them to new Disturbances And accordingly the Earl of Desmond the Archbishop of Cashel the Bishops of Cork and Waterford and many other of the principal Men of Munster were pardoned and the Liberties and Charters of Youghal were restored and confirmed and their Priviledges enlarged In the mean time dyed Rowland Fitz-Eustace Baron of Portlester who at several times had been Deputy Chancellor and Lord High Treasurer of Ireland which last Place held thirty eight Years And about the same time died Cnoghor mac Trelagh O Brian Chief of Thomond and was succeeded by his Brother Gil duff by Popular Election according to the Custom of Tanistry But it is time to return to Perkin Warbeck whom we left in the Arms of a fair Lady in Scotland that King had already made several Essays in favour of this supposititious Prince but now his Affairs pressed him to make a Peace with the English which King Henry would not hear of unless Perkin were delivered up It was therefore necessary for the Impostor to seek new Quarters 1497. And therefore being secretly supplied by the King of Scotland with Necessaries for his Voyage he embarqued with his Wife and Family and landed safely at Cork the twenty sixth of July he could not have pitcht upon a Place more prone to Rebellion at that time but curst Cows have short Horns and their Ability was not suitable to their Inclinations however he listed one hundred and twenty Soldiers and by the Aid or at least Countenance of the Earl of Desmond he got Conveniences for their Transportation And so finding the Earl of Kildare so firm and potent that no good was to be done in Ireland and receiving an Invitation from the Cornishmen he sailed directly to Cornwal in September and landed safely at Whitsand-bay The City of Waterford which for its loyalty to the Crown against Lambert Symnel had received great Favours and Priviledges from his Majesty was now altogether as vigorous against Perkin and by its discreet behaviour in this Affair well deserved the Motto Intacta manet Waterfordia That City manned out four Ships and sent them in pursuit of Perkin but Fortune did not favour that Generous and Loyal Design This Impostor being thus arrived in England took upon him the Name of Richard IV King of England and as such behaved himself and acted his Part so well that he would often lament the Destruction of his People and would frequently bemoan the Tyranny and Oppressions they lived under which sort of Deportment took with the common People exceedingly insomuch that some thousands of them came to him at Bodmin with them he besieged Excester and assaulted the City with great vigour and Resolution which the Couragious and Loyal Citizens by the help of some of their Country Neighbours as valiantly defended Hereupon Perkin raised the Siege and marched to Taunton and although the Cornishmen continued resolute to conquer or dye yet Perkin perceiving their Courage was greater than their Strength and finding that the King's Army did daily increase whilst his did decrease he privately withdrew to the Sanctuary of Beaulieu in Hampshire and afterwards surrendred himself and being imprisoned in the Tower he made his escape once and attempted it the second time and was therefore together with his Friend John Waters Mayor of Cork hanged at Tyburne where he confirmed the Confession he had formerly made which was to this effect I Being born in Flanders Campion 104. in the Town of Turney put my self in Service with a Britton called Pregent Meno the which brought me with him into Ireland and when we were there arrived in the Town of Cork they of the Town because I was arrayed with some Cloaths of Silk of my said Masters threeped upon me That I should be the Duke of Clarence's Son that was before time at Divelin and forasmuch as I denyed it there was brought unto me the Holy Evangelists and the Cross by the Mayor of the Town called Ino Lavallin and there I took my Oath That I was not the said Duke's Son nor none of his Blood After this came to me an Englishman whose Name was Stephen Poytow with one John Walter and sware to me That they knew well that I was King Richard's Bastard-Son to whom I answered with like Oaths That I was not and then they advised me not to be afraid but that I should take it upon me boldly And if I would so do they would assist me with all their Power against the King of England and not only they but they were assured That the Earls of Desmond and Kildare should do the same for they passed not what part they took so they might be avenged on the King of England and so against my Will they made me to learn English and taught me what I should do and say And after this they called me Richard Duke of York second Son to Edward IV because King Richard's Bastard-Son was in the Hands of the King of England And upon this they entred into this false Quarrel and within short time after the French King sent Embassadors into Ireland viz. Lyot Lucas and Stephen Frayn and so I went into France and thence into Flanders and thence into Ireland thence into Scotland and so into England again But let us return to the Affairs of Ireland 1498. which were briskly managed by the Lord Lieutenant He called a Parliament at Trim which met on the twenty sixth of August in the fourteenth Year of the King's Reign which must be anno 1498. and not 1499. as it is mistaken in the printed Statutes for the King began his Reign the twenty second Day of August 1485. There is but one Act of this Parliament extant and that is To make all the Statutes in England about the Officers of the Custom-house to be of force in Ireland after Proclamation at Dublin and Drogheda A very needless Law certainly since it could have but four Years retro-spect all former English-Statutes being ratified here by Poyning's Act of 10 Hen. 7. cap. 22. In the mean time Henry O Neal who had murdered his Brother Con was this Year served in the same kind by Tirlagh and Con Sons of the former Con And not long after the Lord Lieutenant invaded Vlster in favour of the aforesaid Tirlagh O Neal who was his Nephew by the Mother he was joyned by O Donel Macguire and all Tirlaghs Friends and effectually besieged Dungannon took the Castle and set at Liberty all the Prisoners that Neal mac Art O Neal kept there and forced Neal mac Art himself to submit and give Hostages The Vlster Expedition being over the Lord Deputy in October marched to Cork where he placed a Garrison and forced the Inhabitants of that City and of Kingsale to swear Allegiance and to bind themselves thereunto both by Indentures and Hostages which it seems he thought were stronger Obligations upon them than their Oaths After his return in the beginning of March Ware 's Annals he held
assured of Our Favour and License in that behalf Dermond full of Hopes passed through England to Bristol where he caused the Kings Letters to be publickly and frequently read and he likewise published his own Overtures of great Entertainment to such as would assist him but his chief Dependance was upon Richard Earl of Chepstow commonly call'd Strongbow who Covenanted to aid him the next Spring with a good Force if he could obtain the Kings particular Leave to do so for which he was to have Dermond's only Daughter Eva and to succeed in the Kingdom of Leinster From Bristol Dermond went to St. Davids in Wales where he prevailed with Rhees Prince of that Country to enlarge Robert Fitz Stephens who was then in Prison and the Bishop of S. Davids perswaded the aforesaid Fitz-Stephens and Maurice Fitz-Girald to engage in Dermond's Quarrel for which the Irish Prince was to give them in Fee Wexford and two Cantreds adjoyning But Dermond impatient of longer absence from his own Country and to prepare for the reception of his Auxiliaries sailed to Ireland in August and Landed at Glascarrig 1169. and thence went to Fernes where he was kindly received by the Clergy to whom he made great ostentation of the Valour Number and Bravery of his new Confederates however he thought fit to remain with them private and as it were incognito that Winter In the mean time he sent his trusty Servant Maurice Regan in the Nature of an Embassadour to sollicite and hasten the English Assistance and to promise Lands to such of the Adventurers as would stay in Ireland and good Rewards in Mony or Cattle to them that designed to return But the English were mindful of their Engagements and Promise and in pursuance of them Robert Fitz-Stephens arrived at the Ban 1170. a small Creek in the County of Wexford about the Calends of May together with thirty Gentlemen sixty Men in Jacks and three hundred choice Archers and Pike-Men in three Ships And the next came Maurice of Prendergast ten Gentlemen and a number of Archers in two Barques As also Hervy of Mountmaurice whom Strongbow sent as his Agent to be informed of the true state of the Country They immediately send Notice of their Arrival which being known gave Dermond so great Reputation that his revolted Subjects flockt to him with such celerity and in such numbers as manifested their Levity and that they were too much inclined to court a prevailing Power That Night the English incamped by the Sea-side Regan and the next Day marched towards Wexford where they were met by Daniel Dermonds Natural Son and five hundred Men and soon after came Dermond himself and renewed the Leagues and Covenants between him and the English Stainhurst 71. and thereupon both Armies joyn and march friendly to Wexford Two thousand of the Wexfordians boldly make a Sally Giraldus Cambrensis but when they perceived the Armour Barbed Horses and other war-like Furniture of the English and such an Appearance as they had never seen before they were frighted therewith and easily persuaded to retire nevertheless they burnt their Suburbs and the adjacent Villages and manfully betook themselves to defend their Walls They also briskly repulsed Fitz Stephens his first Attack and killed eighteen of his Men whereupon the English were enraged and being resolved either to conquer or dye they first burnt their Ships and then made Publick Prayers in the Camp and prepared for a Second Assault but by the Mediation of some Bishops that was prevented and the fourth Day of the Siege the Town was surrendred on Articles and together with two Cantreds adjoyning was given to Fitz-Stephens and Fitz-Girald according to the former Agreement And to oblige the Earl of Chepstow Dermond bestowed two Cantreds situate between Wexford and Waterford on Henry of Mountmaurice and those three setled the first Colony of British on these Lands which have continued through-all the Changes since to this Day But the King of Leinster was overjoyed at this Success and to express his Gratitude to the English Adventurers he marched to Fernes to caress them where they staid three Weeks Regan M. S. and spent their Time in Feasting and Jollity Dermond did not fail to applaud their Valour and tell them how much they were dreaded by the Irish and then he proposed to them an Expedition into Ossory to which they readily consented The Army consisting of three thousand Irish besides the English in pursuance of the former Resolution invaded Vpper Ossory That Prince was Dermonds bitterest Enemy and had formerly imprisoned Dermond's Son and being jealous of him had put out both his Eyes by means whereof he dyed That Country being full of Woods and Bogs Stainhurst 79. might easily have been defended and the Prince of Ossory prepared to do so but Fitz-Stephens counterfeited a Flight and by that Stratagem drew out the Ossorians to pursue him and when he had got them on the Plain he charged them with his Horse to purpose and routed them with the Slaughter of above three hundred Men Lib. P. Lamb. whose Heads being brought to Dermond he most barbarously did bite away the Nose and Lips of one of them Hanmer 114. whom he knew and mortally hated However by this Defeat and the Inroads and Desolation they made in the Country Lib. P. the Prince of Ossory was forced to Submit swear Fealty and give Hostages to the King of Leinster But Mr. Regan not allowing of this Submission tells us of a second Expedition into Ossory and that after the Wexford Men were three times repulsed the English forced the Trenches beat the Ossorians and burnt the Country and Maurice de Prendergast being disgusted with Dermond resolved to return to England but being stopt at Wexford he took part with the Prince of Ossory but finding that Prince designed to murder him in stead of giving him his promised Pay he got rid of him by a Stratagem and returned to England and afterward came over again with Strongbow But however that be 't is more certain That the Army being refreshed invaded burnt and prey'd the Country of O Phelan and afterwards O Tools Country up to Glandelogh and met with small or no Resistance In the mean time Rotherick the Monarch of Ireland was alarm'd at the Advent and Success of the English and therefore he summon'd a General Parliament or Assembly of all the Princes of the Country they quickly resolved to attack the King of Leinster and to expel the Strangers and in order to put their Votes in execution they united their Forces and invaded O Kensile a Territory in Leinster Dermond finding himself unable to resist this mighty Force and the rather because he perceived his Subjects began to stagger in their Loyalty Stainhurst 82. which it seems was calculated for his Good Fortune only applyed himself to Fitz-Stephens and nakedly represented the Case to him and told him That unless he stuck firmly to him
Favour and consequently luxurious they always followed the Court and hated to be put in Frontier Garrisons or Places of Danger They were says Cambrensis great Talkers Boasters and Swearers very Proud and Contemners of all others greedy of Places of Places of Honour and Profit but backward in undertaking any hazardous and dangerous Action or performing any Service that might deserve them Moreover many of the English and Welch were dispossest of their best and safest Castles to make Room for the Normans and forc'd to take others in Exchange on the Frontiers by which means they were impoverish'd and discourag'd Add to this That several of the faithful Irish who had submitted to the English Government and lived within their Quarters and thereby became acquainted with the English Conversations Humors Strength Policies Seats and Habitations were likewise dispossess'd to make Room for the Normans and thereby forced to revolt to the Irish and became the most Dangerous of all the Enemies as being most Knowing and most Provok'd And thus it came to pass that after Earl John had wasted his Army in small and unprofitable Skirmishes and had staid eight months and done no other Good than that he built the Castle of Tybrach perhaps Typerary Lismore and Ardfinin the King sent for him and his Beardless Counsellors and in his Room substituted John de Courcy Earl of Vlster Lord Lieutenant of Ireland he brought over with him about four hundred Volunteers 1185. September And soon after his arrival he made a Progress into Munster and Connaught to put those Countries in order but it seems he fell into an Ambush or had some Skirmish with the Irish for it is said That he lost twelve Knights in his Return from Connaught 1186. On Midsummer-day the Prime of Limerick slew four Knights and a great part of the Garrison of Ardfinin And soon after by a Slight drew that Garrison into an Ambush by exposing a Prey to their View which they thought to have taken but he fell upon them and surprized and slew most of them But the Irish had not so good luck in Meath where they of Kenally had made Incursions and taken a Prey for William Petit rescued the Prey defeated them with great Slaughter and sent an hundred of their Heads to Dublin Old Lacy was now busie building his Castle of Derwath and himself working with a Pick-ax for Diversion when one of the malicious and ungrateful Workmen took the Opportunity whilst he was stooping Cambden 151. and with another Pick-Ax knock'd out his Brains And it seems there was an Insurrection thereupon for it is said That Courcy and Young Lacy revenged the Murder and reduced all things to quiet But it seems afterwards there grew some Distast between Courcy and Lacy so that Lacy who was the better Courtier supplanted Courcy who was the better Soldier and got himself into his Room This Courcy came from Stoke-courcy commonly call'd Stogussy in the County of Somerset I find that Robert de Courcy was made a Baron at Westminster 33 Henry 1. but whether he was the Ancestor of this Family I will not determine This Earl of Vlster had a natural Son John Lord of Kilbarrock and Raheny who was murdered by the Lacyes so that it is the Brother of this Earl John that was the Ancestor of the Noble Family of Courcy Lord Baron of Kingsale In the mean time King Henry died in Normandy on the sixth Day of July 1189. He was so well pleased with the Conquest of Ireland Davis 11. that he placed the Title of Lord of Ireland in his Royal Style before his Hereditary Estates of Normandy and Aquitain Baron Finglas M. S. And yet that Country was at that Time so inconsiderable or so little improv'd that there were not five Castles or Piles for Defence of Irish building in the whole Kingdom Dublin Cork and Waterford were built by the Easterlings and all the rest have been built since the Reduction of Ireland This King was both Wise and Valiant he was also Generous to the highest Degree so that he deserved to be ranked among the bravest Princes of that or any other Age and perhaps had made as great a Figure in History as any of them if the Undutifulness of Becket and the Rebellion of his own Sons had not interrupted his Designs However there are some who will never forgive him the Conquest of Ireland and therefore do load his Memory with many Malicious Aspersions equally Ridiculous and False Polichronicon l. 7. c. 21. They say his Grandmother could not endure the Mass and that her Husband ordered four Knights to hold her by Force whilst the Priest was celebrating but in spight of them she flew out of the Window with two of her Sons and was never seen after And that 't is no Wonder they that come of the Devil should go to the Devil And that King Henry's Embassador urging the King's Son to have Peace with his Father was answered That it was Natural to their Brood to hate one another That Henry was a Bastard and that S. Bernard the Abbot prophesied of him That from the Devil he came and to the Devil he should go That his Father had gelded a Bishop and that himself had murdered S. Thomas of Canterbury That his Father had Carnal Knowledge of Henry's Queen Elianor and abundance more of such silly Stuff THE REIGN OF John Earl of Moreton LORD of IRELAND Afterwards King of England Duke of Normandy c. RICHARD I 1189. for his Valour Sirnamed Ceur de Lyon by unquestionable Right Succeeded his Father on the Throne of England and was crowned at Westminster the third Day of September 1189 but his Style was no more than Speed 482. Rex Anglor dux Normannor Acquitan comes Andegavor For John Earl of Moreton youngest Son of the deceased King by virtue of the aforesaid Donation at the Parliament at Oxford anno 1177 succeeded his Father in the Sovereignty of Ireland And therefore we find the Pope's Legate had Commission to exercise Jurisdiction in Anglia Davis 19. Wallia illis Hiberniae partibus in quibus Johanes Comes Moretonii potestatem habet dominium For tho' it be a Fundamental Maxim of State That Ireland must not be separated from the Crown of England And tho' it be also an undoubted Maxim of Law That the King cannot alien any part of his Dominions yet neither of these were thought to be transgressed by the aforesaid Donation because it was made to the King's Son whose Interest and Expectations in England were thought to be sufficient Security for his Good Behaviour What Controulment Earl John might have met with in the Soveraignty of Ireland if the King Richard had been at Leisure to inspect that Matter is incertain But it is manifest That the King was so taken up with his Voyage to the Holy Land and so embarassed by the unfortunate Consequences of it that he never did
