THE REFORMATION OF THE CHURCH OF IRELAND IN THE Life and Death of GEORGE BROWNE Some time ARCH-BISHOP OF DUBLIN BEING The First of the Romish Clergy that adhered here in Ireland to the Reformation of the Protestant Church of England being then Reformed within this Realm of Ireland Anno 1551. Dublin Printed by Jos Ray at College-green for Jos Howe 's Bookseller at the Kings Arms in Castle-street 1681. TO THE READER BEholding and taking into Consideration the Condition of the Protestant Religion at present it caused me to recollect and unite so many Collections as I could find amongst my Manuscripts for this purpose Chiefly to set forth this small Narrative of the Reformation of the Protestant Faith first established within this Realm of Ireland entituling the same The Life and Death of GEORGE BROWNE sometime Archbishop of Dublin as he was the first of the Clergy here in this Nation that adhered thereunto Also to set forth Romes Contrivances how she and her Emissaries endeavoured to oppose both God and Majestrate purposely to darken the Glorious Beams of the holy Gospel which at that time was but newly like a Plant sprouting out of the Earth recovering of its strength after a hard and tedious winter season having met with many sharp Nips yet through Gods Providence how it gathered strength and hath hitherto flourished in spight of all evil Oppositions whatsoever contrived by Rome and her Adherents to depress the same The Narrative will speak for it self not bringing forth Rayling Accusations which too many do either in Pulpits or in Libels in these days which doth but open a Gap for Satan and his Imps to divide Protestants but plainly laying before you History and Records collected by wise and judicious men whose Memorials to future Ages give a second Breathing though dead yet by their Works still living The Reformation of the CHURCH of IRELAND in the Life and Death of GEORGE BROWNE sometime Archbishop of Dublin c. GEORGE BROWNE Geo. Browne his first Function and when he was Consecrated Archbishop of Dublin by Birth an Englishman and of the Order of St. Augustine in London who by space of time became Provincial of the Fryars of the same Order in England being a man of a meek and peaceable Spirit upon the sad Accident that befell John Allen his Predecessor who had been Archbishop of Dublin a Description of whom may at large be read not only in the Crhonicle called The Second Addition to Giraldus Cambrensis of Ireland but also in Sir James Wares Book titled De Praesulibus Hiberniae Vid. James Ware de Praesulibus Hiberniae page 119. Annales ejus page 193. pag. 118 119. to whom we refer the Reader where he may find that this George was preferred to the Archiepiscopal See of Dublin by King Henry the Eighth and consecrated before his Arrival into Ireland by Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury two other Bishops assisting him viz. John then Bishop of Rochester and Nicholas then Bishop of Sarisbury on the 19th of March Anno 1535. Styl Angl. The Reverend James Usher late Primate of Armagh Primate Usher his description of this George Brovvne amongst his Memorials of Ireland gives this holy Father this Description George Browne a man of a cheerful Countenance in his Acts and Deeds plain down right to the Poor merciful and compassionate pitying the state and condition of the Souls of the people advising them when he was Provincial of the Augustine Order in England to make their applications soly to Christ which Advice coming to the Ears of Henry the 8th he became a Favourite who upon the decease of John Allen late Archbishop of Dublin became his Successor within five years after that he had enjoyed that See he much about the time that King Henry the 8th began to demolish the Priorys Abbeys and Monasterys formerly built by the Romish Clergy within these his Majesties Dominions of England and Ireland caused all Superstitious Reliques and Images to be removed out of the two Cathedrals in Dublin and out of the rest of the Churches within his Diocess he caused the Ten Commandments the Lords Prayer and the Creed to be placed being gilded and in Frames about the Altar in the Cathedral of Christ Church in Dublin he was the first that turned from the Romish Religion of the Clergy here in Ireland to embrace the Reformation of the Church of England for which Fact he was by Queen Mary laid aside and his Temporality taken from him yet he patiently endured Affliction for the Truth to the end Upon the Reformation of King Henry 8th in England and at his Renouncing the Papal Power or Supremacy of Rome his Chief the Lord Thomas Cromwell then Lord Privy Seal wrote unto George Browne then Archbishop of Dublin signifying