall ministerie Of his sayd

founction andcharge, w°"amongest this peoplecou

sisteth not a littell in feadinge Of the poore, and

keepings good hospitalitie. and thus leavinge any

further to troub le yor good 11. but wishinge to the

same all godly and happy honoure and prosperitie,

doo humbly take or leave. ffrom Dublyne, this

xxvu"Iof October, 1567.

YOr ll. humb le atcommandment,RobertW eston . Adam Dublin . W . Fytzwylliams .

RobtDyllon . JO Pliiket. H. Draycott.James Bathe. Iohn Chaloner. Thomas Cusake.

To the right honorable the 11“

and

othersofherMa“honorableprivysCounsel], on her highnes p~son at

tendant.

[endorsed. ]

27 8br . 1667. The 11. Justices and

Counsell in Irland to ye Counsel]here.

for discharg ofcerten first fru its, etc.being due by ye B. of Methe.


CXIX.

Adam Loftus, Archbishop of Dublin, to Sir William

Cecil, recommending one Mr. Cartwright, B .D

Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, to be ap

pointed to the vacant Secof Armagh .

December 5, 1567. [Orig.]

Thom a Cartwright, B .D., a man of noted learning,” saysWatson, in his Life of Hooker, but of the same bitter PuritanSchool of which Loftus was so great a supporter, was born about1636, and educated at St. John ’

s College, Cambridge, afterwardsFellow of Trinity College, and Margaret Professor of Divinity. In

1670 he was expelled the Un iversity for nonconformity, and becameminister to the Engl

’

mh atAntwerp. He was afterwards Master of

the Earlof Leicester’s Hospital, atWarwick, where he lived quietlyand grew rich .

” He died in 1602.

Daniel, Dean of Armagh, was probably intended by the Archbishop as one of those who were unworthy of the livings andcureswhich they had already ; as notcertainly belonging to the CalvinistickSchool ofclergy, of whom his Grace was the patron .

Although I haue sufi'

ycyently provid yor care 8:

readynes to promote and fi'

urther the service and

glorys of god, yet haue I thought good in dischargeOf myne owns dewtie and consyence, wth these fewslynes to bscom an humble enter to yo

r hono‘ (as

Often heartofore I have bene), that in the great


multydude of busynes whersw‘h contynually y° are

wont to be Oii laded, yt wold pleeseyou to remember

the myserable state and condy'c'on of this pore

Churchs of Ireland, and specyally that wheare theArchbusshOprikeOfArdmaghe is nowep“sently vacanty‘ would he means itmay be bestowed on som godly

8; learnidman , and thu s to troub leyou I am the rather

movid, for that I u nderstand there be som that serve

and labors for it, wch be unworthy, (in the Jugement

Of honest and godly men ,) the lyvings andcures thatthey have already — I dubte not yo

r honor consydsrith , that although the profytts Of thatBusshopryke be very small, yet the place and auctorytie isverey great, and thearfore as a godly learnyd man in

that Rowme myght profytt and do muche good,SO an ungodly and ignorant man might binder, and

do muche harms,I have thought itmy parte therfor,

not only to put you in myud hearof, but also to

comend unto you , one whom I knows for his excellent learnynge and godly lyfe worthely mete for

suche a place and dignitie, I means one Mr Cart

wryght, a bachelo’r Of dyvynitie, and fellows of

Trynytie College in Cambryge, who u sed bym self

so godly (duringe his abode wt me in Ireland) bothe

in lyfe and doctryne that his absence from hence isno small greef and sorowe to all the godly and fayth

full heare ; wold god the pore churchs of Ireland


CXX .

Petition from Miler Hussey, to the Lords of Her

Mry'caty’s Privy Council, in favour of Richard

Creagh, the Titular Archbishop of Armagh, latelyescaped outof the Castle ofDublin, that his lifemaybe spared, as his (the petitioner

’s) honour is en

Dec. 22, 1567. [Original.]

