Various letters, mostly relating to permissions.
Profession of Sr. Catherine of St. Francis Browne.
Fr. Patrick Plunkett (Guardian, Athlone)
TEXT
I the undersigned, authorized for this by the Most Rev. Thomas bishop of the diocese of Meath, have examined Sister Catherine of St Francis, otherwise Browne, concerning all conditions required by the Council of Trent, whom I found fitted and suitable to make profession among the sisters of St Clare Bethlehem.
Given at Bethlehem 29 January 1631
Fr. Patrick Plunkett
Guardian of Athlone
Ego infrascriptus ad hoc legitimitatus a Reverendissimo Domino Thoma diocesis episcopo medensi examinavi sororem catherinam a Sto francisco, alias Browne de conibus conditionibus requisitis a concilio Tri., quam repperi aptam et idoneam ad emittendam professionem inter sorores Stae Clarae Bethleem. Datum Bethleem 29 Ja. 1631.
Fr. Patricius Plunkett
Guardianus Athloniensis
Catherine Francis
Letter from the Provincial, Fr. Antony Geoghan to Mother
Gabriel [Martin] about receiving the two daughters of
Edmond Skerritt -discussing their portions.
Permission for the sisters to leave the monastery when
danger or disease or enemy approach the city of Galway.
Signed by two Provincials: Fr. Thomas Mckiernan,
Fr. Francis Sullivan.
TEXT
Since the Reverend Mother Abbess of the Poor Clares of the Convent of Galway has humbly sought permission, so that she may arrange for the Sisters of the aforesaid Convent, when danger of disease or enemy approaches the City of Galway: wherefore, in order to quieten the consciences of the said Sisters, we grant her the faculty that, whenever a danger so threatens, and there is no easy access to us, to make arrangements for them in the safest way and manner possible, according to the consent and discretion of the Father Confessor, both there and elsewhere, with our blessing. Given in our Convent of Rosserrily this day 27 June 1650.
By tenor of these letters
I confirm the aforesaid permission
Given 6 September 1650
Fr. Francis O’Sullivan
Minister Provincial
Fr. Thomas Makieman
Mr. Proalis
Cum a nobis humiliter petierit Rda. Mater Abbatissae Clarissarum Conventus Galviensis licentiam, ut approximante pestis aut hostis periculo Civitati Galviensi posnit de praefati Conventus Sororibus disponere: Hinc est quod eidem ad serenandas dictarum Sororum conscientias facultatem facimus et quotiescumque ita immineret periculum, ut ad nos facilis non daretur accessus possit de dictis sororibus quo potuerit vita, et modo, iuxta consensum, et discretionem Patris Confessarii tam ibi, quam alibi cum nostra benedictione disponere. Datum in Conventu nostro de Rosriola hac die 27 Junii 1650.
Praefatam licentiam ego
tenore praesentium confirmo
Datum 6 Septembris 1650
fr. Franciscus Sullevanus
Min. Provincialis
fr. Thomas Makieman
Mr. Proalis
Letter from Fr. Anthony O'Kelly, Minister Provincial,to Mother Mary Gabriel Skerrett, Abbess of the Poor Clares of Galway giving the faculty of "betaking yourselves to some catholic region."
TEXT
Fr. Antonius O Relly Ord. Min. Strictioris Observantiae S.T.L. necnon Almae Pro-
vinciae Hyberniae Minister Provincialis et servus, Revdae Dominae Mariae Cabrieli
Skerrett Pauperum Clarissarum Galviensium Abbatissae eiusque Monialibus professis
et Novitiis, Salutem.
Quandoquidem permittente supremo Numine huic praesenti Gubernio visum fuerit expedire
omnes Moniales e regno isto ante proximas Calendas Mayas in exilium religare sub gra-
vissimis paenis tum his tum harum
ubs tentationibus
agtE quibus omnium bonorum jactura et con-
fiscatio decreta et sancita est, si vel intra vel extra domus suas eas manutenuerint.
Hinc est quod vobis literas nostras obedientiales concedamus, facultatem impertientes,
quatenus Ia oblata transfretandi opportunitate, ad regionem aliquam catholicam vos
conferatis, commendatae Reverendis Admodum Patribus Ministris Provincialibus istarum
respective Provinciarum ad quas perveneritis, et Abbatissis Monasteriorum ad quae
diverteritis, ut vobis de loco residentiae, ubi Deo et Ordini vestro famulari valeatis
charitative providere dignentur.Omnibus interim christifidelibus, sive de populo
sive de Claro, ad quos diverteritis, tanquam pauperes et exules filias charius in
Domino commendamus. Dat. in loco nostri refugii hac die
fr. Antonius O Kel ly
Mr Proalis
De mandato
R. adm. Plis Sup.
Fr. Patricius Fahy S.T.L.
et Provinciae secretarius
Fr. Anthony O Kelly of the Order of Friars Minor of Stricter Observance, S.T.L. and
Minister Provincial of the beloved Province of Ireland and Servant, to the Rev. lady
Mary Gabriel Skerrett, abbess of the Poor Clares of Galway and to her professed
nuns and novices, greetings.
