128- Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Since the prior and convent liavc not the means of completing the work 

 b^m by Simon (Eochfort;, Bishop of Meath, the Pope exhorts the Irish 

 bishops and clei-gy to receive and assist their proctoi-s or messengers, and to 

 forbear from recei\ang similar emissaries from other houses. Further, following 

 the example of Popes Alexander (IIIj.Lucius (III), Urban (III), Clement (III), 

 Celestine (Til), Innocent (III , Gregory (IX), Honorius (III or IV),Martiu (IV;, 

 and Xicholas (IT), he grants to all penitent and confessed persons relaxation 

 of a year and forty days of enjoined penauce, and the stations of the Eonian 

 Chui-ch, and to annual contributors to the above church dispensation for 

 vaiious classes of offences. In all places to which the proctors thereof may 

 come, if they are under interdict, the offices shall be celebrated. All indulgences 

 of his predecessors to that house are confii'med. 



Dated at Lyons. 



Since Pope Xicholas IV ;i2S8-1292) is mentioned in the "duU, it must (if genuine) have emanated 

 from Innocent TI (13-52-1362) or Innocent VII (1404-li06). Innocent V died in 1276, and Innocent 

 VIII (HS4-1492) is manifestly too late. Innocent VI is more prohaWe than Innocent VII, since the 

 letter of Boniface IX in favour of the monastery at Xewtown in 1-102 [Papal Letters, v. 490; is not 

 mentioned, and since the document is dated in France. The year heing described as the first of liie Pope 

 by whom the indulgence was granted, it would therefore he of the date 30 April, 1353. But the bull 

 is almost certainly a forgery. Innocent VI was not at Lyons on the day just named, but at Avignun 

 (see Fapal Letters, in. 483, 497). Moreover the Priory of Augustinian canons at Newtown was not 

 founded till after the see of Meath had been transfened from Clonard to that place in 1202, 

 jiccording to a petition of the prior and convent, made about 1397 (Papal Letters, v. 75). The state- 

 ment of the present document, that indulgences were granted in its favour by five popes earlier than 

 Innocent III (119S-1216), is therefore manifestly false : and indeed it seems that the earliest docu- 

 ment of the kind of which we have gooi evidence, is that of Boniface IX, already mentioned, half a 

 century after the supposed date of tlie present letter. It may also be remarted that the Pope 

 Honorius named in the bull, whether he beHonorius III (1216-1227) or Honoiius IV (12S5-12S7), 

 is out of place. The former was the immediate predecessor of Gregory IX, the latter the immediate 

 successor of Martin IV. And lastly, royal, papal, and episcopal letters in favour of particular 

 monasteries frequently rest under the suspicion of forgery (cp. Frere, i. 59 if.) 



112. Letter of the archbishop in his metropoUtical ^asitation of the 

 15 May, 1409. diocese of Heath. ff. 25,26. 



States that during the ^isitation he caused Sir Thomas Fouiiiays, priest, 

 claiming to be rector of Eathmore, diocese of Meath, to be cited to appear 

 before him and exhibit his title to the rectory and letters of holy orders. 

 Foiu-nays appeai-ed accordingly, and exhibited the instruments, and produced 

 witnesses in support of them. The aichbisbop therefore pronounces sentence 

 (quoted) that he received all holy ordei-s at proper intervals of time, and is 

 rightful rector. 



Nos. Ill, 113, 114 (extending over the latter part of f. 24^^, the early part of 25', and the whole 

 of t. 25'^) are in the same hand. Another hand has written nos. 115, 116 (occupying the latter 

 part off. 26') ; and a third, nos. 112, 117 (the end of f. 25', the beginning of f. 26, and f . 26'). Hence 

 it appears probable that originally the latter part of f. 25' was left blank, nos. 110, 111, 113, 114 

 having been written on ff. 24', 25', and 2s'. Then another scribe inserted no- 112 on the blank 

 portion of f. 25' and ihe upper part of f. 26' and no. 117 on ff. 26', 27- The portion of f. 26 which 



