strength. Accordingly, he began this task, in a regular manner, about the twentieth year of his age, and finished it when about thirty-eight years old; strictly confining himself to read so much in a day, and suffering no occasions whatever to divert him from it.

In 1598, he held the part of respondent with great applause in the philosophy act, that was performed in compliment to the Earl of Essex, upon his first coming over Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Chancellor of the University of Dublin. Our student, the same year, upon the death of his father, who had designed him for his own profession, the common law, discovered an uncommon degree of resolution and firmness of mind. The paternal estate, which descended to him as eldest son and heir, he resigned, though of considerable value, to his younger brother: And reserving only so much of it as was necessary to support him in a studious life at the college, he followed his own inclination in devoting himself to the profession of divinity, and being thereby qualified by the statutes, he was admitted fellow of the society. The proficiency he made in this study, was answerable to his resolution. At the age of eighteen, our stripling entered the lists with Henry Fitz-Symonds, a learned jesuit, then prisoner in the castle of Dublin, who had given a general challenge to defend Bellarmin's principles against any opposer. This challenge by Fitz-Symonds is in the dedication of a piece written by him, where he declares he offered to maintain such particulars as were thought by the protestants to be the weakest in the Romish doctrine, and to attack all those points which they thought to be the strongest in their doctrine. 'But nobody would hear me, (says he) though I called with a voice as loud as Stentor to the contest. Only there once came to me a youth of about eighteen, very forward in his understanding, who shewed a very strong desire of disputing upon the most obstruse points of divinity, though he had not yet completed his course of philosophy, nor arrived to manhood. But when I asked him if he had leave from his superiors, promising in that case to enter the lists with him, the young man, not being honoured with any such commission, had nothing to shew, and returned no more.' Thus the jesuit; but the matter is related by another author as follows: Henry Fitz-Symonds, the jesuit, challenging his adversaries to meet him in the castle of Dublin, this beardless youth combated so bravely and frequently that veteran in the main article of his cause, viz. an

tichrist,

tichrist, that he repented his having challenged him, and met with opponents sufficient in this one youth, who was but eighteen years old.' However, Dr. Thomas Smith has made it sufficiently evident, that there was a dispute between them: And Dr. Parr informs us, that the subject was Bellarmin's controversies; and because the several matters in debate could not be disputed in one or two meetings, they appointed to meet once a-week; and besides gives us the following letter of Mr. Usher to FitzSymonds, which shews that, after a few meetings, the jesuit declined the combat.

"I was not purposed, Mr. Fitz-Symonds, to write unto you, before you had first written unto me, concerning some chief points of your religion, as at our last meeting you promised. But, seeing you have deferred the same, (for reasons best known to yourself) I thought it not amiss to enquire further of your mind concerning the continuation of the conference begun betwixt us. And to this I am the rather moved, because I am credibly informed of certain reports, which I could hardly be persuaded should proceed from him, who in my presence pretended so great love and affection to me. If I am a boy, (as it hath pleased you very contemptuously to name me) I give thanks to the Lord, that my carriage towards you hath been such as could minister no just occasion to despise my youth. Your spear belike is, in your own conceit, a weaver's beam, and your abilities such, that you desire to encounter with the stoutest champion in the host of Israel; and therefore, like the Philistine, you contemn me as being a boy. Yet this I would fain have you know, that I neither came then, nor do come now unto you, in any confidence of any learning that is in me, (in which respect notwithstanding, I thank GOD, I am what I am) but I come in the name of the Lord of hosts, whose companies you have reproached, being certainly persuaded, that even out of the mouths of babes and sucklings he was able to shew forth his own praises; for the further manifestation whereof, I do again earnestly request you, that, setting aside all vain compa rison of persons, we may go plainly forward in examining the matters that rest in controversy between us. Otherwise I hope you will not be displeased if, as for your part you have begun, so I also, for my own part, may be bold, for the clearing of myself, and the truth which I profess, freely to make known what hath already passed concerning this matter. Thus intreating you in a few

lines to make known unto me your purpose in this behalf, I end; praying the Lord that both this and all other enterprizes that we take in hand may be so ordered, as may most make for the advancement of his own glory and the kingdom of his son, Jesus Christ.

"Tuus ad aras usque,
"JAMES USHER.'

Dr. Parr observes, with the author of Collectio Batesiana, that the same jesuit living to understand our Author better, styles him Acatholicorum Doctissimus. And to form a judgment of the value of this testimony of our Author's lite rary merit, it will be necessary to enquire into the worth and credit of the witness. Henry Fitz-Symonds was the most noted jesuit in his time, if we may believe the Oxford antiquary, who informs us, that he was an Irishman born, and the son of a merchant in Dublin, that he was matriculated at Oxford as a member of Hart-hall, (now Hertford college) April 26, 1583, and in that of his age, fourteen. That in December following it seems probable that he was elected student of Christ-church: But that he did not stay long at the University, which he left without taking any degree, being come to a resolution to change the church of England for that of Rome. In which disposition he crossed the sea, and entered himself in the society of Jesus at Louvain, where putting himself under the instructions of the famous Leonard Lessius, he made such a quick proficiency, that he became eminent enough, in a short time, to be himself a teacher, especially in philosophy, which he taught publicly for several years.

