His execution, and dy. ing address. His head preserved by his friends. added the difficulty experienced by a prisoner in strict confinement, in endeavouring to bring forward, at such a set time, witnesses who were scattered through various counties. The archbishop therefore prayed for a delay of twelve additional days; but the request was refused, the judges proceeded with the trial, and a conviction ensued. On the 1st of July, 1681, Plunket was taken on a sledge to Tyburn, and there executed in the presence of a great concourse. With his latest breath he called on heaven to witness his innocence, strongly urging the absurdity of the supposition that 20,000 Frenchmen were to have been landed at Carlingford, and the great improbability of his being able to levy an army of 70,000 Irshmen, when the whole income of the Romish clergy of Ireland would not have sufficed, according to his statement, to raise, clothe, equip, and feed, a single regiment. "The Irish clergy," he observed, "were so poor, that he himself who was the head of a whole province, lived in a little thatched house, with only one servant, having never above sixty pounds yearly income; so that neither he or they could be thought very likely to carry a design of this nature." No man who knew Ireland would, he alleged, credit such charges, or believe the still more extravagant assertion, that he had surrounded all the forts and harbours of the kingdom, if he were to admit their truth with his dying breath. After execution, his head was severed from his body, and the latter buried in St. Giles's churchyard in the Fields. It was however afterwards removed to Germany, and interred there. The head "with silvery coloured hair" was recovered, we are told by, his friends, and for some time preserved in a convent of Dominican nuns in Drogheda. Plunket's The controversy for superiority between Plunket, and Talbot, archcontroversy bishop of the Romanists of Leinster, has been already mentioned. It with Talbot appears that at a convocation of theirs which took place in Dublin in of Dublin 1670, each of the contending archbishops refused to subscribe subsefor pre-emi- quent to the other. To promote better order at their future meetings, the point at issue was referred to the see of Rome, which decided the matter in favour of the titular archbishop of Armagh. This dispute gave Plunket occasion to write in 1672 a book entitled Jus Primatiale, on the ancient right and pre-eminence of the see of Armagh above all other archbishoprics of the kingdom. To which Talbot replied in A.D. 1674 in another work bearing the title Primatus Dublinensis, &c., and setting forth the arguments in favour of his side of D. Maguire the point at issue. nence. EIGHTH 8. The eighth primate of the modern Romish communion in Ireland the new race was DOMINICK MAGUIRE, of the family of the Maguires, lords of of prelates. Fermanagh. Having been partly educated among some Dominican A.D. 1681. Hib. Dom. p. 131. Ware's Writers, p. 194. Friars in his own part of Ireland, he finished his studies in Spain: became a friar himself in Derry; then went to London, and was ap pointed honorary chaplain to the Spanish ambassador; and was at length advanced by Pope Innocent XI. to the titular primacy of Ire land in 1681. Russel, the cotemporary titular archbishop of Dublin, did not attempt to question his superiority, but on the contrary allowed him in 1686 to preside at a session of the Romish clergy, held in Dublin, at which Russel himself was present; and similarly in other subsequent cases. Archbishop Maguire died in 1708 at Paris, whither he seems to His services have fled after the surrender of Limerick, when many of the Romish in preservprelates took refuge in France. The pope nominated one Dr. Richd. ing the LiO'Heain his successor, but this individual was led from diffidence to brary of decline the dignity. Maguire, it appears, with the bishops of his per- Trin. Coll. suasion, were instrumental to the preservation of the valuable library Dublin. of Trinity College, during the troubles of the reign of James II.; they having procured that a secular priest, one Dr. Moore, a person, it is said, of learning, taste, and integrity, should be appointed provost, instead of some of the Jesuits, on whom the king had been almost persuaded to confer the rule of the establishment. Moore, it appears, preserved the books from injury with the most exact care, even when the library was turned into a military garrison, the chapel into a magazine, and the students' chambers into prisons. During the reign of Queen Anne, the affairs of the titular primacy of Armagh were, it seems, managed by an administrator, Dr. Donelly, afterwards titular bishop of Dromore; most of the Roman Catholic prelates being forced at this period to leave Ireland, in consequence of the strictness and severity of the laws which were enacted and enforced against them and their fellow-labourers in A.D. 1697 and subsequently.