Adam Loftus (Archbishop)
Encyclopedia
Adam Loftus was Archbishop of Armagh
, and later Dublin
, and Lord Chancellor of Ireland
from 1581. He was also the first Provost
of Trinity College, Dublin
.
. Edward died when Loftus was only 8, leaving his estates to his elder brother Robert Loftus.
Edward had made his living through the Catholic Church, but Adam embraced the Protestant faith early in his development. He was an undergraduate at Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he reportedly attracted the notice of the young Queen Elizabeth
, as much by his physique as through the power of his intellect, having shone before her in oratory. There is good reason to believe that this particular encounter may never have taken place; but they certainly met more than once and the Queen became his patron. The relationship was to last her entire reign, coming to Adam's rescue at times in his career when less tolerant patrons might have held back. At Cambridge he took holy orders (as a Catholic priest, though England had just turned Protestant) and was named rector of Outwell St Clement in Norfolk. He came to the attention of the Catholic Queen Mary
(1553–1558), who named him vicar of Gedney, Lincolnshire
. On Elizabeth's accession in 1558 he declared himself Anglican.
. Loftus accompanied Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex
to Ireland
as his chaplain in 1560. In 1561 he became chaplain to Alexander Craik, bishop of Kildare and dean of St Patrick's in Dublin. Later that year he was appointed rector of Painstown in Meath, and evidently earned a reputation as a learned and discreet advisor to the English authorities in Dublin. In 1563, he was consecrated archbishop of Armagh at the unprecedented age of 28 by Hugh Curwen
, Archbishop of Dublin. In 1565 the queen, to supplement the meagre income derivable from the archbishopric in a politically unstable country, appointed Loftus temporarily to the deanery of St Patrick's
; and in the same year he became president of the new commission for ecclesiastical causes.
Following a catastrophic clash with Shane O'Neill
, the real power in the province during these years, he came to Dublin in 1564 and in 1565, while still holding the office of Archbishop of Armagh, was offered the Deanery of St. Patrick’s Cathedral “in lieu of better times ahead”.
In 1567 Loftus was made Archbishop of Dublin, where the queen expected him to carry out reforms in the Church. On several occasions he temporarily carried out the functions of Lord Keeper, and in August 1581 he was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Loftus was constantly occupied in attempts to improve his financial position by obtaining additional preferment (he had been obliged to resign the Deanery of St Patrick's in 1567). In 1582, he acquired land and built a castle at Rathfarnham
, which he inhabited from 1585 (and which has been recently restored to public view).
In 1569–1570 the divisions in Irish politics took on a religious tinge with the first Desmond Rebellion in Munster
and the papal bull Regnans in Excelsis
issued in 1570. The bull questioned Elizabeth's authority and thereafter Roman Catholics were suspected of disloyalty by the official class unless they were discreet.
Loftus took a leading part in the execution of Dermot O'Hurley
, Archbishop of Cashel. When O'Hurley refused to give information, Francis Walsingham
suggested he should be tortured. Loftus replied to Walsingham: "Not finding that easy method of examination do any good, we made command to Mr Waterhouse and Mr Secretary Fenton to put him to the torture, such as your honour advised us, which was to toast his feet against the fire with hot boots." Although the Irish judges repeatedly decided that there was no case against O'Hurley, on 19 June 1584 Loftus and Sir Henry Wallop
wrote to Walsingham "We gave warrant to the knight-marshal to do execution upon him, which accordingly was performed, and thereby the realm rid of a most pestilent member."
Much has been written about Loftus during this time but between 1584 and 1591; he had a series of clashes with Sir John Perrot
on the location of an Irish University. Perrot wanted to use St Patrick’s Cathedral as the site of the new University, which Loftus sought to preserve as the principal place of Protestant worship in Dublin (as well as a valuable source of income for himself). The Archbishop won the argument with the help of his patron, Queen Elizabeth I, and Trinity College Dublin was born at its current location, named after his old college at Cambridge, leaving the Cathedral unaffected. Loftus was named as its first Provost in 1593.