take any notice of Ireland and therefore we take no further notice of him than to give this brief Account of the Reason of our Silence in that Particular Hugh de Lacy was made Lord Justice of Ireland as aforesaid And as soon as he arrived he sent Imperious Letters to Courcy to discharge him of his Command and behaved himself so insolently that all was in Disorder Which the Irish perceiving and also that the King of England was preparing for a Voyage to the Holy Land they thought this an happy Opportunity to extirpate the English to which End they had a General Meeting and resolved unanimously to fall upon them Hanmer 169. and in order to it they entred into a League or Association and solemnly swore First To be true to one another and to the common Cause Secondly Never to yield any Obedience to the English again Ibid 162. And to begin the Business they fell upon Roger Poer Governour of Leighlin and barbarously murdered him and most of the Garrison Cormock O Connor Son of Rotherick King of Connaught commonly called Crove Darig because his Hand was red was the chief of the Conspirators he was an Active Valiant Gentleman and of so great Reputation that he was able to assemble twenty thousand Men of his own and the Confederates with which Army he designed first to clear Connaught then Vlster and afterwards the whole Kingdom In the mean Time Courcy Lord of Connaught and Earl of Vlster considering that he should have no Aid nor Help from the Lord Justice endeavoured to strengthen himself the best he could and to that End sent for his Brother S. Lawrence who made more Haste than good Speed for he came away with thirty Horse and two hundred Foot and at Knockmoy in the County of Galway fell into an Ambush the King of Connaught had laid for him and tho' they fought so valiantly that they killed one thousand Irish Men yet the Issue was That this small Army was totally destroyed not one escaping And tho' O Connor in Remembrance and Ostentation of this Victory did there build the Abbey de Colle Victoriae yet when he had well considered the prodigious Valour of that Handful of Men and his own Loss he thought himself necessitated to sue to Lacy for Peace which he soon obtained upon reasonable Conditions About this Time Robin Hood and Litle John were Famous Robbers in England but their Company being dispersed and Robin Hood taken Litle John fled to Dublin and shot an Arrow from Dublin-Bridge to the litle Hill in Oxman-Town thence called Litle John's Shot He was called Litle John Ironically for he was not less than fourteen Foot long believe it who will Hector Boetius affirms The Hole of his Huckle Bone was so big that he could thrust his Hand through it He fled from Dublin to Scotland where he dyed This Year Isabel 1189. only Daughter of Strongbow by Eva Prencess of Leinster was married to William Lord Maxfield Earl Marshal of England He was a great Favourite to King Richard and at his Coronation carried the Regal Scepter whereon was a Cross of Gold He was afterward by King John Hanmer 177. created Earl of Pembrook and had five Sons who were successively Earls and all died without Issue and he had five Daughters among whom his Estate was divided viz. to Joan the County of Waxford to Matilda the County of Caterlough to Isabel the County of Kilkenny to Sybilla the County of Kildare and to Eva the Mannor of Downmass in Leix now the Queen's County in all which they exercised Palatine Jurisdiction Of this Family Thomas Mills in his Catalogue of Honour gives this Account That Richard Earl of Chepstow was nick-named Strongbow because of his exceeding Strength so that he drew an traordinary Srong Bow his Arms were so long that he could stand upright and with the Palms of his Hands touch his Knees That his Daughter Isabel was fourteen Years a Ward to Henry II That her Husband William Earl Marshal was created Earl of Pembrook 27 May 1199 and that she dyed anno 1221 and was buried at Tintern Abbey and that he dyed 16 March 1219. They had five Sons and five Daughters William married Elianor Sister of Henry III and died the sixth of April 1231. Richard died the sixteenth of April 1234. Gilbert married Margaret Daughter of William King of Scotland 1235 and died by a fall from his Horse the twenty eighth of May 1242. Walter died 1245 in Wales and Anselm died the same Month viz the twenty first of December Maud successively married Hugh Earl of Norfolk William Earl of Warren and Walier Lord Dunstanvil Joan married Warren Lord Montchensy the richest Baron in England Isabel married Gilbert Earl of Glocester and afterwards Richard Earl of Cornwal King of the Romans Sybil married William Earl of Ferrers and Darby and Eve married William de Brees Lord of Brecknock and Partition was made between these Noble Coparceners at Woodstock Lib. G. May 3. 31 Hen. 3. About this Time 1190. viz. Anno 1190 the City of Dublin was burnt by Accident 1191. so that it was almost totally destroyed and the Kingdom was governed by William Petit Burlace 11. who held it a very short Time before William Earl of Pembrook and Earl Marshal of England came over Lord Justice or Governour of Ireland he was the third of the Temporal Assistants King Richard had left to the Bishop of Ely for the Government of England he was a Valiant Man and had a great Estate in Ireland 1191. and therefore was thought the fittest Governour for that Country in this Critical Time whilst King Richard was Prisoner in Austria and Earl John was engaged in Troublesome and Ambitious Designs in England In the Year 1194. the Reliques of S. Malachy Bishop of Clareval Cambden 151. were brought into Ireland and with great Reverence and Devotion deposited in the Abby of Mellifont and other the Monasteries of the Cistersian Order It seems the Reputation or Power of this Noble Governour was sufficient to keep Ireland quiet 1197. for we read of little or no Disturbance there during his Time which was about six Years And then he resign'd to Hanno de valois a Gentleman of Suffolk Lord Justice of Ireland who continued in that Government until the Death of King Richard which happened at Chalons in France on the sixth Day of April anno 1199. John Earl of Moreton and Lord of Ireland did on the Death of King Richard without Title ascend the Throne of England Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury was a great assistant to this Usurpation he told the People That John had the Crown by Election which the King did not then gain-say it being no fit Time to dispute the MANNER so he had the THING he aimed at but the Right was in his Nephew Arthur whom he afterwards got into his Hands and caused him him to be murdered as was at that Time generally reported
undertaken the Crusado I cannot determine which but for the one reason or the other he was removed and Henry de Londres Archbishop of Dublin April 23. 1219. was made Lord Justice and continued so for five years he was nick-named Scorchvillein Holingsh 32. by the Irish because they said he burnt his Tenants Leases and other Writings which they brought to shew him but this silly Story is not to be believ'd of so Learned a Man and so good a Governour as every body allows this Archbishop to have been especially since it is not denied but that he suffered all his Tenants to enjoy their Farms even according to their Claims It was this Lord Justice that built the Castle of Dublin anno 1220. 1220. And about the same time died at London William Earl Marshal Protector of the King and his Kingdoms Some Irish Antiquary was so silly to think he was call'd Marshal quas◠Mars his Seneschal for he was indeed a very warlike Man He was succeeded by his Son William against whom the Bishop of Fernes complained to the King That his Father had disseis'd the Church of two Mannors for which reason he was excommunicated and so died The King commanded the Bishop to go to the Earls Tomb and to absolve him and promis'd that he would endeavour his Satisfaction Hanmer 176. Whereupon the Bishop accompanied with the King went to the Grave and said O William that here liest wrapped in the Bonds of Excommunication if what thou hast injuriously taken be restored by the King or thy Heir or thy Friends with competent satisfaction I absolve thee otherwise I ratifie the Sentence that being wrapped in thy Sins thou maist remain damned in Hell for ever The King was dissatisfied with the rigour of the Bishop but could not prevail with the young Earl to part with any thing of his Estate wherefore the Bishop confirm'd his Curse and it brought no small Veneration to the Clergy that this Earl and his four Brethren died without Issue which the Superstitious People thought to be the Effect of that Execration The young Earl Marshal had great Contests with Hugh de Lacy Earl of Vlster 1221. so that Meath was wonderfully harass'd between them Trim was also besieged and reduced to an ill condition but it had the good Fortune to escape this Brush Hanmer 189. and to have a strong Castle built soon after to prevent the like Calamities for the future 6 Hen. 3. About this time Davis 15. 123. the King granted to O Brian King of Thomond the Country of Thomond habendum during the Kings Minority rendring an hundred and thirty Marks per annum which is the only Grant made by the Crown of England to any meer Irishman to that time except that to the King of Connaught And before this Davis 124. viz. 3 H. 3. Richard de Burgo for one thousand pound obtained a Grant of all Connaught to him and his Heirs after the Death of the then King of that Country The Lord Justice who was also Archbishop and Legate did in his Spiritual Capacity too much encroach on the Temporal Jurisdiction and therefore upon the Complaint of the Citizens of Dublin Aug. 9. 7 H. 3. he had a notable increpatory Writ sent to him 1222. which is to be found in Prin's Animadversions on the fourth Instit 251. And at the same time the King sent another Writ to the Justice to redress a Nusance to the Harbour and Citizens of Dublin Prin 251. according to the Law of England I find some Reasons to believe that the Lord Justice Londres was sent for to England anno 1220 and his Room supplied by Geofry de Marisco till his Return Octob. 28. the same Year but however that be it is certain that after this Justice had govern'd Ireland five Years he was removed And most probably was succeeded by 〈…〉 William Earl Marshal 1224. Lord Justice In whose Time in May 8 Hen. 3. Lacy was so effectually pursued that he was forced to submit and the same Year was pardoned About the same Time the King prohibited Appeals to be made to the Pope Lib. Z. Z. and by his Letter to the Archbishop of Armagh Lamb. 19. severely reprimanded him for sending to the Pope about Causes Ecclesiastick The King in the fifth Year of his Reign had granted to the Citizens of Dublin towards walling their City three Pence out of every Sack of Wool six Pence for every Last of Hides and two Pence out of every Barrel of Wine sold in their City 1225. and now 9 Hen. 3. he gave them fifty Marks in Mony to the same purpose On the tenth Day of June 10 Hen. 3. A Writ was sent to the Lord Justice to seize on the Country of Connaught forfeited by O Connor 1226. and to deliver it to Richard de Burgh at the Rent of three hundred Marks for the first five Years and afterwards of five hundred Pound per annum except five choice Cantreds near Athlone which I suppose were designed for the Conveniency and Support of that Garrison But on the first Day of August 10 Hen. 3. Geofry de Marisco was made Lord Justice and had a Sallary of five hundred Marks payable out of the Exchequer granted unto him It is probable That soon after his Arrival his Predecessor William Earl Marshal repaired to Court to give the King an Account of his Administration And the Irish were forward to take Advantage of his Absence and the ill Posture of the King's Affairs in Ireland and therefore to make the best Use they could of this Opportunity they made so general a Confederacy that their Army amounted to twenty thousand Men Sperantes says my Author se posse omne genus Anglorum ab Hiberniae finibus exterminare But all this Ostentation came to nothing and this numerous Rabble were without much Difficulty defeated by Hugh de Lacy and Richard de Burgh and their Followers And the Irish General O Connor King of Connaught was taken Prisoner The King Lib. GGG in the fifth Year of his Reign wrote to all the Ports of Ireland Lambeth To make some Gallies in their respective Havens for the Defence and Security of him and his Kingdom of Ireland And in the tenth Year of his Reign he prevailed with the Pope to write to the Irish Bishops to give him a Subsidy 1227. And now the eleventh Year of his Reign the Pope did write to the Clergy To give Subsidiary Aid to the King Which it seems was effectual for I find this Entry on the Roll. 11 Henric. 3. Rex habuit auxilium de Hibernia And the same Year the Lord Justice received a Writ To aid the Episcopal Excommunication with the Secular Arm as was usual in England which is to be found at large Prin's Animadversions Prin 252. 252 and bears Date the eighteenth of January And there was also a Writ or Charter enjoyning
the Observation of the English Laws in Ireland which I have already recited in the Reign of King John Hubert de Burgo or Burgh Chief Justice of England and Earl of Kent Splem Gloss 340. was made Earl of Connaught and Lord Justice of Ireland during Life and because he could not personally attend he deputed Richard de Burgo Lord Justice or Deputy to whom the King sent the following Writ March 10. 1227. for establishing the English Laws in Ireland REX dilecto sideli suo Ricardo de Burgo Justiciario suo Hiberniae Prin. 252. salutem Mandamus vobis firmiter praecipientes quatenus certo die loco faciatis venire coram vobis Archiepiscopos Episcopos Abbates Priores Comites Barones Milites libere tenentes Balivos singulorum Comitatuum coram eis publice legi faciatis Cartam Domini J. Regis Patris nostri cui Sigillum suum appensum est quam fieri fecit jurari à Magnatibus Hiberniae de Legibus Consuetudinibus Anglorum observandis in Hibernia praecipiatis eis ex parte nostra quod Leges illas ad Consuetudines in Carta praedict ' contentas de cetero firmiter teneant observent Et hoc idem per singulos Comitatus Hiberniae clamari faciatis teneri prohibentes firmiter ex parte nostra Forisfacturam nostram ne quis contra hoc Mandatum nostrum venire praesumat ' Eo excepto quod nec de Morte nec de Catallis Hibernensium occisorum nihil statuatur ex parte nostra citra quindecem dies à die Sancti Michaelis anno regni nostri duodecimo super quo respectum dedimus Magnatibus nostris Hibern ' usque ad terminum praedict Teste meipso apud Westmonast oct die Maii anno regni nostri duodecimo And at the same Time he received two Writs about the Debts due from the King to the late Lord Justice Archbishop Londres Burlace 20 21. and a third Writ to pay him an hundred Pound per annum out of the Rent of the City of Limerick and fifty Pound per ann out of the Rent of Dublin But this Justice did not continue long in the Government for his Patron Hubert de Burgh falling into the King's Displeasure both the one and the other were remov'd And Maurice Fitz-Gerald was made Lord Justice 1229. In whose Time viz. 14 Hen. 3. happened the great Case of Coparceners to decide which the King sent over by way of Writ what in the printed Statues is called Statutum Hiberniae And tho' the Lord Justice is there named Girald yet it is by Mistake for Girald Fitz-Maurice who was the Lord Justice's Father died anno 1205. And there is another Mistake in that Statute for it is said to be made 24 Regis whereas the Year 1229. could be but the fourteenth Year of his Reign Now came over Stephen the Pope's Chaplain to demand the Tenths of all Moveables to support the Holy See against the Efforts of Frederick the Emperour Hanmer 191. It was so hard a Tax in Ireland that they were fain to part with not only their Cadows and Aquavitae but also with their Chalices and Altar-Cloaths Not long after died William Earl Marshal Prince or Lord of Leinster 1231. who anno 1223 gave a new Charter to his Town of Kilkenny he was buried in the Choire of the Friers Preachers at Kilkenny and was succeeded in his Estates and Titles by his Brother Richard On the second Day of September 1232. the Lord Justice returned out of England but when he went thither or who was Deputy in his Absence non constat On the seventh of April 1233 Holingshead 27. say some but I think 1234 the English and the O Connors c. had a Battle on the Curragh of Kildare 1234. wherein Richard Earl Marshal Prince of Leinster had very foul Play from those of his own Side so that he was there mortally wounded and died in five Days after To atone for this the Lord Justice who went into England to satisfie the King in that Matter offered to build a Monastery and endow it liberally to pray for the Soul of Earl Richard Hanmer 195. And so at length by the intercession of the King and the importunate Entreaties of the Nobility Gilbert Earl Marshal and the Lord Justice were reconciled 1235. It seems the Alarm was very great on Earl Richard's Death for the King to Comfort and Quiet the Citizens of Dublin assured them by his Writ That he summon'd the Great Men of England Pryn 253. to consult about the Safety of England and Ireland and that their Determinations should be speedily communicated to them at Dublin From whence Mr. Pryn observes That the Laws and Ordinances of the King and Parliament of England did bind Ireland in those Days But it seems that about this Time the Spiritual Courts did encroach too much on the Temporal Jurisdiction 1233. and therefore the King sent over the following Writ REX Co. Lit. 141. Comitibus Baronibus Militibus liberis Hominibus omnibus aliis de Terra Hibern ' salutem Quia manifeste esse dignoscitur contra Coronam Dignitatem nostram Consuetudines Leges Regni nostri Angl ' quas bonae memoriae Dominis Johannes Rex Pater noster de communi omnium de Hibern ' consensu teneri statuit in Terra illa quod placita teneantur in curia Christianitatis de advocationibus Ecclesiarum Capellarum vel de laico feodo vel de catallis quae non sunt de Testamento vel Matrimonio vobis mandamus prohibentes quatenus hujusmodi placita in curia Christianitatis nullatenus sequi presumatis in manifestum Dignitatis Coronae nostrae prejudicium scituri pro certo quod si feceritis dedimus in Mandatis Justiciario nostro Hiberniae statutae curiae nostra in Anglia contra transgressiones hujus Mandati nostri cum justicia procedat quod nostrum est exsequatur Teste Rege 28 Octobr. Decimo oct Regni nostri c. mandatum est Justiciario Hibern per literas clausas quod predictas Literas Patentes publice legi teneri faciat In the Year 1234 died Walter Lacy Lord of Meath without Issue Male so that his great Estate was divided between his two Daughters viz. Margaret married to the Lord Theobald Verdon and Matilda married to Geofry Geneville Whilst the Lord Justice was in England the King of Connaught exhibited a grievous Complaint against John de Burgo That he had entred his Country with Forces Hanmer 195. and wasted the same with Fire and Sword humbly beseeching his Majesty to do him Justice and to bridle such rash Attempts Alledging That he was a loyal Subject and payed for his Kingdom an annual Pension Davis 123. amounting in all from his first Subjection to five thousand Marks and desired the King That he would rid him of that base