* 9. In the year 1708, Dr. HUGH MAC MAHON was nominated by Dr. Mac the pope archbishop of Armagh. Of the transactions of his life little Mahon interesting is recorded. But his famous work, the Jus Primatiale NINTH PRIArmacanum," published by him in 1728, has remained to posterity as a MATE of the lasting monument of his industry, learning, and controversial powers. new succesDr. Plunket's book on the subject had been replied to, as we have sion. seen, by Talbot of Dublin, in A.D. 1674; and the rejoinder it received exhibited some talent and much warmth; but the contest had been interrupted by the deaths of the two contending parties, and Maguire, who succeeded Plunket, finding his primatial superiority un Stuart, pp. 399,400. . 29. Lel. 3, 508. Hib. Dom. 6, p. 499. Jus. Prim. Arm. His abilities disputed, thought it unnecessary, it seems, for him to resume the conand learning troversy. Dr. Mac Mahon, however, who would fain consider himdisplayed in self the genuine successor of St. Patrick, deemed it a matter of duty his Jus. which he should not neglect, to set forth and assert the ancient priviP. A. leges and prerogatives of his see; and the result of his toils was the publication of the celebrated volume above mentioned, in which, as Harris remarks, "he has accurately handled, or rather exhausted the the subject;" exhibiting in his treatise a minuteness of research, and an extent of learning on the points in question, which are indeed very remarkable.* His death. Subsequent history of the succession obscure. B. Mac Mahon, TENTH titular primate after the Remation. Ross Mac M. O'Reilly, TWELFTH Primate of this list. Dr. Mac Mahon appears to have troubled himself not much with political affairs. He died in A.D. 1737, on the 2nd of August; aged 77 years. Of the titular primates who came after Dr. Mac Mahon, Mr. Stuart could find little or no traces in any works which he had met with. He was however supplied with a brief account of them by Dr. Edmund Derry, titular bishop of Dromore, which is inserted in his History of Armagh, and which is our authority for the subjoined notices of the next succeeding titular prelates, in their proper order. 10. H. Mac Mahon's immediate successor was Bernard, commonly called BRYAN, MAC MAHON; who, after having studied at Rome, became titular bishop of Clogher, and was thence translatedto Armagh. He lived at Ballymascanlan in the Co. Louth, in a dwelling the style of which was nothing above that of a farm-house. Here spending his days in a kind of domestic exile, on account of the severity of the times, he was generally known by the name of Mr. Ennis. He was, we are informed, a person of devout life and simple manners.† 11. His brother ROSS, who had succeeded to him in Clogher, succeeded to him also as titular primate. Of him nothing remarkable appears to be recorded. 12. MICHAEL O'REILLY, on the death of Ross, was promoted to the title of the see of Armagh, having been previously called vicargeneral of Kilmore, and afterwards for many years bishop of Derry. He was the author of two catechisms, one in Irish, the other in English, which became very popular in Ireland, and particularly in Ul ib. 403. Warc's Writers, p. 195; Bishops, p. 80. Jus Prim, Armac. Præf. + Stuart's Armagh, pp. 406 seqq., to which this one reference may suffice, for what next follows. ster. He is said to have exercised a very strict discipline among those who owned his ecclesiastical authority. He was accustomed to reside in a farm-house in the parish of Turfegin, near Drogheda, where he died about A.D. 1758. 13. The next primate of the Irish Roman Catholics was ANTHONY A. Blake, BLAKE, a Connaught gentleman, who, from being titular bishop of THIRArdagh, was translated to the titular archbishopric of Ulster. He TEENTH could never be prevailed on, it seems, to reside permanently in his primate of archbishopric; but as soon as his visitations were finished, he would 'Creagh's return to the Co. of Galway, and live there among his relations. race. Until at length an action was brought against him at Rome for non- A.D. 1758. residence and extortion, his prosecutors being two of the titular parish priests of his province. The trial issued in the suspension of the archbishop from his functions, a penalty which after having continued for some time appears to have been at length removed. It is observed by the titular bishop of Dromore, from whose authority these notices are derived, that Blake's "appearance was very respectable, and in travelling to Ulster, and during his residence there, he always used an elegant carriage," such as would appear to have been very uncommon with his titular brethren in those days. He died in Connaught in His death, A.D. 1786. A.D. 1786. 