The pre The preceding lists are interesting, as exhiceding cata biting the most complete and elaborate effect which has appeared, as far as I am aware, in accuracy or any Romanist publication, to set forth a succes lognes of no great character for depth of learning, sion of this kind, adapted to the objects of that Church. But however, these tables appear (independently of the general falsehood as to the succession of the Irish Church, which they are designed to uphold) very little worthy of consideration for any accuracy or extent of information contained in them. And they are in some cases absurdly erroneous, as for instance in pervert ing poor Walsh and Leverous* to the Reformed faith centuries after their deaths, and setting them down for "heretics" in lists of Protestant bishops, after all their self-sacrificing struggles for a place among "Catholic martyrs." On the other hand we may observe James Mac Caghwell, Queen Elizabeth's Protestant bishop of Cashel and Emly, 1563-1570, advanced to a place in the "Catholic" succession above given, and oddly enough engrafted into it, as the predecessor of Maurice Reagh Fitzgibbon, who was for murdering him, in contest for the see, on the pope's title and interest. Many other errors might be easily pointed out in the same catalogues, were there any occasion; but they do not seem of sufficient importance to require to be thus dwelt upon by us here any further. The lists for the several sees are continued in the "C. Catholic Directory" to the present time; but it did not appear necessary for our purpose to pursue them further than was sufficient to bring this account of the commencement of the new succession down to the period when it was pretty generally established in all the dioceses of Ireland. * Vid. pp. 1370, '71, sup. Paul V. ter of condo No. LXIX. BRIEF OF POPE PAUL V. "TO THE FAITHFUL IN IRELAND, CIRC. A.D. 1614. (From De Burgo, Hib. Dom. p. 629. Vid. Art. LXI. sup.) "XXV. This invincible constancy on the part of the writes a let- Irish gave occasion to the Roman Pontiff who then lence, &c., to reigned, viz., Paul V. above noticed, to despatch to them an apostolic letter which was indeed a truly golden one, and worthy of being encased in cedar, of the following Purport: his friends in Ireland, A.D. 1614. (continued from Art. No. LXI. sup.) To our beloved children the clergy, nobility, and faithful people of the realm of Ireland, Paul V. pope. 'Beloved children, health and apostolical benediction. 'Great is the tribulation which has overwhelmed our heart, at hearing as we have done, that the hardships and afflictions to which you have been reduced, in your struggle to maintain the glory due unto the name of God and the interests of the Catholic religion, have increased in their severity, and that when you were in expectation of peace, there came upon you only greater tribulation; but yet we render thanks to the God of mercies, who consoles you IN YOUR ADMIRABLE CONSTANCY, WHICH TO THE DISTINGUISHED HONOUR OF YOUR NAME, IS CELEBRATED BY ALL CHURCHMEN, [sic.] We have indeed received an exact account in the reports which have been furnished to us, of the recent persecution excited against you. We are aware that the adver saries of the Catholic faith are making every effort, omitting no sort of means to disengage you from your adherence to unity with this holy see. This is no new trial for the Church, who from her humiliation receives |