Richard Stanihurst, John Lea, David Rooth, Thomas Deis, Lawrence Segrave, John Roch, Thomas Whyte, Thomas Massingham, that nothing be said of Jesuits, F. Rochfort, F. Howling, F. Thomas Whyte, F. Richard Conway, F. William Bath, F. Corneilius Carrig, and others, studiously advancing the public cause of our country to their greatest power. By whom our said countrie received many rare helps and supplies, especially in these later days, to the great advancement of God's glory, and discomfiture of heretics.

Satan and other heretics observing such good to God's Church and ruin to heretics, by recourse of these fortunate triarian champions, and not knowing easily how to debar the crossing over of students to Catholic countries, Filii iniqui ex Israel, the most perverse of our nation employed themselves immoderately to erect "Gymnasium in Hierosolymis secundum leges nationum "—a College in Dublin for Catholics according to the impious sects of other nations.

In which striving against the stream and against the privilege obtained by the intercession of St. Patrick to our nation, that neither infidelity or heresy should possess the country, they expected to seduce at least simple innocents, since that all judicious persons did palpably behold and avoid their as vain as vanishing delusions. So then this College by none of account approached, by no number of reckoning frequented, notwithstanding all fraud and force that might be to the contrary, came to little effect according to the prediction of our Saviour:-" All planting which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up." Of which collegists we will take our Saviour's advice following in the next words :—“Let them alone; blind they are and guides of the blind."

Now did it belong to the wisdom of our Almighty Saviour and God, when malice began to molest his flock, and to machinate the destruction of the abovesaid children, to find out some zealous rather than deeply learned guide, it being his wont to elect the weak things of this world to confound the strong, to open a larger way than hitherto for them whom he had predestinated "into an elect generation, a kingly priesthood, a holy nation, a people of purchase, that they may declare His virtues which from darkness had called them into his marvellous light." I do seem to behold in heaven, betwixt the Blessed Trinity and all saints of our country, together with all angel guardians, general and particular, a deep consultation who this guide might most conveniently be, and by public adoption divers to be chosen, but for these parts of the low countries, without all opposition to have been elected Mr. Christopher Cusake, of honourable descent and alliance with

the noblest ranks, of great virtue, zeal and singular sincerity. Who being unexperienced in foreign countries, meanly languaged, and meanly furnished with requisites for a building to reach to this height, in human wisdom little success seemed to be expected. Yet beholding now such unexpected increase beyond all human imagination, in reason and right we are to magnify God's over-reaching wisdom, and to register the glorious fame and name of Cusake in the golden book of immortal gratitude, as conformable to distressed Ireland as Chusay to distressed David.

This is the banished Joseph, whose banishment is the remedy and comfort of his famishing and perishing nation. This is Ireland's brightest sun, by which Ireland's darkness is most avoided. This is Ireland's famous glory, by whom the infamy of supposed barbarity of Ireland is exchanged into daily increasing reputation of extraordinary bringing up and piety. But his modesty will frown at these applauds, and I, linked in such kindred, acquaintance, inveterated love, cannot strain either his modesty or my own impartiality by further particular commendations.

During these seventeen years since he began, first upon his own provision, and afterwards on the bounty of the Catholic King, to maintain together students in this city of Douay, upon which city God hath poured out plentifully, and, as it may be said, in comparison of most other places, prodigally his blessings, as well of extraordinary learning as incomparable virtue, considering that year by year only one college thereof yieldeth unto the clergy above a hundred learned travailers; since I say he began to maintain and assemble our young students in this place, wherein at this instant I am resident, it cannot be imagined how much the obscurity of our nation's renown hath been diminished and glory thereof increased; how much the name of Irish became venerable, nay, admirable for peculiar towardness to learning, forwardness to virtue, modesty of conversation, facility to be governed, consent among themselves, promptitude to all that might be exacted, yea, or in reason expected of any of most complete and conformable education or condition. Let none think that any partial affection has had place in this attestation, considering such to be the public and private letters patent and testimonies of Princes, Prelates, universities, cities and colleges, extant to all men's view, that little may rather seem affirmed than their desert duly declared. In so much as in sundry provinces and cities they easily obtained habitation, relief, favour, and reputation, as in Tournay, Louvain, Paris, Bourdeaux, Rouen,

Thoulouse, Antwerp, Lille, Cologne, etc., besides particulars entertained with charitable benevolence in manifold other places. I speak here of those of this seminary alone, and I omit to speak of other Irish seminaries in Spain of no less commendation, increase, and accompt.

I trust the wonted spirit of our nation is returning, since the wonted hospitality and liking thereof returneth in foreign countries. Whatsoever our Albanian Scots have or do enjoy by title of our ancient name of Scots, much good may it do them! yet without great wrong they cannot deny, and, as I hope, will not repine, but that only by us, even Camden being umpire, was purchased Luxovium, Bobium, Herbipolis, S. Gallus, and other places in France and Germany, into which they as issued from us, when we were assaulted with continual invasions of foreigners, or, like Cadmus' brethren, devoured one another at home by civil uproar, entered into possession. If they doubt thereof and will be satisfied with any reasonable resolution, I remit them to the histories of S. Malachy, S. Gertrude, S. Columban, S. Rumold, S. Furscus, etc., in which is shown by and for only Irish, as then only known Scots, the aids and other foundations, refuges, and, as it were, provocations for their resort were erected, rented, frequented.

