"TO LORD CARTERET. "Dublin, Feb. 9, 1726 [-7]. "MY LORD, I received your excellency's kind letter of the 2nd instant, and am very much obliged to your lordship for your friendship in relation to the filling up of the archbishoprick of Dublin, whenever it happens to be vacant. Your lordship was very good in the discourse you had with one of the ministers, and I hope they will consider what you represented, that it will be for his majesty's service to appoint such an archbishop as I can depend upon for acting in concert with me. I am entirely of opinion that the new archbishop ought to be an Englishman, either already on the bench here, or in England: as for a native of this country, I can hardly doubt but, whatever his behaviour has been, or his promises may be, when he is once in that station, he will put himself at the head of the Irish interest, in the church at least, and he will naturally carry with him the college, and most of the clergy here. I am satisfied the person Mr. Conolly wants to have in that station, is the bishop of Elphin, whom your excellency knows as well as I do. For one on the bench in England, I hope the ministry will never think of sending any body hither, because he is restless there, since his restlessness there will have no consequence to the publick, but he may here be sure of a dissatisfied party to head.... “About ten days ago, I wrote to a bishop in England, and another in Ireland, to know their thoughts about removing to Dublin, if a vacancy should happen, but have not yet received any answer from either of them: what I proposed to myself was, to be able to lay down two schemes, either for one of the bench here, or one in England, to have Dublin, as soon as I could have settled upon receiving their answers, or to leave it to the ministry to judge which they thought most proper. As soon as I hear from them, I shall be able to write more explicitly to your excellency, and do in the meantime desire your friendship, that nobody may be pitched upon who may make me uneasy, since that cannot be done without disserving his majesty. . . . . "I am satisfied there will be a good deal of murmuring here to see the archbishoprick filled with an Englishman, but I think it is a post of that consequence, as to be worth filling aright, though it should occasion murmuring."+ "TO THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. “Dublin, Feb. 18, 1726 [-7]. "MY LORD, We were yesterday surprised with the melancholy news that the new archbishop of Cashel, on Tuesday morning last, died of an apoplexy at the palace at Londonderry. I am very sorry we have lost so learned and worthy a man. "We have been very much teazed with applications on this occasion. The bishop of Kildare, who is the oldest bishop on the bench here, except the archbishop of Dublin, would willingly remove thither; I must do him the justice to say, he is a hearty Englishman, and I believe a thorough enemy to the pretender; his only fault is, that he is rather counted a tory here: if he were thought of, the bishoprick of Kildare and deanery of Christchurch will come to be disposed of: if he is not thought of, and the archbishoprick of * Speaker of the Irish House of Commons. † Ibid. pp. 133–135. In a letter to the archbishop of Canterbury, dated Feb. 16, the primate says, "Our late promotions on the bench have been generally well approved of, and the more, as two natives of this country have been considered in them."-p. 137. VOL. XIX.-Jan. 1841. [Nicholson.] E Cashel be filled from hence, I should recommend the bishop of Kilmore for Cashel, the bishop of Fernes for Kilmore, and the bishop of Clonfert for Fernes; and out of consideration for his brother, Sir Ralph Gore, Chancellor of the Exchequer, the dean of Down for the bishoprick of Clonfert. "But as we are now but nine English bishops on the bench here, out of two-and-twenty, I must inform your grace that I think it would be for his majesty's service to fill Cashel from the bench in England, or to send one from England to the bishoprick vacant by any translations made here: if the first is done, I hope nobody will be sent hither from the bench in England for being restless or good for nothing there, or who is not likely to agree with me, since this will certainly weaken the English interest here. If the latter method be taken, I hope a divine of some character will be sent hither, since the encouragement is not contemptible; Kildare and Christchurch being worth 1600l. per annum, and Clonfert worth better than 1200l. per annum. "I hope, likewise, that whatever recommendations go from hence, none but a native of England will be thought of for Cashel. I am, my Lord, &c."