Reference code: GB-0298-UC/P43
Title: St Omers Papers
Dates of creation: 1668-1755
Extent: 1 file
Held by: Ushaw College library
Origination: St Omers
Language: Latin, English and French
The College of Saint Omers in Artois, France (then part of the Spanish Netherlands), was founded in 1593 by the English Jesuit priest, Father Robert Parsons. It was intended to complement those English Catholic seminaries on the continent,
specifically Douai, Rome and Valladolid, with an institution aimed at laymen. Only 24 miles from Calais, the site was chosen primarily for its proximity to England but it was also close to the University of Douai, wherein the publishing and editing
of the Douai-Rheims Bible was taking place. During the seventeenth century, the popularity of the college ebbed and flowed in line with the wider political and religious situation affecting Catholics, particularly evident during the English Civil
War, in which the number of students at the college dropped to 24. In the eighteenth century and, with Artois now under French rule, the college enjoyed its greatest period of prosperity from 1720 to 1762. However, the expulsion of the Jesuits from
France in 1762 resulted in many of its students forming separate colleges in Bruges and Liège. The declaration of war between France and England in 1793 effectively forced the closure of Saint Omers. A former student, Thomas Weld, donated a mansion
and grounds at Stonyhurst, Lancashire, to help to establish Stonyhurst College in 1794.
Papers including correspondence between John Darell and others on proposals for raising money for the Jesuit College and news of his family, and the Congregations of Rites on feast days, as well as legal documents relating to the deposit of a
relic of St Thomas of Hereford at the College.
Papers collected by Professor de Vocht of the University of Louvain and donated to the Revd David Milburn.
Presented by the Revd David Milburn to Ushaw College.
Collection brought together by Revd Michael Sharratt as part of the Old Series of documents in Ushaw College Library
Previous reference number OS 1 C
Open for consultation.
Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from pg.library@durham.ac.uk and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. The Library will assist where possible with identifying copyright
owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material
Card catalogue with item list
Letter nos. 4-9 are printed in F.G. Roberts, “Some letters from Sedgley Park”,
The Cottonian, 41, 2, 89 (1953), p.47-52
UC/P43/1 [?late seventeenth century]
Language:
Latin
Memorandum on various queries about the burses at a college at Winckel and a feast to celebrate doctorates
1f
UC/P43/2 14 March 1731 - 20 October 1741
Language:
Latin
Copy of a decree by the Congregation of Rites allowing the English Province to retain the feast of the Guardian Angels as a double of the second class
Copy authenticated by Percy Plowden S.J. (20 October 1741)
1f
UC/P43/3 15 September - 25 October 1731
Language:
Latin
Copy of a decree by the Congregation of Rites allowing the English Province to retain the feast of Augustine of Canterbury as a double of the first class
Copy authenticated by Percy Plowden S.J. (25 October 1731)
1f
UC/P43/4 [?1668]
Language:
Latin
Affidavit by John Poyntz S.J. testifying that he deposited a relic of St Thomas of Hereford with his sister Mary in Paris on 12 November 1651 to be kept for the English Province
1f
UC/P43/5 1 October 1668
Language:
Latin
Affidavit by Richard Barton S.J. testifying that he has placed in the college's Sodality Chapel the relic of St Thomas of Hereford
Signed and sealed
Countersigned by the bishop of St Omers, giving permission to expose the relic
2f
UC/P43/6 20 January - 10 July 1697
Language:
Latin
Approval by Pope Innocent XII of the [?establishment of the] Bona Mors Confraternity in England
Attestation by Lewis Sabran S.J. of this approval (10 July 1697)
1f
UC/P43/7 10 April 1734 - 20 October 1741
Language:
Latin
Copy of a decree by the Congregation of Rites allowing the English Province to retain the feasts of SS George, Edward the Confessor and Ursula
Copy authenticated by Percy Plowden S.J. (20 October 1741)
1f
UC/P43/8 10 April 1734
Language:
Latin
Copy of UC/P43/7 and other associated documents by Edmund Plowden S.J.
2f
UC/P43/9 30 July 1753
Language:
English
Letter from Bernard Baker S.J. (London) to John Darell S.J.: comments and suggestions on proposals for an extensive rebuilding of the college and chapel
2f
UC/P43/10 3 March 1754
Language:
English
Statement by Edward Galloway of the accounts of John Darell
1f
UC/P43/11 8 August 1755
Language:
English
Letter from Edward Galloway to John Darell S.J.: lottery tickets; confirming that he will send accounts shortly; details of payments to individuals
2f
UC/P43/12 [1755]
Language:
French
“Les prodigieuses qualitez et vertus du petit fruit qui s'appelle la fruttiglia di Catbalogan ou di S. Ignazio”
2f
UC/P43/13 26 June 1755
Language:
English
Bill and receipt by M.O. Darell (sister of John Darell S.J.) for globes purchased for St Omers College
1f
UC/P43/14 3 July 1755
Language:
English
Letter from Bernard Baker S.J. (London) to John Darell S.J.: suggestions on raising money for building as Poyntz is unlikely to help; Darell's family
2f
UC/P43/15 20 July 1755
Language:
English
Letter from M.O. Darell (Bruges) to John Darell S.J.: confirming that he has forwarded a letter to the provincial; family news; payment for the globes
2f
UC/P43/16 13 July 1755
Language:
English
Letter from Bernard Baker S.J. (London) to John Darell S.J.: letter of introduction for Elliott, Berry and Berington, who is taking his sons to Douai College; his proposal to borrow money for building
2f
UC/P43/17 10 September 1755
Language:
English
Letter from Philip Darell (Calehill) to John Darell S.J.: hoping to visit him in the winter; his boys in college; the unsuitability of the architect for the building work
2f
UC/P43/18 16 November 1755
Language:
English
Copy of a letter from John Darell S.J. to Lady Petre: asking for £3,500 towards the building of a new chapel
1f
UC/P43/19 11 January 1756
Language:
English
Letter from Philip Darell to John Darell S.J.: payment of his bill for his boys and commenting on their progress
2f
UC/P43/20 14 June 1756
Language:
English
Letter from Philip Darell to John Darell S.J.: commenting on his boys' failings and how they should be dealt with
2f
UC/P43/21 [?1750]
Language:
English
Copies by John Darell S.J. of “two letters I wrote from Spa” describing the scenery where he is taking the waters and the general improvement of his health
2f
UC/P43/22 [?1750]
Language:
English
Memorandum by [?Mr Croft] of the sale of his clothes
1f
