THE COLLEGE PLATE.
The earliest mention of any acquisition of Plate seems to be the
list of subscriptions (in 1600) for the College Mace, which cost
£12, a large sum in those days. I have heard Provost Humphrey Lloyd
say that this ancient relic of the first days of the College was
extant in his time, and sometimes used, but, being in the charge
of the Bedell, disappeared when the larger and handsomer mace, now
still in use, came to be habitually produced. This regrettable
loss dates from that period in the history of the College when all
ancient things were neglected.
The next entry in the Registry seems to occur in the negotiations
concerning a lease with John Richardson, Bishop of Ardagh, a
friend of James Ussher. In addition to his rent, he promised to
give Communion Plate to the value of £30--“a chalice, paten, and
stoup of silver.” This precious gift (_cf._ p. 44) is still in use,
having escaped all the violences, the negligences, the ignorances
of many generations. The set contains more articles than those
given by Richardson, some far later in date (1700, 1764, &c.),
but all imitated from his gift as a model. The chalice bears the
inscription--
“1632. Johs. Richardson, S.T.P., hujus Collegii quondum socius,
Esse sui dedit hoc monumentum et pignus amoris.”
The flagons are of the finest Caroline design, perfectly simple,
with slight _entasis_ like a Greek pillar. One of them (of the year
1638) bears the inscription--
Par fratrum pariles fecerunt esse lagenas
Moses et Eduardus Hill generosi.[169]
[Illustration: SALVER--GILBERT, 1734.]
It is remarkable that the two silver-gilt chalices now in use at S.
Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny, are exactly the same in design, and
dated (from the hall mark) 1635. They have been recently regilt,
while ours has the gilding worn almost completely away. That this
gift was not the first, or a solitary act, is proved by the note
in a letter of Lord Cork, dated May, 1630: “I give my chaplain
50s. to pay the ffees to the officers of Trynitie Colledge, near
Dublin, for the admittance of my two sons, Lewis and Hodge, into
that house, and must also present plate.”[170] It would seem,
therefore, that such gifts were still merely voluntary, whereas
at some very early date the practice was adopted of taxing each
student at matriculation for _argent_. In an account of the year
1628 occurs, “From Mr. Floyd, in lieu of two pieces plate to be
bestowed on the College, £4.” If this was a matriculating Fellow
Commoner, we can see that the custom was just then passing, like
other “Benevolences” known in history, from being purely voluntary
into the class of duties.
But of all these early gifts, only the Communion Plate survives.
What became of the rest appears from the following record (from the
days of the great Irish Rebellion), which I quote from Dr. Stubbs:--
[In] the College [there] had accumulated a considerable amount
of valuable plate, which had been presented to it from time to
time by noblemen and wealthy commoners, whose sons had entered
as students. In one of the early books there is an inventory of
the plate, “8 Potts; 14 Goblets; 2 Beakers, 9 Bowles; 3 Standing
Pieces”; and the names of the donors are preserved.
In the Bursar’s books we find the following entries:--
_£. s. d._
1642. Sept. 15--Borrowed from Jacob Kirwan (for which there
was deposited with him in lieu thereof,
for the space of nine months, the worth
thereof in plate, the names whereof are
written in the College book of plate), 50 0 0
” Nov. 24--Borrowed from Anne Hinson, Widow (for which
there is deposited with her a parcel of
plate, the particulars whereof are written
in the plate book--the moneys were borrowed
for twelve months), 50 0 0
1642. Nov. 24--Received for some small pieces of plate--
viz., gold spoons, 2 7 0
” Dec. 24--Borrowed from Abraham Butts and John Rice,
Executors of John Allen, Bricklayer, for
twelve months, at 8 per cent., on a
mortgage of 273 oz. 14 dwts. of plate
(viz. 4 Bowles, 7 Tankards, and 4 College
Potts), 50 0 0
1643. July 22--Received for some broken pieces of plate
which were coined, 19 15 0
” Oct. 24--Received the overplus which arose out of
the coining of the plate pawned to Dr.
Roak and the Widow Hinson.
