(97)

neither legitimacy, learning, English habit or English language, but were the issue of unchaste abbots, priors, deans, chantors, and such like, getting into the same dignities by force, simony, or other undue means: therefore the chief governor of Ireland shall, for ten years to come, have the sole nomination of all deans, archdeacons, chantors, chancellors, and treasurers of cathedral churches in Munster and Connaught, those of Waterford, Cork, Limerick, and Cashel excepted." By a second act, schools were ordered to be erected in the principal town of every diocese, under the direction of English schoolmasters, of whose salary one-third was to be paid by the bishop and the remainder by his clergy. Another act "for the reparation of parochial churches," had been transmitted by the council in England for the approbation of the parliament here. But it never passed into a law, having been either opposed by the popish party, or considered as too expensive, and therefore impracticable. (98)

A much more promising measure was shortly after attempted by private zeal and enterprise. A printing press, together with a set of Irish types, the first that had been cast, were brought into Ireland by two dignitaries of St. Patrick's cathedral, Dublin, who also procured an order for printing the

97 Cox, i. 331. See note (27.)

98 Leland, ii. 245. The following preamble to a proclamation, issued by Sir John Perrot, lord deputy, above fifteen years after the passing of these acts, furnishes another proof of the wretched state of the parish churches, and at the same time shows that the above act, on the subject of schools, had not been carried into effect. "4 March, 1584. Whereas it appeareth unto us, that churches and chauncels, for the most part, within this realm, are not only decayed, ruinated and broken down, to the great hindrance of God's divine service, whereby the people are for the most part, and in most places, left without instruction to know their duty to God and the prince; but also we find that free-schools, which are to be maintained and kept for the education and bringing up of youth in good literature, are now, for the most part, not kept or maintained, &c., &c.," therefore commissioners were apppointed to “make inquiry into the same." Here the matter ended, according to the established custom of Irish reforms, and nothing farther was done. Hardiman's Bard. Rem. ii. 409-10.

liturgy in that character, and for setting apart in every principal town, a church in which divine service might be conducted, and a sermon preached in the Irish tongue. (99) It is doubtful whether any part of this most judicious plan was, at this period, carried into execution. There was, indeed, some preaching in the Irish tongue, (100) but the book of commonprayer was not published in that language till the reign of James I. Various books, however, were successively printed in Irish and partially circulated. A translation of the New Testament was in considerable progress, when it was unhappily interrupted by the murder of the translator, the bishop of Ossory, in the year 1585.(101) It was not completed until twenty years afterwards. This important though unsuccessful attempt, it is in the highest degree pleasing to contemplate, as it not only afforded a promise of better things to come, but was a gratifying proof that although the civil authorities were inattentive and negligent, there were individuals who deeply felt for the ignorance and error by which they were surrounded, and were anxious for the removal of these evils by the legitimate means of reasoning and instruction.

Such zealous and benevolent individuals, however, whether among the clergy or laity, were extremely few. The greatest

99 Ware's Annals, ad an. 1571: These dignitaries were Nic. Walsh, chancellor, who was afterwards bishop of Ossory, and John Kerney, treasurer. See note (43.)

100 This is evident from the statement of Ware, who says that these sermons in Irish "were instrumental in converting many of the ignorant sort in those days." Annals.

101 Nic. Walsh, mentioned in note (99), was surprised and murdered in his own house, on the 14th of Dec. 1585, by a man whom he had cited before his court for adultery. His translation of the New Testament was completed by Wm. Daniel, archbishop of Tuam, out of the original Greek. Ware's Bishops, p. 616. It was printed in 1602; at least this is the date upon the title-page. But as the work is dedicated to James I. after his accession to the English throne, it was probably only put to press in that year. A copy is in Trinity College library, Dublin. Archbishop Daniel also translated the book of common-prayer into Irish, which was printed in 1608, and dedicated to Sir Arthur Chichester, then lord deputy.

disadvantage under which the cause of truth now laboured, was the want of learned and pious ministers. This sad deficiency has been already alluded to, as characterizing the earlier periods of the Reformation. It was, no doubt, impossible that it should at once be supplied, even by the most diligent exertions to procure individuals fitted for the work of evangelizing the country. But these exertions were not made. The evil continued to exist, and even to increase. In the year 1576, Sir Henry Sydney feeling the want of a well-instructed ministry, was induced to write to Elizabeth herself on the subject, pointing out the magnitude of the evil, and entreating her to adopt the means which, at the same time, he suggested for its removal. In this letter he details the wretched situation of one diocese in the most populous and civilized part of the kingdom, and leaves his royal mistress to conjecture how destitute the remoter districts must be of an adequate ministry.

