_October 21._--Several persons, by order of the Government, seized upon the Chappel and broke open the Library. The Chappel was sprinkled and new consecrated and Mass was said in it; but afterwards being turned into a storehouse for powder, it escaped all further damage. The Library and Gardens and the Provost’s lodgings were committed to the care of one Macarty, a Priest and Chaplain to ye King, who preserved ’em from the violence of the souldiers, but the Chambers and all other things belonging to ye College were miserably defaced and ruined.[58] We find in the _Dublin Magazine_ for August, 1762, p. 54, the following petition of the Roman Catholic Prelates of Ireland, which was probably presented to James II. at this time:-- “HUMBLY SHEWETH “That the Royal College of Dublin is the only University of this Kingdom, and now wholly at your Majesty’s disposal, the teachers and scholars having deserted it. “That before the Reformation it was common to all the natives of this country, as the other most famous Universities of Europe to theirs, respectively, and the ablest Scholars of this Nation preferred to be professors and teachers therein, without any distinction of orders, congregations, or politic bodies, other than that of true merit, as the competent judges of learning and piety, after a careful and just scrutiny did approve. “That your petitioners being bred in foreign Colleges and Universities, and acquainted with many of this Nation, who in the said Universities purchased the credit and renown of very able men in learning, do humbly conceive themselves to be qualified for being competent and proper judges of the fittest to be impartially presented to your Majesty, and employed as such directors and teachers (whether secular or regular clergymen) as may best deserve it, which as is the practice of other Catholic Universities, so it will undoubtedly prove a great encouragement to learning, and very advantageous to this Nation, entirely devoted to your Majesty’s interest. “Your petitioners therefore do most humbly pray that your Majesty may be graciously pleased to let your Irish Catholic subjects make use of the said College for the instruction of their youth, and that it may be a general Seminary for the clergy of this Kingdom, and that either all the bishops, or such of them as your Majesty will think fit (by your Royal authority and commission), present the most deserving persons to be directors and teachers in the said College, and to oversee it, to the end it may be well ruled and truly governed, and pure orthodox doctrine, piety and virtue be taught and practised therein, to the honour and glory of God, propagation of his true religion, and general good of your Majesty’s subjects in this realm, and as in duty bound they will ever pray,” &c. And the following petition from the heads of the College appears upon the Register:--