should be made to rest. "Mr. Cunningham, I con SECTION VII. Scotch Covenant introduced into Ireland. Precautions of the Government. Case of a Clergyman named Galbrath. Northern Counties infected. Correspondence of Bishop of Down and Connor with Lord Deputy. High character of the Bishop. His Speech, or Visitation Charge, at Lisnegarvey, 1638. Its important contents in connexion with the History of the Church. His continued intercourse with the Government. THE tumultuary and rebellious spirit which had for some time taken possession of Scotland, and desolated her Church, was now spreading itself into Ireland. The Scotch, who had acquired property in Scotch Covenant introduced into Precautions of the government. brath. that kingdom, or become inhabitants there, had originally brought with them their national prejudices in favour of nonconformity, anti-liturgical worship, anti-episcopal polity and jurisdiction in the Church, and resistance to legitimate authority: and they were now endeavouring to introduce into that country their National Covenant, which they had recently framed for the maintenance of their own discipline and worship; the precursor, at the distance of five years, of the notorious Solemn League and Covenant. Under these circumstances it was a very commendable, as well as a very natural, proceeding on the part of the Lord Deputy, to design that "the clergy of the Church of England and Ireland be instructed to preach to the people against the disorders and rebellions of the disaffected, as they do most impudently inveigh against the Common Prayer Book and ceremonies of our Church'." And it was equally natural and becoming in the government, to take all possible precautions against the bestowal of ecclesiastical benefices on persons who were pledged to measures hostile to the Church's constitution and laws, as was the case with all those who Case of Mr. Gal- had taken the Scotch Covenant. An example of this prudent precaution occurred in the summer of 1638. 1638. From the Armagh Book of 1622, of which some account has been given under the former reign, it appears that at that time the Archdeacon of Raphoe was Mr. Thomas Bruce, who "possessed no living belonging to that archdeaconry, but held the parsonage and vicarage of the parish of Teaghboyne, His nomination presentative by the Duke of Lennox." On a vacancy of these preferments in 1638, a Scotchman, of the Strafford Letters, ii. 192. to a benefice in Raphoe. name of Galbrath, was brought forward to supply it. But how the disposal of the vacant preferment fell into the hands of the government, or in what way Galbrath was recommended to the vacancy, is not explained. His eligibility, however, for the appoint- His eligibility ment is thus represented as questionable in a letter of the 7th of August, from the Lord Deputy to Archbishop Laud. "Your grace may not only undertake for Taboine, but for all that is in my disposal, as often as you shall be pleased to call for it. All that I heard from Dr. Bruce these three months, is very lately: and that was no more, but that a messenger employed by him into Scotland for that purpose brought certain knowledge, that Galbrath had signed and sworn the Covenant; so that we are like to have a brave archdeacon of him. Nevertheless if himself may be trusted, all will be well no doubt; or else there is more ingenuity to confess truth in this gentleman, than I ever yet observed in a Puritan. But it makes no matter; so soon as I come back, if Dr. Bruce stay upon the business, and like not hist change so well as he did, I will send for and quicken him, to the intent his majesty may be sooner obeyed." The king's pleasure on this subject is thus communicated to the Lord Deputy by a letter from the archbishop. questioned. Letter from Lord Deputy to Arch bishop Laud. bishop Laud's letter to Lord Deputy. Sept. 10, 1638. "If Dr. Bruce will justify that Galbreth hath either King's pleasure sworn or subscribed the Covenant, your lordship is to make signified by Archstay, and not to put him into possession of Taboine. And in the mean time I have, by his majesty's command, spoken with my Lord Marquis Hamilton, who is suddenly and unexpectedly come hither, to inform himself and send up present word of the truth of it; and if he have subscribed, his majesty is resolved he shall not have the benefice. In the mean time I would know his Christian name, and the place in Scotland where he subscribed"." 2 Strafford Letters, ii. 195. 3 As above, ii. 213. Close of correspondence by The following extract from another letter of the archbishop, November 2, 1638, closes the correspondence on this subject. "Galbreth, that would have your great benefice, is a letter from Arch- Covenanter: there is certain news of it brought now to the bishop Laud. Nov. 2, 1638. Subsequent information concerning Mr. Galbrath. king; and thereupon his majesty hath commanded me to signify unto you, that you shall not give him the benefice. And yet I will not give you counsel to bestow it without the king's privity. But when you have it in your power, and the time draws on for the bestowing it, if you then send me word, I'll do best to give you content. I hear further, that this Galbreth hasted out of Scotland for killing a man there; but I am not so certain of this, as I am that he is a Covenanter; that is, upon the matter, that he is a traitor." The correspondence, relating to the individual whose character had been called thus into question, seems to have terminated here; at least there is no further continuance of it in the collection of letters, from which the preceding extracts have been taken. It is probable, therefore, that the inquiry terminated here in a manner unfavourable to the subject of it. There is, however, some reason to suppose that, notwithstanding the laudable endeavours made by Lord Wentworth and Archbishop Laud, to arrive at the truth, they may have been misled by ill-founded statements; or, at all events, that the suspected person succeeded in attaining the object of his wishes for, in CARTE'S Life of the Duke of Ormonde, an account is given of a "Mr. Archdeacon Galbraith, a Scot by original, but well affected to episcopacy and monarchy, of very good sense and learning, great prudence, and full as great resolution, well beloved and esteemed by all the British officers and gentlemen in those parts;" and who appears to • Strafford Letters, ii. 230. 4 have been much trusted and employed by the duke on occasions of confidence3. Scotch Covenant Whilst the government would fain have kept Mischief of the out any fresh importers of evil principles into Ire- in Ireland. land though the medium of the Scotch Covenant, they had much of mischief there to contend with, and had great reason to apprehend the accumulation of more. Down and The northern counties, indeed, were generally Especially in assailed: but in particular, the counties of Down Antrim. and Antrim, lying opposite to the western side of Scotland, where these enormities principally prevailed, and separated from it by a narrow and uninterrupted passage, were principally exposed to this religious and moral infection. And it appears that in the year 1638, one Robert Adaire, a justice of the peace in the county of Antrim, possessing there an estate of about 500l. a year, and having also some estate in Scotland, had joined himself to the Scotch faction, signed the Covenant, received the oath of rebellion, and had latterly been appointed one of the commissioners for the county against the king. There was reason for believing that, on strict inquiry, other proprietors of estates in Ireland would be found to have engaged themselves in the same confederacy. from Bishop Leslie to Lord Deputy. Sept. 22, 1638. This intelligence having been given to Henry Communication Leslie, then Bishop of Down and Connor, whose diocese is situated in the before-mentioned counties of Down and Antrim, he transmitted it to the Lord Deputy in a private and confidential letter, wherein he took occasion to express his sentiments, accompanied with further intelligence, concerning the 5 CARTE'S Life of Ormonde, i. 531. |