AN IRISH HEDGE-SCHOOLMASTER,.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.") SIB.,—On reading your review, in the Spectator for December 2nd, of the interesting Irish reminiscences of Mr. Le Palm, it struck me that you might think the enclosed worthy of a place in your columns, as a specimen of the style of an Irish hedge- schoolmaster. The petition is quite genuine,—it was given to a distinguished Irish Dean still living, by a daughter of Bishop Ponsonby, and I copied it exactly as it was written.—
Priest-Chaplain, Stratford-on-Avon.
"COPY OF A PETITION SENT, IN 1842, TO DR. PONSONBY, BISHOP OF DERRY.
"To HIS SPIRITUAL LORDSHIP,—To THE RIGHT HON. RICHARD PONSONBY, HIGH LORD, AND ARCHBISHOP OF DERRY, in the province of Derry, in Ireland,— " The encomium, eulogium, memorial, Petition, and humble address of Patrick Cullen, formerly of Golden Hill near Kilbride, and presently a tenant in Ballystoeken, in the Parish of Vally- mount in the Co. of Wicklow in the Province of Leinater, in Ireland, most humbly sheweth that your Lordship's encomiumist, through unforseen chance being greatly agrioved and almost pained by a misfortunate accidence of the petitioner's youngest Son, nominally Michael Cullen going to a funeral, and on coming home unfortunate miscreants created a riot. But alas the one killed the other, and the Son of your memorialist had the mis- fortune, and irresistible fate to give the deceased Michael Reilly a kick through simplicity, artlessness and innocency, and Ignorant of the dangerous strong arm of the law, was sworn against at Blessington petty Sessions, as the vile perpetrator of the melan- choly accidence, through sinister views, to save their own lives from the censure of the melancholy accidence—that petitioner is at present a fugitive in some abroad unknown, and if taken as a prisoner, his life is inevitably in the possession of the Emperor of mortality. "That the petitioner Pat Cullen formerly a tenant in Golden Hill requests and solicits that your spiritual Lordship from your Lordship's great height, and eminence Superior and Imperial power will be so condescending as to grant to the petitioner's son Michael Cullen a reprief for his natural life, during the period of his existence, sanctioned by His Excellency the Lord Lieutenant sanctioned by her most gracious Majesty to save the life of peti- tioner's distressed and unfortunate son Michael Cullen, which is a distressed fugitive of repentance during the period of three years, until Divine Providence commands me to request and solicit your spiritual Lordship's interest from Derry for my dear and valuable son's life. By the virtue of a reprief from your venerable and spiritual Lordship to save the life of the Petitioner's distressed fugitive son, the unfortunate and misfortunate deplorable miserable lamentable and Penitential son Michael Cullen and his Maternal and Paternal parents, and Petitioner Pat Cullen of Golden Hill and Son will ever pray during the period of their existence to the omnipotint and divine Providence to reward your Lordship's posterity from the vast expansions of the Heavenly mansions for a reprief granted from the graceful highness of your Lordship's Regal Royal Marshal Superior Imperial most exquisite SG most excellent, most immaculate and most humane hands of your Spiritual Lordship, which the petitioner P Cullen of Golden Hill Humbly implores beseeches bemoans & requests & solicits to save the life of his young son Michael Cullen, which was his only dependence to console & com- fort him in his future days. The Petitioner P Cullen begs general amnesty from the Archbishop of Derry for tres- passing on your Lordship's most precious time, which is so dear and valuable to your noble august & illustrious family. --Humbly relying on your Lordship's well known humanity benevolence & charity in relieving the distressed Petitioner Pat Cullen of Golden Hill in saving my dear young Son's life by virtue of your Lordship's interest and reprief I return your Lordship a thousand thanks by the strength of my heartfelt gratitude. The Petitioner requests an answer from your Lordship direct as fol- lows: In care of Blessington Post Office for Pat Cullen near Middleton Ballystocken near Blessington in the Co. Wicklow April 15 1842.
"The Petitioner can produce a character and testimonials from independent noblemen of the first distinction as for his general propriety of good character and strict honesty. ' If your Lordship that is the first time that any of the Petitioner's family violated the law in any realm whatsoever."
Previous page
