His culpable absence, Derry and Raphoe, neither of which had been occupied for many years, most probably from the same cause. It appears, however, that the bishop, after a lapse of two years, had not yet entered on the discharge of his episcopal duties; and his neglect is indicated as the chief cause of the spiritual destitution of his diocese, and branded, as we have seen by the relater, for "the greatness of the sin." It does not appear, however, that any measures had been taken by the ruling powers for correcting his fault, and remedying the consequent evils which were felt by his people and the church. The poverty, indeed, of the see of Clogher was soon after removed by the munificence of the king, who, together with many other grants, annexed to the bishoprick the abbey of Clogher, and its revenues, so as to render it one of the most opulent bishopricks in Ireland. Notwithstanding which, Bishop Mountgomery, on surrendering the two sces of Derry and Raphoe, in 1610, was permitted to undertake the administration of And plurality of that of Meath, which he held together with Clogher until his death, in 1620. He had also remained in possession of his deanery of Norwich till September, 1614". bishopricks. Lord Deputy's encampment at Clunes, And at Fermanagh. But to proceed with the Lord Deputy on his journey. "From Monaghan," says Sir John Davies, "we went the first night to the ruins of the abbey of Clunes, where we camped, and passing from thence through ways almost impassable for our carriages, by reason of the woods and bogs, we came the second night after to the south side of Loughrea, and pitched our tents over against the island of Devenish, a place being prepared for the holding of our sessions for Fermanagh in the ruins of the abbey there"." 12 DAVIES'S Tracts, p. 243. 11 WARE'S Bishops, pp. 188, 156. At Fermanagh, the civil investigation was first proceeded with. After which, provement. "We made like inquisition here," the narrative con- Lord Deputy's tinues, “touching ecclesiastical livings, as we had done in plans of imMonaghan. The erecting of a free school in this county was deferred till the coming of the Bishop of Clogher. The building of a gaol and sessions-house was likewise respited, until my Lord Deputy had resolved of a fit place for a market and corporate town: for the habitations of this people are so wild and transitory, as there is not one fixed Wildness of th village in all this county 13." country. Kilmore. Thus far the Lord Deputy's inquiries had been limited to the diocese of Clogher. We next find him in that of Kilmore, which, during the fourteen Diocese of years that followed the promotion of Bishop Garvey to the primacy, in 1589, had, from the confusion of the times, continued without a pastor. But, in 1603, the vacancy in this, and in the contiguous see of Ardagh, was supplied by the appointment Vacancy filled of Robert Draper. On which occasion the Privy interval. Seal sets forth, after a long appointment. "That the king was well pleased to bestow the said Reasons of bishopricks upon him, having received testimony of his Bishop Draper's sufficient learning and honest conversation to be meet to supply those places, in regard that he was well acquainted with the conditions and dispositions of that people, and was able to instruct them in the Irish tongue, and thereby likely to do more good among them in his said function. Because the revenues were become so small by the intolerable oppression of the Irish rebels, the king annexed the rectory of Trim, of which he was incumbent 1." 14.99 This honourable testimony to the character of Bishop Draper does not prepare us for what follows, as to the condition of his diocese, in Sir JOHN DAVIES'S Narrative. Poverty of Impropriate parsonages. "We came to Cavan, and pitched our tents on the south side of that poor Irish town.” "The state of the lay possessions being discovered, we did not omit to inquire of the number and value of the parsonages and vicarages, of the reparation of the churches, and of the quality of their incumbents: by which inquisition we found, that the greatest number of parsonages were appropriated unto two great abbeys, lying within the English pale; namely, the Abbey of Fower, in Westmeath, granted to the Baron of Delwyn, and the Abbey of Kells, whereof one Gerard Flemynge is farmer. To the first of these fourteen parsonages within this county are appropriate, and to the other eight; besides these are two or three more belonging in like manner to the Abbey of Cavan, in this county, being now in possession of Sir James Dillon. As Vicarages poorly for the vicarages, they are so poorly endowed, as ten of them being united will scarce suffice to maintain an honest Ruinous state of minister. For the churches, they are for the most