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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.

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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 ແ 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.

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"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.

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"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. "favours for this nation, purposely to "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."

Rome hath great oppose his high

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.

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I, A. B. from this present hour forward, in the pre'sence 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 E 2

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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 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 acquain'tance 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 C same, which I have here sworn unto: So GOD, the blessed Virgin, St Peter, St Paul, and the holy evangelists ' help me.'

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"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,

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

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 sacred 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.

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,

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,

* See the end of his life.

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