Tomb — effigial in Unknown Townland

15th-century effigial-slab (L. 2.2m x Wth 1.2m) of Michael Tregury (c. 1339-1471), Archbishop of Dublin (1450-71), located in St Stephen's Chapel, St Patrick’s Cathedral (DU018-020269-).  Described in the Urban Survey of Dublin City (Bradley and King 1988, Vol. 1, 82) as follows; ‘Michael Tregury. 1471. Rectangular limestone slab, decorated in relief and false relief. The effigy is that of an archbishop in his pontificals. The Gothic Latin inscription runs around the edge: IHS EST SALVATOR MEDS PRESUL METROPOLIS MICHAEL HIC DUBLINENSIS OBI IT MCCCCLXXI DIE DECEBR XXI MARMORE TOMBATUS PRO ME XPM FLAGITETIS’ (Hunt 1974, 141). Effigial tomb described by John Hunt (1974, No. 48, 141) as; 'In St Stephen's Chapel is a stone slab, flatly carved in relief with the figure of an archbishop in pontificals. The slab measures 7 ft. 2 in. [2.2m] by 4 ft. [1.2m] The commemorated man is shown in the act of blessing, and in his left hand is a cross staff on which is the figure of Christ crucified. It is correctly attired with a sudarium. He wears an ornate mitre and a short pallium. Above his right hand is St Michael holding a shield, above his left shoulder is a shield bearing the Tregury arms (three choughs) impaling those of the see of Dublin. Around the upper edge of the slab runs the inscription : I.H.S. EST SALVATOR MEUS  -  PRESUL METROPOLIS MICHAEL HIC DUBLINENSIS OBIIT - MCCCCLXXI DIE DECEMBRIS XXI -  MARMORE TUMBATIS PRO ME XPM FLAGITETIS - Jesus, Saviour of mankind, is my salvation —Michael, Archbishop of this City of Dublin—died 21st December 1471 —Although [I am] entombed in marble, Christ was scourged for me. The slab represents Michael Tregury, a Cornishman, who died in 1471, but the slab could have been carved some considerable time later as the practice of showing an Archbishop's arms impaling those of his see only becomes common after 1490'. The Dictionary of Irish Biography gives the following account of the life of Archbishop Michael Tregury; 'a native of Cornwall, educated at Oxford, where he received a B.Th. (1433) and served as senior proctor of the university (1434/5). He was appointed the first rector of the University of Caen in 1439, but resigned the post in the following year and returned to Oxford, where he was awarded a D.Th. (1444). Tregury held several benefices in the English church and served as a chaplain to Queen Margaret of Anjou, who recommended him to the bishopric of Lisieux (1447). As one of the king's clerks, he was granted the temporalities of Dublin in September 1449, after the death of Archbishop Richard Talbot, to hold during the vacancy. He was provided to Dublin on 20 October 1449, and the temporalities of his new diocese were restored to him as archbishop in February 1450. Tregury claimed that the wars with the Irish and the mismanagement of Archbishop Talbot had reduced the income of the archdiocese to less than £300 yearly, and he was allowed to hold monasteries in commendam to the yearly value of £200 in recompense. He also obtained an indult to visit the churches of his diocese by deputy in November 1451. He was suspended from his position (15 March 1453) for having himself consecrated before receiving the papal bulls, and obtained a licence of absence for three years on 23 March 1457 to go to Rome to plead his case. He served as a commissioner to supervise the defences of Dublin and also received a grant in 1460 to re-enter all diocesan lands in south Dublin, any previous grants or alienations notwithstanding; the only exceptions were that the castles of Tallaght and Ballymore were to be garrisoned by English troops. In connection with this reassertion of diocesan rights, Tregury was kidnapped in 1461–2 by the Harolds and the O'Byrnes, who were subsequently excommunicated for their abuse and ill-treatment of him. By the end of the decade, his conflicts with the marcher lords of south Dublin resulted in the temporary resurrection of the see of Glendalough. In 1465 he was accused of assaulting Stephen fitz William and stealing a halberd. He was pardoned by the pope in December 1469 for failing to carry out an oath to visit the shrines of the apostles, probably because of his age. Tregury died on 21 December 1471 at Tallaght, and was buried in St Patrick's cathedral' (Beresford 2009).   Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien