CXLIV. LIST OF IRISH BISHOPS IN 1707. (FROM THE PROPAGANDA ARCHIVES.) Archiepiscopus Armacanus, Dominicus Macguire in Galliis. Ep. Clogherensis. Recenter expeditum Breve Hugonis MacMahon. Ep. Dromorensis, Patritius Donnelly, qui haereticorum injuria ab aliquot mensibus tenetur in stricto carcere in Hibernia. Archiepiscopus Dublinensis. Recenter expeditum Breve D. Edmundi Byrne. Ep. Ossoriensis, Edmundus Daton qui est in Galliis. Archiepiscopus Casselensis, Eduardus Comerford in Hibernia. Ep. Corcagien et Cloynensis, Joannes Baptista Sleyne qui est Portugalliae. Ep. Waterfordien et Lismorensis, Richardus Pierce in Galliis. Ep. Elphinensis. Recenter expeditum Breve Ambrosii McDermott CXLV. LETTER TO THE POPE REGARDING THE IRISH CATHOLICS IN (FROM THE ARCHIVES OF PROPAGANDA.) (The following letter, though without date, is classed among the papers of the year 1708. As it is of general interest we translate it from the original, which is in Italian.) MOST HOLY FATHER, John Donato Mezzafalce, Missionary in China, humbly begs to lay before your Holiness that the English ship in which he was returning from his mission, anchored for some months off the Irish Coast, and particularly in the port of Galway, and although he was not permitted to set foot on land, he was able to judge however on the one hand of the sufferings and persecutions to which the Catholics, who are far more numerous than any others, are subjected, and on the other, of the constancy and devotedness with which they adhere to the Holy See, proclaiming their faith in the presence of the heretical officers and ministers, and calling themselves Roman Catholics or simply Romans thus the better to reject the folly of those heretics, who impiously call themselves Apostolic Catholics. And this protestation of Faith was not confined to words, but was set forth also in their actions, especially in the observance of the Ecclesiastical precepts; for, the aforesaid Missionary has frequently seen numbers of the natives who come on board the ship, some of them being highly respectable, while others were very poor, and though they were ridiculed and laughed at, yet they all faithfully observed the fast and abstinence: and even the servants were content to remain without food rather than partake of the meat which came from the table of their heretical masters: and he saw this practised also on the three Rogation days, for in that country they still observe the ancient practice of fasting on these days. In order to hear Mass on Sundays and holidays, the men and women go out from the city, for Mass is not permitted within the city walls, and they remain also for Vespers, which are sung by the laity on account of the small number of the clergy; however within the city itself several persons have secretly their chapels where Mass is privately said, especially on Christmas night, when the gates of the city being closed the people cannot go forth to the country parts, and they thus expose themselves to the risk of losing every thing they have, should they happen to be discovered. They do not give the slightest heed to the most severe laws which were passed in the Parliament of Dublin against the Catholics, by which in late years they have been excluded. from every office, civil or military, so much so that they are not permitted even to carry or keep a sword. By one of these iniquitous laws, the Catholic children are excluded from the paternal inheritance if there happen to be an heretical child to enjoy it, in consequence of which, several persons have been obliged to take refuge on the hills or on the sea coast, or to lead a life of shepherds, egentes, angustiati, afflicti, and with reason may it be added, quorum dignus non est mundus. If this constancy amid so many persecutions, Most Holy Father, were displayed only by a few, it would be deserving of great praise, but when it is found to be quite general, and shared by almost all of every condition and sex and age, one can with difficulty refrain from tears, and we can understand how justly Ireland has received the title of "Insula Sanctorum." Their religious feelings were the more excited on the arrival of our vessel as they learned that there was a Bishop, Monseigneur Maigrot, on board. There came in crowds, in small boats, men and women from the city and the adjoining country, all asking for the Bishop's blessing. The heretics being euraged at this, prohibited the Bishop and the aforesaid Mezzafa'ce from holding communication with the Catholics, and in order to strike them with greater terror a Colonel of the army, who happened casually to be on board, struck violently a noble and well educated youth named Gregory French who asked "ubi est Dominus Episcopus ?", and having given him several blows with a stick which he held in his hand, he caused him to be tied with ropes intending to flog him and to have him thrown from the masthead into