At length, returning to his native country of Ireland, he made it his business, as a missionary, to gain proselytes to his religion. To which end he had both private conferences and public disputes with protestant ministers. In this work he persisted for two years without disturbance, being esteemed the chief disputant among those of his party, and so ready and quick, that few or none would undertake to deal with him. In fine, being apprehended for a dangerous person, he was committed to safe custody in Dublin castle in 1599, where he continued about five years. Though confinement hindered him from proceeding to spread his principles, yet did it not break his resolution, or damp his courage and good-will for the cause. On the contrary, he was no sooner fixed in a prison, than he said, that, Being a prisoner, he was like a bear tied to a stake, and wanted some to bait him; which expression being looked on as

a chal

a challenge, was taken up by our Author, Mr. James Usher. Afterwards, at the end of the five years, being 'set at liberty, on his promise to behave quietly, and give no disturbance to the King and kingdom, he went forthwith into voluntary exile into the Low-countries, where he spent his time in performing offices requisite to his function, and in writing books, particularly A Catholic Confutation of Mr. John Rider's Claim of Antiquities, and a Calming Comfort against his Caveat, with a Reply to Mr. Rider's Postscripts, and a Discovery of Puritan Partiality in his behalf. To which is annexed, An Answer to certain Complaintive Letters of afflicted Catholics for Religion.' All printed together at Roban, 1608; in which year he went, according to summons, to Rome, where being appointed by a mission of. Ireland, he published his profession of the four vows; and then, being sent back to the Low-countries, he went again into Ireland, where he spent many years in confirming the Roman catholics in their religion, and in making new proselytes. At length, having been a great encourager and abetter of the rebellion which broke out there in 1641, he was, after the rebels began to be subdued, forced to fly for shelter into woods and on mountains, and to creep and skulk into every place, for fear of being taken and hanged by the English soldiers.

In the beginning of the year 1643 he was forced to change his place, and retire for safety into a moorish and boggy ground, where sheltering himself under a shepherd's cot, no better than a hovel, which did not keep out the wind and rain, he lived there in a very sorry condition, and had for his bedding a pad of straw, which would be often wet by the rising and coming in of the water. Notwithstanding all this misery he seemed to be very cheerful, and was ready to instruct the young ones about him, and comfort others. But being in a manner spent, and his age not able to bear such misery long, he was with great difficulty taken away, and being conveyed by some of the brethren into a better place, he expired among them on the calends of February the same year 1643-4. By his death, concludes this writer, the Roman catholics lost a pillar of their church, being esteemed, in the better part of his life, a great ornament among them, and the greatest defender of their religion in his time. Besides the pieces already mentioned, he wrote A Justification and Exposition of the Sacrifice of the Mass,' in two books, or more, printed in 1611, 4to. And Britannomachia

tannomachia ministrorum in plerisque et fidei fundamentis et fidei articulis dissidentium.' Duac. 1614. 4to. As also a third piece, which was A Catalogue of the Irish Saints.'

"From

The next year, 1600, Mr. Usher proceeded A. M. was appointed proctor, and chosen catechetical lecturer of the university. In 1601, he entered into holy orders, and was in a little time appointed afternoon preacher on Sundays before the state at Christ church in Dublin. In the course of this duty, he preached a remarkable sermon against granting a toleration to the papists. The text was from Ezekiel iv. 6. And thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year, which he applied to Ireland. this year (says he) I reckon forty years, and them whom you now embrace shall be your ruin, and you shall bear their iniquity." This conjecture at that time seemed to be the present thought of a young man who was no friend to popery; but when the Irish rebellion broke out in 1641, and so many thousand protestants were killed, and the whole nation harassed by a bloody war, some persons then alive, who heard this sermon, began to think the preacher a young prophet. Our Author was remarkable in some other such predictions, insomuch that there is a treatise extant, de prædictionibus Usserii. Dr. Smith has thought proper (how judiciously I refer to others) to censure these surmises of our Author as proceeding from a vain humour to dive into the mystical sense of Scripture, and an idle pretence of being endued with a prophetic spirit. But such kind of predictions being only a judicious conjecture and foresight, it seems more to the purpose of his character, that, in this passage of his sermon, he put the non-toleration of popery upon the intolerant persecuting spirit of that religion, dissuading a toleration thereof upon reasons of danger to the state, and not solely upon its idolatry. The use of this will appear presently.

The

In 1603, a collection of eighteen hundred pounds being made to buy books for his college library, he was pitched upon, with Dr. Chaloner, to execute that trust. money was raised by the English army, after having defeated the Spaniards that had come to the assistance of the Irish at Kingsale: And it was resolved by the benefactors that these two should be employed to buy the books. They discharged the trust to the satisfaction of the donors and the whole college. Our Author always testified the greatest regard for the benefit of the college in every point, as is evident from many of his letters.

He