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‘Publick and solemn acknowledgements’: occasional days of state-appointed worship in Ireland, 1689–1702

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 February 2015

Suzanne Forbes
Suzanne Forbes*
Affiliation:
School of History and Archives, University College Dublin
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Extract

Since the English Reformation, occasional days of thanksgiving, prayer and fasting were appointed by royal authority in response to an array of exceptional circumstances varying from outbreaks of disease to bad weather, and popish conspiracies to military successes. Details of these days of religious observance, their inspiration and purpose were communicated to the public by printed proclamation and reinforced by the publication of specially prepared forms of prayer for use in Anglican services on these occasions. The reign of William III (1689–1702) saw these days of occasional fasting and thanksgiving take place with unprecedented frequency. For the most part, this intensification of state-appointed public worship corresponded with the king's struggle against Louis XIV during the War of the Grand Alliance (1688–97). Such days of occasional fasting and thanksgiving provided an opportunity for the Williamite court to promote the legitimacy of the new regime as part of a larger strategy of ‘courtly reformation’.

Type
Research Article
Information
Irish Historical Studies , Volume 38 , Issue 152 , November 2013 , pp. 559 - 578
Copyright
Copyright © Irish Historical Studies Publications Ltd 2013 

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References

1 Claydon, Tony William III and the godly revolution (Cambridge, 1996), pp 100–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

2 A few studies of fasts, thanksgivings and state-ordered worship exist in an English context. Ippel’s, Henry article, ‘Blow the trumpet, sanctify the fast’ in Huntington Library Quarterly, 44, no. 1 (Winter, 1980), pp 43–60,CrossRefGoogle Scholar looks at eighteenth-century fast sermons and discusses evidence of contemporary attitudes towards fasting. Williamson’s, Philip article, ‘State prayers, fasts and thanksgivings: public worship in Britain 1830–1897’ in Past and Present, no. 200 (2008), pp 121–74,CrossRefGoogle Scholar is particularly valuable as it is one of the first fruits of the British State Prayers Project underway at Durham University. Little exists on the topic in an Irish context with the exception of Peter Gray, ‘National humiliation and the great hunger: fast and famine in 1847’ in I.H.S., xxxii, no. 126 (Nov. 2000), pp 193–216. A section entitled ‘Fasts and thanksgivings’ in Claydon, Godly revolution, pp 100–9,Google Scholar provides a good background to the period.

3 Cal. S.P. Dom. 1694–5, p. 494.

4 For further discussion of the political allegiance of Irish Roman Catholics during this period see Ciardha, Éamonn Ó Ireland and the Jacobite cause, 1685–1766: a fatal attachment (Dublin, 2004), pp 95–105.Google Scholar

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9 As there is often little to distinguish proclamation titles from one another, for the sake of brevity and clarity the issue date of each proclamation has been included in their first citation and subsequent references will simply refer to that date. The declaration of Sir Hardresse Waller, major general of the parliaments forces in Ireland, and the council of officers there, 28 Dec. 1659 (London, 1659[/60]); We the lord lieutenant and council, do order, command and proclaim publick humiliation, 8 June 1666 (Dublin, 1666); By the lord deputy and council. Arran. It having pleased Almighty God by his wonderful providence… 13 Aug. 1683 (Dublin, 1683); A proclamation for a solemn and publick thanksgiving, 10 Aug. 1685 (Dublin, 1685).

10 For example, every extant proclamation from 1693 until the conclusion of the peace in 1697 contained such a threat. See Appendix.

11 An act for the better observation of the Lord’s Day, commonly called Sunday (7 William III, c.17). See also Cal. S.P. Dom. 1693, p. 260; Cal. S.P. Dom. 1696, p. 347; Claydon, Godly revolution, p. 109;Google Scholar Ippel, ‘Blow the trumpet’, p. 53;Google Scholar Williamson, ‘State prayers’, p. 122.Google Scholar

12 Proclamation, 8 June 1666; We the lord lieutenant and council, do command and proclaim publick humiliation, 27 Mar. 1672 (Dublin, 1672).

13 Constitutions, and canons ecclesiastical, treated upon by the archbishops, and bishops, and the rest of the clergy of Ierland [sic] (Dublin, 1669), p. 54.

