[391] Rome.—­This was the invariable practice of the Irish Church.  It will be remembered how letters and expostulations had been sent to the Holy See in regard to the temporal oppressions of the English settlers.

[392] Davies.—­Cause why Ireland was never Subdued.—­Thorn’s Reprints, vol. i. p. 694.

[393] More.-Sir Thomas More’s son-in-law, Roper, gives the following account of his condemnation:  “Mr. Rich, pretending friendly talk with him, among other things of a set course, said this unto him:  ’Admit there were, sir, an Act of Parliament that the realm should take me for king; would not you, Master More, take me for King?’ ‘Yes, sir,’ quoth Sir Thomas More, ‘that I would.’  ‘I put the case further,’ quoth Mr. Rich, ’that there were an Act of Parliament that all the realm should take me for Pope; would not you then, Master More, take me for Pope?’ ‘For answer, sir,’ quoth Sir Thomas More, ’to your first case, the Parliament may well, Master Rich, meddle with the state of temporal princes; but to make answer to your other case, I will put you this case.  Suppose the Parliament should make a law that God should not be God, would you then, Master Rich, say that God were not God?’ ‘No, sir,’ quoth he, ‘that I would not, sith no Parliament may make any such law.’  ‘No more,’ quoth Sir Thomas More, ’could the Parliament make the King supreme head of the Church.’  Upon whose only report was Sir Thomas indicted for high treason on the statute to deny the King to be supreme head of the Church, into which indictment were put these heinous words—­maliciously, traitorously, and diabolically.”

[394] Parliament.—­State Papers, vol. ii. p. 437.

[395] Vote.—­Irish Statutes, 28th Henry VIII. c. xii.

[396] Succession.—­Froude, vol. i. p. 94.  He also quotes Hall to the effect that “all indifferent and discreet persons judged that it was right and necessary.”  Persons who were “indifferent” enough to think that any reason could make a sin necessary, or “discreet” enough to mind losing their heads or their property, were generally of that opinion.  But Henry’s difficulties in divorcing his wife are a matter of history.

[397] Saw it,—­Four Masters, vol. v. p. 1445.

[398] Trinidad.—­Madrid, 1714.

[399] Truly.—­State Papers, vol. iii. p. 108.

[400] Use.—­28th Henry VIII. cap. xvi.  In Shirley’s Original Letters, p. 31, we find the following order from the Lord Protector, Somerset, to the Dean of St. Patrick’s:  “Being advertised that one thousand ounces of plate of crosses and such like things remaineth in the hands of you, we require you to deliver the same to be employed to his Majesty’s use,” &c.  He adds that the Dean is to receive “L20 in ready money” for the safe keeping of the same.

[401] Order.—­The original letter may be seen in Shirley, pp. 41, 42.