Ecclesiasticis sententijs, censuris et poenis a jure vel ab homine quavis occasione vel causa latis, si quibus quomodolibet innodatae existunt, praeter quam ratione praemissorum absolventes, et absolutas fore censentes, supplicationibus earum nomine nobis super hoc humiliter porrectis inclinati, fraternitatibus vestris, et vestrum cuilibet quoscumque ex praedictis etiam quacumque Ecclesiastica dignitate, et præeminentia praeditis, ut praedicitur excommunicatis, qui hoc a vobis, seu vestrum aliqua humiliter petierint, imposita singulis aliqua arbitrio vestro poenitentia salutari, ab excommunicationis huiusmodi sententia alijsque Censuris contra eos per dictum Joannem Baptistam Archiepiscopum, et dictos delegatos vel eorum subdelegatos fulminatis auctoritate nostra Apostolica in forma Ecclesiae consueta, defunctos autem per modum suffragij, absolvendi, et ab illis locis in quibus adhuc viget interdictum predictum amovendi, nec non cum illis Ecclesiasticis saecularibus et regularibus, qui ob contemptum, seu violationem Excommunicationis, aliarumque censurarum praedictarum, ac interdicti huiusmodi irregularitatis notam sive maculam contraxerunt super eadem irregularitate dispensandi, eosque ad quævis alia rehabilitandi plenam et amplam facultatem auctoritate praedicta, tenore praesentium concedimus, et impertimur, non obstantibus praemissis, ac Apostolicis, et universalibus, Provincialibusque, et Synodalibus Concilijs editis generalibus, vel specialibus constitutionibus, et ordinationibus, caeterisque contrarijs quibuscumque. Datum Romae apud Sanctam Mariam Majorem, sub Annulo Piscatoris die 2° Augusti 1655 Pontificatus nostri anno primo.

G. GUALTERIUS.

Huic Indulto affixum erat sigillum ex cera rubra et superscriptum Venerabilibus fratribus Rapotensi, Laghliniensi, Clonfertensi, et Corcagiensi Episcopis, et eorum cuilibet.

XLIV.

LETTER OF THE BISHOP OF LEIGHLIN, FROM PORTIVIEDA, 12TH NOVEMBER, 1656, TO F. RICHARD O'FERALL, O.S.F.C., IN ROME.

(FROM THE RINUCCINI MSS.)

Post Ill. D. Nuncii discessum ex regno, flamma, fame, ferro devastata fuit tota Hibernia, et fructus violationis censurarum et maledictionis aeternae totam sibi subjecit insulam, et qui jam ante erant de nostra confoederatione, jam tum uniti haereticis irruunt in suos cum tanta ferocitate spoliantes aedes, agros vastantes, pecudes in praedam ducentes etiam pupillorum et viduarum, et meis minime parcentes. Quibus non obstantibus et durantibus incommodis post discessum dicti Ill. D. Nuncii exspectans auxilium aut e coelo aut solo, quo deficiente, non alia ex causa quam multitudine peccatorum nostrorum praepedito, procuravi omnibus viribus remedium aliquod antedictis incommodis applicare, non parcens labori aut vigilantiae per triennium circa curam gregis mihi indignissimo pastori commissi, et quanta in hoc triennio pericula, incommoda, inediam, et miserias, in sylvis, montibus, desertis, et latebris, Dei et Ecclesiae causa toleravi nescio, Deus scit; tandem vidi Hiberniam meam, Sanctorum quondam insulam, pene omnem Catholicae Religionis exercitio et libertate destitutam, prophanata templa, diruta coenobia, eversa altaria, sacras cruces, Deiparae Virginis sanctorumque omnium Imagines, ornamenta, vasa, sacros codices, comminui, violari, sacrilegisque focis absumi. Et haec videre, quanta animi amaritudo quae ipsa morte mihi acerbior fuit: quis talia fando temperet a lachrymis ? quem ad luctum et dolorem non moveret vel ipsa tantorum malorum cogitatio? his non obstantibus, teti, restiti constans in mea prima resolutione, pro Deo et Ecclesia quamdiu licuit: sed morte marteque simul imminentibus, post proditoriam, quam audistis, submissionem, cujus in Momonia primus author fuit Edmundus Duir, colonellus, et Edmundus Fenel, colonellus, postea ab haereticis justa Dei compensatione suspensus, et in Lagenia D. Joannes Fitz-Patricius, juvenis insanae libertatis, nunc residens in curia Matritensi, plus ibi habitus quam qui pro Deo exilium usque firmiter steterunt, uti D. Richardus Ferall et D. Hugo

