"Henricus".
The second letter was addressed to Cardinal Julius de Medicis, and is dated the same day. It seeks to conciliate for the petition contained in the letter first cited, the patronage of Cardinal de Medicis, who was known to exercise unbounded influence in the councils of Pope Leo:
"Henricus Dei Gratia Rex Angliae et Franciae, ac Dominus Hiberniae, Revmo. in Christo patri D. Julio tituli S. Mariae in Dominica S. R. Ecclesiae Diacono Cardinali nostroque ac Regni nostri in Romana curia Protectori et amico nostro charissimo salutem.
"Commendamus in praesentia Ssm. D. N. venerabilem religiosum virum fr. Quintinum Ohnygyn, virum doctum, prudentem et vitae integritate probatum, Suamque Sanctitatem rogamus ut eundem fratrem Quintinum Ecclesiæ Cluanensi, per Reverendi Patris Thomæ ejus postremi Episcopi ad Archi-Episcopatum Tuamensem translationem vacanti praeficere et praesulem constituere dignetur. Quare pergratum nobis erit ut Vestra Revma Dominatio relationem de dicta Ecclesia, ut moris est, facere et ejusdem fratris Quintini procuratoribus in Bullarum expeditione favorem suum praestare non gravetur.
"Ex Palatio nostro Grenwici die xviii. Junii, 1515.
"Henricus".
Though the king was thus so eager to have Dr. O'Hnygyn appointed without delay to the vacant see, it was only in the month of November the following year (1516) that the consistorial investigation was made for the appointment of this prelate. The record of this inquiry is still happily preserved, and though there was only one witness present who was a native of Ardfert, by name Nicholas Horan, still, from his scanty evidence we may glean some interesting particulars regarding the ancient See and Cathedral of St. Kieran.
The town of Clonmacnoise, he says, is situated in the ecclesiastical province of Tuam, at the distance of a day's journey from the sea coast. It is small, consisting of only twelve houses, which are built of rushes and mud, and are thatched with straw. At one side flows the river Shannon, and the surrounding country is thickly set with trees. Towards the west stands the cathedral, which is in a ruinous condition. Its roof has fallen, and there is but one altar, which is sheltered by a straw roof: it has a crucifix of bronze, and only one poor vestment: its sacristy, too, is small, but its belfry has two bells. Enshrined in the church is the body of the Irish saint whose name it bears: nevertheless the holy sacrifice of the Mass is seldom offered up, and the whole revenue of the see amounts to only thirty-three crowns. As to Father Quintin, it was further stated, that having been himself in Rome, he was already well known to many members of the Sacred College, and he is described as "in Presbyteratus ordine constitutus, vir doctus, praedicator, bonis moribus et famâ, aliisque virtutibus praeditus". (ap. Theiner, page 519.)
Pope Leo X. did not hesitate much longer in appointing one so highly commended to the vacant see, and before the close of 1516 Dr. O'Hnygyn was consecrated Bishop of Clonmacnoise. During the twenty-two years which he ruled this diocese he displayed great energy in reanimating the fervour of the faithful and restoring the ancient splendour of religion. The cathedral was repaired: stained-glass windows and paintings set forth once more the triumph of faith, whilst many precious gems and other decorations were added, as voluntary offerings from his faithful flock. The following description of the cathedral, extracted from Ware, will serve to give a more complete idea of this venerable structure:
"Nine other churches were subject to the cathedral, being, as it were, in one and the same churchyard, which contained about two Irish acres in circuit, on the west whereof the bishops of Clonmacnoise afterwards built their episcopal palace, the ruins of which are yet visible. The situation of this place is not unpleasant. It stands on a green bank, high raised above the river, but encompassed to the east and the north-east with large bogs. The nine churches were most of them built by the kings and petty princes of those parts for their places of sepulture; who though at perpetual wars in their lives, were contented to lie here peaceably in death. One of these churches, called Temple-Ri, or the King's Church, was built by O'Melaghlin, King of Meath, and to this day is the burial place of that family. Another, called Temple-Connor, was built by the O'Connor Don; a third and fourth by O'Kelly and MacCarthy More of Munster. The largest of all was erected by MacDermot, and is called after his name. The rest by others. Before the west door of MacDermot's church stood a large old-fashioned cross or monument, much injured by time, on which was an inscription in antique characters, which nobody that I could hear of could read. The west and north door of this church, although but mean and low, are guarded about with fine-wrought, small marble pillars, curiously hewn. Another of the churches hath an arch of a greenish marble, flat-wrought and neatly hewn and polished, and the joints so close and even set, that the whole arch seems but one entire stone, as smooth as either glass or crystal. The memory of St. Kieran is yet fresh and precious in the minds of the neighbouring inhabitants. In the great church was heretofore preserved a piece of the bone of one of St. Kieran's hands as a sacred relique. The 9th of September is annually observed as the patron-day of this saint, and great numbers from all parts flock to Clonmacnoise in devotion and pilgrimage. The cathedral was heretofore endowed with large possessions, and was above all others famous for the sepulchres of the nobility and bishops, as also for some monuments and inscriptions, partly in Irish and partly in Hebrew. Yet it declined by degrees, and was in the end reduced to a most shameful poverty". (Harris's Ware, pag. 166.)