14 Articles of visitation and inquiry to be made within the several parishes of the [----] of Dublin (Dublin, [1698]), p. 5.

15 See Simms, J.G. ‘Protestant ascendancy, 1691–1714’ in Moody, T.W. and Vaughan, W.E. (eds), A new history of Ireland, 4: Eighteenth-Century Ireland, 1691–1800 (Oxford, 1986), pp 21–2.Google Scholar

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17 A form of prayer. To be used on Wednesday the 28th of May (Dublin, 1679); A form of prayer with thanksgiving, to be used on Sunday September the 9th (Dublin, 1683); A form of prayer, and solemn thanksgiving (Dublin, 1685); A form of prayer with thanksgiving, to Almighty God; to be used … upon the sixth day of February (Dublin, 1685[/6]); A form or order of thanksgiving, and prayer, to be used in Dublin, and ten miles round it on Sunday the 19th (Dublin, 1687[/8]); A form of prayer with thanksgiving for the safe delivery of the queen, and happy birth of the young prince (Dublin, 1688).

18 A form of prayer to be used … on Friday the eight of December next (Dublin, 1721), English short title catalogue (E.S.T.C.) citation no. T183090.

19 Mary Pollard attributes the publication to the printer Richard Fitzgerald. See Pollard, Mary A dictionary of members of the Dublin book trade, 1550–1800: based on the records of the Guild of St Luke the Evangelist, Dublin (London, 2000), p. 211.Google Scholar

20 A form of prayer to be used … on Friday the eight of December next (Dublin, 1721), E.S.T.C. citation no. T183089.

21 Dublin Intelligence, 29 Apr.–11 May 1693.

22 Dublin Intelligence (Dickson’s), 26 Feb. 1708[/9].

23 Ibid., 7 Mar. 1710.

24 See for example Dublin Gazette, 18–22 Mar. 1706/7, 21–24 Aug. 1708, 22–26 Feb. 1708/9, 2–6 June 1713.

25 For discussion of public celebrations relating to annual Protestant commemorations see James Kelly, ‘“The Glorious and Immortal Memory”: commemoration and Protestant identity in Ireland 1660–1800’ in Proc. RIA.,, xciv, sect. C (1994), pp 25–52.

26 Simms, J.G. Jacobite Ireland, 1685–91 (London, 1969), pp 44–5.Google Scholar

27 Ibid.; London Gazette, 12 July 1688.

28 Dublin Gazette, 31 Dec.- 4 Jan. 1707.

29 Dublin Gazette, 26–29 June 1708.

30 Cal. S.P. Dom. 1696, p. 278.

31 Dublin Gazette, 8–12 Apr. 1707.

32 Cal. S.P. Dom. 1703–4, p. 537; Cal. S.P. Dom. 1704–5, p. 265.

33 Gillespie, Raymond (ed.), Scholar bishop: the recollections and diary of Narcissus Marsh, 1638–96 (Cork, 2002), p. 36.Google Scholar

34 Ibid., p. 42.

35 Caulfield, Richard (ed.), Journal of the Very Rev. Rowland Davies, LL.D. dean of Ross (Camden Society 68, London, 1857), p. 103;Google Scholar see also ibid., pp 21, 88, 115.

36 Steele, R.R. (ed.), Tudor and Stuart proclamations, 1485–1714 (2 vols, Oxford, 1910), ii, 29.Google Scholar

37 Proclamation, 28 Dec. 1659; Proclamation, 8 June 1666; Proclamation, 27 Mar. 1672.

38 For discussion of the reprinting of the proclamation and prayers in 1683 see Cal. S.P. Dom. 1683, pp 229, 267.

39 Those appointed by proclamation on 6 July 1690, 15 Aug. 1690, and 28 July 1691. See Appendix.

40 Cal. S.P. Dom. 1695 & Add., p. 160; Cal. S.P. Dom. 1690–1, p. 156.

41 Cal. S.P. Dom. 1690–1, p. 157.

42 A form of prayer to be used on Friday the third day of July (Dublin, 1691); A form of prayer to be used on Wednesday the twenty ninth day of this present April (London, 1691).

43 Future research and analysis of the differences between the Irish and English forms published since the Reformation may well have more to reveal on this issue.

