[1] IN this meane time the king, though he were in great troubles, & much vnquieted with the wars, yet was he not vnmindfull of his realme of Ireland, as also of the orders made and deuised at the councell of Cashill, for the redresse and reformation of the filthie and loose life of the Irishrie. And therevpon sent his ambassadors vnto Rome to pope Alexander the third, of and from whom he obteined certeine priuileges, and vnder his authoritie; namelie, that he should be lord ouer all the realme of Ireland; and by his power and autho|ritie they to be reduced and brought to the christian faith, after the maner and order of the church of En|gland. This priuilege the king sent ouer into Ire|land by one Nicholas Wallingford then prior, but afterwards abbat of Malmesburie, and William Fitzaldelme. And then being at Waterford, they caused an assemblie and a synod to be had of all the bishops and clergie within that land; and then in the open audience of them, the said grant and priuilege was openlie read and published: as also one other priuilege before giuen and granted by pope Adrian an Englishman borne, at the sute of one Iohn of Salisburie, who was made bishop of Karnoceus at Rome. And by this man also he sent vnto the king for a token, and in signe of a possession thereof, one gold ring, which togither with the priuilege was laid vp in the kings treasurie at Winchester. The tenure of both which priuileges it shall not be amisse here to insert. And concerning the first, these are the words thereof.
Adrian the bishop, the seruant of the seruants of God, to his most déere sonne in Christ the noble king Two priuile|ges sent from Rome to the king of Eng|land. of England sendeth gréeting, and the apostolike be|nediction. Your excellencie hath béene verie care|full and studious how you might inlarge the church of God here in earth, and increase the number of his saints and elects in heauen: in that as a good catho|like king, you haue and doo by all meanes labor and trauell to inlarge and increase Gods church, by teach|ing the ignorant people the true and christian religi|on, and in abolishing and rooting vp the weeds of sin and wickednesse: and wherin you haue and doo craue for your better aid and furtherance the helpe of the a|postolike sée, wherein the more spéedilie and discreet|lie you doo procéed, the better successe we hope God will send. For all they which of a feruent zeale, and loue in religion, doo begin and enterprise anie such thing, shall no doubt in the end haue a good and pros|perous successe. And as for Ireland and all other I|lands where Christ is knowen, and the christian reli|gion receiued, it is out of all doubt, and your excel|lencie well knoweth, they doo all apperteine and be|long to the right of saint Peter, and of the church of Rome. And we are so much the more redie, desirous, & willing to sow the acceptable séed of Gods word, because we know the same in the latter daie will be most seuerelie required at our hands. You haue (our welbeloued in Christ) aduertised and signified [page 36] vnto vs, that you will enter into the land and realme of Ireland, to the end to bring them obedient vnto law, and vnder your subiection, and to root out from among them their foule sins and wickednesse, as also to yéeld and paie yéerelie out of euerie house a yeare|lie pension of one penie vnto saint Peter: and be|sides also will defend & kéepe the rites of those chur|ches whole and inuiolate. We therefore well allow|ing and fauouring this your godlie disposition & com|mendable affection, doo accept, ratifie, and assent vn|to this your petition: and doo grant that you for the dilating of Gods church, the punishment of sin, the reforming of maners, planting of vertue, and the increasing of christian religion, you doo enter to pos|sesse that land, and there to execute according to your wisedome whatsoeuer shall be for the honor of God, and the safetie of the realme. And further also we doo strictlie charge and require that all the people of that land doo with all humblenesse, dutifulnesse, and honor receiue and accept you as their liege lord and soue|reigne, reseruing and excepting the right of the holie church, which we will be inuiolably preserued; as also the yeerelie pension of the Peter pence out of eue|rie Peter pence. house, which we require to be trulie answered to saint Peter, and to the church of Rome. If therfore you doo mind to bring your godlie purpose to effect, indeuor to trauell to reforme the people to some bet|ter order and trade of life: and that also by your selfe, and by such others as you shall thinke meet, true, and honest, in their life, maners and conuersation, the church of God may be beautified, the true christian religion sowed and planted, and all other things to be doone, that by anie meanes shall or may be to Gods honor, and the saluation of mens soules: whereby you may in the end receiue at Gods hands the re|ward of an euerlasting life, as also in the meane time, and in this life carrie a glorious fame, and an honorable report among all nations. The tenure and effect of the second priuilege is thus.
Alexander the bishop, the seruant of the seruants The second priuilege. of God, to his déerelie beloued son the noble king of England sendeth gréeting, grace, and the apostolike benediction. Forsomuch as things giuen and gran|ted vpon good reasons by our predecessors, are to be well allowed of, ratified, and confirmed; we well considering and pondering the grant and priuilege, for and concerning the dominion of the land of Ire|land to vs apperteining, and latelie giuen by Adrian our predecessor; we following his steps doo in like maner confirme, ratifie, and allow the same: reser|uing and sauing to saint Peter and to the church of Rome the yéerelie pension of one penie out of euerie house as well in England as in Ireland. Prouided also, that the barbarous people of Ireland by your meanes be reformed and recouered from their filthie life and abhominable conuersation; that as in name so in maners and conuersation they may be christi|ans: that as that rude and disordered church by you being reformed, the whole nation also may with the profession of the name be in acts and life followers of the same.