14. RICHARD O'REILLY, a native of the diocese of Kildare, Rd. O'Reilly next succeeded. When 16 years old he had been sent to study at FOURRome in 1762, where, after diligent application in the regular courses, TEENTH he attained the age required for the priesthood. After 11 years' em- occupant of ployment in the latter office, he was appointed coadjutor of the titular the new pribishop of Kildare and Leighlin, whose name was Keefe, and after- macy. wards, in 1782, coadjutor to Blake, his predecessor at Armagh, who had become paralytic. He died January 31st, 1818, and was interred Died Jan.31, at Drogheda.t On the 22nd of April, 1759, Thomas De Burgh, author of the Hibernia Dominicana, received episcopal consecration from the hands of Dr. Blake.-Stuart's Armagh. p. 408; Hib. Dom. p. 361. "The writer of this article," says the titular bp. Dr. Derry, (speaking of himself,) "had often the honour of dining with the late learned, liberal, and hospitable, the Right Rev. Doctor Percy, Protestant bishop of Dromore, and frequently with Dr. O'Reilly. He could not, except in the number of servants, observe any difference in their style of living. At their tables there was the same kind of rational and improving conversation, and the like sober modest magnificence ;' a somewhat odd comparison of the relative merits of two prelates, by a third of their order. Stuart, p. 409. VOL. III. 2 c A.D. 1818. P. Curtis, titular pri- A.D. 1819. His charac ter; and death. Thos. Kelly SIXTEENTH Of this prelate, the titular bishop of Dromore observes, that "having an independent fortune, he was the first [R] Catholic primate since the revolution who had it in his power to live in a manner becoming his dignified station." He was also, according to the same writer, a person of extensive information, and of a very amiable disposition. 15. PATRICK CURTIS, a native of Stamullin parish, Co. Meath, next succeeded. After having been employed at an early age in mercantile business, he became an ecclesiastical student in the University of Salamanca in Spain, where having acquired a high reputation, he was at length appointed head of the Irish College in that city. On the breaking out of the peninsular war, he was enabled from his position and acquaintance with the country and its inhabitants, to render useful service to the Duke of Wellington and the troops under his command, which was partly the occasion of a subsequent correspondence between the Duke and him, previously to the passing of the "Emancipation Bill." After having spent thirty years in Salamanca, Dr. Curtis returned home to his native land; where, on the death of Richard O'Reilly, he was advanced to the titular primacy, and consecrated on the 28th of October, 1819. His moderation is said to have gained him such general respect from all parties, that the old corporation of Drogheda presented him with his freedom in a golden box. He was one of the Roman Catholic prelates who, in 1825, were summoned before a Parliamentary Committee, to give evidence on the state of Ireland. In the "Annual Register" for 1832, his death is said to have taken place “at Drogheda, 26th Aug." in that year; but on the 26th July, according to the Complete Catholic Directory." 16. The next primate of the modern Roman succession in Ireland was THOMAS KELLY, a native of the archdiocese of Armagh, con In the same place Dr. Derry subjoins the following note:-" As soon as the [R.] Catholic bishop arrived in Dromore, Dr. Percy sent him a most polite and friendly invitation with his suite, which word he always made use of; the consequence was that the [R.] Catholick bishop, with seven or eight priests, uniformly dined with him. Having heard the character of the late Dr. O'Reilly, Dr. Percy often expressed a desire to be acquainted with him, and sent by the bishop an invitation to him, to come, (as he expressed it,) and see an old blind man." Stuart, ut sup. Rom. xvi. 17, 18; 2 Cor. vi. 14; Titus i. 9—13; 2 S. John, 10, 11. |