THE PERSECUTION AND OPPRESSION (Which, as Solomon saith, is able to make a wise man mad,) OF JOHN BALE, That was called to be Bishop of Ossory, by the sole Election, without any other man's Motion, of that pious King, Edw. 6. AND OF GRUFFITH WILLIAMS, That was called after the same manner to the same Bishopric by the sole Election, without any other man's Motion, of that most excellent, pious King, and glorious Martyr, Charles I Two Learned men, and Right Reverend Bishops of Ossory.  
LONDON, Printed for the Author, 1664.   

I. THis John Bale was a great Scholar, and a Doctor of Divinity in the University of Oxford, in the time of King Edward the sixth, and he himself wrote a Book, (which the Right Worshipful, and my much honoured Friend, Sir James Ware lent me) wherein he setteth down, the vocation, persecution, and deliverance of himself: and out of that Book I have drawn this Abstract of his life and persecution, and expulsion from that very house from whence I was also expulsed, and for which I am still oppressed and troubled.  
1. His Vocation was by the mere good will, without any solicitation of any other, of that good King Edward's, when he saw him in South-hampton, he sent unto him by divers of his Nobility, to bid him prepare himself to go to be the Bishop of Ossory, which he obediently did, and transported himself and his Family into Ireland, and being consecrated at Dublin, though with some opposition, by reason of the Popish inclination of the Catholic Clergy, he presently went to Kilkenny; where  
2. His Persecution did begin, for he not sooner began to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which he incessantly did, but the most part of his Prebends and the Popish party opposed and contradicted him; and within a very little while, after the death of King Edw. 6. he was exceedingly persecuted by Barnaby Bolger, and the Popish Priests, and others, that sought his death in his house, this Bishop's Court, alias Holms Court, 
Rich. Foster a Deacon, Rich. Headly, John Cage, and the Maid.  where he saw five of his household Servants, four men and a maid, of sixteen years of age, killed, before his face, and so had he been slain also, had he not shut the Iron Grate of his Castle, and kept the Kearnes out, until the good suffereige of Kilkenny, with a hundred horsemen, and three hundred footmen, brought him away in the night time, and so delivered him out of their hands, and forthwith sent him to Dublin, from whence, his life being there likewise hunted after, he was conveyed away in a Mariners apparel, and in his passage to Zealand was cruelly tossed by tempests, and was taken at sea, and carried to St. Ives in Cornwall, where a wicked fellow named Walter accused our Bishop Bale of High Treason before the Justices there, yet being not able to prove any thing against him, the good God delivered him out of their hands.  
And yet not long after one Martin an English Pirate did most falsely accuse him of many heinous crimes, as the putting down of the Mass in England, caused Doctor Gardiner Bishop of Winchester to be imprisoned, and poisoned the King, and many other heinous things, which brought him abundance of troubles and vexations with the Captain of the ship wherein he passed towards Holland, as himself relateth at large, from fol. 38. of his Book of his persecution unto fol. 42.  
And because they are so fully exemplified and expressed by himself there, together with the rest of his troubles and persecutions which he had in Ossory, in Dublin, and in his passage by Sea towards Germany, in the Book that himself printed, of his Vocation to the Bishopric of Ossory, and his persecution in the same, I will set not more down here, but refer my Reader to that Book.   

II. GRiffith Williams, born at Carnarvan, at fourteen years old was sent to Oxford, from whence by reason of the hard usage of him Junonis ob iram; by an angry Juno, that was his Uncle's virago, he was feign to betake himself, within two years after, alienas visere terras, and failing to pass into France, where he intended, he was forced to retire into Cambridge, where having no friends, nor money, a Country Gentleman of Harleton, named Mr. Line, having but one little Son, about eight years old, took affection unto me, and entertained me into his house, and table, to tutor and teach that young Child, and being there, I got myself admitted into Jesus College; where, as it came to my course, I kept my Exercise, and within two years after, (having gotten a Certificate from Christ-Church in Oxford, of my study and good carriage there, for two years before, I had my degree Bachelor of Arts, and within three years after, I took my degree Master of Arts, at 21 years of age, and, being admitted into the holy Orders of a Deacon by the Reverend Bishop of Rochester, and of Priesthood by the Bishop of Ely, after I had been a while Rector of Foscot in Buckingham-shire, I became a Preacher and Lectorer in St. Peter's the Proud in Cheapside, and in the Cathedral Church of S. Paul, 
For I found it so. And than printed my first Book, entitled, The resolution of Pilate; and my second Book entitled, The delights of the Saints.  for the full space of five years; I Lectored upon St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, and than began my persecution by the Puritans, as they were than called, and fanatics of those days, (saving a little opposition that I formerly had by the same generation, while I was Curate of Hanwel in Middlesex) for now, the more pains I took to study, and to preach the truth boldly unto them, as I ever did without fear, the more mad they were against me, and so mad, that not only forty, as they were against St. Paul, but I believe above twice forty conspired together to work my death, and most falsely accused me, of such things as I never knew, never did, and never said, yet they prosecuted the same so maliciously that I was bound over (and they did their very best to hinder me to get any bail) to answer for my life, at the Session's house upon the Goal delivery of Newgate, where, I might demand, tantenae animis terrestribus irae? But he that dwelleth in the Heavens, and knew mine Innocency, and the cause of their malice, laughed them to scorn, and became to me, as he is always to them that fear him, Deus in opportunitatibus, a present help in trouble, 
Who seeing that they would prefer no Bill against me, quitted me, and said they had forfeited, and should pay their Recognizance, as they well deserved, to the King. See the Epistle to the Reader before the seven Golden Candlesticks.  and delivered me with credit and honour out of the mouth of those Lions, that were exceedingly blamed and checked by that worthy Judge, that afterwards came to be Lord Chancellor Coventrie: Sic me servavit Apollo; So that Jehova saved me to whom I have committed myself ever since, and vowed, I would praise him, and thank him, and do him the best service that I could, while I lived, as I shown in an Epistle before the seven golden Candlesticks. Than immediately after this, being than about twenty seven years old, I went to Cambridge, and, though my former troubles wasted my means, (being, by reason of the former accusations of mine enemies, suspended by the Bishop of London, and driven to be released by an appeal to the Prerogative Court) yet I took my degree Bachelor of Divinity, and returning to London, I presently petitioned to my Lord of Canterbury, Abbats, (whom ever after I found, my very gracious Lord) and to my Lord Chancellor Egerton, (whom I found so likewise) and shown them the great wrongs and abuses, to my utter ruin, that I had suffered from the Bishop of London, and those bloody persecutors, without any shadow or colour of truth in any of all their Accusations; and they presently pitying my case gave me the Parsonage of Llan-Llechyd, worth to me a 100 lively per annum, a better Rectory, than that which mine enemies caused the Bishop of London to take from me, that was rightly presented to it by the Earl of South-hampton. But sicut unda sequitur undam, so one affliction comes in the neck of another; for I was not sooner arrived in Llan-Llechyd, but the Bishop of Bangor, because I refused to take another living for this that he saw was so commodious for him, began to persecute me afresh, and devised certain Articles, which ex officio he prosecuted against me, and I was feign again to appeal unto the Arches, and my Lord of Bangor being in London, my Lord of Canterbury sent for him and me, and checked him exceedingly for his prosecution, and gave me a Licence to preach throughout divers Dioceses of his Province, and a Protection from being molested by my Lord of Bangor; yet still I found that busy Bishop would not be quiet, but as the Poet saith, Manet alta ment repostum, judicium paridis, so my complaint against him to my Lord of Canterbury stuck in his mind, as I had but a little respect or joy in his Diocese, especially from his Lordship; therefore, after I had continued there four years, about 32 years old I went to Cambridge again, and took my degree Doctor of Divinity; and than, returning to London, I became a domestical Chaplain to the Earl of Montgomery, afterwards Earl of Pembroke, and Lord Chamberlain to his Majesty, to whom I had been Chaplain at large for many years before. And than blessed be God, I had a little rest from my persecution, and began to study hard, to Print Books, of no small Volumes, nor of mean Subjects, as the seven Golden Candlesticks, and many other Sermons, now termed, The best Religion, and The true Church: divided in six several Books. And to be promoted, to some eminent places, to be his Majesty's Chaplain, a Prebend of Westminster, and Dean of Bangor, and before I was full forty years old, in Election and very like to have been made Bishop of St. Asaph.  
But, when the Sun shineth brightest it continueth not long without Clouds, and often times follow storms and tempest; so after I had spent these halsion days, and lived many years in the King's Court, I found some rubs and obstacles of my desires by reason of some discontent and difference betwixt me and the than Archbish. of Canterbury 
* About my seeking to be Bishop of S. Asaph. , that clouded the brightness of my hopes for some while; yet at last, when the Long Parliament began to struggle, and not only to chop of the head of the wise and stout Earl of Strafford, but also to clap up the Bishop of Canterbury in Prison, and to clip the wings of all the rest of the Bishops, his Majesty, of his own gracious mind and accord, without any motion of any man made unto him, when the Lord Primate of Ireland delivered him a Petition from the Bishops of Ireland, to desire his Majesty to nominate a very worthy man, Doctor Sybthorp, that was Bishop of the poor Bishopric of Kilfanora, unto the Bishopric of Ossory, answered the Primate, that he had reserved the same for Doctor Williams, Dean of Bangor: To whom the Primate replied, Your Majesty bids him to his loss, (to use the Primates own words, as he told me,) and his Majesty answered, He could make him a saver, and therefore let him have the refusal of it; and when I heard of this passage from my Lord Primate, I thought I were a very unworthy man if I refused so gracious an offer of so gracious a Master; and considering that, as my Predecessor, and a man of my spirit, Bishop Bale, was called by the sole free motion of that pious King, Edw. 6. so I was called by the sole free motion of the most religious King Charles I. I thought myself rightly called by God unto it, and I accepted the same, and yielded unto the divine calling, with all thankfulness unto his gracious Majesty. And now the storms and tempest begin to darken the Sunshine of my prosperity; for I was not sooner arrived in Ireland, seen Kilkenny, and preached once in that Cathedral, and consecrated in Dublin about Michaelmas, but the Rebellion there broke out the October following, after I had spent well-nigh 300 lively and had received not one penny; than was I forced to fly towards his Majesty, and the next Summer after having occasion to go to Dublin, after I had settled my Wife and Family in a house that I had by Tocester, and the first night that I came to my house, after my return from Ireland, the Rebels in North-hampton, having heard how zealously I had preached for his Majesty, and that now I was returned to my house by Tocester again, sent a Troop of horse under the command of Captain Flaxon, and so he carried me a prisoner to North-hampton, where at my first entrance into the Town, I saw a whole troop of Boys and Girls, and other Apprentices, that expected my coming, and as the boys cried to Elizeus, come up thou bald pate, come up, so they cried along the street, a Bishop, a Bishop, and with this Io paean was I carried to the Commissioners Lodging, where I was clapped up close in a Chamber, and one of the Commissioners, Sir John North, I believe the civilest of them all, came to me with a Satchel of Writings, that Captain Flaxon found in my house, and opening the same, the first writings that came into his hand was the Treatise that I had written, and had entitled it, The Grand Rebellion, and had written those words on the outward leaf thereof; and as soon as ever he took it out of the bag, I made bold, 
And if I had not done so, I had been undone.  before he had cast his eye upon the Title, to take it out of his hands, and said, this is a Sermon that I carried with me to preach where I should rest on the Lord's day, but that the Letters, that were to the King, and to the Bishop of York, and others, were in the Satchel, and he for haste to see the Letters, suffered me to put my Sermon and the Grand Rebellion into my Pocket, which I feared would have been my death or utter ruin, if the Commissioners had seen it. Than Sir John, having taken out the Letters, asked me, how I durst at those times carry Letters unto the King? I answered, they were Letters from those poor Bishops, that therein shown to his Majesty how they were pillaged and persecuted by the Popish Irish Rebels, and I knew, and had a Copy of what was in them before I would carry them; than Sir John said, I did wisely to do so: and so he went in unto the rest of the Commissioners, and left me, locked in the room, yet very joyful for having gotten my Grand Rebellion out of his hands: but behold still the malice of Satan and the subtlety of his Instruments, while I was walking up and down the room, and had torn the worst case that I had writ against the Parliament, and chewed it in my mouth and threw it away, an errand knave was peeping at the key hole, and went unto the Commissioners and told them that I had some desperate or treacherous Papers, which he saw me tear; than Sir John North comes to me again and ached, what Papers those were that I was seen tearing? I smilingly answered, Alas Sir, ever since I came from Sea, I was troubled with a looseness, and having by chance a lose leaf in my Pocket, I plucked it out, and said, this is the Paper, that I had in my hand, to go to the house of office, and he looking upon it, and finding it of no effect, said, Is this all? And went his ways: and than I remembered what our Saviour said, When you are brought before Rulers, 
Mark 13.11.  take no thought what you shall speak, for it shall be given you, in illa hora, in that very hour, what to answer; and God also wrought in the Commissioners such thoughts of me, and my sufferings by the Irish, that they gave me a Pass to go home, and delivered me my horses, which Captain Flaxon hoped to have had for his reward, and the forty pounds, which he found in my house, and which I told the Commissioners was all that I had to keep me and my Family: So graciously did God help me, that I went home with joy, contrary to the expectation of my Neighbours, that informed the Rebels of my return to those parts.  
And within a few days after was the Battle at Edge-hill, at which time, I went to his Majesty, and waited on him until he came to Oxford, 
And here in Oxford I printed first my Grand Rebellion, and afterwards, my discovery of mysteries, and last of all, The rights of Kings.  where immediately I printed my Grand Rebellion; and finding how well and how graciously his Majesty accepted of my endeavours therein, I went to Wales and studied my discovery of mysteries, or the plots of the Parliament, to overthrew both Church and State, and by the next Winter I came to Oxford to Print it, and being printed, Secretary Faukeland misliking a passage, that I had set down of the Episcopal power in causa sanguinis, would have had it called in, but his Majesty would not suffer it to be suppressed; therefore I resolved, by the next Winter, to publish (as I did) my Book of the Rights of Kings both in Church and Commonwealth, and the wickedness of the pretended Parliament; and in the interim I was persuaded to go to London, to see what I could work upon my Lord of Pembroke, whom I had served so many years, and tutored all his Children, whereof two were now with his Majesty; and when I came to London I took the opportunity to go unto him, 
For I conceived that time to be the safest time.  while he was in bed, and after much conference with him, about the differences betwixt the King and his Parliament, and their disloyalty to his Majesty, and that I saw he began to be offended and very angry, for fear he should deliver me to the Parliament, that formerly had caused all that they found of my Grand Rebellion to be burnt, I took my leave of him, and presently highed me to go out of Town; but was denied to pass, until I used my wit to the Mayor of London, to get a Pass, by telling him, that I was a poor pillaged Preacher of Ireland, that came to London to see my friends, and now having some other friends in North-hampton and thereabouts, 
And I have his Pass by me to this very day.  I humbly desired his Pass to go to see them, and he pitying my case, called for a cup of Wine, and commanded his Clerk to writ me a Pass without a Fee.  
And than, after I had passed a good way towards North-hampton, I turned to Oxford: and from thence within a while to Wales, and from thence to Ireland; and after Nasby fight, being bound with my L. Taafe in a thousand Marks a piece unto his Majesty, for the appearance of Colonel Vangary, (that returned at Edge-hill fight from the Parliament unto the King with Sir Faithful Fortescue) at Beaumares Sizes, for taking away a Drove of Cattles from the Drovers of Anglesey, and he not appearing, our Recognizans were forfeited, and I was feign to return to his Majesty, with Letters from my Lord of Ormond, that Van-garie could not come out of Ireland, and therefore his Majesty was humbly desired to remit the forfeiture of our Recognizance, which his Majesty, by his Letters to the Justices of Peace of Anglesey, very graciously did, and sent another Letter by me again to my Lord of Ormond: but in my passage to his Majesty, I was like to be carried to the Parliament, by a knave, that about ten miles from Aberystwith began to examine me, and said that I was a Spy for the King, and therefore I must be carried before some of the Parliament Officers, to be examined; and I had no other shift but to commend him for his care, and to tell him, that there were too many Spies abroad, and I was but a poor pillaged man in Ireland, that would very willingly go before any man, and I still called for drink, until he was persuaded that I was a very honest man, and so he let me go in peace. And before I could pass into Dublin, General Mitton with his Army, had entered into our Country, and I, preaching that Sunday, that he came, at Rhudhland, had an Alarm about midnight, and was feign to flee to Carnarvan shire, and when he came to Carnarvan shire, to flee too Anglesey. And because Anglesey was an Island, and could not be won if the Inhabitants would be true among themselves, we that were true Royalists, summoned the chiefest Gentry of the Country, Clergy and Laity, to meet on a certain day in Llan-gevenie, to consider what we should best do for the defence of our Country; and though that Doctor White, and myself, Mr. Jo. Gruff. and Mr. Morgan, and Mr. Michael Evans, drew an Oath of our faithfulness and Allegiance to his Majesty, and the defence of our Country to the uttermost hazard of our lives and fortunes, against the rebellious Parliament so full and so well as our Wits and Learning could device, and all that were there, excepting Mr. O. Wood of lan Gwyven, took it without any scruple, yet, before any one drop of blood was spilt, or many days were passed, the Gentry Articled with General Mitton, to yield up that Island into his hands, and he did set Garrisons where he pleased: than I, conscious of what I had done, always and every where against the Rebels, durst not trust to the mercy and truth of the Parliament, but gave ten pounds to Captain Roberts, that Mr. O. Wood had appointed over the Garrison in Holy Head, to suffer me to pass in a Parliament Ship, (for the King had none in those parts) into Dublin, and the Master of the Ship, that carried me, said, he durst not set me on shore any any where, but bring me to Captain Wood, that was than Vice-Admiral to the Parliament in the Bay before Dublin; yet I thought it was better for me to trust, that God would deliver me from that wood, than to stay among the briars of the Long Parliament; so when we came to the Bay, and near the Vice-admirals' Frigate, it being late in the Evening, I told the Master that I was very ill, as I was indeed, and I gave him a 20 s. piece of Gold for carrying me over, and desired that I might stay in my Cabin there, till next morning, which he readily yielded.  
And early the next morning, when I thought all the Seamen in Captain Woods Ship, excepting the Sentinel that kept the Watch, were asleep, jest any of them should know me, I desired to be sent to the Vice-Admiral; and so I was. And when I came there, I gave 2 s. 6 d. in silver to the Sentinel, to tell Captain Wood, that here was a Kinsman of my Lord of York, (whom I knew was respected by all the Parliamenteers, because he had besieged the Castle of Conway for the Parliament, and was the chief man that called Mitten into the Country, and the only instrument to bring Anglesey to submit unto him) and he had a Pass from Holy Head to go, to do a little business in Dublin, and when he had finished his business, to return with as much speed as he could unto my Lord of York again, and I thought this was a fair tale; and indeed, I thank God, it took effect; for Captain Wood came to me, and after he had examined me about divers things, and I had answered him as warily as I could, he searched me, and, though I had in my Pocket a Letter from his Majesty in my behalf to my Lord of Ormond, yet, because I had so artificially set it on the backside of a Pocket-glass and Comb-case, betwixt the leather and the glass, he suspected no such thing, though he beheld his own face in the glass, and so conceiving no ill thought of me, but that I was a very good friend of the Parliament, being a Kinsman of my Lord of York, and of his name too, he called for a good Glass of Claret-wine and drank to me and to my Lord of York, and I drunk it of every drop; and put on a bold face, as I was want to do every where, knowing that degeneros animos timor arguit.  
And than he sent me to shore towards Hoeth, and before we came to Land we should see three or four Soldiers, runnagadoes, that were desirous to go to the Parliament ship, but I gave five shillings to the Rowers to put me to landlord a pretty way from them, and when I was set on land, the boat-men turned away presently and would not receive the Soldiers into their boat, which the Soldiers seeing, called unto me to come to them, or to stay for them, but I would not tarry, 
How I escaped the runnagado Soldiers.  but went away as fast as I could; and they seeing that presented their Guns, as if they would shoot at me; yet I still ventured to go on, knowing, that being no standing mark, it was but a chance to hit me, if their pieces were charged, and they shot at me, and when they saw their vain threatening did not frighten me, they began to run after me, as fast as ever they could, and I began to run from them, as fast as ever I could, and being a pretty way before them, and seeing some Irish men reaping, not far of, I made towards them, and thought I could get to them before they could overtake me, and so I did: yet running so fast, and so far, I was all of a sweat before I came unto the Reapers, who kept of the Soldiers that they durst not come near me. Thus was I saved from those, that I assured myself would have rob me, if not kill me.  
Than I went to Dublin, and stayed there, and preached often, until Ireland was surrendered upon Articles unto the Parliament; and I being by name to have the benefit of those Articles, and having received a very fair and considerable sum of money, by the hands of Sir George Lane, from my Lord of Ormond, that had always showed himself a most honourable friend, and a bountiful helper and benefactor to me; I resolved to live upon that small temporal means which I had, about twenty pounds a year, in Wales: But, after I put my Books, and , and householdstuff, 
How I was taken prisoner and rob by Captain Beech. And nothing troubled me so much as the loss of a paper Book which I had written, full of Sermons, which vexeth me to this very day.  and all the Money I had, and myself into the Packet-boat, to pass to Holy Head, our ship was taken, about the middle way, by Captain Beech, and I was rob of all that I had in it, , Books, Money, and Household stuff, and, with a great deal of entreaty and favour, I prevailed with Captain Beech, to cast us all, his Prisoners, upon a little Island, called, Ireland's eye, and making there a fire that we brought with us from the Ship, we had a boat that carried us into Hoath, and from thence we went all to Dublin, where Doctor Loftus very friendly gave me as much money as carrried me to London; and there I petitioned to the Committee for Sequestered men, to be restored according to the Articles of Anglesey and of Ireland, to my means; and one of them, named Scot, that since hath been hanged, demanded, if I had not written the Grand Rebellion? and I answered, I did: than said he, and do you come for performance of Articles, that deserve rather to have your head cut of; Not, not, said Corbet and the Chairman, let us go to another matter; and I, jest I should be clapped by the heels, 
And after the Committee read the Letters I got them from them to show them to other Committee men, and I keep them with me to this very day.  stunk away from those Wolves, as fast as I could.  
Yet I was loathe, so, desistere caeptis, but I would try movere omnem lapidem, and seeing hac non successit alia aggrediar via, and, having procured a little money, I went to Sir Thomas, now Lord Fairfax, and giving his Secretary some pieces of Gold, he got me my Lord Fairfax his Letters to the Committee of North-hampton and of Anglesey to restore me to my temporal means, and they not sitting together, I was feign, in a very cold and snowy weather to walk on foot (for I had no horse, nor money to buy one) from one to one of the Committee, to get their hands to restore me, and so I had them, and I thank God I was restored; than after I had been in London, and had the favour to go with my Lord of Ormond in his Coach from Kingston to Hampton Court, to wait upon his Majesty, a little before he went to the Isle of Wight, I went, as soon as ever I heard the King was gone, to live privately and poorly in mine own house in Wales, and there fell hard to my study to finish my Great Antichrist, and to preach as occasion offered itself; and so I continued for a long time in a very poor condition, so poor, that when three or four of the Parliament Soldiers were sent to quarter at my house, and there, finding neither Servants to attend them, nor Beer to drink, nor other provision, but some barley bread, and a little glas-doore, I got a good dinner with them, of that provision which they brought, and they presently went to their Captain, and told him, my house had nothing for them, and they must have a better quarter, and so before night they were removed to a far better accommodation, and my mean condition preserved me ever after from the quartering of any Soldiers, while I lived there. So poverty was to me an advantage; and so I always thought and believed, that God would work together all things for the best for them that love him, as the Apostle saith, and therefore this made me, when my Lord of Pembroke (whom I had for so many Lustras of years served) offered in this my poor estate, to procure me a living, than voided in Lancashire, from the Parliament, worth four hundred pound per annum, so I would be ruled and submit myself to the Parliament, to thank his Lordship for his Honourable favour, 
When all the rest of the Bishops accepted of 100 lively a piece from Hen. Crumwel, I refused the same.  but to refuse the Living, for which he several times called me fool for my pains; and so likewise when Mr. Henry Crumwel heard of my often preaching in Dublin, and was desirous to hear me in his own house, and when I had ended my Sermon bade me dine with him, and as he allowed the rest of the Bishops 100 lively a piece per annum to maintain them, so a friend of mine told me from his Lordship, he was favourably pleased to do the like to me; to whom I answered, that I was infinitely obliged to him for his favour, but that I was resolved to live contented with that small means that I had of mine own. I was so fully persuaded to retain mine integrity and faithfulness to my King, and assured myself of that change and revolution, which I so speedily expected to come to pass.  
And so I continued there in Llanlechyd in that poor condition until his Majesty, that now is, was upon his march towards Worcester; at which time Sir Gruffith Williams, my very good friend and Landlord, being Sheriff, desired me to preach at the Assizes in Conwey before the Judges; and the whole Country knows how boldly and freely I shown them their duty, now to manifest their Loyalty and love to his Majesty, whom God had thus graciously brought unto their doors; so that Courtney the than Governor of Beaumaresh, coming to Town after Sermon, and hearing what I had preached, did exceedingly fret, and chafe, and chide with the Judges, because that they would hear such a man, as was so well known to be such a grand enemy unto the Parliament, and concluded with the now Sir John Carter, the than Governor of Conwey, (that told me as soon as I had done my Sermon, but that he would not seem uncivil, he would have plucked me by the ears out of the Pulpit, a fine sight) that they should clap me up in Prison; but I hearing of it, did immediately, as fast as ever I could get my horse, and posted away, as it were upon Pegasus, to hid myself from those than tyrannous whelps of Cerberus; the same Carter, being the man, that (when I was preaching at lan Sannam, and another whelp of the same litter, risen up, and contradicted all that I had said, and caused me to be plucked out of the Pulpit, and such a tumult to arise, that I feared much slaughter would be committed, and that I should be torn all to pieces; and when some of the Gentlemen of the Parish, at the Quarter Sessions in Ruthen, would have indicted the fellow that disturbed me in my Sermon) said, they should rather indict me for preaching contrary to the order now set forth, than him that had so justly hindered me; so I was only blamed, and he acquitted by the justice of Sir John Carter.  
After this I continued in my poor house until I had finished my Great Antichrist, and than I shown it to very many of my friends, whom I durst trust, both in Ireland and Wales, and told them when (according to the Prophecies of the Scripture, that I had collected and was fully persuaded of the truth thereof) his now Majesty should be restored, and I carried it to London to be printed, and left it with my old friend, that had printed my Best Religion, Mr Stevens, and he showing it to some of his friends, Presbyterians I conceive, to have their opinion of it, and some of them answered it somewhat large, and Mr. Stevens delivered the same to me, and the conclusion was, 
The answer and the answerers' opinion of the printing of it, I have by me to this day.  the printing of it is like to be much to the damage of the Printer, and the ruin of the Author, (if he be found out) and little credit, in my opinion, is so like to gain thereby. So Mr. Stevens durst not venture to print it by any means; yet, if I could have had any other to print it, I would have done it, and resolved to have fled into the Low Countries when it had been done; but it could not be, that any Stationer would venture to do it; so I went to Wales.  
But when I heard that Sir George Booth was risen in Cheshire; and was so near the time that I expected and foreshowed his Majesty's restauration, I took a young Philly that I had of three years old, and in a very cold snow and frost in January, I went soft and fair towards London, hoping that now, so many men looking after the coming in of our King, and Colonel Monk expected to assist him, I should have my Great Antichrist published; yet still the Rump was so strong, that it could not be: therefore I was feign to retire towards Wales again; and going from my house by Tocester, where I had left my Mare, some ten miles, in a frosty morning, a foot, I afterwards went a horseback, but had not rid one quarter of a mile, but my Mare, whom all my Neighbours there said she was great with foal, lay down under me; and I, fearing she would cast her Foal, and so perhaps loose my Mare, or forced to leave her behind me, was resolved to lead her in my hand; and so I did from that place, which was Daintry, to my house in Wales, about seven score miles, the way being somewhat fair in the latter end of March.  
Than, having some occasions to go to Ireland, being at Holy Head, I had notice with the Post, from London, that the Parliament, according as I found in Scripture, had voted the coming in of the King, and I, landing in Dublin about seven of the Clock the next morning, being Sunday, preached at St. Brides, and publicly prayed for the King, I am sure the first man in the Kingdom of Ireland, and the next morning went towards Kilkenny, and going to Donmore, to present my service to my Lady of Ormond, I found her, as she was ever, the most honourable of all the Ladies that ever I knew, and taking me aside, informed me of the state of Kilkenny, and of all things thereabouts; so I went to Kilkenny and preached there, and publicly prayed for his Majesty, the next Sunday after I had done the like at Dublin, and than hasted back to Dublin, and from thence, without stay, to Holy Head, and resting but one night in mine own house, I road as fast as I could to London, and having left all the Lands that I had in Ireland, in pawn for 100 lively which mine own self carried to London, I agreed for the Printing of my Great Antichrist, and immediately after his Majesty's happy arrival in London, having the same printed in three Printing-houses, and myself paying for the printing of it with ready money, I got it presently done, and presented it to his Majesty, who very graciously accepted thereof.  
But one of my Countrymen had begged of his Majesty the Deanery of Bangor; yet, when I informed his Majesty, that my good King and gracious Master, his Father, had conferred it upon me, to hold it in commendum, so firm as Law could make it; his Majesty was most graciously pleased presently to sand to Sir Edward Nicholas to recall the Grant that he had made to Mr. Lloyd, but the same being passed to the Great Seal, my Lord Chancellor, to whom I ever was very much obliged, knowing my Faithfulness to my late King and best Master, and my sufferings for him, did most honourably stop it, before I could come unto his Lordship; and so by his Majesty and my Lord Chancellors goodness, I still enjoyed my Master's favour.  
Than, things being somewhat settled, I went to live upon my Bishopric, in Kilkenny, where I found the Cathedral Church and the Bishop's house all ruined, and nothing standing but the bore walls, without Roofs, without Windows, but the holes, and without doors; yet I resolved presently to mend and repair one Room, and to live in the Bishop's house, and as I had vowed, that if I should ever come to my Bishopric, I should wholly and fully bestow the first years profit for the reparation of the Church, so my witness is in heaven, that I have done it; and have since bestowed more, as forty pound the last Summer for repairing the Steeple of the Cathedral, 
* And this Summer six score pounds for to make a Bell, worth they say 200 l.  and yet a thousand pounds more will not sufficiently repair that Church, which I vowed to bestow, If I recover the Bishop's house, and live to it; and a great deal of cost more I laid out upon the Bishop's house. Yet now began my Oppression, which grieves me much more than my Persecution, because my persecution was personal, and concerned myself alone: but mine Oppression doth now reach to the dishonour of God, and the robbing of Jesus Christ of his service, and the destruction of his Servants; when as the Church of Christ cannot be ruled without Governors, nor instructed without Teachers, and neither of them can subsist without maintenance.  
And yet now Noblemen and Gentlemen, Soldiers and Citizens and all, think no Bread so sweet, no Wine so pleasant as that which they snatch from the Altar, and no Land so fertile as that which they hold from the Church, and keep it by force from the Churchmen; and to give you a taste of this truth, I have printed a Narrative and a true Relation of a Law proceeding, betwixt myself and Sir George Ayskue, a civil Gentleman, I confess, and one that hath been Vice-Admiral to the Long Parliament, but now is very faithful to our present King, and sorry for what he hath been, as I verily believe, and is a man of a very fair carriage, and of very good parts; yet bewitched with the disguised spirit of Sacrilege, to hold fast in his hands the Lands of the Church, and not only he, but many others are sick of the same disease, as appeareth by the subsequent of this relation.   

