praedictam resignationem admittere, eundemque Dominum Joannem ad supradictam Ecclesiam provehere dignetur. Praeterea ut honestius ac decentius Episcopalem dignitatem sustinere queat, quoniam dictae Ecclesiae Rossensis reditus et proventus admodum tenues et perexiles esse cognovimus, Vestram Sanctitatem rogamus ut una cum eodem Episcopatu Rossensi praedictam Abbatiam S. Mariae cum nonnullis aliis beneficiis in commendam ei concedere dignetur. Quod ut gratum nobis erit, sic eidem Ecclesiae utile futurum non dubitamus. Et felicissime valeat Vestra Sanctitas, etc.

"Ex Regia nostra apud Richemontem die xvii. Julii, 1517"—(Theiner, Monumenta, etc., pag. 520).

Before giving his sanction to the newly-elected bishop, Pope Leo ordered a consistorial investigation to be made, as was usual with the sees of all Catholic countries, and fortunately the minute of this inquiry is still preserved in the Vatican archives. We cull from it the following interesting particulars:

"The city of Ross was situated in the province of Cashel, in the middle of a vast plain which stretched along the sea-shore. It consisted of about two hundred houses, and was encompassed with a wall. The country around was fertile, yielding an abundance of corn and fruit. In the centre of the town was the cathedral church, dedicated under the invocation of Saint Fachnan, an Irish saint, confessor, whose feast is celebrated on the vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The walls of the church were of cut stone, and it had two entrances—one lateral, the other in front, and in both you descended by three steps to the level of the church. Its floor was unpaved, and its roof was of wood, covered with slates. The interior of the church presented the form of a cross, and in size corresponded with the church of S. Maria del Popolo in Rome. Its central nave was separated by stone pillars from the aisles. Its choir was of wood, and at the head of the choir was placed the high altar. Its sacristy was well supplied with vestments and other sacred ornaments. It had a mitre and crucifixes; its chalices were of solid silver, some of them being gilt, and its crozier was also of silver. In the cemetery, outside the church, there was a belfry built in the form of a tower, in which there was one large bell. As for the dignitaries of the church, there was a Dean with a yearly income of 12 marks, an Archdeacon with 20 marks, and a Chancellor with 8 marks. There were also twelve Canons, each having a revenue of 4 marks, and four Vicars with a similar income. All these assist daily in choir, and celebrate low Mass. On the festival days a solemn Mass is sung. The Canons reside here and there through the diocese, which is twenty miles in extent. The Bishop's residence is about half-a-mile from the city, and is pleasantly situated on the sea-shore. The episcopal revenue consists of corn, tithes, and pasturage, and amounts annually to 60 marks. There are also twenty-four benefices in the Bishop's collation"—(Theiner, Ib., pag. 528-9).

Before the close of 1517, Dr. O'Murrily was duly proclaimed in consistory Bishop of Ross. He governed the see, however, for little more than one year, and had for his successor a Spaniard named Bonaventura, of whom it is recorded that he founded a monastery in the small island of Dursey, which lies at the head of the peninsula between Bantry and Kenmare—(O'Sullivan. Hist. Cath., pag. 238). This monastery and its adjoining church of St. Michael shared the fate of most of the monuments of our ancient faith during the persecution of Elizabeth, and in 1602 was levelled to the ground.

Of the immediately succeeding Bishops we know little more than the mere names. Herrera tels us that an Augustinian friar, by name Herphardus, was promoted to an Irish see in the consistory of 21st February, 1530. By an error of the consistorial copyist, that see is styled Sodorensis in Hibernia. Elsius and some modern writers supposed the true reading to be Ossoriensis; but this arbitrary substitution is irreconcilable with the history of the see of Ossory; and it seems much more probable that the true reading of the consistorial record would be Sedes Rossensis in Hibernia.

The next Bishop that we find is Dermit M'Domnuil, styled in the consistorial acts Dermitius Macarius, who was appointed about 1540, and died in 1553. He was succeeded by Maurice O'Fihely (or Phelim), a Franciscan friar, and professor of Theology. The following is the consistorial entry: "Die 22º Januarii 1554 providit Sanctitas Sua Ecclesiae Rossensi in Hibernia vacanti per obitum Dermitii Macarii de persona D. Mauritii O'Fihely ord. FF. Min. et Theologiae professoris". Early in 1559 this bishop, too, passed to his eternal reward, and his successor's appointment is thus registered in the same consistorial acts: "Die 15 Martii 1559, referente Reverendissimo Dño. Cardinale Pacheco fuit provisum Ecclesiae Rossensi in Hibernia per obitum bon. mem. Mauritii O'Phihil (O'Fihely) pastoris solatio destitutae de persona R. D. Mauritii Hea, presbyteri Hiberni".

Dr. O'Hea for less than two years ruled the diocese of Ross, and in the consistory of 17th December, 1561, Dr. Thomas O'Herlihy was appointed to the vacant see: "Die 17º Decembris 1561, referente Cardinale Morono Sua Sanctitas providit ecclesiae Rossensi in Hibernia per obitum bon. mem. Mauritii O'Hea extra Romanam curiam defucti, vacanti, de persona D. Thomae O'Hierlahii presbyteri de nobili genere ex utroque parente procreati, vita ac scientia idonei, in curia praesentis, quem pater David sacerdos Soc. Jesu in Hibernia existens suis litteris commendavit, cum retentione beneficiorum competentium et jurium quae obtinet".

It would require a much longer article than our present limits allow, to give an adequate idea of the sufferings and zealous labours of this illustrious confessor of our holy faith. He was a native of the parish of Kilmacabea, and many members of his family were reckoned amongst the ancient dynasts of the district. Being consecrated in Rome, he hastened to take part in the deliberations of the council of Trent; and in the metrical catalogue of the bishops of that sacred assembly we find him described as being in the flower of his age and adorned with the comeliness of every episcopal virtue. Towards the close of 1563 he landed on the Irish coast, anxious to share the perils of his faithful flock and to guard them against the many dangers by which they were now menaced. O'Sullivan attests that "his labours were incredible in preaching against heresy, administering the sacraments, and ordaining youthful Levites for the sanctuary". After some time, however, he was seized on by the emissaries of Elizabeth, and thrown into the dungeons of London, where, for three years and seven months, he was the companion in suffering of the renowned Archbishop of Armagh, Dr. Creagh. After his liberation, he continued his apostolical labours throughout the whole kingdom. Many important commissions from the Holy See were confided to him, as may be seen in the Hibernia Dominicana and elsewhere. A Vatican paper of 1578, reckoning the strenuous upholders of the Catholic cause in Ireland, mentions amongst others "Episcopus Rossensis doctus qui interfuit Concilio Tridentino"; but adds that he was then "an exile from his see". Many other particulars connected with this holy bishop, may be seen in Introduction to the Lives of the Archbishops of Dublin, page 137. It is the tradition of the country that he died in prison; however, Wadding and Ware inform us that he died in the territory of Muskerry, and was interred in the convent of Kilchree. The day of his death has, also, been happily transmitted to us; it was the 11th of March, 1580; or, according to the old computation, the 1st of March, 1579.

His