Trinity, into a cathedral church, consisting of a dean and chapter, a chanter, a treasurer, six vicars choral, and two singing-boys; who were allowed 451. 6s. English money: This sum Mary confirmed for ever. But K. James I. altered what K. Henry and his daughter had. done; and upon this second alteration he constituted a dean, a chanter, a chancellor, a treasurer, three prebends, six vicars choral, and four singing-boys: Ordering likewise, that the archdeacon of Dublin should have a place in the choir, and a vote in the chapter. And our archbishop founded three prebends in the same, in 1554, namely, St Michael's, St John's, and St Michan's: From which time it hath generally been known by the name of Christ-Church.

In the year 1542, died primate Cromer, and was succeeded in the see of Armagh the year following by archbishop Dowdal; who was zealous against the Reformation, as his predecessor had been. K. Henry the VIIIth. also died in the year 1546, and was succeeded by his son K. Edward the VIth; who, by the advice of his privy council, began to consider, what good effects proceeded from the translation of the Bible into English, and what light it gave to the understandings of his subjects in matters of religion; and therefore he caused the liturgy to be altered from what his father had established, and ordered it to be read and sung in the several cathedrals and parish churches of England in English: And that his subjects of Ireland might have the same benefit, he sent over an order dated the sixth of February, 1550, for the reading the liturgy and the prayers of the church, and the Bible in the mother-tongue, which was first observed in Christ-Church, Dublin, on Easter-day in the year 1551, in presence of the lord deputy St Leger, archbishop Browne, and the mayor and bayliffs of Dublin. But previous to the proclamation for observing this order, the deputy convened an assembly of the archbishops, bishops, and clergy, and signified to them the king's order, and the opinions of the bishops and clergy of England, who adhered unto the same there. Primate Dowdal and the popish party bent all their force against receiving the liturgy in English; but not being able to prevail, he departed from the assembly, and with him several of his suffragan bishops: But archbishop Browne received it with the utmost satisfaction and pleasure; saying at the same time, "This order, brethren,

"is

* See the end of his life.

"is from our gracious king, and from the fathers and "clergy of England; who have compared the holy Scrip"tures with what they have done; unto whom I submit, "as Jesus did to Cæsar, in all things just and lawful, making no question why or wherefore, as we own him our "true and lawful king." Several of the more moderate of the bishops and clergy adhered to our archbishop; among whom were Staples, bishop of Meath; Lancaster, bishop of Kildare; Travers, bishop of Leighlin, and Coyn, bishop of Limerick; which concurrence was severely remembered to most of them in the following reign.

Archbishop Browne preached a sermon on this occasion against keeping the scriptures in the Latin tongue, and the worship of images; and as this sermon is the only piece extant of so great a man, and at so singular a period, besides his letters set down above, we have subjoined it, being short, presuming it may prove agreeable to the curious Reader *. Archbishop Dowdal, by reason of his violent and unseasonable opposition to the king's order, was deprived of the title of primate of all Ireland; which by letters patent, bearing date the twentieth of October, 1551, was conferred on archbishop Browne, and his successors in the see of Dublin for ever. However he did not long enjoy this dignity; for he was deprived, both of it, and his archbishopric, in 1554, the first of Q. Mary I. under

* Sir Anthony St Leger signified, in this affembly, that it was his majefty's order, as alfo the opinion of the bishops and clergy in England, that the liturgy of the church thould be read or fung, and the Bible be read in English in the feveral cathedrals and churches in Ireland the fame as in England; primate Dowdal then ftanding up with much zeal faid, Then hall every illiterate fellow read fcrvice, or mafs, as he in thofe days termed the word fervice. To which Sir Anthony replied; No, your Grace is mistaken, for we have too many illiterate priests amongst us already, who neither can pronounce the Latin, nor know what it means, no more than the common people that hear them; but, when the people hear the Liturgy in English, they and the priest will then understand what they pray for. Upon this reply, Dowdal bade Sir Anthony beware of the clergy s curfe. Sir Anthony made an anfwer, I fear no ftrange curfe, fo long as I have the bleffing of that church which I believe to be the true one. archbishop again faid, Can there be a truer church, than the church of St Peter, the mother church of Rome? Sir Anthony returned this answer; I thought we had been all of the church of Chrift; for he calls all true believers in him his church, and himself the head thereof. The archbishop replied, And is not St Peter the church of Chrift? Sir Anthony returned this anfwer: St Peter was a member of Chrift's church, but the church was not St Peter's; neither was St Peter, but Chrift, the head thereof. Upon this the archbishop tose up, and with him several biflops and clergy, under his jurisdiction, went away.

The

under pretence that he was married; but in truth, because he had zealously promoted the Reformation. And then archbishop Dowdal, who had lived in exile during part of the reign of K. Edward VI. recovered the title of primate, and also the archbishopric of Armagh, which had been given to Hugh Goodacre *. While archbishop Browne enjoyed the see of Dublin, the cathedral of St Patrick's was suppressed, for about the space of eight years; but Q Mary restored it to its ancient dignity, towards the end of the year 1554. The exact time of archbishop Browne's death is not recorded; only we are told, that he died about the year 1556. The learned and excellent Usher, late primate of Armagh, amongst his memorials of Ireland, gives this description of him; George Browne < was a man of a chearful countenance, meek and peaceable, in his acts and deeds plain downright, of good parts, and very stirring in what he judged to be for the interest of religion, or the service of his king; to the poor, merciful, and compassionate, pitying the state and condition of the souls of the people, &c. and was adorned with every good and valuable qualification.'

The

* Q. Mary's letter to the dean and chapter of Christ church in Dublin, to receive the archbishop of Dublin honourably, and with due refpect. Copia vera, ex Libro nigro Sanctæ Trinitatis Dublinii.