Pound six Shillings and eight Pence per annum Lib. G. and obtained an Order from the King and Council That all those who had Lands in Ireland should repair thither or send sufficient Men in their Room to defend the Country on Pain of forfeiting their Estates Nevertheless this Lord Justice was so far from subduing the Irish that he confessed he could never get access to know their Countries or Habitations and yet he had spent more time in the Service of Ireland than any Englishman then living So finding he could do no good he resigned to James Earl of Ormond July 24. 1376 Lord Justice In whose time the Counties Cities and Burroughs of Ireland sent Commissioners to the King to Treat and Advise about the Affairs of that Kingdom and not to the English Parliament as some have mistaken it Pryn. 305. And the King did Issue a Writ to the Lord Justice and the Chancellor requiring them to levy the reasonable Expences of these Commissioners from the respective Places that chose them by Writ under the great Seal of Ireland And accordingly John Draper who served for Cork had a particular Mandate to the Mayor and Bayliffs of that City to pay him his reasonable Expences as aforesaid It will not be unuseful to recite this Lord Justice his Commission because the Reader will thereby perceive what Authority he had and will also note the Difference between this brief Commission and the prolix Forms that are now used REX omnibus ad quos Ibid. c. Salutem Sciatis quod commisimus dilecto consanguineo nostro Jacobo le Bottiler Comiti de Ormond officium Justic nostr Hibern Terram nostram Hibern cum Castris aliis pertinentiis suis custodiend quamdiu nobis placuerit percipiend per ann ad Scac. nostrum Hibern quamdiu in Officio illo sic steterit quingent libras pro quibus Officium illud terram custodiet erit se vicessimus de hominibus ad arma cum tot equis coopertis continue durante commissione supradicta c. But by a subsequent Patent the sixth of August he had Power to Pardon all Offences generally or to particular Persons and by consent of the Council to remove or displace any Officer those made by Patent under the great Seal only excepted Ibid. 307. And by another Writ of the same date the former Commission was explained not to extend to the Pardon of any Prelate or Earl for any Offence punishable by loss of Life Member Lands or Goods And the same time Alexander Bishop of Ossory was made Treasurer of Ireland and a Guard of six Men at Arms and twelve Archers at the King's Pay allowed him I have seen a Copy of a Commission to Maurice Fitz-Thomas Lib. G. 13. Earl of Kildare to govern Ireland till Sir William Windsor's return it bore date the sixteenth of February 50 Edw. 3. and Stephen Bishop of Meath was appointed to oversee Munster but because I find no other mention of his being in the Government about this time I have therefore omitted to name him as Lord Justice And so we are come to the twenty first Day of June 1377. 1377. on which Day this victorious King died at Shene in Surry in the sixty fourth Year of his Age and of his Reign the one and fiftieth Lib. M. His Revenue in Ireland did not exceed ten thousand Pound per annum though the Medium be taken from the best seven Years of his Reign THE REIGN OF RICARD II. King of England c. And LORD of IRELAND RICHARD the Second only Son of Edward commonly called the Black Prince Eldest Son of King Edward the Third was by his Grandfather declared to be his Heir and lawful Successor and accordingly succeeded him in the Throne on the 21st of June and was Crowned at Westminster the 16th of July following 1377. His tender Age being but eleven years old required a Protector and because it seemed dangerous to commit that great Authority and Power to a single Person it was given to the Kings Unkles the Duke of Lancaster and the Earl of Cambridge and others who thought fit to continue in the Government of Ireland James Earl of Ormond Lord Justice he kept the Kingdom in as good order as those dangerous and troublesom Times would admit of Baker 141. for both the French and the Scots took advantage of the Kings Infancy to disquiet his Dominions but especially the Realm of England This Lord Justice according to the Usage in those days held Pleas of the Crown Lib. G. Lambeth and Gaol-delivery at the Naas on Monday after Valentines Day 1378. and not long after surrendred to Alexander Balscot Bishop of Ossory Lord Justice who continued in the Government until November following Lib. G. and then gave place to John de Bromwick 1379. Lord Justice in whose time Beauchamp Earl of Warwick was by the Parliament of England made sole Protector of the King and Kingdom And then was made that first Act or Ordinance against Absentees Lib. M. Lambeth 138. by the Assent and Advice of the Lords and Nobles of England Davis 38. 199 being in Parliament Whereby it is Ordained That all that have Lands 4th Instit. 356 360. Rents or Offices in Ireland shall return thither but if they have reasonable cause to absent that then they shall send sufficient Deputies to defend their Castles and Estates or contribute two Thirds of the yearly value towards the defence thereof but that Students and those in the Kings Service and those absent for reasonable Cause by Licence under the Great Seal of England shall be excused for one Third of the yearly Profit of their Estates This Act was confirmed afterwards Lib. F. 19 Edw. 4. and by vertue hereof the Mannor of Ballymaclo in Meath was seiz'd into the Kings Hands for the absence of William de Carew but was the next year restor'd to him on his Petition Prin 308. Septemb. 27. 1380. And it is to be remembred That this Act was occasioned by a Petition from Ireland and that it is mentioned in the Body of the Act that the Loss of Ireland would be a Disinherison to the King and his Crown of England Ibid. At the same Parliament at Westminster there was another Irish Petition for Mine and Coigne which I take to be a Liberty to dig Mines and a Mint to coyn Money For the Kings Answer is That for six years to come every one may dig in his own Grounds for any Mineral whatsoever even Gold and Silver paying the Ninth part thereof to the King and sending the rest to the Kings Mint at Divelin for the Coynage of which they shall pay the usual Rates but must transport none to any place except England on pain of forseiting it if it be seized or the Value if he be convict of it unless the Party had special Licence under the Great Seal of
twenty pence or two shillings from every one that passed the Seas On the twenty fifth Day of March the King knighted four Irish Kings 1395. Selden tit hon 842. and some other great Lords whereof Mr Selden out of Froisart gives the following Account Four Kings of several Provinces in Ireland that submitted themselves to Richard II were put under the Care of Henry Castile an English Gentleman who spake Irish well in order to prepare them for Knighthood by the Kings Command he informed them of the English Manners in Diet Apparel and the like He asked them If they were willing to take the Order which the King of England would give them according to the Customs of England France and other Countries They answered They were Knights already and that the Order they had taken was enough for them and that they were made Knights in Ireland when they were seven Years Old and that every King makes his Son Knight and if the Father be dead the next of Kin does it and that the manner is thus The new Knight at his making runs with slender Lances against a Shield set upon a Stake in a Meadow and the more Lances he thus breaks the more Honour continues with his Dignity But Mr. Castile told them They should receive a Knighthood with more State in the Church and afterwards being perswaded and instructed especially by the Earl of Ormond they did receive Knighthood at Christ-Church Dublin after their Vigils performed in the same Church and a Mass heard and some others were knighted with them but the four Kings in Robes agreeable to their State sate that Day with King Richard at the Table And so Davit 202. when the King had supplied the Courts of Justice with able Men particularly with Sir William Hankford Chief Justice who was afterwards Chief Justice of England and done his Endeavor to establish a Civil Plantation in the Mountains of Wicklow he returned to England about Midsummer 1394. as I suppose for on the fourth of July 1394 Roger Mortimer Earl of March was sworn Lord Lieutenant Pryn. 294. And not long after the aforesaid excellent Ordinances of 31 Edw. 3. were ratified revived and exemplified and sent into Ireland to be more duly observed than hitherto they had been But the Scene was changed and the Irish despising the weak Forces the King had left behind him began to lay aside their Mask of Humility and to make Incursions into the Borders of the Pale Nevertheless the English were not daunted their Valour supplyed what was wanting in their Number Cambd. particularly Sir Thomas de Burgh and Walter de Birmingham with their Forces slew six hundred of the Irish and their Captain Mac Con and the Lord Lieutenant and the Earl of Ormond wasted the County of Wicklow and took O Birnes House whereupon the Lord Lieutenant made seven Knights But this Victory was much overballanced by the Loss of forty principal Englishmen slain by the O Tools on Ascension-day and not long after by the Death of the Lord Lieutenant himself who was slain at Kenlis in Ossory by the O Birnes on the twentieth of July 1398. And thereupon Roger Gray was chosen Lord Justice 1398. pro tempore until the King sent over his half Brother Thomas Holland Duke of Surry Lord Lieutenant 1398. who landed at Dublin the seventh of October 1398. but did not long continue in that Office before the King pretending a Resolution to revenge the Death of his Cousin and Heir the Earl of March who was slain by the Irish as aforesaid He left the Government of England in the Hands of his Vnkle the Duke of York And on the first Day of June Richard 1399. King of England landed at Waterford with a good Army which he marched to Dublin through the wast Countries of Murroughs Kinshelaghs Cavenaghs Birns and Tooles but the Army was much distressed for want of Victuals and Carriages in those Deserts so that he performed no memorable Exploit save that he cut and cleared the Paces in the Cavenaghs Country and knighted Henry the Duke of Lancaster's Son afterwards Henry V for his briskness against the Irish On the sixth of June being the Friday after the King's arrival Jenico de Artois his faithful Gascoign slew two hundred Irish at Ford in Kenlis in the County of Kildare And the next Day the Citizens of Dublin made Incursions into Wicklow and killed thirty three Irishmen and took eighty Prisoners And on the twenty sixth of June the King came to Dublin and received the Submission of many Irish Lords But whilst he was consulting how to proceed he received the unwelcome News of the Duke of Lancaster's Progress in England whereupon he imprisoned his and the Duke of Glocester's Sons in the Castle of Trym and though he sent the Earl of Salisbury before him to gather an Army in Wales yet the King followed after so slowly that the Army was disperst before he arrived in England with which Misfortune his Courage fell so that on Michaelmass day he tamely surrendred the Crown and gave a just occasion for this true Remark Baker 152. That never any Man who had used a Kingdom with such Violence gave it over with such Patience He was afterwards deposed by Parliament and several Articles exhibited against him one of which was That he forced divers Religious Persons in England to give Horses Arms and Carts towards the Irish Expedition And another was That he carryed into Ireland the Treasure Reliques and other Jewels of the Crown which were used to be kept in the King's Coffers from all Hazard The King created Edward Plantagenet Earl of Cork in the twentieth Year of his Reign And the same Year gave a Licence under the Privy Seal to William Lord Courcy to buy a Ship to pass and repass to and from England And in this Reign happened this famous Case One Thomas a Clerk in England obtained a Judgment at Westminster against Robert Wickford afterwards Archbishop of Dublin and upon Affidavit That the Defendant lived in Ireland and had Goods and Lands there and the Sheriffs Return That he had no Lands nor Goods in England the Plaintiff had a Writ against the said Archbishop in haec verba IDeo vobis mandamus quod de terris catallis ejusdem Roberti Lib. M. jam Archiepiscopi in Terra nostra Hiberniae fieri facias praedict decem libras illas habeatis coram c. This Archbishop died anno 1390 so that this Writ must issue before that time THE REIGN OF HENRY IV. King of England c. And LORD of IRELAND HENRY Duke of Lancaster eldest Son of the famous John of Gaunt fourth Son of King Edward the Third upon the Resignation of King Richard procured him to be deposed in Parliament and himself to be elected King and the Crown to be entailed on him and the Heirs of his Body His Claim was as Heir to Henry III but finding that
BROTHERHOOD of St. George But to proceed William Sherwood 1475. Bishop of Meath was Lord Deputy to the Duke of Clarence he held a Parliament at Dublin Friday after the Feast of St. Margaret which makes it Treason to bring Bulls or Apostiles from Rome and orders the Lords of Parliament to wear Robes on pain of one hundred Shillings and enjoyns the Barons of the Exchequer to wear their Habits in Term-time and Enacts That if any Englishman be damnified by an Irishman not amesnable to Law he may reprize himself upon the whole Sept or Nation And that it shall be Felony to take a Distress contrary to Common Law which was a very necessary Act in those Times and is the only Act of this Parliament that is printed and though it be an English Case yet it may be useful in other Countries and therefore we will mention That George Nevil Duke of Bedford was this Year degraded 4th Instit. 355. because he had not any Estate left to support the Dignity Henry 1478. Lord Grey of Ruthen Lord Deputy held a Parliament a Drogheda which repeal'd all the Acts of the aforesaid Parliament of 12 Edw. 4. and then he resigned to Sir Robert Preston Lib. G. Lord Deputy who on the 7th of August was created Viscount Gormanston but he held the Government but a little time before he surrendred to Girald Earl of Kildare Lord Deputy he held a Parliament at Naas Friday after the Feast of St. Petronilla which Enacted 1478. 1. That Distresses taken for Rent might be sold And 2. That Non-Residents might be chosen Parliament-men 1480. but on the twelfth of August the Earl of Kildare was made Deputy to the Kings Son Richard Duke of York for four years from the fifth of May following Lib. M. by the Dukes Patent under the Kings Privy Seal quod nota and the Earl by Indenture with the King did Covenant to keep the Realm surely and safely to his power and was to have eighty Archers on Horse-back and forty other Horsemen called Spears and six hundred pound per annum to maintain them and if the Irish Revenue cannot pay it it shall be sent out of England This Lord Deputy held another Parliament on Monday after the Translation of St. Thomas at which it was Ordained 1. That no Hawks should be carried out of the Kingdom without great Custom And 2. That the Pale should have no correspondence with the Irish and it seems this Parliament Naturaliz'd Con O Neal Davis 93â— who had married the Lord Deputy's Daughter What the incomparable Spencer in his View of Ireland relates of the Duke of Clarence and Moroughen Ranagh O Brian is not to be placed in the Reign of Edward the Fourth because George Duke of Clarence was never actually in Ireland whilst he was Lord Lieutenant of that Kingdom but always managed that Province by Deputies and therefore I suppose that what Spencer has related will better suit with the Government of Lionel Duke of Clarence in the Reign of Edward the Third who did indeed marry the Heiress of Vlster and performed the other Atchievements Mr. Spencer writes of It was in this Kings Reign that the Jubile which before was every Fiftieth Year was by Pope Sixtus the Fourth brought to be every five and twentieth year and that the Primacy of Scotland was setled upon the Archbishop of St. Andrews And thus stood the Government of Ireland during the Reign of King Edward the Fourth who between the French King the troublesome Earl of Warwick the discontented Lords and the Attempts of the Wife and Friends of Henry the Sixth found so much work at home that Ireland was in a manner neglected and left to the Protection of the Fraternity of St. George when on the ninth Day of April 1483 the King died in the two and fortieth Year of his Age and of his Reign the three and twentieth THE REIGN OF RICHARD III. King of England c. And LORD of IRELAND UPon the Death of King Edward his Son the Prince of Wales being then at Ludlow was Proclaimed King by the Name of Edward the Fifth and in his way to London was perswaded by the means of his Unkle the Duke of Glocester to dismiss great part of his Guards as well to save the Charge as to avoid giving Cause of Suspicion and Reasons of Jealousie to such as doubted that so numerous an Attendance was entertain'd upon Designs prejudicial to them And so having luckily mounted this first step to the Throne the Duke of Glocester proceeded to confederate with the Duke of Buckingham and the Lord Hastings and by their assistance he first seized on the Earl Rivers and others of the Kings Relations and Friends and then got the King himself into his power and brought him to London using a thousand Artifices to make the People believe that the Queen-Mothers Kindred designed the extirpation of the Ancient Nobility the Slavery of the People and the Ruine of the Kingdom This Duke of Glocester wheedled or bribed to that degree that he was chosen Protector by the unanimous Consent of the Council and afterwards got the Kings Brother out of Sanctuary at Westminster and under specious Pretences of their Security both the Princes were conveyed to the Tower of London in a most pompous and splendid manner and there they were afterwards murdered by the Appointment if not by the Hands of their Unkle King Richard took upon him the Regal Office on the 18th day of June 1483. and before the Murder of his Nephews and he was Crowned together with his Queen on the 6th day of July 1483. and being very busie in England to establish the Crown he had usurped he did not think it advisable to make any Alterations in Ireland but continued in that Government Gerald Earl of Kildare Lord Deputy to Edward the Kings Son who held a Parliament at Dublin wherein it was Enacted That the Mayor and Bayliffs of Waterford might go in Pilgrimage to St. James of Compostella in Spain leaving sufficient Deputies to govern that City in their absence 2. That the Corporation of Ross might reprize themselves against Robbers and that no Persons should alien their Free-hold in Ross to a Foreigner without the Licence of the Portriff and Council of that Town but these being private Acts are not Printed It seems that the next Year the Earl of Kildare as Deputy to the Earl of Lincoln 1484. Lord Lieutenant did hold another Parliament at Dublin wherein six private Acts only were made and not long after conven'd another Parliament at Trim which either did nothing at all or nothing worth mentioning but a subsequent Parliament at Dublin gave a Subsidy of Thirteen shillings and four pence out of every Plow-Land to the Deputy towards his Charges in the Service he did against the Irish wherein O Connor it seems was a Partner or Co-adjutor for he also had ten Groats out of every Plow-Land in Meath for