from His Highness the King then terming the King by that Title he was fallen absolutely from Rome in Spiritual matters within his Dominion of England and how it was his Royal Will and Pleasure to have his Subjects there in Ireland to obey his Commands as in England nominating the said George Browne Archbishop one of his Commissiners for the Execution thereof who in a short space of time wrote to the Lord Privy Seal as follows My most Honoured Lord YOur humble Servant receiving your Mandate as one of His Highness's Commissioners George Cromer then Archbishop of Armagh Against the Supremacy of K. H. the 8th Geo. Browne desires a Parliament to be in Ireland to confirm the Kings Supremacy Geo. Brownes complaint of the Irish Clergies Ignorance The zeal of the Commonalty of Ireland O Neale of the Irish Papists a great Stickler for the Pope against the King hath endeavoured almost to the danger and hazard of this temporal Life to procure the Nobility and Gentry of this Nation to due Obedience in owning of his Highness their Supream Head as well Spiritual as Temporal and do find much oppugning therein especially by my Brother Armagh who hath been the main oppugner and so hath withdrawn most of his Suffragans and Clergy within his See and Jurisdiction he made a Speech to them laying a Curse on the people whosoever should own his Highness Supremacy saying that this Isle as it is in their Irish Chronicles Insula sacra belongs to none but to the Bishop of Rome and that it was the Bishop of Romes Predecessors gave it to the Kings Ancestors There be two Messengers by the Priests of Armagh and by that Archbishop now lately sent to the Bishop of Rome Your Lordship may inform His Highness that it is convenient to call a Parliament in this Nation to pass the Supremacy by Act for they do not much matter His Highness's Commission which your Lordship sent us over This Island hath been for a long time held in Ignorance by the Romish Orders and as for their Secular Orders they be in a manner as ignorant as the people being not able to say Mass or pronounce the Words they not
knowing what they themselves say in the Roman Tongue the Common people of this Isle are more zealous in their Blindness than the Saints and Martyrs were in the Truth at the beginning of the Gospel I send to you my very good Lord these things that your Lordship and His Highness may consult what is to be done It is feared O Neal will be ordered by the Bishop of Rome to oppose your Lordships Order from the Kings Highness for the Natives are much in Numbers within his Powers I do pray the Lord Christ to defend your Lordship from your Enemies Dublin 4. Kalend. Septembris 1535. The Year following a Parliament was called in Ireland the Lord Leonard Grey being then King Henry's Vice-Roy of that Nation in which George Browne then being not many Months above a Year in his Archiepiscopal Chair in Dublin stood up and made this short Speech following My Lords and Gentry of this His Majesties Realm of Ireland BEhold Geo. Browne the Archbishop of Dublin his Speech your Obedience to your King is the Observing of your God and Saviour Christ for He that High Priest of our Souls paid Tribute to Cesar though no Christian greater Honour then surely is due to your Prince His Highness the King and a Christian one Rome and her Bishops in the Fathers days acknowledged Emperors Kings and Princes to be Supream over their Dominions nay Christs own Vicars And it is much to the Bishop of Romes shame to deny what their precedent Bishops owned therefore His Highness claims but what he can justifie The Bishop Elutherius gave to St. Lucius the first Christian King of the Britains so that I shall without scrupling vote His Highness King Henry my Supream over Ecclesiastick matters as well as Temporal and Head thereof even of both Isles England and Ireland and that without Guilt of Conscience or Sin to God and he who will not pass this Act as I do is no true Subject to His Highness This Speech of George Brown startled the other Bishops and Lords so that at last through great difficulty it passed upon which Speech Justice Brabazon seconded him as appears by his Letter to the Lord Thomas Cromwell then Lord Privy Seal of England which original is in that famous Library of Sir Robert Cotton out of which Sir James Ware that learned Antiquary transcribed the same Within few years after that the Act of Supremacy had past in Ireland Justice Brabazon seconded George Browne we do find by a Letter written by George Browne to the Lord Cromwell complaining of the Clergy and how they fall off from what had past and how the Bishop of Rome and Ireland had contrived matters against the then Reformation Collected