Mary Bonaventure Browne - Her Work As A Historian

Her Work As A Historian

During her years of exile in Madrid, Mother Mary wrote "a huge work, in quarto, in the Irish language." Written c. 1670 at the convent of El Cavallero de Garcia, "it is particularly regrettable that the original of the great work is no longer extant, since a prose work in Irish by a pre-twentieth century female author would be a very rare thing indeed."

While almost the entire of the records of El Cavallero de Garcia, including this book, are now thought to be lost, there is a strong suggestion that the narrative which opens the annals of the Poor Clares of Galway could be an English translation of the second tractae of her book. Mother Mary's work comprised the following:

• I - Historical disquisition concerning haeresiarchs and the persecutions for which they are responsible.
• II - The Martyrdom of certain Poor Clares and Tertiaries during the reign of terror in Ireland.
• III - The Life of Henry VIII.
• IV - the Life of Anne Boleyn.
• V - the Life of Queen Catherine.
• VI - the Acts of Saint Colette.
• VII - The Life of Blessed Margaret del Pilar, Poor Clare.
• VIII - The Life of the Saintly Queen of Sicily.
• IX - Historical Tract concerning various people who lived devout lives in the world.
• X - Concerning the Devotion of the Rosary and its origin.
• XI - Concerning other Rosaries granted by the bounty of God to those devout to him.

Celsus O'Brien quotes the Poor Clare Annalist: "The Third Abbess of said Convent, Mary Bonaventure (alias) Browne, was a very good holy and perfect religious Sister, and was endowed with many rare virtues, as obedience, poverty, chastity, humility and charity. She was prudent and wise, well spoken in English, Irish and Spanish. She was the mirror and looking glass of religious observance that belonged to her Rule and status all of her lifetime. She left a True Chronicle written under her own hand, which she sent to this convent of Saint Clare, Galway, and a Remonstrance, a chalice, a holy curious relic, many pictures, books, ornaments, and other fine things fitting for the alter and Divine Service. All the aforesaid things were lost and burnt in the late wars, 1691."

In addition, she is said to have written a life, in English, of her sister, Catherine Browne. The dowry of Catherine - "due by bond of Andrew Browne and Sir Dominick Browne, knight, was put in trust for them in the names of Patrick D'Arcy and Richard Óge Martyn, Esq." Sir Dominick's wife was a sister of Darcy, while he and Richard Martyn were married to two of the sisters and heiress, Mary and Magdalene,who were daughters of Sir Peter French.

Her year of death is unknown, but she is believed to have been after 1670, and before 1691.