The issue of religious and political rivalry continued during the two Desmond Rebellions (1569-83) and the Nine Years' War (1594-1603), both of which overlapped with the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604), during which some rebellious Irish nobles were helped by the Papacy and by Elizabeth's arch-enemy Philip II of Spain. Due to the unsettled state of the country Protestantism made little progress, unlike in Celtic Scotland and Wales at that time. It came to be associated with military conquest and was therefore hated by many. The political-religious overlap was personified by Adam Loftus, who served as Archbishop and as Lord Chancellor of Ireland
. An unlikely alliance formed between Gaelic Irish families and the Norman "Old English
", who had been enemies for centuries but who now mostly remained Roman Catholic.
, and his wife Jane, daughter of Thomas Little of Thornhill, Cumberland and Margaret Graham.
Adam and Jane Loftus were the parents of twenty children, eight of whom died in infancy. The twelve who grew to adulthood were:
upon the king's accession.
Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)
The Anglican Archbishop of Armagh is the ecclesiastical head of the Church of Ireland, the metropolitan of the Province of Armagh and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Armagh....
, and later Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)
The Archbishop of Dublin is the title of the senior cleric who presides over the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough in the Church of Ireland...
, and Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
from 1581. He was also the first Provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
.
Early life
Adam Loftus was born in 1533, the second son of a monastic bailiff, Edward Loftus, in the heart of the English Yorkshire DalesYorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
. Edward died when Loftus was only 8, leaving his estates to his elder brother Robert Loftus.
Edward had made his living through the Catholic Church, but Adam embraced the Protestant faith early in his development. He was an undergraduate at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he reportedly attracted the notice of the young Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, as much by his physique as through the power of his intellect, having shone before her in oratory. There is good reason to believe that this particular encounter may never have taken place; but they certainly met more than once and the Queen became his patron. The relationship was to last her entire reign, coming to Adam's rescue at times in his career when less tolerant patrons might have held back. At Cambridge he took holy orders (as a Catholic priest, though England had just turned Protestant) and was named rector of Outwell St Clement in Norfolk. He came to the attention of the Catholic Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
(1553–1558), who named him vicar of Gedney, Lincolnshire
Gedney, Lincolnshire
Gedney is a village and civil parish in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies just to the south off the A17 Boston to King's Lynn road, east from Holbeach and north-east from Long Sutton...
. On Elizabeth's accession in 1558 he declared himself Anglican.
Move to Ireland
Somehow he made the acquaintance of the Queen's favourite Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of SussexThomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex
Thomas Radclyffe 3rd Earl of Sussex was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland during the Tudor period of English history, and a leading courtier during the reign of Elizabeth I.- Family:...
. Loftus accompanied Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex
Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex
Thomas Radclyffe 3rd Earl of Sussex was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland during the Tudor period of English history, and a leading courtier during the reign of Elizabeth I.- Family:...
to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
as his chaplain in 1560. In 1561 he became chaplain to Alexander Craik, bishop of Kildare and dean of St Patrick's in Dublin. Later that year he was appointed rector of Painstown in Meath, and evidently earned a reputation as a learned and discreet advisor to the English authorities in Dublin. In 1563, he was consecrated archbishop of Armagh at the unprecedented age of 28 by Hugh Curwen
Hugh Curwen
Hugh Curwen was an English ecclesiastic and statesman. He was a native of Westmorland and educated at Cambridge, afterwards taking orders in the church....
, Archbishop of Dublin. In 1565 the queen, to supplement the meagre income derivable from the archbishopric in a politically unstable country, appointed Loftus temporarily to the deanery of St Patrick's
Deans of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
The Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral is the head of St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, elected by the Chapter of the cathedral. The office was created in 1219 or 1220, by one of several charters granted to the cathedral by Archbishop Henry de Loundres between 1218 and 1220.For centuries, the Dean of St...
; and in the same year he became president of the new commission for ecclesiastical causes.
To Dublin
Shane O'Neill
Seán Ó Néill, anglicised Shane O'Neill , nicknamed 'Seán an díomais', was an Irish king of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster in the mid 16th century. Shane O'Neill's career was marked by his ambition to be The Ó Néill Mór - Sovereign of the dominant Ó Néill Mór family of Tyrone... and thus head...
, the real power in the province during these years, he came to Dublin in 1564 and in 1565, while still holding the office of Archbishop of Armagh, was offered the Deanery of St. Patrick’s Cathedral “in lieu of better times ahead”.
