Linus, Cletus, and Clement were, therefore, the founders of the ecclesiastical city of Rome after Peter, and as such are invoked by our Saint; while Peter is the representative, the first of all the holy bishops who founded the Church throughout the world; the chief of that episcopacy, of which Saint Cyprian says: "Episcopatus unus est, cujus a singulis in solidum pars tenetur". THE SEE OF ARDAGH IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. We are indebted to the learned priest of the Roman Oratory, Father Theiner, for some valuable papers connected with the See of Ardagh in the sixteenth century, published in his recent work, "Vetera Monumenta Hibernorum et Scotorum historiam illustrantia" (_typis Vaticanis_, 1864), the more important on account of the general darkness which shrouds our Ecclesiastical history of that period, and of the inextricable confusion in which the succession of bishops in the See of Ardagh seemed hitherto involved. During the first years of the century, this see was governed by Dr. William O'Farrell, who, together with the mitre, retained the hereditary chieftaincy of his family, and was styled by his contemporaries Bishop of Ardagh and Dynast of Annaly. The brief of his appointment to the episcopal see is dated the 4th of August, 1479 (ap. Theiner, pag. 486), and Ardagh is described as having been rendered vacant by the demise of John, his immediate predecessor. The new bishop is said to be descended from the ancient chieftains of that district, and he is styled Abbot of the Cistercian Monastery of St. Mary's of Lera, better known by its more modern name of Granard; he is, moreover, described as remarkable for his learning, piety, and every virtue which should adorn the episcopal character. Dr. William O'Farrell governed the see of Ardagh for thirty-seven years, and died in 1516. The historian Ware, anxious to find room for two supposed bishops, viz.--_Thomas O'Congalan_, and _Owen_, who should have presided over this see between 1500 and 1510, asserted that Dr. O'Farrell resigned his see many years before his death. However, these two bishops never held the see of Ardagh; they were Bishops of Achonry, and the Latin name of that diocese, _Achadensis_, probably gave occasion to the error of the learned writer. In Father Theiner's collection there is another document of the year 1517, which illustrates this point. It is entitled "Processus Consistorialis", that is, a consistorial inquiry for the appointment of a successor to Dr. O'Farrell. This consistorial record presents to us a series of very important monuments. It opens with a letter of King Henry VIII., addressed to the great Pope Leo X., and dated Greenwich, 26th July, 1517. We give the whole original text of this letter, as it forms such a contrast with the subsequent iniquitous career of that unfortunate monarch: "Sanctissimo Clementissimoque Dño. nostro Papae.