Year: 1864




The clerical hero well knew.


The parish Of Bog Valley, in the hand
some county of Mayo, ireland, was ric


benefce, and like most other fat churc


liyings at the time, in the gift of tn
Archbishop of the diocese, by law enac
! tGd as early as the reign Of the roya


virgin Of immortal memory. When m,


grandfather was boy, little before th'


memorable Horn war broke out in tha


country, there filled the metropolitan


chair, n wise and powerful prelate, whost


name (pardon me) do not wish to pub


li,h. His lord.hip was justly celebrated


for his learning, and was regarded by


high and low, as the most religious dig


nitary Of the church established by law


in that section of the realm. Descended


from the proudest Of the mobiles, who in


ireland espoused the English cause in
the reign Of William and Mary, he had
great influence in Church and State and
although in politics a high tory, was nei-
ther a bigot in religion, nor, like other
minions Of the crown, in that age Of pc
nal codes and iron legislation, an unteel-
ing prosecutor of those who still adhered
to the ancient faith But whether from
his lord,hip's abundant liberaIty, or his
Cardinal Woo'sey style Of living, the
bishop was always needy, and not unfre-
quently Ct vas whispered in private cir
cles) had recourse to strange ways of re.
plenishing his exchequer. How that may
be is a question of too much delicacy for
my purpose; and all ! wish to say is,
that towards the close of his lordShip's
early career, a rather curious episode oc.
Cured, which l shall briefly relate with
out either exaggeration or coloring.


At the time Of which l write, the ven
cradle rector of Bog Valley parish died,
in q good old age, and was gathered to
his people in the heavenly Canaan. As
the living, made vacant by the demise Of
this good man, was rich one, and in the
gift of the Bishop, it was not to be won
dered that his lord,hip had many appli-
cations for the benefce. No poor nor in
different curate had any chance of sue
ceedHg to such a living and therefore
the applicants were for the most part,
men Of talent and high standing in socic-
ty, as well as Of good report in the church.
Perhaps some Of these substantial eandi-I
dates might have fooli.hly rendered his
lordsh'p a triding bounty, or thrown cut
some feeler to that effect, but if so, the
experimenter was doomed to disappoint-
ment, for the good Bishop was too noble
to be tempted with a small bribe, and too
spirited to sell fat living for trna.


To set the matter in the right light,
his Grace publicly announced from the
throne in his cathedral one Sunday morn,
ing, that the parish of Bog Valley could
only be given to the theologian who was
able to tell from the Bible, or some other
valid record, who were the parents of
MELCHIsADEK!


"On the clear solution of this problem, |
my brethren said the Bishop, "the par
ish is to be given. Send in your answers
in writing, briefly, before one month, or
viva voce to me at the palace; l will de-
eide impartially, without distinction OF
persons"


TO work went the learned aspirants
for the fat living. Homilies were writ
ten in hot haste, and plausible theories
invented to solve the mystery connected
with the being of this wonderous man.
The ponderous folios of the ancient faith
srs of the church were consulted, togeth-
sr with the musty lore of the Jewish
rabbis, TO no effect. The Bible was ran.
sacked from cover TO cover, with all the
of anceint and modern di-
zines, with no better result. To each
and every one of these statements, as it
vas presented to his Grace, he deigned
me reply, written across the last page ofI
be manuscript. 1t was this


"Read it through


But twill not do;


The parish, Priest, is not for you"
While to ministers more forward, who
applied personally at the palace, the an
iwer was a denial equally laconic. None
The month was nearly ex-
bred, and it was surmised that the bishop
Intended to keep the parish to himself,
md supply the pulpit by vicar.


Not many miles from the palace lived
IN old lawyers sbrewd fox, who for