O'Neill: post, inquam, proditoriam hanc submissionem omni humano auxilio destitutus, exilio et summis oceani incommodis me commisi, a quibus divina Providentia ereptus (ut brevitatis causa alias omittam circumstantias) Matritum veni, ubi per aliquot menses moram feci, sed insolitos loci illius aestus ferre non valens, Galeciam de licentia Serenissimi Regis Catholici petii; ubi propter aeris temperiem et loci amoenitatem (gratias Deo Uni et Trino) integra fruor valetudine his duobus annis cum dimidio, quo durante tempore, ex sexaginta ducatis quas invictus et idem serenissimus Rex Catholicus, quem Deus incolumem conservet, in me conferri per mensem pro mea sustentatione imperavit, nonnisi quinque mensium portionem accepi toto tempore quo Matriti mansi et resedeo Pontivediae. Quapropter ego cum sociis nempe Rev. P. fr. Dominico O'Ferall et Rev. P. fr. Raymundo O'Heslenano (alias de S. Michaele) non parva laboramus inedia, et majori laboraremus nisi propter magnificentiam Excell. D.D. Vincentii Gonzagae, Itali, hujus provinciae Galeciae proregis, cujus sumptibus pascimur et nutrimur. Vir enim est noster Prorex nobilissimus, egregie doctus, satis pius, et nescio cui non charitate praeferendus. Utinam procurares si non Sanctissimi Patris, saltem alicujus Eminentissimi Cardinalis litteras ad ipsum pro gratiarum actione, propter ejus in nos eximiam charitatem.

XLV.

EXTRACTS FROM THE ORMONDE CORRESPONDENCE.

(FROM THE CARTE PAPERS IN THE BODLEIAN LIBRARY.)

§ 1.-Letter of Viscount Dillon of Costello to Ormonde.

Antwerp, 14 Decor. '55.

MY LORD,

I confess I never was more mistaken in anie man then in Mr Maninge, I pray My Lo. lett mee knowe if hee has informed of my wayteing on you at Muers for it may be a stopp to some pretensess I intend for in Ireland. Jamott went to Brussels 3 nights

agoe by the advice of my Lo. Norwich & to proceede against Doctor Jaye unckle to Maninge whoe is beleeved was ingaged with hime in his intelligence. I was against medlinge with Jaye wth out verie good grounds, yet they prevayled wth mee & made me writt a lett to Emabsodor to favor Jamott in that affayer since weh time wee hard nottinge from hime. I saw a lett from Dover that sayes Dick Talbott, Robine Dungan & Collo Halsye are taken & made prisoners, that Cromwell has granted 60 letts of Mark against the Spaniard, I hard not of late from Sr. H. de Ricke nor is Tunsoldania yett come to Brussells that we knowe of heare, I wish one had beene sent into Spaine when first it was proposed for all that will bee don must come from thence;

I am Yr. Excie's most faythful

& most humble servant,

DILLON.

MY LORD,

§ 2.-Letter of Gilbert Talbot to Ormonde.

Antwerp, the 14th Dec 1655.

ch

I had beene wth your Lordship in Cullen (Cologne) eight dayes past but that I could not stir hence untill I had recived a letter from England & I wass in some troble till I borrowed tenn pound for my jornies I hope I shall shew Y' Lordship. a buisness that I beleeve youe will confess that I may be any serviceable to his Matie which wass ever yet to my power, & shall be my only studie constantly, tis a buisness of that consequence, if contrived wh is easie to doe, tha I am confident I must attribut it to God's plesure that I am made the instrument of it, noe more of this will I saye, till I have the honor to see you the w wilbe at farthest wth in eight dayes, let not a creature living but his Mtie know that I am to com there, peruse the inclosed & seele it, & let it be delivered to Sr. Gilbert Talbot from a frend of his, lett him not know that twass I, for when Yr Lordship know my buisness yu will confess that it must be secrett.

Yr. Lop's most faythfull

& humble servant

265-24, 116, 38, 14, 21, 46, 81, 114, 46, 22, ffor the Lord Marquess of Ormond these.

§ 3.-Letter of Robert Dongan to Ormonde.

Feb. 1, 1655/6.

[This and some of the following letters refer to a supposed plot against the life of Cromwell, for which Dongan, Richard Talbot, and several others were thrown into prison.]

MY LORD,

Next after my respects this is to lett youe understand that I am com safly here where I must stay until such times as I am provided with all necesarys which I am destitud of at this present, but in case your Lordships has anny present commands for me tis but writting to Mr. Lane and I shall make som shift to goe where you are with all Expedition as for my examina it is to tedious to write but in conclusion, I was to bee hanged. The manner of my escape I beleeve you are informed of, & as for my getting away for that I am altogether behoulding to my Lady Issabella who has writ to your Lordshipe and Mr. Chancler which I have sent here inclosed shee wonders very much shee has not herd from your Lordship these three months past shee has sent you a sele (seal) which I dare not trust to anny body until I deliver it myselfe. I make noe questione you have herd of them reports that were of Dicke Talbot but I could not gett any ground for them. But every body must answer for himself as I hope all them that knows annything of that buisness will answer for mee, for I can answer for nobody but my selfe, for annything eles I shall defer it untill I see your Lorshipe. I cam over with a french gentleman that belongs to the Prince of Conde whom my Lady Issabella desires the King will write to give him thanks for the bringing mee over with him for it was shee that got him to bring mee with him his name is Mareany; & one that will conveye letters for you into England at all times with safty I hav som letters a Brussels for the King & your Lordshipe I shall not faile to wayt on your Lordshipe as sonne as possobly I can in the meenetime I shall continue your most

[Endorsed]

Answered february the first.]

Obedient humble servant,

R. DONGAN, ffor my Lord of Ormond,