"Rome, and that it was the bishop of Rome's predecessors "gave it to the king's ancestors. There be two messengers by the priests of Armagh, and by that archbishop, "now lately sent to the bishop of Rome. Your lordship "may inform his highness, that it is convenient to call a "parliament in this nation, to pass the supremacy by act; "for they do not much matter his highness's commission "which your lordship sent us over. This island hath "been for a long time held in ignorance by the Romish "orders; and as for secular orders, they be in a manner "as ignorant as the people, being not able to say mass, or "pronounce the words, they not knowing what they them"selves say in the Roman tongue: The common people "of this isle are not more zealous in their blindness, than "the saints and martyrs were in the truth at the begin"ning of the gospel. I send to you, my very good lord, "these things, that your lordship, and his highness, may "consult what is to be done. It is feared O-Neal will be "ordered, by the bishop of Rome, to oppose your lord"ship's order from the king's highness; for the natives "are much in numbers within his power. I do pray the "Lord Christ to defend you from your enemies. Dublin " 4 Kalend. Decembris, 1535."

In the parliament which met at Dublin, May 1st, 1536, the lord Leonard Grey being then K. Henry's viceroy of Ireland, our archbishop was very instrumental in having the act, for the king's supremacy over the church of Ireland, passed: And, therefore, though he had not been more than a year and a few months in his archiepiscopal chair in Dublin, he stood up and made this short speech. following: "My lords and gentry of this his majesty's "realm of Ireland, behold your obedience to your king "is the observing of your God and Saviour Christ; for "he, that High-Priest of our souls, paid tribute to Cæsar, "though no Christian; greater honour, then, surely, is "due to your prince, his highness the king, and a Chris"tian one: Rome, and her bishops, in the fathers days, " acknowledged emperors, kings, and princes to be su"preme over their dominions, nay, Christ's own vicars. "And it is as much to the bishop of Rome's shame, to "deny what their precedent bishops owned. Therefore "his highness claims but what he can justify the bishop "Eleutherius gave to St Lucius, the first Christian king "of the Britains: So that I shall, without scruple, vote "his highness K. Henry my supreme over ecclesiastic matVOL. II.

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"ters as well as temporal, and head thereof, even of both

isles England and Ireland, and that without guilt of con"science, or sin to GOD; and he who will not pass "this act, as I do, is no true subject to his highness." This speech so startled the other bishops and the other lords, and being seconded by justice Brabazon, that the act passed, though with great difficulty. But he met with great and many obstacles in the execution of it; of which he gave the lord Cromwell an account in the following letter.

Right honourable and my singular good Lord,

"I ACKNOWLEDGE my bounden duty to your "lordship's good will to me, next to my Saviour Christ's, "for the place I now possess; I pray GOD give me his

grace to execute the same to his glory, and his highness's "honour, with your lordship's instructions. The peo"ple of this nation are zealous, yet blind and unknow"ing; most of the clergy, as your lordship hath had "from me before, being ignorant, and not able to speak " right words in the mass, or liturgy, as not being skilled "in the Latin grammar; so that a bird may be taught to "speak with as much sense, as several of them do in this "country. These sorts, though not scholars, yet are "crafty to cozen the poor common people, and to dis"suade them from following his highness's orders. George, "my brother of Armagh, doth underhand occasion quar"rels, and is not active to execute his highness's orders in "his diocese.

"I have observed your lordship's letter of commission, "and do find several of my pupils leave me for so doing. "I will not put others in their livings, till I know your "lordship's pleasure; for it is meet I acquaint you first, "that the Romish relics and images of both my cathe"drals in Dublin, of the Holy Trinity, and of St Patrick's, "took off the common people from the true worship; but "the prior and the dean find them so sweet for their gain, "that they heed not my words: Therefore send in your lordships next to me an order more full, and a chide to "them and their canons, that they might be removed. "Let the order be, that the chief governors may assist "me in it. The prior and dean have written to Rome, "to be encouraged, and if it be not hindered before they "have a mandate from the bishop of Rome, the people "will be bold, and then tugg long, before his highness can submit them to his grace's orders. The country

"folk

"folk here much hate your lordship, and despitefully call "you, in their Irish tongue, The Blacksmith's Son.

"The duke of Norfolk is, by Armagh and that clergy, "desired to assist them, not to suffer his highness to alter "church-rules here in Ireland. As a friend, I desire your "lordship to look to your noble person; for Rome hath "a great kindness for that duke (for it is so talked here) "and will reward him and his children. Rome hath great "favours for this nation, purposely to oppose his high"ness; and so have got, since the act passed, great indul"gences for rebellion; therefore my hope is lost, yet my "zeal is to do according to your lordship's orders. GOD "keep your lordship from your enemies here and in Eng"land. Dublin the third Kalends, April, 1538."

The court of Rome likewise left no stone unturned, to prevent any alterations in Ireland, with regard to religious matters. For the pope sent over a bull of excommunication, against all such as had owned, or should own, the king's supremacy within that kingdom: As also the form. of an oath of obedience, to be taken to his holiness, at confession. This our archbishop sent in a letter to the lord Cromwell, which was as follows.