In 1567 Loftus was made Archbishop of Dublin, where the queen expected him to carry out reforms in the Church. On several occasions he temporarily carried out the functions of Lord Keeper, and in August 1581 he was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Loftus was constantly occupied in attempts to improve his financial position by obtaining additional preferment (he had been obliged to resign the Deanery of St Patrick's in 1567). In 1582, he acquired land and built a castle at Rathfarnham
Rathfarnham Castle
Rathfarnham Castle is a 16th century castle in Rathfarnham, South Dublin, Ireland.-Origins:The earlier Anglo-Norman castle which was replaced by the present building was built on lands which were confiscated from the Eustace family of Baltinglass because of their involvement in the Second Desmond...
, which he inhabited from 1585 (and which has been recently restored to public view).
In 1569–1570 the divisions in Irish politics took on a religious tinge with the first Desmond Rebellion in Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
and the papal bull Regnans in Excelsis
Regnans in Excelsis
Regnans in Excelsis was a papal bull issued on 25 February 1570 by Pope Pius V declaring "Elizabeth, the pretended Queen of England and the servant of crime" to be a heretic and releasing all her subjects from any allegiance to her and excommunicating any that obeyed her orders.The bull, written in...
issued in 1570. The bull questioned Elizabeth's authority and thereafter Roman Catholics were suspected of disloyalty by the official class unless they were discreet.
Loftus took a leading part in the execution of Dermot O'Hurley
Dermot O'Hurley
Blessed Dermot O'Hurley - in Irish Diarmaid Ó hUrthuile - was a Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cashel during the reign of Elizabeth I who was put to death for treason...
, Archbishop of Cashel. When O'Hurley refused to give information, Francis Walsingham
Francis Walsingham
Sir Francis Walsingham was Principal Secretary to Elizabeth I of England from 1573 until 1590, and is popularly remembered as her "spymaster". Walsingham is frequently cited as one of the earliest practitioners of modern intelligence methods both for espionage and for domestic security...
suggested he should be tortured. Loftus replied to Walsingham: "Not finding that easy method of examination do any good, we made command to Mr Waterhouse and Mr Secretary Fenton to put him to the torture, such as your honour advised us, which was to toast his feet against the fire with hot boots." Although the Irish judges repeatedly decided that there was no case against O'Hurley, on 19 June 1584 Loftus and Sir Henry Wallop
Henry Wallop
Sir Henry Wallop was an English statesman.He was the eldest son of Sir Oliver Wallop of Farleigh Wallop in Hampshire. Having inherited the estates of his father and of his uncle, Sir John Wallop, he was knighted in 1569 and was chosen member of parliament for Southampton in 1572...
wrote to Walsingham "We gave warrant to the knight-marshal to do execution upon him, which accordingly was performed, and thereby the realm rid of a most pestilent member."
Much has been written about Loftus during this time but between 1584 and 1591; he had a series of clashes with Sir John Perrot
John Perrot
Sir John Perrot served as Lord Deputy of Ireland under Queen Elizabeth I of England during the Tudor conquest of Ireland...
on the location of an Irish University. Perrot wanted to use St Patrick’s Cathedral as the site of the new University, which Loftus sought to preserve as the principal place of Protestant worship in Dublin (as well as a valuable source of income for himself). The Archbishop won the argument with the help of his patron, Queen Elizabeth I, and Trinity College Dublin was born at its current location, named after his old college at Cambridge, leaving the Cathedral unaffected. Loftus was named as its first Provost in 1593.
The issue of religious and political rivalry continued during the two Desmond Rebellions (1569-83) and the Nine Years' War (1594-1603), both of which overlapped with the Anglo-Spanish War (1585–1604), during which some rebellious Irish nobles were helped by the Papacy and by Elizabeth's arch-enemy Philip II of Spain. Due to the unsettled state of the country Protestantism made little progress, unlike in Celtic Scotland and Wales at that time. It came to be associated with military conquest and was therefore hated by many. The political-religious overlap was personified by Adam Loftus, who served as Archbishop and as Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
. An unlikely alliance formed between Gaelic Irish families and the Norman "Old English
Old English (Ireland)
The Old English were the descendants of the settlers who came to Ireland from Wales, Normandy, and England after the Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169–71. Many of the Old English became assimilated into Irish society over the centuries...
