136 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



plain by the rescript and decree of the Council. From that time we had 

 nothing to do with it. As for what is said that it was by our procurement 

 that the press was removed, that is a mere invention, and on this matter 

 F. Yong has elsewhere written at more length to the most Illustrious 

 Nuncio. 



The Visitor's OBSERVATION. 



This accusation is a mere calumny, founded however on a very likely yet 

 a false presumption as I clearly shewed the most Illustrious the Lord 

 Nuncio; for we had a press in the Noviciate, chiefly for the use of the 

 College, but it chanced that a sheet was printed in which the Lord Neale 1 

 was assailed. The Supreme Council took this ill and administered a sharp 

 reproof to our Fathers for suffering that sheet to be printed, and afterwards 

 by strict proclamation prohibited anything from being put in print which 

 was not signed by seven of the Councillors. That proclamation was made 

 on the 20th April, 1648. Then on the 28th of May of that year, the Supreme 

 Council sent their Secretary, Bagot by name, and he took possession of the 

 press in the name of the Council, as appears by public and authentic deed ; 

 the workmen too, who served the press were ordered in future to work for 

 the Council's wages and not ours. Two days later the Dean came into the 

 Noviciate to have printed the sentence of excommunication dated the 27th 

 of May and published at Kilkenny on the 29th of that month. Father Yong, 

 Master of Novices, was then absent and the Dean spoke to our Brother, 

 Nicholas Sarrazin, a printer, and going into the chamber in which the press 

 was, he saw the same workman as he was accustomed to see previously, and 

 he thought that the press was still in our power, although Brother Sarrazin 

 fully explained to him that the Supreme Council had taken control of it two 

 days before. When Father Yong returned and learned from the Brother 

 the cause of the Dean's coming, he went at once to his house to call upon 

 him and see if he could do him any service. After the Dean had said by way 

 of preface that he knew the Jesuits bound themselves by a special vow to 

 show obedience towards the Sovereign Pontiff, he gave command as Apostolic 

 Auditor, in virtue of holy obedience, that Father Yong should allow some 

 opinions and ordinations to be printed at his press, and immediately the Father 

 threw himself on his knees and answered that he reverenced the authority of 

 the Sovereign Pontiff in all his ministers ; but for two days past the press 

 had ceased to be hi our power, as the Supreme Council had taken possession 



1 Doubtless Sir Felim, who was a Councillor. 



