716

A. D. 1543.

Reform of

effected du

ring this

reign.

State of the Church, and extent of the advances [Book VI. Although Henry VIII. appears to have been little influenced by the principles which should some abuses actuate a sincere and genuine reformer, yet many of his advisers and agents were better men than himself, and through their instrumentality much good was effected during his reign. The exertions of Archbishop Browne, of Staples bishop of Meath, and of the few other bishops and clergy of Ireland who were desirous of reformation, had done much already to correct abuses and prepare the way for further improvements. In particular, idolatry had been to a great extent abolished in Dublin and elsewhere, and the images and other objects of superstitious veneration of which the churches had been full, were removed to make way for English translations of the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments. These latter formed somewhat more suitable embellishments for the walls of the places of Christian worship, and unlike their predecessors, tended to inform and edify the minds of the attendant worshippers.

porary archbishops of Armagh. The pope nominated Wauchop; the dean and chapter, Dowdall; and the crown, Goodacre." In this however the eloquent writer has committed a flagrant mistake. Waucop died in 1551. Goodacre was consecrated February 2, 1553. They were therefore not cotemporaries, nor rivals in the see. Dowdall, as well as Goodacre, was nominated by the crown. Moreover, Waucop appears to have been not blind, but very near-sighted. Sleidan indeed says he was "cæcus," but Pallavicino and Spondanus agree in correcting the expression. His talent for posting seems undeniable.

CH. I.] made towards reformation, under Henry VIII.

717

Church of

Before concluding our observations on the A. D. 1546. reign of Henry VIII., it may be well to suggest No schism to the reader of these pages the necessity of in the bearing in mind that up to this time there was Ireland at no open schism in the Church of Ireland. There this time. did not as yet exist here two separate bodies of Christians, such as we have at this day, each with its own rulers, and each claiming for the bishops of its own party the spiritual allegiance of the people of Ireland. Archbishop Browne and the promoters of reformation, and Primates Cromer and Dowdall who resisted its progress, and strove to maintain still the former state of things, were members of the same Church, only differing in their sentiments and views of Christian doctrine, and in their judgment of what was most profitable for that Church to which they both belonged. The men who contended at this time for the support of the pope's authority in any degree, were members and prelates of the Irish Church; and it was not until afterwards, (in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, or rather, as we shall see, in that of her successor,*) that the pope found it necessary to have recourse to the desperate expedient of forming a new, a second Church in Ireland, the heads of the old one having altogether deserted him, and discarded the restraints of his pretended authority over them.

* See chap. ix. inf.

The Refor

CHAP. II.

PROGRESS OF THE REFORMATION IN IRELAND UNDER KING

EDWARD VI.

A. D. 1547. IN the person of Edward VI. we meet with a prince possessed of a sincere zeal for true relimed religion gion, and well disposed to countenance and profeebly under mote, as far as in him lay, the work of reformaEdward VI., tion. But his youthful piety was not permitted

advances

being impeded by seri

ous evils.

long to adorn the throne of this empire, for God whom he served and loved was pleased at an early stage of his mortal career to transfer him from an earthly to a heavenly kingdom. Some important benefits were indeed conferred upon the Irish Church in the six years of his reign; but they were much less considerable than might have been expected: owing probably to the circumstance that the young king's advisers and guardians were cautious of adopting during his minority any strong measures affecting the state of religion in this country. Meanwhile there continued to exist very serious evils which must have tended greatly to defeat any exertions that might be made towards improvement: and for such evils there was no sufficient remedy provided. In illustration of these remarks it

CH. II.] Episcopal Appointments under Edward VI.

719

will be sufficient to refer to the plunder and A. D. 1547. destruction of churches, and robbery of other ecclesiastical property, which was carried on under the pretence of removing images and relics, and abolishing superstition; and to the great deficiency that existed of any means for instructing the people generally, by teaching or preaching, in their duties to God and man.

able to the

this reign.

The majority of the bishops and clergy at Several prethis time were in favour of the Romish creed lates favourand practice, under the patronage of Primate ReformaDowdall. But King Edward having several ed during tion appointopportunities when vacancies occurred among the Irish bishops, of appointing others, took care to make his selections in such a way as to increase the number of prelates favourable to religious reformation. And thus five at least of those appointed by him were friends and supporters of the Reformation: namely Lancaster of Kildare, Travers of Leighlin, Casey of Limerick, Bale of Ossory, and finally, Goodacre archbishop of Armagh, appointed to succeed to Primate Dowdall. All these were nominated in 1550, and the two following years.*

But the most striking improvement in the Use of the state of religion in Ireland during this reign, turgy introEnglish Liwas the introduction of the English Liturgy into duced into the churches, in accordance with an order from A.D. 1551.

Ireland,

* Mant, i. 191.

720

The English Liturgy submitted to [Book VI.

A.D. 1551. the king addressed to the lord deputy, Sir Anthony St. Leger, and bearing date February 6, 1551.*

Assembly of

the prelates

on this occasion.

The first step taken by the viceroy on receiv and clergy ing this order, and before he proceeded to notify it by a general proclamation, was to call together an assembly of the archbishops and bishops, and of the clergy of Ireland, on the 1st of March, 1551, and to acquaint them with his majesty's order, as also with the opinions of those bishops and clergy of England who had acceded to the order. Primate Dowdall, taking occasion to make answer to the lord deputy's communication, promptly availed himself of this opportunity, the first it would seem that had occurred since his promotion, for expressing publicly, before a general meeting of the prelates and clergy of the kingdom, his favourable inclination to the authority of the bishop of Rome, and his hostility to the proposed improvement in religious worship, and that exercise of the royal authority by which it was promoted. Giving utterance therefore to his opposition in strong terms, he accompanied his remarks by a contemptuous reflection on the English Service, which curiously illustrates the feelings of the Romish party in reference to the new liturgy, and to the principle of common prayer in general. Then,"

* Mant, i. 192. Cox, i. 288. R. Ware's Life of Archbishop Browne, 13.