", who had been enemies for centuries but who now mostly remained Roman Catholic.
Family
Around 1560 Adam was quietly married to Jane (c1540–1595), daughter of Adam or James Purdon of Lurgan Race in County LouthCounty Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
, and his wife Jane, daughter of Thomas Little of Thornhill, Cumberland and Margaret Graham.
Adam and Jane Loftus were the parents of twenty children, eight of whom died in infancy. The twelve who grew to adulthood were:
- Sir Dudley Loftus, married Anne Bagenal (grandparents of Dudley Loftus, a pioneer scholar of Middle Eastern languages);
- Sir Edward Loftus, married Anne Duke;
- Adam Loftus, unmarried, killed in battle;
- Sir Thomas Loftus, married Ellen Hartpole;
- Henry Loftus, Thomas' twin, died in his teens;
- Isabella Loftus, married William Usher;
- Anne Loftus, married (i) Sir Henry Colley of Castle Carbury; (ii) George Blount; and (iii) Edward Blayney;
- Jane Loftus, who married Sir Francis Berkeley and then Henry Berkeley;
- Martha Loftus, who married Sir Thomas Colclough of Tintern AbbeyTintern AbbeyTintern Abbey was founded by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow, on 9 May 1131. It is situated in the village of Tintern, on the Welsh bank of the River Wye in Monmouthshire, which forms the border between Monmouthshire in Wales and Gloucestershire in England. It was only the second Cistercian...
, County WexfordCounty WexfordCounty Wexford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the South-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wexford. In pre-Norman times it was part of the Kingdom of Uí Cheinnselaig, whose capital was at Ferns. Wexford County Council is the local...
, six times great-grandparents of Rogers Cotter; - Dorothy Loftus, married Sir John MooreSir John MooreSir John Moore may refer to:*Sir John Moore, 1st Baronet, British admiral *John Moore , British general...
of CroghanCroghanCroghan may refer to:In Ireland:* Croghan , County Offaly, Ireland* Croghan, County Roscommon, Ireland* Croghan Hill, County Offaly, Ireland* Croghan Mountain, Wicklow Mountains, IrelandIn the United States:...
, also six times great-grandparents of Rogers Cotter; - Alice Loftus, married Sir Henry Warren of Warrenstown; and
- Margaret Loftus, married Sir George Colley of EdenderryEdenderry, County OffalyEdenderry is a town in the north of County Offaly, Ireland. It is near the borders with Counties Kildare, Meath and Westmeath. The Grand Canal passes immediately south of the town through the Bog of Allen and there is a short spur to the town centre....
Death
Loftus died in Dublin in 1605 and was interred in the building he had helped to preserve for future generations, while many of his portraits hang today within the walls of the University which he helped found. Having buried his wife Jane (Purdon) and two sons (of their 20 children) in the family vault at St. Patrick’s, Adam Loftus died at his Episcopal Palace in Kevin Street “worn out with age” and joined his family in the same vault. Loftus' zeal and efficiency were commended by James IJames I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
upon the king's accession.
Other
- Francis Elrington Ball (1902): A History of the County of Dublin – Dublin: Greene's Bookshop; the HSP Library – Ir 94133 1: 6 volumes
- Francis Elrington Ball, (1926): The Judges of Ireland 1221–1921 – London: John Murray pp. 214–217; 326–328
- Sidney LeeSidney LeeSir Sidney Lee was an English biographer and critic.He was born Solomon Lazarus Lee at 12 Keppel Street, Bloomsbury, London and educated at the City of London School and at Balliol College, Oxford, where he graduated in modern history in 1882. In the next year he became assistant-editor of the...
(editor) (1893), Dictionary of National BiographyDictionary of National BiographyThe Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published from 1885...
vol XXXIV, London Smith Elder & co, Waterloo Place, 1893 pp 73–77 - Luce JV, 1992: Trinity College Dublin, the first 400 years –
- Prestwick J, 1783: Origin and Etymology of the Loftus Family – attributed to a Herald’s manuscript
- James Ware, 1739: The Whole Works of Sir James Ware concerning Ireland, revised & improved – Vol I p. 94–95, 1739