MacCaghwell, Hugh [Cavellus, Hugo] (1571-1626), Archbishop of Armagh.

Estimate

1,500 - 2,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Scathan shacramuinte na haitridhe, ar na chuma don bhráthair bochd dord San Froinsias Aodh mac-aingil lighthoir diadachda a goleisti na mbráthair Heirionnac a lobháin. [Louvain: Press of the Irish Franciscans], 1618

12mo (130 x 70mm.), [12], 581(=583), [43]pp., Irish Letter, title-page within a border of type fleurons, last 3pp. with omissa and imprimatur, binding: contemporary calf, spine gilt later

Literature

STC 17157 (two copies in USA, both imperfect); Allison & Rogers 489. There is a modern edition (Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1952) and a Scolar Press facsimile (1977).

Catalogue Note

MacCaghwell came from an old Irish family. He was born in Co. Tyrone and early in life entered the service of Hiugh O'Neill, earl of Tyrone, as tutor to his sons. In 1604 in Spain he entered the Franciscans, and in 1606 went to the Spanish Netherlands where he set up the Franciscan College in Louvain, and played an active role in Irish spiritual and intellectual life. For the publication of this work the author used his Irish name Aodh Mac Aingil, although the Latin form of his name is given at the end of the book. The title means ‘A mirror of the sacrament of penance’, and the work is devotional in nature. "Although this acknowledged James I as the rightful ruler of Ireland, it also identified Ireland as a Catholic nation and demonstrates a very modern sense of national consciousness. Moreover, the work is a prominent example of how the literary language of contemporary Irish poets was used to produce a readable prose text" (Terry Clavin in ODNB).