Carriages to a general Hosting did coss the Country or tax it to find so much Mony as would maintain a certain number of men three Months and accordingly in July this Year the Counties of Kilkenny Waterford Typerary and Wexford were ordered to levy Maintenance for two hundred and forty Kerns for three Months which came to no more than two hundred and four Pounds thirteen Shillings and four Pence whereby one may perceive that the Tax was easie enough but the Grievance was in the irregular Assessments and the oppressive manner of levying it The French King by his Ambassador Theobald de Boys tempted O Donel with Offers of Money and Arms to make an Insurrection but he could do little of himself and it was too soon to seduce others after such solemn and formal Submissions so lately made and so that Negotiation had little or no effect but in February the Lord Deputy was recalled to give the King an Account of his Administration of Affairs in Ireland and Sir William Brabazon was sworn Lord Justice in his stead Ware 168. his Patent bears date the twelfth of October 35 Hen. 8. To this Lord Justice new Seals were sent because of the Alteration of the King's Stile from LORD to KING of Ireland and the old Seals were sent back to England The Lord Justice 1544. by the King's Orders sent him seven hundred Men to Calice under the Command of the Captains Poer Finglass and Skurlock they were very serviceable to the King at Bulloign and did much Mischief to the French for being light of foot Holingshead 103. they would often range twenty or thirty Mile into the Country and as they returned would burn and spoil where-ever they came They had a pretty Trick to get a Prey which was to tie a Bull to a Stake and set fire about him and as the Fire scorched him the Bull would bellow and thereupon all the Cattel within hearing of him would flock that way and so were taken These Irishmen would never give Quarter and therefore whensoever the Frenchmen took any of them they gelded them and otherwise tormented them exceedingly After the Surrender of Bulloign a large Frenchman on the other side of the Haven braved and defied the English Army whereupon one Nicholas Walsh did swim over the River and cut off the Frenchmans Head and brought it back over the River in his Mouth for which bold Action he was bountifully rewarded Sir Anthony Saintleger June 11. 1544. being for his good Services made Knight of the Garter returned Lord Deputy and found the Kingdom quiet and he made it his Business to keep it so which he effectually accomplished by imprisoning two or three turbulent People and by taking Indentures and Hostages from those he suspected And this Lord Deputy knowing it was the only way to keep the Kingdom in peace Lib. D. made it his Business to break the Dependencies of the Irish and to that end upon all References to him he took care that the weaker Party might depend on the Government for Protection and that he should not rely upon nor be under the Subjection of any other and particularly on the fourteenth of July he made an Award or final Order between the Earl of Tyrone and O Donel whereby O Donel was freed from depending on O Neal any farther than that he still continued obliged to pay a yearly Rent of sixty Beeves to O Neal for the Island of Inisowen and it so hapned that the very next year O Neal invaded Tyrconel because that Rent was not paid whereupon there was another Reference to the Government and a new Peace was made between them Aug. 24 1546. In the mean time the Earl of Lenox 1545. who fled out of Scotland was kindly received by King Henry and married his Neece was by the King sent into Ireland to levy an Army to recover his Inheritance in Scotland he came to the Deputy at Kilmainham where he lived and being effectually recommended by the King he was so kindly received and his Business so heartily followed that by the middle of November he had raised fifteen hundred Men under the Command of Sir John Travers Master of the Ordnance to whom the Earl of Ormond joyned as many of his own Followers and was himself General of the Army They set Sail for Scotland in twenty eight Ships but the Levity of their Confederates in Scotland or the Power of Duke Hamilton disappointed this Design for not being able to gain Dunbritton-Castle which was promised to be delivered up to them and finding a potent Army ready to encounter them instead of Friends which they expected to embrace them and being shattered by a violent Storm the Irish were necessitated to return home re infecta In the mean time Lib. D. on the Nineteenth of October died Vlick Earl of Clanrickard whereupon a great Contest arose between his Sons about the Title and Inheritance because the Earl's first Wife Grany O Carol Mother of the Earl's Eldest Son Richard Burk had been formerly married to O Mlaghlin who was still living and undivorced as was alledged and she being still alive the Earl married Honora Burk and was afterwards divorced from her and married Mary Linch Mother of John Burk Grany the first Wife being still living But the Earl of Ormond and other Commissioners sent by the Lord Deputy and Council to settle this Affair soon determined the Matter and finding that the pretended Marriage with O Mlaghlin could not be proved they adjudged Grany to be the Earl's true Wife and placed her Son Richard Burk in the Earldom and Estate of his Father according to the Law of England and because he was under Age they made Vlick Burk Captain of the Country during his good Behaviour and the Minority of the Earl But now the Spirit of Rebellion had again seized the Irish Melvin's Memoirs 8 9. and O Neal O Donel O Dogharty and one Callock had made some Overtures to the French King about assistance to manage an Insurrection and they proposed to him to become his Subjects and to shake off the Yoke of England provided he would procure the Pope's Gift of Ireland and send two thousand Harquebusses two hundred Light Horsemen and four Canon to their assistance The French King thought the Offer so considerable that he sent over John de Monluck Bishop of Valence his Ambassador to Ireland to learn the Truth of their Circumstances and to certifie the King what probability there was of Success if he should engage in that Affair The Bishop arrived at Loghfoyle on Shrovetuesday and the next day was by O Dogharty carried to his House which was a great dark Tower there the Bishop found bad Entertainment and was forced to be contented with Herrings and Bisket and such like Lenten Fare which was the best the House afforded The Bishop had a Months Mind to O Dogharty's Daughter which two English Fryers observing to prevent any Abuse of the Damsel
Flames but the Devout Citizens first made a Collection for the Repair of the Church and then set themselves to the re-edifying their own Houses And so we come to a Trial 1284. very unusual in Courts of Justice in Ireland tho' too frequent in the Field viz. that of Battle Ware presul 142. for Jeofry Saintleger Bishop of Ossory in a Writ of Right for the Mannor of Sirekeran in Ely O Carol recovered the same and the Trial was by Battle between the Bishops Champion and the Champion of his Adversary The Lords and Potentates of Ophaly were grown strong enough to take and burn the Castle of Ley 1285. and it seems Theobald Verdon going to revenge that Injury lost both his Men and his Horses which was followed with a greater Misfortune for the next Morning Girald Fitz-Maurice was betrayed by his Followers and taken Prisoner Nor had the English better Success at Rathdod for in an unfortunate Skirmish there Sir Gerard Doget Ralph Petit and many more were slain and the Lord Geofry Genevil had much ado to save himself by Flight Amidst these Disturbances Burlace 31. the Lord Justice obtained from the King a Pension of five hundred Pound per annum for his Expence and Charge in the Government to continue as long as his Justiceship but if any extraordinary Accident should require more Expence than the Writ prescribes That a Vice-Treasurer be appointed to receive and pay the Revenue as the Lord Justice and the Court of Exchequer shall think fit But the next Year was more favourable 1286. so that Philip Stanton in November burnt Norwagh and Ardscol and other Towns and the great Rebel Calwagh was taken at Kildare which superseded these Stirs for a Time Nevertheless this Year was fatal to many Noblemen viz. Maurice Fitz-Maurice who died at Rosse as Girald Fitz-Maurice Oge did at Rathmore and the Lord Thomas de Clare could not escape the Common Fate to which the Lord Justice himself was forced to submit So that John Sandford 1287. Archbishop of Dublin was chosen Lord Justice His Government was the more uneasie to him because Richard Burk 1288. Earl of Vlster and Walter Lacy Lord of Meath confederated against Theobald de Verdon and Besieged him in the Castle of Athloan and came with a great Army as far as Trim However this was in a great measure recompenced by the Plenty of the Year which was so great even in England that a Bushel of Wheat was sold for four Pence It was usual in this King's Reign To send the new English Statutes in some reasonable time after they were made to be proclaimed and observed in Ireland Thus in the thirteenth Year of his Reign he sent by Roger Bretun the Statutes of Westminster the first of Glocester of Merchants and of Westminster the second to the Lord Justice Fulborne to publish and notifie them to the People And this Year the like was done by the Statute called Ordinatio pro Statu Hiberniae which was enacted in England and sent to Ireland to be observed there and is to be seen in French in the second part of the Ancient Statutes printed at London 1532. And the Statutes of Lincoln and of York were also sent to Ireland Ex lib. Alb. Scac. Hib. to be enrolled in the Chancery and to be published and notified to the People 20 Novemb. 17 Edw. 1. And it is to be observed That after Parliaments were held in Ireland yet the English Statutes did extend to Ireland as the eleventh of Edward III Lib. M. Lamb. of Drapery and the twenty seventh of Edward III of the Staple and the fourth of Henry V cap. 6-touching the Promotion of Clerks of the Irish Nation and many more But it is time to return to the Lord Justice whose Service the King had occasion to make use of in England and in several Foreign Embassies in all which he behaved himself honourably He was succeeded in Ireland by William Vescy 15 Novemb. 1290. Lord Justice Whose Government was disturbed by O Hanlon in Vlster and O Mlaghlin in Meath who were again in Rebellion but Richard Earl of Vlster had the good Fortune to suppress O Hanlon with a few Blows and the Lord Justice did as much for O Mlaghlin and pursued him so close that at last he was taken and slain by Mac Coughlan who grew so proud upon that Service that he set up for himself and gave a great Defeat to William Burk at Delvin and to the English in Ophaly And tho' the King in the thirteenth Year of his Reign had a Grant from the Pope of the Tenth of all Ecclesiastical Revenues in Ireland for seven Years toward the Holy War which was followed with a Grant of a Fifteenth from the Temporality yet now upon the Expiration of that Grant he wrote to the Bishops and Clergy for a Dism of their Spiritualities to defray his Debts in redeeming his Nephew Charles But they unanimously answered Quod concessioni petitionis praefatae minime supercederent But Cambden assures us That the Temporality granted another Fifteenth To this Lord Justice Cambden 78. Baliol King of Scotland did Homage for some Lands he held in Ireland and about the same time it was ordered 4 Inst 356. That the Treasurer of Ireland should account yearly at the Exchequer of England 1293. And the same Year came over Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester whose Wife Joan of Acres was the King's Daughter But now there arose great Feuds between John Fitz-Thomas Fitz-Girald Lord of Ophaly and the Lord Justice whereupon the Lord Justice did underhand encourage the Irish to do all the Prejudice they could to Fitz-Girald and his Partisans hence arose mutual Complaints and reciprocal Impeachments so that both of them went or were fent for into England But it will not be unpleasant to the Reader to have the Particulars of this famous Controversie in the Words of Holingshead The Lord Justice hearing many Complaints of the Oppressions the Country daily received Holingshead 35 which he thought reflected on him and insinuated his male Administration therefore to disburthen and excuse himself he began in misty Speeches to lay the Fault on the Lord John Fitz-Giralds Shoulders saying in parable wise That he was a great occasion of these Disorders in that he bare himself in Private Quarrels as fierce as a Lyon but in these Publick Injuries as meek as a Lamb. The Baron of Ophaly spelling and putting these Syllables together spake after this Manner My Lord I Am heartily sorry that among all this Noble Asembly you make me your only Butt whereat you shoot your Bolt and truly were my Deserts so hainous as I suppose you would wish them to be you would not labour to cloud your Talk with such dark Riddles as at this present you have done but with plain and flat English your Lordship would not stick to impeach me of Felony or Treason for as mine Ancestors with
Justice was so vigilant that before the end of August the Rebels were dispersed and their Captain William mac Balthar was taken and hanged In the midst of these Disturbances John Decer Mayor of Dublin who had some time before built the Bridge over the Liffy Ibid. 166. near S. Wolstons and the Chappel of our Lady at the Friers Minors and had also repaired the Church of the Friers Preachers and every Friday feasted the Friars at his own Cost did now build the high Pipe in Dublin But the Lord Justice being sent for into England to give an Account there of the miserable State of Ireland substituted William Burk August 1308. Custos Warden or Deputy of Ireland He was Ancestor of many Noble Families and particularly of the Lords Castleconel and Leitrim In his time the Irish burnt Athy and Richard Talon was murthered by Maurice de Condon Cambden 166. and Candon was served in the same kind by the Roches and Odo mac Cathol O Connor slew Odo King of Conaught But in March following Peirce de Gaveston an insolent Frenchman was by the Nobility of England in Parliament banished that Kingdom whereupon the King to make this Exile of his Favorite as easie as he could gave him the Government of Ireland and assigned to him the Revenue and Royal Profits of that Realm so that thither he came with a great Retinue and he behaved himself so well that he broke and subdued the Rebels in the Mountains near Dublin He slew Dermond O Dempsy a great Irish Captain at Tully he marched into Munster and subdued O Brian in Thomond he rebuilt the new Castle of Mackingham in the Kevins Country and repaired the Castle of Kevin and cut and cleansed the Paces between that and Glendelough he was exceedingly beloved of the Soldiers both for his Liberality and Valour and might have done much Good there if he had staid longer Nevertheless he could not brook Richard Earl of Vlster who was the greatest Lord in Ireland This Earl as it were to nose Gaveston did at Whitsontide keep a great Feast at Trim Camb. 166. and dub'd two of the Lacies Knights and marched as far as Tredagh to encounter the Lord Lieutenant but on better Advertisement he returnd But the King impatient of Gaveston's longer Absence recalled him on the twenty third of June and sent in his Room Sir John Wogan 1309. Lord Justice M. S. Fragm and in October following the Noble Lord 4. says 1308 Roger Mortimer came over with his Wife Heiress of Meath and had quiet Possession of that Country the Grand-father Sir Geofry Genevil entring into a Monastery On the second of February Sir Arnold Poer slew Sir John Bonevil at Arstol but it was found to be in his own Defence Cambded 167. And in the same February there was a Parliament held at Kilkenny before the Earl of Ulster and the Lord Justice according to the Custom and Usage of those times which appeased many Civil Discords and enacted many good Laws which Mr. Pryn says Pryn 259. were printed in Bolton's Edition of the Irish Statutes 1621. And he reckons this to be the first Parliament that was held in Ireland except that of Henry II aforesaid but without question he is mistaken And it seems Pryn 259. That in the beginning of the next Year or the latter end of this there was another Parliament or Assembly of the great Men at Kildare where Poer was acquitted of the Death of Bonevil About this time Wheat was sold for twenty Shillings the Erane Cambded 167. and the Bakers were drawn on Hurdles through the Streets of Dublin for their Knavery In the Year 1310. Richard de Havering who under Pretence of the Popes Provision 1310. had assumed the Title of Arch bishop of Dublin and enjoyed all the Profits of that See without Consecration for four Years and upward was so terrified by a Dream that he resigned his Bishoprick to the Pope that gave it him Ware de praesul 111. And though Alexander Bricknor had the better in the Election the seventeenth of March 1610. yet John Lech by the Power and Favour of the King enjoyed the Bishoprick and begun the Controversie with Rowland Jorse Archbishop of Armagh about elevating his Crosier in the Province of Leinster and managed it so dextrously or rather so violently Hook 65. that he forced the Primate to fly by Night in his Pontificals from Howth to the Priory of Grace Dieu and thence chased him out of the Diocess or rather Province of Dublin and in the same year the Judges of the Court of Kings Bench were reduced to the number of Three The Year 1311 was troublesome enough 1311. for Frag. 4. in May Richard Earl of Vlster invaded Thomond Davis 134. and marched up to Bunratty where Richard de Clare met and defeated him and took him the Lord William Burk and others of his Kindred Prisoners and slew John de Lacy and many more of the Earls Followers and in November following the same Richad de Clare defeated the Irish and slew Six hundred Galloglasses Nor were the Civil Discords less amongst the Irish for Donough O Bryan was murdered by his own Men in Thomond and John Mac O Hedan was slain by O Molmoy and William Roch was murdered by a Tory However the Birnes and Tools were numerous enough to invade Taslagard and Rathcanle and to terrifie Dublin by lurking up and down the Woods of Glendelory Nor could the State suppress them because Robert Verdon began a Riot in Vrgile and was so powerful that he defeated the Lord Justice and his small Army 1312. July 7. 1312. but afterwards upon better consideration he voluntarily submitted himself to the Kings Mercy whereupon the Lord Justice went for England and left in his stead Sir Edmond Butler 1312. Lord Deputy who being now at leisure to deal with the Birnes and Tools he manag'd that Affair so well that he soon forc'd them to submit and then sent his Father-in-Law the Lord John Fitz Thomas afterwards Earl of Kildare General into Munster who at Adare Knighted Nicholas Fitz Maurice afterwards Lord of Kerry and others This Year was famous for two mighty Marriages of Maurice afterwards Earl of Desmond and Thomas Fitz John afterwards Second Earl of Kildare to the two Daughters of the Earl of Vlster But these Rejoycings were soon over 1313. and the Misfortunes of the English in Scotland drew on a Scotch Invasion of Ireland At first the Scots only sent some Boats to prey the Costs of Vlster which were well resisted but before the year was out Edward Bruce came in Person he forc'd and rob'd the Castle of Man and took the Lord O Donel Prisoner it seems he retir'd again to collect a greater Army and the Deputy after he had on Michaelmas day made one and thirty Knights in the Castle of Dublin 1314. and had taken the best care he could
