Part 41

We can ourselves remember, dating from the year 1830, eight bishops and one archbishop, all Ex-Fellows. Altogether "there have been seven archbishops and forty-two bishops of the Irish Church chosen from amongst the Fellows of Trinity College. Eight have become Members of Parliament, and six have been raised to the Judicial Bench."--[Coll. Cal.]

This seems not to have been the case in Dr. Delany's time. See Primate Boulter's Letters, and Mrs. Delany's, and Swift's.

See page xlv, &c.

The rack-renting cannot have been very exorbitant, inasmuch as the average rent per acre now paid to the College by its perpetuity tenants is four shillings and twopence. The great bulk of the College property is situated in the counties of Armagh, Kerry, and Donegal. The following statement gives in round numbers the acreage and rental:--

Rent Acres. Rent. per acre.

Armagh, 23,000 L9,600 8s. 4d. Kerry, 60,000 11,500 3s. 10d. Donegal, 62,700 9,000 2s. 10d. ------- ------- -------- Total, 145,700 L30,100 4s. 2d.

The number of perpetuity holdings let by the College are in all fifty-four; four only are let to persons of the class of tenant-farmers; of the remaining fifty, sixteen, containing over 60,000 acres, are enjoyed by three lessees, who pay the College an average rent of 3s. 5d. per acre.--[See Letter by Rev. J. A. Galbraith, S.F.T.C.D., Bursar, Freeman's Journal, March 6, 1882, and also "Statement to the Chief Secretary."--Freeman, March, 15, 1882.]

The renewal fines in 1850 averaged L6,700 a year. The arbitration at that time between the College and the tenants cost the College L3,000.--[See Letter by Rev. T. Stack, S.F.T.C.D., Registrar, printed in the Report of the Bessborough Commission, and also "Statement" as above.]

This charge, as it stands, rests on a slender foundation, and is very misleading. The catalogue of the College plate, which, to guard against such imputations in future, Mr. Hingston, the Chief Steward, has drawn up with so much care and skill, shows that the old inscribed plate is still in use; and it enumerates pieces dated as early as 1632 and 1638. A selection of the service was sent over, in Mr. Hingston's charge, to the late South Kensington Exhibition, and was greatly admired by all who were conversant with antique silver art--some of the choicest pieces being facsimiled for the London Institution. The collection of plate is abundant, and the store was accumulated in this way. It used to be the custom that all students at entrance should deposit "caution money," which was returned to them on graduation. The rich men and Fellow Commoners, instead of taking back the money, used to present it to the College in the form of inscribed goblets or tankards, and in the course of years there was a large assortment of these offerings. Provost Hutchinson had a number of these tankards melted down and refashioned into the present silver plates, and this he did with the consent of the Board. Before Hutchinson's time a large quantity of the plate was sold by the Board, and the produce was invested in the purchase of land. In 1689, when James II. seized on the College, the Vice-Provost and Fellows sold L30 worth of the plate for subsistence of themselves and the Scholars. At the same time all the rest of the plate was seized on and taken away to the Custom House by Col. Luttrel, King James's Governor of the city, but it was preserved and afterwards restored to the College.--[See Mr. Hingston's Catalogue and Coll. Cal. List of Fellows, 1689.]

In 1775, seven marriage dispensations by King's Letters were obtained.--[Lib. Mun.]

In 1796, the term of grace was extended to a twelvemonth by a King's Letter.--[Lib. Mun.]

The following--the 5th verse in Milliken's ever popular song, "The Groves of Blarney"--was an impromptu addition at an electioneering dinner in the south of Ireland in 1798. It is said to have been intended as an insult to Lord Donoughmore, who was present, but his Lordship's readiness completely turned the tables. He applauded the verse, and in a humorous speech acknowledged the relationship, thanked the author, and toasted the Murphy's, Clearys, Helys, and others who in the recent political contest had ventured life and limb in support of the Hutchinson cause, and had thus made their blood-relationship with him unquestionable.

"'Tis there's the kitchen hangs many a flitch in, With the maids a stitching upon the stair; The bread and biske', the beer and whiskey, Would make you frisky if you were there. 'Tis there you'd see Peg Murphy's daughter A washing praties forenint the door, With Roger Cleary, and Father Healy, All blood relations to my Lord Donoughmore. Oh, Ullagoane."

Lord Hutchinson always heartily enjoyed this verse, which has become completely identified with Milliken's song.--(See Crofton Croker's "Popular Songs of Ireland," pp. 144-8.)

Father Prout has not translated this verse. Why does not Professor Tyrrell render it, Graece et Latine?

He challenged Mr. Doyle to single combat for daring to issue an address to the University constituency against his (the Provost's) son's candidature. Mr. Doyle was a helpless invalid at the time, and had to stand on a spread-out coat, for fear of cold; the combatants met on Summer-hill, "fired a pistol each, and made up the matter without blood." Hutchinson had previously challenged Dr. Lucas, the patriot, who was crippled with rheumatism.

The number now is 1,338, of whom 789 are "Residents"--i.e., living within reach of College opportunities. [See Dr. Haughton's return analysis, quoted in the Freeman's Journal of January 7, 1882.] The number of students on the books under the degree of M.A. is 1,253 [see College Calendar for 1882, page 434]. The number of interns now is 250.

See page xlv.

On this Visitation "Pranc. Poet." has--

"Disgrac'd by libels, worried by his foes Poor Prancer labours under endless woes; He therefore only supplicates your Grace That right or wrong you'll keep him in his place."

The Visitation lasted five days, and was held before Primate Robinson as Vice-Chancellor for the Duke of Gloucester, and Archbishop Cradock of Dublin. Hutchinson published a pamphlet reviling the Visitors, and pronouncing their decision invalid.

A King's Letter was obtained for raising the salary for this special occasion.--Lib. Mun.

Duigenan did not execute this intention, as appears by the following record, kindly supplied by Dr. Carson, S.F.T.C.D.:--"I have to inform you that I have gone carefully through the College Register for the years 1777 and 1778, and I cannot find therein the least trace of any Visitation having been held in either of these years. The censure on Dr. Duigenan is duly recorded under its proper date, in the year 1777; but no further Collegiate notice appears to have been taken of it."

Walker's Hiber. Mag. 177-8.

Grattan's Life, and Hib. Mag.

The Round Robiners probably bethought of the case of 1753 when the patriots who resisted the Court in the matter of the disposal of surplus revenue were dismissed from office by Primate Stone. They, no doubt, were afterwards reinstated with honour, but the conspirators of 1789 had to deal with John Fitzgibbon.--[See "Plowden," p. 311, &c.]

Froude, vol. ii., p. 509.

Barry Yelverton was an unsuccessful candidate in this College Election of 1776. In the next year he was elected for Donegal, Belfast, and Carrickfergus, and chose the last.--[Ho. Co. Jour.]