of men, who were schismaticks from her communion, and avowedly hostile to her polity and laws, were surely not agreeable to one in the primate's station of dignity and trust; so that in perusing this narrative, the mind of the reader, if it does not repudiate the account at once and altogether, will probably fluctuate between doubts of the accuracy of the narrator, and misgivings as to the discretion and wisdom, not to say the integrity, of the distinguished subject of the recital. But, however this be, the friendship of the primate is stated by Mr. Blair to have been experienced on occasion of the suspension of himself and his companion: for Archbishop Primate's interUssher wrote to Bishop Echlin in terms which, if favour. correctly reported, combined a vindication of these irregular ministers with a stricture on the judgment of their diocesan, for he required Bishop Echlin to "relax his erroneous censure."

ference in their

They were less successful, however, in a case which soon after occurred, in 1632, when the bishop cited the same two offenders before him, and urged them, with two others of their sect, "to conform, and give their subscription to that effect. We answered, that there was then no law nor canon in that kingdom requiring this. Notwithstanding he Afterwards sushad the cruelty to depose us all four from the office pended for nonof the holy ministry:" an office, be it observed, to which they had been admitted upon their promise to the Church, if not expressly given, yet positively due and substantially pledged, of conformity to her laws, and from which promise no authority, but that of the Church herself, had power to exempt them.

conformity.

appeal to the

Application, however, was now again made in Ineffectual "But he told us," says primate. their behalf to the primate. Mr. Blair," he could not interpose, because the

lords justices had an order from the king respecting us. And, when we had recourse to their lordships, they remitted us to the king, from whom only remedy could be had." The interference, therefore, of his majesty was in consequence solicited: but the bishop's sentence of deposition was not removed, and for that time, at least, the non-conforming ministers were silenced.

Increase of
Popery.

Letter to Lord

Justice Cressy.

August, 1633.

SECTION IV.

Increase of Popery in Ireland. Bishop Bedell's plan for converting the Natives. Sentiments of the Governmen on the subject. Qualification of age for Bishopricks. Bramhall made Bishop of Derry. Commission for repair of Churches. Lord Wentworth's exhibition of the state of the Church. Archbishop Laud's answer. Settlement of question of Precedence between the Archbishops of Armagh and Dublin.

WHILST these efforts were making by the Protestant non-conformists, there was a general increase of Popery throughout the kingdom; even in some parts which had been most conspicuous for attachment to the Church.

"I find," says Mr. Justice Cressy, in a letter to the Deputy from Mr. Lord Deputy, dated Wexford, August the 15th, 1633, "that this country, which doth contain the most ancient English plantators, who were lately the most forward professors of the Reformed Christian religion in the kingdom, by the pernicious confluence of priests, who here have raised amongst them a Romish hierarchy of bishops, commissaries, vicars-general, and other officials, to the overthrowing of the royal power, and to the establishing of a foreign state and jurisdiction in all causes ecclesiastical, are now in a sort become principally Romish and Popish; and so, as themselves confess, do even groan under the burden,

Romish hierarchy in Wexford.

exposed by the

I mean the secular and common people. Now, my lord, this being directly against the laws established, not invading only, but even abrogating, his majesty's princely government over them of his states of this kingdom of Ireland, I held myself bound, not only by my oath as a judge, and as a Its illegality servant to the king, but even by my allegiance, to oppose judge. this with all the force and strength that my place could afford; and therefore in my charge upon the jury, did declare unto them the quality and fearful consequences thereof; and, as far as I could, did endeavour to anticipate and prevent the policy of their priest's absolutions from perjury and wilful breach of their oaths: but, I fear, all in vain; for they are all recusants, not one Protestant among them'."

of Popery.

Such is the testimony to the increase of Popery General increase in a particular district, borne by a layman of high legal station, who appears to have incurred, for the discharge of his duty, the risk of assassination, of a plot for effecting which he was kindly warned by a friend. Testimony to its general increase is thus borne by Bishop Bedell, who, in a letter to the Lord Bishop Bedell's Deputy, significantly bearing date, "the day of our joyful deliverance from the Popish Powder Plot, 1633," affirms his knowledge,

letter.