make them seek Peace yet he was in no wise able to reduce them to the Obedience of Subjects or enlarge the Limits of the Pale however what he did was held so considerable that the Lords and Gentlemen of the Pale made Certificate of this great Service in French to the King Nevertheless the Army was so ill paid in this March that the Subject suffered more from the Cess of the Souldier than they gained by this small and temporary mortification of the Irish and this was the common Calamity from hence forward so that Necessity revived Coyn and Livery again by degrees notwithstanding that it remained Treason by Act of Parliament In August the Parliament met at Dublin 1415. and sate six weeks during which time the Irish followed their usual Course of falling upon the English and killed Thomas Ballymore of Ballyquelan and many others and on the 22th day of October the King obtained a most glorious and entire Victory over the French at the Battel of Agincourt But the Parliament was adjourned to Trym 1416. and there it sate on the 11th of May and continued seven days and gave the King a Subsidy of four hundred Marks in Money and the next year the Prior of Kilmainham with sixteen hundred Irish went to aid the King in France 1417. they Landed at Harslew in Normandy and did the King very good Service But I should have remembred That the King and Parliament at Westminster anno 1413. did Enact That for the Peace and Quietness of England and for the encrease and enstoring of Ireland That all Irishmen Irish Clerks Beggars and Chamberdekins be voided out of England before All-Saints next Lib. M. except Graduates in Schools Sergeants and Apprentices at Law and such as be Inheritors in England and Religious Persons professed and Merchants of good Name and Apprentices now dwelling in England and those whom the King will dispense with and that all Irishmen who have Offices or Benefices in Ireland shall dwell in Ireland for the defence of the Land And now 4 Hen. 5. Lib. M. It was likewise Enacted in England that all Archbishops Bishops Abbots and Priors of the Irish Nation Rebels to the King that shall make any Collation or Presentment to Benefices in Ireland or bring with them any Irish Rebels among the Englishmen to the Parliament Councils or other Assemblies within the same Land to know the Privities or States of the Englishmen their Temporalities shall be seized till they fine to the King and that the Governors of Ireland be defended and restrained to grant such Benefices or Pardons in the case to Irish Persons not English and that such Licenses shall be void There is very little recorded of the Year 1418 1418. and it is scarce worth mentioning That the Lord Lieutenant did spoil the Tenants of Henry Crus and Henry Bethel probably for some Misdemeanor by them committed against the Government But the Year 1419. 1419. will afford us more Matter for on the last Day of May the Lord Lieutenant accompanied by the Archbishop and Mayor of Dublin razed the Castle of Kenun having a little before in the same Month taken Prisoner Mac Morough the chief Captain of his Nation and on the 20th of June the Lord William de Burgh took O Kelly and slow five hundred Irish in Connaught but the Lord Lieutenant was sent for to England and substituted his Brother Richard Talbot Archbishop of Dublin Lord Justice or Deputy He held a Royal Council i. e. a Parliament at the Naas which gave a Subsidy of three hundred Marks On Maundy-Thursday O Tool took four hundred Kine from Ballymore and so broke the Peace contrary to his Oath but it fared worse with the Irish at Rodiston where thirty of them were slain by the English under the Command of the Lord Justice but on the 4th day of April Landed at Waterford James 1420. Earl of Ormond Lord Lieutenant His Commission is very large and beareth Date the 10th of Febr. 7 Hen. 5. and is to be seen Pryn 412. He held a Council at Dublin the 23th of April and summoned a Parliament to meet the 7th of June which did accordingly then meet and sate sixteen days and gave the King a Subsidy of seven hundred Marks and adjourned to Monday after S. Andrews Day and at that Session they gave another Subsidy of three hundred Marks and the publick Debts contracted by the Lord Talbot were paid and then they were Adjourned to the Monday after S. Ambrose's Day But it will be convenient to shew the Reader who paid these Subsidies and what their respective Proportions were and thereby he will perceive the vast Alteration for the better that is made in the State of Ireland since those Days This Subsidy was called Tertium Subsidium and was applotted thus Lib. CCC Â Lib. s. d. The Clergy of the County of Wexford 13 06 08 The Commons of Kildare 34 10 05 The Clergy of Kildare 04 02 10 Commons of Typerary 08 11 04 Clergy of Cashel 00 19 04 Commons of Limerick 02 03 00 Clergy of Limerick 00 08 01 Kingsale 01 16 08 Â Mar. s. d. Meath Liberty 83 00 00 Clergy of Meath 40 00 00 Clergy of Dublin 11 11 08 Drogehda 04 03 00 Commons of Carlow 04 01 04 Clergy of Ossory 02 00 11 Commons of Kilkenny 18 05 11 Commons of Louth 25 12 05 Clergy of Ardes 08 08 09 Commons of Dublin 40 10 00 City of Dublin 06 10 00 Clergy Cathedral of Dublin 11 11 08 Cork 02 02 00 On the 28th of October Thomas Fitz-Girald took Colmolin Castle and the Parliament met again according to Adjournment on Monday after S. Ambrose's Day and ordered that the Archbishop of Armagh Sir Christopher Preston and others should go Commissioners to the King to desire a Reformation of the State of the Land At this Parliament John Gese Bishop of Lismore and Waterford accused Richard O Hedian Archbishop of Cashel of Thirty Articles the Principal of which were First Ware de Praesul 170. That he loved none of the English Nation nor gave any Benefice to any Englishman and that he counselled other Bishops to do the like Secondly That he had counterfeited the Great Seal Thirdly That he designed to make himself King of Munster Fourthly That he had taken a Ring from the Image of S. Patrick which the Earl of Desmond had offered and gave it to his Concubine c. There was also a Contest between Adam Pory Bishop of Cloyne and another Bishop but it is probable that the former Accusation was suppressed because we find no farther Proceedings upon them and because the Archbishop seems to have been a more generous sort of Man for he not only repaired the Cathedral of Cashel and a Mansion-House or two for his Successors but also was otherwise a great Benefactor to that See and liberal to Pious Uses and the later Contest was transmitted to Rome But we should return
to the Lord Justice 1422. whose Servants were on the Seventh of May attacked and defeated by the Irish Purcel Grant and five and twenty English more were slain and ten taken Prisoners and two hundred escaped to the Abby of Leix and to revenge this the Lord Justice invaded O Mores Country and defeated his terrible Army in the red Bog of Asby he relieved his own Men and burnt and preyed the Rebels Lands for four days until themselves came and sued for Peace And it seems O Dempsy notwithstanding his Oath of Obedience invaded the Pale and took the Castle of Ley from the Earl of Kildare which the Lord Justice had justly restored to the Earl whereupon Campion makes a severe Remark on the Irish That notwithstanding their Oaths and their Pledges they are no longer true than they feel themselves the weaker In the mean time Mac Mahon play'd the Devil in Vrgile and burnt and spoil'd all before him Camp 97. but the Lord Justice also revenged that Prank and forced Mac Mahon to submit and many other Noble Exploits did this good Governor for whose Success the Clergy of Dublin went twice every week in solemn Procession praying for his Victory over those disordered Persons which now in every Quarter of Ireland had apostatiz'd to their old Trade of Life and repined at the English And when I have mentioned a Deed made 9 Hen. 5. which is to be found Lib. GGG 24. at Lambeth whereby this Earl of Ormond constituted James Fitz-Girald Earl of Desmond his Seneschal of the Baronies or Signiories of Imokilly Inchicoin and the Town of Youghal during his Life I have no more to add but that this Victorious King after he had conquered France submitted to the common Fate on the last Day of August 1422 in the Flower of his Age and the Tenth Year of his Reign THE REIGN OF HENRY VI. King of England c. And LORD of IRELAND HENRY the Sixth was but nine Months old at the Death of his Illustrious Father 1422. and therefore the deceased King had by his last Will appointed John Duke of Bedford to be Regent of France Humphry Duke of Glocester to be Governour of England and Thomas Duke of Excester and Henry Bishop of Winchester to be Guardians of the Young King's Person All which was duly observed and the Infant King was proclaimed in Paris and the Nobility that were there swore Allegiance to him James Earl of Ormond continued Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and upon a Petition preferred by the House of Commons to the King about the manifold Murders Robberies Rapes Riots and other Misdemeanours committed by the Irish in England Lib. M. it was enacted there That all Persons born in Ireland should quit England within a time limited except Graduates in either University Clergymen beneficed those that have Land in England or are married there or those whose Parents are English and even such are to give Security of their good Behaviour And not long after came over Edmond Mortimer 1422. Earl of March and Vlster Lord Lieutenant He died afterwards of the Plague at the Castle of Trym which was his own Inheritance And in his stead came John Lord Talbot 1425. Lord Justice In whose time the Barretts a Family of good account near Cork did by Indenture covenant to be obedient to the Earl of Desmond who was exceeding Powerful and lorded it over great part of Munster with a high Hand This Governour resigned to James Earl of Ormond 1426. Lord Justice In whose time John Duke of Bedford 4 Instit 360. Regent of France obtained a Patent for all the Mines of Gold and Silver within England Ireland c. rendring to the Church the tenth Part to the King the fifteenth Part and to the Owner of the Soil the twentieth part And then Sir John de Gray 1427. Lord Lieutenant landed at Hoâ—th the thirty first of July and was sworn the next Day but no mention is made of any thing he did but that he went for England and left Edward Dantzy Bishop of Meath 1428. his Deputy He was for a time Treasurer of Ireland and dyed the fourth of January 1428. Upon Notice whereof Sir John Sutton Lord Dudly was sent over Lord Lieutenant He held a Parliament in Dublin Friday next after the Feast of All Saints 1429. at which it was enacted That the Sheriff upon Pain of Amercement should add to the Panel of Jurors the Place Estate and Mistery of every Juror And in the Preamble to this Act the Lord Lieutenant is Styled The Right Noble and Right Gracious Lord. And on the sixth of the same November the King was crowned at Westminster And soon after the Lord Lieutenant returned and left Sir Thomas Strange 1429. Lord Deputy in whose time the King was crowned at Paris 1431. and took the Oaths and Homage of the Nobility and People there And now happened the famous Case of the Prior of Lanthony which was That a Judgment in the Common Pleas being removed to the Irish Parliament was affirmed there Whereupon a Writ of Error was sent from England but the King's Bench in England would not take cognizance of a Judgment in the Parliament of Ireland to reverse it And therefore the Prior petitions the King That the Record may be transmitted to the House of Lords in England to be examined there Sir Thomas Stanly was made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1432. and it seems that he called a Parliament which enacted two Statutes that were afterwards repealed by 11 Jac. 1 cap. 5. And then he went to England leaving Sir Christopher Plunket Lord Deputy 1432. he was afterwards Baron of Killine in Right of his Wife Heir of the Cusacks and his second Son became Baron of Dunsany But Sir Thomas Stanly 1435. Lord Lieutenant returned and gave a Check to the Irish who were insolent beyond Measure and incroaching everywhere on the Pale making the best Advantage of the King's Minority and the Absence of the Military Men in France but the Lord Lieutenant with the Power of Meath and Vriel took Moyle O Donel Prisoner and slew a great many of the Irish And afterwards about Michaelmas he went again to England and left Richard Talbot Archbishop of Dublin 1436. Brother to the Earl of Shrewsbury Lord Deputy he was sometime Lord Chancellor of Ireland and was elected Primate of Armagh but he refused to change his Bishoprick Lion Lord Wells 1438. Lord Lieutenant in whose time a second Law was made in England Lib. M. obliging the Irishmen to return into their Native Country And another Statute was made in Ireland to stop the Passage of any more into England And on the twelfth of June 17 Hen. 6. Robert Fitz-Geofry Cogan granted all his Lands in Ireland being half the Kingdom of Cork to James Earl of Desmond and gave a Letter of Attorney to put him in Possession of Kyrrygrohanmore Lib. G. Downdrinane
List of all that did pay this scandalous Contribution Lib. P. 174. and yet I am not willing to conceal from him the Account I have met with which is as follows lib. The Barony of Lecale to O Neal of Clandeboy per annum 20 The County of Vriel to O Neal 40 The County of Meath to O Connor 60 The County of Kildare to O Connor 20 The King's Exchequer to Mac Morough 80 Marks The County of Wexford to Mac Morough 40 The Counties of Kilkenny and Typerary to O Carol 40 The County of Limerick to O Bâ—â—an 40 The County of Cork to Mac Carty of Muskry 40 And whilst the English were engaged in England the Irish advantaged themselves of the Opportunity and without Colour of Right usurped many considerable Estates as they had done before in the time of Richard II and these two Seasons set them so afloat that they could never since be cast out of their forceable Possessions holding by plain Wrong the most part of Vlster and upon very frivolous Pretences great Portions of Laâ—d in Munster and Connaugh And so we are come to the end of this unfortunate Reign which determined some Years before the King's Life for he did not dye until the twenty first Day of May 1472. And it must not be forgot That one of the Articles against this King was That by the Instigation of divers Lords about him he had wrote Letters to some of the Irish Enemy whereby they were encouraged to attempt the Conquest of the said Land of Ireland THE REIGN OF EDWARD IV. King of England c. And LORD of IRELAND EDWARD Earl of March 1460. Son and Heir of Richard Duke of York immediately after his Fathers Death at the Battle of Wakefield betook himself with all Diligence to gather an Army near Shrewsbury and having got twenty three thousand Men together on the second of February he defeated the Earls of Ormond and Pembrook near Mortimers-Cross and killed three thousand eight hundred of their Soldiers and although the Queen not long afterward defeated the Earl of Warwick at Bernard-Heath near S. Albans yet he wisely made slight of that Misfortune and without any Regard to it marched directly to London where on the fourth Day of March by vertue of the aforementioned Act of Parliament he was proclaimed King by the Name of Edward the Fourth He was as to his Person the goodliest Man of his Time and he was not less Valiant than beautiful On the twelfth of March he advanced against his Enemies and on Palm-Sunday with an Army of forty thousand and six hundred Men he encountred with sixty thousand and obtained so great a Victory that thirty six thousand seven hundred and seventy two of his Adversaries were slain And so being safe in his Throne 1461. he thought it time to put the Crown upon his Head which was solemnly performed on the twenty eighth Day of June In the mean time Thomas Earl of Kildare was on the thirtieth of April chosen Lord Justice by the Council of Ireland and continued so until Sir Rowland Fitz-Eusâ—ace 1462. Lord of Portlester and Treasurer was appointed Deputy to the Duke of Clarence He held a Parliament at Dublin Friday before S. Luke's Day which enacted That ten Pound per annum Davis 96. be received out of the Profits of the Courts to repair the Castle hall It seems that one William O Bolgir was made Denizen about this time Lib. G. and that on the fourth of May 1463. Robert Barnwal was made Baron of Trimlets-Town and it must not be forgot That the Earl of Ormond was beheaded at Newcastle and attainted by Parliament in Englaâ—d ◠〈◊〉 4. and that that noble Family was in Disgrace all this â—eâ—gn for their firm adhesion to the House of Lancaster This Lord Justice was long after this in a very old Age made Viscount Baltinglass by King Henry VIII and now was forced to resign to George Duke of Clarence the King's Brother who was made Lord Lieutenant for Life and deputed his Godfather Thomas Earl of Desmond Lib. M. Lord Deputy in whose time Mints were established at Dublin Trim Drogheda Waterford and Galway to coyn Groats two Penny pieces Pence Halfpence and Farthings And not long after it was ordered That English Mony should advance a fourth Part in Ireland viz. That an English Nine Pence should pass for a Shilling in Ireland and a Shilling for sixteen Pence and so proportionably And it seems the Gold Noble coyned in the time of Edward III. was inhanced higher than the rest for it was ordered to pass for ten Shillings And this was the first time any difference was made in the value of Mony between England and Ireland This Lord Justice held a Parliament at Weys Friday before S. Martin's Day 1463. which the Thursday after was adjourned to Waterford to be held the Monday following It was again on Saturday before the Feast of Edward the Confessor adjourned to Naas Irish Statutes 19. to be held Monday before S. Matthias Day and thence on the Friday after it met there it was adjourned to Dublin to be held Monday before S. David's Day and there on the Saturday after it was dissolved having first enacted I. That all Parliament Men should have Priviledge forty Days before and forty Days after every Sessions And II. That the Attorneys Fees be regulated And III. That clipped Mony should not be currant He held another Parliament at Trim 1465. on Wednesday after S. Lawrence his Day at which it was enacted I. That the like Challenge may be had against the Feofee as against cestuy que use II. That any Body may kill Thieves or Robbers Repealed 11 Car. 1 c. 6. or any Person going to rob or steal having no faithful Men of Good Name in English Apparel in their Company III. That the Irish within Pale shall wear English Habit take English Names and swear Allegiance upon pain of forfeiture of Goods IV. That English and Irish speaking English and living with the English shall have an English Bow and Arrows on pain of two Pence V. That there be a Constable and Butts in every Town And Lastly That no Foreign Vessels fish on the Rebels Coast on pain of Forfeiture And every one that fisheth on the Coast of the Pale to pay a Duty But this Lord Justice who was the greatest Man that ever was of his Family began now to decline in the King's Favour and was obliged to give place to John Lord Tiptoft 1467. Earl of Worcester Treasurer of England and Constable of England for Life Lord Deputy of Ireland he was one of the most learned and eloquent Men in Christendom and held a Parliament at Drogheda At which it was enacted I. That the Governour for the time being may pass into Islands II. That none shall purchase Bulls for Benefices from Rome under great Penalty III. That the King's Pardon to Provisors be void IV. That the
