Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. Excerpt from book: Section 3ADDENDA. In the Council Book of the Corporation of Cork are preserved two interesting letters from Bishop Clayton, concerning the building of the present Cathedral. It appears that in 1735 the Corporation petitioned Parliament, through their representatives, Hugh Dickson, of Ballybrickan, Esq., and Emanuel Pigott, of Chetwyn, Esq., for a continuation of a duty on coal and culm imported into this city (which duty had been previously applied to the building of the parish churches), for erecting a workhouse, and to support foundlings. Dr. B.. Clayton, who had just been appointed to these Sees, having been informed of this measure, immediately wrote a letter to the Corporation, dated Dublin, December 6th, 1735, in which he deplores the state of the Cathedral, and begs of them to consider that the City of Cork is the second city in this kingdom, that however desirable and meritorious it may be to erect a workhouse, still the Cathedral, the house of God, had prior claims; he also promises that he will use his influence with the Clergy to apply all the income of their economy, they possibly can, towards completing the ornaments of the inside. On the 9th of the same month, the Bishop’s request being put before the Council, it was carried by 12 for, there being 4 against the motion, that
the first five years of the coale tax be applyed towards rebuilding the Cathedral Church. (Council Book). On the receipt of this intelligence the Bishop wrote a letter to the Mayor, dated Dublin, December 20, 1735, thanking him and the gentlemen of Cork for their kind compliance with his request, and c., and thus concludes:
I hope those gentlemen who allow of the interposition of the providence of God, will acknowledge, at least, that the consideration which they have had in promoting the service of God has hitherto been of…