Old Wooden Houses, Jesuits in Dublin.

CHAPTER XIV. **

Old Wooden Houses - The Jesuits in Cook Street - Their Chapel and University - Father Austin, S. J. - His Schools and Burial Place - List of Mass Houses in St. Michael’s Parish. **

The** **buildings in the city were considerably improved during the reign of Elizabeth, when the style known as half-timbered houses was introduced but to disappear, not a solitary one remaining, although a considerable number in a fair condition of preservation are to be found in many districts of England.

The last timbered house in Dublin (the engraving of which gives one an idea of its construction) stood at the corner of Werburgh Street and Castle Street (now-Mr. Roche’s chandlery stores). It disappeared in 1813.** **Looking at the Cook Street map, my reader will note at Skipper’s Lane the words, “Timber House.” Harris, in his ” History of Dublin,” published in 1766, gives the following account of it:-

“The citizens fitted up these houses in a more durable and convenient form, namely, of timber built in cage-work fashion, elegantly adorned, and covered with slates and shingles. Several of these houses erected in Queen Elizabeth’s time, as well as in the reign of her successor, have subsisted till of late years, and particularly one in Cook Street (at the corner of Skipper’s Lane, at the west side), which was totally demolished on the 27th July, 1745,** **to make room for new houses.

On an oak beam carried over the door the whole length of the said house was the following inscription, cut in large capitals and a fair Roman character, nothing damaged by time in the space of 165 years, except in one part where an upright piece of timber being mortised into it had received the drip and was somewhat rotted :-’ QUI FECISTI COELUM ET TERRAM BENEDIC DOMUM ISTAM, QUAM JOHANNES LUTREL ET JOHANA - NEI CONSTRUI FECERUNT, A.D. 1580, ET ANNO REGNI REGINAE ELIABETHAE 22.’** (‘Thou Who madest the heavens and the earth bless this house, which John Lutrel and Joan - caused to be built in the year of Our Lord 1580, **and in the 22nd year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth.’)

“It is in no way improbable that John Lutrel, who was Sheriff of Dublin in conjunction with Gyles Allen in the years 1567 and 1568, was the builder of this house.

“Next door to the former lately stood a large and stately cage-work house with this inscription over the door in Roman characters:- ‘ROBERT EUSTACE, AN MANNING, 1618.’ This Robert Eustace was Sheriff of the city in conjunction with Thomas Allen in the years 1608 and 1609.

“In a lane leading from Cook Street to Merchants’ Quay, called Rosemary Lane, part of the wall of an old cage-work house stands, over the door whereof, cut in timber, are two escutcheons of arms, and between them a date, 1600, with the letters E.P., which may be conjectured to stand for Emond Purcell, who two years before was Sheriff of the city, in conjunction with John Brice.”

From the foregoing description one can well imagine that Cook Street was a place of some importance in bygone days. Harris, having given a most interesting sketch of timber houses in other parts of the city, adds that it may be doubted, from what has been said, whether any of their modern buildings will continue for so long a period as some of the cage-work houses before mentioned.

Writing of brick buildings, he says - “In the reign of James I. the inhabitants began to build their houses of lime, stone, or brick, and to cover them with slates or tiles … Some of the houses built in the reign of Charles I. remain, particularly a large one in Winetavern Street, opposite to Cook Street (the front of this house was taken down and rebuilt in the year 1760), which shows some elegance in the structure, and has on the front an escutcheon, a coat of arms, on one side of which on a tablet are these letters, ‘R.M.’, and another tablet on the other side containing the date of the building (1641).”

The connection of the Jesuits with Cook Street dates from about the time when St. Ignatius sent his ambassadors to Ireland. This was towards the close of the reign of Henry VI II., when they laid the foundations of the Society, which struck root in Ireland, and has grown into the magnificent proportions of to-day, in spite of all efforts of fire and sword to crush it.

Close upon 500 years have elapsed since Father Wolfe, of the Society of Jesus, came to Dublin. During all the eventful period of our city’s life, members of the Society have been within its ambit. On referring to the map, we find a Jesuits’ college situated in Cook Street. This college was evidently their first foundation, its conductor being Father Fitzsimons.