1644. ” 20--Received for some parcels of plate which
were coined, 12 6 2
1645. April 19--The plate which had been pawned, as above,
to Abraham Butts and John Price, was made
over by them to Mr. Stout in 1643, who,
upon non-payment of the moneys, had the
plate coined, and the principal and
interest being retained, handed over to
the Bursar the balance, 6 8 4
” Dec. 12--Received for two College potts, weighing
67 oz. 3 dwts., 16 1 8
” ” 24--Received for one College pott, 7 14 0
1645/6. Jan.17--Received for two parcels of plate, weighing
39 oz. 4 dwts., 9 1 8
” Feb. 12--Received for three parcels of plate, 10 19 9
1646. May 28--Received for a Spanish cup coined, 6 8 6
” Aug. 16--Received for Mr. Courtenay’s flagon, which
was coined, 15 16 6
” Oct. 3--Received for a piece of plate which was
broken up and coined to supply the College
with provisions against the approaching
siege (it had been presented by Sir Robert
Trevor of Trevillin, Co. Denbigh, Governor
of Newry, a former benefactor of the
College), 30 19 8
” ” 10--Received for Sir Richard Irven’s College
pott, 18 3 6
” ” 17--A candlestick coined, 15 17 3
” Nov. 30--do. do., 15 15 0
” ” 27--Certain parcels of plate coined (viz. 94 oz.
5 dwts. toucht plate, 16 oz. 12 dwts.
uncertain plate), 26 10 0
1646/7. Received for Sir William Wentworth’s basin
and ewer, weighing 128 oz. 4 dwts., 30 19 8
1647. April 17--Received for some parcels of plate, 15 7 9
” May 25--do. do., 18 14 3
” June 12--do. do., 11 18 0
” ” 29--do. do., 1 4 3
” July 22--Received for some parcels of plate coined, 22 12 7
1647. Sept. 4--Received for a dozen of spoons coined, 3 16 0
” Oct. 21--do. do., 6 1 0
” Nov. 13--In part from Mr. Tounge for a gilt salt and
six spoons, toucht plate, 5 0 0
” ” 20--The balance of same, 1 10 0
” ” 27--For Adam Ussher’s double gilt salt coined, 3 13 0
1647/8. Feb. 7--Received for Mr. Alvey’s College pott and
salt, which were pawned for ten pounds, 10 0 0
1648. April 12--Received in lieu of a silver bowl from
Mr. Taylor, 4 0 0
” ” --Received from the Provost on a piece of
plate, for covering the House, 2 5 0
” May 20--From Mr. Van Syndhoven for a gilt bowl,
pawned, 6 0 0
1649. ” 24--For Mr. Alvey’s plate, from Alderman
Huitcheson, 11 10 4
The whole exceeds £500, then a very large sum. Yet there must
have been much more besides, for it seems impossible that in
the subsequent thirty years 5,000 ounces had again accumulated.
It is not likely that Winter and his associates encouraged such
donations, and we may assume that they commenced again with the
Restoration. There remain from the Restoration time only two
relics, both of which escaped the wreck to be presently related
as being consecrated to the service of the Chapel, viz., a very
handsome alms-plate (15·7), in repoussé work (hall mark A.R.,
with a figure under them, enclosed in a heart-shaped oval), given
by Nehemiah Donelan in 1666; and a far larger (31·05), perfectly
plain alms-plate, of great simplicity and beauty, given by Richard
Bellingham in 1669. There are four later copies (1746, 1814?) of
this plate in the set now used in the Chapel.
We now come to the disastrous days of James II. I again quote from
Dr. Stubbs.
We find in the College Register of January 17, 1686/7:--
“The Provost and Senior Fellows considered that at this time
materials for buildings are cheap, and that workmen may be
hired at easy rates, have agreed on to finish the buildings,
where the foundation is laid on the south side of the Great
Court, and to that end they have resolved to ask leave of the
Visitors of the College to sell so much of the plate as will be
sufficient to defray the charge of the said buildings.”
A memorial was presented to the Visitors, and their answer was
received by the 24th January, permitting the sale of the plate
for the purpose of either building or of purchasing land. On
the 26th of January a petition was presented to the Earl of
Clarendon, then Lord Lieutenant, asking permission to sell the
plate in London, instead of in Dublin, “since exchange runs so
high at present.” On the 29th of January the Lord Lieutenant
granted leave to the College to transport into England 5000
ounces of wrought plate, duty free. On the 7th of February 3999
ounces of plate were shipped on board the “Rose” of Chester,
consigned to Mr. Hussey, a merchant of London, who was directed
to insure a considerable portion of it. On the 12th of February
Lord Tyrconnell was sworn into office as successor to the Earl of
Clarendon; and on the 14th he gave directions to have the College
plate seized on board ship; and it was brought on shore, and
lodged in the Custom House by order of the Lord Deputy. Whereupon
the College made application to have the property belonging to
the Body given back to it; to which the Lord Deputy’s reply was,
that he had written to the King concerning it, and that he had no
doubt they should have it ultimately restored to them.
