Note 72 — Chapter III · THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY UP TO 1758.
Reading edition
The appointment of this Browne is the subject of various curious letters preserved in the Ormonde MSS. at Kilkenny Castle (Vol. 156). I give the first completely, and extracts from the others. They might have been written yesterday.
9644 Trinity College, Dub., May 16, ’99.
May it Please Your Grace,
Our Provost in appearance is past recovery, yet I had not so soon made any application to succeed him, but that others have been beforehand with me by another Interest.
Tho’ I have reason to hope for a recommendation of me by Government, yet I am not willing to use any endeavours without your Grace’s knowledge and concurrence. I am sensible it is a place of great trust and importance to the whole kingdom, and if your Grace upon inquiry shall find me qualified to discharge it, I do most humbly beg your Grace’s favour in recommending me to His Majesty for it.—That God may continue, &c., &c., Your humble & obed.
Peter Browne.
9645. The Provost of this College being now near his end, which I am heartily sorry for, I presume amongst the many addresses, &c. I beg to recommend the Restoring the same Person to it whom your Grace’s grandfather himself put in, I mean Dr. Huntington, who upon the Dispersion here was as a Father to all that then went over, and provided so well for some of them when they were in England, that 2 of your Bps., viz., Dr. Ashe and Dr. Smith, owe their Preferments in a manner entirely to him, for it was he who laid the foundation of them, tho’ he is now entirely neglected.
This unfortunate Person, for so I must needs call him, except your Gce becomes his Patron, left the College upon the Revolution, or was rather by Providence sent over to provide for those who knew not what to do for themselves. Then he married, &c., but is still capable of the Place by the King’s Dispensation, as Dr. Seele was, at the Restoration, and obtained it in that way. And because this Gentleman has already showed himself one of the most usefull men in that place, and the likelyhood to prove the most serviceable to it now it is in its Rubbish, I now take the confidence, who was employed by the late Duke, my master, to bring him over, &c.
Will. [Moreton, Bp. of] Kildare.
[Extracts.] Dub. 6 June, 1699.
9648. The Provost of the Coll. being dead on Sunday night, it will import your Gce as Chancellor to interpose, &c. I know Mr. Peter Browne, who is an eminent preacher & Senior Fellow, &c., will be recommended, &c., &c.
[Sir] Richard Cox.
9649. Ardhaccan, June 7th.
Our excellent Provost being dead, &c., that you will be pleased to recommend Dr. Owen Lloyd, who is our Div. Prof., or Dr. John Hall, who is Vice-Provost, to his Majesty, &c., &c.
I hear the Lords Justices have recommended one Mr. Peter Browne, who is a Sr Fellow, & has a parish in the City of Dublin, &c., &c.
Nor is it my opinion alone, but that of the Bp. of Clogher (Ashe), who was formerly Provost, & has now earnestly importuned me to address your G. & the Arbp. of Cant. in Dr. Lloyd’s or Dr. Hall’s behalfe, and to Pray your Grce that Mr. Peter Browne, who is much their junior, may not have it, &c., &c. I have sent the Bp.’s letter to His Gce of Cant., in which the late Provost’s opinion of Mr. Browne’s unfitness for the place is fully declared.
Rich. Meath.