* Another letter to the lord lieutenant follows, entering more fully into particulars, and a third to the bishop of London; all three of the same date. In the letter to Lord Carteret, the primate says that the bishop of Kildare had been with him and the other lords justices, and desired, to be considered as "being the oldest bishop on the bench, except his grace of Dublin ;" and also that Sir Ralph Gore had been with the lords justices, to recommend his brother to the bishopric that should be vacant upon other translations, and "answered for" his brother's "behaviour." With reference to one of the persons who, it appears, had been named for the vacant archbishopric in the public letter of the lords justices, the primate writes-"Though the bishop of Elphin is mentioned in our common letter, and probably Mr. Conolly may write in his behalf, yet I believe your excellency will be of my opinion that it will be too dangerous a step to trust him in that post." the bishop of London also the primate writes-" As I do not know but very pressing instances may be made from hence to have the bishop of Elphin translated to Cashel, I must acquaint your lordship that he is an enterprizing man, and I do not doubt but he would soon set himself, if he had that station, at the head of the Irish interest here." It is added, in a note, by the editor-" He did so when he was afterwards made archbishop of Cashel, but made no figure of any consequence." In a further letter to Lord Carteret, dated March 7, the primate writes "I find your lordship of different sentiments from what I have about filling Cashel, and should have been glad if it had fallen at a time when I could have had a personal conference with you on that subject. I rather think the bishop of Elphin should be kept longer in a state of probation; I am satisfied his great friend is Mr. Conolly, and that most of those who solicited here for him were set on by him; but it is with great satisfaction that I find you think it is not convenient to place him in the see of Dublin; and indeed I think none but a native of England ought to be in that station." Upon the difference of opinion between the primate and the lord lieutenant, referred to in this letter, the editor remarks, in a note Ibid pp. 138, 9. "My lord primate's opinion prevailed at this time." That there was considerable opposition to be overcome appears from the extracts which follow: "TO THE BISHOP OF LONDON. "Dublin, March 16, 1726 [-7]. "MY LORD,-I have troubled your lordship but with one letter about the archbishoprick of Cashel, because I supposed that affair would have been soon settled; but as it runs into some length, and we have various reports about it, I shall venture sending this letter, though it may possibly come too late to signify anything. "All the English here think it will be a dangerous step to make the bishop of Elphin archbishop. As to another scheme, wrote from England, of sending one from thence either to Kilmore or Fernes, as it will be one who is not on the bench in England, I think he may very well begin with Clonfert, which is worth 1500l. per annum, and hardly 1007. per annum less than Fernes; and then those on the bench will be obliged here. "I have by me a letter of your lordship's, which I shall speedily answer. "I am, &c."* "I was in hopes we should have known his majesty's pleasure about the archbishoprick of Cashel before this. As there must have been some rubs in that affair, I could wish your grace had been at leisure to let me know them, and I might possibly have cleared up any difficulty. I should guess, by the flying accounts we have, that the bishop of Kilmoret will be removed to that archbishoprick; he is the best beloved by his majesty's friends of any that have been mentioned from England, as standing here in competition for that see, as well as much senior to the others; which uses to be a consideration of weight in England; and the English here think it of great consequence that it should be given to an Englishman."‡ "TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. "Dublin, April 1, 1727. -"What has kept the disposal of the archbishoprick of Cashel so long in suspense, I cannot tell; I hope, as some accounts suggest, it will be given to the bishop of Kilmore, who is very well beloved here, and many years senior to those who are talked of as his competitors. We have lost a very valuable and useful person in the late archbishop of Cashel."§ "TO THE BISHOP OF LONDON. "Dublin, April 1, 1727. -"I hope the bishop of Kilmore is to go to Cashel, as our most authentick accounts run here; there is not one on the bench better beloved by the Ibid. p. 149. +["It would appear from this, that the bishop of Kildare had been objected to, probably for that only fault' of bis, which the primate had mentioned,—his being rather counted a tory.""] + Ibid. p. 151. § Ibid. King's friends here, and he is several years senior to all who are talked of as his competitors. I should have been glad to have heard from your lordship pretty early how things are likely to go; but I suppose the uncertainty of what was designed might hinder you from writing." "MY LORD,-As I have heard nothing from your lordship since mine of the 1st instant, and as we have not yet had any orders about the archbishoprick of Cashel, I cannot help writing a line or two more on that subject, though it may possibly come too late. "It is reported here that our