on the feast of the Epiphany, after the text
_Videntes stellam Magi_, he begins with the invocation, _O Maria stella
Maris, Mater stellae solaris_. After the introductory prayer he repeats
the text in the vernacular, and then proceeds with the division of the
subject. In dividing his discourse he generally employs the rigour of
the scholastic method; each member of the division being complete in
itself, and forming as it stands a finished whole. Hence, the great
feature of his style is its singular clearness; a clearness which,
however, never becomes hard or cold, so tender is the unction that
pervades the entire. He appears to have had a singular devotion to St.
Catherine the Martyr and to St. Thomas of Canterbury, among the saints;
three or four different sermons are to be found in the collection in
honour of each. It is much to be regretted that those beautiful sermons
have never been printed.

Anxious to secure efficient pastors for his flock, he took care that his
clergy should have the benefit of the highest literary and
ecclesiastical training it was within his power to procure. With this
view he sent four of his priests to the University of Oxford, where he
himself had spent so many happy years of profitable study. He also
acquired for his diocese from the Benedictines of St. Mary of Lenley's
in Normandy, the priory and houses of St. Andrew in the Ardes, belonging
to that order. Besides this, he was diligent in visiting every portion
of his province. Among the rolls of Edward III., there is a letter of
28th April, 1356,[21] addressed by that King to the Archbishop, at a
moment that the latter has actually engaged in his visitation of the
diocese of Meath. Edward calls upon the Primate to return with all speed
to Dundalk to treat with Odo O'Neill, who was advancing upon that town
with a considerable army of Irish. Nor was it the first time that the
Archbishop's virtues enabled him to discharge the blessed office of
peacemaker in the disturbed state of society in which his lot was cast.
As far back as 1348 he had received from the King full powers to treat
for peace between the English and Irish.[22]

While careful of the spiritual interests of his diocese, Archbishop
Fitz-Ralph did not neglect to take care of its temporal concerns. He
justified to the letter the description given of him in the bull which
made him Archbishop: _in spiritualibus providum, in temporalibus
circumspectum_.

On January 11th, 1351, he