Title of Captain General brought over six hundred Horse and four hundred Foot whose Pay came to twelve hundred and twenty six Pound per Month viz seven hundred and seventy Pound for the Horse and four hundred fifty six Pound for the Foot and about Midsummer they landed at Waterford and being joyned by the Lord Deputy they invaded the Countries of Leix and Offaly and proclaimed O More and O Connor Traytors and having dispersed the Forces of the Rebels the Lord Deputy repaired the Fort of Dingen and built the Fort of Campaum alias Prolector now called Maryburgh whereupon O More and O connor were forced to submit and Bellingham was knighted and made Marshal of Ireland The Castle of Athloan was likewise repaired and garrisoned by Special Orders from England and the Vice-Treasurer Brabazon had the Care and management thereof and performed it effectually in spight of the great Opposition he met with from Dominick O Kelly and other Great Men of Connaught And this auspicious Year did also produce the mighty Victory which the English obtained over the Scots at Mussleburgh But as the Reformation proceeded in England 1538. so the Popish Zeal and Superstition increased in Ireland Ware 180. and the Pale it self began to be disturbed with it for Richard Fitz-Eustace and Alexander his Brother Sons of the Viscount Baltinglass were busie forming a Rebellion in the County of Kildare but the Presence of the Lord Deputy without Blows brought them to a Submissiom and stifled this Infant Conspiracy in the Cradle and it was well it did for this rebellious Distemper was very infectious and in a little time would have spread over the whole Kingdom the Lord of Baltinglass himself was a little tainted with it but by the means of Sir Edward Bellingham when Lord Deputy the Viscount was pardoned In the mean time the Lord Deputy Saintleger was sent for to England and carried with him O More and O Connor as Prisoners but upon their Submission they were received into Favour and honoured with a Pension of one hundred Pound per annum out of the Exchequer during their Lives which O More enjoyed not very long for he died within the Year suddainly at London Sir Edward Bellingham who had been sent into England with an Account of the Submission of the County of Kildare was now sent back Lord Deputy he landed at Dalkye on Whitson-Eve and two Days after he received the Sword at Christ-Church according to Custom He was a Zealous Protestant and a brave Soldier and by his means Sir John Allen was again made Lord Chancellor As soon as he was setled Davis 62. he marched into Leix and Offaly against Cahir O Connor and others that were brewing new Treasons there and forced them to submit and brought the Country to that degree of Subjection that he is said to be the first Man since Edward the third's time that enlarged the English Borders beyond the Pale and from Offaly the Lord Deputy marched to Delvin against Mac Coughlan whose Country he totally destroyed The Lord Deputy had express Orders to set up a Mint at Dublin which he did but it continued but a very little time for want of Bullion And this Year on the twenty second Day of April the City of Dublin which at first was governed by a Provost and by King Henry the Third subjected to a Mayor and Bayliffs and by Henry the Fourth was honoured with a Sword obtained their Bayliffs to be changed into Sheriffs and John Rians and Robert Eyons were the first two Sheriffs that were chosen or appointed for that City In the mean time Sir Francis Bryan who had married the Countess Dowager of Ormond and was made Marshal of Ireland and Governour of the Counties of Typerary and Kilkenny could by no means agree with the Lord Deputy their Differences grew at length to that height that Sir Francis impeached the Lord Deputy in England and prevailed to have him sent for to answer the Accusation But whilst that affair was transacting Ware 182. Teige O Carol plyed his own Business diligently and after a stout Defence he took and demolished the strong Castle of Nenagh and drove the English out of that Country In Vlster Manus O Donel quarrelled with his Son Calvagh and at length it came to Blows so that on the seventh Day of February Calvagh was routed and Manus Mac Donough O Cahan and many of his Followers were slain In the Lower Delvin Teige Mac Mlaghlin and Edmond Fahy with their united Forces did all the Mischief they could and almost totally destroyed that part of Mac Coughlans Country Nevertheless the Lord Deputy sent an Irish Brigade under the command of Donough O Conner accompanied with the Sons of Cahir O Connor to aid the King in his War against Scotland On the eighteenth of November Cormock Roe O Connor who was proclaimed Traytor came to Dublin and with Tears in his Eyes begged Pardon of the Lord Deputy and Council in Christ-Church and had it But being of a turbulent Spirit he soon after relapsed into Rebellion and being taken by the Earl of Clanrickard he was sent to Dublin and hanged so true is that Observation of Caesar Williamsons Nec gentem ullam reperies Cui peccare slere magis naturale est It is worthy Observation Holingsh 109. That though the Earl of Desmond for his Quality and vast Estate was made Lord High Treasurer yet he was not of the Privy Council nor indeed qualified to be so for he was Rude and Savage both in Apparel and Behaviour he had neither Learning nor Manners but lived after a barbarous fashion in the Country among the Wild-Irish and perhaps had not so much as a Glass-Window to his Houses and yet he was the best landed Subject in the King's Dominions About Christmas the Deputy sent for him to Dublin but he refusing the Lord Deputy himself with about twenty Horse made that haste to Munster that he took the Earl sitting by the Fire in his own House not at all suspecting that Expedition And it was well for him that he was so surprized for he was not only brought to Dublin and instructed in his Duty to his Prince and in good Manners and Civility towards his Fellow-Subjects but was also by the Lord Deputy's means pardoned and restored to the King's Favour so that he continued a good Subject ever afterwards during his Life and was so grateful to his Benefactor the Lord Deputy that he would pray for him constantly after every Meal And now it happened that the Earl of Tyrone Macguire Fylemy Roe O Neal 1549. and others referr'd all their Differences to the Lord Deputy and Council who on the twentieth day of June made their Decree wisely ordering Independency on O Neal. Therere are Copies of all these Decrees at Lambeth Lib. D. And they are to the same effect as that of Macguire's viz. Quod erit liber Ware 184. exemptus ab omni subjectione
aut servitio dicto Comiti Tyrone suisque Haeredibus impendendo ac immediate parebit obediet Domino Regi sub ejus pace defensione perpetuo remaenebit suaeque Celsitudini de tempore in tempus solvet Bonagium Bonnaught caetera omnia Debita quoties ad id per Dominum Deputatum Concilium requisitus rogatus fuerit c. And on the eighteenth of July the like Order was made between O Donel and his Sons and several Proprietors of Tyrconel and O Donel's Authority was limited and both Parties were obliged to obey the Order on pain of forfeiting all their Estate And about the same time Brian Mac Mahon and Hugh Oge made their Submissions at Kilmainham and were pardoned the five hundred Marks they had forfeited by breach of their former Articles Lib. D. In the mean time the Scotch Islanders sent some Forces to the assistance of the Irish in Vlster but Andrew Brereton with five and thirty Horse met with two hundred of them and defeated them with great slaughter and by his good Conduct quieted Vlster and was therefore made General or Governor thereof But the Lord Deputy being recall'd took Shipping at Houth on the 16th day of December and being offered Testimonials of his good Government from the Council he modestly refused saying That if his Innocence would not defend him he would use no other Remedy than his Belief of the Resurrection of the Dead He was certainly a brave Man and an excellent Governor and would have been sent back with Honour if his Infirmities whereof he died the next year had not prevented it Sir Francis Bryan 1549. Lord Justice was chosen by the Council on the twenty 7th day of Decemb and sworn at Christ-Church in Dublin on the 29th but he enjoyed this Honour but a little while for the County of Typerary being infested by O Carol the Lord Justice made a Journy thither in favour of the young Earl of Ormond who was but twelve years old to protect the Country and on the second of February died at Clonmel whereupon Sir William Brabazon Lord Justice was elected by the Council he committed the Government of the County of Typerary to Edmond Butler Archbishop of Cashel and made a Journy to Limerick where Teig O Carol submitted and entred into Covenants of paying a yearly Tribute into the Exchequer and of serving the King with a certain number of Horse and Foot at his own charge and of renouncing his Pretences to the Barony of Ormond and afterwards the same Teig O Carol surrendred to the King his Country of Ely O Carol containing ninety three Plow-Lands and a half and the King re-granted the same to him and Created him Baron of Ely and by O Carol's means Mac Morough O Kelly and O Mlaghlin were now taken into Protection and Pardoned and by the Lord Deputy's Mediation the Earls of Desmond and Thomond who were wrangling about Bounds and the protection of each others Tories or Out-laws were reconciled on the eleventh of March Lib. D. and about the same time Dermond O Sullevan a great man in the County of Cork was together with his Castle or dwelling-House accidentally blown up by Gunpowder and his Brother Amalfus who succeeded him was likewise not long after killed But Bulloign being restored to the French on the twenty-fifth day of April 1550. the King was thereby enabled to send eight thousand Pound of the Money received there and four hundred men of that Garrison into Ireland which he did And thereby the Lord Justice was put into a Condition of pursuing Charles Mac Art Cavenagh Ware 188. who was again in Rebellion and was proclaimed Traytor and the Lord Justice acquitted himself so well in that Matter August that he killed many of Cave-nagh's Followers and burnt the Country But the French King hearing that the English marched an Army into Scotland lookt upon that Assault of his Ally as a Breach of the Peace with him and therefore sent an hundred and sixty small Vessels with Ammunition and Corn to assist the Scots it hapned that sixteen of them were shipwrackt on the Coast of Ireland however the King of England to obviate any Designs the French might have against his Dominions set forth a Fleet of twenty Ships and Pinnaces under the Lord Cobham which guarded two Harbors on the South and one in the North toward Scotland On the twenty third of October Richard Butler second Son of Pierce Earl of Ormond was Created Viscount Mountgarret and a little before that viz. on the tenth of September Sir Anthony Saintleger Ware 190. Lord Deputy returned to Ireland and Sir Thomas Cusack was made Lord Chancellor To this Deputy Mac Carty submitted in humble Manner and was pardoned and it seems that this Lord Deputy had Orders to call a Parliament but I do not find that there was any in Ireland during this King's Reign On the fourth of November Charles Mac Art Cavenagh made his Submission to the Lord Deputy at Dublin in presence of the Earls of Desmond Thomond Clanrickard and Tyrone the Lords Mountgarret Dunboyn Cahir and Ibracan and renounced the Name of Mac Morough and parted with some of his usurped Jurisdiction and Estate But let us cast an eye on the Affairs of the Church and we shall find that the Reformation made but small progress in Ireland since the same year produced Bishops of each sort for on the tenth of May Arthur Macgenis was by provision of the Pope constituted Bishop of Dromore and confirmed therein by the King and Thomas Lancaster a Protestant was on the third day of September made Bishop of Kildare However Bish Brown's Life 13. on the sixth of February the King sent the following Order for the Liturgy of the Church of England to be read in Ireland in the English Tongue EDWARD by the Grace of God c. Whereas our Gracious Father King Henry the Eighth of happy Memory taking into consideration the bondage and heavy yoke that his true and faithful Subjects sustained under the Jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome as also the Ignorance the Commonalty were in how several fabulous Stories and lying Wonders misled our Subjects in both our Realms of England and Ireland grasping thereby the Means thereof into their hands also dispensing with the Sins of our Nations by their Indulgences and Pardons for Gain purposely to cherish all ill Vices as Robberies Rebellions Thefts Whoredoms Blasphemy Idolatry c. He our Gracious Father King Henry of happy Memory hereupon dissolved all Priories Monasteries Abbies and other pretended Religious Houses as being but Nurseries for Vice and Luxury more than for Sacred Learning Therefore that it might more plainly appear to the World that those Orders had kept the Light of the Gospel from his People he thought it most fit and convenient for the preservation of their Souls and Bodies that the Holy Scriptures should be Translated Printed and Placed in all Parish-Churches
Month. But the Lord Deputy was again allarm'd with a new Invasion of the Scotish Islanders and therefore Turlogh Lynogh being old the Baron of Dungannon was encouraged to oppose them but lest he should grow too popular by that Authority the Deputy thought it necessary to march into the North with such Forces as he had ready he left Dublin the 26th of June and passed speedily to Dungannon where most of the Irish Gentlemen of Vlster except James Carow came to him and submitted to his Lordship's command Hence the Deputy sent Captain Dawtry to the King of Scotland to pray restitution of the Irish Ships and Goods taken by his Subjects and that he would stop the Islanders from destroying Ireland to which he received a kind and favourable Answer dated at Saint Andrews the fourth of August 1585. but it came too late Four hundred Islanders arrived in Vlster and were joined by as many more under the Conduct of Con Mac Neal Oge's Son Hugh Mac Felim's Son O Kelly Mac Cartane c. and on the 28th of July were encountred by Captain Strafford and 170 Soldiers and a few Kernes who continued the Fight from Morning to four in the Afternoon still gaining Ground of the Enemy of whom 24 were slain and 40 wounded and of the English but 8 killed and 12 wounded and here my Authour truly observes that the Irish never gave the English a defeat but upon shrinking from them The Enemy passed the River Ban and went into Tyrone but were so pursued by the Baron of Dungannon and Captain Strafford that they were forced to repass the Ban and to retire toward Dunluce and finding no quiet there they went to Inisowen and designed to surprise Strabane but Hugh Duffe O Donell gave notice hereof to Captain Merriman and offered his assistance and so Merriman with 160 Soldiers and O Donell with a few of his fâ—llowers marcht all night to surprise the Scots But 〈◊〉 their great amazement they found the Scots in a readinesâ—â—nd above 600 strong so that they were able to divide 〈◊〉 Army into three divisions so to assail the Royalists threâ— several ways whilst the English being so few were forced to keep in one entire Body Alexander Mac Surly who commanded the Scots challeng'd Merriman to a Combate and a lusty Gallowglasse being by said he was the Captain and so to the Duel they go the Gallowglasse stund the Scot at the first blow but he recovering himself kill'd the Gallowglasse and thereupon Merriman stept out and fought Alexander a good while with Sword and Target and so wounded him in the Leg that he was forced to retreat and thereupon his Army being discouraged were totally routed and Alexander being hid under a Turf in Cabbin was discovered and his Head cut off and set on a Pole in Dublin But how fortunate soever the Summer Progress was yet the Deputy's Enemies complain'd against it as chargeable and unnecessary so that he was forced to return to Dublin the 16th of August where old Surlyboy came and submitted unto him The chief Articles against the Deputy were That he was severe and forc'd the People to the Oath of Allegiance and pryed into men's Patents and endeavour'd to promote Laws against Recusants and to repeal Poyning's Act and this Impeachment was abetted by the Chancellour whom being also Archbishop of Dublin the Deputy had disoblig'd by endeavouring to appropriate the Revenues of St. Patrick's Church to the new design'd University and by carrying himself too Magisterially in the Government with the Chancellour Sir Henry Bagnal Secretary Fenton and others of the Council sided so that it grew into a powerfull Faction by which the Deputy was often thwarted at Council Board and else where The Lord Treasurer of England was a fast Friend to the Arch-bishop so that by his means the appropriating of the Livings of St. Patrick's Church was stopt and other Affronts were put upon the Deputy which so enraged him that he spoke some passionate words of the Queen which were the cause of his Ruine afterwards and particularly having received some kind Letters from the Queen after some ill usage that he resented Look ye says he to the standers by now the Queen is ready to bepiss her self for fear of the Spaniard I am become her white Boy again This Deputy was supposed to be the Son of Henry the Eighth and had much of his towring Spirit in him When he was Condemn'd he ask'd the Lieutenant of the Tower whether the Queen would sacrifice her Brother to his frisking Adversaries meaning the Lord Chancellour Hatton who he said came into Court by the Galliard He was condemn'd on the Preists forged Letter and dyed suddenly in the Tower and his Son Sir Thomas Perot was restor'd to his Estate Nor did these his open Enemies only impeach him themselves but they also instigated the Lords and Gentlemen of the Pale as was believed to complain by their Letter of the 15th of July 1585. that besides the 2100 l. which they had consented should be levyed in lieu of the Cess the Lord Deputy design'd to impose a second Charge of 1500 l. per annum upon them thereby to make Her Majesty's Government intolerable to them but some of these Lords and Gentlemen being afterwards undeceiv'd generously wrote their Retractation of their former mistake to the Lords of the Council of England Nevertheless the Deputy proceeded in his duty and issued a Commission to two and twenty Gentlemen whereof Sir Richard Bingham Lib. L. 15th July 1585. White and Waterhouse were of the Quorum Authorizing them to compound between the Queen and the Subject and between the Lord and the Tenant for Cess Cuttings and other incertain Exactions and to bring the Inhabitants of Connaugh and Twomond to a composition of paying ten Shillings per annum for every quarter of Land containing 120 Acres besides a certain number of Soldiers amongst them on every rising out they proceeded by Inquisition by a Jury to find out the number of Plow-lands and the County of Mayo was found to contain 1448 quarters of Land whereof 248 might be exempted and paid 600 l. per annum and contributed 200 Foot and 40 Horse at their own charge when required and 50 Foot and 15 Horse in such manner as the Peers and English Bishops ought to do Sept. 1585. and this was done by Indenture whereby they voluntarily renounced the Irish Captainships Styles and Titles and abolish'd the Irish Gavelkind and Tanistry and agreed to hold their Lands by Patent according to Law and the like was done in the rest of Connaugh and the whole Province was found to contain 8169 quarters of Land whereof 2339 being exempted there remain'd 6836 liable to an annual Rent of 3418. 5. 8. and to contribute 1054 Foot and 224 Horse to the General Hostings in Connaugh and 332 Foot and 88 Horse at any time for Forty days any where in Ireland And Twomond for 1259 Plow'd Land agreed to pay 543 10 0