the sea; some other Englishmen however, who were present, interfered to prevent him, being horrified at his barbarity, especially considering the quality and gentleness of the youthful sufferer. At the same time they locked up the Bishop and the aforesaid Mezzafalce in a dark chamber, at the bottom of the ship, and kept them there about three hours, until all the Catholics, who had come to the vessel, took their departure. All this however did not deter the good Irish people from again coming on board, and even when Monseigneur Maigrot exhorted them to beware of exposing themselves to the like insults, they at once replied "Romani sumus et nihil timemus"; so much so that the heretics were at last obliged to yield, or at least to pretend to do so, fearing that some tumult might otherwise be excited in the crowd that had gathered into the vessel. These good people seemed to regard the aforesaid missionary with a holy envy, for the sole reason that he was on his way to approach the feet of the Holy Father, and when they saw that the time of our departure was at hand, the leading men among their clergy and laity came on board to request him in the name of all to present to your Holiness their devoted homage, and to express their most earnest desire to kiss your feet, which, they said, as it was impossible for them to do with their lips, they did most joyfully with their hearts; and they also prayed that your Holiness would impart the Apostolic Benediction to their city and the neighbouring country, that being thus comforted they may have courage and strength amidst so many persecutions to persevere ever firm and constant in the Faith. CXLVI. EXTRACTS FROM IRISH LETTERS FORWARDED TO THE HOLY SEE BY THE INTERNUNCIO IN BRUSSELS, IN 1709. (FROM THE VATICAN ARCHIVES.) Galuiae 17 Februarii 1709 in Provincia Conaciae P. L' French minorita sequentia scribit. Hic in continuo tremore et timore vivimus expectantes futuram sortem die 28 Martii. Vereor quod cogemur tum exire e Patria. Miserrimum est, quod Ecclesiastici nonnulli in Momonia, et Lagenia abominabile abjurationis Juramentum prestent. Hic nondum illo juramento vexamur. Cives nostri pro maiori parte si non omnes proponunt Cleri nostri exemplum sequi, qui per Dei gratiam constantiam suam probabunt. P. L. O'Shaghnussy Dominicanus, et Dnus Edmundus Knavin Licentiatus Lovan: Pastor in Dioecesi Clounfertensi Die 14 Februarii ex Loghrea sic scribunt. Infelices nostras in hac Patria circumstantias repetere superfluum videtur. Plures nobiles Papistae, et quod peius est nonnulli e clero abiurationis prestiterunt Juramantum. In hac nostra Patriae parte (Conacia scilicet) rationem conquerendi nondum habemus. Vicini nostri (Acatholici) nobis in hac re favent. Non possumus asserere quod ullus Ecclesiasticus in hac regni parte Juramentum illud praestiterit adhuc: faxit Deus ut in sua resolutione bona constantes permaneant: proximae nostrae literae ampliorem rerum computum dabunt. Illmus O'Donnelly Episcopus Drumorensis in Ultonia die 28 Januarii 1709 haec scribit. Quid ibi de abiurationis Juramento censetur? Hic fertur quosdam ad meridiem regni illud praestitisse nondum est propositum apud nos; proponetur autem Mense proximo Februarii. Numquam fuerunt Incolae statu infeliciori quam sunt circa illud Juramentum. CXLVII. LETTER OF THE BISHOP OF CLOGHER FROM DROGHEDA TO THE INTERNUNCIO IN BRUSSELS, 4TH MARCH, 1709. (FROM THE VATICAN ARCHIVES.) Ayant veu par votre lettre les sentiments de sa Sainteté au sujet de la resolution du Parlement d'Irlande, je l'ay donnée à connoitre aux autres; et cela a produit un bon effect, de maniere qu'on a voulu tout hazarder plutot, que transgresser les ordres prescrits. Il est vray, que quinze ou vingt Pretres ou Pasteurs, la plus grande partie de peu de scavoir et d'experience ont succombé etants seduits par une lettre circulaire, qui coure le pays, et qu'on pretend d'etre envoye de Mr. Morus Docteur a Paris; d'autres disent de Mr. l'Eveque de Waterfort, quoyque les plus eclairés croient fermement que c'est l'ouvrage de quelque esprit broillon dans ces quartiers. En effet les raisonemens peu solides et moins chretiens de la dite lettre seroient indignes non des Docteurs eclairés, mais même des gens de conscience et de bons sens. L'auteur entre autres motifs pour persuader la prevarication asseure hardiment, que le Pape ne s'est jamais declaré sur l'affaire en question, et n'a pas été consulté la dessus. Et comme on embrasse volontier ce qui flatte les sens, pour eviter les souffrances, c'est sur ce fondement que quelquesuns se sont relachés ce qu'ils regrettent fort à present, voyant l'imposture, et l'insubsistence du sisteme. Le nombre de succombes quoique petit en comparaion de plus de mille autres, qui tiennent ferme, a fait gemir la saine partie. Nean moins à considerer la fragilité humaine, et les rudes attaques, reiterées contre la constance, qui n'est pas toujours |