A true Relation of a Law-proceeding, betwixt the Right Reverend Father in God, Griffith L. Bishop of Ossory, and Sir George Ayskue, Knight, etc.  
Shows,  
THat the Lordship of Bishop's Court, alias upper Court, belongs to the Bishop of Ossory: And as I am informed, Jo. Bale Bishop of Ossory dwelled in the Manor house thereof, and was from thence driven by the Tories in Queen Mary's days, to flee to Geneva to save his life; when he, looking out at his Window, saw his Steward, that was, with his Haymakers, killed before his face; and he being fled to Geneva, Jo. Tonery was made Bishop of Ossory, and he made away divers Lordships, and among the rest, this Bishop's Court in Fee-farm, as they pray end, to one Rich. Shea, Bishop Bale being yet alive, and lived in Queen Elizabeth's days; after, Tonery came Bishop Gafney, and Bishop Bale still alive; and after Gafney, came Bishop Walsh, and he finding the invalidity of the Fee-farmes made by the Popish Bishops, while the right Bishop was alive, petitioneth to Queen Elizabeth, and had her Letters to the Lord Lieutenant and Council, to hear the Cause, and to relieve the Bishop according as they found the equity of his Cause, but before he could have any redress, he was killed by some Irish man (to prevent the recovery of the said Lordship, as it is conceived) in his own house; After that, came Bishop Deane, and he vigorously prosecutes the recovery of the said Lordship, and he had not done much more than begun, but he dieth: Than came Bishop Wheeler, and he petitioneth to my Lord of Strafford for the said Lordship of Bishop's Court, and by the great care and desire of the now most Reverend Primate of all Ireland, to benefit the Church of Christ, Bishop Wheeler had the Lordship of Frenis-Town, (that was one of the pretended Fee-farms made by Tonery, and formerly yielded the Bishop but 4 lively yearly, and doth now yield 50 lively every year) yielded up unto him; so that Shea might still continued in the Bishop's Court; and when Wheeler died, my gracious King, and good Master, Charles' the First, commended me to the Bishopric of Ossory, than came the Rebellion, and I was driven to flee before I had received one Penny from my Bishopric, or had continued two Months therein; but blessed be God for it, I was restored by our now most gracious King; and having an Order from the most Honourable House of Lords, to be put into the possession of all the Houses and Lands of the Bishop of Ossory, that the last Bishop died seized of, the Sheriff of the County of Kilkenny did put me, among divers other places, into the possession of the said Bishop's Court, and the Tenants attourned Tenants unto me, and continued from the _____ day of April until the 8th. day of October following, 1662. at which time, one Captain Burges, and divers others, Anabaptists and Sectaries, the Tenants of Sir George Ayskue, that never come into the Church, yet came into the Bishop's House, and thence expelled the Bishop and his Tenants, from his possession. And I, the Bishop hearing of it, went thither myself, with two men and my Chaplain Mr. Thomas Bulkley; and finding the door open, I and my Chaplain went in, and one of them, that kept the possession, affronted and justled me at the door of the Loft, to hinder my entrance in, and yet I got in; and than more and more came into the Room, to the number of 9 or 10 persons: And some of them, especially Captain Burges, vilified and threatened me to the fear of my Life, and some did shut the Iron Grate, and locked it, as I conceived, to keep me there for their Prisoner, and to hinder my two servants, that I had sent with my horses to Freshfoord, to come in; and when they demanded if they meant to murder their Lord, and desired to come in, one of them, that had a Cudgel in his hand, said, that if he offered to come in there, he would knock him in the head; and my man answered him with the like menaces, and I, hearing of their high threats, and fearing what mischief might fall out there, sent a peremptory command to my men, to go home, and let what death soever pleased God, come to me; but, after that I got liberty to go unto mine own house, I called a private Sessions, and Indicted William. Portis, Tho. Collins, Jo. Rayman, Josias Scot, William. Burges, for their forcible entry; but the Indictment, being removed by a Certiorari to the King's Bench, though I had retained two Counsellors, and gave them twenty shillings for their Fee, to do things right, and according to Law, yet through the error of the Clerk, there were some faults found in the Indictment, and so the same was quashed by the Judges of the King's Bench: Than I got the best Attorney that I thought was in Dublin, and is so reputed by all my friends, to draw me another Indictment against the foresaid forcible enterers; and being drawn, I carried it to Sir William Donvil, the King's Attorney, and gave him his Fee to review it, and mend it, if any thing was amiss in it, and make it so, as it might stand good in Law, the which thing, he very carefully did, and amended some things with his own hands: And I knew not what I could or should do more, to draw a good Indictment.  
Than I desired the Justices of the Peace, to sand a praecipe, to the Sheriff to summon a Jury to examine the force, which they did, upon the said place, where the force was committed.  
And, though Sir George Ayskue had for his Attorney, Mr. Smith, the now High Sheriff of the County of the City of Kilkenny, and Mr. Johnson, the Recorder of the City of Kilkenny for his Counsellor, to pled against the finding of the Indictment true, as much as ever they could, and another Counsellor stood against it, as much, or more than either of them both; and I had neither Attorney nor Counsellor to say any thing for it, but what the Witnesses proved; yet the Jury did presently found it Billa Vera.  
Than I desired the Justices of the Peace to restore me to my Possession, but to prevent the same, Mr. Smith, Sir George Ayskues Attorney, having a Certiorari ready in his Pocket, did immediately, as soon as ever the Jury had brought in their Verdict, deliver the same into the hands of the Justices of the Peace, and they delivered it to the Clerk of the Peace, and the Justices said, that now they could not restore me to my Possession, because that their hands were stopped, and all the proceed must be transmitted to the King's Bench, by Octab. Hillarii.  
And when I came to Kilkenny, I went to the Clerk of the Peace, and examined the same Indictment, which the Jury found (and which I had done before) ad amussim, very diligently, with that Copy, which the King's Attorney had amended, and averred to be sufficient; and I prayed the Clerk of the Peace, to give me a Copy of that Indictment, which the Jury found, the which he did under his hand, and I examined all again, and found them in all things to be verbatim, word for word agreeable one to another.  
Than by Octab. Hillarii, the time set, to return the proceed to the King's Bench, I went to Dublin: But there was no Indictment returned; still I expected, but still in vain; At last I complained to the Lords Justices; but they answered, that they could not help it, for they knew not, whether the Certiorari was delivered or not: At last, seeing it was neither returned, nor like to be returned, I was advised to make Affidavit, that I had seen it delivered into the hands of the Justices of the Peace, and that I heard it read, and than saw it delivered to the Clerk of the Peace; and than upon the reading of my Affidavit, and a motion made by my Counsel thereupon; there was an Order set down, that there should be 20 lively fine set upon the Clerk of the Peace, if the proceed and the Indictment came not in by such a day; So, at last, it came in, but it was the last day of the Term that it came into the Court; and than the King's Sergeant moved for my possession; but the Counsel, on the other side, pleaded, that there was an error in the said Indictment; and being somewhat long in alleging the Cases of A. and B. and of John an Oaks and John a Style, the Lord Chief Justice told him, it was the last day of the Term, and Motions were to be heard: Therefore seeing they could not hear out the Matter now, they should show cause by the second day of the next Term why possession should not be restored.  
Than I thought this was to keep me long enough out of my Possession, and to let Sir George Ayskue have one half years rend more, to the two half years Rend that he had already, since I was driven out of my Possession, and to let his Counsel have time e ough added, to what they had already, to pick as many holes as they could found, or could make in mine Indictment, but, considering that, as the Poet saith, Levius fit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas, I went away, and said nothing.  
But upon the second day of the next Term, which was appointed for the hearing of it, the King's Attorney moved for possession, and the Counsel of the other side began to pled the errors of the Indictment, but the pleading was presently put of, and it was prosecuted the next day: The King's Attorney being not there; and the main error, that was of any moment, and which was neither seen nor touched the Term before by Sir George his Counsel; (for all other things alleged, as my Counsel said, were but trifles, & could easily be answered) was, that in the Indictment it was said, Per Sacramentum quindecem virorum, whereas it should be Per Sacramentum proborum & legalium hominum comitatus Kilken-predict. extitit. presentat. which words were all left out of the Indictment, and the other words put in the room of them; Than I stood up and said, I was certain, the words quindecim virorum were not in the Indictment that was found by the Jury, and that all the other words were in it; because that myself had examined it, and read it, and had likewise a Copy of it, under the hand of the Clerk of the Peace, which was examined with the Original by myself: And I offered in open Court to make Oath of all this; but the Lords Justices answered, that they could not proceed but according to the Record, that was returned to the Court, which they must conceive to be the true Record; And I answered, That I hoped they would not judge according to that Record, which I would swear was false and corrupted, and not the true Record, nor according to the Record that was found by the Jury; yet I could not prevail to have the Clerk of the Peace sent for, and to bring the original Record to be showed in the Court, therefore by the next day I brought this Affidavit in writing:  
THe Right Reverend Father in God, Griffith, Lord Bishop of Ossory, this day made oath before me, that he had sundry times perused the original Indictment and Record of Forcible Entry found by a Jury of the County of Kilkenny, upon the 18th day of December last passed, against the said Defendants in the Custody of one Nicholas Halpenny, who as is alleged is either Clerk, or Deputy Clerk of the Peace for the said County, and that the said Indictment and Record being removed into this Court Pursuant to his Majesties Writ of Certiorari, this Deponent did peruse the said Record so transmitted by the said Halpenny, and doth found upon view and examination thereof, that there are sundry Circumstantial and substantial words, which are in the said original Indictment found by the Grand Jury omitted to be returned; and as this Deponent believes and remembers other words are inserted therein by the Clerk that returned or drew up the same. He further deposed, That before the Record was returned into this Court, he had a Copy of the said Original attested under the hand of the said Halpenny, which he doth found upon examination to be different from the Record now lodged in this Court, by virtue of the said Certiorari, and that as this Deponent is credibly informed, and verily believeth, the said Certiorari and Record now returned was for the space of one month, or thereabouts, in Dublin detained in the hands of Mr. Patrick Lambert, who is said to be Attorney for Sir George Ayscue Knight, the pretended Proprietor of the premises in the Indictment contained, before such time as he returned the same, and that this Deponent could not have the said Record returned ere that he had by the Court a conditional fine imposed upon the Clerk of the Peace, or his Deputy for his neglect in not returning thereof.  
And than my Counsel moved, that it might be read, and so it was: And I shown to their Lordships what great wrong and abuse this was to me, and an injury to his Majesty, to have the Record falsified and corrupted, and protested in the open Court, that, so long as I could either speak or go, I would not suffer this abuse to pass unexamined, and at last, with much ado, I got the Lords Justices, to grant their Writ, to enjoin the Clerk of the Peace, to appear upon the Saturday following, to answer such things as should be objected against him sub poena c. librarum, at which time he came; and I went with him to my Lord Chief Justice his house, to show him the original Record, and how it was falsely transcribed, and not according to that, which was brought into the Court; but my Lord Chief Justice seeming, as I conceived, somewhat angry, said, he would hear nothing, nor, see any thing, but what should be showed in Court; and than the Clerk of the Peace came with me to the Court, and when he was called, he confessed the truth, that the Record transmitted to the Court, was not according to the original Record, but w s falsely written by his Clerk, that he trusted to writ it, altogether unknown to him; than my Counsel moved, that the Record might be amended according to the original Record; but the Lords Justices answered, that they could not altar the Record brought into the Court: And the King's Solicitor, Mr. Temple, very honestly replied, they might, if they pleased, have it amended, for that, in such a case, some error or mistake was found in an Indictment in the time of one Clerk of the Peace, and it was ordered to be amended pro rege in the time of another Clerk of the Peace; the Lord Chief Justice answered, this Indictment was brought into the Court the last Term, and therefore it could not be amended this Term. Than I replied, It should have been brought in in the beginning of the last Term, but it was concealed till the last day of the last Term, and this error than was neither seen nor spoken of; and how could we move than, to have it amended, before we knew the falsehood and corrupting of it, which was no ways perceived till this time? Yet, for all that I could say or do, I could not prevail to have the Record amended, according to the original Record. And when I saw that, I desired my Counsel, to desire their Lordships, either to grant that it might be amended, or to quash it out of hand, that I should not spend myself in Dublin, but go to begin a fresh, and to indict them again; and than my Lord Chief Justice answered, seeing we desired to quash it, let it be quashed; which, in respect of the King's fine, I conceived, should not be done, if the original Indictment, found by the Jury, was good. Than I got the King's Solicitor, Mr. Temple, and the King's Sergeant, Sergeant Griffith, and Mr. Darcy, to draw me an Indictment, that would stand good in Law; and presently I went to Kilkenny, and required the Justices of the peace to sand their praecipe, to the Sheriff, to summon 24 men to appear at Freshfoord the 23 of the instant, which they did accordingly; and the Deputy Sheriff appointed these Gentlemen to be summoned, 

