9. Henry, though impetuous and ungovernable in his passions, wanted not penetration to see the weakness of his power over the Irish, who in their present situation were rather to be soothed by policy than compelled by force into the adoption of his measures. His mind was now bent upon the most effectual means of introducing the reformation into Ireland. Lord Cromwell, who upon the death of Wolsey had succeeded to as much of his prince's favour as Henry would again bestow upon a subject, in his quality of vicargeneral in spirituals, appointed George Browne, the provincial of the Augustine friars, who had been prominently conspicuous in preaching up the reformation in London, to succeed Allan in the archiepiscopal see of Dublin. He was sent over with other commissioners specially instructed and appointed to confer with the clergy and nobility, in order to procure a general acknowledgment of the king's spiritual supremacy. But the task was found more difficult than the impetuosity of the king or the fastidious contempt which the English minister entertained of this country led them to suspect. The true Irish have ever been enthusiastically tenacious of their religion.

10. No sooner had the commissioners appointed by the king explained their instructions and demanded an acknowledgment of his supremacy, than Cromer, primate of Armagh, an Englishman by birth, and who had some time held the office of chancellor, openly declared against an attempt so impious. He summoned the suffragans and clergy of his province: and to those whom he could collect he pathetically represented the danger which now threatened the religion of their ancestors, exhorting them to adhere inviolably to the apostolic chair. He enjoined them by his spiritual authority to resist all innovation, as they tendered their everlasting salvation; and pronounced a tremendous curse against those who should sacrilegiously acknowledge the king's supremacy. In the mean time he dispatched two emissaries to Rome, to represent the danger of the church, and to intreat the interposition of the pontiff. The king's commission was treated with contempt; and his vicar, on account of the meanness of his birth, became even a subject of popular ridicule.*

* Archbishop Browne, in one of his letters to lord Cromwell, tells him with an awkward and uncourtly simplicity, the "countrie folk here much hate your lordship, and dispitefully call you in their Irish tongue the blucksmith's son.'

11. Archbishop Browne, with the assistance of some of his suffragans, laboured in support of the commission; but he was treated not only with disdain but outrage, and his life was exposed to danger from the opponents of the reformation. Such at least were the apprehensions he expressed. He informed lord Cromwell of his bad success and the opposition of Cromer, and represented the zeal of the people and their attachment to Rome as determined as the constancy of the most enlightened martyrs; and expressed his fears that they would engage some of the old chieftains, and particularly O'Nial, to rise in defence of their religion. He recommended a parliament as the most effectual method of enforcing the reformation. Lord Gray, who was still engaged in suppressing the disjointed relicks of the Geraldine rebellion, soon after received a commission to summon a parliament, which accordingly convened at Dublin on the first of May, 1536.

12. The transactions of the late parliament at Westminster were holden out to the members convened as a model for imitation. Therefore, as to all acts concerning the refor mation of religion, the Irish are mere transcripts of the English statutes upon the same subjects. The king was declared supreme head on earth of the church of Ireland; all appeals to Rome in spiritual causes were taken away; the English law against slandering the king in consequence of these innovations was enacted and confirmed in Ireland, together with the provisions made in England for payment of first fruits to the king; and not only of the first fruits of bishoprics and other secular promotions in the church of Ireland, but by another act he was vested with those of abbies, priories, colleges, and hospitals. By a further act the authority of the bishop of Rome was more solemnly renounced, and the maintainers of it in Ireland made subject to a præ. munire. Officers of every kind and degree were required to take the oath of supremacy; and every person refusing it was declared, as in England, guilty of high treason. Payment of pensions and suing for dispensations and faculties to Rome were utterly prohibited, by accommodating to Ireland the English law made for this purpose. By one act twelve religious houses, by another the priory of St. Wolstan's particularly, were suppressed, and their demesnes vested in the crown.

13. As to the inheritable right of succeeding to the lordship of Ireland, the parliament annulled the marriage of the

king with Catherine of Arragon, and confirmed the sentence of separation by the archbishop of Canterbury. It declared the inheritance of the crown to be in the king and his heirs by queen Ann (of Boleyn). It made it high treason to oppose that succession, and misprision of treason to slander it, or refuse the new oath for establishing it. On the execution of Ann Boleyn, and the king's marriage with the lady Jane Seymour, the Irish parliament, in servile imitation of that of England, instantly repealed their late act, and passed an act of attainder on the late queen Ann, George Boleyn, lord Rochford, William Brereton, and Mark Smeaton, as accomplices in the supposed guilt of that unhappy lady. Both the former marriages of Henry were declared null; the succession was new modelled, and declared to be in the king and his heirs by the lady Jane, his then queen; and, in default of such heirs, he was empowered to dispose of the inheritance of the lordship of Ireland (as of the crown of England) by letters patent, or by will.

