died on 23 Aug. 1678. His remains were interred in the cathedral, where a splendid monument, with a Latin epitaph, describing his virtues, his learning, and his patriotism, was erected to his memory (De Burgo, Hibernia Domenicana, p. 490 n.).
His works are: 1. ‘A Course of Philosophy,’ in Latin, 1630. Manuscript in Archbishop Marsh's library in Dublin. 2. ‘Querees propounded by the Protestant partie, concerning the peace in generall, now treated of in Ireland …’ Paris, 1644, 4to. 3. ‘The Polititian's Catechisme for his Instruction in Divine Faith and Morall Honesty. Written by N. N.,’ Antwerp, 1658, 12mo. This may be reckoned even more rare than the ‘Unkinde Desertor’ and ‘Bleeding Iphigenia.’ 4. ‘Protesta y suplica de los Catolicos de Irlanda y de la Gran Bretaña. Al … Principe de la Iglesia, el Cardenal Julio Mazerino, y al … Señor D. Luys Mendez de Haro y Sotomayor, Conde-Duque de Olivares,’ Seville, 1659, 4to, translated from the Latin. This protest is so rare that it appears to be unknown to the most diligent collectors of Irish tracts (Bibl. Grenvilliana, i. 257). 5. ‘In nomine sanctissimæ Trinitatis vera descriptio moderni status Catholicorum in regno Hiberniæ, et preces eorum, ad Sanctissimum Dominum Clementem Papam nonum,’ Cologne [1667], 8vo. The author's name, as designated by F. E. N. F. D. on p. 28, is ‘Fernensis Episcopus, Nicolaus French, Doctor,’ vide p. 26. 6. ‘A Narrative of the Earl of Clarendon's Settlement and Sale of Ireland. Whereby the just English adventurer is much prejudiced, the ancient proprietor destroyed, and publick faith violated: to the great discredit of the English Church and government (if not recalled and made void), as being against the principles of Christianity and true Protestancy. Written in a Letter by a gentleman in the Country to a nobleman at court,’ Louvain, 1668, 4to. This tract is extremely rare. It was reprinted, with some additions, under the title of ‘Iniquity Display'd, or the Settlement of the Kingdom of Ireland, commonly call'd The Act of Settlement … laid open,’ 1704, 4to. 7. ‘The Dolefull Fall of Andrew Sall, a Jesuit of the Fourth Vow, from the Roman Catholick Apostolick Faith; Lamented by his Constant Frind …’ 1674, 8vo, published under the initials N. N. There is an account of this work in ‘Catholicon: or the Christian Philosopher,’ 1818, v. 85–93. Sall replied to the attack in his ‘True Catholic Apostolic Faith,’ 1676. 8. ‘The Bleeding Iphigenia, or an excellent preface of a work unfinished, published by the authors frind, with the reasons of publishing it,’ no title-page, 1675, 8vo, published under the initials N. N. The Bleeding Iphigenia is Ireland. The author, lamenting Andrew Sall's abjuration of catholicism, inquires into the cause of persecution in Ireland and England. 9. ‘The Vnkinde Desertor of Loyall Men and True Frinds,’ 1676, 8vo. The ‘unkinde desertor’ is intended for a portrait of the Marquis of Ormonde. French's statements led to the Earl of Clarendon writing his ‘History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in Ireland,’ in defence and justification of the marquis's conduct.
A collection of his ‘Historical Works,’ edited by Samuel H. Bindon, was published at Dublin in 2 vols., 1846, 12mo, forming part of Duffy's ‘Library of Ireland.’ Vol. i. contains the ‘Bleeding Iphigenia,’ the ‘Settlement and Sale of Ireland,’ letters, &c., and vol. ii. the ‘Unkinde Desertor.’
[Bellings's Hist. of the Irish Confederacy, vol. i. pref. p. viii, ii. 215; Carte's Life of Ormonde; Clarendon's Hist. of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in Ireland; Clarendon State Papers, ii. 141; Cox's Hibernia Anglicana; De Burgo's Hibernia Domenicana, pp. 490, 657, 686–8, 692, 693, 695, 699, suppl. 861, 880, 881, 884, 895, 921; Gilbert's Contemporary Hist. of Affairs in Ireland (1641–52), i. 157–8, 168, 184–6, 288, 707, 716, 766, ii. 51, 106, 152–3, 196–8, 203, 290, 365, iii. 4, 5, 10, 178, 275, 301; Bibl. Grenvilliana; The Huth Library, ii. 553; Killen's Eccl. Hist. of Ireland, ii. 40, 81, 114; McGee's Irish Writers, p. 131; Moran's Spicilegium Ossoriense, pp. 390, 417, 438, 449, 454, 459, 475, 489, 499, 510; Notes and Queries, 2nd ser. vii. 45, 3rd ser. viii. 724; Rinuccini's Embassy in Ireland, translated by Hutton; Shirley's Library at Lough Fea, p. 116; Cat. of Library of Trin. Coll. Dublin, iii. 318; Walsh's Four Letters on Several Subjects to Persons of Quality; Walsh's Vindication of the Loyal Formulary on Irish Remonstrance.]
FRENCH, PETER (d. 1693), missionary, a native of Galway, studied divinity in Ireland and in the south of Spain, and became a friar of the order of St. Dominic. Going to Spanish America, he laboured for thirty years as a missionary among the Indians of Mexico, great numbers of whom he converted from idolatry. He wrote in the Mexican language ‘A Catechism or Exposition of the Christian Faith,’ but whether it was printed does not appear. Returning to his native country, he was employed on the mission until his death, which took place in Galway in 1693.
[Quétif and Echard's Scriptores Ordinis Prædicatorum, ii. 735, quoting John O'Heyn's Epilogus Chronologicus exponens Conventus et Fundationes Ordinis Predicatorum in regno Hiberniæ, Louvain, 1706, p. 24; Ware's Writers of Ireland, p. 295; Hardiman's Galway, p. 254.]