To our trusty and well beloved the dean and chapter, &c.

Mary the Queen.

TRUSTY and well-beloved, we greet you well; and for as much as the right reverend father in GOD, our right trufty and well-beloved counsellor the archbishop of Dublin, being lately chefen for that fee, repaireth speedily to that our realm of Ireland, as well to refide upon the cure of his bishopric, which now of long time hath been deftitute of a catholic bifhop, as alfo to occupy the office of cur high chancellor of that our realm; albeit we have good hopes ye will, in all things of yourselves, carry yourfelves towards him as becometh you; yet, to the intent he might the better govern the charge committed unto him, to the honour of almighty GOD, and for the remain of our service, we have thought fit to require and charge you, that for your part ye do reverently receive him, honour, and humbly obey him in all things, as appertaineth to your duties tending to GOD's glory, our honour, and the common weal of that our realm; whereby ye hall please GOD, and do us acceptable

• fervice.

Given under our fignet at the manor of Greenwich, the twentyfifth of September, in the fecond and third years of our reign.'

We have here inferted this letter on two accounts: first, as being a record remaining in the cathedral: Secondly, because there hath been fome difcourfe of late, whether the archbishop of Dublin had power herein, or whether it was upon K. Henry's mutation made a deanery, as Whitehall chapel is, and no cathedral; but, by this letter, it fhews it is both ftill a cathedral, and fubject to the archbishop of Dublin.

The following remarkable providence, as it stands, in some measure, connected with our Author's life, as to time and place, and tends to shew that God is a God of Providence, preserving his people in times of danger from the hands of the wicked, as well as a God of Grace, saving their souls and bringing them to glory, we shall lay before our Readers, as we find it in the Harleian Miscel lany, vol. v. p. 568.

Q. Mary, having dealt severely with the Protestants in England, about the latter end of her reign, signed a commission for to take the same course with them in Ireland; and, to execute the san e with greater force, she nominates Dr Cole one of the commissioners, sending the commission by this doctor, who in his journey coming to Chester, the mayor of that city, hearing that her majesty was sending a messenger into Ireland, and he being a churchman, waited on the doctor, who in discourse with the mayor, taketh out of a clock-bag a leather box, saying unto him, Here

is a commission that shall lash the heretics of Ireland,' calling the Protestants by that title. The good woman of the house being well affected to the Protestant religion, and also having a brother named John Edmonds of the same, then a citizen in Dublin, was much troubled at the doctor's words; but watching her convenient time, whilst the mayor took his leave, and the doctor complimented him down stairs, she opens the box and takes the commission out, placing in lieu of it a sheet of paper with a pack of cards, the knave of clubs faced uppermost, wrapped up. The doctor coming up to his chamber suspecting nothing of what had been done, put up the box as formerly. The next day, going to the waterside, wind and weather serving him, he sails towards Ireland, and landed on the seventh of October, 1558, at Dublin; then coming to the castle, the lord Fitz-Walters, being lord deputy, sent for him to come before him and the privy council; who coming in, after he had made a speech relating upon what account he came over, he presents the box unto the lord deputy, who causing it to be opened, that the secretary might read the commission, there was nothing save a pack of cards with the knave of clubs uppermost; which not only startled the lord deputy and council, but the doctor, who assured them he had a commission, but knew not how it was gone; then the lord deputy made answer, Let us have another commission, and we will shuffle the cards in the mean while:' The doctor being troubled in his mind went away, and returned

into England; and coming to the court obtained another commission; but, staying for a wind at the waterside, news came to him, that the queen was dead; and thus GOD preserved the Protestants in Ireland.

This being a copy of Richard earl of Corke's memorials, as also of Usher, sometime lord primate of Armagh, being also entered amongst Sir James Ware's manuscripts, who hath often heard the late James Usher, nephew to the said Henry, and also primate of Armagh, aver the same, and wondered that Mr Fox had not inserted it in his Acts

and Monuments;' there is yet living a reverend father of the church, Henry now lord bishop of Meath, who can affirm this relation from the said James Usher, late lord primate of all Ireland.

Upon the recalling of the lord Fitz-Walters into England, Q. Elizabeth, who succeeded her sister, discoursing with the said lord, concerning several passages in Ireland, amongst other subjects he related the above passage that had happened in Ireland; which so delighted the queen, that her majesty sent for the good woman, named Elizabeth Edmonds, but by her husband called Mattershad, and gave her a pension of forty pounds durante vitá, (so long as she lived) for saving her Protestant subjects of Ireland.

The following is a very remarkable sermon, preached by our archbishop in the year 1551 at Christ-Church, Dublin. The copy of it was given to Sir James Ware, (see his history of Ireland, p. 152. edit. 1705.) and is inserted in the Harleian Miscellany, vol. v. p. 566 *.

PSAL. cxix. 18.

Open mine eyes, that I may see the wonders of thy law.

"THE wonders of the Lord GOD have for a long "time been hid from the children of men, which hath "happened by Rome's not permitting the common peo"ple to read the holy Scriptures; for to prevent you, "that you might not know the comfort of your salva"tion, but to depend wholly on the church of Rome, they will no permit it to be in any tongue but the "Latin,

86

*It has been obferved in Maclaine's tranflation of Moheim's Ecclefiaftica! Hiftory, that the character and spirit of the JESUITS were admirably described, and their tranfactions and fate foretold, with a fagacity almoft prophetic' in this fermon. The paffage alluded to, is near the clofe, beginning with the words, "But there is a new fraternity, &c." Tre memory of almost every Reader can confirm the juftness of the archbishop's præfentiment or prediction.