Armagh

In January 1801 the question of who was patron of Armagh, a flourishing market town and centre of the linen trade, was a matter of debate. As the borough fell within the see of the primate of the established church, the archbishop of Armagh, he was commonly regarded as patron. On the other hand, the Irish government, which traditionally exercised considerable influence on ecclesiastical appointments, claimed the last word in recommending candidates.Dublin SPO 515/84/4. Taking this view, Cornwallis, as lord lieutenant, was anxious for Duigenan to vacate his seat in favour of Corry, the chancellor of the Irish exchequer. George III, however, bearing in mind that Duigenan was a well known, not to say fanatical opponent of the Catholic claims and that Corry supported them, wrote a brisk note to the new archbishop, Dr Stuart, insisting that ‘the lord primate must think his giving his support to anyone who does not declare his adherence to the established church, and resolution to oppose any innovation in favour of Popery would be highly improper’. The primate did think so and deprived Cornwallis of Corry’s return.Ibid. 544/326/1; Geo. III Corresp. iii. 2329, 2332-3. From then until his death in 1822 the primate was regarded as patron. To quote Chief Secretary Peel, writing in 1818: ‘The representative of Armagh is considered the representative and guardian of the interests of the Irish church, and the primate will have no one but a decided Protestant’. This comment was provoked by a hitch in an arrangement whereby John Leslie Foster was to be returned both for Armagh and Lisburn, to vacate the latter for John Wilson Croker. When Lord Hertford, patron of Lisburn, demurred, Charles Arbuthnot of the Treasury suggested that Croker should come in for Armagh, but his Catholic sympathies ruled this out. As it was, Peel had had to assure the primate of a seat for his son in two years’ time to secure the arrangement, for fear that he would otherwise return his son-in-law George Knox, who was not a friend of government.Add. 40295, ff. 131, 136, 146, 149, 155.