The fact of Creagh’s apprehension is thus noticed in a letter frbmThomas Lancaster to Cecil, from Drogheda, May 31, 1667, furder,yo

? honor shall understand that the last of apprell, O’Shaghnes

app-bended the ficte (i. e. fictitious) p‘mate ofArdmaghs thatstale owtof the towre of London ,who my Lord is reddy to send agayne, trusting he shall be better kept herafter .

” In answer, Her Majestyallowed right well” of this service of the apprehension of Creagh ,whom she terms an unloyal subject of the land, heying a feynedbusshOppe, who not long before brake out of oi"tower of London .

”

Creagh died in the Tower of London in 1686.

To the Lordes of the Queenes Mali“ moste honora

ble pryvie Counsaile. Moste humblye sheweth unto

yo’ honorable Lordships, yo

‘supplyaut, Meyler

Hussey Of Ireland, gent., and servant to the right

honorable the Earle of Kildare ; whereas, one

Richard Crevaughe, otherwisecalled Busshop Crevagh , made a scape outs of the Castell Of Dublin


this last winter, whereupon the right honorable Sr

Henry Sidney, L. deputie, cau sed proclamaé'

on to

bemade, thatwhocou ld apprehend and brings in the

said busshop Grenagh shuld have fourtie Poundes

sterlings for his paines ; and the said Earle of Kil

dare havings intelligence Of the forsaid scape, madeearnest pursute after the said Crevagh by sondris

waies with nombre Of people, comittinge the

chardgs of the said people to yorsupplyant ; and

havings sought all the meanes possib le to find the

said Crevaugh, with great travails and hazzard Of

lyfe ; yet in no wise could he be found untill suchtyms as yo

'supplyant was sworne not to discou‘

or

brings h im forthe, till aswell the L . Deputie, as also

the Earle had promised upon their honors to be a

means to the Queenes Mai“to save the said Cre

vaugh’s lyfe, in consideration whereof, and for that

yorsaid supplyant hath so sworne, and myndeth not

to chardgs h ir h ighnes with the foresaid fourtie

poundes mené’

oned in the proclamé'

on , as also in

recompence of his true and faithfu ll service don tohir highnes in greatter causes, as is well knowen

to the r ight honorable the L . Deputie, and the

restof hir highnes pryvie Counsell there ; he humb ly

besecheth yof honor“to be a means to her Mat“that

it wold please hir highnes Of her accu stomed clemencye to graunt pardon Of life to the said Cre

vanghe, whereby yororators othe and creddit in

F f


his contty may be saved ; otherwise he shall neu“

havecreddit in his saidcontry, nor be well thoght

of, neither hereafter be hab le to serve hir Ma“

accordinge to his bounden dewtie in the licksattempt. And yor said supplyant as he is most

bounden shall praie for the longecoutynuauce of yo‘

most honorable estates.

Mylar Hus sy, of Ireland,

CXXI .

The examination of Richard Creagh, taken apparently

bqfore Sir William Cecil.

1567. [Original minute in Cecil’s handwriting ]By Pm here mentioned, is intended Captain William Pierce, acelebrated Irish Captain” of the period, from whom Sir John Piers,of Tristernagh Abbey, in thecounty of Westmeath, is the ninth in

descent. He it was who cut Ofi‘ Shane O’Neil’s head, after hismurder and betrayal at Cushendnn , andclaimed the reward of a

thousand marks offered by proclamation to him who should bring uphis head. SeeO’Donovan’s Annals ofthe Four Masters, p. 1620, note.

A frear, y' B of Downe‘, cam to Creagh abowt

august, 1566 : he went to Shan Oneyle, being in an

The brother of Shane O’Neil, see pp. 169. 192 . 306.


not absolve bym, for yt it belo

"

gedto y‘aucthorite of

7°

POPC

At another tyms Shau ca“ to Armagh to b ury his

brother, Wher this examynat was ; Shau O’

Neyle

told bym y‘ be shuld be well used, and haue his

chireh as honorably ascv“ any archbish . had. This

examynat sayth yt an Irish mi whom he had seue

wtn Shau in howshold told bym yt he was sent into

Monster to John M°an Erle for to ayde Shau , buty

°

pty cold not gett into Monster because ye L.

