Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bray, Thomas (1759-1820)

353061Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 06 — Bray, Thomas (1759-1820)1886Thompson Cooper

BRAY, THOMAS, D.D. (1759–1820), an Irish catholic prelate, was born in the diocese of Cashel on 5 March 1759. He became archbishop of Cashel in 1792, and died in 1820. He was author of the following privately printed work: 'Statuta Synodalia pro unitis Dioecesibus Cassel. et Imelac. lecta, approbata, edita, et promulgata in Synodo Dioecesana; cui interfuit clerus utriusque Dioeceseos, habita prima hebdomada mensis Septembris, anno M.DCCC.X.,' 2 vols., Dublin, 1813, 12mo. This rare book contains a papal bull against freemasonry; a decree of the council of Trent against duellists, with an explanation of it in English to be given by each priest to his flock; and short memoirs of the archbishops of Cashel and the bishops of Emly. The second volume bears the following title: 'Regulations, Instructions, Exhortations, and Prayers, &c., &c., in English and Irish: with the manner of absolving heretics, in Latin and English: for the united dioceses of Cashel and Emly.'

[Martin's Privately Printed Books, 570, 571 Brady's Episcopal Succession, ii. 29; Notes and Queries, 2nd ser., xi. 197.]

T. C.