Archbishop Browne's sense of his singular position. Letter from the Character of the Popish clergy and people. His prayer for support from England. In his correspondence with the Lord Privy Seal, between two and three months antecedent to the date of Lord Butler's letter to the king, the archbishop had disclosed his views of his singular position. Similar feelings manifestly dictated the following letter, written by him on the 8th of April, 1538, to the Lord Cromwell, showing his strong conviction of the obstacles which beset him from his opponents, and of the necessity of additional support from England, and of more active co-operation from the Irish government". "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 to give me his grace, to execute the same to his glory, and his highness's honour, with your lordship's instructions. "The people of this nation be zealous, yet blind and unknowing 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 being not skilled in the Latin grammar, so that a bird might be taught to speak with as much sense as several of them do in this country; these sorts, though not scholars, yet crafty to cozen the poor common people, and to dissuade them from following his highness's orders. George, my brother of Armagh, doth under-hand occasion quarrels, 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 do know your lordship's pleasure; for it is meet I acquaint you first. The Romish reliques and images of both my cathedrals in Dublin 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 lordship's next to me, an order more full, and a chide Life of Abp. Browne. 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 tug long, before his highness can submit them to his grace's orders. The country 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 the clergy, desired to assist them, not to suffer his highness to alter church-rates 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 favour for this nation, purposely to oppose his highness; and so have got, since the act passed, great indulgences for rebellion; therefore my hopes are lost, yet my zeal is to do according to your lordship's orders. God keep your lordship from your enemies here and in England'." Apprehension of from Rome. interference SECTION III. Pope's encouragement to resist the King's claims. Bull of excommunica THE anticipated encouragement from the Pope, in Pope's bull of opposition to the king's claim on the allegiance of tion. the people, was not long in coming; and it came after that manner, according to which it has ever been the presumptuous policy of the papal power, to protect an usurpation the most unjust and tyranLife of Abp. Browne, 9 nical by the most profane and bitter imprecations. The information was conveyed by the archbishop to the Lord Cromwell, the ensuing May, in the following letter: Archbishop Browne to the May, 1538. Right honourable,' My duty premised: it may please your lordship to be Lord Cromwell. advertised, sithence 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 substance, as our secretary hath translated the same into English, is thus: Popish vow of obedience. "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 things, as well spiritual as temporal, not consenting in the least that his holiness shall lose the least title or dignity belonging to the papacy of our mother church, 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 Rome. "I do likewise promise to confer, defend, and promote, if not personally, yet willingly, as in ability 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 hereticks, either in making or setting forth edicts or commands, contrary to the mother church of Rome; and in case any such to be moved or composed, to resist it to the uttermost of my power, with the first convenience and opportunity I can possess. 66 "I count all acts, made or to be made by heretical powers, of no force, or to be practised or obeyed by myself, or 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, friend. or acquaintance whatsoever, accursed, that either do or shall hold, for time to come, any ecclesiastical or civil, above the authority of the mother Church; or that do or shall obey, for the time to come, any of her the mother Church's opposers or enemies, or contrary to the same, of which I have here sworn unto; so God, the blessed Virgin, St. Peter, St. Paul, and the holy evangelists help, &c.' "His highness the viceroy of this nation, 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 sufficient 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 anything will, cause a foreigner to invade this nation. I pray God I may be a false prophet; yet your good lordship must pardon mine opinion, for I write it to your lordship as a warning'." Practice of the Irish to seek ad from foreign powers. This bull of excommunication from the Pope was intended not to be a mere brutum fulmen, but to be the harbinger of more open and determined hostility against the king and his liege subjects, who dared to resist the aggressions of the papal tyranny. About Midsummer a Franciscan friar, named Thady Birne, was apprehended; and, having been put into the pil- Apprehension of lory, was confined in prison, until the king's order friar. should arrive for his transmission to England. But terrified by the report that he was to be put to death, he committed suicide on the 24th of July in the 1 Cox's Hist., i., 257, 258. a Franciscan Letter to O'Neal from the Bishop of Metz. April, 1538. Charge to suppress heresy. O'Neal declares himself champion of the papacy. 1539. castle of Dublin; and amongst other papers, was found in his possession the following letter to O'Neal, dated at Rome April the 28th, 1538, exciting him to rebellion in the names of the Pope and cardinals, and under the signature of the bishop of Metz. My son O'Neal, "Thou and thy fathers are 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. Laserianus, an Irish Bishop of Cashel, wherein he saith, that the mother Church of Rome falleth, when in Ireland the Catholick 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' enemies; for when the Roman faith there perisheth, the see of Rome falleth also. Therefore the council of Cardinals have thought 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 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 [care of the] Holy Trinity, of the blessed Virgin, of St. Peter, St. Paul, and all the heavenly host of heaven.—Amen. "EPISCOPUS METENSIS." This and the like solicitations to rebellion and treason, in behalf of the Bishop and Church of Rome, were not lost upon O'Neal, who early in the following year, declared himself the champion of the papacy; or upon others of the Irish leaders, to whom they appear to have been addressed, and who, engaging in a confederacy, took the field, and committed great devastations, till they were defeated by the foresight and valour of the Lord Deputy and Sir William 2 WARE'S Life of Abp. Browne. Cox's Hist., i., 258. |