Nom. Jur. ad inquirend.  
John Grace of Courtstowne, Esq;  
John Wheeler, Gent.  
Rich Donvil, Gent.  
William Davies, Gent.  
Walter bishop, Gent.  
Walter Nosse, Gent.  
John Pursel, Gent.  
William Pay, Gent.  
William White, Gent.  
Ralph Hale. Gent.  
Lewis Mathews, Gent.  
Robert Grace, Gent.  
George Lodge, Gent.  
Edmund Butler, Gent.  
Matthew White, Gent.  
William Hunter, Gent.  
Thomas Green, Gent.  
Vincent Knatchbul, Gent.  
Ric. Comerford of Degenmore, G.  
Tho. Bowers of Knoctopher, G.  
Emanuel Palmer, Gent.  
Mathias Reilegh, Gent.  
Chri. Auetstone of Thomastone.  
Tho. Hussie of Gowrom, Gent.  
Toby Boil of Condonstown, Gent.  
Tho. Tomlins of Lyniate Abby.  
Joseph Wheeler of Killrush.  
George Barton of Gostingstown, G.    
But before the Bailiffs were gone to summon them, the High Sheriff was come to the Town, and seeing the List of the Subscribed, and having conferred with Sir George Ayscue, that lay in the next Room where the Sheriff lay, he said those men should not serve in the Jury, but he would choose a Jury for this business, and he nominated such men: Anabaptists, Presbyterians, and others of the most rigid Sectaries, that were in all the whole County: Yet because I knew two or three of them to be very honest men, I was very well contented with them. But as soon as ever I was gone from the Sheriff, those men were put by, and other Sectaries put into the List in their stead 
* A Jury as my friends, that knew them, said would hung all the Bishops in Ireland, if they were their Jury to try them. . And the Bailiff coming to me for more money than I had given him, for summoning those that the Deputy Sheriff had appointed, because now, the High Sheriff had appointed men, that he had picked out over all the County of Kilkenny: Than I suspected some evil determined against me, and I desired the Bailiff, to show me the List of those, that he was to summon, and when I saw those honest men that I knew, put out, and others put in their room, I put the Warrant in my Pocket, and bad the Bailiff tell the Sheriff, that my Witnesses for the King were not ready; and after he told this to the Sheriff, he came to me again weeping and crying, and desired me for God's sake to give him his Warrant: For the Sheriff was very angry with him, and he was utterly undone, for showing me the Warrant, but I kept it still in my Pocket.  
And thus was I served, with a great deal of travel and charge above 60 li. in seeking to recover the Church Lands, which I resolved and vowed if I could recover it, to bestow it wholly for the repairing and re-edifying of the flat-fallen Church of Kilkenny: And now, let the Judge of all the World, and let all just and honest men judge, whether this be a fair and just proceeding.  
But quorsum haec? To what purpose is all this pains of this Relation? Is it to tax and charge the Reverend Judges either of injustice or partiality? Not, By no means: I tax no man; but I set down rem gestam the whole matter a capite ad calcem; and they, the Judges and Counselors, being great Lawyers may found all this to be just; and especially, to make it seem so to be; and though for all cheating Pettifoggers and covetous Counselors, that against the dictate of their own consciences, and against their King and against the Church of God, will, for a Fee, cell their souls unto the devil; I hate their do that are Sicut atri janua ditis: Yet I do from my heart honour and reverence all the grave and just Judges, and Learned Lawyers, without whose help and Counsel and Judgement, we could not live in this Commonwealth. And though I failed at the King's Bench, to prevail to procure those Fines unto the King, which I conceived should be imposed upon those five that I indicted, (whereof the chief of them, that is, Captain Burges is now sent Prisoner to Dublin, by my Lord of Ossory, which may be a just Judgement, that he should be committed by my Lord of Ossory for his abuse done to the Bishop of Ossory,) yet I have had very fair Justice done me, by the Judges of the Court of Claim, and I am confident, to found the like from them again, and to be righted by the Judges of the Court of Exchequer 
* And so likewise from the King's Bench and Common Pleas.  for the wrongs and damages that I sustained by those that forcibly entered upon my Possessions, and do still detain it from me, when I shall bring the cause before them. Therefore I have no reason for the biting of a mad Dog, to hung all the good Dogs in the Country, or for the abuse or injustice done me by some one man or few Lawyers, to exclaim against all others, when as the Poet adviseth us, Parcere paucorum diffundere crimen in omnes. But I do exceedingly tax myself, and mine own understanding, that understanding both Greek and Latin, and having read what Lambert, Bolton and Dalton have written of Forcible Entries, I should be such a Dolt, as not to understand this Proceeding of mine, about the Indictment of those Forcible Enterers to be a just and a fair Proceeding.  
Therefore mine apprehension conceiving such proceed to be foul, and very much amiss, and that the justice which I had, upon the whole matter, had not what Pindarus saith Justice useth to have, that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, I thought good, to set down the same, not to accuse, and complain against any one for being unjust, or to seek any redress unto myself; for I have born, and can be contented still to bear, more wrongs than this: But I do it for these ends.  
1. To let poor men see, how they may be wronged and oppressed, and have their Land and Possessions taken from them by great and powerful men, and what they are best to do in such a case; and my counsel is, to be patiented, because as I said before, Levius fit patientia quicquid corrigere est nefas, and as our Saviour saith, If any man sue thee for thy Coat, let him have thy Cloak also; So I say, if any great man, that hath a great Place, or great Friends, take away thy Lands, let him take away thy House also, rather than spend thy Money, and loose that with thy Lands; for as Christ saith, If these things be done to the green tree, what shall be done to the dry? So if these Proceed pass against me, that can both speak and follow my business to the uttermost, and, I thank God have ability to go through with it, what shall become of thee, and thy Cause, that art a poor man, when thou swimmest against the stream, and kickest against the pricks?  
Therefore I advice thee, rather in such a case, to cry to God, than complain to any Judge, jest that as the Poet saith, Excessit medicina modum, thy remedy will prove worse than thy disease. For thou seest how I am served, put out of my House, and spend above 60 lively and have no redress.  
2. If this proceeding and dealing with me, be, as I conceive it, not so fair and so just as it should be, both for the King and myself, that am ejected out of my House and Lands; than I conceive, His Majesty and the Parliament should, to prevent the like Oppression and wrongs to poor men, provide an easier and plainer way to relieve the oppressed, and to set down an usual Form of Indictment, or to cause that the Indictments should not be so easily and so frequently, upon every Lawyer's motion, quashed, as they are reported to be: Especially when the matter of Force is plain and evidently proved. And this redress of Injuries I petition and move for, for these four special reasons.  
1. Because the difficulty of framing the Indictments so, that a cunning Lawyer cannot easily found a fault, and a flaw in it, and than the frequent quashing of such Indictments, as are found faulty, is a great wrong to his Majesty, in depriving him of those Fines that otherwise are due, and should be rendered unto him.  
2. It is a great Abuse and injury unto the poor Subject, that shall be driven out of his Possession, and, for want of a sufficient Clerk or Counsellor to draw the right form of his Indictment, (which as I see few can do) he shall both spend his Money, and loose his labour; and perhaps, he is not able to do as I did, three or four times to draw Indictments, till he finds one that may stand good.  
3. This frequent quashing of Indictments is a great encouragement for Oppressors, and wicked men to wrong their neighbours more and more; for say they, I will enter upon him and thrust him out, and if he doth indite me, I will remove it to the King's Bench, and I shall found a Lawyer that will quash his Indictment by and by.  
4. This very practice and proceeding may be feared to prove the very bane and destruction of whole Nations and Kingdoms: For if Righteousness exalteth a Nation, and a Kingdom is translated from one Nation to another People, because of unrighteousness, as Solomon saith, and as we may read it in all Histories. Than you may see how requisite it is, for Kings and Princes, to look to those things, and not to suffer unrighteous Judges, either for favour to one, or hatred to another, to do what they list, and to make their Laws like a Nose of Wax, to bend which way they please, or like a Spider's Web, that catcheth the small Flies, but is broken, by the great humble Bees, all to pieces; but to be like the Chancellor Steel, that although he hated my person, yet, he said, though I deserved it not, I should have Justice, and so he did me Justice presently, and I love to do right to my Adversary, and to say the truth of mine enemy.  
But for myself, I thank God for it, as I lived many years very quietly and contentedly with far lesle means than 20 lively a year, and with far lesle pains and troubles than I have now, so I doubt not, but I could live so still; and I resolved and vowed, as I have attested in my Epistle to his Majesty, that, if I should recover this Bishop's Court unto the Church, I would wholly and fully bestow the same for the repairing of the Cathedral Church of Kilkenny: So that recovering it, I should not be one Penny the richer, or not recovering it, not a Penny the poorer; and so the wrong done by this Proceeding, whosoever did it, is, as I conceive, more against the King and the Church than against myself. And if the Proviso for Sir George Ayskue carrieth this Bishop's Court to him from the Church, which in my understanding is clean contrary to the very words of the Act, pag. 72. Let him pray that he hath it not with that Sauce which God prescribeth in Psal. 83. And so I end, and so be it, as God pleaseth, Amen.  
And after I had delivered this same Relation unto his Majesty, and shown the Effect and sum thereof, by the next day I gave him this Petition.  
To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty. The Humble Petition of Gruffith, Lord Bishop of Ossory,  
Shows,  
THat your Petitioner hath caused five of the Tenants of Sir George Ayskew to be twice Indicted for a forcible Entry upon the House and Lands of the Bishop of Ossory, and yet your Petitioner with the Expense of above 60 l. could not prevail to have them punished as the Law requireth, whereby your Majesty is wronged in not receiving the Fines that should be imposed upon them for that offence, and your Petitioner is abused, in being still kept out of his Possession, to about 300 l. Damages.  
May it therefore please your Majesty to writ to the Duke of Ormond, or to the Parliament, to see that the former Proceed may be reviewed, and that your Petitioner may be relieved according to Justice.  
And your Petitioner shall ever pray, etc.  
And my Lords Grace of Canterbury very graciously, and like a most Religious Father and Countenancer of the Fathers of the Church, going with me to deliver it to his Majesty, and to let him understand the substance of it, said, here is the good Bishop of Ossory (so his Grace was pleased beyond my Deserts, to style me) that hath a very reasonable Petition to your Majesty, and telling him the sum of it, his Majesty, like a most Pious King, most graciously answered, I will do it with all my heart: and my Lords Grace sent for Secretary Benet, and he drew me this his Majesties Answer the next day.  
Whitehal, July 16th. 1663.  
HIs Majesty is graciously pleased effectually to recommend the Consideration of this Petition to his Grace the Duke of Ormond, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, to the end his Grace may forthwith take care, to settle and establish the Petitioner in his Right, and that such who disturb him may be punished according to Law.  
I know not what more I could have desired; his Majesty herein doing more than I desired: And when I was very willing to have given 5 l. in Gold for Sir Henry Bennets Fee, that most Courteous Gentleman, Mr. Quod-dolphin, said, I should not pay one penny, but Sir Henry would lay that upon the Church, and my Lord of Canterbury's score: So fairly, and so friendly was I used at his Majesty's Court: The Lord bless them, and reward them for it; and grant them always the like Favour as I found with them.  
And when I came with his Majesty's Reference to my Lord Duke of Ormond, I found his Grace, as honourable, and very gracious in his Answer and Direction to me; but, when his Grace referred the Petition (that I drew to his Grace, to do as his Majesty directed) and his Majesty's Reference, to the Council-Table, I must acknowledge, that I feared the success, and so it happened according to my fear; for when I was called before the Council, his Grace said, he was no Lawyer, but he left the Matter to them, to inform me, what was to be done according to Law; and my Lord Chancellor said, that both myself, in my Relation, and my Lawyers and Counsel confessed, that the Judges did act, and their Proceed were according to Law; and therefore I must even begin again, and it was my best course to proceed according to Law; and I answered, if all this in my Proceed were Law, I pray God sand us a better Law; for I shown the whole Proceed to his Majesty, and to divers of the Judges of England, and they said, this was a fair proceeding indeed, to set up a man of straw, and than shoot at him, to bring a false Indictment to the Court, and than quash it; for I proved it in the open Court (by the Confession of the Clerk of the Peace, that brought the true Indictment with him to the Court, and acknowledged that the other was falsified, either by the Clerk that he trusted to writ it, or by some other, he knew not who:) that the Indictment brought to the Court, was not the true Indictment, that was found by the Jury; and so without any more words, my Lord's Grace seemed to me very graciously to smile, and so I was dismissed.  

But I fear that the favour which Sir Geo. Ayskue finds in every place against me, may produce no good effect.  And than I called to mind the cause that moved me to fear the success I should have at the Council-Table, not Injustice, that I mean not. I know that they are just, but that the Justice I should have, would not be to my advantage, and the favour that I desired: For when I still indicted the forcible Enterers, and still proceeded against Sir George Ayskues Tenants, he preferred a Petition to the Council-Table, about this Lordship of Bishop's Court; and I hearing of it, conceived that before any thing should be done thereupon, I should have the favour to be made acquainted with the same Petition, that I might answer it, but I could hear nothing of it, until a little while after, some of the Bishops, by reason of the power to my L. Lieutenant and Counsel given by the last Proviso in the Act of settlement, fearing that they would altar and retrench some of his Majesty's Favours and Additionals granted unto them, by the said Act, petitioned that they would not do so, but leave all things that concerned the Bishops, statu quo, as they are expressed in the Act, without Alteration or retrenchment; and my Lord Lieutenant and Counsel granted their Petition; but with this only Proviso, that Sir George Ayskues right might be preserved, that is, as I conceive, against all the Bishops, for that none is named; and this Proviso, of all the men in Ireland, is but only for Sir George Ayskue, and of all the Bishops in Ireland, it seems by all likelihood, only prejudicial to the Bishop of Ossory: Which notwithstanding, if the last Proviso in the Act of Settlement, be well understood and rightly followed, can be no prejudice to him at all, as I conceive it; for that the Power given to my Lord Lieutenant and Counsel by that Proviso, is as I understand it, a power to altar and retrench any thing, in part or in whole, which they shall found either contrary to his Majesty's Declaration, or inconsistent with, 
Which are the very words in the Proviso.  or to the general settlement of the Kingdom; and I conceive, that the suffering of the Bishop of Ossory, to enjoy his own House and Lands, where the Bishops used to live and reside, cannot be contrary to his Majesty's Declaration, not inconsistent with the general settlement of the Kingdom. And therefore I humbly conceive, that my Lord Lieutenant and Counsel have no power by that Proviso granted unto them, to take away his Majesties Grant and Favour to the Bishop of Ossory, and to settle the same upon Sir George Ayskue; especially if his Majesty was deceived in his Grant to Sir George Ayskue, as I verily believe he was; for his Majesty grants him the Lands settled upon him for his Service in Ireland; and I have searched and examined the Matter as much as ever I could, and yet could never found nor understand what Service he had done in Ireland, that deserved to carry away the House and Lands of the Bishop of Ossory, or indeed of any Service, that he did in Ireland at all, either for King or Parliament.  
And if for all this, he carries the Bishop's House away, I will sing, Mopso Nisa datur: and seeing how many of the Bishop's Houses and Lands, that were by an Order of the House of Lords, delivered to my possession by the Sheriff of the County, and were peaceably in my Tenant's possession, and paid me Rend ever since his Majesty's happy coming in, were given away, while I was in London, Petitioning about this Cause, and could not be at Dublin, to answer them that sued for them, nor dreamt of any Suits against me, and being not able in mine old Age (especially seeing what Pains, Charge, and Success I have hitherto had with Sir Geo. Ayskue) to follow so many Suits, against so many men, so powerful as they are, in the Courts of Justice, at the Council-Table, and in all places, I will like Balaams' Ass, so unjustly beaten, lie down under my burden, too heavy for me to bear, and call and cry to God to arise and maintain his own Cause, and the Cause of his own Son Jesus Christ.  
Yet in this Suit, betwixt me and Sir Geo. Ayskue, because I have taken so much pains, and spent so much Money, (and specially because I do hate and abhor, that any man 
* I mean not Sir G. Ayskue, but whosoever he be. , which hath fought under the Standard of the Beast and Long Parliament, against that Most Pious King, and my Most Gracious Master, Charles' the First, should carry away the Houses and Lands, that Religious Princes have dedicated for the Honour and Service of Jesus Christ, for the Reward of that wickedness) I resolved once more to enter into the List, to follow my always very honourable Friend, my Lord Chancellors Advice, and try the Success with him, by the Verdict of an honest Jury, and I indicted 6 of the Tenants and Servants of Sir Geo. Ayskue, for a forcible Entry, and 5 of them now, the third time; and I had six Counselors help, to draw and compose the Indictment, and so to review it, and correct it, if any thing was amiss therein, that, being found Billa Vera by the Jury, it might so stand good, and not be quashed, as my two former Indictments were, by the Judges of the King's Bench.  
And the 6 forcible Enterers being indicted, for fear jest the Record should be falsified, and corrupted, as the former indictment of them had been, I got the Clerk of the Peace, to sand it enclosed in a Letter sealed up, by my man, to his Agent in Dublin, to be delivered into the Office, which mine Adversaries presently told to my Lord of Santree, and was objected as a Piaculum; 
Meaning, as I conceived, by the Relation that I had printed of the former Proceed.  and when the Record came to the Court, my Lord Chief Justice said upon the Bench, that my Lord Bishop had abused the Court, to whom I replied, that I had not abused the Court, for that I had set down nothing but the Truth, and was as loathe as any man, to offer the lest Abuse to any of his Majesty's Courts, or Judges of his Courts; And after my Lord Chief Justice and myself had conferred together, I found him my very honourable Friend, and I retained three of the King's Counsel to follow the said Cause for his Majesty, and the Counselors of the fanatics failing to quash the Indictment, my Lord Chief Justice told them, they must either submit, or be bound to prosecute their Traverse; and they became bound in 200 l, to prosecute the same upon the 10th. day of Easter Term, which was the sixth day of May. And when, upon that day the Jury were sworn, 
That their children and their childrens children may understand from what (I will not say Canaanites, but Catharists) they are sprung. Who and what my Witnesses proved,  viz. William Baker of Ballytobin, John Pursel of Lismore, William Baxter of Earlstown, Isaac Jackson of Kilamery, John Jones of Ri _____ Robert Howford of Ballyneboly, Nicholas Pharoe, Thomas Tomlins of Lismoteag, Chrystopher Tender of Fadenarah, John Nixon of Brawnebarn, William Cheshire of _____ and Thomas Huswife of Gowran; good men and true, or neither good men nor true.  
1. I brought in evidence, Mr. Sheriff Reigly (who was the Sheriff that gave me possession) and Mr. Connel (and Hugh Linon, that was thought needless) to prove my possession given by the Sheriff of the County of Kilkenny, by virtue of an Order of the House of Lords, of this Lordship of Bish. Court & the Lands thereto belonging, and of the Tenements in Freshfoord, as it was expressed in a Schedule annexed to the Order of the Lords, upon the 29th day of April, 1662. and that the Tenants did atturne Tenants, and gave pieces of money in earnest of their rents, and promised to keep the possession, and to continued Tenants unto me during my pleasure.  
2. Mr. Thomas Bulkley, Mr. William Williams, Thomas Davies, and myself proved the multitude of persons, to the number of ten or twelve, that upon the 8th day of October, 1662. were entered into the said Bishop's Court, and there forcibly kept the possession against the Bishop, and some (one with a sword by his side, and a staff or Cane in his hand, and another with a long staff in his hand) threatened that they would make him repent his do and coming there, and that Sir George Ayskue would spend 500 li. before he would lose this Bishop's Court, and that Captain Burges said, he would keep and uphold the possession for Sir George Ayskue with his life and fortune; and others, having shut the Iron Grate, to hinder the Bishop to go out or his Servants to come in, when his Servants demanded, what they meant, to murder their Lord? And desired to come in, to wait upon their Master, they threatened them, and said, that if they offered to come in there, they would beaten them down, and knock out their Brains.  
3. Mr. Richard Marshal, Mr. George Fare, Mr. John Murphey, and Ed. Dalton, (that proved how he was thrust out of the house by head and shoulders) proved the forcible entry, with arms and weapons, a Gun, and a Pike, and Staves, into some of the Tenements in Freshford; and that for nine days, they kept the same with such a company of fanatics, Anabaptists, and other Sectaries, that they seemed rather to be a Garrison, than the keeping of the possession of any house.  
And after nine days they bond George Fare and others in a bond of a thousand pounds that they should continued true Tenants to Sir George Ayskue, and keep the possession for him against the Bishop of Ossory.  
And because the said George Fare proved this point so fully and so plain, that nothing could be said against it; one of the fanatics Counselors said, what I conceive was very unfit to be spoken, in so public a place, and before such honourable Judges of any of the King's Witnesses, that this man, the principal of the Witnesses, was a parricide, which I dare justify to be most untrue.  
4. For impounding the Cattles, and beating and wounding them that sought to hinder it, the said George Fare proved the same so fully, and that one of the women, that was beaten, lay long sick after her beating, that Sir Audley Mervin and Serjeant Gruffith would not suffer three other Witnesses, that I had there at the Bar, that is, John Duran, Barbara Marshal, and another Wench, to be sworn and examined, and so to trouble the Court any further; because said they, you see the Lords Justices, and the whole Court, are sufficiently satisfied, that I had more than abundantly proved the forcible entry, and detaining of this Bishop's Court, but they gave way, to six of the Intruders Counsel, to say what they could for their Clients.  
And when each one of them had made his Oration, and spent much time, and my Lord Chief Justice heard them, with a great deal of patience, to prove what I never denied, but was ready to confess all that they said, touching the large Writings and Evidences, that they produced, to prove the Title and Interest of Mr. Robert Shea to this Bishop's Court, which at this time, when the question was only of the forcible entry, I had no reason to contradict, and which perhaps might be good (and perhaps not) before he forfeited the same unto his Majesty.  
But for Sir George Ayskue, that for his Service, 
How S. George Ayskue came to have this Bishop's Court.  you know to whom, (which makes me believe it will never prospero with him) had a Commission from the Usurper Crumwel, that for 200 lively which was due unto him for some Service that he had done, as I am informed, the Commissioners should allot him so much Lands, as they thought worth 200 lively and they out of favour to him, and getting Lands so cheap as they did, gave him this Bishop's Court, and so much more other Lands, as are now far better worth than 200 lively per annum; his Counsel said never a word touching his Title and Interest; for he enjoyed it not peaceably and quietly, but only during the time of the Rebellion, and Usurpation, (which I conceive to be no true Possession,) for as soon as ever his Majesty was so happily restored before one year had gone about, I sent to enter upon it, and to distrain for my Rent, and Captain Burges, Sir George Ayskues prime Tenant, gave me a Writing, which I have to show, under his hand, to become answerable unto me for the whole Rent of this Bishop's Court and Freshfoord, when I should be peaceably settled in it.  
So when these six Counselors had spent their spirits in tiring the worthy Judges, and beating the soft air, to no purpose, but only (like those Fanatic Preachers, that read their Text, and never touch it after) to amaze the simple and— Jury which I may justly term— for that I am confident, the most of them were resolved what to do before ever they heard the Evidence: My Counsel, that were Sir William Dunvil, the King's Attorney, Sir Audley Mervin 
* The Speaker of the House of Commons. , Sir John Temple, the King's Solicitor, Sergeant Gruffith, and Mr. Rian, all very worthy men, and worthy to be named, thinking it no wisdom in them, as one of themselves told me, nor any ways beneficial, either to the King for his Fine, or to me for the Possession, to follow those extravagant Counselors in their devious ways, and to answer their needless discourses, so far from the point in question, as being only about Sheas Title, and no ways touching nor contradicting the forcible entry, were very silent, and said never a word to all that the adverse Counselors had said, but left the Evidence to be explained to the Jury by the Judges, who had so exactly examined them, and so patiently heard what both sides could say: for which, some of the adverse Counselors, and some of my friends blamed them very much, for making no manner of replication at all to Sir George Ayskues Counsel. But truly I do conceive, that digitus dei erat hic, that as he openeth the mouth of babes and sucklings to show forth his praise, so he shuts the mouths of the Wise and Learned, when it pleaseth him, as here he did, for the trial of this Jury, whether they would be true and honest, that, being found 
* Like Belshazzar, weighed in the balance and found too light.  as I conceive they are, they might be made an example (which he knew I would do, to the uttermost of my power) for all other Juries, to terrify them from falsehood and wrong, to the great benefit of the whole Kingdom, which, without some severe censures upon such high Offenders, would rather prove to be a Den of thiefs than a seat of safety for honest men, that were best (if— Juries may still do what they list) to obey the voice, which cried in the air, at the Siege of Jerusalem, Migremus hinc.  
Than my Lord of Santry, that is, my Lord Chief Justice, seeing my Counsel silent, began most nobly, rightly, and truly, as a most upright Judge, and like himself in all his judgements, told the Jury, that for the title and matter of Law, and the Interest of either in this Bishop's Court, it was not in their charge to inquire of it, but they, that were the Judges of the Law, and of the right interest were to do it, and would do the same, when my Counsel should move for the possession, but they were, for the King, to inquire only of the matter of fact and force; whether after possession was given to the Bishop by the Sheriff, by virtue of an Order of the house of Lords, and the Bishop continued his possession from April to the eighth of October, 
The which said he, a Disseisor should not forcibly be put out.  though he should be a Disseisor, yet was he not forcibly put out, and kept out of the same? This was their only charge, to inquire after: and for this, said my Lord Chief Justice, you see what is proved; a multitude of persons, ten or twelve at the lest, when as one may make a forcible entry; you heard also, said he, what weapons they had, Gun, Pike, Sword, and Staves; and you heard what threatening words they used, that they would make the Bishop to repent his coming there; that they would knock down his Servants and beaten out their brains if they attempted to come in; and you heard likewise how they had beaten and wounded those Servants, that sought to hinder them to impound their Cattles; and all this, said my Lord Chief Justice, makes the forcible entry plain, so that you need not stand upon it. So justly and so fairly did my Lord of Santry deal herein, without either fearing or favouring the one or the other.  
So the Jury was dismissed; and all that heard the evidence, 
Sure, if I had not been a Bishop they would never have given such a Verdict.  and what my Lord Chief Justice said, would have laid, some twenty to one, some forty to one, and some a hundred to one, that the Jury would not stand upon it, but presently found the Verdict for the King. Yet they brought their Verdict for the Defendants.  
And as I am informed, all the Grave and Reverend Judges wondered, and were discontented at their Verdict; 
And who will prosecute for the King if Juries be suffered to do thus?  and whereas some would have the Jury fined, and imprisoned for the wrong they had done to the King; my Lord Chief Justice answered, there was a fit place to punish them: meaning, as I conceive, the Star-Chamber.  
And if such men, that formerly most of them were against their King, be thus permitted, to drive men out of house and home, and forcibly to enter into their possession, though they should be Peers of the Realm, which is a violence offered unto the Law, and a petty Rebellion, the next degree, and forerunner of rebellion against their King himself; and when any oppressed and expulsed man shall with a great deal of pains and labour, and with a vast expense of money, and an indictment upon indictment, thrice over, bring the same to a travers, and they, the Jury, without any Conscience, contrary to all justice, and contrary to all their evidence, and the plain Declaration and Judgement of the Lords the Judges of the Court, and of the whole Court, shall do what they please, and say, Quod volumus, id sanctum est, what we do is Law, without any speedy remedy against them, to the utter undoing of many poor oppressed men, who had better suffer any, the greatest wrong, than seek to be relieved, 
And as the Poet saith, Excessit medicina modum.  by such a way, whereby usura superat sortem, and the seeking of a Remedy shall so far exceed the Disease, I know not with what safety, either of Life, State, or Fortune, (which are all in the power of the Juries, to determine of them) any man can live in this Kingdom.  
For here, (especially in the County of Kilkenny,) where that perfidious Rebel and Traitor Axtell planted his Colony, such a multitude of Anabaptists, Quakers, and other worse Sectaries, 
What I say against these, I say not against the worthy Gentlemen and good Protestants, that are also very many, and my very good Friends in these parts: Neither do I say it against those well-bred Gentlemen that were Officers, and Commanders in the Army, but of the generality of the Common Soldiers, and some of the meaner Officers, that for their small Arrears got large Territories, and are now great Freeholders', and the chiefest Jurymen and Judges of our Lives, Lands, and Fortunes.  that in the beginning of the English Rebellion, were broken Citizens and Tradesmen, Tailors and Tinkers, Shoemakers and Cobblers, Ploughmen, and others, the like, men of no fortune, thought to raise themselves by the Irish Wars, and having some Arrears of Pay due unto them, got Orders to set out Lands unto them for the same, and the Kingdom being depopulated and wasted, and made a Wilderness without Inhabitants, the Lands were of nothing worth, and they had what Lands they pleased, and as much as they pleased, for their Arrears; for ten pounds as much as is now worth a hundred pounds a year; and for a hundred pounds as much as I will give a hundred pounds per annum.  
These men, that followed Axtells Religion, and were of his Plantation, being mounted up on Cockhorse, to be such great Freeholders, (the Irish Proprietors being, for the most part, driven away, and the Church Lands also taken into these Soldier's hands,) they must now be, for the most part, the principal Jury men and so the Judges of our Lives, Lands, and Fortunes.  
And they, considering their own interest to be alike, in the Lands, both of the Church, of the Irish, and of all, from whomsoever they hold it, do stick and cling together, like sworn brethrens, or rather like forsworn wretches, to defend and maintain each others Title and Interest in the Lands, that each one holdeth, both against Clergy and Laity, God or the King, be the same right or wrong, they will not loose their lands.  
And they do encourage each other thus to continued in their wickedness, saying, that they got their Lands with the loss of their blood, and the hazard of their lives; and therefore, to get the King some small fine, whereof he shall have but the lest part of it, and be but very little the better for it, and to dispossess their own fanatic Party, and give the Lands unto their Enemies, especially unto the Bishops, whom of all others they hate most of all, and Bishop Williams above all the rest, as he that hates their former Rebellions, and their now practices, more than any man else, they will never do it: though they hazard the loss, both of body and soul.  
Indeed, for the Bishop of Ossory he understands their malice towards him, well enough, (I pray God forgive them) so great, that, were it not for some honest, and truly religious Irish Gentlemen, and some of the Catholic Religion, I profess that I durst not live amongst these, that formerly warred against their King, and if the truth were known, do as I believe, as little love their present King, as they do much hate our Church, and the Bishops of our Church: when as they that hate their Bishops, cannot be said to honour their King, as I have most fully showed in my Grand Rebellion.  
And therefore I went unto his grace, my Lord Lieutenant, and related to his Grace the Verdict of the Jury, plain contrary to their evidence and the Declaration of my Lord Chief Justice, and the Judgement of the whole Court; and therefore did most humbly desire his Grace, to give me leave to go for England, to dispatch some necessary occasions, and to signify unto his Majesty, that, if there were no Court of Star-Chamber here, nor any other provision made, to punish all perjured Juries, and all high Transgressor's of the Laws and heinous offenders, that deprive his Majesty of the fines, justly due unto him, and his Subjects of their right, we, the true Protestants, and his Majesty's loyal Subjects, were not in safety, nor able to live among such Confederates of wickedness; but must, as King Boco said to the Senate of Rome, departed thence, jest the ire of the Gods, or the rage and injustice of such men do utterly destroy us. And his Grace very mildly and graciously answered, my Lord, the Bill for a Star-Chamber is already drawn, and sent to his Majesty to be signed, and will speedily come down, to pass the Houses, and than such Malefactors may be fully punished according to their offence.  
And I protested, and do protest, that I would be with the first, that would do my uttermost endeavour, to punish this Jury, and all false and forsworn perjured Juries, and the like high Transgressors, that concern me whatsoever. For,  
It is most certain, that Impunitas peccati invitat homines ad malignandum; 
And therefore I do believe, that I am as equally bound in conscience, to punish this Jury, as I am to recover the Lands of the Church.  and as Solomon saith, because the punishment is deferred, the hearts of the children of men are altogether set, to do evil; and my Divinity assureth me, that to punish a perjured person, and a transcendent Transgressor of the Law, is as acceptable unto God, as the relieving of the Oppressed; because that hereby we do our best that those, which will not be persuaded by good Counsel to be honest, and virtuous, may be forced with stripes, to do their duties, or at lest terrified from being so vicious, for that as St. Bernard saith, Qui non vult duci debet trahi.  
And therefore, with what means that God hath given me, I will with his assistance, do my best, to repair God's House, to relieve the Distressed, and to punish the Perjured, and the Oppressors of God's People; and the rather, because that here, in the parts, where I live, I have seen, in three or four years, more forcible Entries, Riots and Oppressions than I have seen in England, or Wales, that might be thought a little more wild than England in all my life, so that a Stranger, might rather think it a Country of Robbers, Tyrants, and Oppressors, much like unto Albion, when Brutus entered it, than a Country where with safety he might devil amongst them; for I do profess, were it not for some honest Irish, that are not all of my Religion, nor I of theirs, that do further me, encourage me, and protect me, in God's service, and the advancement of God's Church, I had rather live a poor Curate in my own Country, than a Bishop among such a company of Crumwellian Anabaptists, Quakers, and other worse Sectaries, that do live in these parts, and the wind of his Majesty's happy Government, and the prudent care of my Lord Lieutenant, hath driven them, like the Church Papists in Queen Elizabeth's days, 
As by their actions and hatred I do perfectly discern them.  to come within the Pales of our Church; and yet are as falsehearted, if the same might be seen, both to the King and the Church of Christ, as ever they were in Crumwells' days; as I conceive it to appear, by the oath of one of my Witnesses, that swore he heard the Captain of these forcible Enterers, that I indicted, encouraging his followers, to keep the possession for Sir George Ayskue, and to assure themselves, things should never be quiet until they returned and come again as they were before; which was a strange saying, as I understood it.  
Yet I would not have my Reader here to think, but that as the Scripture distinguisheth betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent, the Children of God and the Sons of Belial, so I do here in no ways prejudice, nor think the lest evil of the truehearted English and true Protestants, the worthy Gentlemen, the Officer's, Captains and Commanders of the Army, that are likewise many in these parts; but I make a great deal of difference betwixt them, so much, as that I do as much love and honour the one, as I do hate and abhor the do and wickedness of the other.  
So you may see, what it is to live in Ireland, 
For here now the Poet may well say, that Terras Astraea reliquit.  among Anabaptists and other Sectaries, worse than Pagans'; and how it is my Fortune to feel the brunt, and taste the poison of their Malice, to publish the same to all posterities: God deliver his Servants from them. Amen.  
ANd now, until I shall see whether the Star-Chamber will think it Justice, as I do, that this— Jury should bear all the damage that I sustain by their Verdict, and which I should have recovered upon the forcible Enterers, if they had gone according to their Evidence, I thought good to prefer this Petition to His Majesty.  