speaker has wrote that the House of Commons will be very much disobliged if the bishop of Elphin has not Cashel. I am, on the contrary, assured, that among the whigs of that house, setting aside the speaker's creatures and dependants, there is hardly one who will not be better pleased to have the bishop of Kilmore made archbishop, than the bishop of Elphin. "I must likewise inform you, that I have discoursed with every Englishman of consequence in this town, whether clergy or laity, and can assure you that there is not one who is not of opinion, that the giving the archbishoprick to Bishop Bolton, will be a very great blow to the English interest in this kingdom. I would beg of your lordship, if the affair be not over, to represent this to the ministry. "I shall likewise write a letter to the duke of Newcastle, to desire the ministry to consider who is the proper person to recommend to bishopricks here, an Irish speaker or an English primate. I shall trouble your grace no further at present, and am, my Lord, &c."‡ TO THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. "Dublin, May 20, 1727. "MY LORD, I have so long forborn troubling your grace about the archbishoprick of Cashel, in expectation of our speedily receiving his majesty's commands about it; but as no orders are yet come, and the reports we have here about what is intended are various, and his majesty's speedy going abroad must occasion some determination in that affair very soon, your grace will excuse my giving you this trouble to renew my recommendations of Dr. Godwin, bishop of Kilmore, to the archbishoprick of Cashel, and of Dr. Hort, bishop of Fernes, to the bishopricks of Kilmore and Ardagh. "The present bishop of Kilmore has been some years longer on the bench than any that have been talked of for the archbishoprick, and is, I may safely say, the best beloved by his majesty's friends here, of any English bishop; the bishop of Fernes is senior to the bishop of Elphin. "If it be designed that I should have that weight with the bishops, as to dispose them to unite in his majesty's service here, I think my recommendation ought to be regarded on this occasion; and I can assure your grace, it is not any particular friendship to the bishop of Kilmore, but a regard to his * Ibid. "Bishop Bolton was at this time set aside, and Dr. Godwin, bishop of Kilmore, appointed; but afterwards the necessity of affairs required, as the primate thought, that Bishop Bolton should be appointed, and it was accordingly done; but the ment had reason afterwards to repent of what they then did." Ibid. p. 157. govern worth, and to the most likely method of keeping up a good understanding among his majesty's friends on the bench, that makes me so hearty in recommending him. I hope I may depend on your grace's friendship to support me in this affair, and shall always remain, my Lord, &c.”* "TO THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. "Dublin, May 23, 1727. "MY LORD,-We have yet no orders about Cashel, and I am sorry that my lord lieutenantt should insist so much for one, who is much a junior, and as dangerous an Irishman as any on the bench."‡ "TO THE SAME. "Dublin, June 6, 1727. "MY LORD, I am sensible of the trouble I have lately given your grace, with repeated letters relating to the archbishoprick of Cashel, at a time you was over much pressed with business of much greater consequence to the public; and I do not wonder that your lordship could not find leisure to return any answer; but by his majesty's letter we received yesterday relating to that affair, I find I was not forgot; I most humbly thank your grace for supporting my recommendations on this occasion, which, I again assure you, had no other intention than his majesty's service, and the strengthening the English interest here. I am, &c."§ SACRED POETRY. THE HYMNS OF ST. AMBROSE, BISHOP OF MILAN. HYMN III. "THE Third hymn," say the Benedictine editors, "is quoted by Augustin, who thus speaks of it :- The Bishop we have mentioned admonishes us that the Spirit must be obtained by prayers, where he says, in his own hymn, Votisque præstet sedulis Sanctum mereri Spiritum. "This hymn is in like manner accounted among the Ambrosian by Venerable Bede, and is so considered in the Cistercian Breviary, as well as in the last Parisian editions of the works of Ambrose, from which we have inserted it." Jam surgit bora tertia, Quà Christus ascendit Crucem; 'Tis the third hour of rising day, The hour when Christ the Cross ascended; Let no rude thought the soul assay, In heaven-wrapt prayer intently bended. Ibid. pp. 163, 4. "N B. The lord lieutenant did not then carry his point against the primate, though he had the assistance of the speaker to back his recommendation; Bishop Bolton was a high tory, and a great friend of Dean Swift's, and was undoubtedly a man of abilities; more need not be said, as his true character may be easily drawn from these letters."-[qu. See Bishop Mant's History of the Church of Ireland, vol. ii. pp. 381-384, &c.] I lbid. p. 166. § Ibid. p. 168. |