44 A form of prayer and thanksgiving to Almighty God, To be used … upon Thursday the Tenth of this Instant November (Dublin, 1692); A form of prayer and thanksgiving to Almighty God … on Thursday the 27th day of this instant October (London, 1692).

45 Cal. S.P. Dom. 1696, p. 119. A number of Irish bishops complained that they were not consulted regarding the composition of a form of prayer for a thanksgiving appointed on 1 Aug. 1715 for the peaceful accession of George I. See Léoutre, Marie ‘Life of a Huguenot exile: Henri de Ruvigny, earl of Galway, 1648–1720’ (Ph.D. thesis, University College, Dublin, 2011), p. 305.Google Scholar

46 Cal. S.P. Dom. 1690–1, p. 533.

47 Cal. S.P. Dom. 169–2, p. 308.

48 Cal. S.P. Dom. 1695 & Add., p. 65; Cal. S.P. Dom. 1696, p. 86; Cal. S.P. Dom. 1697, p. 477; Cal. S.P. Dom. 1699–1700, p. 101.

49 Cal. S.P. Dom. 1703–4, p. 235.

50 For the war in Ireland see Simms Jacobite Ireland; Maguire, W. A. (ed.), Kings in conflict: the revolutionary war in Ireland and its aftermath, 1689–1750 (Belfast, 1990);Google Scholar Doherty, Richard The Williamite war in Ireland, 1688–1691 (Dublin, 1998).Google Scholar

51 Proclamation. Declaring the war in Ireland to be ended (Dublin, 1691[/2]).

52 Ciardha, Ó Ireland and the Jacobite cause, pp 90–1.Google Scholar

53 See also McGrath, C.I. ‘Securing the Protestant interest: the origins and purpose of the penal laws of 1695’, I.H.S., 30, no. 117 (May, 1996), pp 25–46.Google Scholar

54 Pollard, Dictionary, p. 395.Google Scholar

55 Proclamation, 30 May 1690.

56 According to the English Short Title Catalogue, Jones was responsible for printing six proclamations and one form of prayer while in Ireland. See also Pollard, Dictionary, p. 321.Google Scholar

57 Southwell to Nottingham, 6 July 1690, in H.M.C., Finch MSS (5 vols, London, 1913–2004), ii, 346; Hewitson, Anthony (ed.), Diary of Thomas Bellingham (Preston, 1908), p. 133.Google Scholar

58 Davies, Journal, p. 126;Google Scholar H.M.C., Finch MSS, ii, 356; Story, George An impartial history of the wars of Ireland (London, 1693), p. 91;Google Scholar Ryan, J.S. The life of William the third (Dublin, 1836), p. 219;Google Scholar Mant, Richard History of the Church of Ireland (2 vols, London, 1840), i, 732.Google Scholar

59 The other five Church of Ireland bishops who remained in Ireland during the war were Michael Boyle, archbishop of Armagh; Thomas Otway, bishop of Ossory; Edward Wetenhall, bishop of Cork and Ross; John Roan, bishop of Killaloe; and Hugh Gore, bishop of Waterford and Lismore ( Mant, History, 1, 699).Google Scholar

60 Mant cited descriptions of letters contained in a publication described as ‘Mr. Thorpe’s “Catalogue of Books and Manuscripts, illustrating the History of Ireland”’ ( Mant, History, 2, pp v, viii).Google Scholar I have not been able to locate a copy of this catalogue.

61 By the king and queen’s most excellent majesties, a proclamation for a fast, 1 Aug. 1690 (Dublin, 1690).

62 Robert Southwell to Anthony Dopping, 3 Aug. 1690 (Armagh Public Library, Dopping MSS, no. 164).

63 Mant, History, 2, pp vii-viii.Google Scholar

64 Proclamation, 1 Aug. 1690.

65 By the lords Justices of Ireland, a proclamation, 22 Oct. 1690 (Dublin, 1690). See also Pollard, Dictionary, pp 129–31.Google Scholar

66 By the lords-justices and council. A proclamation, 15 June 1691 (Dublin, 1691).

67 Ibid.

68 Ibid.

69 A form of prayer to be used on Friday the third day of July, and on the first Friday of every month during the expedition of their majesties forces against the publick enemy in their kingdom of Ireland (Dublin, 1691).