14. Other acts were made for the attainder of the earl of Kildare and others, and for enforcing some invidious and mischievous regulations, which tended only to gratify the resentment, lust, avarice, and ambition of Henry, and rendered the English power contemptible and odious to the Irish nation.*

15. In order to remove a powerful opposition to the introduction of the royal supremacy, a previous act was passed to exclude from parliament the two proctors from every diocese, who had usually attended the parliaments in Ireland. This was considered by the nation an act of the most tyrannical oppression. The non-reforming party, though deprived of the assistance of so powerful a body both in the lords and commons, joined in expressing their abhorrence

*This policy of the English to discourage all connexion of the colony with the native Irish, the late lord Clare observed, in the Irish house of lords on the 10th of Feb. 1800, was not "to be reconciled to any principle of sound policy: it was a declaration of perpetual war, not only against the native Irish, but against every person of English blood, who had settled beyond the limits of the pale, and from motives of personal interest or convenience had formed connexions with the natives, or adopted their laws and customs; and it had the full effect, which might have been expected: it drew closer the confederacy it was meant to dissolve, and implicated the colony of the pale in ceaseless warfare and contention with each other, and with the inhabitants of the adjacent districts. It was equally hopeless and impolitic to call upon the people at once to abjure the religion of their ancestors, and to subscribe to new doctrines."

of the spiritual authority assumed by the king, whilst the ministers of Henry were equally determined in defence of it. Archbishop Browne took the lead, and unequivocally pronounced those who opposed him to have no right to be treated as loyal subjects. Fear conquered persuasion; and the oppugners of the supremacy reserved themselves for a clandestine opposition to the execution of laws which they could not prevent from being enacted. But the hand of power was called in, and an act passed to make felony the attempt to invalidate any of the laws passed during that session of parliament. To enforce so presumptuous a decision of the legislature, it became necessary to add extraordinary vigilance and activity in the field. It was obvious that religious controversy would aggravate the disorders of the country. At this time a new schism arose, which has been the bane and pestilence of Ireland.* Religion was made a common cause, and afforded so powerful a pretence for insurrection, as for the time to have absorbed all the other grievances which Henry had heaped upon the Irish.

16. Archbishop Browne, the great agent of the Irish reformation, found the utmost difficulty-even in the seat of government to counteract the influence of Cromer. The clergy of his cathedral opposed his attempts to remove their images and relicks, which the commissioners exposed to sale without decency or reserve. Lord Gray burnt the cathedral of Down, and destroyed the ancient monuments of the saints Patrick, Bridget, and Columbkille. Several relicks, and among others the crucifix of the abbey of Ballibagan, and the celebrated crozier of St. Patrick, which the natives held in great ve neration, were indignantly committed to the flames. This violence offered to the feelings of the natives, superadded to other provocations and insults, produced collisions in the country that threatened its very existence.

17. Nearly four centuries had elapsed since the invasion of Ireland: it had been a chequered scene of arrogant op pression and servile humiliation, intemperate conquest and calamitous defeat, rancourous perfidy and hostile outrage. But from the introduction of the reformation, religious differences exacerbated civil dissentions. O'Nial, O'Bryan,

Lord Clare's speech, p. 7. In this instance we hope that noble earl was less accurate in predicting the future than in rehearsing the past. He continues, "It has rendered her a blank amidst the nations of Europe, and will, I fear, long continue to retard her progress in the civilized world."

and other Irish chieftains made religion their pretext for rising in arins. They failed, and submitted to the king. Henry learnt by experience to increase his power over the Irish rather by grace and favour than severity or force. He bestowed honours and titles upon several of the chief families of those who came in, and induced them to resort to his court, where he honoured them with particular marks of attention, and loaded them with presents. In order the more effectually to reconcile them to the English government, he granted to each of the newly created peers, a house and lands near Dublin, for their more convenient attendance on the Lord-lieutenant and parliament. Thus the reformation made considerable progress with the great, but advanced more slowly with the lower orders.

18. To second the disposition of the Irish, which now appeared favourable to peace, and to give weight and brilliancy to the English government, St. Leger was commissioned to summon a parliament,* which enacted, that forasmuch as the king and his progenitors ever rightfully enjoyed all authority royal by the name of lords of Ireland, but for lack of the title of king were not duly obeyed, his highness and his heirs for ever should have the style and honour of king of Ireland, and that it should be deemed high treason to impeach that title, or oppose the royal authority. Amongst several salutary statutes of this session, an excellent law↑

33 Hen. VIII. c. 1.

+ This act was announced with great joy and exultation, and was followed up with a royal proclamation, as follows:

"Forasmuch as the hearts of all godly, natural, reasonable, and civil creatures be kindled with love and joy, when they hear of the prosperity, triumph, and advancement of their natural sovereign liege lord; honourable assembly, ye shall understand, that the triumph shewed here this day is done principally to give thanks to God, for his great benefits shewed to our noble and victorious king, Henry the eighth, and to deliver our own gladness and joy, that his majesty is now, as he hath always of right been, acknowledged by the nobility and commons of this his realm of Ireland, to be king of the same, he and his heirs to be named, reputed and taken for evermore kings of Ireland, most worthy under God. And for manifestation partly of the gladness of the nobility here assembled, it is agreed by the king's deputy, and the lords, spiritual and temporal, and the commous assembled in this parliament, that all prisoners of whatever estate, degree, or condition, however they be detained for murder, felony, or other offences, which the said lord deputy may pardon (treason, wilful murder, rape, and debt only excepted) shall be clearly delivered out of prison or prisons, though herein they may or any of them be detained, and all such prisoners as shall be delivered shall