[Illustration: THE COLLEGE MACE.]
On the 2nd of April the plate was restored to the College on
a promise that they would “no otherwise employ it but for
the public use, benefit, and improvement of the College,
nor transport it from Ireland without the permission of the
authorities;” and on the 7th it was brought from the Custom
House, and deposited for safe keeping “in a closet in the
Provost’s lodging;” and the Board at once decided that the
produce of the plate should be laid out in the purchase of land,
and that such purchase should be inquired after.
On the 8th of June an offer was made by Mr. John Sandes, in
the Queen’s County, to sell land in that county (the estate
now called Monaquid and Cappeneary), to the College for £1150.
On the 5th of July the Board offered to Mr. Sandes to pay him
£1000 in money from the sale of the College plate, and to give
him a twenty-one years’ lease of the lands at £80 a-year. If
he refused, the Board decided to offer Sir George St. George
eight years’ purchase for his land in the county of Kilkenny.
On the 21st of November the plate was ordered to be sold to Mr.
Benjamin Burton, at 5_s._ per ounce, to purchase Monaquid from
John Sandes. On the first day of April following Burton purchased
3960½ ounces, for which he gave his bond to pay £990 2_s._
6_d._ On the 7th of February, 1687/8, the Lord Deputy sent for
the Provost about the sale of the plate by the College, which he
said was “against his command, and their former obligations.”
The Provost told him that it was to purchase £80 a-year for the
College. The Lord Deputy said that “he did not know but £80
a-year might be as good for the College as the plate,” but he
directed them to hold their hands until he had consulted the
Attorney-General (Nagle).
It is clear that Nugent, having now become Chief Justice, was
a bitter enemy of the College, and at the bottom of all this
trouble, for we find that he took upon himself to send for Mr.
Burton, and to examine him as to the purchase of the plate.
Burton admitted that he had done so, and the Chief Justice
charged him with having bought stolen plate which belonged to
the King, and bound him over to prosecute the Provost and Senior
Fellows at the next Term.
The Provost afterwards consulted the Attorney-General, who, upon
hearing the whole matter, approved of the design of the College
to buy land with the proceeds of the plate, and promised to
give a true representation of the affair to his Excellency. On
the 17th February the Lord Deputy told the Provost that he had
discoursed with the Lord Chancellor and some of the Judges about
it, and thought that matter might be accommodated. He bid the
Provost to beware of the title of the land, and to consult the
Attorney-General, which the College afterwards did; and Nagle
gave his advice and assistance in the drawing up of the deeds
relating to the purchase of the land; and on the 12th of April,
1688, the purchase of Mr. Sandes’ estate was completed at £1150,
the balance of the plate money being paid out of the common chest.
The terrible risks to which the old Communion Plate was presently
exposed have been mentioned (_cf._ p. 41) in a former chapter.
From the period of the 2nd Restoration, a great series of gifts
commences with the salver given by Provost Huntingdon, which is
stated to be worth £30. This estimate is far above the value, and
can never have been paid for it. I think it not unlikely that it
was the very piece given by the College to him, in testimony of
his kindness to the exiled members of the College in 1690. He was
afterwards, by their influence, made Bishop of Raphoe, but died
in a few days after his consecration. This present may have been
bequeathed back again to the College.
[Illustration:
PLUNKET, 1702. MEADE, 1708.
PUNCH BOWLS.
