bee drawne on with straight lawes and ordinances: And therefore it were meete that such an act were ordained, that all the sonnes of lords, gentlemen, and such others as are able to bring them up in learning, should be trayned up therein from their child-hoods. And for that end every parish should be forced to keepe a pettie schoole-master, adjoyning unto the parish church, to bee the more in view, which should bring up their children in the first elements of letters: and that, in every countrey or baronie, they should keepe an other able schoole-master, which should instruct them in grammar, and [o 1] in the principles of sciences, to whom they should be compelled to send their youth to bee disciplined, whereby they will in short space grow up to that civill conversation, that
- ↑ in the principles of sciences,] How requisite also an universitie is for the further growth in learning, the judicious well know. This happinesse we now enjoy, to the great benefit of this land. And although former attempts have beene made for erecting and establishing universities in Ireland, yet through want of meanes, which should have beene allotted for their maintenance, they have soone faded. So hapned it with that academy which Alexander de Bignor, Archbishop of Dublin, erected (in S. Patricks Church) in Dublin, and procured to be confirmed by Pope Iohn the 12th. And no better succeeded that which was afterwards erected at Tredagh by act of parliament Anno 5. Edw. 4. (as appeares in the roll of that yeare in the Chauncery) whereby all the like priviledges, as the University of Oxford (in England) enjoyed, were conferred upon it. Besides these wee finde mention of others, farre more ancient, as at Armagh, and Ross. Carbry, or Ross. Ailithry, as it is called in the life of S. Faghnan the founder, who lived in the yeare 590. "Ipse Sanctus (saith the author) in australi Hibernire plagâ iuxta mare, in suo monasterio quod ipse fundavit, ibi crevit civitas, in quâ semper manens magnum studium scholarium, quod dicitur Ross. Ailithry, habitabat." But a further search were fit to bee made touching those of the elder times. Sir James Ware.