by Sir James Ware out of an old Registry some time in the custody of Adam Loftus Hugh Corwins Successor and also Archbishop of Dublin Right Honourable and my singular good Lord Geo. Brovvne his complaint to the Lord Privy Seal of the Unstedfastness of the then Irish Clergy I Acknowledge my bounden Duty to your Lordships Good will to me next to my Saviour Christs for the Place I now possess I pray God give me his Grace to execute the same to his Glory and His Highness Honour with your Lordships Instructions The People of this Nation be zealous yet blind and unknowing most of the Clergy as your Lordship hath had from me before being ignorant and not able to speak right Words in the Mass or Liturgy as being not skilled in the Latin Grammar so that a Bird may be taught to speak with as much sense as several of them do in this Country These sorts though not Scholars yet crafty to cozen the poor Common people and to dissuade them from following His Highness Orders George my Brother of Armagh doth underhand occasion Quarrels and is not active to execute His Highness's Orders in his Diocess His Complaint of Images and Reliques I have observed your Lordships Letter of Commission and do find several of my Pupils leave me for so doing I will not put others in their Livings till I do know your Lordships Pleasure for it is meet I acquaint you first the Romish Reliques and Images of both my Cathedrals in Dublin of the Holy Trinity and of St. Patricks took off the Common people from the true Worship but the Prior and the Dean find them so sweet for their Gain that they heed not my Words therefore send in your Lordships next to me an Order more full and a Chide to them and their Canons that they might be removed His Complaint of the Prior of the Holy Trinity and Dean of St. Patricks in Dublin and how the Irish hate the Lord Privy Seal Let the Order be that the Chief Governours may assist me in it The Prior and Dean have written to Rome to be encouraged and if it be not hindred before they have a Mandate from the Bishop of Rome the People will be bold and then tugg long before His Highness can submit them to His Graces Orders The Country Folk here much hate your Lordship and despitefully call you in their Irish Tongue the Blacksmiths Son The Duke of Norfolk is by Armagh The Duke of Norfolk and the Irish combine together and that Clergy desired to assist them not to suffer his Highness to alter Church Rules here in Ireland as a Friend I desire your Lordship to look to your Noble Person for Rome hath a great kindness for that Duke for it is so talked here and will reward him and his Children Rome hath great Favours for this Nation purposely to oppose His Highness and so have got Rome's Indulgence to Rebel in Ireland since the Act passed great Indulgences for Rebellion therefore my hopes is lost yet my Zeal is to do according to your Lordships Orders God keep your Lordship from your Enemies here and in England Dublin the 3d. Kalends of April 1538. Your Lordships at Commandment George Browne To the Lord Privy Seal his Honourable good Lordships Ex Antographo Soon after this Letter had been written A Bull from Rome excommunicating those who own'd the Kings Supremacy News came to the Castle of Dublin that the Bishop of Rome had sent over a Bull of Excomunication of all those who had or shall own the Kings Supremacy within the Irish Nation which Caused the Archbishop to write accordingly Right Honourable MY Duty premised it may please your Lordship to be advertised sithence my last there has come to Armagh and his Clergy a private Commission from the Bishop of Rome prohibiting His Gratious Highness's people here in this Nation to own his Royal Supremacy and joyning a Curse to all them and theirs who shall not within forty days confess to their Confessors after the publishing of it to them that they have done amiss in so doing the substance as our Secretary hath translated the same in to English is thus I AB from this present hour forward in the presence of