Depute was at Lymeryck, he sayth yt he hard Shau

report y‘ he trusted to have fever of IhO, of

DesmOd.

332

Brady, Hugh,of, 317.

unfit to be Archbishop of Dublin, 269.

Brady, John, recommended to

the Bishoprick of the Brunny[Kilmore] , 43.

Brenny, Bishoprick of the, 43.

Brereton. John, Letter of, 28.

18.

Letter of, 64.

Bulls, aurreudsrod, 43.

Cashel, Letter of, 14.

Cambridge, two youngfrom, 246. 282.

Cavenagh, Daniel, to beof Leighlin, 292. 298.

Cecil, Sir W ill'

nm, Lea l.

Opinion as to

theConversion of St. Patrick ’sDow

dal’s Petition to Queen Mary,

Entertainmentof, 303.

12 .

Emperor, 178.

Cha

r

l

i

’

st‘

l

tll

lhurch, the Dean of, 19.

Church Plate, to be sent to thcMint, 31 .

Goods, Inventories to be

67.

Cobham, Lord, 66.

COId ongh, Mr. Anthony, 32 .

INDEX.

College to be erected in Dublin,126.

ofthe State, St. Patrick’sto beconverted into a, 266.

“tical, 2 19. 213. 272.

Dal

ly, Robert, to be Bishop of

ildare, 149.

124. 222 .

164.

of, 171 . 326.

of, 176.

287.to be sent to

Dublin , 306.

Petition in favour of, 324

Apprehended,324.

Croft, Sir James, Letters of, 61 .

Curwin, Archbishop of Dublin,Letters of, 142. 146. 161. 240.

248. 263. 304.

the suitof, 124. 260.

the recallmended, 200.

Translation284. 300.

Cusack, Sir Thomas, to be Chancellor, 126.

INDEX . 333

Daniel,Terence,Dean ofArmagh, Fitzwilliam, Mr., Letter to, 30.

Letter of, 310. Free Schools to be erected,Desmond, Earlof, 19. 10.

Gerald, Earl of, Let

ters of, 109 . 1 16.

Devereux, Alexander, Bishop of

Ferns, wastes done by, 237.

Death of, 264.

Nicholas, Letter of,267

John , to be Bishop ofFerns, 267 277

unfit to beBishop of Ferns, 271 .

Dowdall, George, Archbishop OfArmagh, Letters of, 36. 79.

private Su its of, 82.

Down , Bishoprick of, vacant, 133.

for ShaneO’Neill’s brother, 169. 192.

Submission of the PopishBishop of, 306.

O’Neill, the Popish Bishop

of, mentioned, 326.

Draycot, Henry, suit of, 186.

Dublin, the Archb ishoprick of,

Robert [Earl of

Leicester] , 97. 1 12. 123 .

Ambrose,

Dunboyne, the Rectory of, 214.Dundavally, or Dundavell, 289.

327.

Elizabeth, Queen, Letters of, 121 .

124. 149. 166. 168 . 277. 298,299. 306.

Bisho rick of, 61 .

Esam, John , etter to, 26.

Thomas, Bishopof of,92.

Field, or Fyllye, Thomas, deathOf, 246.

Fitzwalter, Lord, the Opinion(

71

6, respecting the Church,

Gafihey, Christopher, to beArchbishop oi Cashel, 166.

tobeBishopof Ossory, 231. 262. 269.

Garvey, John , Dean of Christchurch, recommended for thePrimacy, 316.

Goazago, Cardinal, 172.

Goldwell, pretended Bishop Of

St. Asaph, 176.

Goodman, Christopher, recommended to be Archbishop of

Dublin , 284. 290.

Gorye, Robert, suit of, 190.

Hereford, Curwin, Archbishop ofDublin, desires tobetranslatedto, 94.