And not to omit a consideration of principal respect and edification, wherein I have ever had singular contentment, you might and may still, to God's greater glory be it spoken, observe so the union and spirit of primitive Christians in the Duacian or Cusacian family, whereby they had cor unum et animam unam, that it was ordinary and in a sort universal, even in commensals, so to communicate their exhibition, apparel, books, etc., as that against them the demand of St. John could have no effect. But of other proofs of their devout spirit there can seem none greater, than that in the space of so few years about a hundred and twenty have heroically entered into the ecclesiastical state, therein are eminent and to all God's Church beneficious, and that of so great number but one only apostate, and he in mouth not in mind, and but only for lust of the flesh, can be specified.

Would you have yet a greater proof of their generous and more than human magnanimity? Not contented in their choice of religious with those of less discipline and perfection, with those of greater commodities for flesh and blood, with those of freer passage to ecclesiastical dignity, they rather tend to others in which sensual delights are most mortified, humility, charity, obedience, contemplation, zeal of souls, and all religious discipline is most observed.

As water doth more inflame the smith's forge, as repugnance doth animate the lion's courage, as tartness eggeth the languishing appetite, so doth it embolden them if they know they are to find opposition to their natural inclinations. I speak by experience of those who have resorted to our Profession, that they have not been thereto more inclined that they perceived in outward appearance, for diet and apparel, for cheerful conversation, for plausible credit among men, greater conformity to sensual ease; but their incentive motives have been for greater abnegation of their judgment and will, greater adventures to chilling colds and scorching climates. for advancing God's glory and their greater union with God, to undertake greater. pains for his Church, greater contradiction of the world, the devil, and heretics, and, in their opinion, the greatest austerity proportionable to human infirmity.

Believing the doctrine of S. Thomas, that such are the perfectest religious which are ordained to teach and preach, the chiefest and ripest of them tend and travail to be received in orders more excelling in the said functions; as knowing, according to the said Doctor, such as teach Divinity, controversies, sermons, cases of conscience, with a spiritual and direct intention, to hold that rank of perfection among the most contemplative orders of religion which the instructing master of works beareth among the handicraftsmen-by as much as it is more meritorious to indoctrine many preachers and pastors than to be alone fervent. So that it was not the least part of their wisdom, that they yielded no credit to contrary imaginations buzzed often as fraudulently as erroneously into their brains, that to teach forsooth public schools, especially of liberal sciences, could be no exercise of contemplative religion, but at the most of the active life, as being not only subject to frequent distractions but also to imminent dangers of destruction.

Against which in itself no less absurd than pernicious error, S. Thomas, the sun of knowledge, and a religious man incomparably contemplative, most learnedly disputeth, and in disputing disproveth by manifold reasons and examples of eminent saints in God's Church, who being religious taught not only Scriptures but also liberal sciences. And he addeth, that they are particularly fit to teach who enter into the depth of contemplation.

The resolute pressing of the Duacians to such teaching religious Orders doth well demonstrate their legitimate conformity with our ancient glorious predecessors, of whom, at home and abroad, the fame of rare industry for instructing was most glorious, as to all readers is not unknown, and now deserveth,

for our imitation, to be succinctly revealed, although in my Dedicatory upon Rider's Caveat, it was in part declared.1

Whereof being more amply to treat in the ecclesiastical history of our country, and having, as is said already, discoursed thereof before, this foretaste may serve to sharpen your appetites towards the treatise now in preparation, and the abrupt brevity thereof will gratify the repining horror against such our quondam incredible glory in any, if any be, subject to emulation.

But doth the good and redress of our country require such religious teachers, and may they not be spared and their stead supplied as well by others? I will not answer, lest I might seem over partial in the defence of such religious. But I will afford certain parcels written by a most excellent late Martyr of our country, the thrice glorious primate Creagh, of whom it is uncertain whether Catholics have had more triumph by his evident justification for the rape reproached at the bar at Westminster Hall, than heretics confusion of being discovered in their fraudulent shifts and shameless impostures, to which despair of otherwise defending their cause enforceth them.

He, in a letter bearing date 1580, from the Tower of London, which, with his own hand he wrote to the Rev. F. Oliver Manarè, at that time Vicar-General of his Order, which letter I have now in custody as a precious pledge and relique, he answereth so to the former demands, as first acknowledging corruptions of great deploration in the country, particularly a rude and ignorant clergy in many places, a danger of heresies' increase, great incivility in many places and persons, &c., at length he declareth that he had been humble petitioner to His Holiness to send thereto certain teaching religious persons, as the only mean of Ireland's reduction, by whom also all Christian countries received principal reformation, for whose maintenance he offered to apply certain vacant benefices.

Did modesty permit to impart such high commends as he presenteth, the whole letter might be inserted. Now, the only conclusion must testify his good will gratefully by the said religious accepted, the rather that their mission was by him first procured, and the allowance thereof by supreme authority after due deliberation by this his conclusion testified.

"What I thought of about certain Religious Fathers being empowered at once by Apostolic authority to open schools and

He here gives as an instance St. Olcan and St. Finane, and the Irish saints teaching in England, and he quotes a prophecy of Merlin from Camden, which says: Sapience hath flourished in Oxford, in time to come being to depart into Ireland."

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