To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty. The Humble Petition of Gruffith, Lord Bishop of Ossory,  
Shows,  
THat Justice is a virtue and grace most acceptable with God; yet your Petitioner hath been infinitely injured, and your Majesty likewise wronged:  
1. By forcible Enterers that drove your Petitioner out of his house of Bishop's Court and Freshfoord.  
2. By a wicked forger of the Indictment of those persons, that were indicted for that entry.  
3. By a packed Jury, that, when the forcible Enterers were three times indicted, by three several Juries, quitted them, contrary to their evidence, and the mind of all the Judges.  
May it therefore please your Majesty to 'cause that Justice may be done to your Petitioner, and that you would writ to the Sheriff of the County of Kilkenny, that, as formerly he hath settled your Petitioner in this Bishop's Court and Freshfoord, by virtue of an Order of the House of Lords, so he would now settle him in his right and possession of the same by virtue of an Order from your Majesty.  
And your Petitioner doth here promise, and engage himself to God and to your Majesty, that, as he bestowed about four hundred pounds already, so having the four hundred pounds per annum, that your Majesty granted, settled upon him, according to the Act of settlement, pag. 71, & 73. he will lay out a thousand pounds more to repair the flat fallen, formerly fair Cathedral Church of St. Keny.  
And shall ever pray for your Majesty, etc.    

The sad condition of the Church and Clergy in the Diocese of Ossory; and I fear not much better in all Ireland.  
THE Church of Ireland in former times was very famous and glorious for many things especially for Piety, and neighbourly Charity, and bounty of the people one towards another, as it appeareth by the rare and many many Edifices of Churches and Monasteries, endowed with ample means and revenues, dedicated for the honour of God, and the service of Jesus Christ; all to be seen at this very day: for which cause it was want to be admired and applauded, and by the bordering Nations, that observed their sedulity in pious works, and neglect of worldly pomp, when, as the holy Patriarches lived in Tents, so most of them were contented to lie in Booths, and poor earthly Cabins, or houses made of Earth, that they might build to God houses of Marble, most sumptuous and glorious; and that they might be the better able, to bestow the more, to adorn and beautify the houses and Temples of God; it was called, and not amiss, Ecclesia Sanctorum, the glorious Church of holy Saints; that aimed only to go to heaven.  
But now since the unhappy time of that potent K. H. 8. when Sacrilege, through his discontent with the Pope, about his divorce with Queen Katherine, Ut fama vagatur, began to get the upper hand, and to throw away Piety from the Church, and trample it under foot, and cover it over with the Cloak of hypocrisy, and the vain shadow of no Religion, instead of the true service of God, you may see reliquias danaum, the ruins of Troy, and in all places the carcase of Religion, lodged in the thrown- down walls of all the Abbeys and Monasteries, and most of the Cathedrals, and the other Churches of Ireland, that are now, as the Prophet saith, defiled and made heaps of stones, Psal. 79.1.  
For if you walk through Ireland, as I road from Carlingford to Dublin, and from Dublin to Kilkenny, and in my Visitation thrice over the Diocese of Ossory; I believe that throughout all your travel, you shall found it as I found it, in all the ways that I went, scarce one Church standing, and sufficiently repaired, for seven, I speak within compass, that are ruined, and have only walls, without ornaments, and most of them without roofs, without doors, without windows, but the holes to receive the winds to entertain the Congregation.  
And what a lamentable thing, and a miserable sight is this? If you say, that in the time of blindness the people were over zealous in building too many Churches, and thinking to merit much thereby: I say, that now, in the fullness of knowledge, and the Sunshine of the Gospel, they are too riotous to pull them down, and too negligent of God's honour, and of the People's good, to waste and ruinated so many Churches, and to let the people want them to meet together, to serve God; which will merit a worse reward for them, than they shall have that built them.  
You may remember, that when Moses was to erect the Tabernacle, in the wilderness, within a desert place, of no trade or traffic, and therefore not easy to get any wealth in it: Yet Moses requiring their aid and free will offering to do the same; they were ready, and so willing, every man, beyond his power, to bring in their oblation in such abundance, that Moses was feign to tell them, they had brought enough, and too much: and therefore forbade them to bring in any more; he like a good man and just, being not desirous to make any gain of their bounty.  
And you may read in 1 Chron. 29.3. 
1 Chron. 29.3.  when King David resolved to have the Temple built, what great provision he left for the erecting of it; and how Solomon his Son did most gloriously finish the same in seven years, 
1 Reg. 6.37.  and furnished the same with all things necessary for the service of God; and after that Nabuchadnezzar had destroyed it, the Jews under Zorobabel did most readily, beyond the ability of captived men, newly released, contribute, and offered their freewill offerings towards the re-edifying of the same, which they finished in the ninth year of Darius Histaspes, 
Joseph. lib. 11. c. 4.  that made it to be forty six years in building, from the second year of Cyrus, who began it, according as the Jews say, to our Saviour Christ. And because these newly released Jews, that had scarce taken root in the Land of Jury, and were but scarce seated, and unsettled in Jerusalem, were not able to make this their Temple answerable in glory and sumptuousness, to that most rare and admirable Temple, which those two mighty Kings, and Kings of all Israel, David and Solomon, had joined their wealth and strength together to make it a most glorious house, for the most glorious and Almighty God; therefore Herod, that was but an alien, an Idumean, knowing that great and glorious things are to be offered, ascribed, and dedicated to the great and glorious God, re-edified and finished the same most sumptuously in eight years, 
Joseph. l. 15. c. ult.  as Josephus writeth; and he built the same so exceeding excellent, and more admirable than the Egyptian Pyramids, that Cheops builded of rare Theban Marble, so that for the rareness thereof, the Disciples show it our Saviour Christ, saying, Master, see what manner of stones, 
Mar. 13.1.  and what buildings are here.  
And the Jews generally were so zealous of God's service, and so ready to build and erect houses for his service, that, besides this glorious, great, and magnificent Temple, they had many Synagogues, that is, other lesser houses, like unto our Parish Churches, dedicated and consecrated for the worship of God; and he was counted a very good man, and worthy of all love and respect, that had built one of these, as they tell Christ, that the Centurion was worthy to have that favour shown him by Christ, as to heal his Daughter, 
Luk. 7.5.  because he had loved their nation, and had built them a Synagogue, that is, a house for the people to meet in it, to pray, and to serve their God in it.  
And it is most likely, they began to build these Synagogues when the Tribes were settled in the Land of Canaan; because the Ark, that remained in Shilo, and afterwards the Temple, that was erected in Jerusalem, 
Why the Synagogues of the Jews were built.  were so far distant from them that devil in the remotest parts of the Land, that they could not come so often, as they would, unto it, therefore they built to themselves Synagogues, to pray to God, and to serve him in them, instead of the Temple: for so we read that Moses of old time, probable, I say, from their very first beginning of their settlement, 
Acts 15.21.  had in every City them that preached him, being read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day: where, by the way, you may observe, that of old time, contrary to the conceit of our new fanatics, the reading of the holy Scriptures was accounted the preaching of God's word; though I deny not, but after it be read and so preached, 
Luk. 4.18.  it may be further explained, as Christ did that place of Isa. 61.1.  
And you see they had these Synagogues in every City, so they must have as many Synagogues as there were Cities in all their Land; 
The number of their Synagogues.  and Sigonius writeth, that there were four hundred and eighty of these Synagogues in Jerusalem; and the Scripture showeth that in other Cities and Provinces there were many other Synagogues, as in Galilee, in Damascus, in Salamis, and in Antiochia: and Maymonides, one of their prime Doctors, saith, the tradition of their Elders was, that wheresoever ten Families of Israel were, they aught to build them a Synagogue.  
And shall the Jews, that were under the Law, and burdened with such infinite Taxes and Ceremonies of their Religion, as were more than they were able to bear, 
Acts 15.10.  as the Apostle testifieth, be so zealous, so religious, and so ready to part with their wealth and the best things they had to build so sumptuous, and so glorious a Temple, and so many Synagogues, to perform those services that God required of them, which notwithstanding were but the types and shadows of that true Religion which we have, and do profess to embrace it; and shall we, that have the substance of those shadows, which they had, and the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which they never had, but in aenigmate, preached so clearly and so amply among us, and are freed from all the legal Ceremonies and Ordinances of the Law, be so cold and so careless as we are to repair the houses of Jesusr Christ? I fear than that these Jews shall rise in judgement against us.  
Nay, more than this, if you look into the stories of the Gentiles, Grecians, or Barbarians, that knew not God, but knew that there is a God which all men aught to worship; you shall found how zealous they were to build Temples and Oracles to their unknown Gods, that were no other than the devils, as the Oracle of Delphos, Amphiaraus, Hamonium, Dodonaeum, the Temple of Diana, at Ephesus, of Vesta, Ceres, Minerva, and other Goddesses of the Gentiles, and the many many Temples, that the Romans and other Nations built, to Jupiter, Apollo, Mars, and the rest of their false and feigned Gods and Goddesses, that were indeed but very devils; 
Quia dii gentiim daemonia.  and how sumptuously they erected and gloriously adorned and beautified those houses of these deceitful Oracles, and were so exceeding bountiful, almost beyond belief, in their oblations and donations, to these holy places, as they deemed them, as it appeareth in Herodotus, 
Herodotus l. 1.  by the large gifts of inestimable value that Croesus sent to the Temple of Delphos, and other Temples of those Gentle gods.  
And because they knew no otherwise, but that these infernal devils were Celestial Gods, and so worshipped them as gods, with Temples, Altars, Sacrifices, Prayers, and Oblations, dedicated unto them, which do only and properly belong to the true and eternal God: therefore Horace saith to them that neglected the erecting and beautifying of these Temples, that belonged to these not Gods.  
Delicta majoram immeritus lues  
Roman, donec templa refeceris, 
Horat l. 3. Ode 6.   
Aedesque labentes deorum, & faedanigro,  
Simulachra fumo.  
The which Ode, that worthy and learned Imitator of this best Lyric Poet thus excellently translateth, in this elegant Lyric Verse.  
Roman resolve thou shalt desertless taste  
Sins scourge, for vice of Predecessors past;  
Until thou dost again repair  
Decayed Temples, and make fair  
The falling houses of the gods, disgraced,  
And cleanse their Images, with smoke defaced;  
To think thee lesle than gods, thy power commends,  
Hence take beginnings, hither aim thy ends;  
The gods neglected did impose  
On sad Hesperia many woes;  
Twice Pacorus, and twice Manaeses hand  
Our inauspicious forces did disband;  
Who with a plenteous prey made glad,  
To little chains new links did add.  
And if by the judgement of this learned man they shall suffer for all the sins and offences of their Fathers and Forefathers, until they re-edify the Temples, and raise the flat-fallen houses of these gods, and beautify the defiled Monuments and Sepulchers of their Heroes, and other noble persons that were dead: What shame and what punishment do we deserve, for suffering the Tombs and Sepulchers of our heroic Fathers, and the Temples, Houses, and Altars of our good God and our Redeemer Jesus Christ to lie so waste, so ruined, and so defiled as they are here in this Kingdom of Ireland; for I do believe that of about 100 Churches that our forefathers built and sufficiently endowed in the Diocese of Ossory, there are not 20 standing, nor 10 well repaired at this day.  
Truly, I have done my best, beyond my ability, let Demas and the detractors say what they please, to repair the Choir of St. Kenny, and I have privately vowed, and publicly protested often, and engaged myself to God, to His Majesty, and to the People, and I am contented to be bound in a bond of one thousand pounds, that if the Bishop's Court and Freshford, (that were given to the Church, and dedicated to God, for the service of Jesus Christ,) shall be restored to the Church, there shall not one penny, or pennyworth, of all the rents, and profits thereof, be retained or transferred to me, or any of mine; but it shall wholly and fully be employed and laid out for the raising and reparation of that Cathedral Church which the Lord hath now committed to my charge.  
But if I shall still see, as I have seen hitherto, that Rebels and Traitors that have been, (if such as have fought under the Standard of the beast and Great Antichrist, against their own King, to bring him to be murdered, may be so styled,) shall be countenanced, furthered, and upheld, to carry away, and enjoy the Lands and Houses of the Church, and so little regard had of that justice we own to tender unto God, what belongs to God, and lesle respect to the servants of Jesus Christ than to the followers of the Antichrist; than seeing, as the Prophet saith, in vacuum laboravi, I have laboured in vain; I have spent my strength, my time, my means, and my money for naught, in seeking to bring to God what is Gods, and to the Church what of right belongs unto the Church, Liberavi animam meam, and I hope I may freely turn the leaf, and as God said of the house of Eli, I said indeed that the house of Eli, 
1 Sam. 2.30.  and the house of his Fathers should walk before me for ever: but now, saith the Lord, be it far from me. And seeing they had so far dishonoured him, and so much profaned his service, it was just with God so to do.  
And so I said indeed, I would do my best, and I would bestow as much as I was able, and perhaps more than many would imagine, to repair the Cathedral Church of St. Kenny; yet now being disappointed of my hope, and finding men preferring flesh and blood before the dictate of the Spirit of God, favouring those, that have been rebels, before such as are religious. Seeing I cannot build the Church of Christ, I have resolved, to the uttermost of my power, to overthrew the Synagogue of Satan; that is, to punish perjurers, and such others, high transgressors of God's Laws, and to leave the houses of God (as finding myself unable to prevail to do therein any good,) wasted and ruined as they are. And if this I cannot do, but that Scelera sceleribus tuebuntur, one false and perjured Jury shall be defended, and protected, and justified by another false Jury; and one wicked oppressor excused by another the like oppressor; or that the fear of great men will not suffer poor spirited Lawyers to afford us Law for any money: than ad te domine clamabo, that we can have neither truth nor justice in the earth.  
But to proceed to show the miseries of the Church of Ireland, though it be a very lamentable thing, and an unanswerable argument of the decay of Piety, and of small Religion in the noblest persons, to suffer the houses of God to lie as they do, for hogs and other beasts to dig up the bones of holy Saints, it may be, the Fathers or Mothers of the now great Lords and Ladies of the Kingdom. Yet as the Lord said unto his Prophet Ezekiel, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations, Ezek. 8.6. so I say to my Reader: For,  

2. The great want of able Ministers in this Kingdom, and why they are so scant.  2. As God is without Churches for his people to meet in to serve him, so he is without servants, enabled to do him service, to praise his name, and to teach his people; and to have Churches and no Churchmen is to no purpose.  
But why have we not such Churchmen as are able to instruct God's people?  
I say, it is easily answered; that it is not so easy to get able, worthy, and sufficient Churchmen, unless there were sufficient means and live to maintain them: for as Seneca truly saith, Sublatis studiorum premiis ipsa studia pereunt, where there is no reward for learning, there will be want of learned men, as one demanding why there were no Physicians in Lacedaemon, answer was made, because there was no stipend nor allowance set forth for the Professors of that faculty; but as Martial saith to Flaccus, 
Sint Maecenates non deerunt Flacce marones,  
Virgiliumque tibi vel tua rura dabunt.  But here in Ireland since Hen. 8. 
Why we want learned and painful Preachers here in Ireland.  overthrew the Abbeys and Monasteries that were as Universities to breed Scholars, and to sand them forth to feed the flock of Christ, and gave the Revenues thereof, which were the Ecclesiastical Live of the Church, unto his Nobility and lay Gentry, that spend the same, in many places, in hawking and hunting, and perhaps in some other worse employments, the Church of Christ wanteth Scholars, and which is worse, wanteth means to maintain those Scholars, that otherwise would supply the defects of this Kingdom from other Universities, if they should have maintenance to support them, and to supply their necessities.  
If you say, Queen Elizabeth to make up the breach which her Father made, caused the College to be built by Dublin, to breed up Scholars, to instruct the Natives.  
I wish the Natives were bred therein, according to the Statutes and Institutions thereof; but the Natives say, I know not how true, that the English by friends do carry away the places, and the Irish, as they lost their Friends, and their Lands, and their strength, so they loose their right. But the truth is, that the whole Society of this College cannot adequate, that number that the Priories and Monasteries formerly bred; or if they could, yet the means and maintenance being alienated the Labourers cannot make up the full tale of bricks, when the straw is taken from them, and they must run over all the Land, like the Israelites, to gather stubble, and to use other labour to maintain themselves and their Families.  
And to make this apparent unto my Readers, I have here set down all the Rectories and Vicaredges in my Diocese, and what Procurations, (besides their Subsidies and twentieth part, which they are, and aught, to pay unto his Majesty, 
It may be at some dear year they may be of more worth or that the cunning Farmar may make more of them than the Minister doth.  and besides many other Taxes, that must lie upon them,) they are to pay every year, to the Archdeacon, to the Bishop, and to the Archbishop, every third year, and to the Primate, when he cometh to visit them: and I have in my last Visitation, with the help of my Archdeacon, Mr. Teat, and my Register Mr. Conell, and two or three more of my gravest Clergy men, searched, and inquired, as diligently as we could, what was the value, that every Living might be worth communibus annis: and accordingly I have here set them down; that my Readers may themselves judge, whether these many Live, that each Clergy man holds, are more, or enough, Deductis deducendis, to make one competent Living for a worthy and able man, that will constantly reside, and conscionably preach unto God's people.  

