The life of the Most Reverend Father in God, James Usher, late Lord Arch-Bishop of Armagh, primate and metropolitan of all Ireland with a Collection of three hundred letters between the said Lord Primate and most of the eminentest persons for piety and learning in his time ... / collected and published from original copies under their own hands, by Richard Parr ...

LETTER CLXXXV. A Letter from the most Reverend James Usher Arch-bishop of Armagh, to Dr. Ward. (Book 185)

Good Doctor;

I Have been almost tired with continual attendance on out long continued Parliament and Convocation; which being done, they would needs im∣pose upon me also the moderating of the Divinity Act; and the creating of the Doctors at our last Commencement. I am now at last retired from Dub∣lin to my old: Place, where I begin at length, Redire in gratiam cum veteribus Amicis. I send you herewith Harrys his Book against the Friars, and our New Canons. The Articles of Religion agreed upon in our former Synod, Anno 1615, we let stand as they did before. But for the manifesting of our Agreement with the Church of England, we have received and approved your Articles also, concluded in the Year 1562, as you may see in the first of our Canons. But while we strive here to maintain the Purity of our ancient Truth, how cometh it to pass that you in Cambridg do cast such stumbling∣blocks in our way by publishing unto the World such rotten Stuff as Shel∣ford hath vented in his five Discourses; wherein he hath so carried himself, ut Famosi Perni amanuensem possis agnoscere. The Jesuits of England sent over the Book hither to confirm our Papists in their obstinacy, and to assure them that we are now coming home unto them as fast as we can; I pray God this Sin be not deeply laid to their charge, who give an occasion to our blind thus to stumble.

I thank you most heartily for communicating my Lord of Salisbury's Le∣ctures unto me, they are excellent, learnedly, foundly, and perspicuously performed, and I hope will do much good here for the establishing of our

young Divines in the present Truth; Will you not make us as much be∣holden unto you for your own Lectures upon the other Questions You may not think that the same accurateness is expected in the Writings which you privately communicate unto your Friends, as in that which you are to commit unto the Press, after you have added supremam manum thereunto. Neither were it amiss that you should make a Collection of all your Determi∣nations, as you see the Bishop of Salisbury hath done; and cause your Lectures of the Eucharist to be transcribed, and left in a safe hand, that it may not (as I have heretofore warned you) periclitari in unico exemplari. Of these particulars I desire to hear your Resolutions in your next Letters; and in the mean time recommend you and your godly Labours unto God's good Blessing; evermore resting,

Your most assured loving Brother, Ja. Armachanus.

Drogheda, Sept. 15. 1635.