CHAPTER LVI. DEALINGS WITH THE CHURCH POSSESSIONS-TAXATION OF POPE NICHOLAS -THE TAXATION ATTRIBUTED TO BISHOP O'DEA, PARISHES AND PATRONS, ETC., PRESERVED IN WHITE'S MSS., ETC., ETC.-THE SUCCESSION OF BISHOPS, ETC. On the 11th January, A D., 1272, Gerald or Geoffry le Mareschal, Archdeacon of Limerick, was raised by royal license to the bishopric, the Archbishop of Cashel having received a mandate to consecrate him. Previously to his election the king granted the custody of the temporalities to him for one year, saving knight's fees, advowsons, wards, reliefs, and escheats, which he reserved to himself. He governed the sce for twenty-nine years, and recovered some usurped or forcibly alienated possessions, and in particular certain lands and woods which Bishop Robert, his predecessor, without the assent of the chapter, had granted to Richard Meijagh (May). Gerald made certain constitutions which are extant in the Black Book-constitutions, it need not be added, strictly in conformity with the Roman ritual. The kings of England continued, indeed, to exercise their influence in the [Between Henry Motyng, plaintiff, and Robert Bishop of Limerick, defendant, respecting the presentation to the Church of Nantenan.] XIII. Inter Gerd. Epm. querent et Johem. Dundon et Johanna uxor ejus, is impendentes de uno messuag. cum pertin. in Lymer.". [Between Gerd. Bishop of Limerick, pl. and John Dundon and Johanna his wife, defendants, respecting one messuage with its appurtenances in Limerick.] XX. "Instrumenta de Kylmehalloc et aliis trs. ad Ecc. in Lym. spectantibus". [Deeds respecting Kilmallock and other lands belonging to the Church in Limerick.] XXI. “Inquisit capta per Mylerii fil. Hen. super. terras predic." [Inquisition held by Myler FitzHenry of the lands aforesaid.] XXVIII. "Carta Donaldi Regis Lymer.". [Charter of Donald King of Limerick.] XXVII. Quieta clamantia Epi. Laonensis super tra, de Divenathinor". [Quit-claim (release) of the Bishop of Killaloe for the land of Divenathinor.] XXXIX. "Concessio et confirmatio Epis. Lymer. super beneficiis de Glyncorbry". [Grant and confirmation of the Bishop of Limerick of the benefices of Glencorbry.] LIV. "Assignatio decimarum et oblationum fca. canonicis Lymer per Epos. ejusdem loci". [Assignment of the tithes and offerings made to the canons of Limerick by the bishop of the same place.] LIX. "Inquisitio capta mandato Domni Regis super decimas piscarum et molendinorum utrumque pertineant ad Thesauriam Lymer. vel ad capellam castri regis de Lymer.". [Inquisition held by order of our lord the king into the tythes of fisheries-[Until about sitxy years ago, the first take of salmon and oysters belonged to the Minor Canons of the cathedral, as may be seen from their books. The Corporation at present enjoy this privilege.]—and mills, and whether they belong to the treasury of Limerick, or to the chapel of the king's castle of Limerick.] LXIII. "Canonica obedientia fca Epo Lymer. per Malachiam rectore ecclie. de Artpatrick". [Canonical obedience paid to the Bishop of Limerick by the rector of the church of Ardpatrick.] LV.Solutio facta in curia Romana per Epis. Lymer". [Payment made in the Roman Court by the Bishop of Limerick.] LXXI. Obligatio et quieta clamantia Maur le Marescal super tra. de Ardach. [Bond and release of Maur le Marescal of the lands of Ardagh.] LXXIII. "Libertates concessæ Eccle. Lymer. et ab Epis. et canonicis ejusdem loci. [Liberties granted to the church of Limerick and to the abbots, bishops, and canons of the same place.] Between 1204 and 1207 we have the "ordinance of Donat, Bishop of Limerick, on the divine office to be performed in the church of Limerick", containing regulations respecting masses, benefices, etc., etc. And "the charter of Thomas de Wodeford of the land and buildings contained within the precincts of the Dean's Close". And "the ancient statutes of the Church and Chapter of Limerick". Dated 1295. [This is a confirmation of preceding conventions.] nomination of bishops, and sought to preserve the upper hand in ecclesiastical affairs, as had been the case in the time of Henry III., when a great council of the English prelates summoned by Otto, the Pope's legate, was interfered with by the king, who sent several of his barons to the council, having commissioned them to prohibit the establishment of anything contrary to the