And these be the names of the Live, their Procurations, their yearly value, and the persons that do hold them. viz.  
  Procurat. Value.   l. s. d. Com. Orm. R. Offerulam 0 12 0 Segrave V Ibid. 0 6 0 Episc, R. Bordwel 0 3 4 Episcop. V Ibid. 0 1 8 Neyland R. Aghavo    Cul. Jun. V Ibid. 1 2 8 Episcop. R. Rath-Sarau. 0 4 8 C. Orm. R. Rathdowny 0 10 8 Episcop. V Ibid. 0 5 4 Bar. de Ossor. R. Cowlkerry 0 4 8 Cul. Jun. R. Delgnie 0 1 6 Teate R. Donnoghmore 0 5 4 Teat V Ibid. 0 1 8 Civit. Kilk. R. Skirke    Cul. Sen. V Ibid. 0 14  Cul. Sen. R. Kildermoy 0 4 8  R. St. Nicolai. 0 4 8  

2. Decanatus de Aghor.  Eccles. Cath. R. De Skaffin 0 3 4 Com. Desm. R. Donnogh Moore 0 14 8 William's V Tubbrid Britt. 0 4 0 Eccles. Cath. R. Clontabrit. 0 4 0 Sir Ro. Ford R. Killahie 0 4 8 Partridge V Ibid. 0 2 4 Baro de Oss. V Killenie and Cahire 0 7 4 Willams R. Cloghmant. and Kilrush 0 7 6 Eccles. Cath. R. Rath-Logan 0 5 10 Eccles. Cath. R. Cowlkashin 0 5 8 R. Deane R. De Eirke    Kerney V Ibid. 0 14 8 Decan. R. Irlingford    C. Orm. R. Glashard 0 4 8 Eccles. Cath. R. Ballilorcan 0 4 8  

3. Decanatus de Odogh.  Archd. Bulk. R. Castrie de Odogh 0 8 4 Drisdale V Ibid. 0 4 4 Barry R. Glashcrowe 0 2 4 Spencer R. Rathbehath 0 4 0 Eccles. Cath. R. Durho 0 14 8 Teat R. Rosconnel 0 8 8 C. Orm. R. 0 4 4 Goburne R. Attanagh 0 5 0 Moor V Ibid. 0 2 6 Co. Orm. R. Kilmenan 0 5 0  Kilkormicke 0 2 8 Com. Orm. R. Donnoghmore 0 6 8 Drisd. V Ibid. 0 3 4 Com. Orm. R. Kilcolman 0 6 8 Spenser R. Cowlcrahin 0 7 6 Driscall R. Kilmocar 0 4 8 Spenser V Ibid. 0 2 4 Driscall R. Comer 0 13 4 Cull. Sen. V Ibid. 0 6 8 Collegium V Disart 0 11 0 Cull. Jun. V Mothell 0 9 0 Civit. Kilk. R. Macully 0 18 6 Cull. Sen. V Ibid. 0 0 9 Com. Desm. R. Don-mors 0 5 8 Spenser V Ibid. 0 2 4 Moor Jun. V Agharnie 0 7 0  

4. Decanatus de seller.  Archd. Bulk. R. Kilferegh 0 4 8 Moor Sen. V Donfert 0 6 8 Idem. V Kiltranie 0 4 8 Wilson R. Inshiolaghan 0 10 8 Idem. R. Tulloghanbroge 0 9 8 Idem. V Ibid. 0 4 10 Kerney V Kilmanagh 0 6 8 Collegium R. Dromdelgnie 0 8 8 Collegium R. Bally-bur 0 3 4  

5. Decanatus de Claregh.  Civit. Kilk. R. Dromerthe 0 2 4 Cull. Jun. R. Kilmadimocke 0 3 4 Idem. R. Kilderie 0 5 0 Civit. Kilk. R. Fennel 0 0 0 Collegium R. S. Martini 0 2 0 Miler. R. Gowran    Drisdall V Ibid. 1 12 0 Vic. Dubls. R. Blanchfield 0 6 8 Mr. Moor R. Dongarvan 0 12 8 Miler V Ibid. 0 6 4 Cull. Sen. R. Claregh 0 5 0  

6. Decanatus de Obercon.   R. Thomastowne    Teat V Ibid. 0 4 8 Co. Orm. R. Disart 0 2 8 Kerney V Rosbercon and Shambogh 0 2 10 Cap. Holsey R. Kilkolbin 0 5 4 Kerney. V Ibid. 0 2 8 Spenser. R. Listerling 0 5 6 V Ibid. 0 3 2 Civit. Watf. R. Kilmahevog    Blake V Ib. & baly Margur. 0 2 2 Kerney V Kilkoan and Kilbrit 0 4 0 Idem. V Tristle Maure 0 2 0 Com. Orm. R. Rower 0 8 8 R. Deane V Ibid. 0 4 4  R. Tannerveghan 0 6 8  

7. Decanatus de Kells.  Teat V Jerpoint 0 6 8 Co. Orm. R. Knoctopher    Bulkley V Ibid. 0 3 10 Barry R. Aghaviller 0 5 0  V Kilknedie 0 4 0 Collegium R. Kilkeiss 0 4 0  R. Innethart 0 4 0 Moor V Mallardstowne 0 3 0  V Ballegh 0 4 8 Moor V Earlestowne 0 4 0 Dr Chamberl. R. Callan 2 15 0  & pro Synodalibus 0 7 0 R. Deane V Callan 1 8 1  & pro Synodalibus 0 4 2  Capella villae de carti 0 3 4  

8. Decanatus de Over●e.  〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●ath Pat●●ck 0 1 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●●ll●k●●●han 0 3 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dunk●● 0 3 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Illud 0 0 1● 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. ●●lmaboy 0 3 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ll 〈◊〉. ●allymartin 0 1 4 D●ll●l●● V Po●●●●s●●lly 0 1 4 ●●ll●●●um V ●●●h ●●●an 0 1 8 ●ull●l●●y V 〈◊〉 0 2 4 Wil●on R 〈◊〉 0 1 4 D●l●ley R. 〈◊〉 0 2 8 W●l●●n V 〈◊〉 0 14 8 ●u●●l●● R. 〈◊〉 0 1 8 〈◊〉 V 〈◊〉 0 1 2 〈◊〉 R. 〈◊〉 0 3 4 〈◊〉 〈…〉 0 3 0  〈…〉 0 0 8 〈◊〉 〈…〉 0 ● 0  〈…〉 0 0 ●●  R 〈◊〉 ● 1 8  
 〈…〉 ● ●● ●   〈…〉 0 ●● ● 〈…〉 〈…〉 ● ● ● 〈…〉 〈…〉 ● ● ● 〈…〉 〈…〉 ● ● ● 〈…〉 〈…〉 ● ● ● 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ● ● ● 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ● ●● ● 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ● ● ● 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ● ● ● 〈◊〉 〈…〉 ● ● ● Col. Welch R. Kilbecocke and Killahie 0 6 8 R. Rossenan 0 2 0 Clerk R. Thomastowne 0 15 0  Inisteog 0 15 0 Cap. Holsey R. Kilcoan 0 5 0 Clerk Collankill 0 3 4 Civit. Wat. R. Cashlane 0 10 0 Mr. Welch R. Donkitte 0 13 4 Co. Sup. Oss. R. Killenie and Cahire 0 4 4 Preb. Whiteing. R. Attire and Attan. 0 5 0  Total 69 4 11 procurat.   

These be all the Rectories and Vicaridges in the Diocese of Ossory; and of these  
1. The Dean and Chapter have six: that is, 

1. Skaffin 3 s 4 d  
2. Clontabrit 4 s 8 d  
3. Rath-Logan 5 s 10 d  
4. baly Lorcan 4 s 8 d  
5. Durho 13 s 8 d  
6. Coulcashin 5 s 8 d    
2. The College of the Vicars have six: that is, 

1. Disart 11 ss  
2. Dromdelgney 8 s 8 d  
3. Bally-bur 3 s 4 d  
4. St. Martin 2 s  
5 Kilkeyse 4 ss  
6. Rath-Keran 1 s 8 d 

The Cathedral 1 l 11 ss  
And the College 19 ss      
3. My L. Duke of Ormond, for himself and my Lady Duchess have 

1. R. Offerulam 12 ss  
2. R. Rathdowny 10 s 8 d  
3. R. Glashard. q.  
4. R. Lawkil. q.  
5. R. Donnaghmoore 14 s 8 d  
6. R. Kilmenan 5 ss  
7. R. Kilcolman 6 s 8 d  
8. R. Donnoghmoore 6 s 8 d  
9 R. Kilmocar 4 s 8 d  
10. R. Donmore 5 s 8 d  
11. R. Disart 2 s 8 d  
12. R. Rower 8 s 8 d  
13. Knoctofer q  
14. Prior Jerpoint 15 s 4 d  
15. Prior Kells 6 l 13 s 4 d 11 l 6 s Irish. 8 l 9 s 6 d sterling. procurations.    
But I do understand that this pious and most honourable Duke doth most religiously (as it is said of Arauna, All these things as a King did Arauna give unto the King, 2 Sam. 24.23.) intent to yield up, and to bestow them all for the building of a College in Kilkenny, to bring up Scholars for the service of God, and the perpetual honour and glory of himself and the succeeding Race of his Family for ever; and I beseech God continued his grace in that most godly resolution: And let the God of heaven multiply his blessings upon him, to ride on with his honour more and more.  
4. My Lord of Upper Ossory hath 

1. Koolekerry 4 s 8 d  
2. Aghamacartie 2 〈◊〉  
3. Calline and Cashier 4 s 4 d  
2 l 3 s Irish.  
1 l 3 s 9 d sterling.    
5. My Lord of Ga●moy hath 

Far●inageratgh 2 〈◊〉    
6. My Lord of Cavan hath 

1. Thomastowne ●● 〈◊〉  
●. ●●●●steog 4 〈◊〉 and ●● 〈◊〉    
7. Sir Robert Ford hath 

R. Killahie, and Kilbecocke, 6 s 8 d    
8. Captain Holsey hath 

R. Kilcolbin 5 s 4 d  
R. Kilcoan and Kilbrit 5 s    
q. 9 Sir Jo. Ponsonby hath 

R. Fidown 6 s 8 d    
10. Colonel Dillan hath 

R. S. Keiran.  
R. Capel: S. Nicolai.    
11. Mr. Welch hath 

R. Dunkitt 13 s 4 d  
R. Rosenan 2 ss    
12. Archdeacon Bulkley hath 

1. R. Bananagh  
2. R. Kilferagh  
3. R. Odogh.  
4. R. Disort. c. or. q.  
5. R. Tulloherin    
And I did always conceive, that no Churchman, that understood what Sacrilege is, and the heinousness of that sin, would ever accept of any impropriate Live, and hold the same as a lay fee from the Church of God; for, if a Clergy man holds it lawful to take five, I do not wonder that a lay man should hold twenty.  
13. The City of Kilkenny hath 

1. R. Skirke.  
2. R. Tubbrid brittaine 4 s  
3. R. Maculli 18 ss 6 d  
4. R. Dromerthin 2 s 4 d  
5. R. Fennell 6 ss  
6. Prior S. John 4 l.    
14. The City of Waterford hath 

1. Prior S. Katharin 6 l 8 s.  
2. Prior. Kilkellihine 6 l 6 s 8 d  
3. R. Portnescolly.    

The best Live in all the Diocese are held by the Nobility, Gentry and Cities.  And all these Rectories are the best and the chiefest Live, that are of any worth, or of any note within the Diocese of Ossory: and as I shown you, the Nobility, Gentry, and Cities do hold them from the Church, and do yield little or nothing for the service of God in those Churches, neither dare the poor Vicars and Curates, according to the Bishop's appointment, ask them any thing for the serving of these Churches; nor is it to any purpose for any Incumbent to sue for any Tithes or rights that belongs unto his Church, for when he sueth, and hath proved the truth of his Allegation, and to his great expenses expecteth judgement, than presently, upon a false suggestion, comes a prohibition, to stop all just proceed in the Court Christian; which is the usual and common practice against all the Christian Ministers in Ireland, when they sue for any right; and which is the cause that the Christians wanting Vicars and Curates, that will not undertake to strive against the stream, or to labour in God's Vineyard, and to want bread, our good God is thereby dishonoured, the People uninstructed, and ignorance, superstition, and Popery, very like to continued still unrooted out amongst them.  

A memorable Instance. Mr. Partridge.  And to make this more plain unto you, I will here set down a thing recenti memoria factae; A poor Minister, and very honest man, expelled by the Irish Rebels from his Live, and plundered of all that ever he had, and kept out of all, (as we all were, by far more wicked rebels,) was lately restored and placed by myself in the small Vicarage of Killahie; but Sir Robert Ford, having the impropriate Rectory, bestowed the same with his Daughter to a very great rich man, powerful, 
Colonel Stopford.  in former times, with the Long Parliament, and he forbids his Tenants to suffer the poor Vicar to have his Vicarial Tithes; that were not all worth five pounds per annum, because they paid none for all the time of the Rebellion: therefore the poor Vicar sueth for his Tithes, and by sufficient Witnesses proved the payment thereof, before the Wars, unto the Vicar: whereupon the great Gentleman came unto me, and said that such a Minister of my Diocese sued the Tenants and Servants of Sir Robert Ford, that was a Privy Counsellor, and a great Parliament man, and therefore desired me to stop the Suit: I answered, that I could not do so; for what if all the men in the Parish were the Tenants and Servants of Parliament men, and denied to pay their Tithes to the Vicar, shall the poor man be without his means, during all the continuance of the Parliament? So he may starve for want of food, and the people perish for want of instruction: Than he shown me a writing under the hand and Seal of another Bishop, that stopped the proceeding of a Minister in his Diocese against the Defendants, upon the Allegation and proof, that they were Tenants and Servants of Sir Robert Ford: And I answered, that I was not to guide my actions by the do of other men, though reputed never so wise, but to do what I conceived to be just and honest without the fear of the greatest man; and I answered him, there should be nothing done in his cause but what was just; so we parted; and his Agents gave it out, that he would spend a hundred pounds before the Vicar should have any Tithes there: and the next news that I heard was a Prohibition from the Chancery to stop the proceeding in the Court Christian, which I conceive to be no furtherance of the Christian Religion. And so M. R. Deane, Vicar of Callan, having sued one for his right, in mine Ecclesiastical Court, when the matter was ready to be sentenced, there comes a Prohibition to stop it; and so in many other the like causes. And how can a poor Minister, not worth five pounds in all the world, nor scarce  to his back, when he was put into this Vicarage, wage Law with such a man, of a  estate, so that he could offer fourteen hundred pounds (some say more) for a Purchase? 
Cuncta trahit secum, vertitque aerarius omnis, Nec patitur certa currere quemque via.  Let the world judge, what would become of Religion, if all Impropriators should thus deal with their Vicars, and all great men and powerful Parishioners with their poor Parsons? Even as I am dealt withal; to spend above four hundred pounds to gain the rights of the Church: and to be not one jot the nearer to prevail, than I was the first day.  
But to proceed; having seen how the best Live are held and disposed of, and how the poor Parsons, Vicars and Curates are commonly dealt withal, 
What Live the Clergymen do hold in their possessions.  you shall understand what Live the poor Clergy men hold in their possession, and of what value they are unto them (deductis deducendis,) communibus annis, as by the inquisition of three or four of the ablest Clergymen in my Diocese, with myself, I have understood the same in my Visitation; and thereby my Reader may understand the meanness of our Irish Live.  
Their Procurations.  Worth.  M. Barry hath  2 s 4 d 1. Glashcrowe 5 l. 5 s 2. Aghaviller 8 l. 3 s 4 d 3. Bewley 10 l  4. V S. John 10 l 10 s 8 d  33 l  Mr. Blake hath  2 s 2 d 1. Kilmahevog and Bullymagarney 10 l 1 s 4 d 2. Rath-Patrick 5 l 1 s 2 d 3. Cashlane 5 l. 4 s 8 d  20 l  Mr. Bulkley hath  11 d 1. Illud 8 l  2. Kilmaboy 16 l 1 s 4 d 3. Portnescolly 6 l 10 s 2 s 4 d 4. Polroan 7 l 2 s 8 d 5. Clonmore 3 l 10 s 3 s 10 d 6. Knoctofer 6 l 1 s 8 d 7. Tibbrit 1 l 3 ss 8. Tibrahaine 1 l 10 ss  And he hath the Prebend of Clonamry 6 l 15 s 9 d    Mr. Cull Senior hath  14 s 8 d 1. V Skirke 16 l 4 s 8 d 2. R. Kildermoy 30 l 6 s 8 d 3. V Comer 2 l 10 s 1 s 9 d 4. V Macully 3 l 5 ss 5. V Clarech.  1 l 12 s 9 d    Mr. Cull Junior hath  1 l 2 s 8 d 1. V Aghavo 15 l 9 ss 2. R. & V Mothell 5 l 3 s 4 d 3. Kilmadimoy 4 l 5 ss 4. Kilderie 4 l  And he hath the Prebend of Tiscoffin 10 l 2 l    Dr. Chamberlain hath  2 l 15 s 1. R. Callan 10 & pro Synod. 7 s    Mr. R. Dean hath  4 s 4 d 1. Rower 11 l 1 l 8 s 1 d 2. V Cullan 40 l  3. R Eirke 50 l 1 l 12 s 5 d And he hath the Prebend of Kilamerie 20 l & pro Synod. 5 s 2 d    The Dean of S. Keney hath   1. Irlingford 2 l  2. R. S Patrick 30 l The Church down, and the people have neither Sermon nor Service.  Mr. Drisdall hath  4 s 4 d 1. Castrie de Odogh 5 l 3 s 4 d 2. Donnoghmore 8 l 13 s 4 d 3. R. Comer 25 l 1 l 12 ss 4. V Gowran 14 l 1 s 4 d 5. Ballymartin 4 l  Rosenan 2 l 10 ss 2 l 14 s 5 d    Dr. Edward's hath   1. The Prebend of black Ruth 16 l  Mr. Goburne hath  5 s 1. R. Attanagh 30 l  Mr. Kerney hath  6 s 8 d 1. V Kilmanagh 30 l 2 ss 10 d 2. V Rosbercon and Shambogh 10 l 2 s 8 d 3. V Kilcolbin 8 l 4 ss 4. V Kilkoan and Kilbrit 3 l 2 ss 5. V Tristle-maur 5 l 3 s 4 d 6. R. Kiltokeghan 5 l  7. V Dunkitt 5 l 14 s 8 d 8. V Eirke 35 l  And he hath the R. of Kilmanagh for his Prebend 24 l ● l 16 ss 2 d    Mr. Miler hath   1. R. Gowran 40 l 6 s 4 d 2. V Dungarvan 10 l  Dr. Neyland hath   1. R. Aghavo 50 l  Mr. Moor Senior hath  6 s 8 d 1. V Dunfert  4 s 8 d 2. R. Kiltranie   3. V Bailytobin 6 l 3 ss 4. V Mallardstowne 6 l 4 ss 5. V Earlestowne 10 l  6. V Ketts 15 l 18 ss 4 d    Mr. Moor Junior.  2 s 6 d 1. V Attanagh 10 l ● s 2. V Agharney 7 l  Mr. Segrave hath  6 s 1. V Offerulam 15 l  M. Spenser hath  4 s 1. R. Rathbehath 8 l 7 s 6 d 2. R. Cowlchrahin 5 l 2 s 4 d 3. V Kilmocar  2 s 4 d 4. V Donmore  8 s 8 d 5. R. and V Listerling 10 l 5 s 6 d 6. V Main 10 l 1 l 10 s 4 d And he hath N. maine for his Prebend 10 l.  Mr. Teate hath  1 s 8 d 1. R. Donnaghmore 15 l 8 s 8 d 2. R. Roseconnel 16 l 4 s 8 d 3. V Thomastowne 10 l 6 s 8 d 4. V Jerpoint 13 l 1 l 1 s 8 d And he hath the R. of Kilfane for his Prebend 15 l  Mr. Whitingham hath   1. V Killanie and Cahire   2. Killinkar   And he hath Aghore for his Prebend 12 l  Mr. Williams hath  q. 1. V Tibbrid-brittain 4 l 7 s 6 d 2. R. Gloghmantagh and Kilrush 16 l  Mr. Wilson hath  10 s 8 d 1. R. Inshiologhan 8 l 4 s 10 d 2. V Tullaghanbroge 3 l 1 s 4 d 3. R. Ballytarsney 12 l 14 s 8 d 4. V Fidowne 12 l 1 l 11 s 6 d.    
These be the rest of the Live within the Diocese of Ossory; 
Whether the foresaid means and rates be able to maintain a sufficient Ministry  and the just value (so far as I could learn) of each of them; and do you think that this value is sufficient to maintain an able Ministry to supply all these Churches and Parishes as they aught to be, or that Popery shall be suppressed, and the true Protestant Religion planted amongst the people, by the unition of Parishes, and the diminution of Churches without any augmentation of their means? Credat Judaeus Apella, non ego.  
But you will say, his Majesty hath most graciously provided, 
Object.  and it is confirmed by the Act of Settlement, that a very ample augmentation is added to all the meanest Bishoprics of Ireland, and he hath most royally and religiously bestowed all the Impropriations forfeited to his Crown upon the several Incumbents, unto whose Churches they did belong.  
I answer, That when God placed man in Paradise, 
Answ.  the devil was ready to cast him out: and when God maketh our paths strait and easy, Satan will strait put rubs and blocks in our way to stumble us: so, though I gave above fifty pounds for Agents money to follow the Church's cause, and spent above thirty pounds to procure a Commission, to gain that augmentation, which his Majesty was so graciously pleased to add unto the Bishop of Ossory; yet presently there comes a Supersedeas, to stop the proceeding of my Commission, 
How the devil hindereth all intended good  and I am not the better, either by Augmentation or Agents, so much as one penny to this very day: and some devil hath put some great rub for a stumbling block in my way: until God removes the same, and throws it where blocks deserve to be. And though his Majesty hath been pleased to bestow his Impropriations upon the Incumbents, yet my Lord Lieutenant and the Council thought it fit, to take forty pounds per annum out of those Impropriations for the better provision of the Choir in Dublin; and so by that means, the Clergy of Ossory are not the better by one penny: that the Clergy might be like unto their Bishop: for I found but four impropriations forfeited to his Majesty, and bestowed upon the Church in all the Diocese, and these being set by Mr. Archdeacon Teate, to the uttermost pitch that he could, they did not reach to forty pounds the last year.  
And to say the truth, without fear of any man, we are not only deprived of the Vicarial Tithes and offerings by the Farmers of the great Lords Impropriate Rectories, but our Lands and Globes are clipped and pared to become as thin as Banbury Cheese, by the Commissioners and Counsel of those illustrious Lords: for though his Grace, our most excellent Lieutenant, the Duke of Ormond, is (I say it without flattery) a man of such worth, so noble, so honourable, and so religious, as is beyond compare, and for his fidelity, and Piety, and other incomparable parts, scarce to be equalised by any Subject of any King, and so many other great Lords are in themselves very noble and religious; yet as Rehoboam, in himself considered, was not so very a bad King, but had very bad Counselors that did him a great deal of dishonour and damage: so this most honourable Duke, 

