The Clergy of Cork, Cloyne and Ross During the Tudor Reformations

The clergy of Cork, Cloyne and Ross during the Tudor reformations Thesis submitted in accordance with the requirements of the University of Liverpool for the degree of Doctor in Philosophy February 2015 Michael Whitman University of Liverpool 2015 1 Abstract Michael Whitman, PhD Thesis, The clergy of Cork, Cloyne and Ross during the Tudor reformations This thesis challenges existing diocesan histories of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. Its local focus provides an invaluable opportunity to explore the successes and failures of the reformations in the region. The arguments are split into four chapters, which are divided between the upper and lower clerical orders, the secular and religious clergy, both before and during the eras of the Tudor reformations. The argument uses antiquarian sources, Irish annals and English state papers to narrate the formation of diocesan, parochial and monastic structures in the region. The quality of each is then assessed for both the late medieval and reformations periods, with direct reference to the effects of the peculiarities of Co. Cork’s religion upon the progress of reform. The thesis argues that the secular elites of Cork, Cloyne and Ross were intrinsically wedded to its church, involved heavily in the creation of the parish and monastic networks. Following the contraction of the crown polity in the medieval periods, local families took on increasing levels of influence. During the Tudor period, the crown sought to expand its power in the region. However, the agents of reform failed to engage with the Irish and Anglo-Norman elites. Instead, their work would be accomplished at the expense of the traditional political and religious structures. This failure was based in the pervasive economic and polical connections between the secular and religious elites of Co. Cork, but was reinforced by the particular weaknesses of the Anglican reformation strategy. 2 Acknowledgements In the first instance, I must thank the AHRC for the kind provision of funding. Without this, it would have been impossible for me to complete my thesis. I owe a huge debt of thanks to my primary supervisor, Marianne Elliott, for all of her guidance and kind words over the past few years. Her dedication and support has made this doctorate possible. My secondary supervisors, Patrick Nugent and Andrew Tierney, have always been ready with invaluable advice. Alan Ford has also provided essential assistance and support, especially with the Carte MSS. The Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool has been my home for over six years. Everyone there has been a huge part of my life and I am especially grateful to Diane Urquhart and Maria Power for their invaluable counsel. Thanks also go to Anna Pilz for her calm words, Ivy Manning for her assistance with the Courts of the Admiralty, Hilary Bishop for the exploration of non-traditional places of worship, Niall Carson for the benefit of his experience, Nicola Morris for many cups of coffee and Viola Segeroth for all of her help with the important details. My research would have been unmanageable without the assistance of the staff at many archives, including (but not limited to): UCC Special Collections, the National Archive, the NLI, the University of Liverpool Special Collections and the Somerset Heritage Centre. So many people have shown me hospitality, opening up their homes. I am incredibly grateful to the Crook family, Zoë and David Marriott, Geoff and Andrea Porritt, Ben Fisher, Lolly Cleary and Luke Baker. To all those who have encouraged me and kept me grounded, I owe a debt, including Sheila Renville, Alexander Thomas, Jimmy Rufer, Simon Bond, Lavinia Thompson, Andy Carter, Jo Pay, Jon Smith and all of those associated with the NAF and Taunton CS Hockey. A special mention must also go to my father, Bill Whitman, without whose passion for history I would never have begun this journey. Finally, I must thank the two most important women in my life for their unending support and patience. They have both made incredible investments of time and energy and I could never have achieved this without their help. I can never thank either of them enough. 