Fleming, Thomas (1), Dd

Fleming, Thomas (1), D.D.

an Irish prelate, of the family of the barons of Slane, was a Franciscan friar, and for some time a professor of theology in Louvain. He was made archbishop of Dublin, October 23, 1623. In conformity with a proclamation issued by lord Falkland, in April 1629, the archbishop and mayor of Dublin seized upon several priests in that city in, the act of saying mass, their ornaments were taken from them, the images battered and destroyed, and the priests and friars were delivered up to the solders. Between the years 1633 and 1640, Dr. Fleming's life appears to have been passed in the unobtrusive exercise of his ecclesiastical duties. In 1640 he presided at a provincial council, which was held at Tycrogher, in the county of Kildare. In 1642 archbishop Fleming, being much annoyed with the affairs of the country, sent the Reverend Joseph Everard to appear as his proxy at the synod of the Roman Catholic clergy, which met at Kilkenny in May of that year. On June 20, 1643, archbishop Fleming and the archbishop of Tuam were the only prelates who signed the commission authorizing. Nicholas, viscount Gormanston, Lucas Dillon, Sir Robert Talbot, and others, to treat with the marquis of Ormond for the cessation of arms. In July 1644, he was present at the general assembly, when the oath of association was agreed upon, whereby every confederate swore to bear true faith and allegiance to the king and his heirs, to maintain the fundamental laws of Ireland, the free exercise of the Roman Catholic faith, and to obey the orders and decrees of the supreme council. In 1649 he was one of those who signed the declaration, at Clonmacnoise, reconciling all former differences. In October 1650, this prelate, in person, at Galway, signed the document authorizing Dr. Nicholas French, bishop of Ferns, and Hugh Rochfort, to treat and agree with any Catholic prince, state, republic, or person as they might deem expedient for. the preservation of the Catholic religion. He died about 1666. See D'Alton, Memoirs of the Abps. of Dublin, page 390.