Since, by permission of the most high God, the present Government has judged it ex-
pedient to send into exile from this kingdom all nuns, before the next Calends of May,
under gravest penalties bothnon them and on those who support them, whereby the l0SS
and confiscation of all goods has been decreed and sanctioned, if they maintain them
either within or outside their houses. Hence we grant you our letters of obedience,
imparting the faculty of betaking yourselves to some catholic region, on the first
available opportunity of travellinq, commending you to the Very Reverend Father Min-
isters Provincial of these respective Provinces which you reach, and to the Abbesses
of the Monasteries which you turn to, so that they may charitably provide for a place
of residence for you, where you may be able to serve God and your Order. Meanwhile
we commend you to all the faithful, vhether lay folk or cleroy, to whom you turn,
as poor exiled daughters, lovingly in the Lord.
Given in our place of refuge this day
Fr. Anthony o xel ly
Minister Provincial
By mandate of
Very Rev. Paovincial Superior
Fr. Patrick Fahy, S.T.L.
and Secretary of the Province
Letter and admin
All the files of the Poor Clares of Galway, from their foundation.
Sem títuloBethlehem: Licence to found in Galway.
Fr. Antonius Geoghan, Minister Provincial.
TEXT
Fr. Anthony Geoghegan, Minister Provincial of the Province of Ireland of the Order of Friars Minor of Stricter Observance, to our venerable Mother in Christ Mary Gabriel otherwise Martin, professed nun of the Order of St Clare and Abbess elect for the convent to be erected of the Poor Clares in Galway, and to the other sisters, namely Clare Anthony, Margaret Francis, Catharine Bernard, Mary Bonaventure, Catharine Francis, Catharine Thomas, Catharine Michael, Helen Louis, Catharine Chrysostom, Lucy Clare, Mary Andrew. To the Novices also, Sabina Byrne and Mary Kelly, everlasting greetings in the Lord, etc.
Since on the part of our many special friends and benefactors, it has often and earnestly been proposed to us and humbly to you, view of the disturbance of these times, we should grant you permission to go to Galway, and there initiate and erect a convent, in the first place for God’s glory and your welfare and consolation, and the propagation of your Order and the sanctification of neighbours. Having considered these matters maturely from every angle, yielding to their devout wishes, by tenor of these present letters we grant and bless the said permission to you. Commanding you in virtue of the obedience you bequeath yourselves at the first opportunity, proceeding obediently and religiously, to the edification of all who meet you, so that in what we praise in his handiwork, and may most mercifully grant you the grace of the God who inspired you, to whom we propose you may efficaciously recommend us, and all of us in your holy prayers.
Given at Bethlehem on the thirtieth day of January 1642.
Fr. Anthony McGeoghegan
Minister Provincial
fr. Antonius Geogheganus Ordinis Minorum strictioris observantiae Provinciae Hiberniae Minister Provincialis venerandae nobis in Christo Matri Mariae Gabriellis alias Martin, moniali professae Ordinis reformat. Sanctae Clarae nec non Abbatissae electae pro Conventu Clarissarum Galviae erigendo et ceteris sororibus, viz. Clarae Antoniae, Margaritae Francisci, Catharinae Bernardi, Mariae Bonaventurae, Catharinae Francisci, Catharinae Thomae, Catharinae Michaelis, Everlinae Ludovici, Catharinae Chrysostomi, Luciaae Clarae, Mariae Andreae. Novitiis vero Sabinae Byrne, et Mariae Kelly, eas concomitantibus salutem in Domino sempiternam, etc.
Cum ex parte multorum (?) specialium nostrorum et benefactorum saepius et sedulo nobis propositum fuit, et tuo semel iterumque, tum ob vexationem habitatualium (?) huius urbis Galviae, tum pro supplicum quatum quietem, ibidem a Dei in primis gloriam, vestrorum aedificationem, consolationem, Ordinis vestri et sanctae Clarae propagationem conventus aedificatione, conventum inchoandi et erigendi. Ea mature ex intimis votis annuentes, tenore praesentium dictam licentiam concedimus et benedicimus. Quod nostra benedictio una cum omnibus quibus obviam fueritis aedificatione, ut Deus lucidae in ancillis suis, et suam largam benedictionem vobis clementissime impertiatur, ut quod fideliter intentis efficaciter obtineamus ipsius gratia(i?) sumus per vos nobis orate. Datum Bethlem die trigesimo Januarii 1642.
Antonius (?)
fr. Antonius Geogheganus
Minister Provincialis
Copy of letter in St. Isidore's Archives, Rome, written presumably by Mother Cecily Dillon.
