Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 edition. Excerpt: ... THE ELECTION OF BISHOPS, AND THE TREATMENT OF IRISH ECCLESIASTICS IN THE DIOCESES OF DOWN AND CONNOE, A.D. 1177--A. D. 1537. How the Bishops of Dowd, or of Connor, were elected before the English invasion we do not know. The Cathedral Church of Down up to that period was served by a prior and convent of secular canons. These were removed by Malachy III., at the dictation of De Courcy, to make room for a prior and convent of Benedictine monks, brought from St. Werburgh's of Chester (p. 139), over whom the bishop presided as abbot. Hence Bishop Malachy III., in the charter (p. 140) by which he confers forty-seven townlands of the see-lands of the Diocese of Down on the Prior and Convent of Down, says that he grants them for the use of the prior and Black monks, of whom I myself will be bishop, guardian, and abbot, as occurs in the Church of Wynton, or Coventry." The Terrier, a document drawn up about the year 1615, in describing the constitution of the chapter, such as it existed in Catholic times, has the following entry: --" The Bishop of Downe is Abbot of St. Patrick's Abbey and Convent, and the said church is cathedrall, and, moreover, he hath in the same abby and convent as much obedience and reverence as any other abbot hath in his own abby." Outside the prior and convent the only diocesan officer was the archdeacon. There was no dean, precentor, chancellor, nor treasurer. In early times the Bishop of Connor was both abbot and bishop, and at whatever time the two offices--probably about the time of St. Malachy--became separated, the abbey de deserto Connerice, or Kelts, became an independent establishment, with its own monastic abbot, and, in consequence it would seem, of a compact between the bishop and the abbot, the lands of...