part in ruins; such as were presented to be in reparation, are covered only with thatch. But the incumbents, both parsons and vicars, did appear to be such poor, ragged, ignorant creatures, (for we saw many of them in the camp,) as we could not esteem any of them worthy of the meanest of those livings, albeit many of them are not worth above 40s. per annum. endowed. churches. Poverty and ignorance of incumbents. Neglect of the bishop. "This country doth lie within the diocese of Kilmore, whose bishop (Robert Draper) was, and is, parson of Trym, in Meath, which is the best parsonage in all the kingdom ; and is a man of this country birth, worth well nigh 4007. a year. He doth live now in these parts, where he hath two bishopricks: but there is no divine service or sermon to be heard within either of his dioceses. His lordship might have saved us this labour of inquiry, touching matters ecclesiastical, if he had been as careful to see the churches repaired and supplied with good incumbents, as he is diligent in visiting his barbarous clergy, to make benefit out of their insufficiency, according to the proverb, which is common in the mouth of one of our great bishops here: 'that an Irish priest is better than a milch cow 15" 15 DAVIES'S Tracts, p. 266. Sir John Davies concludes his curious and inter- Sir J. Davies's esting account of this journey, with certain reflec- reflections on the tions, of which those that relate to ecclesiastical matters may be properly transcribed. "If my Lord Deputy do finish these beginnings, and settle these counties, as I assure myself he will, this will prove the most profitable journey for the service of God and his majesty, and the general good of this kingdom, that hath been made in the time of peace by any deputy these many years. For first his lordship having gotten a true and clear understanding of the state of the clergy in these parts, many will take a direct speedy course for the planting of religion among these rude people, who are apt to take any impression for his lordship knowing the number and Improvement of value of the benefices in every county, may cause an union, or rather a sequestration, to be made of so many as will churches and make a competent living for a sole minister; then may he give order for building of as many churches as there shall be competent livings for ministers in that county. And this preparation being made, his lordship may lastly provide sufficient incumbents to serve the churches." "Besides, the crown is restored to all the patronages of ecclesiastical promotions, which heretofore were usurped by the Pope, and utterly neglected by the state here "." benefices recommended as to ministers. principle of in structing people in the Irish tongue. How far these favourable anticipations were Remark on the realized, may be well doubted. In particular, the printing th state of these dioceses will again call for our attention on occasion of a royal commission, about fifteen years later; and especially the united dioceses of Kilmore and Ardagh will fall under consideration when we arrive at the period of Bishop Bedell's appointment to them about twenty-two years after the date of Sir John Davies's narrative. It may here, however, be remarked in passing, that the principle of "instructing the people of those wild parts in the Irish tongue," as the means of being "likely to do more 16 DAVIES, p. 268, 269. Conspiracy of Their vindication that they had been persecuted for their religion. good among them," was professed and acted upon by King James in the appointment of Bishop Draper to this diocese; a principle which, it may be likewise observed, had been acted upon at various periods in the most uncivilized parts of Ireland, not indeed by an uniform provision, but probably by many more individuals, and to a considerably greater degree, than those, who have not investigated the details of Irish ecclesiastical history, may suppose. SECTION II. The Conspiracies and Rebellions in the North. Forfeiture of IN 1607 a formidable conspiracy, encouraged by the indulgences, which were interpreted into the weakness of the crown, was formed by the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnel, the Lord Macguire, and other Irish nobles and great proprietors of Ulster, for surprising the castle of Dublin, and murdering the Lord Deputy and council, and thus establishing their own independent authority. The conspiracy being discovered, the conspirators endeavoured to escape. Some, however, were taken and executed; and others, who had fled, being indicted on a special commission for their trial, were outlawed'. In their vindication they alleged, that they had been injuriously treated, and especially had been persecuted for religion; but they were answered by 1 Cox, ii, 12. |