designs of the God of mercy, when the armies of the wicked were subdued by the harmony and union of our minds — when the Deliverer appeared, and the terrors of God seized on our enemies, and when, by the miraculous blessing of God on the noblest and most necessary undertaking of our age, England is still suffered to enjoy her laws, the Church to serve God, and we to live and breathe.”
The Assassination Plot, in which the name of Sir John Fenwick is notorious, was detected in 1696. By the king’s command a narrative of the conspiracy was written by Abbadie, and printed in French, Dutch, and English; the Earl of Portland and Secretary Sir William Trumball furnished the original papers from the Government archives for the author’s use. An exposure of the conspiracy was peculiarly required by the Protestants of the Continent. I have the original French edition before me; it is entitled, "“Histoire de la deinère conspiration d’Angleterre, avec le détail des diverses entreprises contre le Roy et la Nation qui ont precedé ce dernier attentat. A Londres, Par W. Redmayne dans Jewen Street, 1696.” The concluding words are:—
“Quand les siecles suivans oublieroient les obligations qu’ils auront au Prince et au Peuple; il est tonjours vray que, malgré leur ingratitude, le bienfait subsistera autant qu’il y aura des loix en Angleterre et des peuples libres dans l’Europe.”
The air of London disagreed with Dr. Abbadie’s health, and he expressed a wish to reside in Ireland. The king accordingly designed for him the Deanery of St. Patrick’s, Dublin, as the best preferment, to which, however, he could not be presented, because of his want of facility in speaking English. But the first vacancy of a similar nature was promised to him; and thus he became Dean of Killaloe In 1699. There was no Deanery and no other house suitable for a residence, so that Dean Abbadie was unavoidably non-resident and a sinecurist. His signature appears in the Chapter-Book[1] twice only — namely, on the occasion of his installation, 13th May 1699, and again on the following November 13. He resided sometimes in Dublin, sometimes in Portarlington. He is mentioned in the Portarlington Register as “doyen dc Cilalou.” His life was varied by journeys by sea and by land, for (as the Biographia Britannica observes) — “Business, and especially the printing of his books, called him frequently into England and Holland; in both which places he was extremely beloved.” Two volumes, entitled “La Verité de la Religion Rcformée," were issued in 1718. [Dr. Henry Lambert, Bishop of Dromore, translated them for the information of the Roman Catholics of his diocese, and to convince them of the truth of the reformed religion.] He devoted much attention to the interpretation of the Apocalypse, especially the chapters on the opening of the several Seals — and the result was a remarkable work in four volumes, under the title of “La Triomphe de la Providence et de la Religion, ou, L’ouverture des sept seaux par le Fils de Dieu; ou l’on trouvera la première partie de l’Apocalypse clairement expliquée par ce qu’il y a de plus connu dans l’histoire et de moins conteste dans la Parole de Dieu. Avec une nouvelle et très sensible demonstration de la verité de la religion Chrétienne” — published at Amsterdam, 1723.
In 1726 Dr. Abbadie resolved to apply for ecclesiastical promotion, as his income could not afford him an amanuensis to render assistance in the manual and mechanical departments of authorship. He addressed himself to Primate Boulter (of Armagh), who at once wrote to Lord Carteret, the Lord Lieutenant:—
“Dublin, July 6, 1726. — . . . . The present vacancy of the Bishopric of Cloyne, as it occasions (no doubt) very numerous applications to your lordship, so it brings some upon me. Mr. Abbadie, Dean of Killaloo, has been with me to desire my recommendations to Your Excellency, to be thought of for some deanery, which he supposes may happen to be vacant by promotion on this occasion. . . . . Your lordship knows him to have the character of a man of learning, and one well affected to His Majesty.”
This letter not having any practical result, the aged Dean resolved to wait upon the pillars of Church and State in London. The primate gave him a very handsome letter of introduction to Dr. Edmund Gibson, Bishop of London, which I quote entire (the blanks in the extract from the letter to Lord Carteret contained the information which is detailed in the following communication):—
- ↑ The Chapter-Book is in the keeping of the Rev. Dr. Reeves, of Armagh, my much-valued correspondent.
