to be believed how much our nation is hated by them.... Sir Kenelm has with great earnestness worked his own going thither again. But let him say what he will, this is certainly true that except going to Mass, the Queen has no other Religion than the Lord Jermyn's, and that both are all agreeing in this, that while there is any hope of relieving the King by a Protestant, a Catholic shall never be admitted to his succour, and while they think the Scots can do it, the Irish shall never be admitted to a communication in the work, much less to any good conditions for our nation, which is equally hated by the King, Parliament, Scots, Queen, and Jermyn." IX. LETTER OF THE BISHOPS And other Prelates assembled in WATERFORD TO THE KING OF FRANCE, 15TH AUGUST, 1646. (FROM THE WADDING PAPERS, ROME.) SACRA REGIA MAJESTAS, Regia pietas et fervens zelus quae in animo vestrae Majestatis florent numquam peritura erga Catholicae religionis tum conservationem tum propagationem, et summus ille ardor quo causam Catholicam Hiberniae dignata est amplexari pluribus et opportunis subsidiis ad confoederatos Catholicos transmissis, nobis persuadent, non fore ingratum aut molestum regiis benignissimisque auribus audire paucis, quantum profuerit rebus nostris (quarum nomine nihil intelligimus praeter Ecclesias et Ecclesiastica jura) magnanimi V. Majestatis animi erga nos declarationes, siquidem depressae sunt ab illis vires inimicorum Catholicae religionis, et ita confirmata Confoederatorum Hibernorum mentes et arma, ut Puritanorum robur in pluribus cladibus et arcium expugnationibus enervarint, ad Catholicae Religionis incrementum et authoritatis Serenissimi Regis Angliae Domini nostri in hoc regno defensionem. Nunc vero cum sperabamus ex nostris progressibus, quibus plurimum contulit assistentia et pecunia Ill. Domini Archiepiscopi Firmani, in Hibernia Nuntii Apostolici, affuturam pacem Religioni Catholicae proficuam et securam et huic regno decoram et commodam, quae uniret animos et arma ad ferenda ad Regem subsidia, ecce audivimus proclamari pacem in qua nulla de Religione Catholica mentio, nulla privilegiorum hujus patriae ratio habetur, sed omnia ad Serenissimi Regis arbitrium deferuntur, a quo in praesenti rerum statu nihil certi aut liberi haberi potest, et interim subjiciuntnr cuncta, arma, exercitus, munimenta et ipsummet Concilium Supremum Confoederatorum Catholicorum Marchioni Ormoniae Proregi, et Concilio Dublinii, coeterisque officialibus Protestantibus. Huic tractatui adstitisse Dublinii, D. Molin, Vestrae Majestatis in hoc regno agentem, et hujusmodi pacem publico scripto consuluisse et laudasse satis notum est, et D. Georgium Digby a secretis serenissimi Regis Angliae ingentem pecuniarum vim habuisse a Majestate Vestra quibus Confoederatos omnes Catholicos ad eam pacem aut trahere aut compellere possit. Nos tamen qui nostri juramenti, quo Confoederationem hanc inivimus pro religione, pro rege, pro patria, memores bene sumus, in Spiritu Sancto congregati coram Ill. D. Nuntio Apostolico ut nostras. et fidelium nobis commissorum gregum conscientias poneremus in tuto, ejusmodi paci male securae, et nostri Juramenti contrariae non adhaesimus. Quapropter ne religio Catholica per insidias et vires Protestantium et eis adhaerentium ea protinus amittat incrementa quae quatuor annorum spatio accepit a nostratium sanguine et a Majestatis Vestrae subsidiis, rogamus humiliter ut agenti suo praecipere dignetur ne contra Catholicos Confoederatos, Protestantium imperia, concilia, vires probet et augeat. Nam Majestatem Vestram certi sumus quandocumque nostrae causae justitiam consideraverit non modo non subministraturam subsidia Catholicae Religionis hostibus, sed omnem conatum et industriam et operam adhibituram ut avita nostra Religio floreat in Hibernia, id quod unicum nostrum est votum, unicum propositum, a Catholico Majestatis Vestrae zelo humillimo obsequio poscimus et deprecamur. Nosmetipsos et nostros afflictos greges regiae generositati et efficaci protectioni Majestatis Vestrae commendantes, a Deo Opt. Maximo precamur assidua Pietatis incrementa et incrementorum praemia indeficientia. Waterfordiae, die 15° Augusti, 1646. Sacrae Majestatis Vestrae, humillimi et devotissimi servi, Thomas, Archiep. Cassiliensis. Boetius, Elphynensis Episcopus. Fr. Patritius, Waterford. et Lismor. Richardus, Ardferten. et Acaden Ep. Nicolaus, Fernensis Ep. Fr. Patritius, Abbas Dublinien. Ord. Cistercien. Fr. Dyonisius O'Driscol p. prov. Eremitarum S. Augustini. Fr. Barnabas, Commissarius gen. Cappucinorum. X. DECREE OF THE NUNCIO AND CLERGY ASSEMBLED IN KILKENNÝ, 26TH SEPTEMBER, 1646. (FROM THE WADDING PAPERS, ROME.) We the Lord Nuncio & Cong" of the Clergy, assisted with the Presence, authority, & advice of the Lord General of Leinster & of the Lord General of Ulster, taking into consideration the manifold evils that daily & hourly happen for want of a rule of Government, no man knowing where to apply himself for remedy against oppressions weh daily increase, nor the Army knowing from whom they should receive orders either for applying themselves