Hifl'

eruan, Edmund, recommended for the See of Cashel,109.

Hopp, Walter, su it of, 161 .

Hussey, Miler, Petition of, 324.

Idolatry, &c., abolishment of,36.

In ish darell, 327Injunctions for the Church, KingEdward VI.’S, 30. 60.

Ecclssiastical, 140.

Instructions of the King [Edw .

VI. ] and Council, 39 .

required by Sir

to Sir Anthony St.Leger to restore the Mass,76.

to the Earl of

Sussex, 90.

for Sir HenrySidney, 206. 211 .

Irish language, characters forPrinting the, 317.

334

Jewel, Bishop, recommendsMaccavill, afterwards Archbishopof Cashel, 263 .

Johnson, one, a suitor for theBishoprick of Ossory, 228.

Justices, the Lord, and Councilof Ireland, Letter of, 317.

Kildare, Bishothe Deputy shall think fit,34.

Kilkenny, the Sovereign of, Letter of, 32.

at, 66.

Kilmore, Bishoprick of, 43.

Knox, John, mentioned, 269, n.

Hugh, Bishop of Limerick,Lancaster, Thomas, Bishop of

Kildare, recommended to theSecof Omory , 62 .

Lectures, four, to be establishedin the University, 12.

Loz

e

‘ch ,William,suitOf, 183. 186.

1 .

Lettrell, Justice, 19.

Loverons , Thomas, recommendedto a Bishoprick, 61 .

Bishoprick, question as

to its vacancy, 206.

Litany in English, to be used, 91 .Loftus, Adam, the appointmentof, to the Secof Armagh, 98.

101 . 119.

Archbishop of Armagh, Letters of, 184. 194.

198. 214. 226. 242. 266. 267.269. 261 . 263. 269. 274. 278.280. 282 . 289. 295. 308 . 321.

to be Bishop of

Kildare and Dean of St. Patrick’s, 124. 168.

to be Bishop Of

Meath, 238.

INDEX .

Loftus, Adam, Archbishop ofArmagh , to be Archbishop of

Dublin , 294.

Loftus, Adam, Archbishop OfArmagh and Bishop Brady, Letters of, 133. 192 .

Lomslinus, Cardinal, 173.Luttrell, Parson, 19.

Navan, or the Novam, 23, 24.

O’Donel, Con, Letter of, 39.

’Neill, Popish Bishop of Down ,submission Of, 306.

Shane, the Rebellion of,278.

mentioned, 326.

tioned, 327Ormond, Earl of, mentioned,49.

the Countess Dowager ,mentioned, 16.

Mac-Curtis, More, 69 .

Maccavill, James, to be Archbt p of Cashel, 263. 280.

to be Bishopof Down, 166.

preventedfrom takin g possession Of the

See of Down by O’Neill’s bro

ther, 192.

Mac-Kartis, C., Petition Of, 78.

Mass, to be restored, 76.

frequented by the Nobilityandchief Gentlemen

,196.

Mayor ofDublin, theJurisdictionof, 308.

Meath, Bishoprick of, vacant,104.

Miagh, William, Bishop of Kil

dare, death of, 26.

Molam, or Mothan , Thomas,173 .

Morouas, Cardinal, 169. 172 .

174.

336 INDEX .

University, the necessity for a,

Usher , John, recommendation of,164.

Vernon, Mr., suit of, 242. 244.

Walsh ,or W t’

sh , Pairick,BishopofMeath, 87. 104. 220.

W aucOp, Robert, TheBishop,” 36.

Weston , Dr., to be Dean of St. Arnold,Patrick’s andIreland,

T HE END .

GIL s su 'r BIHIVINOTON, Printers, St. John ’s Square, London .

Weston, Dr., invested in h is offices , 304.

Dean Of St. Patrick’s,praise of, 316.

Wolf, David [the Pope’s Nuncio] Commission given by ,128 .

account of, 171 .

Wioth , Sir Thomas, Letter Of,64.

136.

praise Of,

and S ir

Of,

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