Henry Essex Edgeworth
Encyclopedia
Henry Essex Edgeworth also known as L'Abbé Edgeworth de Firmont, was an Irish-born Catholic
priest and confessor
of Louis XVI
.
, County Longford
, Ireland
, the son of Robert Edgeworth, the rector of Edgeworthstown. His mother was a granddaughter of Archbishop Ussher
. When he was about four, his father converted to Roman Catholicism, resigned his living and emigrated to Toulouse
, where the boy was brought up by the Jesuits. In 1769, after his father’s death, he went to Paris
to be trained for the priesthood. On taking orders he assumed the additional surname of de Firmont, from the family estate of Firmount near Edgeworthstown
.
Though originally studying with a view to becoming a missionary, he decided to remain in Paris, devoting himself especially to the Irish and English Roman Catholics. Through his father and the Archbishop
of Paris
he became vicar-general of the diocese of Paris and friend of the royal family and stayed with them during the French Revolution
.
In 1791 he became confessor to the Princess Elizabeth, sister of Louis XVI, and earned the respect even of the sans-culottes
by his courage and devotion. By Madame Elizabeth he was recommended to the king when his trial was impending; and after Louis’ condemnation to death he was able to obtain permission to celebrate mass for him and attend him on the scaffold, where he recommended the king to allow his hands to be tied, with the words: “Sire, in this new outrage I see only the last trait of resemblance between your Majesty and the God who will be your reward.” It is said that at the moment of the execution, the confessor uttered the celebrated words: “Son of St Louis, ascend to heaven” (although this is also disputed).
In spite of the danger he now ran, Edgeworth refused to leave France so long as he could be of any service to Madame Elizabeth, with whom he still managed to correspond. At length, in 1795, his mother having meanwhile died in prison, where his sister was also confined, he succeeded in escaping to England, carrying with him Elizabeth’s last message to her brother, the future King Charles X
whom he found in Edinburgh
. His brother, Ussher, who resided near Edgeworthstown, along with relatives there (including novelist Maria Edgeworth
), were keen for him to return to Ireland. However instead he went with some papers to Monsieur (Louis XVIII
) at Blankenburg in Brunswick, by whom he was induced to accompany him to Mittau
, in Russia, where he died of a fever contracted while attending some French prisoners in 1807. Louis XVIII wrote his epitaph, a copy of which, together with a letter of condolence, was sent by Louis' orders to Mr. Ussher Edgeworth in Ireland.
, in London in 1818.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priest and confessor
Confessor
-Confessor of the Faith:Its oldest use is to indicate a saint who has suffered persecution and torture for the faith, but not to the point of death. The term is still used in this way in the East. In Latin Christianity it has come to signify any saint, as well as those who have been declared...
of Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
.
Life
He was born in EdgeworthstownEdgeworthstown
Edgeworthstown or Mostrim is a town in County Longford, Ireland. The Edgeworthstown name is derived from the Edgeworth Family who have a long association with the town as the family estate of Henry Essex Edgeworth de Firmont was nearby, while Mostrim is an anglicisation of the town's pre-conquest...
, County Longford
County Longford
County Longford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford.Longford County Council is the local authority for the county...
, 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...
, the son of Robert Edgeworth, the rector of Edgeworthstown. His mother was a granddaughter of Archbishop Ussher
James Ussher
James Ussher was Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland between 1625–56...
. When he was about four, his father converted to Roman Catholicism, resigned his living and emigrated to Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, where the boy was brought up by the Jesuits. In 1769, after his father’s death, he went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to be trained for the priesthood. On taking orders he assumed the additional surname of de Firmont, from the family estate of Firmount near Edgeworthstown
Edgeworthstown
Edgeworthstown or Mostrim is a town in County Longford, Ireland. The Edgeworthstown name is derived from the Edgeworth Family who have a long association with the town as the family estate of Henry Essex Edgeworth de Firmont was nearby, while Mostrim is an anglicisation of the town's pre-conquest...
.
Though originally studying with a view to becoming a missionary, he decided to remain in Paris, devoting himself especially to the Irish and English Roman Catholics. Through his father and the Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
he became vicar-general of the diocese of Paris and friend of the royal family and stayed with them during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
In 1791 he became confessor to the Princess Elizabeth, sister of Louis XVI, and earned the respect even of the sans-culottes
Sans-culottes
In the French Revolution, the sans-culottes were the radical militants of the lower classes, typically urban laborers. Though ill-clad and ill-equipped, they made up the bulk of the Revolutionary army during the early years of the French Revolutionary Wars...
by his courage and devotion. By Madame Elizabeth he was recommended to the king when his trial was impending; and after Louis’ condemnation to death he was able to obtain permission to celebrate mass for him and attend him on the scaffold, where he recommended the king to allow his hands to be tied, with the words: “Sire, in this new outrage I see only the last trait of resemblance between your Majesty and the God who will be your reward.” It is said that at the moment of the execution, the confessor uttered the celebrated words: “Son of St Louis, ascend to heaven” (although this is also disputed).
In spite of the danger he now ran, Edgeworth refused to leave France so long as he could be of any service to Madame Elizabeth, with whom he still managed to correspond. At length, in 1795, his mother having meanwhile died in prison, where his sister was also confined, he succeeded in escaping to England, carrying with him Elizabeth’s last message to her brother, the future King Charles X
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
whom he found in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. His brother, Ussher, who resided near Edgeworthstown, along with relatives there (including novelist Maria Edgeworth
Maria Edgeworth
Maria Edgeworth was a prolific Anglo-Irish writer of adults' and children's literature. She was one of the first realist writers in children's literature and was a significant figure in the evolution of the novel in Europe...
), were keen for him to return to Ireland. However instead he went with some papers to Monsieur (Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
) at Blankenburg in Brunswick, by whom he was induced to accompany him to Mittau
Jelgava
-Sports:The city's main football team, FK Jelgava, plays in the Latvian Higher League and won the 2009/2010 Latvian Football Cup.- Notable people :*August Johann Gottfried Bielenstein - linguist, folklorist, ethnographer...
, in Russia, where he died of a fever contracted while attending some French prisoners in 1807. Louis XVIII wrote his epitaph, a copy of which, together with a letter of condolence, was sent by Louis' orders to Mr. Ussher Edgeworth in Ireland.
Memoirs and letters
Edgeworth's Mémoires, edited by C. S. Edgeworth, were first published in English (London, 1815), and a French translation (really the letters and some miscellaneous notes, etc.) was published in Paris in 1816. A translation of the Lettres de l'abbé Edgeworth avec des mémoires sur sa vie was published by Madame Elizabeth de Bow in Paris in 1818, and Letters from the Abbé Edgeworth to his Friends, with Memoirs of his Life, edited by Thomas Richard EnglandThomas Richard England
-Life:England was the younger brother of John England, bishop of Charleston. He was born at Cork in 1790, and after taking holy orders in the Roman Catholic Church was appointed curate of the church of St. Peter and St. Paul in his native city...
, in London in 1818.