TEXT
Je(su)s M(a)r(i)a
/27th Dec./ 1642
Loving Cosen,
... (dis)tress of these distempered times is such as ministreth a sufficient subject for these I addresse unto Y[our] Reverence, to (s)hew you the state wherunto yr poore sisters of Bethleem are reduced, and w[ho] (in ye grief I had the chiefe charge in the beginning of these wars and continue still in the sadd obligation unto my Sweet God, whereof I am made uncapable to disch[ar]g my duty, any other way then (= than) to resyne my self unto the divine permission gave way to separate our comynitie into several places to seek for some refuge under the wings of God’s mercy (in our charact[er] as all doe for God sake adure this harbour), being upon the seasid out of our cruell enemies now in our guards of their time, which are dispersed into several places, where some few of us have betaken them selves to Ballimore of this countie where liue half a dozen of us, with a number of seaven to be heard with Sir Lucas Dillon, six at Sir Ulick Burkes, four in the countie of Westmeath with the kings countis with my cosen Terence Coughlan, which three I hope begett compassion in yr (Reveren)ce towards such a number of distressed poore creatures, who are by the dispersion, and dissolution, of the whole Kingdome of the like livelihood stood noe soe disappointed as under God, whose care upon wh[om] tune our last rec[ourse?] for price of a habit in our need, wherefore seeing it hath pleased God to make yr (Reveren)ce an instrument for doeing yr country and friends many favours, in there necessitie, I hope you will be mindful of yr poore sisters whose extermitie in our degree is not in the rest of our country, and yet I hope deare __ my parte, if I had not betaken my self to the ser(vice of God), to exaime in time of need presume upon yr f(avou?) they might be wanting, and much more now (= then?) expired without some release of favour for my deare sisters, with whom for (?) yr R(everen)ce is spirituall and corporall happines leaving this my sute un(der) (con)sideration I will remane
...company which we sent there
to inhabit, and this last,
Easter (?)
Yr R(everen)ce is poore assured
Sister ———
Copy of letter-Fr. Provincial, John Baptist O'Donnell-
re money in trust for Ffrances Luttrell, £10,to be paid
to ye community of Galway.
Anne Fitzgerald "whom I have ordered to reside and live with the nuns of Galway". Signatures of several Friars overleaf. (Refer to docs.1710 & 1714)
TEXT
Whereas there was latly a Debt Recovred from ye Right hon.ble Allexander Earle of
Antrim due unto Patrick Darcy Esgre and whereas ye said Patrick was at ye time of
his Death indebted unto one Alderman Kennedy late of ye Citty of Dublin deceased
in a certain sume of mony in trust for one ffrances Luttrell a Profest Nunne of
ye Convent of Bethlem and whereas ye said Patrick ordered this said Debt due to ye
said ffrancis Luttrell should be payed out of ye said Earle of antrims debt, and
where-as there is a contention between ye Nunns of ye Communities of Bethlem and
Gallway tuching and concearning ye said debt due to ye said ffrancis Luttrell each
of ye said Communities pretending to that reight of the said debt belongs to them,
and whereas also there are but two of ye Nunns of Bethlem now in ye kingdom who
live disperst and doe not keep together, and ye rest of them in parts beyond ye seas
and that ye Nunns of callway keeps together in ye towne of Gallway and live there
Religiously in a Community according to theire order and deeminq it inconvenient
att present to decide ye said difference or ye Right of ye said debt and whereas
likewise there is yearly interest ariseing out of ye said debt and Arrears of inter-
est now due, I have therefor and doe heareby order by ye Approbation of ye Definitor
and ye other hear undernames Eclesiasticall persons and att ye consent and ye
instance of ye said Comunity of Nunns of Gallway and Anne fitz Gearald one of ye
said Nunns of Bethèlem that ten pounds be paid to ye said Comunity of Gallway of
ye said Arreares for theire present relife and towards ye mentenance of ye said Anne
fitz Garald whom I have ordered to recide and live with ye said Nunns of Gal lway
but tis heareby declared that ye payment of ye said ten poundes is not intended to
strengthen or corroborat ye said Nunns of Gallways right or debt or in ye least
preiudice or weaken ye right or claime of ye said Comunity of Bethelem, but that
hoth titles are to stand and be as at ye time and before ye payment hereof;
Given under my hand this 21 day of June Anno dni 1696
being present
fr John Bap. ta O Donell
Minister Provincialis
fr Bonra Bourke
Di ffr.
fr Ant: O Kelly Dgus de Killconnel
Er Ant: O Kelly Guardian of Mi lick
fr. Bona. ra de Burgo Guard. de kinal feken
fr. Antonius Gifford Preses Gallviensis
Copa vera
concordat cum originali quod attestor
JESUS MARIA
fr Anto: de Burgo
G. G.