Letter from [Alexander Winster] to William Lesley, 1664-03-28, Angus

Letter from [Alexander Winster] to William Lesley, 1664-03-28, Angus

Scotland

Mission reports

Scottish colleges

Copy of a letter from Alexander Winster, prefect of the Scottish mission, to its procurator in Rome, William Lesley. In the letter he: a) requests news about Thomas Lumsden for the third time, as he has not heard from Lumsden since he went to France; b) writes about the great need of missionaries  (especially Irish missionaries who speak Gaelic), for the mission in the Highlands where there are between 3,000 and 4,000 Catholics; the letter notes that missionaries for the Lowlands are also needed; c) notes that Francis White and the schoolteacher [Alexander] Macalister are in great need and require help, and that he as prefect wants to receive precise orders on what to do to help them. He furthermore complains about the lack of help from the Scottish College in Paris; d) notes the mission itself is going well, but there are too many Catholics for the scarce amount of priests. Moreover, the king has instituted a tribunal to put order to the ecclesiastical situation, which causes fear among the people. He is said to be forwarding a letter from [Francis] White and one from the schoolteacher [Macalister]. Unsigned and dated the 28 March 1664. PF notes repeat the great need of help for Francis White described by the prefect, and add the possibility to accept earlier proposals of the archbishop of Armagh [Edmund O'Reilly] to send some of his Irish priests. The cardinals decide to provide for financial help for Francis White and to send the priests proposed by the archbishop of Armagh, after knowing from the procurator, however, how many should be sent and what characteristics they should have. 

Date discussed 1664-06-30

Additional comments

The letter from Francis White to which the current letter refers might be APF SOCG 308, 54r-v (database item 315), which was written on 13 March 1664 and was discussed during the same PF meeting.

[Alexander Winster]

APF SOCG 308, 55r-57v, 58v

1664-03-28

Addressed to William Lesley

For the minutes of the PF meeting where this matter was discussed, see:PF ACTA 33, 91r, 101r.

Copy, unsigned and undated

Italian

Latin

Letter

316

Origin: Angus

Destination: [Rome]