70 William King to Samuel Foley, 16 June 1691 (T.C.D., MSS 1995–2008/137).

71 Michael Boyle to King, 26 June 1691 (T.C.D., MSS 1995–2008/141).

72 King to Foley, 10 July 1691 (T.C.D., MSS 1995–2008/152). The postmaster split the delivery of the orders and forms of prayer in two. See Boyle to King, 4 July 1691 (T.C.D., MSS 1995–2008/147).

73 King to Foley, 10 July 1691 (T.C.D., MSS 1995–2008/152).

74 Boyle to King, 4 July 1691 (T.C.D., MSS 1995–2008/147).

75 Murtagh, Harman ‘The war in Ireland, 1689–91’ in Maguire, (ed.), Kings in conflict, pp 87–8.Google Scholar

76 It would seem that the Dublin thanksgiving took place on 16 July as the only surviving prayer book related to it is so dated, A collect to be used in the morning-service on the sixteenth day of July (Dublin, 1691). Anthony Dopping also preached a thanksgiving sermon in Christ Church on this date. See Anthony Dopping, Sermon ‘On the thanks for the victory’, 16 July 1691 (T.C.D., MS 1688/2, ff 54–72).

77 Murtagh, ‘The war in Ireland, 1689–91’, p. 89.Google Scholar

78 Similar instructions are evident in a number of thanksgiving proclamations. See for example Proclamation, 10 Aug. 1685.

79 By the lords-justices and council, a proclamation, 16 July 1691 (Dublin, 1691).

80 The covering letter accompanying the prayers and proclamations sent to William King on this occasion specified that ‘collects’ had been enclosed. See Boyle to King, 21 July 1691 (T.C.D., MSS 1995–2008/155).

81 Collect to be used in the morning-service.

82 By the lord-justices and council, a proclamation, 9 Nov. 1691 (Dublin, 1691).

83 A form of prayer and thanksgiving to God … To be used on Thursday the 26th of November (Dublin, 1691).

84 By the lords-justices and council, a proclamation, 1 July 1692 (Dublin, 1692).

85 A marginal note in the text indicated that the words in brackets were to be used ‘when the Parliament sits’ (A form of prayer to be used on Wednesday the twentieth of this instant July and every third Wednesday in every month (Dublin, 1692), [n.p.]).

86 Ibid.

87 Dublin Intelligence, 29 Apr.-11 May 1693; A form of prayer to be used throughout the whole kingdom, on Fryday the twelfth day of July next (Dublin, 1695).

88 Dublin Intelligence, 29 Apr.-11 May 1693.

89 By the lords-justices and council, a proclamation, 22 Nov. 1693 (Dublin, 1693).

90 By the lords-justices of Ireland and council, a proclamation for a general fast, 2 July 1694 (Dublin, 1694).

91 By the lord-deputy and council, a proclamation, for a general fast, 24 June 1695 (Dublin, 1695).

92 By the lord-deputy and council, a proclamation, for a publick thanksgiving, 30 Sept. 1695 (Dublin, 1695).

93 Walkington, Edward A sermon preached in Christ-Church before his excellency the lord deputy, and the honorable House of Lords (Dublin, 1695), p. 6.Google Scholar

94 Travers, John A sermon preached in St Andrew’s-Church, Dublin; before the honourable the House of Commons the 8th day of October, 1695 (Dublin, 1695), p. 3.Google Scholar

95 Ibid., p. 6.

96 Arwaker, Edmund God’s king the people’s blessing. A sermon preached on the day of thanksgiving for peace, at St Ann’s church in Dungannon, in the diocess of Armagh (Dublin, 1698), pp 13–14.Google Scholar

97 I have identified four extant sermons on the English Short Title Catalogue relating to occasional fasts and thanksgivings, including King, William A sermon, preached at St Patrick’s church, Dublin, on the 16th of November, 1690 (London, 1691).Google Scholar A sermon entitled, Dr K., Ireland’s day of rejoycing come (London, [1690]), may be a copy of another sermon preached by King at St Patrick’s cathedral on 6 July 1690, the thanksgiving day appointed to celebrate the Williamite victory at the Battle of the Boyne.