Three pence per Pound for other Goods due by Common Law But the Irish were very uneasie at the Plantation of Ulster and therefore it was necessary to countenance and protect it with an extraordinary Militia in that Province to support the Charge of which the King 1611. on the 22th day of May instituted the Order of Baronets which was to be Hereditary and not to exceed the number of Two hundred and every of them upon passing the Patent was to pay into the Exchequer as much Money as would maintain Thirty Men in Ulster for Three Years at Eight pence a day But if the Reader desires to know more of this Order I must refer him to Selden's Titles of Honour pag 822. and 909. and The Present State of England pag. 289. and Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle ad Annum 1611. But there had not been a Parliament in Ireland for Seven and twenty Years past since the Twenty seventh Year of Queen Elizabeth's Reign so that it was high time to call one now and the Ministers of State were at work to manage that Matter to the advantage of his Majesty and the English Protestant Interest in that Kingdom which they foresaw would be oppos'd with might and main by all those of the Popish Party and therefore they propos'd that an Order should issue for every Parliament-man to take the Oath of Supremacy and that the Lords should declare their Suffrages openly Content or Not content as in England and not rise and whisper in the Lord Chancellor's Ear as was the Custom in Ireland and that the King should find some Pretence to send for some few of those Noblemen that would most briskly oppose his Intentions as Henry the Eighth had formerly done and particularly that the Lord Courcy might not be suffered to sit in the House because his Ancestors were called by Writ and so his Honour being in Fee-simple did descend to Daughters who were Heirs-general of his Family and that the Lord Shrewsbury's Titles of Honour in Ireland were not * Contra adjudg'd 4. Inst cap. Ireland forfeited by the Act of Absentees and therefore he might have a Voice in that Parliament or make his Proxy and that for the Credit of the Business the Lord Deputy might be Ennobled before the Parliament sat But some of these were not practicable and the rest not thought fit to be done at that time But I must not forget to take notice of a necessary Office in those days tho now it be obsolete viz. the Interpreter to the State which was enjoy'd by Thomas Cahill with an Annual Sallary of 26 l. 6 s. 8 d. In September the Lord Deputy published a Proclamation of the intended Parliament and thereby invited the Subjects to exhibit their Grievances and to consider of Proposals for the Publick Good to be past into Acts and he also signified his Majesty's gracious Intentions to erect some new Corporations for the better Encouragement of the Plantation of Ulster And it seems that the Government was thenceforward imploy'd about the Plantation of Ulster and the Preparation of Bills to be past in the approaching Parliament and in erecting of some new Corporations viz. Belfast Charlemont Aâ—trim Bandon Cloghnikilty Tallow Newry Lifford Donegall Ballyshanon Tâ—â—am Eniskilling Traly Athy Bi r Kilmallock c. The Bills that were design'd to be made Acts of Parliament were 1. An Act to cut Paces and mend High-ways 2. To extinguish Uses and suppress fraudulent Conveyances 3. That Sale in Market overt should not alter Property of Stolen Goods 4. For the Enrolment of Deeds of Bargains and Sale and for Conveyance of Land 5. To try Accessories in Foreign Counties 6. To reduce Peremptory Challenges to Twenty 7. To enable Tenant in Tail to make Leases 8. To deprive some Criminals of Benefit of Clargy as in England 9. For making Linen Cloth sowing Hemp and Flax. 10. For Trial of Pyrates 11. To Re-edifie Cathedral Churches and to remove some of them to Gallway Dingle Carigfergus Newry Wexfoâ—d Cavan c. 12. To restrain Ecclesiastical Persons from Alienating c. 13. Against Pluralities Non-residence or Simony 14. Against Receivers and Harbourers of Jesuits Serminary Priests c. 15. And sending Children beyond Seas 16. Against Idle Holy-days 17. To expeâ— Monks Friarâ— Nuns c. 18. To give the King all Chantries and other Superstitious Uses 19. To establish the Compositions 20. For the Attainder of the Earls of Tyrone Tytconel and others 21. To revive and perpetâ—ate the Impost of Wines 22. To Naturalize Manufactures 23. To resume all Immunities to Corporations from Customs 24. That those Attainded of Treason in England shall forfeit their Estates in Ireland 25. An Act of Recognition 26. To abolish the Brehon Law and Tanistry and Irish Exactions 27. Artificers Apprentices to be Free-men in any Corporation 28. Against Idlers and Vagabonds 29. The Barony to answer the Stealth unless they can track it farther 30. That Bastards take the Name of the Mother and that it be Felony to lay it to any Man 31. No Man to keep a Woman as a Wiâ—â— and turn her away at pleasure on pain of One Years Imprisonment And if any Authorized Priest do divorce it to be Felony 32. Against Usury above Ten per Cent. 33. To impower Judges of Assiâ—â— to raise Taxes for Court-houses and Goals But in November 1612 1612. the Popish Lords dissatisfied with these Proceedings wrote a joynt Letter to the King complaining that the Bills to be passed in the next Parliament were not Communicated to them they also complained of the new Corporations and that the Oath of Supremacy was tendered to Magistrates and they insinuated the Danger of a general Revolt and concluded that if the Laws about Religion were repeal'd a firm and faithful Subjection would be established in their Minds and on the 17 th of May 1613. the Popish Lords did Petition the Lord Deputy to the effect aforesaid adding nevertheless some stubborn and unseemly Expressions and questioning the Kings Prerogative in erecting new Corporations or calling by Writ new Lords to Parliament and they affirmed some of the new Burroughs were unfit to be incorporated and they excepted against the Castle of Dublin for the place of Session and the rather because the Ammunition being there they might be in Danger of being blown up and they were troubled at the Lord Deputies Guard as that which they said was design'd to keep them in Awe and terrifie them into Compliance But these were but vain Pretences Lib. C. for they well enough knew that the Guard was but 100 Men as was usual and Customary and that it was impossible to blow up the Papists but that the Protestants also and perhaps the City of Dublin must have likewise been destroy'd on the contrary the Papists were so far from being afraid that they were very tumultuous and came to Dublin in vast numbers to frighten the Government The Lord Gormanstowne was amongst the most Seditious and unruly
Lord Deputy He was sworn on the Third of April and was an intimate Friend of the Lord Lieutenants and was suspected to have imployed Agents to raze out of the Journal-Book of the House of Commons some Instructions that were agreed upon by that House for a Committee to Impeach the Earl of Strafford but it is certain he did what he could to hinder that Committee from going to England And besides Persuasions Rushw 469. he proceeded to forbid them that voyage upon their Allegiance Nevertheless they all got away privately some from one Port and some from another and came safely to England This Committe were the Lords Gormanstowne Killmallock Costilo and Baltinglass for the Upper House Nicholas Plunket Sir Robert Digby Richard Fitz-Gerrald and Nicholas Barnwall for Leinster Sir Hardress Waller John Welsh Sir Donough mac Cartby for Munster Robert Linch Geoffry Browne and Thomas Burk for Connught and Sir William Cole and Sir James Mountgomery for Ulster and they carried with them a Remonstrance from the Irish Parliament against the Earl of Strafford whom they prosecuted effectually and were under-hand so to do by the Discontented part of the Parliament of England And because this Remonstrance contains a great part of the History of those Times I have thought necessary to add it in haec verba To the Right Honourable the Lord Deputy The Humble and Just Remonstrance of the Knights Citizens and Burgesses of the Parliament Assembled SHEWING THat in all Ages since the happy Subjection of this Kingdom to the Imperial Crown of England Rushw 11. it was and is a Principal Study and Princely Care of His Majesty and His Noble Progenitors Kings and Queens of England and Ireland to the vast Expence of Treasure and Blood that their Loyal and Dutiful People of this Land of Ireland being now for the most part derived from British Ancestors should be Governed according to the Municipal and Fundamental Laws of England that the Statute of Magna Charta or the Great Charter of the Liberties of England and other Laudable Laws and Statutes were in several Parliaments here Enacted and Declared that by the means thereof and of the most prudent and benign Government of His Majesty and His Royal Progenitors this Kingdom was until of late in its growth a flourishing Estate whereby the said People were heretofore enabled to answer their humble and natural Desires 〈◊〉 comply with His Majesty's Princely and Royal Occasions by their Free Gift of One hundred and fifty thousand pounds Sterling and likewise by another Free Gift of One hundred and twenty thousand pounds more during the Government of the Lord Viscount Faulkland and after by the Gift of Forty thousand pounds and their free and chearful Gift of Six intire Subsidies in the Tenth Year of His Majesty's Reign which to comply with His Majesty 's then Occasions signified to the them House of Commons they did allow should amount in the Collections unto Two hundred and Fifty thousand pounds although as they confidently believe if the Subsidies had been Levied in a moderate Parliamentary way they would not have amounted to much more than half the Sum aforesaid besides the Four intire Subsides granted in this present Parliament So it is may it please Your Lordship by the occasion of the ensuing and other Grievances and Innovations though to His Majesty no considerable Profit this Kingdom is reduced to that extream and universal Poverty that the same is lesâ— able to pay Subsidies than it was heretofore to satisfie all the before-recited great Payments And His Majesty's most Faithful People of the Land do conceive great Fears that the said Grievances and Consequences thereof may be hereafter drawn into Precedents to be perpetuated upon their Posterity which in their great Hopes and strong Beliefs they are persuaded is contrary to His Royal and Princely Intention towards His said People Some of which said Grievances are as followeth I. The general apparent Decay of Trades occasioned by the new and illegal raising of the Book of Rates and Impositions upon Native and other Commodities exported and imported by reason whereof and of extreme Usage and Censures Merchants are beggar'd and both disenabled and discouraged to Trade and some of the Honourable Persons who gain thereby are often Judges and Parties and that in the conclusion His Majesty's Profit thereby is not considerably advanced II. The Arbitrary Decision of all Civil Causes and Controversies by Paper Petitions before the Lord Lieutenant and Lord Deputy and infinite other Judicatories upon Reference from them derived in the nature of all Actions determinable at the Common Law not limited into certain Time Cause Season or Thing whatsoever and the Consequences of such Proceedings by receiving immoderate and unlawful Fees by Secretaries Clerks Pursuivants Serjeants at Arms and otherwise by which kind of Proceedings His Majesty loseth a great part of His Revenue upon Original Writs and otherwise and the Subject loseth the Benefit of his Writ of Error Bill of Reversâ—l Vouchers and other legal and just Advantages and the ordinary Course and Courts of Justice declined III. The Proceedings in Civil Causes at Council-board contrary to the Law and Great Charter not limited to any certain Time or Season IV. That the Subject is in all the Material Parts thereof denied the Benefit of the Princely Graces and more especially of the Statute of Limitations of 24 Jac. granted by His Majesty in the Fourth Year of His Reign upon great Advice of the Councils of England and Ireland and for great Consideration and then published in all the Courts of Dublin and in all the Counties of this Kingdom in open Assizes whereby all Persons do take notice that contrary to His Majesty's Pious Intentions His Subjects of this Land have not enjoyed the Benefit of His Majesty ' Princely Promise thereby made V. The Extrajudicial Avoiding of Letters Patents of Estates of a very great part of His Majesty's Subjects under the Great Seal the Publick Faith 〈◊〉 the Kingdom by Private Opinions delivered at the Council-board without Legal Evictions of their Estates contrary to Law and without Precedent or Example of any former Age. VI. The Proclamation for the Sole Emption and Uttering of Tobacco which is bought at very low Rates and uttered at high and excessive Rates by means whereof thousands of Families within this Kingdom and of His Majesty's Subjects in several Islands and other Parts of the West-Indies as your Petitioners are informed are destroyed and the most part of the Coin of this Kingdom is engrossed into particular Hands insomuch that your Petitioners do conceive that the Profit arising and engrossed thereby doth surmount His Majesty's Revenue Certain or Casual within this Kingdom and yet His Majesty receiveth but very little Profit by the same VII The universal and unlawful Encreasing of Monopolies to the Advantage of a Few the Disprofit of His Majesty and Impoverishment of His People VIII And the extreme cruel Usage of certain late Commissioners and
ordering the Country People to bring in their Corn to Market or else that their Haggards should be put under Military Execution by which means the Market was pretty well supplied And on the last day of December Sir Symon Harcourt with his Regiment of Twelve hundred Foot from England landed at Dublin But whilst these things were doing Sir Thomas Carey and Doctor Câ—le a Sorbonist offered from the Rebels some Propositions whereupon a Treaty for Peace might be founded viz. 1. Toleration of Religion 2. That Papists shall have admittance to all Employments as well as Protestants 3. The Wrongs of Plantations since 1610. to be repair'd 4. The Titles of Rebels and Traitors should be taken off the File by Proclamation But these Terms were too dishonorable and therefore were rejected Nevertheless some Popish Priests that pretended to more Moderation and Humanity than the rest were permitted to Treat with the Rebels and Doctor Cale obtain'd a Commission from the State to do so and promis'd great Success of his Negotiation But the Rebels were elevated with their Fortune insomuch that Sir Philemy O Neal refused to Treat unless Macgulre and Macmahon were set at Liberty and so that Affair determined And now Sir Simon Harcourt being made Governor of Dublin Sir Charles Coot on the Tenth of January was sent abroad to remove the Enemy from Swords a Village Six Miles from the City The Irish had barricadoed the Avenues to the Town and did what they could to defend themselves but Coot despising their weak Opposition valiantly forced the Passage and routed the Party with the slaughter of Two hundred of them and returned to Dublin with little or no Loss except that of Sir Lorenzo Cary who was killed in this Action On the Eleventh of January the Parliament was by Proclamation prorogued to the Twenty first of June 1642. But the Speakers declared to both Houses ☜ That notwithstanding the Prorogation it was not His Majesty's Intention to depart from or wave any thing he had formerly promis'd for the Confirmation of their Estates to such of his Subjects as should continue Loyal On the Fourteenth of January the Lords Justices and Council issued a severe Proclamation against Pillagers and Vagrants that were not Listed under any Commander and on the Eighteenth published another Proclamation prohibiting Soldiers from returning to England without Licence on pain of Death And on the Twenty fourth of January there landed at Dublin the Lord Lieutenant's Regiment of Foot under Lieutenant Colonel Monk afterward Duke of Albemarle Sir Michael Earnly's and Colonel Cromwell's Regiments likewise of Foot and the Lord Lisle's and Sir Richard Greeâ—vill's Regiments of Horse which enabled the Lieutenant-General Ormond with Two thousand Foot and Three hundred Horse to march out into the Country where he burnt Newcastle and Lyons and got a cosiderable Booty at the Naas and by this Joâ—â—ny removed the Enemy farther off See this Proclamation Burlace Append 6. and on the Eighth of February the Government issued a Proclamation against the Rebels prizing Sir Philemy O Neal's Head at a thousand Pounds and the rest at proportionable Rates against which the Lords of the Pale framed a false and scandalous Protestation But it is time to return to Tredagh which by the importunity of those of the Pale was become the Rebels chief Aim and next to Dublin the chief Care of the State It was the principal Scene of Action during the Months of December January and February and therefore I have preserved the Relation of that Siege intire without mixing it with other Affairs Tredagh in Irish Drogheda in Latin Pontana is an ancient Walled Town situate on both sides the River Boyne and united by a Stone Bridge from which the Town derives its Name It is about two Miles in Circuit and about three Miles distant from the Sea It had neither Bulwark nor Rampire nor any other Fortification than an ordinary Ditch and the old Wall The Haven is not good the Entrance being very narrow and difficult by reason of a Bar in the Mouth of the Harbor which is not passable but at Full Sea and then especially on Spring-tides a Ship of Sixty Tuns may sail to the Key of Tredagh Finally This Town is Governed by a Mayor Aldermen and Sheriffs and is a County of it self and stands in a plain open fruitful and Champion Country To this Town came the Lord Moor with his Troop of Horse from his House at Mellefont upon the first notice of the Irish Rebellion even on the Twenty third of October about Midnight and being alarm'd by the dismal Stories of some which had escaped the Cruelties of the Rebels he caused the Mayor and Aldermen to be awakened and excited them to a speedy and vigorous Preparation for their Defence They promised fairly but acted slowly insomuch that altho' many hundreds of the Townsmen well armed used to appear on Muster-days yet now they could not get above Forty Men together and those but very ill armed but afterwards the Number encreased to Two hundred However this Noble Lord was not discouraged but having got some old Guns out of a Dungeon and Four more and some Powder out of a Ship in the Harbor he scowred the Ditch and repaired the Walls and mounted his Artillery and reviewed Captain Nettervill's and Captain Rockby's half Companies each consisting of Forty four Men of the Standing Army and did every thing else in his power that was necessary for the Defence of the Place Nevertheless finding that all this would not do without farther Succour he went to Dublin in a dark Night and effectually represented to the Government the Weakness and Importance of Drogheda and offered to augment his own Troop of Sixty to a hundred and to raise a hundred Foot at his own Charge But what he obtained was a Promise That Succours should be speedily sent And in the mean time Captain Seafoul Gibson had a Commission and Arms for a hundred and twenty Men which he raised in Tredagh in two Hours time and that very Night they were set on the Watch and were kept to so hard Duty that this Captain and the Lord Moor did watch Ten Nights together in their own Persons which was the more troublesom to them because they were frequently on every day especially at Church-time disturb'd with Alarms purposely made by the Popish Inhabitants to distract them And altho' the Lord Moor had the good Success in several Sallies and Excursions to kill Two hundred of the Rebels and to take Eighty Prisoners whereof Six only were hang'd yet the Popish Townsmen finding that no Supply was come to the Town nor as they thought likely to come and that on the contrary the Rebels had taken Dundalk and Drâ—miskin formed several Contrivances to give up the Town One Night when they design'd it they were prevented by a Rumour That the Protestants had re-taken Newry and another Night Captain Nattervill who had form'd his half Company to his mind and was in
