wearisome petitions to the pope," says Stani- 4. D. 1622. hurst," are now-a-days becoming so common, that at present it is actually growing into a proverbial habit with the people of Rome, whenever they meet with any Irish beggar, to accost him with this facetious little question :'Well, good Sir, have you come to look for a bishopric.'

work at this

Having glanced thus rapidly over the most Close of the striking features of our Church history, from period of our the age of St. Patrick to the days of the British history. Reformation, it is not our intention here to continue the subject down to any more modern times. To treat of the matter to the consummation of that unhappy schism, which has now for centuries disturbed the peace of this land, was all that was intended in the present work : and so much has been thus far, imperfectly no doubt, yet, it is hoped, not uselessly, accomplished. For we have now seen how, under the auspices of the titular prelates, Lombard, O'Carney, M'Mahon, and Conroy, and in accordance with the plan promulgated in the Drogheda conference of 1614,† the first formal organization of the new Roman community, with its new episcopacy, priesthood, and officials, its new political association, rent, and other

• Ric. Stanihurst de Rebus in Hib. gestis, page 8. Antwerp. 1584. † P. 894. seqq. sup.

A. D. 1622. contributions and impositions, was contrived, ordered, and established in this ill-fated land. To chronicle the events of subsequent times, and trace the after history of the Irish Church, and the afflicting circumstances connected with, and often arising out of, the existence of the two conflicting ecclesiastical systems in the country, shall be left for some other hand. For the more learned reader of larger books, the work has been already accomplished in suitable size and form; providing us with an interesting, but very painful and humbling recital of the sins and sufferings of our forefathers in this land; including alike those who professed to follow the reformed faith, and those who continued in their adherence to the supremacy of Rome; a recital which must oblige every candid reader, of whatsoever creed or party, to acknowledge that we, of all parties and of all classes, have been verily guilty of much unfaithfulness to God, much dishonour to the name of our Saviour, much injury and many calamities to His Church and people. The unholy, corrupt, and interested motives which have too often directed the policy of our English rulers in the choice of particular episcopal appointments; the equally unholy influences from Rome, which have been prolific of religious error, discontent, and sedition among the people; the worldliness of bishops; the care

lessness of the clergy; the indifference of the A. D. 1622. gentry to spiritual religion, and the welfare and interests of the Church; the guilty covetousness and ambition of landed proprietors, ready to make every sacrifice to the mammon of the world, and the quiet enjoyment of their gains, little or none to religion or to God; exterminating in many instances by a short-sighted and reckless policy, a protestant tenantry, and promoting, as they have done, that frightful competition for land, which has led to such misery and ruin, "land to the highest bidder, no matter who or what he was, or by what means the price was to be wrung;" and as the natural fruits of all this, deadly apathy and irreligion among the people in general:-such are some of the dark features which mar the aspect of the history of religion in this country in bygone times. And the one who will venture to acquit his own class or party, whichever it be, of their share of guilt, will only proclaim to the world his own ignorance, or his own self-righteousness.

the Church

Still in the mercy of God, the Irish Church, Prospects of though chastened, suffering, and afflicted, has not of Ireland. yet been cast off: though mutilated and plundered, she still survives: nay more, a refreshing influence from on high has begun, we may humbly trust, in recent years, to increase her life and health. And although even now her earthly

J

A. D. 1622. prospects be dark, and her enemies powerful; although even now she sees the great majority of her children seduced to follow the misleadings of the Italian bishop, and to receive his superstitions in place of her own holy and scriptural doctrines; yet she knows that she is even now in the hands of Him whose Providence has continued her existence for fourteen hundred years; in whom she also trusts that He will yet continue to protect her. And even though her temporal comforts may be reduced much lower, and the injuries which infidel and antichristian influence in the state have been heaping on her, should terminate in total sacrilege of her property and subversion of her establishment, she would still have the same heavenly claims on the spiritual allegiance of the Irish people: nay even though the professed protection of the state were to be changed into open persecution of her members. For the tie that binds them to her depends not on the will of man, nor on the un'certain sunshine of earthly prosperity, but on the circumstance that she is a sound branch of the true Catholic Church of the living God, planted among us by his gracious ordinance, to lead all the people of our land to the knowledge of His will and faith in Him. And it may yet perhaps be her lot, to see those who have hitherto been her enemies, persecutors, and slanderers,

hereafter brought home again to her fold, and A. D. 1622. united with her in holy communion and fellowship of Christian love: yea, and if necessity should so require it, in determined opposition to the usurpations of encroaching foreignersjust as in England the Saxons of old, while in their heathen state, had persecuted the ancient British Christians, and had maintained the quarrel and oppressed them still even after they had become Christians of the communion of Rome; but subsequently in the days of Reformation having become one body with them, with them co-operated in abolishing the tyranny and superstitions wherewith they had been so long enchained.

of the pre

tory.

From a general review of all that precedes we General may see, that from the days of St. Patrick to the Summary reign of Queen Elizabeth, there was no second ceding hisChurch formed in Ireland. During that period there was not as now, a Church of Ireland, and a Church of Rome here also: but the ancient Catholic Church of Ireland alone occupied all the ground. This Church becoming gradually tinctured with the prevailing superstition of the middle ages, was in the twelfth century reduced into subjection to the bishop of Rome, the chief patron of them, and at the same time to the political power of his great friends and agents in this work, the Anglo-Norman princes of Britain.