same When the Liturgy of â—he Church â—f England â—as first read 〈◊〉 Dublin King Henry the 8th deceasing and his hopeful Offspring King Edward the 6th succeeding within a short space after his Royal Fathers Death that hopeful Prince by the Advice of his Privy Council began to consider what good Effects the Translation of the holy Bible had done also how much it had enlightened the Understanding of his Subjects they altered the Liturgy Book from what King Henry had formerly printed and established causing the same to be printed in English commanding the same to be read and sing in the several Cathedrals and Parish Churches of England for the common Benefit of the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty and that his Subjects of Ireland might likewise participate of the same Sweetness he sent over Orders to his Vice Roy Sir Anthony St. Leger then being Lord Deputy of that Nation that the same be forthwith there in Ireland observed within their several Bishopricks Cathedrals and Parish Churches which was first observed in Christ Church at Dublin on the Feast of Easter 1551. before the said Sir Anthony George Browne and before the Mayor and Bayliffs of Dublin John Lockwood being then Dean of the said Cathedral The Translation of the Copy of the Order for the Liturgy of the Church of England to be read in Ireland runs as follows EDWARD by the Grace of God c. K. Edvvards Order for the Liturgy of the Church of England to be read in Ireland WHereas our Gratious Father King Henry the 8th of happy memory taking into consideration the Bondage and heavy Yoak that his true and faithful Subjects sustained under the Iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome as also the Ignorance the Commonalty were in how several fabulous Stories and lying Wonders misled our Subjects in both our Realms of England and Ireland grasping thereby the means thereof into their hands also dispensing with the Sins of our Nations by their Indulgences and Pardons for Gain purposely to cherish all evil Vices as Robberies Rebellions Thefts Whoredoms Blasphemy Idolatry c. He our Gratious Father King Henry of happy memory hereupon dissolved all Priorys Monastrys Abbeys and other pretended Religious Houses as being but Nurseries for Vice and Luxury more then for sacred Learning He therefore that it might more plainly appear to the World that those Orders had kept the light of the Gospel from his People He thought it most fit and convenient for the Preservation of their Souls and Bodies that the holy Scriptures should be Translated Printed and placed in all Parish Churches within his Dominions for his faithful Subjeccts to encrease their Knowledge of God and of our Saviour Iesus Christ We therefore for the general Benefit of our well-beloved Subjects Vnderstandings when ever assembled or met together in the said several Parish Churches either to pray or to hear Prayers read that they may the better joyn therein in Vnity Hearts and Voice have caused the Liturgy and Prayers of the Church to be translated into our Mother Tongue of this Realm of England according to the Assembly of Divines lately met within the same for that purpose We therefore Will and Command as also Authorize you Sir Anthony St. Leger Knight our Vice-Roy of that our Kingdom of Ireland to give special notice to all our Clergy as well Archbishops Bishops Deans Archdeacons as other our Secular Parish Priests within that our said Kingdom of Ireland to perfect execute and obey this our Royal Will Pleasure accordingly Given at our Mannor of Greenwich Febr. 6. in the Fifth year of our Reign E. R. To our trusty and well-beloved Sir Anth. St. Leger Knt. our Chief Governour of our Kingdom of Ireland Several Collections from Anthony Martin formerly Bishop of Meath An Assembly called on this Order of King Edwards BEfore Proclamations were issued out Sir Anthony St. Leger upon His Order called an Assembly of the Archbishops and Bishops together with other of the then Clergy of Ireland in which Assembly he signified unto them as well His Majesties Order aforesaid as also the Opinions of those Bishops and Clergy of England who had adhered unto the Order saying that it was His Majesties Will and Pleasure consenting unto their serious Considerations and Opinions then acted and agreed on in England as to Ecclesiastical matters that the same be in Ireland so likewise celebrated and performed Sir Anthony St. Leger his Arguments with George Dowdall Armachanus Sir Anthony St. Leger having spoken to this effect George Dowdall who succeeded George Cromer in the Primacy of Armagh stood up who through his Romish Zeal to the Pope laboured with all his power and force to oppose the Liturgy of the Church that it might not be read or sung in the Church saying then shall every illiterate fellow read Service or Mass as he in those days termed the word Service Sir Anthony his reply to George Dowdall To this Saying of the Archbishops Sir Anthony replyed No your Grace is mistaken for we have two many illiterate Priests amongst us already who neither can pronounce the Latine nor know what it means no more than the Common people that hear them but when the people hear the Liturgy in English they and the Priest will then understand what they pray for Gerge Dowdall to Sir Anthony Upon this Reply George Dowdall bade Sir Anthony beware of the Clergies Curse Sir Anthony to