And thus, as Christ was crucified betwixt the good thief and the bad, so are we, betwixt the good Lords, and their bad Agents.  
But let them fear, lest by making their Lords great here on earth, they do make themselves little in heaven,   and other great Lords, may have, as I fear some of them have, such Commissioners and Counsel, that, as well to make themselves a fortune, as to enlarge their Lords revenues, will pinch the Parson's side, and part the Garments of Christ, betwixt themselves and their Lords, as my Lord Duke's Agents have distrained and driven away my Tenants  for divers great sums of Chieferies, and challenged some Lands, that as I am informed, were never paid nor challenged within the memory of man.  
And who dares oppose these men, or say unto them, Why did you so? Not I, though they should take away my whole estate; for as Naboth had better have yielded up his Vineyard, than to have lost his life, so I conceive it better to yield to their desires quietly, than to loose both my Lands and my labour by such a Jury, as will give it away though never so Unjustly: whereof I have had experience, and a sad proof non sine meo magno malo. Yet,  

The Civility and Piety of the 49 men.  I confess the 49 men have been very civil, and shown themselves very fairly conditioned, and religious both to myself, and as I understand, to all other Clergymen; and I wish that all Nobleman's Commissioners and Agents would be so likewise, that their do may bring a blessing and not a curse upon them, and perhaps upon their Lords and Masters, 
Lords and Masters shall answer to God for the oppressions that their servants do under their power.  that must give an account to God for the ill carriages, and the oppressions of the poor by their servants, who dishonour their Lords, and make them liable to God's wrath for the wrongs that they do, to make them the greater, and so receive the greater condemnation: for great men must not only do not wrong themselves, but they aught also to see, that none under their wings, and through the colour of their power and authority, do any wrong unto the poor.  
But to deal plainly, and to show what respect, favour, and justice we the poor Bishops and Clergymen have from the great Lords and Courts of justice in this Kingdom, I will instance but in the example of myself; who, after I had exposed myself to the daily and continual hazard of my life, by my preaching and publishing so many Books against the Rebels and Long Parliament, which I have unanswerably proved to be the Great Antichrist, and had, for all their Reign, served, duram servitutem, and suffered more hardship than any Bishop, and upon my restitution to my Bishopric, by the happy restauration of our most gracious King, having spent above four hundred pounds to gain the Bishop's Mansion house, where Bishop Bale saw five of his Servants killed before his face, and himself driven to flee to save his life, and which was given to Sir George Askue by Cromwell for his service to the Long Parliament, I have fully shown the favour and the justice that I had at the King's Bench, though I must ingeniously confess my Lord Chief Justice dealt as fairly and as justly as any Judge in the world could do. And I do pray to God that both Judges and Jury and all the pleaders may have better at the Bar of the King of Kings.  
Than letting pass the proceeding of the Court of Claim, that gave away the Lands and Houses that were in my possession, while I was in London, though a chief Member of that Court promised that nothing should be done against the Church until I returned home, and acknowledging the civility and fair respect that was showed me by my Lord Chief Baron, and the other Barons of the Exchequer, in doing right both to the King and to myself, by putting the Bishop's Lands out of charge. His M jesty having most graciously conferred four hundred pounds per annum o me and my Successors, out of the fee Farms forfeited to his Majesty, and the Parliament confirming the same by the Act of settlement; I took a Commission of enquiry, and when all my Witnesses came together, and were ready to proceed, there comes a Supersedeas to stop our way: but his Majesty's Attorney Sir William Dunvil, and Sir Audley Mervin, and the rest of the King's Sergeants and Solicitors did so faithfully, so learnedly, and so religiously pled on his Majesty's behalf and the Church, (for which the God of heaven will reward them,) that they had the Supersedeas superseded and vacated by our most honourable and most religious Lord Chancellor; and than I proceeded, and the Jury found this Bishop's house and Freshford forfeited to the King, and worth a hundred pounds per annum; than coming to Dublin, to have my Commission put upon the file, and to get a Patent according to the Act and the Kings Grant to enjoy the same, after I had spent above a hundred pounds to bring the matter to this pass, I received this answer, that my Lord Deputy and Council were resolved to do nothing unless they received the King's Letter and Command to do it; and though I was sorry for the  expense of money that I laid out to no benefit, yet I am glad to see men so observant of the King's Word and Command: I would to God they and all others the King's Subjects would have obeyed Solomon's Counsel to observe the words and commands of our late most gracious King Charles the First. I should not have needed to suffer so much as I have done, and so often to have troubled our now most gracious King; and to have spent near sixty pounds for Agents money for the good of the Church; and above four hundred pounds to repair the Chancel of S. Keney, and in all above five hundred pounds to recover the Bishop's Mansion house, and Freshford, from Captain Burges and Sir George Ayskue, and to be not one jot the nearer, nor one penny the richer for all this money that I have spent; nor have any more by one pennyworth than what my most gracious King, and late loving Master gave me to this very day, and I conceive this to be nothing else, but—  
But than after I received this answer, I presently went to London, and presented this Petition to his Majesty.  
To the Kings most Excellent Majesty. The humble Petition of Gruffith Lord Bishop of Ossory.  
Shows,  
THat your Petitioner hath suffered the loss of all that he had, and the continual hazard of his life, during all the time of Cromwell and the Long Parliament, for his service and faithfulness to your Majesty, and your Royal Father, of most blessed memory.  
That your Majesty hath been most graciously pleased, to grant four hundred pounds per annum out of the forfeited Fee-farmes for an augmentation to his poor Bishopric of Ossory; and that your Petitioner, being by the Sheriff put into the possession of the former Bishop's Mansion house, called Bishops Court, by virtue of an Order from the House of Lords, and being forcibly driven out by the Tenants of Sir George Askue, whom your Petitioner hath therefore indicted three several times by three several Juries, yet after the expense of above four hundred pounds could not be righted. And your Petitioner having got a Commission of inquiry, what Fee-farmes were forfeited to your Majesty, and when the same Commission was superseded, having, with a great expense, superseded that supersedeas, and had, by the fourth Jury, found the said Bishop's Court to be a Fee-farm held from the Bishop of Ossory, worth by improvement a hundred pounds per annum, and forfeited to your Majesty; yet, after the expense of above a hundred pounds to bring the Commission to this pass, your Petitioner received this answer from the Lord Deputy and Counsel, that they were resolved to pass no Patent of any Lands, granted by your Majesty, and the Act of Settlement unto the Bishops, but to such as had your Majesty's special Letters to do the same.  
And forasmuch as it had been better for your Petitioner to have had nothing granted unto him, than after such a  expense (above five hundred pounds) to miss of gaining one hundred pounds per annum; Your Petitioner humbly prayeth, that your Majesty would be graciously pleased to writ your Letters to the Lord Deputy to pass a Patent according to what the Jury found, and according to your Majesty's former Grant, and the Act of Settlement.  
And your Petitioner doth oblige himself to lay it out all for the repair of the now ruinous Cathedral Church of S. Keney, and he shall ever pray, etc.  
And his Majesty did most graciously read it every word himself; and than said, I will speak to my Lord of Ormond to do it.  
So whether I recover it, or not, Non hujus facio, I weigh it not a rush, for I hope my Saviour Jesus Christ (whose Solicitor I am only in this suit) will not impute the loss of this to me, seeing I have done my very best to regain it for his service; yet could not do it, by reason of the great Friends of Sir George Askue, who made me, like Ixion, (that embraced a Cloud for Juno,) to spend five hundred pounds to hunt after a shadow, and to loose the substance, and to have his Majesty's gracious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; but, let him take heed of Moses Emphatical Prayer for Levi, and of David's Prophetical Prediction, what shall become of them that keep the Revenues of the Church, and the Houses of God in their possessions; and let his great Friends, and his Jury pray to God, that they may have more favour from Jesus Christ, than they have showed for his honour; and if this be the reward that Sir George Askue and the Bishop of Ossory shall receive for their service to King Charles the first, I will say not more, but pray to God, as I do, both day and night, to be a just Judge betwixt me and them, that have opposed me, in this the Churches right, Amen.  
So you have seen some part of the miseries of the Church of Ireland, and all the Live in my Diocese of Ossory, and who holds them, and what they are deemed to be worth, communibus annis, unto the Incumbents: and this, together with the state and condition of the Bishoprics in Ireland, which are now like Anthropophagites, eating up and devouring one another, (excepting the poor Bishopric of Ossory, that standeth yet alone like the trunk of a goodly Oak, without boughs, without leaves, without beauty;) when as many Bishops here in Ireland have two or three Bishoprics apiece: As the Bishop of Cork hath also Rosse and Cloyne; the Bishop of Limricke hath also the Bishopric of Kerry; the Bishop of Waterford hath Lysmore; the Bishop of Laghlin hath the Bishopric of Fermes; the Bishop of Dublin hath also the Bishopric of Glandelo; the Bishop of Downes hath likewise Conner and Kilmore, whose Lands and Lordships the great Lords and Gentry hold, and they the names of those Bishoprics, whereof, formerly, each Bishopric was sufficient to maintain an able Bishop. If you say, the Bishops themselves made away their Lands in Fee-farm: I dare boldly and truly say, as Christ doth of the like case, that they who did it were thiefs and robbers, Joh. 10.8. and they that received them were not better, but they that retain them worse. When as now two or three Bishoprics must be soddered and conglutinated together, to make an honest competent means for one learned Bishop. This I say showeth he miseries of our Churches, and the difference betwixt the fruits that the purity of the Gospel produceth in our times, and the Piety of our forefathers that lived in the Primitive times, and afterwards under the manifold mists and several Superstitions of the Romish Church, when the Lands and revenues that they gave to God to maintain the Bishop of Ossory to do him service, is now 
* As I believe:  worth fifteen hundred pounds per annum, and our zealour Gospelers have brought it, in the last Bishop's time, to be scarce worth two hundred pounds per annum; and I believe the other Bishoprics are not now and than much unlike it, and so we and our forefathers are not much unlike those two Sons, whereof our Saviour speaketh, whose Father said unto the first, Go work to day in my Vineyard, and he said, I will not, but afterwards he repent and went; and he came to the second, and said likewise, and he answered and said, I go Sir, and went not: So our forefathers lived in the times of blindness, and knew not well what was acceptable unto God; yet they did to the uttermost of their endeavours and knowledge, what they were able, to please God, and to serve him; and we have his Truth, and his Will, his Gospel, and his Mercies plentifully published, and poured forth amongst us, and we do all that we can, to obstruct his service, and to evacuate the Religion of Jesus Christ.  
And therefore I do much fear that these blind Christians, as our Gnostics contemptuously call them, 
The Papists shall rise in judgement to condemn our fruitless and sacrilegious Protestants.  shall rise in judgement to condemn the great and quicksighted worldlings, and fruitless Christians of our time: who, by their profaneness and Sacrilege have so much hindered Gods Service, and caused our most holy Profession to be so much blasphemed, and slighted among Infidels and Pagans', and the rest of the enemies of Jesus Christ.  

Object.  But you will say, how can that be Sacrilege, or those men blamed, that, for the reformation of the Church, took away those things that were usurped by the Pope, and abused by the Monks and Friars to uphold Masses and Dirges, and to continued their Superstition, to the great dishonour of God, and the hazard of many thousand souls?  

Answ.  I answer, if a thief steals my horse, wilt thou take it away from the thief, and keep it still from me? Art thou any better than the thief to me, or any juster in the sight of God? So the Pope and his Popelings took away the Tithes and Oblations, the Lands and the Live of the Church, and thou tookest them from the Pope and his Friars: And why dost thou not restore them to the Churches, to the which they do belong? For, thou mayst remember that when Nabuchadnezzar had, like the Pope, rob the Temple of God at Jerusalem, and abused the Vessels thereof in the service of his false God; and Belshazar his Son had in like manner profaned the same, by his lascivious quaffing therein with his Queens and Concubines, for which he was justly punished by the revenging hand of God, Dan. 5.3, 25. yet Cyrus, when he had taken Babylon, and so rob the thief that had rob God, and understood, that these holy Vessels did belong to the Service of God in the Temple of Solomon, he durst not meddle with them, to retain them for himself, but, jest he should be punished for his Sacrilege, as Belshazar was, he commanded them to be carried to Jerusalem, and to be restored to their former proprietors, and for their former use in the divine Worship of Almighty God.  
And so should Hen. 8. and those Lords and Ladies, that have taken away the Revenues of the Church from the Pope, have restored them to the Protestant Bishops, and the reformed Ministers of our Church. 
Cod. Theod. l. 4. C. 16. tit. 44. contra Donat. And so S. Aug. showeth all the godly Emp did Ep 50 add bonifac. militem.  For so you may found a Decree of the godly Emperors Honorius and Theodosius against the Montanists in these words, If there be now any of the Edifices of the Montanists standing, which are rather to be termed Dens of wild beasts, than Churches of Christ, let them with their revenues, be appropriated to the Sacred Churches of the Orthodox Faith; and in the said Code it is said, let the Bishops, Priests, and Prelates (that is of the Donatists) be stripped of all their Revenues, and be banished to several Islands; and let those possessions where Superstition hath reigned, be annexed to the holy Catholic Church.  
And good reason for it; for as the Ark of God, when it was taken and abused by the Philistines, yet did it not than cease to be the holy Ark of God, and therefore when it was afterwards sent home by the Philistines, it was received, respected, and as much reverenced, and to the same ends used by the Israelites as it was before; as were also the Vessels of Solomon's Temple, after their return from Babylon: So the Revenues of the Church, though taken from the Church, and abused by the Pope, yet, being restored again to the Church, as they aught to be, they have the same effect, notwithstanding their former abuse, to promote the service of God, as they had before: For being once dedicated for God's service, they aught never be to alienated from it, as I have most fully showed in my Declaration against Sacrilege; but, as those Censers (wherewith the two hundred and fifty Rebels, impiously usurping the Priest's Office, would needs offer Incense to God,) were hallowed; and therefore God would not suffer them afterwards, to be at any time employed for any common uses, but commanded, that they should be made into broad plates for a covering of the Altar, Num. 16. and so the Brass which those Rebels had so wickedly abused, should be religiously used by the true Priests for God's service: So the Lands and Revenues of the Church that were once hallowed, and consecrated for God's Divine Worship, though the Idolaters did abuse them, and the Lay Lords usurp them, yet God cannot endure, that being once in his possession, and given for his service, they should be snatched out of his hands, and transferred to Lay and profane uses, but that, like those Censers, they should ever continued for the service of his Altar; and so St. Augustine showeth as much in his 154 Epistle to Publicola.  
And thus you see, how God is rob, his Service neglected, and his Servants deprived of their means and maintenance, so that they can neither discharge their duties to God, nor feed the flock of Christ, and instruct the people committed to their charge; as they aught to do, and would no doubt do the same, if they were enabled to do it, which is a lamentable thing: and yet I can show you a greater abomination, Ezek. 8.6. even in the Visitations of these poor and pillaged Clergymen: I remember God hath a twofold visitation, the one in mercy, to relieve the oppressed, to deliver the Captives out of their Captivity, as he visited the Israelites in Egypt, and the like; the other in justice; to punish the malefactors, and the transgressors of his Laws, as he visiteth the sins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate him; but whether the Visitations of our Clergymen be in mercy, or in justice, or whether it be pro correctione morum, or collectione pecuniarum, and refectione corporum, or both, I will not determine; I believe their first institution aimed at our good, for the praise of them that do well, and the punishment of the refractory and evil doers; but time and craft corrupteth the best things, and as the wicked turn the graces of God into wantonness, so covetous men and corrupt minds, do abuse all the good institutions of our Ancestors; so the service of the true God was, in time, translated to become the service of the Idols of the Gentiles; and so, I fear me, these Visitations of the Clergy, that at first aimed at their good, and for their relief, are now become, in many places, an oppression, and a heavy yoke upon their necks, and a burden scarce portable upon their shoulders. As  
1. In the multiplicity of them, 
1. The multiplicity of Visitations.  three or four that may be in one year; as first the Archdeacon, he visits, and gathers up his Procurations, perhaps all the money that the poor Clergy can procure; than comes the Bishop, and he visits, and the Clergy must now double their file, his Procurations being twice as much as the Archdeacon's; than, every third year, the Archbishop comes about in his triennial visitation; and if in either the Bishop, or the Archbishop's visitation, the Clergy fail, either in the payment of their Procurations, or making such refections as shall be to the satisfaction of their Visitors, their Live may be sequestered, and let them live as they list; and after all this, the Lord Primate, if he please, may come in the same year, to make a regal Visitation; and he being so good a man, and coming from so good and so gracious a King, deserves no lesle than the best; and the best entertainment, that can be made for his Grace is fit to be made for him; And can these many visits, think you, be for the profit of the poor Clergy? But,  
2. 
2. The Refections.  The refections seem to be more burdensome than the Procurations; especially because the Procurations are certain, what every man must pay, but the Refections (contrary to the mind of our Saviour, that saith unto his Disciples, Into what house soever ye enter, eat what shall be set before you, Luk. 10.7.) must be to the satisfaction of the delicate and delicious company of the visitors, and not according to the power of the poor Clergy; when they remember not the old Proverb, That the full dog knoweth not how, or what the empty dog doth bark; and if they be discontented with their entertainment, their Censures must be as they please, and none dares say, that it is unjust, or how can it be so from the men of God? Yet, as all powerful great men can easily found a staff to beaten a dog: so the superior Bishop or Archbishop can (if they please) soon found a fault in a poor inferior Clergy man.  
Now I will set down (for I fear no man living,) what information I have by Letters from the last Visitation of the Archbishop of Dublin, that was held in my Diocese of Ossory, by his Surrogate Mr. Archdeacon Bulkley: and these be the very words of the Letters, that the World may thereby see, and the Judge of all the World may judge in what case the poor Clergy do stand.  
My Lord,  
IT pleased God a little after your journey to Dublin to take out of this life your Grandchild Mistress Cull, who discovered much Religion on her death bed; and as she wanted not attendance in her sickness, so neither decency, nor solemnity at her Funeral; Since your Lordship's departure your Maid did, unknown to me, marry Mr. Barry the Smith's man, whom she brought to lie in your Lordship's house, whereupon there arose some quarrels between Thomas and her, insomuch that Thomas sat up a whole night with Candle-light for fear of the men, as he complained unto me, whereupon I charged the man not to lie at night time in your Lordship's house till your Lordship did return; which hath prevented the like inconvenience since: As to the triennial Visitation I shall give your Lordship this brief account, The Lord Archbishop did not come in person, but sent Mr. Bulkley, whom we waited on three miles to bring him into Town, he told us what noble refections he met with in the Diocese of Kildare, Leighlin, but that here he was resolved to lodge at his Daughter's house, he asked what Provision we had made for his Register, we told him Mr. Connels house; when his Register came to Town, though his men some of them and his Portmantle were in Mr. Connels house, he did not like his lodging, and complained to the Vicar General; On Monday, after the Commission was read, he told us, that in regard the refection for the Archbishop was neglected, he suspended the Jurisdiction for six months, and whereas he thought to behave himself as a loving brother, he would prove a severe Judge, and that we should expect nothing but utmost justice; we invited him that day to dine at Whitles, where we bespoke a Dinner for his refection, which cost six or seven pounds; but he refused, and every day we invited him, but could not prevail,; on Tuesday, and Wednesday he seemed very mild and respective, and earnestly desired to be an happy Instrument in the reconciliation of Mr. Dean and myself, Mr. Cull, and Mr. Drisdale, upon which importunity that we might not discover ourselves to be litigious, I was willing to be reconciled to him, whom I had no visible quarrel with, so was Mr. Drisdale, but Mr. Bulkleys' awe upon Mr. Cull made him condescend to a great submission, and ask him forgiveness flexis genibus; the next day the Archdeacon told me, that if we would discharge his Servants quarters, he would take of the Inhibition upon the Jurisdiction, whereupon Mr. Connel and myself engaged to discharge the Reckoning; and so we thought that all things had been ended in a fair correspondence, but upon his departure, he did privately sequester all the Live of Mr. Cull Junior, the Vicarage of Aghaboe into the hands of one Manby the Archbishop's Chaplain, he sequestered out of my own poor means Donnoghmore and Rosconnel, and two Live more of Mr. Cull Senior, and there were many other Sequestrations that I could not get an account of, which they carried to Dublin; Thus praying for your Lordship's speedy return to countenance and support the Clergy; I rest,  
Kilkenny, July 23. 1664. Your Lordship's most obliged Servant, Joseph Teate.  
And now having set down this Letter, I would have my Reader to understand that whatsoever I set down here, touching my Lords Grace his Visitation, I say it not to accuse any of his Officers of the lest fault, or to lay the lest blame on them for any unjust proceeding therein.  