1633.

greater than the

king's.

"That, in this kingdom of his majesty, the Pope hath Pope's kingdom another kingdom far greater in number, and (as I have heretofore signified to the lords justices and council, which is also since justified by themselves in print,) constantly guided and directed by the orders of the new congregations de propagandâ fide,' lately erected at Rome, and by the means of the Pope's nuncios residing at Brussels or Paris : that the Pope hath here a clergy, if I may guess by my own diocese, double in number to us, the hands whereof are by corporal oath bound to him, to maintain him and his regalities contra omnem hominem,' and to execute his mandates to their utmost forces; which accordingly they

1 Strafford Letters, i. 103.

Irregular regulars.

Popish college

in Dublin.

New friaries.

Oath of allegiance decreed to be not lawful.

Purpose of Bishop Bedell's statement.

do, styling themselves in print, Ego, N. Dei et Apostolicæ sedis gratiâ, Episcopus Fernen, Ossorien, &c.'

"I know that there is in this kingdom, for the moulding of the people to the Pope's obedience, a rabble of irregular regulars, commonly younger brothers of good houses, who are grown to that insolency, as to advance themselves to be members of the ecclesiastical hierarchy, in better ranks than priests, insomuch that the censure of the Sorbonne is fain to be employed to curb them, which yet is called in again, so tender is the Pope of these his own creatures.

"I know that his holiness hath erected a new university at Dublin, to confront his majesty's college there, and to breed up the youth of this kingdom to his devotion.

"I know, and have given advertisements to the state, that these regulars dare erect new friaries in the country, since the dissolving of these in the city; that they have brought the people to such a sottish senselessness, as that they care not to learn the Ten Commandments, as God himself spake and writ them, but flock in great numbers to the preaching of new superstitions, and detestable doctrines, such as their own priests are ashamed of, and at these they levy collections, three, four, five, and six pounds,

at a sermon.

Shortly I know, that this clergy and these regulars have at a general meeting, like to a synod, as they themselves style it, holden at Drogheda, decreed that it is not lawful to take the oath of allegiance; and, if they be constant to their own learning, do account his majesty in their own hearts to be king, but at the Pope's discretion*."

This statement of the Bishop of Kilmore was made for the purpose of refuting an accusation, that he had opposed the service of his majesty, by objecting to the maintenance and upholding of the army. He therefore introduces his statement with the preface, "If I should have had such an intention, this had been not only to oppose the service of his majesty, but that of the Highest Majesty, and to

2 Strafford Letters, i. 147.

expose with the publick peace mine own neck to the scaines of the Romish cut-throats:" and he concludes it with the inference, "In this estate of this kingdom, to think the bridle of the army may be taken away, it should be thought, not of a brainsick, but a brainless man."

ceeding with the

But whilst with this persuasion, founded on His mode of proexperience and careful inquiry, of the Popish interest Papists. then in Ireland, and of the numbers, the tempers, and the principles of the Papists, he was convinced of the necessity of a strong military force for their repression, it was not by any compulsory measures that Bishop Bedell aimed at their conversion. His endeavours for that end were prosecuted throughout his episcopal life, and were of the gentlest, and most conciliatory, and most persuasive kind. And opportunity may be taken of the foregoing representation of the state of Popery at a particular period, for drawing the reader's attention to the bishop's modes of proceeding, which may be found more fully detailed in Bishop Burnet's life of him.

Popish priests.

He lamented to observe, that the native Irish Conversion of the were little regarded by the clergy of the Church, but were left almost entirely in the hands of their own priests. He was aware also of the extreme ignorance of these priests, most of whom could only read their offices without understanding them, and could teach them no more than to recite their "Paters and Aves" in Latin. He therefore determined to attempt the conversion of the natives. The quickest way appeared to be the gaining of some of the better informed of the Romish priesthood: and entertained of spreading

thence the hope was

amongst the native Irish the knowledge of the