to service or for their support & maintenance. The necessity of some present course to be taken for redress thereof being so great, and the delay of it to a general Assembly bringing after it an eminent danger of the ruin & destruction of the Kingdom, in the meantime hath enforcd us for prevention of so great evils to take some present way in hand for preservation of the Kingdom untill a general Assembly shall either confirm our proceedings therein or establish another course, to that end therefore we have thought fit & so resolved that the persons whose names hereafter ensue shall take upon them & execute the several authorities herein specified. First, we do determine that the Council to govern the Kingdom shall consist of the number of seventeen, viz :- The Lord Nuncio, whom we appoint President of that Council; The Lord Arch. of Cashell, the Ld. Bish. of Clonfert, The Ld. B. of Clogher, The Ld. B. of Fernes, The Earl of Glamorgan, The Lord Viscount Roche, The Lords Generals of Leinster & Ulster, The Lord Baron of Louth, Alexander MacDaniele, Esq; Sir Phelym O'Neile; Nicholas Plunkett, Esq; Sir Robucke Lynch, Baronet; Daniel O'Swillevane Beare, Esq; Dermot O'Shagnussy, Esq; and Piers Butler, Esq Whereof seven at least to sit, & five to sign & to be qualified wth Power to all purposes as the former Council was, & the Generals & all other Confederate Catholics to obey their orders & directions, and then duly to execute & perform, & for the further strength of the proceedings of the said Council it is ordered that until the next General assembly the Cong" of the Clergy shall joyn with the said Council, & sign to the orders to be made touching the settlement of the affairs of the Kingdom. It is ordaind that when any matter that shall concern martial discipline or be proper to a Council of War shall in the absence of both the said Generals come in question before the said Council, that Sir Thomas Esmond, Baronet, his advice be taken therein. It is ordered that Philip Kearny, who servd as Clerk of the Assembly, shall attend the said Council as Chief Clerk for all English dispatches and orders, and Robert Baggot who servd in the Secretary's Office shall attend the said Council for all Latin dispatches. It is order'd that Wm. Hoare & Patrick Bryan, Esquires, shall execute the employment that hitherto was executed by the standing Committee of Leinster to all purposes, & that Geffrey Baron, James Cusacke, Wm. Hoare, & John Bremingham, Esquires, shall continue to exercise the employment that hath been heretofore executed by the Commissioners of the Revenue in all matters as by their former authority directed, & until Mr. Geffrey Baron his return out of France, another in his stead to be named by the Province of Munster, and Mr. John Hope is to continue his former employment in that Court, and the rest of the officers thereof to be taken into consideration. It is ordered that Patricke Darcy, Esq", Hugh Rochefort, Esq, & Wm. Hoare, late of Cork, Esq, shall sit & serve in the Judicature, and proceed in all matters as well those depending before the former judges as such causes as hereafter shall come before them to all purposes as the former persons named in that employment might or should have done by the orders & establishment of the Gen1 Assembly. It is ordered that the persons aforesaid in their several employment shall proceed according to the Model of Government. Kilkeny, 26 Sep", 1646. Jo. Bap. Archiep. Firman. Nuncius Apostolicus. De mandato Illmi Domin: Jo. Bap. Rinuccini Archiep. & Principis Firmani Nuncij apostolici extraordinarii in Hiberniam & Congñis Utriusque Cleri Regni Hiberniæ Nicolaus Fernensis Episcopus Congnis. Cancellarius. Thomas Preston, Owen O'Neill. XI. BRIEF OF POPE INNOCENT THE TENTH, 19TH OCTOBER, 1646, TO THE BISHOPS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL. (FROM THE WADDING PAPERS, ROME.) INNOCENTIUS PAPA X. Venerabiles Fratres ac dilecti Filii, salutem et Apostolicam Benedictionem. Mirifica Nos affecere laetitia litterae vestrae quibus partam nuper vestris armis de Catholicae fidei hostibus victoriam renunciatam nobis esse voluistis. Et sane haud leviter gaudendum nobis est adprosperari vos continenter a Domino, cujus bella strenue proeliantes, ejus ne causa apud vos periclitetur, impavide pectora periculis objecistis. Ipse nimirum Omnipotens, ad quem jamdiu fortitudinem vestram custoditis, dimicavit in fortibus, revocavitque vos in victoria sua et in liberatione vestra. Quamobrem dum vobis ab Haereticorum importunitate atque injuria tutandis in dies magis, ac solvendis, praesto est Dei manus, adstringi vos, ac penitus haerere Deo vicissim addecet, ut qui de coelo fortitudinem esse vestram intelligitis, coeli beneficia jugiter compensetis, perenni animorum constantia corporumque oppositu, pro pietate, pro religione, pro fide. Jam vero dum exertis feliciter pro Deo gladiis, spolia tulistis impiorum, decantate alacres nomen sanctum ejus, et victricem manum ejus laudate, cujus est magnificentia et potentia et gloria atque victoria. Habebitis illum quidem, prosperitatis perpetuo |