_History of the Catholic Archbishops of Dublin since the Reformation._
By Rev. P. F. Moran, D.D. Vol. i. Dublin: James Duffy, 1865.
We are happy to announce the publication of the first volume of the
_History of the Catholic Archbishops of Dublin since the Reformation_,
by the Rev. Dr. Moran, of the Irish College, Rome, whose past services
to the annals of our religion and country are well known. The first part
of the volume now before us gives an account of the violent and
tyrannical manner by which it was attempted to introduce Protestantism
into Ireland under Henry VIII. and Queen Elizabeth. The arguments by
which the Reformers propagated their opinions were fraud and treachery,
fire and sword, penal laws and the confiscation of property. Dr. Browne
and Dr. Loftus, two Englishmen, who received all the jurisdiction they
enjoyed, as Archbishops of Dublin, from Henry and his daughter,
Elizabeth, made themselves remarkable by their bigotry and their spirit
of persecution. During their times no Catholic bishop, canonically
appointed, could exercise spiritual powers in Dublin; but the wants of
the faithful were provided for by vicars-apostolic, or administrators,
lawfully appointed by the Holy See. Dr. Moran gives an interesting
account of the labours of several of them, and especially of Father
David Wolf, one of the companions of St. Ignatius, of Father Newman, and
Father White. Towards the end of the sixteenth century a bishop, by name
Donald, was appointed to Dublin by the Holy See, but nothing is known of
his history. In the bull appointing Dr. De Oviedo, in 1600, it is merely
mentioned that the see of Dublin was vacant by the death of Donald, late
archbishop.
The history of Dr. De Oviedo and of the wars of the O'Neills is given at
considerable length. After the death of that prelate, Dr. Matthews was
translated from Clogher to Dublin in 1611, and governed this diocese
with the zeal of an apostle down to the year 1623, when he died in Rome,
esteemed and honoured by the Roman Pontiff. The labours of our prelate
are fully described by Dr. Moran, and his provincial statutes, replete
with wisdom and learning, are given in the appendix.
Dr. Fleming, son of the Baron of Slane, succeeded Dr. Matthews in 1623,
and was equally distinguished as his predecessor for virtues and good
works. During the first period of his episcopate, the Irish Church had
to suffer a great deal from the persecuting spirit of the government,
and especially from the hostility of Lord Strafford. Yet in such
troubled times Dr. Fleming held several synods, and laboured assiduously
for the establishment of ecclesiastical discipline. As Dr. Matthews had
founded an Irish college at Louvain, so Dr. Fleming was most anxious to
procure the means of education for the students, by establishing or
encouraging other colleges in France, Spain, Belgium, and Italy.
Speaking of the college of Antwerp, which had been endowed by Rev. L.
Sedgrave and Rev. James Talbot, Dublin priests, Dr. Moran says:
"One of its collegiate rules will suffice to reveal to us
the spirit of self-sacrifice and Christian heroism with
which the youthful Levites were prepared for their
missionary toils in Ireland: 'Each priest', thus the rule
enacts, 'will offer to God with all possible devotion the
Holy Sacrifice of the Altar, beseeching our Divine Redeemer
to have mercy on our afflicted and persecuted country, and
to strengthen our clergy with His sanctifying grace. To
attain this end all the students will, moreover, on each
Friday, observe a rigorous fast, and will recite every day
at their evening devotions the penitential psalm, Miserere
mei Deus'".
Dr. Fleming was also a great patron of the learned men, such as the Four
Masters, Wadding, Harold, Colgan, and others, who at that time devoted
themselves to the study of Irish history and antiquities.
The present volume brings the history of the Archbishops down to the
memorable period of 1641. A copious and valuable appendix is added, in
which many most interesting letters of Irish bishops, generally
inedited, and other documents are published.
The succeeding volumes will appear without any undue delay.