The things acted by Mr. Archdeacon Bulkley in my Lords Grace his Visitation, which the Bishop of Ossory understands not, as 1. The suspension of the Bishop's jurisdiction. Canon 24.  But I only set down rem gestam, to show how heavy the Censure was, and how burdensome (which a just judgement may be) unto the poor Clergy, whose neglect or fault, I excuse not, if they committed any, but only pity their case under their Censure; and likewise to show how far, beyond my understanding, (which notwithstanding might be most just) many things were acted therein; As,  
1. The Suspension or inhibition of the Jurisdiction, I know not for how many months together, nor for what cause, if as Mr. Teates Letter saith, for the neglect of the Archbishop's Refection, I found the Canons say, that neither the Archbishops in their Visitation shall charge their Suffragans, nor the Bishops their Clergy, with any noctials or refections, over and above their ordinary Procurations, (reserving notwithstanding unto the Archbishops the refections heretofore usually received in those Diocese, where the same Procurations are not received by them, which are yearly paid by the Clergy unto their Bishops.)  
But the Archbishops do receive from the Clergy of the Diocese of Ossory all the Procurations that they do yearly pay unto their Bishops.  
And yet notwithstanding this exemption of Refections by the Canon, I am sure I paid seventeen pound for the Archdeacon's refection in the Archbishop's last Visitation, which is a great deal more than the Subsidy and twentieth part that I pay unto his Majesty any year, and it may be more than ever was bestowed upon a Dinner for the blessed Apostle S. Paul  
But you see in the Letter, how highly they do extol the Bishop of Kildare, which is the prime Bishop in the Kingdom, for the noble entertainment that he made at this Visitation, spending, as some say, forty pounds at lest for their Refection; and the Bishop of Lachlin and Fernes in like manner, that was not much behind the former, to show his love and respect to his Metrapolitan, my Lord's Grace of Dublin.  
Truly, I do honour, respect, and reverence, and do hearty love my Lord's Grace of Dublin, as a most noble Gentleman, and a most reverend and a worthy Father of the Church, and as much, and it may be more than any of them, and have suffered somewhat for the love I bore him; though my large expense for the rights of the Church darkened the expression thereof in the Archdeacon's Refection, as the Archdeacon represented it to his Grace.  
Or it may be, as some say, my Jurisdiction (for the Jurisdiction is mine, and not my Archdeacon's, nor Register,) was suspended because I appeared not, at the Visitation, but went to England without my Lords Grace his leave; especially after I had notice of his Visitation.  
Indeed, I must confess, I went after I had notice of the Visitation: but my only business was the business of the Church, and I had my Lord Lieutenants leave, under his hand and seal, to go without any prejudice unto me; neither was I so forgetful of my duty, or of civil respect, as to neglect my Lord's Grace, but I went unto his Grace to excuse my absence from his Visitation, and to desire his leave, to go on my journey; and he very graciously yielded unto me.  
And why, after such leaves obtained, my Jurisdiction, which is half my Episcopal Function, should be inhibited, I understand not; If Mr. Bulkley saith, quomodo constat, that you had my Lords Grace leave to be absent: I answer quomodo constabat, how did I know, that Mr. Archdeacon Bulkley should visit me, and would think me so uncivil, and so ill bred, as to forget my respect and duty to my Lord's Grace, as to go away without his leave?  
I, but why did not you, saith the Archdeacon, sand a Certificate under the Archbishop's hand, that you had his Grace his leave?  
1. Because I did not understand, that, if I were at Cork, or Kerry, or some other such remote place from Dublin, it is absolutely necessary by any Canon or Law, that I must either go or sand to Dublin to get my Lords Grace his leave to go about my most unavoidable occasions, of what consequence soever they be, or else, to be sequestered from my means, or to be suspended from my jurisdiction.  
2. Because that, having his leave o'er tenus, by word of mouth, I did not believe that Mr. Archdeacon would imagine, that a man should not trust the Archbishop's words except he had it under his hand and seal, when as I never doubted of any honest man's word, and much lesle of the words of my Lord's Grace of Dublin.  
Yet the Jurisdiction was suspended, as they say, for six months, till all the harvest and the profit of the year should be passed over; and what a grievance this is, to all those parties, that have suits depending in the Bishop's Court, to have justice retarded all this while, and to those also, that would sue for their Tithes, or for any other right within the cognizance of the Ecclesiastical Court, I do not understand it, but am sorry for it: and let others judge of it.  

2. The taking of the Articles exhibited against the Dean out of the Bishops Court.  2. When as Articles were exhibited unto me of high nature, against the Dean of S. Kenny, and I calling him into my Court, to answer them, and giving him his own time, that he desired to have, to make his answer, that he might not be surprised, and this long before any inhibition of my Jurisdiction came into my hands, I do not understand how the same suit, depending in my Court, could be taken of, but by an appeal, and transmitted by a due Course of Law: or otherwise, all the suits and causes depending in my Court might be canceled and taken of, as well as this: and what a grievance is this, to the prosecutors of any suit, and of how much damage I cannot imagine.  
3. 
3. The giving of Relaxations of the Bishop's Sequestrations without hearing what the Bishop could say for sequestering them.  When the Dean of Kilkenny came to be instituted into his Deanery that was Sequestered into the hands of Alderman Butler, and would neither pay the Fees for his Institution, nor take a Relaxation of that Sequestration to this very day; and I letting him alone for this, and for many other prejudices, that concerned myself, yet when divers of his Parish came unto me, and complained how duly they paid their Tithes and all duties unto him, and yet how roughly he used them, and how negligent he was of them, when as they had neither Service, nor Sermon, nor Minister, to christian their Children, Mary their Youths, and Bury their Dead, but they must go, and entreat this man or that man to do it, and that I could not persuade him to have a better care of his Flock, nor to pay any Deuce to his Majesty, to my Lord Duke of Ormond, and the Bishop, I Sequestered his Living for the better Service to be done unto his people, and the sooner to get those Duties due both to the King and Bishop; and he understanding thereof, instead of coming to me for to desire a Relaxation, (which I expected,) he went and desired to see the Sequestration, and the man that had the Sequestration, gave it him to read, and he put it in his Pocket, and keeps it to this day, and gathered his Tithes, giving many opprobrious terms, and using great threaten against the honest man to whose hands I had sequestered his Living.  
And when Mr. Archdeacon Bulkley came to the Archbishop's Visitation, he, without my privity, and without any appeal, or demanding what I had to say against him, gives a Relaxation of that Sequestration.  
And all this I cannot well understand; but it puts me in mind of a Play Book that I saw on a Booksellers Stall, entitled, A King and no King; and of what the Jews said to Christ, Hail King of the Jews, that is in their mind, Rex sine Regno: For thus, taking the Articles out of my Court, and relaxing the Sequestration, and undoing whatsoever I had done, I conceived I should be a Bishop and no Bishop: or a Bishop without the authority and power of a Bishop.  
And truly, I do think, I were better to use no Jurisdiction, than in vacuum laborare, and to do things to no purpose, but only to be undone again; which is not so much a prejudice unto me, as it is to all those Parties that had, or should have any Suits depending in the Bishop's Court, and must every third year go fifty or sixty miles to follow their Suits, and with a vast expense in Dublin; and I wish his Majesty would consider this agrievance of his People.  
But now, as Abraham said to God, Gen. 18.30. I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, let him not be angry, and I will speak; so I say to my Lord's Grace of Dublin, 
The things that the Bishop of Ossory observeth to be considered out of the Letters. 1. Touching the Refection.  seeing I have taken upon me to speak of these things, let not his Grace be angry, and I will yet speak a little of what I have observed in the  Letters; And  
1. For the Refections, I will say no more but what you see in the Letters; and what I said before touching this Point, but desire (if we must still continued to give Refections to the Bishops and Archbishops,) that the uncertainty of the expense might be remedied, and either commuted for a certain Sum of money, or limited not to exceed a Sum as shall be agreed upon, to be convenient, that the poor Clergy might be certain what they are to do, and understand in what case they stand, and not be punished for their ill-doing and neglect of their duty, when they think they have been very bountiful and have done very well; And,  
2. 
2. For the reconciliation of the disagreeing persons.  For the Reconciliation of the persons disagreeing it was a very good, and a very charitable work; but for the submission of the Senior Cull unto the Dean, it puts me in mind of Aesop's Fable, Lupus ad caput fontis, bibens videt agnum procul infra bibentem; for to say the truth, Ea fama vagatur, the Dean is reported, and I will not justify the report, to be very litigious, and covetous, and to have much wronged the poor Vicars; and to have been, as Chaplain to one Delboire a Cousin of his, at the Siege of Basin House, against his late Majesty; which, if true, makes me believe him to be a very unworthy man, and not worthy to be countenanced against any honest man; and I know Mr. Cull is reputed to be a very honest man, presented so to me by the Mayor and Aldermen of Kilkenny, and I am sure a very constant and painful Preacher; and yet the Dean charged him with such heinous crimes, that, if proved, were sufficient utterly to undo him; Whereupon Mr. Cull, to quit himself of the Accusations, preferred these Articles following against the Dean, and delivered the same to me, and I finding, that, if Fame be true, they might be all very easily proved, did put the same into my Court, to be answered by the Dean: And not to prejudice the Reputation of the Dean, (the things alleged being not proved,) but that my Reader might the better understand the truth in this place.   

And the Articles, being exhibited unto me, by the Junior Cull from his Father, as I shown before, I required his Proctor to draw up the same in forma juris, and my Register to deliver them to the Dean; and in open Court, I gave the Dean his own desired time to answer them; & all this being done, the Articles exhibited, the Dean having his own time to answer them, and lying long in the Court before any tidings of the Archbishop's inhibition came unto us, I conceive it strange, and cannot understand, quo jure, how these Articles should be taken out of my Court, as they were, without my privity, without an appeal, or any other due course of Law, and the offendor quitted, and set free without any answer to any Articles, (which I conceived to be rather a covering of faults, and cherishing offences, than a reformation of manners,) but especially to consider that the party wronged, and so highly injured, 
The strange injunction laid upon Jo. Cull.  should be enjoined to make such a submission, as flexis genibus upon his knees, to ask forgiveness to him that did the wrong: hoc mihi magnum est, hoc miram, I pray you forgive me, that I did not thank you for abusing me: to justify herein the foresaid Fable true; for, I know no wrong that Cull did to the Dean, but I can make it good, that the Dean did many ways exceedingly wrong poor Cull; And yet Cull must be enjoined to ask the Dean forgiveness upon his knees; and truly, to this day, I could not learn for what, unless it were for complaining that the Dean dealt with him, as the Wolf did with the Lamb.  
And not only so, but the report goeth, that the poor man (who spends what he hath, to maintain his two Sons in Oxford,) was awed, (as the word of my Letter is,) that is, threatened and terrified, that if he did not do as Archdeacon Bulkley enjoined him, he should be deprived of all the means he had, and should not be suffered to serve in all Ireland: which if true, (as I easily believe it,) is the readiest way to increase the oppressions and wickedness of men, to the great dishonour of God, and not to further the reformation of those offences, that aught most severely to be reproved; especially in those men, that by the dignity of their places, should be the light and good example unto others, yet will be indeed the very scandal, shame, and reproach of their Calling: I say not more, but that such proceed do seem very strange to me, that never saw the like in the Kingdom of Ingland, nor ever read the like done in any Ecclesiastical Court.  

3. For the Sequestration.  And for the Sequestrations, I can say little or nothing to them; because I know not well the causes, for which they were sequestered; but I pity the poverty, and the loss and want that must thereby follow to the sequestered parties, to disinable them for a while to do that good, which otherwise they might do to themselves and their Families.  
Yet, as the old Axiom is, that Corruptio unius est generatio alterius, so their loss is a gain to the Officers and friends of the Sequestor, (though perhaps they have not so much need of it, as those that are sequestered,) because Mr. Archdeacon Bulkley (as I am informed) wrote his Letters to the Dean, and to his Cousin Mr. Lloyd (who, notwithstanding his Letters, dealt like a Gentleman with the sequestered parties) to make the best agreement they could with the Sequestered Clergy for their own profit and advantage, before they should have their relaxation; which I believe was never so intended when Sequestrations were first ordered to be extended.  
But for Jonathan Cull, that is said to be sequestered for not going to his Grace, to ask leave to go to Oxford, before he went, (which was indeed a fault in Cull,) and no man will excuse him, unless he can yield a very good reason for his neglect.  
But for his Nonresidency from his Live, I think, that the Statute doth allow him to be absent from his Living, and to live in the University studendi gratia until he be forty years old, and I having sent him word, from the Rector of Lincoln College, where he is a student, that he must make haste to come before the Act; and his new-married Wife being lately dead, he might be thereby so troubled, and in such an ecstasy, as to forget his duty and obedience to my Lord's Grace, not so much out of contempt or neglect of his Grace, as out of ignorance, bashfulness, or forgetfulness, that might well excuse him before any mild, and no severe Judges à tanto licet non à toto; and therefore consideratis considerandis, the fault, which might be accounted venial, might be conceived not to deserve so heavy a Censure, as to be deprived of all his means, whereby he is disenabled to continued his study in the University; which makes me believe, the Sequestrator conceived some greater cause to sequester him, either against him, or against some other of his relation, which is probable, as I conceive it, to be against myself, whom some thought to wound through the side of Jonathan Cull, because I know the man to be so civil, and of so fair a carriage, as to give no just offence to any one, or in any place; I would the accuser of his brethrens were so blameless: but many times Aristides is punished for being just, and Clodius applauded for his wickedness.  
Or if he, or any other of my Clergy hath justly deserved punishment, I will not be their Advocate to justify or to excuse any heinous crime.  
And for the Visitations themselves; 
The Visitations of this Kingdom.  the Bishop's Visitation seems to be clipped here in this Kingdom of Ireland more than seems convenient; for the chief parts and duties of this Office of Episcopacy, different from Presbytery, do consist in these two special things:  
1. Ordination of the Priests and Deacons to be the Teachers and Pastors of the Church, to feed the flock of Christ.  
2. Jurisdiction, to rule and govern all the members of the Church, Clergy, and Layty, according to the Laws, Canons, and Constitutions of the Church.  
And if in this Triennial Visitation of the Archbishop, he inhibits the Bishop's Jurisdiction for two or three months, before he visits, and than when he visits, suspends the Jurisdiction for six months more, as here you see he doth, or for more than that if he please, and this every third year: and in any part of the year, when he will; hath not the Archbishop swallowed up almost all the Jurisdiction of the Bishop? And than as the Pope sends his Legatos a latere, to do only what the Pope directs him; so the Bishop shall stand by the Archbishop's side, and shall be set aside, as often as he pleaseth, which seems to me to be a Jurisdiction ad placitum, and so little better than a cipher, that standing by himself, signifieth nothing, and so is worthy of a Presbyterial correction.  
But, as Monarchy is the best kind of Government in the World, when the same is well ordered, and rightly used, as I have most amply showed in my Book, of the Right of Kings, so the multiplication of powers into one hand, being abused, hath produced Tyranny among the Tyrants of the Gentiles; and, as Presbyterians say, in the Popes of Rome: Therefore our Saviour Christ, seeing how ambitious, and how greedy his Disciples were to usurp authority, forbiddeth them, (not, to use their authority, and the jurisdiction that he gives them,) but he forbiddeth them to abuse it, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,  i e. not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to domineer one over another, as the heathen Tyrants did, 1 Pet. 5.3. and to that end, the most Divines say, and I think all, except the Pope's Parasites, I am sure all the Presbyterians affirm it, that Christ equally distributed the power and authority, that he gave, to the Governors of his Church, which were the twelve Apostles, amongst them all: 
See Bishop Howsons' Sermons that proves this Point at large.  and therefore they had all equal jurisdiction; though S. Peter had the priority of nomination, in respect of order, which must be observed in all the actions and the works of God, which is the God of order.  
Yet I, that am and will be as observant, respective, and obedient to my Archbishop as any Bishop in Ireland shall be to his Metrapolitan, say not this, as finding any fault, or laying the lest blame, upon the Canons and Constitutions of the Church, and the Laws of these Kingdoms (for all must confess, that the Office and Calling of an Archbishop was not so from the beginning, nor is, jure divino, of Christ's institution,) that ordered and appointed the same to be governed and guided by the Bishop's subordinate to their Archbishops, that are to have the oversight of them; which is a most excellent way, that all things may be done right in the rule and government of God's Church: So it be done with that temper and moderation that it aught to be done.  
But I say this, to the same end as our Saviour said it to his Disciples, that all things might be done, Leni spiritu, non dura manu, rather by an inward sweet influence, than an outward extreme violence, and that all the Bishops, and the Archbishops in their Visitations, and in all their actions should study and strive to be like Moses, that in the Government of God's people was the gentlest, and the meekest man upon earth, and endeavoured, as he saith himself, to carry them in his bosom, which is the greatest commendation, and the best quality that can be in any Bishop, of whom, it is a shame to say, Non pater est Aeacus, thou art not the son of Moses, sed te genuere ferae, but thou art more like the savage beasts: when thou art so cruel, so unmerciful, and so severe in the censure of thy brethrens of thine own Coat.  
For as I said long ago, so I say now, and will say it still, 
One of the chiefest causes of the late distractions in our Church.  that the rigid carriage of some severe Bishops, and their undiscreet Surrogates, on the one side: and the high stomaches and proud behaviour of the Presbyters, on the other side, when the Governors ruled, and domineered like Tyrants, and the Presbyters, like stubborn Children, refused to be obedient, hath been one of the chiefest causes of the late distraction and miseries, that we have felt in this our Church,  
But I will demand of the Lay men, whether that Censure, be commendable, when for a fault that deserves a penny fine, the offender shall be punished with a pound? And that delinquency, which springs through ignorance, or forgetfulness, and not of obstinacy, shall be equally punished with the highest transgressors; which is, in my judgement, like Draco, that wrote his Laws in blood: Yet may you see the like Draco's sometimes in the Sequestrations and Censures of some Clergymen: Poor souls, I can but pity them. And I will not be the Judge, but let the Reader consider it; A young man is newly instituted into a little Living, and becomes bound to his Majesty for his first fruits, than goeth to his study to the University, that he may be the better enabled to do God service, in the Church of Christ; yet, because that either through bashfulness to go to so great a Prelate, that he never was acquainted with, or through ignorance of his duty, or forgetfulness, or perhaps for haste to save his passage by Sea, when as time and tide stay for no man; or some other excusable cause, he goeth to Oxford without his Archbishops being acquainted therewith, though his own Bishop sent for him in all haste to come up before the Act: yet for this heinous crime and great piccadillo fault, he is sequestered from all the means he hath, before he receives the first harvest fruits, or perhaps one penny from the same, whereby he is disenabled to pay the King's first fruits, and to maintain himself in the University, and so undone: and if this Censure be equivalent, and not exceeding the fault, judge you.  
And as dislike and disaffection produce sometimes heavy Sentences upon the poor Clergy for light faults; so I have often seen great oppressions, and much baseness used by some great dignified Clergymen, that I could name, and yet they were so far from Censure, that others were upheld and applauded in their wickedness and so, 
Juven. 1. Satyr. 13.  as the Poet saith, 
— Multi  
Eadem committunt diverso crimina fato  
Ille crucem pretium sceleris tulit, hic diadema:   
One man is applauded and crowned for the same fact for which another man is condemned and hanged.  

The last Visitation of the Archbishop in this Diocese of Ossory.  But for the last Visitation of the Archbishop in this Diocese of Ossory, I shall, besides what I have said already of the Inhibition and Suspension of the Jurisdiction, say somewhat more than I said of the Sequestrations of the Clergy; And, 

1. Of the Number of those persons that were sequestered.  
2. Of the Causes for which they were sequestered.  
3. Of the Consequents of their Sequestrations.    
1. You must understand, that in all my Diocese of Ossory, I have but twenty two beneficed Clergymen, and of them twelve are nonresident, and eight of the twenty two were sequestered; viz.  

1. Mr. Barry.  
2. Mr. Cull Senior.  
3. Mr. Cull Junior.  
4. Mr. Drisdall.  
5. Mr. Moor.  
6. Mr. Spencer.  
7. Mr. Teate.  
8. Mr. Kerny.   
Whereof six were continually resident, and in my judgement, the most learned, and most frequent constant Preachers, that have any Ecclesiastical preferment in my Diocese.  
2. For the Causes, why their Live were sequestered, I cannot, and I do not say but that they may be very just, either for not rendering to Caesar what belongs unto Caesar, as the twentieth part, Subsidies, and the like payments, due unto his Majesty; or for not rendering to God what is Gods, as the due and diligent serving of their Churches, and the payment of their Procurations, and the discharging of all other deuce and accustomed duties unto his Grace, or to them whom he sent to visit them; or for holding their Live contrary, either to the Civil or the Ecclesiastical Laws of the Land; or for the unworthiness of the persons uncapable of them, or some other just and lawful cause.  
My Registers Letter informs me, that Mr. Cull Juniors Live were sequestered for going to the University without his Grace his leave, whereof I have spoken before; and others for distance of miles, if they were above six miles one from another, though they say, that for the tenuity of their Live they had the King's Patent under the Broad Seal, to hold them some thirty, and others twenty miles distant; in which case, I say not more, but, if they shall not keep them above six miles distant, they might live better and grow richer here in Ireland by keeping Sheep, than by feeding of Christ his flock; or if the Law prohibits them, to keep them, beyond that distance, I wonder, why they are admitted, by the Relaxations of the Sequestrations, to keep them still if they were sequestered, to get Fees for the Relaxation, to Mr. Proby, my Lords Grace his Register, and not to deprive them of either Living; my Lords Grace dealt more graciously, and like himself, in granting the Relaxation of them, than his Surrogate did in the Sequestration of them.  
But if they were Sequestered, for not paying the Archbishop's Procurations, or other duties due unto his Grace, I blame them very much, that they paid them not; for though by reason of the smallness of their means, and the worthiness of the men, in their pains taking, I forgave all my Procurations and other deuce also, to most of the poorer sort of them, ever since his Majesty came in, and, to my remembrance, have not received so much as ten shillings in Procurations from all my Clergy to this very day; yet that should not make them careless or forgetful to pay all duties, that are due to other men; and therefore I told Mr. Barry, that saith, for not paying eighteen pence Procurations to the Archbishop, he paid thirty two shillings to his Register, for his Relaxation, that he did very unwisely therein; though, to excuse himself to me, that was angry with them all that were negligent to pay all deuce to his Grace, he had saith, that eighteen pence is not in my List, nor in the Archdeacon's List of Procurations, neither was it ever paid, or demanded to be paid, either by me, or by my Archdeacon, or by any other Bishop or Archbishop before; or otherwise, if he known how it came into Mr. Archdeacon Bulkleys Rowel, he would rather have paid his eighteen pence than thirty two shillings; and so I told every one of the rest of them that were sequestered, and paid thirty two shillings for each of their Relaxations, that it was their own fault, and their folly, that they had not paid what was so justly due unto his Grace.  