3 For Jade and Mum 4 Contents Figures, Tables and Graphs I Abbreviations Iii Preface Iv Introduction 1 Literature Review 7 1. The secular clergy prior to the reformations 21 The formation of the parish network in Co. Cork 25 Clerical incomes 38 Clerical education 52 Efficacy of the clergy 59 Conclusion 70 2. The development of the monastic tradition 72 Origins of the Orders in Cork, Cloyne and Ross 74 Friars Preacher 87 The fifteenth century 94 The condition of the monastic orders in Cork, Cloyne and 100 Ross Conclusion 113 3. The clerical elite during the reformations 114 The fifteenth century episcopate 117 The bishoprics during the early sixteenth century 124 The Anglican see of Ross 132 The Anglican sees of Cork and Cloyne 136 The bishopric of William Lyon 140 The bishopric of Dermot Creagh 146 5 4. The regular clergy during the reformations 152 The monastic suppressions 154 Religious clergy during and after the suppressions 160 The cathedral chapters at the start of the seventeenth century 170 The secular clergy at the end of the sixteenth century 178 The secular clergy at the start of the seventeenth century 188 Provision of worship and the quality of the ministry 196 Pluralism 201 The impact of impropriation 210 Conclusion 219 Conclusion 221 Appendix: Appropriated rectories from the 1541 monastic inquisition 230 Appendix: Seventeenth Century Guardians of the Franciscan Friars 232 in Co. Cork Bibliography 234 Manuscript Sources 234 Printed Primary 235 Secondary Literature 241 6 Figures, Tables and Graphs 1.1 Parish churches of Cork City 26 1.2 Co. Cork churches 1199 (Map) 29 1.3 Co. Cork churches 1306-06 (Map) 30 1.4 Co. Cork churches 1615 (Map) 31 1.5 Deaneries of Cork, Cloyne and Ross 1303-06 and 1615 32 1.6 Numbers of priests in the three dioceses 1300 to 1615 33 1.7 1308 valuations of appropriated rectories (Graph) 41 1.8 1615 valuations of appropriated rectories (Graph) 42 1.9 Mean revenue of appropriated parochial incomes, Co. Armagh and Co. Cork 43 1.10 The relationship between parochial revenues and ploughlands as a unit of 44 measure 1.11 Relative value of vicarage to rectory in the three dioceses 47 1.12 Papal letters referring to Cork or Cloyne 62 1.13 Delation success rates, 1455-1460 64 1.14 Delation success rates, 1477-1482 66 1.15 Distance between pluralists’ possessions 68 2.1 Development of monasteries across the three dioceses (Graph) 85 3.1 Parishes assessed 1589-91 (Map) 143 4.1 Appropriated parishes held by religious houses in two periods 158 i 4.2 Anglo-Norman and Gaelic clerics (1504 to 1521) 171 4.3 Racial demographies of the cathedral chapters, Cork, Cloyne and Ross (1504 to 172 1521) 4.4 Racial demographies of the cathedral chapters, Cork, Cloyne and Ross (1591) 175 4.5 Clerics in the three dioceses, 1588 and 1591 178 4.6 Appropriations and vacant parishes in 1591 180 4.7 Racial demographies of the parish clergy, Cork, Cloyne and Ross (1591) 181 4.8 Map of parishes surveyed in 1591 186 4.9 Numbers of individual clerics across the dioceses in 1591 202 4.10 Distance between pluralists’ possessions in 1591 204 4.11 Numbers of individual clerics across the dioceses in 1615 205 4.12 Distance between pluralists’ possessions in 1615 206 4.13 Breakdown of parochial clerics by type in the three dioceses in 1615 and 1634 208 ii Abbreviations AI Annals of Innifallen, edited by S. Mac Airt (Dublin, 1944) AFM Annala rioghachta Eireann. Annals of the kingdom of Ireland, by the Four Masters, from the earliest period to the year 1616, O’Donovan, J., ed. and trans., 7 vols. (Dublin, 1851) AU Annala Uladh; Annals of Ulster a chronicle of Irish affairs from A.D.431 to A.D.1540, edited by W.M. Hennessy and B. MacCarthy, 3 vols. (1887, Dublin) CDI Calendar of Documents relating to Ireland, edited by H.S. Sweetman, 5 vols. (London, 1875-1886) CPR Calendar of Entries in the Papal Registers Relating to Britain and Ireland, edited by W.H. Bliss, et al., 20 vols. (Dublin, 1893-2011) CSPI Calendar of State Papers relating to Ireland of the Reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary and Elizabeth, H.C. Hamilton, et al., eds., 10 vols. (1811-1895) LP Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, of the Reign of Henry VIII, ed. J.S. Brewer, et al., 23 vols (London, 1862-1932) NLI National Library of Ireland PROI Public Records Office of Ireland SP State papers stored in the National Archive, London SPH State Papers of King Henry VIII, 11 vols (London, 1830-52) iii Preface It is my belief that Europe and Ireland underwent several successive reformations which should not be narrowly defined. Although both the Henrician and Edwardian reformations were broadly Protestant in nature, they were not, and should not be considered, a single entity. Instead, although the policies of these monarchies were arguably similar, their distinct characteristics ensure their separateness. Consequently, I typically use the term ‘reformations’ to describe the political and religious reforms of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. I have particularly shunned the term ‘Counter Reformation,’ as it implies a reactionary, conservative movements. Consequently, it does little to describe the Catholic reformations which were often vibrant, innovative movements. Where possible, I have standardised the spellings of names and places. The original spelling is supplied in brackets in the first instance, e.g. Donald MacCarthy (Mac Carthaig) and omitted in later uses of the same name.

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