The following extracts, from this important document, are necessary for enabling the reader to form a correct idea of the ecclesiastical state of Ireland at this period. "I would not have believed, had I not for a great part viewed the same throughout the whole realm, and was advertised of the particular estate of each church in the bishoprick of Meath, (being the best inhabited country of all this realm) by the honest, zealous, and learned bishop of the same, Mr. Hugh Brady, a godly minister of the Gospel, who went from church to church himself, and found that there are within his diocese 224 parish churches, of which number 105 are impropriated to sundry possessions now of your Highness, and all leased out for years, or in fee farm, to several farmers, and great gain reaped out of them above the rent which your Majesty receiveth, no parson or vicar resident upon any of them, and a very simple or sorry curate for the most part appointed to serve them: among which number of curates, only eighteen were found able to speak English, the rest are Irish priests, or rather Irish rogues, having very little Latin and less learning and civility: all these live on the bare alterages (as they term them) which,

God knoweth, are very small, and were wont to live upon the gain of masses, dirges, shriving and such like trumpery, goodly abolished by your Majesty, no one house standing for any of them to dwell in. the churches down, very doors ruined or spoiled.

In many places the very walls of few chancels covered, windows or There are fifty-two parish churches more, residue of the first number of 224, which pertain to divers particular lords; and these, though in better estate than the rest commonly are, yet far from well. If this be the estate of the church in the best peopled diocese and best governed country of this your realm, (as in truth it is) easy it is for your Majesty to conjecture in what case the rest is, where little or no reformation, either of religion or manners, hath yet been planted and continued among them. Your Majesty may believe it, that upon the face of the earth, where Christ is professed, there is not a church in so miserable a case: the misery of which consisteth in these three particulars, the ruin of the very temples themselves, the want of good ministers to serve in them when they shall be re-edified, and competent livings for the ministers when well chosen." Sir Henry then proceeds to suggest the most practicable methods for supplying these deplorable deficiencies. He recommends that the churches be forthwith repaired; that search be made in the English Universities for reformed ministers, especially for such as can speak Irish; that if these cannot be found there, application be made to the Regent of Scotland, in whose dominions he states there were many persons thus qualified; and that some of the grave and wellbeneficed English clergy be sent hither, "to undertake this apostleship, and that upon their own charges. They be rich enough," he adds, "and if either they be thankful to your Majesty for your immense bounty done to them, or zealous to increase the Christian flock, they will not refuse the honourable and religious travel."(102) These recommendations, how

102 Sydney Papers, i. 112, et seq.

ever, though coming from so influential a quarter, and urged with so much earnestness, do not appear to have met with the least attention. There is no notice taken of them in the instructions given to subsequent deputies; and in the Parliament held a few years afterwards, at which were present four archbishops and twenty bishops, not a single enactment was passed bearing on the subject of religion! Such was the fate of all the good plans so often projected for advancing the Reformation in Ireland! They were neglected and forgotten. How could the Gospel be expected to prevail in the face of interest, prejudice, and passion, without the agency of ministers and missionaries to teach its doctrines, illustrate its excellence, and defend its truth against sophistry and misrepresentation?

But while the measures recommended by Sir Henry Sydney for obtaining a supply of faithful pastors were thus neglected, one obvious means for attaining this object, though unaccountably overlooked in his letter to the queen, was soon after adopted. This was the establishment of a University in Dublin. Such a measure had indeed been projected by Sydney in the year 1569, but like many similar plans, it had failed through the neglect or indifference of the English ministry. It was now, in the year 1590, revived. By the exertions of the archbishop of Dublin and the lord deputy Fitzwilliam, this important establishment was completed, and students were, for the first time, admitted on the ninth of January 1593.(103) One chief object of its erection was to afford facilities for the education of candidates for the national church. For this purpose the study of the Irish language was very judiciously encouraged, and endowments called "natives' places," which still exist, were set apart for the support of those who applied themselves to this pursuit. The college was founded on more liberal principles than those on which it has been subsequently conducted. The distinction

103 Leland, ii. 324-6.