Amongst those who lived and taught there was Father Edmund Campion, the author of the “History of Ireland,” published by the Hibernian Press in 1809. He was executed at Tyburn, December 1st, 1581.** **Father Lynch, author of” Cambrensis Eversus,” was attached for a short period to the collegiate staff. The imprisonment of Father Fitzsimons had a disastrous effect upon the Cook Street College, which seemed suddenly to disappear; but the members of the Society once more engaged in the work of education.

We learn from Harris’s “History of Dublin” as follows, A.D. 1629*:- *“The Papists erected an University in Dublin for the education of the youth of that religion, without any authority from the State, and in face of the Government.”

From what has already appeared in these Historical Jottings we know that the Government (at the instigation of Archbishop Bulkeley) seized all the Church friaries and colleges, and that the latter were given to Trinity College. This kindly act on the part of the authorities closed for another epoch the educational work of the Jesuits in the Cook Street area.

The following interesting extract from Sir William Brereton’s “Travels in Holland, England, Scotland, and Ireland-1634-1635” (edited by E. Haulkin for the Cheetham Society, 1844),** **records his recollections and gives us an idea of Cook Street and its environment at that time. He says (July 8, 1635):-

“St. Owen’s is the parish wherein my Lord Primate (Dr. Usher) was born, and here in this church doth he preach every evening, Lord’s day, at 8 o’clock, whilst he is in town. I heard him upon Sabbath last-that most excellent able man and most abundantly holy gracious man that I have heard.”

---

“July 11 - We went to Sir Thos. Rotherham (who is a Privy Councillor), who used us respectfully, and he accompanied me to the Castle and showed me the Courts of Justice, which are conveniently framed and contrived, and these are very capacious. In the Star Chamber, the Chancery, the King’s Bench and Common Pleas, these rooms are as useful as ours in England; but there is not such a stately structure or hall to walk in as Westminster Hall. I saw also the church which was erected by the Jesuits and made use of by them for two years.

“Then there was a college, also belonging unto them; both these erected in Back Lane. The pulpit in this church was richly adorned with pictures, and so was the high altar. Upon either side thereof was there erected places for confession. No fastened seats were in the middle or body thereof, nor was there any chancel ; but that it might be more capacious there was a gallery erected on both sides, and at the lower end of this church, which was built in my Lord Faulkland time (1625-1629),** **and whereof they were disinvested when my Lord Chancellor and my Lord of Corke executed by commission the Deputy’s place. This College is now annexed to the College of Dublin, called The Holy Trinity.

“We also saw St. Stephen’s Hall, wherein are disposed about eighteen scholars, who are also members of this College, whereunto the hall is annexed. This for some time was a cloister for the Capuchin, who said Mass and preached in a pretty little chapel or chamber. This was likewise taken from them about that time, and now there is prayers in it twice a day. My Lord of Corke allowed £40** **per annum to maintain this lecture in the Jesuits’ Church, but now hath withdrawn this exhibition. In this street, which is called Bridge Street, almost opposite the hall, there died this day an Irish merchant, and as we passed by we heard either his wife or sister roaring out as tho’ she were violently distracted ; this, they say, is very ordinary with the Irish, and is their custom.”

In 1660 we see the Jesuits again in harness. Father Austin, born where New Street now stands, near Kevin Street - which was then known as Austin’s Grounds - on the 12th** April, 1717, **made his profession in 1750, and 10 years afterwards he opened the famous seminary in Saul’s Court, off Fishamble Street, in SS. Michael and John’s parish, in conjunction with Father John Murphy, and was afterwards joined by the following Jesuit Fathers:- Betagh, Mulcaile, and Fullham.

For upwards of 36 years Father Austin was a most powerful preacher throughout the city. Worn out by charity, zeal, and labours, he died on the 29th September, 1784, in the 66th year of his age. He was buried in St. Kevin’s Churchyard, Long Lane.

Bowden in his “Tour through Ireland” (1790), printed by Corbett, Great Britain Street, in 1791, refers to Father Austin as follows:- “Curiosity led me to that Churchyard (St. Kevin’s, Long Lane), where I soon discovered the monument; it is a neat and elegant obelisk, the pedestal of which bears the following inscription, which I took a copy of. It is as follows:-

“To the Memory of

REV. JOHN AUSTIN,

of the City of Dublin,

A Priest,

and until the suppression of the Society of Jesus, A Professed Jesuit;

During six and thirty years

A Pious learned and indefatigable labourer,

In the Vineyard of the Lord,

Who

After deserving well

Of the rich, whom he admonished,

Of the poor, whom he relieved,

Of Youth, whom he instructed,

Of the Orphan, to whom he was a father,

Of all ranks of men,

Whom he,

By making himself all to all,

Was active in gaining to Jesus Christ,

On the 29th September, 1784,

Closed,

In the 66 Year of his age;

and, until

A life

Worn out by Apostolical labours,

By a death

Precious in the Sight of the Lord.