"Right Honourable,

"MY duty premised, it may please your lordship to be "advertised, since my last, there has come to Armagh and "his clergy, a private commission from the bishop of Rome, "prohibiting his gracious highness's people here in this "nation to own his royal supremacy, and joining a curse "to all them and theirs who shall not, within forty days, "confess to their confessors, after the publishing of it to "them, that they have done amiss in so doing: The sub"stance, as our secretary has translated the same into "English, is thus.

I, A. B. from this present hour forward, in the presence of the holy Trinity, of the blessed virgin mother of GOD, of St Peter, of the holy apostles, archangels, angels, saints, and of all the holy host of heaven, shall and will be always obedient to the holy see of St Peter of Rome, and to my holy lord the pope of Rome and his successors, in all as well spiritual as tem'poral, not consenting in the least that his holiness shall lose the least title or dignity belonging to the papacy of our mother church of Rome, or to the regality of St 'Peter. I do vow and swear to maintain, help and assist the just laws, liberties and rights of the mother church • of

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of Rome. I do likewise promise to confer, to defend, and promote, if not personally, yet willingly as far as able, either by advice, skill, estate, money, or otherwise, the church of Rome and her laws, against all whatsoever resisting the same. I further vow to oppugn all

heretics, either in making or setting forth edicts or commands contrary to the mother church of Rome, and, in case any such be moved or composed, to resist it to the ' uttermost of my power, with the first convenience and 'opportunity I can possibly. I count and value all acts made, or to be made by heretical powers, of no force or worth, or be practised or obeyed by myself, or by any other son of the mother church of Rome. I do further declare him or her, father or mother, brother or sister, son or daughter, husband or wife, uncle or aunt, nephew or niece, kinsman or kinswoman, master or mistress, and all others, nearest or dearest relations, friends or acquaintance whatsoever, accursed, that either do or shall hold, for the time to come, any ecclesiastical or civil power above the authority of the mother church, or that do or shall obey, for the time to come, any of her, the mother of churches, opposers, or enemies, or contrary to the same, which I have here sworn unto: So GOD, the blessed Virgin, St Peter, St Paul, and the holy evangelists " help me.'

"His Highness's viceroy of this nation, [Sir Anthony "St Leger] is of little or no power with the old natives, "therefore your lordship will expect of me no more than "I am able: This nation is poor in wealth, and not suf"ficient now at present to oppose them. It is observed, "that ever since his highness's ancestors had this nation in "possession, the old natives have been craving foreign. "powers to assist and rule them; and now both English "race and Irish begin to oppose your lordship's orders, and do lay aside their national old quarrels; which I fear will, if any thing will, cause a foreigner to invade "this nation. I pray GOD I may be a false prophet, "yet your lordship must pardon my opinion, for I write "it to your lordship as a warning. Dublin, May,

"1538."

It seems the archbishop's suspicions were not groundless; for that endeavours were used to raise a rebellion there, as appears from a circumstance that fell out on the feast of St John Baptist following: The archbishop caused one Thady O'Brian, a Franciscan friar, to be seized, when the following papers from the pope and cardinals,

signed by the bishop of Mentz, were found upon him, being sent to the lord privy-seal by a special messenger.

6 My Son O'Neal,

THOU and thy fathers were all along faithful to the mother-church of Rome : His holiness Paul, now pope, and the council of the holy Fathers there, have lately found out a prophecy, there remaining, of one St La'cerianus, an Irish bishop of Cashell, wherein he saith, That the mother-church of Rome falleth, when in Ireland the Catholic Faith is overcome: Therefore, for the glory of the mother-church, the honour of St Peter, and your ' own secureness, suppress heresy and his holiness's enemies; for, when the Roman faith there perisheth, the 'see of Rome falleth also; therefore the council of cardinals have though fit to encourage your country of Ireland, as a sacred island, being certified, whilst the mother⚫ church hath a son of worth as yourself, and of those that < shall succour you, and join therein, that she will never 'fall, but have more or less a holding in Britain, in spite of fate. Thus having obeyed the order of the most sa• cred council, we recommend your princely person to the holy Trinity of the blessed virgin, of St Peter, St Paul, ' and of all the heavenly host of heaven. Amen.' Romæ 4 Kalend. May, 1538.

Episcopus Metensis.

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In pursuance of this letter, O'Neal had declared himself the champion of Popery; and having entered into a confederacy with others, they jointly invaded the Pale, and` committed several ravages; but were soon after quelled. The friar, O'Neal, was put in the pillory, and confined a prisoner till the king's further orders. But it being rumoured that he was to be hanged, he laid violent hands on himself; yet his dead corpse was carried to the GallowsGreen and hanged up, and afterwards there buried: But it was said, by the register of St Francis's monastry of Dublin, that they brought him from thence and buried him in that monastry. About the time that K. Henry VIII. began to suppress the monasteries in England and Ireland, archbishop Browne perfected his design of removing all superstitious reliques and images out of the two cathedrals in Dublin, and out of the rest of the churches within his diocese; and in their room placed the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Commandments in gold letters and gilded frames. And, soon after, namely in the year 1541, the king converted the priory of the Holy

Trinity,