king's crown and dignity. The attention bestowed by successive popes on the Church of Ireland, and on the government and interests of the country, is, however, plainly apparent from the evidences of concurrent history. Pope Nicholas, about this time, made a taxation of several Irish sees, and among others of the See of Limerick, which, with the taxations of Cashel, Waterford, Cloyne, and Cork, was discovered some years ago among the records of Westminster by Mr. Vanderzee, and which are printed in the second report of the Commissioners of Public Records of Ireland. We abstract as much of this taxlation as its useful to our purpose : : TAXATION OF THE SEE AND OF THE CHAPTER. A.D. 1291. By authority of Pope Innocent IV. Redditus et Lymericen sis in omnibus-viii iii" iii.' xi ob Dec. xvi" vi. iiii.a ob. * Communia Ecclesia beatæ Mariae de Lymerick ad stipendium Vicariorum ibidem deservientium. Inde nichil.' Another ancient taxation which is preserved in Latin in White's MSS. gives an account of the parishes, benefices, chapels, and other regulations of the Diocese of Limerick, which the Rev. James White (the compiler of the MSS.) states he copied from an old MS. which Dr. Jasper White," Pastor of St. John's parish, wrote, and which was in the custody of the Rev. John Lehy, a succeeding pastor of that parish. We believe that this taxation is generally attributed to the time of Bishop O'Dea, of whom, in the succeeding chapter, we shall have much to write. The following is a translation of this most valuable and interesting document, which we give here, though not in exact chronological order1: 8 This is the taxation and the procuration of the diocese of Limerick, as I, Jasper White, have found in torn rolls among the books of my brother, Edmond White, Canon of Ardcanty, written with his hand in the year 1658; and also among the same writings of my most reverend and most illustrious Lord Bishop, James Dowley; and in order that these writings should not perish, I have thought it worth my while to transcribe them here, and leave them to posterity; and I have added the patron saints of the parish which I have been able to find. So far the Rev. Dr. Jasper White. This valuation, with the exception of the two items to which an asterisk is prefixed, is printed in vol. ii. of the Reports of the Irish Record Commissioners. These items are taken from the roll in the Exchequer Office, London. Cotton's Fasti. I find by an entry in a copy of the Douay Bible in my possession, printed by Consturier, 1665, that the Rev. Jasper White lived in Limerick in the year 1668. The following is the entry: "This Booke belongeth to Dr. Jasper White, priest, Limerick, the which he bought the 18th of April, 1668, for the sum of ten shillings and eight pence sterlg." 3 It is still in being. [Note by Dr. Young]. The Right Rev. Dr. Young and the Very Rev. Dean Cussen made marginal notes in the MSS., which I give. The Decanate (Deanery) of Limerick. The cathedral and parochial church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, dedicated to the same on the 15th day of August, on which day the office of the dedication is celebrated (fit), with an octave in the city, and without an octave in the diocese. Nota bene that I, Jasper White, met, written in the calendar of an old breviary belonging to the diocese of Limerick, the Sunday after the 16th of July to be the day assigned for the dedication of the cathedral of Limerick, with an octave; but a continued tradition assures us of the contrary, and that the 15th of August is the proper day for the dedication, as Dr. Jasper White has affirmed above. The parish church of St. Munchin, the patron saint of the whole city, whose festival is celebrated on the 2nd day of January. It is a prebend or canonry. The vicar has one half of the fruits, and the prebend the other half. It pays ... Its vicariate (vicarage) The parish church of St. Nicholas, Bishop and Confessor, whose festival is celebrated on the 6th of September. belongs to the college of the vicars choral. exist; but it was near the King's Castle, on the south side. The parish church of St. John the Baptist, whose festival is celebrated on the 24th day of June, ... It pays... s. d. 09 09 16 N.B. Many say it is dedicated to the decollation of St. John, y 9th of August. The churches and chapels of this decanate in the county of