Geo. Dovvdall Sir Anthony made answer I fear no strange Curse so long as I have the Blessing of that Church which I believe to be the true one The Archbishop again said Can there be a truer Church than the Church of Saint Peter George Dovvdall's Reply the Mother Church of Rome Sir Anthony's Return Sir Anthony returned this answer I thought we had been all of the Church of Christ for he calls all true Believers in him his Church and himself the Head thereof George Dovvdall The Archbishop replied and is not St. Peters the Church of Christ Sir Anthony Sir Anthony returned this Answer St. Peter was a Member of Christ Church but the Church was not St. Peters neither was St. Peter but Christ the Head thereof Then George Dowdall the Primate of Armagh rose up George Dovvdall leaves the Assembly and several of the Suffragan Bishops under his Jurisdiction saving only Edward Staples then Bishop of Meath who tarried with the rest of the Clergy then assembled on the Kalends of March according to the old stile 1551. but if we reason as from the Annunciation of our Lady which was the 25th of March it was 1550. Sir Anthony then took up the Order Geo. Brovvne his Speech upon King Edvv. Order and held it forth to George Browne Archbishop of Dublin who standing up received it saying This Order good Brethren is from our Gracious King and from the rest of our Brethren the Fathers and Clergy of England who have consulted
and Churches until they were removed yet all this while were your understandings blinded because ye believed in them and placed your trust in them The follies of such as put confidence in them Suppose an Artist or Workman make an Image either of Man or Woman and at last a Clergy-man of Rome give it such a name calling it St. Peter or St. Paul or St. Mary or St. Anne must not that man though he behold his own handy-work and knows in his heart that it was his own work be blind and void of reason and understanding of the Law of God and of the wondrous things that are contained in the Law of the Lord Yes surely he must be blind and void of Reason and of the true Faith that would worship the same A good Argument to confute Image-worshipers The Workman carved the Eyes but these Eyes see not he likewise carved the Ears but they hear not the Nose and it smells not the Mouth and it neither breaths or speaks the Hands they feel not the Feet but they stand stock still Another good Argument How therefore can your Prayers be acceptable unto this Image that sees you not approaching towards it that hears you not when you pray to it that smells not the sweet smells be they of Myrrhe or Frankincense burning before it How can it absolve you when the mouth is notable to say Thy sins are forgiven thee And if you place a certain sum of Money in the palm of the hand of that Image come you again to morrow the Money it is true shall find a customer but the Image never the wiser who took it and if you desire to have it come unto you it cannot without help therefore the Workman that made this Image is as blind as deaf as dumb and as void of sense as the Image it self and so be ye all that do put your trusts in them Therefore of late new Artificers Pretty cheats to delude poor Souls Viz. the Image of our Lady Lauretta by springs have made artificial ones which for a certain time shall move and ye shall believe it to be real and certain But beware good people for they be but lying wonders purposely that ye may break the Law of God And thus hath the Devil devised a lying wonder that ye may be deluded to break the Law of the Lord which is Thou shalt not make unto thy self any Graven Image O Lord open thou our Eyes our Ears and our Vnderstanding that we may behold the wondrous things that are in thy Law The Law of God is an undefiled Law Oh! A Prophecy of the Jesuits how all Schisms shall come from and by their means This Prophecy is fulfilled in the story of Heth and Faithful Commine why should we be so wicked then as to defile that Law which the Almighty God hath made so pure without blemish Jesus came to fulfil the Law and not to abolish the Law But there are a new fraternity of late sprung up who call themselves Jesuits which will deceive many who are much after the Scribes and Pharisees manner Amongst the Jews they shall strive to abolish the truth and shall come very near to do it for these sorts will turn themselves into several forms with the Heathen an Heathenist with Atheists an Atheist with the Jews a Jew and with the Reformers a Reformade purposely to know your intentions your minds your hearts and your inclinations and thereby bring you at last to be like the fool that said in his heart there was no God These shall spread over the