An Essay on the Antient and Modern State of Ireland

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Brooke Henry. An Essay on the Antient and Modern State of Ireland

Dedication

Essay

The Farmer's Case Of The Roman-Catholics Of Ireland

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In a Nation, where almost every Gentleman is better acquainted, and more conversant, with the Nature and Circumstances of other Countries than those of his own, the Publication of such Hints as may somewhat contribute to remove so odd an Inattention, and induce those far better qualified to render a Subject so interesting some Justice, will not, I hope, be deemed an Impertinence; in one especially who, by this Essay, however feeble, hath nothing beside the Honour and Advantage of Ireland in View, a Kingdom whereof he is, without Vanity, proud of being a Native.

As the Story of Savages and Barbarians can contain nothing instructive, or entertaining, the Antemilesian Inhabitants of this Land having been mostly such, and all surviving Accounts of them almost totally overcast with Fable, we are therefore, in treating of the antient Scotia, or modern Ireland, to refer principally to three distinguished æras, whereof the first is, its being peopled by an Iberian or Spanish Colony: The second, truly glorious, the Arrival of St. Patrick, in his most salutary Mission: The third and last, its Cession to Henry the Second, King of England, (the first of the Royal Race of Plantagenet) partly from a pretended Title of Adrian the Fourth, Pope of Rome; partly from the restless and insatiable Desires of Henry; more from the manifold Infirmities of the then reigning Irish Chiefs – but above all, from the peculiarly adverse Fate of Roderick, the last of our Kings.

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It seems that those early Preachers confined their Labours to particular Places, in which they had considerable Success, but fell very short of converting the Body of the Nation: However, they sowed the Seed which St. Patrick came after to water: And it is certain that St. Patrick was so well satisfied with the Progress they made, in their particular Districts in Munster, that this was the last Province in Ireland he thought proper to visit. That there were many Christians in Ireland, at this Period, seems to be confirmed by Prosper, who, in giving an Account of the Mission of Palladius, says, that he was ordained by Pope Celestin, and sent the first Bishop to the Scots believing in Christ. This Passage can mean nothing else, but that Palladius, born in Britain, was sent to the Scots [i.e. the Irish] who had already formed Churches under Kieran, Ailbe, Declan and Ibar; and so the Bishop of St. Asaph expounds it. This then was the next Attempt that was made for the Conversion of the Irish: Palladius engaged in a more ample and extensive Design than his Predecessors, yet he failed in the Execution of it, stay'd but a short Time in Ireland, and did little worth remembring; he converted, however, a few, and is said to have founded three Churches; but he had neither Courage to withstand the Fierceness of the heathen Irish, nor Abilities, for Want of the Language, proper for the Work.

Nathi, the Son of Garcon, an Irish Prince, opposed his preaching; upon which Palladius left the Kingdom, and died in the Land of the Picts, on the 15th of December, 431. This glorious Work was reserved for St. Patrick, to whose holy Life, divine Mission, and extraordinary Success, I refer the Reader. This great Apostle of the Irish founded and built the Cathedral Church of Ardmagh, about the Year 444, or 45, which, from that early Period to this, hath continued the Metropolitan Church of all Ireland. So that 1194 Years passed away from the Founding of the City of Rome, to that of Ardmagh.

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