]
With the increase of prosperity, after William III. had conquered
at the Boyne, we find the habit arising of presenting forks,
spoons, and other plate for ordinary table use, by Fellow
Commoners. There is a considerable stock of this kind, now hidden
in the College safes, dated from 1693 to 1705, and some of it a
good deal later; and with these simpler articles are eighteen
silver candlesticks of very good design, all of Queen Anne’s
period. The finest and largest were given for the use of the altar
by Pierce Butler, the 4th Viscount Ikerron (now the 2nd title of
the Earl of Carrick) in 1693. Of nearly the same period are a
number of handsome salvers and cups, fluted, as Irish silver so
often was at that period, ranging from 1690 to 1708. The handsomest
cups are those given by Archbishop Palliser and Mr. Duncombe, of
Cork, respectively, which are reproduced on p. 273. The best of
the salvers are a pair given by the Marquis of Abercorn, at the
entrance of his elder two and his younger two sons, whose arms and
names are engraved upon the centre. An epergne of George II.’s time
is given on p. 274. But the number of these beautiful gifts, and
their variety, is such that it would require a volume to reproduce
them, and a specialist to describe them. Of the cups we have given
several specimens on p. 267. The punch-bowls, and the beautiful
ladles made for them subsequently (1746), are not easily to be
surpassed. But on a par with them may be placed the College mace
(_see_ p. 271), with the hall mark of 1707, of which there is no
mention made, unless it be in the College Register. The gilt silver
salver from the bequest of Claud. Gilbert in 1734 (_see_ p. 268) is
the last great addition to the Communion Plate. What was since made
or given is mere copying of the old models.
We should have imagined that these are only a few specimens of
the large gifts now received by the College from its increasing
classes, and from the increase in the wealth of its members; yet we
hear the following curious story:--
[Illustration: DUNCOMBE CUP, 1680.]
[Illustration: PALLISER CUP, 1709.]
“Lord Mornington, for Plate, £659 11s. 7d.” Whether this sum
represents the price of the plate purchased from him by the
College, or that which he was authorised to expend for the
College, we cannot say. In eight years from 1758, a sum of close
upon £1250 was expended in purchases of this description. No
doubt the College had at this period many large cups presented to
it from time to time, but in respect to ordinary table silver it
appears to have been in Provost Baldwin’s time very deficient.
When the Lord Lieutenant was entertained by the College, plate
had to be hired of the silversmiths for the occasion; but as each
Fellow-Commoner had been for a long period charged £6 at his
entrance for plate, and each Pensioner 12s., a very considerable
sum must have accumulated which was applicable for this purpose.
Looking carefully into the plate chests to see how this large sum
of money was spent, we only find a number of large dishes for
turbot, joints of meat, &c., and their covers, all of solid silver,
together with side cover dishes, and thirty-three open dishes of
various sizes, which can account for it. The supply of knives and
forks, which is large, all comes from special and named bequests.
The designs are not very good, and the plate of a kind not easy
to use now-a-days.[171] When the next misfortune happened to the
College Plate, it is a pity that the large and now useless dishes
had not gone out of fashion. Provost Hutchinson, desiring to have
a set of plates to match the dishes, got leave to melt down old
cups and pots to make the set which we still possess, and which
are really handsome (_circ._ 1780). A MS. is preserved among the
College documents specifying the cups so destroyed, as well as
the coats of arms upon them. They mostly dated from the reign of
George I., and were in many cases one of a pair given by the same
donor, of which the second still survives. But with this act of
his Provostship, long before the close of the century, all public
spirit in the matter seems suddenly quenched. The tax for _argent_
had been abandoned, we know not when. Provost Murray and his
successors had no taste for display, still less for adding material
dignity to the College, and it has been left for our own generation
to re-discover the beauty and the value of this series of ancient
gifts, which for three generations were only seen at dinners in the
Provost’s House. The feelings of generous young men were probably
damped by seeing that what their predecessors had given _in usum
Collegii_ had disappeared from sight, and was lost out of mind.
Possibly the tutors may have fanned the indignation of their pupils
at the appropriation of the gifts intended for the College Hall
by the Provost for the adornment of his country seat. The Fellow
Commoners could no longer obtain plate for their breakfasts or
luncheons, as the students of Oxford or Cambridge Colleges did, and
still do. With the return of greater respect for these bequests
will return again to the members of the College the desire to leave
this very tasteful record of gratitude for the daily contemplation
and use of succeeding generations.
[Illustration: EPERGNE (REIGN OF GEORGE II.).]
FOOTNOTES:
[169] The first line is a hexameter, as is the second line of the
previous inscription. Moses is a traditional Christian name in Lord
Downshire’s family (Hill).
[170] _Cf._ Stubbs, _op. cit._ p. 83, who quotes from the Lismore
Papers, iii., p. 80. I also presume that Mr. Alvey’s plate,
mentioned in the list on page 3, must mean Provost Alvey’s
donation, which would be as old as 1609. “Sir William Wentworth’s
basin and ewer,” in the same list, would point to his government of
Ireland as a date.
[171] A pair of these soup tureens and covers were given as early
as 1722 by William Fitzgerald, Bishop of Clogher.
[Illustration: (Decorative chapter heading)]