3. The consequents of their Sequestrations,  3. For the Consequents of these Sequestrations, as they were very beneficial and profitable to the Archdeacon's Friends, and to my Lords Grace his Officers, as I could show you in what particulars, so they were very fatal and grievous to the poor Priests, that were sequestered; for I, charging them, upon their Canonical obedience, to show me the truth of the proceed and sufferings which they sustained, I received a Petition from the Senior Cull, and a Letter of Mr. Manby, my Lords Grace his Chaplain, to a friend of his; (which I once thought to insert in this place,) but I did not, yet I perceived thereby, how heavily this burden lay upon the poor man's back, that protested unto me, he spent near thirty pounds before he was quitted from all his troubles in this business, and he was brought so low, that I was feign to lend him twenty pounds to be sent to Oxford to relieve his two Sons, jest otherwise they should be expelled out of their College for want of money to pay their arrears; and how great a prejudice and hindrance it was to the Junior Cull in his proceed in the University, himself best knoweth, and can best inform you: the which things I conceived were very much to be pitied by any compassionate Father in the Church of God, that hath a fellow-feeling of another's misery.  
And I understand likewise, from the rest of the Clergy, and the poor Clarks of the Parish Churches, what an infinite charge the rest of the sequestered parties had been at, in paying about thirty two shillings Fees for every Relaxation, and Sequestration granted against them; besides their own proper expenses, and, if I am not misinformed, besides two pence a mile from Dublin to Ossory, (which in some places is betwixt fifty and sixty miles,) to the Apparator that served the Sequestration; and besides a far greater trouble and loss which these sequestered persons had from the Tenants, to whom they had set their Tithes before they were sequestered, and (by reason of the great charge, and small means of some of them) were feign to take some part of their money beforehand; for when the Farmers of their Tithes, saw that their Live were sequestered, and put into other men's hands, yet, (though they had a Relaxation of them afterwards,) they pretended a far greater loss than it may be they had, and so made the loss very great unto the Incumbent, that must bear all the damage, and save the Tenant harmless; as to instance in one example for all.  
The Dean and Chapter having paid me no Procurations, 
An instance of the loss of the sequestered parties.  for all the Live that they held, since his Majesty's happy restauration, I sequestered the same into the hands of two of the ablest and best experienced Prebends, Mr. Teate, and Mr. Kerney, who, I knew, would give a just account to me, and to the rest of their fellow Prebends; and they did set the Tithes unto those Tenants that were most able, and gave most for them; but when Archdeacon Bulkley came to visit the Chapter, his great friend, and old acquaintance, the Dean, that had all the former years' Revenues in his hand, and had given none account of any part thereof unto the Chapter, and was much grieved at my Sequestration of it, out of his hands, would not pay the Procurations due to my Lord Archbishop of Dublin, not more than he would pay to me any of my Procurations; whereupon Archdeacon Bulkley, whether to please the Dean, or to pleasure his Cousin Bulkley, I know not, sequestered the same again into the hands of his Cousin Mr. Thomas Bulkley, and the rest of the Prebends had lost no lesle than five pounds by reason of that Sequestration, if the Law had not forced Mr. Tho. Bulkley to yield it up into the former Tenants hands. And so did the rest of the Clergy loose very much by reason of their Sequestrations, which they had never been acquainted with since my restauration; though I received not forty shillings from all my Clergy since I came to be Bishop to this very day, nor so much as one penny from the Dean in all my life.  
Than about two months after the Archbishop's Visitation was past, I received a Letter from Mr. Proby, the Archbishop's Register.  
And therein a List of them that had not paid their Procurations unto his Grace.  
At the reading of which, I did greatly wonder at the partiality of Archdeacon Bulkley, that could spare to sequester Mr. Richard Seagar, Mr. Whittington, Mr. Williams, Mr. Richard Deane, Mr. Goburne, Mr. Wilson, and Dr. Chamberlain, that were the Deans friends, and for whom he interceded, though five of them were nonresident, and yet would presently sequester those eight (whereof seven were always resident, and took most pains in all the Diocese,) whom he knew the Bishop therefore had a very good opinion of them, as well as of those whom he spared; and the Dean had so eagerly, I will not say maliciously, but I dare say causelessly, complained of them; and these also to have their Relaxations granted before they had paid their Procurations; I hope it is not to sequester them again, which they well deserve, if their former warning hath not taught them to pay them. And therefore, I that have always persuaded and taught obedience to be observed by all inferiors to their superintendents, would not be negligent of my duty, to do according to my Lords Grace his Order, but I sent my Apparitor to all the particulars of my Clergy mentioned in the Schedule, to come and make satisfaction for their Procurations, or to expect what might succeed, which they were better, like wise men, to prevent.  
And they, when they came unto me, shown me their Acquittances, under Mr. Juxe his hand, that they had already paid them.  
So I thought this storm was over: Yet within a while I heard that about some ten poor Parish Clerks, and five of the Clergy were cited to appear at Dublin, (a journey to some fifty or sixty miles, in the short Winter days, and over ways as foul as any is in Ingland,) to answer Articles that should be objected against them.  
Than divers of the Clerks came crying to me, that they had rather leave their Clerkeship than to take such a journey to Dublin; and one of the Clerks the Archdeacon Bulkley had given a Licence to, and yet cited him to Dublin to show his Licence, the which, when he shown, the Officers of the Court said, they mistook it, and dismissed the cause, and yet afterwards sent a Citation for the Fees. And my Clergy entreated me to intercede for them that did not know wherein they had offended, nor what could be objected against them: and I answered them all, that I would neither meddle nor make in their business; but, if they have done well, than all would be well, if otherwise, let them suffer for it, I would never excuse their negligence, nor Patronise their offence; than some of them appearing at Dublin, expecting their Charge, and desiring earnestly to be dispatched, Archdeacon Bulkley answered, Your Bishop is writing of Books, (for he had some inkling of mine intent,) and will not apply himself to my Lord's Grace to intercede for you.  
Yet my Lord Archbishop very nobly and graciously willed the Archdeacon to take their answer, and to dispatch them that they might go home; and the Archdeacon Bulkley willed them, to confess their faults, and to submit unto the Court, and they should be discharged; and I hearing of this advice, willed them to confess the truth, but not of any guilt, wherein they were innocent.  
And therefore when they had their Articles, ten or twelve, read unto them, (for they had no Copy of them,) they saw, they were but mere suggestions, and not any thing in any of them, that could any ways touch them, or prejudice them in any thing, and they presently made their answers unto them.  
And when they had answered and confessed no fault that they committed; upon the payment of their Fees, for the charges of the Court, they were dismissed.  
Whereby, it seems to me, that, if they were guiltless, and nothing could be proved against them, they might as well cite all the Clergy, and all the men in Kilkenny, and suggest Articles against them, to bring them unto Dublin, to pay Fees to enrich the Officers of the Court; and that being done, to sand them home glad that they are dismissed.  
Than after this the Churchwardens of S. Mary's in Kilkenny, having very justly, as I understand, presented divers persons at the Archbishop's Visitation, 
Canon 65. and 67.  they were, contrary to the Canons, cited to appear at Dublin, forty seven miles, to make good their Presentation, as the Churchwardens informed me; which was so ill resented, that we could hardly get any that would take the Churchwardenship upon them, for fear of the like troubles if they presented any man. But, when I demanded of the Archdeacon why the Churchwardens were cited to make good their Presentment: He answered, it was not so; but they retained a Proctor to prosecute against those that refused to pay the Church taxes, and they not following their suit, they were sent unto, either to come and prosecute, or the Defendants should be dismissed: which if so, I blame not the proceeding, but let the Churchwardens suffer for their own error, when they sue out of my Court without a dismission, or an appeal.  
Yet out of all my former discourse, it appeareth what an heavy burden and an infinite charge this last triennial Visitation of the Archbishop hath been to the indigent Clergy of Ossory, both in their threefold Procurations, their manifold Sequestrations, and long Winter journeys to procure their Relaxations, and the manifold losses that they sustained by their Tenants, that, by reason of the Sequestrations were disappointed of those tithes that they had taken from the Incumbents, which makes me think, that we do not follow our Saviour's Counsel and Precept to S. Peter, To feed his flock; nor what we learned in the old Adage, that saith, Boni pastoris est pecus tondere non deglubere; for certainly these foresaid things do seem deglubere pecus non tondere; and to 'cause his shepwards to starve, and not to enable them to feed his Lambs.  
And therefore, as the sin of Solomon moved God to raise up Hadad the Edomite, and Rezon the Son of Eliadah, and Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, to vex Solomon for the sins of Solomon, 1 Kings 11.14, 23, 26. So I do not wonder, that God suffereth the devil to stir up Presbyterians, and Quakers, 
Why God suffereth Sectaries to vex the Bishops.  and other Anabaptistical Sectaries to vex the Bishops for these and the like sins of the Bishops against God and his poor people, when they suffer and countenance their Commissaries, Registers, and other Officers, to be like a talon of lead upon the necks of Christ his Sheep.  
But I do therefore demand, if these things, 
Whether the foresaid abuses aught not to be redressed.  and all the things I shown to be amiss in this Treatise, aught not to be reform and amended?  
I know some will say, they aught not thus to be published to the World, to discover the weakness and imperfections of our Brethrens, to make them more contemptible in the eyes of the scoffers of our Calling, than they are; and therefore will much blame me for this my publication of these things.  
But as Caligula was so wicked, and his life so beastly, 
Reynolds in the life of Caligula fol. 31.  that some Historiographers have been in doubt, whether it were best to bury them in oblivion, or commit them unto memory: and it is answered by mine Author, That, seeing it is profitable to the Readers, and to Posterity, to know the evil do of others, and the disgrace they have thereby, to make them afraid to do the like evils, jest in like manner they should be published to their shame: therefore it is far better to discover the faults of Governors and great men, than to conceal them; because it is done, 
Why great men's faults aught to be discovered.  not with any desire of any evil to the doers of those evil deeds, but out of an earnest endeavour to amend them, and to prevent the like carriages in all others; not to disgrace any, but to prevent the disgrace of all.  
But though it be not amiss to make known the injustice and the faults of Great men, that there may be a redress of them; yet who dares complain and speak of the Vices of their Superiors? An tutum est scribere in eos qui possunt proscribere: I have read how the Mice held a Consultation, 
The Fable of the Mice.  how they might escape the fury of the Cat; and one wiser than the rest, said, it might easily be done, if there were but a Bell tied about the Cat's neck; for so they might hear her coming, and they might get away; and all liked well, and applauded the device; but to this day they could never agreed, which of them should tie the Bell about the Cat's neck: So all the poor and inferior Clergy, all sigh, and groan, and complain of their Taxes, and Pressures, and Oppressions, by the Bishops, and Archbishops, and Archdeacon's, and their Suffragans, and all that come to Censure them; but not one of them all dares tie the Bell about the Cat's neck, and complain of these Great Powers unto the Higher Powers, to have their abuses redressed, for fear of a worse consequence; no lesle than to be crushed and torn all to pieces.  
Yet I remember, what Seneca saith, that he which is careless of his own life, may when he will, be Master of another man's life; so he that is careless of his own state or promotion, and regards not the confluence of wealth and worldly things, may without fear do things that other timorous men dare not venture to do.  

The manifold deliverances of the Author.  And truly I must confess, that since the great Jehovah, my continual deliverer, hath delivered me from that multitude, of those malicious Enemies, that sought after my life, when I was scarce budded in the world, and ever since hath preserved me so many times from such great, and so unimaginable dangers, as from Captain Flaxen, when I was carried Prisoner to North-hampton; from Captain Beech, when I was taken prisoner at Sea, from the drunken Captain that would have delivered me to the Power of the Par iament, hard by Aberystwith; from Sir John Carter and Courtney, that would have clapped me in prison when I preached for his now Majesty at Conway; from the wicked Committee of plundered Ministers, that said I deserved rather to have my head cut of, than to have any Articles performed with me; from so many desperate Sea-voyages and Land journeys that I p ssed through; and from Captain Wood, when I was under his hands in the Parliament Ship; from the Great Antichrist, the Long Parliament; and especially from the devil himself, when he threw me down at West-Wickham, and God said unto him, as he did of Job, He is in thy hand, but save his life; I never feared what man could do unto me: but as the Prophet David said, the Lord delivered me from the mouth of the bear, and of the Lion, and he will deliver me from this uncircumcised Philistine: So I say, the Lord that preserved me so many times, from so many dangers, will still preserve me, while with a sincere heart I endeavour to discharge my duty: especially seeing the Lord saith, I, even I am he that comforteth you; and who art thou that art afraid of a man, and of the son of man that shall be made as grass, and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the Foundations of the Earth, and hast feared every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy.  
Therefore, as I have been always resolute, and in a manner, desperate, in the judgement of the timorous, as it appeareth, by the three Books, that, in the behalf of our late King, I printed in Oxford, and the three Books that I writ of the Great Antichrist, while the Long Parliament and the false Prophet were in their greatest prevalency; and by the Sermons that I preached at St. Nicholas, and other Churches in Dublin, at Conwey before the Judges, at lan Sannan, and in all places: So now in mine old age, when I am so near my grave, I have lesle reason to fear, and more cause to be resolute, to say the truth, to discharge my duty, and to implore my most honourable Friends, my Lord's Grace of Canterbury, my Lord of London, and my old familiar Acquaintance my Lord of Winchester, whom God hath placed so near his Majesty, and hath raised to that eminency of dignity pre consortibus above their brethrens, not so much for their own sakes, as for his honour and service, and the good of his Church, and like so many religious Josephs, to relieve their distressed Brethrens, to join in mine assistance, most earnestly to beseech, and most humbly to petition to his Sacred Majesty, that he would be graciously pleased to relieve and help the Church of Ireland in those threefold grievances that I have foreshowed: as, that  
1. Seeing the Lands and Revenues of the Church, were I am sure, in many places of my Diocese, given for their reward that fought against his late Majesty; and that by reason of their wealth and great friends to uphold them therein they do possess them; and we that would erect our Churches therewith, are disenabled to do it without our means, that are so forcibly with strong hands, and by such friends detained from us; his Majesty would be pleased to 'cause them, or some others, some ways, and by some means, to have the Churches of God, for the service of Jesus Christ, to be erected and repaired 
* Especially the Bishop's Cathedral Church in Kilkenny. , and not, to the scandal of our Religion, (which the Jews, Turks, and Gentiles would not do,) to suffer our very Cathedrals, and so many other Parish Churches to lie so ruinous, and so rooted up as they are.  
2. That seeing so many great and goodly Impropriations are taken away from the Church of Christ, and from the service of God, and are held in the hands of such great persons and powerful men, that will not part with them, (as I shown to you before,) and the poor Vicars of such Rectories impropriate, have scarce so much means belonging to the Vicaredges, as will put bread into their mouths, whereby they are constrained, for the relief of their Families, to take Farms, and other Lands to occupy, like Lay men, and to neglect their duties, and the service of God's Church, and to suffer the poor people either to be instructed, and to have their children baptised, married, and buried by the Popish Priests, or to have no Priests at all; and we that are the Diocessans, by reason of the small values of those Vicaredges, can found no men that are worthy and able Ministers, that will come and accept of those slender maintenances; and those that do accept them, we cannot make them, by reason of their smallness, to discharge them; And seeing, as I said, the Churches are down, and the Lands, Live, and Revenues of the Church, are thus, as I shown, in the hands of the great and powerful men, and rich Cities, and we can as easily pluck the club out of Hercules hands, as get any of them out of their fingers, when the poor men dare not, scarce, ask their deuce of them, or if they sue for them, the remedy will prove far worse than the disease, to go to Law with Corporations, or with mighty men, to spend their money, and commonly to go without their right, as they have a plain-example in my proceed with Sir George Ayskue, and the detention of all my Procurations, (which, as Bishop Bale saith, in the Page of his Book, was almost half the Revenue of the Bishopric of Ossory,) by the foresaid great men and Cities ever since his Majesty's restauration; and I know not how to get them; it is no wonder to me, that Popery should, not only continued, but increase more and more, and the Service of God decay more and more, and injustice, Idolatry, and wickedness abound in this Kingdom more and more, and I tell you herein the plain truth; let who will be angry, and let others think what they please.  
And further, seeing, that beside the payments and taxes that they are bound to pay to his Majesty by the hand of their Bishop, and to their Bishop, and Archbishop, and all other payments for their Churches, they are frequently, contrary to the Acts of Parliament, exceedingly molested, taxed, and distrained, for the same taxes, which they have formerly paid, by the Lay Collectors: and the trouble to be discharged from those unjust Taxations is worse, than the repayment of them again, when as excessit medicina modum, the remedy is worse than the disease.  
Therefore that it would please his Majesty, for the honour of God, and the good of the poor people, and the poor Clergy likewise, to 'cause the Churches to be built 
* Especially the Bishop's Cathedral Church at Kilkenny. , and some competent means and sum to be deducted out of those Impropriations, and to be added for the augmentation and better support of the poor Vicars, and some fairer and easier way to be devised for the poor Clergy to recover their right; and a prohibition of the Laity under a Subpaena to recharge them for those payments which they are charged with, and enjoined by the Act of Parliament to pay to their Diocessans.  
3. That seeing three or four Visitations, that may be, of the Archdeacon, Bishop, Archbishop, and Primate, in one year cannot choose but be a grievance and a great burden unto the poor Clergy, that are poor enough without the charge of so many Visitations, added unto the rest of their taxes: That it would please his Majesty to 'cause the Government of the Church of Ireland, to be brought to the same form, manner, and fashion, that is used in the Church of Ingland, that is, for the Archdeacon to Visit for two years, and the Bishop to visit every third year, and than the Archdeacon's Visitation to cease for that year the Bishop visits, and the Archbishop to visit once in his time, and both the Archdeacon's and the Bishop's Visitations to cease when the Archbishop shall visit.  
And thus the Clergy and the Church-Officers shall have but one Visitation, quot annis, in every one year; which I think is very sufficient for the rectifying of all abuses, and for the far greater ease both of the Clergy and Layty: and which, I believe, none should be against the same, unless it be such, as are too miserably covetous; for a small matter unto themselves, to bring a heavy grievance to very many; which for my part, the Lord knoweth, that I never liked it; and I suppose, it should be for the honour and praise of the Chief Governors and Fathers of the Church, as we are styled, to deal with our Clergy as with our Children, to ease them what we can, and not to make them fast for our feasting.  
And I found great reason, that we should in all things here in Ireland conform ourselves to the Church of Ingland; for as Polydore Virgil writeth, that Pope Adrian, 
Polyd. Virg. l. 13. Hist. Angl.  and after him Alexander, moved S. Christian the famous Bishop of Lismore, their Legate, to call a Synod at Cashel, wherein they defined eight Articles, whereof the last was, That forasmuch as God hath Universally delivered the Irish into the government of the English, they should in all Points, Rights, and Ceremonies accord with the Church of Ingland: and Gelasius, 
Campians hist. of Ireland, l. 2. c. 1.  Primate of Ardmagh, in the presence of King Hen. 2. gave his consent to those Articles.  
And therefore I wonder what hath altered or hindered this our conformity with the Church of Ingland, unless it be pride, covetousness, or ambition, & aviditas dominandi; which are weeds fit to be rooted out of Churchman's hearts than to be cherished in the Primates of God's Church, and which I verily believe are now far enough from the thoughts of our most grave and most religious Archbishops, who, as I hope, will most easily yield to this conformity, that neither the Bishops be so abridged in their Jurisdictions, nor their Clergy so much oppressed in their Visitations, as they have been.  
Yet here I would not have my Reader to imagine that I speak for the ease or remittance of the Procurations, Taxes, or other Impositions, of them that hold the Abbeys, Priories, and Impropriate Rectories, which they have for nothing, and as it appears to me, contrary to all divine right; and therefore should pay the same continually every year to them that do the Service of God: but I speak it only for the ease and benefit of the poor incumbent Rectors and Vicars that labour and take pains for the good of God's people, and for the saving of their souls that hold their means from them.  
And, if this may not be done, to reduce the Government of the Church of Ireland to the same form, and after the same manner as the Church of Ingland is governed, yet that the Archbishops and Bishops should take special care to see that their Surrogates, Chancellors, and Deputies should not any ways to enrich their Friends, Officer's, and Servants, and to feast themselves, oppress the poor Clergy, and others the poor Servants and Officers of the Church of Christ. I doubt not, but the Bishops and the Archbishops are all just, and merciful, and tenderhearted towards all their inferior Clergy; and can no ways be justly blamed for the faults of their subordinate Officers or Deputies, which they are ignorant of; And I do profess without flattery, and in the word of a Christian, that my Lord's Grace of Dublin, in all that he did, or said, was so noble, just, and gracious towards those honest Clergy men, whom his Archdeacon so severely trounced, that the lest shadow of the lest blame cannot be laid upon him. And I believe Archdeacon Bulkley would never have done what he did, but to satisfy the mind and desire of a most unworthy person, and malicious slanderer and false accuser of his Brethrens, which can be neither true wisdom, nor honest policy, to please men, and to offend Almighty God.  
And now to conclude our sad condition, when, after all my many years sufferings, and had spent above four hundred pounds to repair the Choir and Chancel of S. Kenny, and about six hundred pounds in Law against Sir George Ayskue for the right of the Church, and did perceive the success like to be fruitless, I once thought to present this Petition to his Majesty.  
To the Kings most Excellent Majesty. The humble Petition of Gruffith, Lord Bishop of Ossory.  
THat whereas your Petitioner hath seen how highly your Majesty hath been abused, and how slowly and scantly righted by one Jury, and how much both your Majesty and your Petitioner have been wronged by another Jury, and how mightily he is obstructed to gain your Majesty's gracious Grant, and the right of the Church, where your Petitioner is but the Solicitor, and aimeth at no benefit, not so much as one penny for himself.  
Your Petitioner, that desireth nothing, but that Justice (which establisheth the Thrones of Kings) may be done to God, to your Majesty, and to himself, he humbly prayeth that the whole matter betwixt him and Sir George Ayskue may be heard at the Council Table, or tried by an honest Jury here in Ingland.  
And your Petitioner shall pray, etc.  
But, considering my years, full 78, and mine infirmities, and especially how heavy the Seas are always to me, and perceiving the impossibilities of prevailing contra stimulum calcitrare, when such greatness doth so visibly oppose me: I conceived, that, till God should otherwise dispose of things, Sat mihi posse pati, and pray to God that he would arise and maintain his own cause: Et det mihi velle mori: and let them that detain the Right of the Church, and them that maintain and uphold them in it, remain under the prayer of Moses, 
Deut. 38.8, 9, 10, 11. Psal 84 10, 11, 12, etc.  and the Prophecy of David, and the judgement of God betwixt me and them.  
Jamque opus exegi; and with the two-edged sword of truth I smote at the impieties and corruptions both of the Clergy and Layty, of Church and Commonwealth, and of the great men and rich men without fear. In me convertite ferrum; and I doubt not but I shall attract unto myself the malevolency, detraction, and persecution from many men; but I have always armed myself with the resolution to endeavour to do my duty, and discharge a good conscience; and as Queen Hester said, so say I; if I perish, I perish, having published my own funeral Sermon in the Sermons I made for others, and commiting myself, as I have done ever:  
Jehovae Liberatori.    

In Impios Sacrilegos.  
HEu mala progenies, fatis servata nefandis,  
Gensque inimica deo: dominans voraxque sacrarum  
Quid fuer as quid sisque vide: tua prima propago  
Sancta fuit, sobolemque petet lues atra secundam,  
Cum leo terribilis virgineis editus oris  
Flammiferam ex orco pellagique plangentibus undis  
Educens aciem, magnos urbesque virosque  
Sternet, & antiquis solem lunamque movebit  
Sedibus: ille etiam patrio jure infima summo  
Reddet, & oppressos in coelum mittet inermes.   

A Prayer of the Author.  
O Sweet Jesus Christ, as thou art God in Heaven, and hast a care of thy Church here on Earth, I beseech thee, suffer not thy Servants, that stand for thee, to be cast down and trampled under feet, and those that have fought against their King, to bring thine anointed Vicegerent to be murdered, to carry away the Inheritance of thy Church, and the Lands that were dedicated for thy Service, to be enjoyed for the Reward of that transcendent wickedness; jest thy Servants should be too much dejected and disheartened to stand for thine honour, and thine Enemies encouraged to proceed on in the like malicious wickedness: but rather let them feel the power of Moses Prayer for Levi: and David's Prophecy against them that will rob thee and thy Servants of their Houses and Possessions: and be thou a just Judge betwixt us and them. Amen.  
FINIS.