Thomond (Clare), viz:-the parish church of Killilee,' whose patron is Lelia, Virgin, and sister of St. Munchin, as it is said, whose festival is celebrated on the 11th August. It belongs to the prebend of Donoughmore. [To this church of Killilee belong three Cratalaghs, viz:-Cratalagh More, Cratalagh Keyil, and Cratalagh Moyèil and Counagh.] The parish church of Keilfintenau. [To this church belong part of the church of Sixmile Bridge, the Oil Mills, Ballydane east and west, Breakhill, Moyhill, Ballymorris, Portvine, and Garrine Curragh.] The place of this church is commonly called Crochane. [In MSS. of Dr. Young after brackets.] The parish church of Kielinaghta, the chapel of St. Thomas on the Mountain, at a place called Ballybuchalane, near Cratloe. 2 [In Dr. Young's English.] The chapel of Keilrush, near the River Shannon; the chapel of Keilchuain, near Parteen; it belongs to the treasurer. The patron of this chapel is St. Covanus, Abbot, on the day. ... ... 9 0 Churches and chapels of this decanate of Limerick, in the southern side of the city, in the county of Limerick, outside the walls, viz:The parish church of St. Michael the Archangel, entirely destroyed in the time of Cromwell, near the walls, outside the West Watergate. His festival is celebrated on the 29th day of September. It belongs to the archdeacon. ... ... The parish church of St. Lawrence the Martyr, whose festival is cele. brated on the 10th of August with an octave. The presentation belongs to the corporation of the mayor and aldermen. It pays The parish church of St. Patrick, Bishop and Confessor, and Patron 09 ... 1 6 The parish of Kilely or Killeely, also called Meelick, three miles N. W. from Limerick. In the R. C. divisions, partly in the Parish of Meelick and partly in that of Thomond Gate, or St. Lelia (Lewis's Topog.). Called Old Church, close by which is the residence of the Honourable Robert O'Brien. of all Ireland, whose festival is celebrated on the 17th day of March: the church is entirely destroyed. It belongs to the treasurer, and the tithes of all the mills of Limerick and Singland belong to it, s. d. ... 7 6 ... 8 0 The parish church of Kilmurray, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen, 22nd day of July, ... ... The parish church of Derighealavain, dedicated to St. Nicholas, Bishop and Confessor, on the 6th day of December. It is entirely a rectory (est rectoria integra). ... The parish church of Donoughmore is a prebend, and dedicated The parish church of Cahirivalaha, dedicated to St. Thomas, Apostle, 21st day of December. It belongs to the treasurer. ... The church of Caihiornairy, dedicated to St. Nicholas, Bishop and Confessor, 6th day of December. It belongs to the dean by gift from the Lord D.D. Robert of Emly, or Neil, Bishop of Limerick, anno Domini, 1253. ... The parish church of Criochoura, dedicated to the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, 29th day of June. The vicarage (or vicariate)' belongs to the college of the vicars of Limerick. The parish church of Keilbecan, near Kilpeacon. It is a prebend, dedicated to St. Becan, on the day. ... The parish church of Knock-na-Ghauill, dedicated to St. Brigid, The parish church of Keilchidy, dedicated to the holy Apostles The parish church of Mongret. It belongs to the dean. Dedicated to St. Patrick, the 17th day of March. ... ... The chapel of Keililin, near St. John's Gate. It belongs entirely to the dean. The chapel of Fearan-na-guilleagh, now called Ross Brien, of which no traces are left. It formerly belonged to some monks of the chapel de Rastro or Ratuird. It belongs to the parish priest (parochialis) of Limerick, whose vicarage belongs to the college of vicars.. The chapel of Baillione, part of the parish of Feadamuir. The chapel or temple of Friarstown, commonly called Ballynabrair. The chapel or temple of Keilna Cailly, near the bridge of Claireene, whose patron is Enat or Ethna. The chapel of St. Margaret in guinell, 20th day of July. or Newtown, near Carrigo There are also in Limerick three monasteries, viz.: The monastery of the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, near Ball's Bridge, ... ... The monastery of St. Saviour, of the Dominicans, ... ... The Monastery of St. Francis [in the place commonly called the Abbey']. The temple of St. Peter, which was that of the Canonesses of St. Augustine. |