side was urged a contrary proceeding to the utter cutting off all the English Protestants where to the Instances of the dismissed Moors it was answered that that was sole act of the King and Queen of Spain contrary to the Advice of their Council which howsoever it might gain that Prince a name of Mercy yet therein the event shewed him to be most unmerciful not only to his own but to all Christendom besides That this was evident in the great and excessive charge that Spain hath been since that time put unto by these Moors and their Posterity to this day All Christendom also hath and doth still groan under the miseries it doth suffer by the Piracies of Argiers Sally and the like Dens of Thieves That all this might have been prevented in one hour by a general Massacre applying that it was no less dangerous to expel the English That these Robbed and Banished men might again return with Swords in their hands who by their hard usage in spoiling might be exasperated and by the hope of recovering their former Estates would be incensed far more than strangers that were sent against them being neither in their Persons injured nor grieved in their Estates that therefore a general Massacre was the safest and readiest way for freeing the Kingdom of any such fears 3. In which diversity of Opinions howsoever the first prevailed with some for which the Franciscans saith this Fryer one of their Guardians did stand yet others inclined to the Second some again leaned to a Middle way neither to dismiss nor kill And according to this do we find the event and course of their proceedings In some places they are generally put to the Sword or to other Miserable ends some restrain their Persons in durance knowing it to be in their hands to dispatch them at their pleasures in the mena time they being reserved eitheir for profit by their Ransom or for exchange of Prisoners or gaining their own Pardons by the lives of their Prisoners if Time would serve or by their death if the worst did happen to satisfie their fury The Third sort at the first altogether dismissed their Prisoners but first having spoiled them of their Goods and after of their Raiment exposed the miserable wretches to Cold and Famine whereby many have perished by deaths worse than Sword or Halter Hitherto of their Councils and the effects of them Now for their intentions all being reduced which God forbid into their Power and thereof they do as by some Law give such peremptory conclusions that it may well be wondred the thoughts of men professing themselves wise should be so vain and herein I do still follow mine Informer First Their Loyalty to his Majesty shall be still reserved Thus say they of the modest sort but both his Revenues and Government must be reduced to certain bounds His Rents none other than the antient Reservations before the Plantation and the Customs so ordered as to them shall be thought fitting Secondly For the Government such as would be esteemed Loyal would have it committed to the hands of two Lords Justices one of the antient Irish race the other of the antient British Inhabitants in the Kingdom Provided that they be of the Romish profession Thirdly That a Parliament be forthwith called consisting of whom they shall think fit to be admitted wherein their own Religious men shall be assistants Fourthly Poinings Act must be Repealed ☜ and Ireland declared to be a Kingdom Independent on England and without any reference unto it in any case whatsoever Fifthly All Acts prejudical to the Romish Reiligion shall be abolished and it to be Enacted That there be none other Profession in the Kingdom but the Romish Sixthly That only the antient Nobility of the Kingdom shall stand and of them Such as shall refuse to conform to the Romish Religion to be removed and others put in their room howsoever the present Earl of Kildare must be put out and another put in his place Seventhly All Plantation Lands to be recalled and the anuient Proprietors to be Reinvested in their formere Estates with the limitations in their Covenant expressed That they had not formerly Sold their Interests on valuable considerations Eightly That the respective Counties of the Kingdom be Subdivided and certain Bounds or Baronies assigned to the chief Septs and others of the Nobility who are to be answerable for the Government thereof and that a standing Army may be still in being the respective Governors being to keep a certain Number of men to be ready at all Risings out as they term it They also being to build and maintain certain Fortresses in places most convenient within their Precincts and that these Governors be of absolute Power only responsible to the Parliament Lastly For maintaining a correspondence with other Nations and for securing the Coasts That also they may be rendred considerable unto others a Navy of a certain number of Ships is to be maintained That to this end five Houses are to be appointed one in each Province accounting Meath for one of them That to these Houses shall be allotted an Annual Pension of certain Thousands of Pounds to be made up of part of the Lands appropriate to Abbies and a further contribution to be raised in the respective Provinces to that end That these Houses are to be assigned to a certain Order of Knights answerable to that of Malta who are to be Seamen And to maintain this Fleet that all prizes are to be appointed some part for a Common Bank the rest to be divided to which purpose the felling of Woods serviceable for this use is to be forbidden The House for this purpose to be Assigned to the Provice of Leinster is Kilmainham or rather Howth the Lord of Howth to be otherwise accommodated provided that he joyn with them that place being esteemed most convenient in respect of Situation For effecting of all which they cast up the Accounts of the whole Forces of this Kingdom ☜ that it is able to make up readily Two hundred thousand able men wanting only Commanders and some expert Soldiers for the present with Arms and Ammunition of all which they expect a speedy supply out of Flanders their own Regiments there Exercised being to be sent over and some Ships from Spain allotted for Service That this Kingdom being setled There are Thirty thousand men to be sent into England to joyn with the French and Spanish Forces and the Service in England performed jointly to fall upon Scotland for reducing both Kingdoms to the obedience of the Pope which being finished they have engaged themselves to the King of Spain for assisting him against the Hollanders And for drawing their followers to some Head and for giving the fairer Gloss to their foul Rebellion it is to be admired what strange and unlikely rumours of their own devising they cast abroad sometimes that many Sail of Spaniards are Landed now at one Port then at another that Drogheda
days But go too suppose he never be had What is Kildare to blame for it more than my good Brother of Ossory who notwithstanding his high Promises having also the Kings Power is yet content to bring him in at leisure Cannot the Earl of Desmond shift but I must be of Council Cannot he hide him except I wink If he be close am I his Mate If he be befriended am I a Traytor This is a doughty kind of Accusation which they urge against me wherein they are gravell'd and mir'd at my first denial You would not see him say they Who made them so familiar with mine Eye-sight Or when was the Earl within my view Or who stood by when I let him slip Or where are the Tokens of my wilful Hoodwink But you sent him word to beware of you Who was the Messenger Where are the Letters Convince my Negatives see how loose this idle Gear hangeth together Desmond is not taken well you are in fault Why Because you are Who proveth it No body What Conjectures So it seemeth To whom To your Enemies Who told it them They will swear it What other Ground None Will they swear it my Lord Why then of like they know it either they have my hand to shew or can bring forth the Messenger or were present at a Conference or privy to Desmond or some body bewrayed it to them or they themselves were my Carriers or Vicegerents therein Which of these Parts will they chuse For I know them too well To reckon my self convict by their bare Words or heedless Sayings or frantick Oaths were but meer Mockery My Letters were soon read were any such Writing extant my Servants and Friends are ready to be sifted Of my Cozen Desmond they may lie loudly since no man here can well contrary them Touching my self I never noted in them so much Wit or so fast Faith that I would have gaged on their silence the Life of a good Hound much less mine own I doubt not may it please your Honours to oppose them how they came to the knowledge of these Matters which they are so ready to depose but you shall find their Tongues chained to another mans Trencher and as it were Knights of the Post suborn'd to say swear and stare the utmost they can as those that pass not what they say nor with what face they say it so they say no truth But on the other side it grieveth me That your good Grace whom I take to be wise and sharp and who of your blessed disposition wisheth me well should be so far gone in crediting these corrupt Informers that abuse the ignorance of your State and Countrey to my peril Little know you my Lord how necessary it is not only for the Governor but also for every Nobleman in Ireland to hamper the uncivil Neighbors at discretion wherein if they waited for Process of Law and had not those Lives and Lands you speak of within their reach they might hap to lose their own Lives and Lands without Law You hear of a Case as it were in a Dream and feel not the smart that vexeth us In England there is not a mean Subject that dare extend his hand to fillip a Peer of the Realm In Ireland except the Lord have Cunning to his Strength and Strength to save his Crown and sufficient Authority to take Thieves and Varlets when they stir he shall find them swarm so fast that it will be too late to call for Justice If you will have our Service take effect you must not tie us always to those judicial Proceedings wherewith your Realm thanked be God is inured Touching my Kingdom I know not what your Lordship should mean thereby If your Grace imagine that a Kingdom consisteth in serving God in obeying the Prince in governing with Love the Commonwealth in supporting Subjects in suppressing Rebels in executing Justice in bridling blind Affections I would be willing to be invested with so Vertuous and Royal a Name but if therefore you term me a King in that you are perswaded that I repine at the Government of my Sovereign or wink at Malefactors or oppress civil Livers I utterly disclaim that odious Term marvelling greatly that one of your Graces profound Wisdom would seem to appropriate so sacred a Name to so wicked a thing But howsoever it be my Lord I would you and I had changed Kingdoms but for one Month I would trust to gather up more Crumbs in that space than twice the Revenues of my poor Earldom But you are well and warm and so hold you and upbraid not me with such an odious Term. I slumber in a hard Cabin when you sleep in a soft Bed of Down I serve under the King's Cope of Heaven when you are served under a Canopy I drink Water out of my Skull when you drink Wine out of Golden Cups my Courser is train'd to the Field when your Jennet is taught to Amble when you are Graced and Belorded and Crouched and Kneeled unto then find I small Grace with our Irish Borderers except I cut them off by the Knees Hereupon the Cardinal finding that Kildare was no Fool adjourned the Cause till farther Proof could be produced however being fretted at this Speech he remanded the Earl to the Tower contrary to the Opinion of most of the Council Speed 775. it seems he was afterwards Bayl'd on the Recognizance of the Duke of Norfolk and was again imprisoned upon some Light the Cardinal had gotten of the Message to O Neal and O Connor which Kildare had sent by his Daughter the Lady Slane It is reported That whilst the Earl and the Lieutenant of the Tower were at Play together at Slide-groat a Mandate was sent by the Cardinal to execute Kildare the next day Whereupon he changing Countenance the Earl swore by S. Bride That there was some mad Game in that Scroll but fall how it will this Throw is for a huddle says he Speed 775. And being told of the Contents of the Letter he desired the Lieutenant to know the King's Pleasure therein which he did and the King was surpriz'd at the thing for he knew nothing of it and to controll the Sawciness of the Priest as he phrased it gave the Lieutenant his Signet for a Countermand whereat the Cardinal stormed But it seems to me that this Story is a meer Fiction because I find not one Word of Kildare's Trial and it is not credible that they would execute a Man of his Quality before he was legally Tried and Condemned Afterwards this Earl was again enlarged out of Prison on very considerable Bayl viz. the Marchioness Dowager of Dorset Ware 119. the Marquess of Dorset the Lords Fitz-Walter and Mountjoy the Bishop of S. Asaph Richard Lord Grey John Lord Grey Leonard Lord Grey Sir Henry Gilford Sir John Zouch and John Abbot of Vale-Royal and was not long after restored to the King's Favour When the Earl of Kildare went to England
he substituted his Brother Thomas Fitz Girald of Leixlip Lord Deputy but he in a very little time was forced to quit the Sword to Richard Nugent 1527. Lord Baron of Delvin Lord Deputy who could the easier keep the Kingdom quiet because the great Enemies and Competitors the Earls of Kildare and Ormond were both in England and about this time it hapned that the Title of Ormond was taken from Sir Pierce Butler who in lieu thereof was with great Pomp created Earl of Ossory 1528. at Windsor the 23d of February And whoever is curious to see the Copy of the Patent Ware says 1527. and a large and full Account of the whole Solemnity may find it Lib. G. 121 Baker says 1529. in the Library at Lambeth and particularly that he gave the Trumpeters twenty Pounds whereas the great Earl of Tyrone gave them but forty Shillings About the same time Sir Thomas Bullen who had married one of the Daughters and Co-heirs of Thomas Earl of Ormond was as it were Selden's Tit. of Honour 840. in her Right Created Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond and though there is but one Patent for both Titles yet there are several Clauses of Investiture several Habendums and several Grants of Creation-Money It has been already observed That many Irish Potentates had received Pensions for many years on the account of giving Protection to the King's Subjects or at least of sparing them from Plunder and although this scandalous and dishonourable Tribute was duly paid yet the Irish did not perform their Engagements but made frequent Sallies and Incursions as they had opportunity and particularly this very Spring O Connor made an irruption into the Pale 1528. and carryed away much Prey and Plunder into Offaly it seems the L. Deputy was too weak to revenge this Outrage by force Ware 's Annals 121. all that he could do was to withold O Connor's Pension which he did Hereupon the Rebel complained as if he had received the greatest Injury and desired to have a Parly with the Lord Deputy about it on the 12th of May the Lord Deputy consented and came at the time appointed not doubting but that he should convince all the World and even O Connor himself of the unreasonableness of his Demand but alas he was mistaken O Connor did not intend to argue the Matter fairly but was resolved to help himself by a Stratagem as they call it for he perfidiously set upon the Deputy and took him Prisoner and killed and wounded many of his Attendants And thereupon the Council chose Pierce Earl of Ossory Lord Deputy who being returned from England came to Dublin accompanied with O More O Carol and one of the O Connors and a numerous Train The first thing he did was to send a Message to O Connor to enlarge the Lord Delvin but he received a flat Denial and therefore the Lord Deputy and Council did by Act of State suspend the aforesaid Pension and not long after all those Pensions and the like Irish Exactions were suppressed and for ever extinguished by Act of Parliament Ware 122. The Sweating Sickness called Sudor Anglicus was fatal to many of the Irish this Year amongst the rest the Lord Chancellor died of it and was succeeded by the aforesaid Alan a Creature of Wolsy's raised by him to this Office purposely to oppress the Earl of Kildare That unfortunate Earl continuing his Enmity against the Earl of Ossory sent his Daughter the Lady Slane from Newington into Ireland to excite his Brothers and Friends O Neal and O Connor and whomsoever else she could to oppose the Lord Deputy and she was unhappy in being successful in her Negotiation for she procured much Mischief to the Lord Deputy and great Devastations on his Lands which afterward occasion'd great Trouble and Danger to her Father as aforesaid The Famous Emperor Charles the Fifth sent his Ambassador Gonzagues to the Earl of Desmond to stir him to Rebellion The Emperor's Instructions bear Date at Tolâ—do Feb. 24. and are 1529. to treat with Illustrissime il Conde de Desmond c. But this Embassie was ineffectual because that Earl died at Dingle the eighteenth of June 1529. He left one only Daughter who was afterwards married to James the sixth of that Name Earl of Ormond so that he was succeeded in the Earldom of Desmond by his Unkle and Enemy Thomas Moyle And now was the King's Divorce publickly ventilated in England and the Pope revoked his Legates and resumed the Cause to himself which enraged the King and was the Ruine of Cardinal Wolsy In the mean time the King made his Natural Son Henry Fitz-Roy Duke of Richmond and Somerset Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and sent over Sir Willian Skeffington Lord Deputy he arrived in August with Mony and with two hundred Horse accompanied by the Earl of Kildare freed from all his Troubles and were received by the Citizens of Dublin with great Joy His Instructions were I. To preserve the Peace between the Earls of Kildare Desmond and Ossory that so they might be the better able to assist the Deputy and the common Cause II. To be on the Defence only III. To make no Hostings without Advice of Council IV. To assist the Earl of Kildare privately I suppose in his Designs against the Irish V. To moderate the Exactions of the Soldiers VI. To subject the Lands of the Clergy to their part of the Publick Charge VII To call a Parliament And Lastly which is the strangest of all to endeavour to get a Subsidy before the Parliament sit About the same time Edmond Butler Archbishop of Cashel indicted a Provincial Synod at Limerick at which were present Nicholas Bishop of Lismore and Waterford John Bishop of Limerick Ware 125. and James Bishop of Killaloo they gave Power to the Mayor of Limerick to imprison Ecclesiastical Debtors until they pay their Debts without incurring any Excommunication of which Constitution or Canon the inferior Clergy grievously complained alledging That it was a Breach of their Priviledge But let us return to the Lord Deputy who invaded the Territory of Leix 1530. to suppress the Insolencies of O More and O Connor and their Confederates he destroyed O More by slight but frequent Skirmishes And so having preyed the Country he returned with these happy First-Fruits of his Government In the mean time the great Minster of State Cardinal Wolsy came to Disgrace in England and died the last Day of November And about the same time great Jealousies and Misunderstandings began to arise in Ireland between the Lord Deputy and the Earl of Kildare Nevertheless The Lord Deputy took that Earl to his Assistance in his Expedition into Vlster and there they took the Castle of Kinard and returned loaden with Prey and Plunder according to the Custom of those Times And with this Atchievment Hugh O Donel was frighted into a Submission which being himself sick he performed by his Delegates Con O