whole World shall be admitted into the Council of Princes and they never the wiser Charming of them yea making your Princes reveal their hearts and the secrets therein unto them and yet they not perceive it which will happen from falling from the Law of God by neglect of fulfilling of the Law of God and by winking at their sins yet in the end God to justifie his Law shall suddenly cut off this Society even by the hands of those who have most succoured them and made use of them so that at the end they shall become odious to all Nations They shall be worse then Jews having no resting place upon the Earth and then shall a Jew have more favour then a Jesuite Now to arm you all good Christians against these things that are to come lest ye be led into temptation Cry unto the Lord your God and heartily pray that he would be so merciful unto you as to open the eyes of your understanding that you may behold the wonders and pleasantness that is in his Law Which God of his mercy grant that you may all do Thus concluding with the Acts and Deeds of this Reverend Father we shall end with Queen Maries Designs how she intended to have persecuted the Protestants in Ireland but by Providence prevented as you shall further know by this following Relation being averred by several sufficient persons as well Ecclesiastical as Civil How miraculously God preserved the Protestants in Ireland from persecution in her days Queen Mary having dealt severely with the Protestants in England about the latter end of her Reign signed a Commission for to take the fame course with them in Ireland and to execute the same with greater force she nominates Doctor Cole one of the Commissioners sending the Commission by this Doctor who in his Journey coming to Chester the Mayor of that City hearing that Her Majesty was sending a Messenger into Ireland and he being a Churchman waited on the Doctor who in discourse with the Mayor taketh out of a Cloak-bag a Leather Box saying unto him Here is a Commission that shall lash the Hereticks of Ireland calling the Protestants by that title The good Woman of the House being well affected to the Protestant Religion and and also having a Brother named John Edmonds of the same then a Citizen in Dublin was much troubled at the Doctors words but watching her convenient time whilst the Mayor took his leave and the Doctor complementing him down the stairs she opens the Box and takes the Commission out placing in lieu thereof a Sheet of paper with a Pack of Cards the Knave of Clubs faced uppermost wrapt up The Doctor coming up to his Chamber suspecting nothing of what had been done put up the Box as formerly The next day going to the Waterside wind and weather serving him he sails towards Ireland and landed on the Seventh of October 1558. at Dublin then coming to the Castle the Lord Fitz Walters being Lord Deputy sent for him to come before him and the Privy Council who coming in after he had made a Speech relating upon what account he came over he presents the Box unto the Lord Deputy who causing it to be opened that the Secretary might read the Commission there was nothing save a pack of Cards with the Knave of Clubs uppermost which not only startled the Lord Deputy and Council but the Doctor who assured them he had a Commission but knew not how it was gone then the Lord Deputy made answer Let us have another Commission and we will shuffle the Cards in the mean while The Doctor being troubled in his mind went away and returned into England and coming to the Court obtained another Commission but staying for a wind at the Waterside news came unto him that the Queen was dead and thus God preserved the Protestants in Ireland This being a Copy of Richard Earl of Cork his Memorials as also of Henry Usher sometime Lord Primate of Armagh being also entred amongst Sir James Wares Manuscripts who hath often heard the late James Usher Nephew to the said Henry and also Primate of Armagh averr the same and wondred that Mr. Fox had not inserted it in his Acts and Monuments there is yet living a reverend Father of the Church Henry now Lord Bishop of Meath who can affirm this Relation from the said James Usher late Lord Primate of all Ireland Upon the recalling of the Lord Fitz Walters into England the Queen Elizabeth by the Grace of God c. succeeding discoursing with the said Lord concerning several passages here in Ireland amongst other discourses he related the aforesaid passage that had hapned in Ireland which so delighted the Queen that Her Majesty sent for the good Woman named Elizabeth Edmonds by her Husband named Mattershad and gave her a Pention of Forty pound durante vita for saving her Protestant Subjects of Ireland FINIS