Religion,

Weeping for her faithful Minister,

On the 8th of December, 1786,

With grateful hand,

Erected this monument.”

He continues:- ” I was surprised such a monument should be erected in this county to a Romish Priest, and was led to inquire relative to Austin. I was informed he was a very remarkable character in the metropolis about 12 or 14 years ago, of extraordinary learning, and extraordinary piety-that he constantly dedicated all his acquisitions, which were very considerable, to the poor, visiting them in cellars and in the garrets; never a day happyily that he did not give food to a number. The principal Roman Catholics knowing well his disposition were liberal to him, and he kept his door open to all who were in want, and, while the means lasted, was constantly on foot administering relief to innumerable poor wretches, never resting while he had a single guinea. Besides this, he was a great preacher, and injured his health by his exertions *in *the pulpit. He was a most affectionate son to an aged mother. She died, and he was overpowered with affliction. He never afterwards raised his head, but dropped into a second childhood. He remained in this situation nearly three years, and would have perished were it not for his brother Jesuits, Messrs. Betagh, Fullham, and Mulcaile. When he died, his friends, who neglected him on the bed of death, erected this monument to his memory.”

In connection with Father Austin’s monument, the following inscription is now to be found on the north side of it

This monument was restored and renovated,

January, 1900.

The reasons for doing so were as follows:- During the religious disturbance in St. Kevin’s, caused by the introduction of Puseyism, in which the two rival sections of St. Kevin’s took part, the monument to the Rev. John Austin was considerably damaged. It was subsequently, in 1899, repaired at the expense of the parish.

The naming of the place where Father Austin sleeps recalls the martyrdom and burial of Archbishop O’Hurley, the story of which is retold in the next chapter.

On our journey through the area we arrive at Rosemary Lane: The following sidelight upon the condition of the area in 1761 is of interest and assists one to understand how stood the cause in those eventful days:-

In 1731** **a committee was appointed by the House of Lords to inquire the present state of Popery in this kingdom, and to prepare such heads of bills as they shall think most proper to prevent the further growth of Popery and to secure this Kingdom (Ireland) from any dangers that may happen from the great number of Papists in this nation.

The Committee ordered the Lord Mayor of Dublin to lay before their lordships an account of all the Mass houses, all private Popish chappels, nunneries, and fryereys, and all Popish schools within the city. The following is a return made by the churchwardens of St. Michael and John’s:- “In obedience to yer lordships of the 4th inst., November, 1731, wee, the churchwardens of the parish of St. Michael the Archangel, in the city of Dublin, did make the strictest search and inquiry we could, and find there are two Popish Mass houses (Franciscan, Adam and Eve, and St. Michael and John’s, Rosemary Lane) in our parish, in which, we are informed and believe, about 10 priests officiate, about five in each Mass house, which Mass houses (as wee are likewise informed and believe) subsisted in said parish above 20 years, excepting that about five years ago one of them, who (sic) was kept over a stable in Skipper’s Lane, that was Unions, and since fallen down, was removed to Rosemary Lane, about twenty yards from the said former Mass house to another stable in our parish, which was repaired for that purpose.

“Wee further inform yer Lordships that wee know of no private Chapples, Nunnerys, or Fryerys in our said parish, nor of any Popish schools but three, two of which (as we are informed and believe) teach bookkeeping and mathematicks onely, and the other writing and arithmetick onely; which wee humbly submit to yer lordships.

“This 9th November, 1731.

“JNO. DOWLING AND RICHARD SEACOMBE, Church Wardens

The Prebendary of St. Michan’s Report:-

“Pursuant to the within recited. order of the Lords. Committees, the minister of this Parish of St. Michael, Dublin, doth most humbly return two mass houses in said parish, and believe 10 priests are said to officiate, as is set forth by the Church Wardens, and that besides three ‘schools returned by the Church Wardens there are two other reading schools kept by Popish women in the said parish.

“JOHN ANTROBY,

Minister of St. Michael’s.

“Nov. 9th, 1791.”

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