98 L.J.I., i, 511, 519, 520; C.J.I., ii, 74, 83.

99 Arwaker, God’s king the people’s blessing, [n.p.].

100 Dopping, Sermon ‘On the thanks for the victory’, 16 July 1691 (T.C.D., MS 1688/2, ff 66’7). For Dopping’s sensitivity on this issue, see Gilmore, M.E. ‘Anthony Dopping and the Church of Ireland, 1685–1695’ (M.A. thesis, Queen’s University, Belfast, 1988), pp 87–107.Google Scholar

101 Anthony Dopping, Sermon ‘On the day of the thanksgiving’, 26 Nov. 1691 (T.C.D., MS 1688/2, ff 77–140); Lords justices to [Nottingham], 30 Nov. 1691, H.M.C., Finch MSS, iii, pp 304–5.

102 Cal. S.P. Dom. 1691–2, pp 27–8.

103 Compton to Dopping, 23 Jan. 1691[/2] (Armagh Public Library, Dopping MSS, no. 180).

104 Compton to Dopping, 12 Mar. 1691[/2] (Armagh Public Library, Dopping MSS, no. 183).

105 Cal. S.P. Dom. 1691–2, p. 430. See also Gilmore, ‘Anthony Dopping’, p. 136;Google Scholar Waldmann, Felix ‘Anthony Dopping’s restoration to the Privy Council of Ireland: A correction’, Notes and Queries, 255, no. 1 (Mar. 2010), pp 69–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

106 See Appendix.

107 See Appendix.

108 Thanksgivings generally took place in October, November or December with the exception of two, those for the battle of Aughrim in 1691 and the Jacobite plot of 1696. See also Claydon, Godly revolution, p. 106.Google Scholar

109 For example, see the forms of prayer used on 28 July 1691, 7 Nov. 1692, 12 July 1695.

110 For example, see the proclamations dated 1 Aug. 1690, 15 June 1691, 2 July 1694.

111 For example, see the forms of prayer used on/from 10 May, 3 Dec. 1693.

112 For example, see the proclamations issued on 7 Nov. 1692, 2 July 1694, 30 Nov. 1697.

113 For example, see the forms of prayer used on/from 15 Aug. 1690, 16 Nov. 1690, 10 May 1693, 12 July 1695.

114 C.S.P.D. 1699–1700, pp 92–4; William the third by the grace of God … To all and singular archbishops, bishops, arch-deacons, deans and their officials, parsons, vicars, curates, and all other spiritual persons… (Dublin, 1699).

115 Barnard, ‘The uses of 23 October’, p. 891.Google Scholar

116 This aspect of occasional state-appointed worship was particularly evident in a fast-day sermon preached in 1704, where a preacher based in Ireland sought to assure his audience that a great storm in London was a warning sign of God’s growing displeasure at ‘that open profaneness, and of that publick contempt of Religion which appears among us’. See Pratt, Benjamin A sermon preach’d before the honourable House of Commons, at St Andrew’s church, Dublin; February the 18th. 1703 (Dublin, 1704).Google Scholar

117 See Gillespie, Devoted people, pp 40–62.Google Scholar

118 An act for the better observation of the Lord's Day, commonly called Sunday (7 William III, c.17); An act for the more effectual suppressing profane cursing and swearing (7 William III, c.9).

119 This research was funded by an Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship. This article is based on a paper first presented at the Irish History Students’ Association Annual Conference in 2010 for which it was awarded the Church of Ireland Historical Society Prize. I am also very grateful to Dr Charles Ivar McGrath for his comments on various drafts of this paper.

120 Steele, Tudor and Stuart proclamations, ii. I am grateful to Professor James Kelly who kindly allowed me to view the forthcoming Irish Manuscript Commission’s volumes of Irish Proclamations.

121 Coxe, Samuel Two sermons preached at Christ-Church in the city of Dublin, before the honourable the general convention of Ireland (Dublin, 1660).Google Scholar

122 Twenty-third report of the deputy keeper of the Public Records (Dublin, 1891), p. 31. I am grateful to Dr Alasdair Raffe for bringing this source to my attention.

123 Ibid.

124 Ibid., p. 45.

125 Mant, History, 1, 732.Google Scholar