Catalogue description EARL OF OSSORY.

Indenture, 31 May, 26 Henry VIII., for the testimony and remembrance of such articles as Sir Peter Butler, knight, Earl of Ossory, at his departure from the King the day of these presents, has promised to observe, for himself and the Lord Butler his son and their heirs.

(1.) They will continue the King's faithful and liege subjects.

(2.) In consideration of the trust which the King has in the said Earl and his son, and of the "continual truth which always hath continued in him and his blood to the crown of England," the Earl promised that they would do their utmost for the suppression of the King's rebels; and the King is contented that the said Earl and his son shall have the leading and governance, under his Grace and his Lieutenant and Deputy, "of his subjects and inheritances of the counties of Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Waterford, and the count[ries] of Ossory and Ormond and elsewhere."

(3.) Whereas the King, upon manifold enormities alleged and proved against the Earl of Kildare, late his Deputy there, has not only discharged him of that room, but also appointed his trusty counsellor Sir William Skeffyngton, Master of his Ordnance, to repair thither at this time as his Deputy; and whereas the said Earl of Ossory has alleged that "the presence of the Earl of Kildare there, and such bonds of Irishmen and others as he made against him and to his annoyance heretofore" have hindered him from doing service to the King; the King has "restrained the said Earl of Kildare of repair into that his land."

(4.) The Earl of Ossory has promised that he and his son will assist the said Deputy, and rise out with him with their powers in all the King's causes, and invade the King's Irish and English rebels.

(5.) The said Earl and his son, "without the Deputy's assent, shall not make ne maintain the making of every Irish lord or captain, as of MacMorghe, O'More, O'Chonour, O'Karraile, and such other like," but assist and maintain the Deputy "for the making and admitting of such persons to those rooms and lordships; ne shall retain any of them upon their peace or war, but all those to be under the protection, war and peace" of the King.

(6.) The said Earl and Lord Butler shall assist, everywhere above the water of Barrowe, and elsewhere, the King's judges and other officers in the execution of his laws; compel all men under their rule to be obedient to the King's laws and officers; and provide sufficient jails within the counties of Kilkenny, Waterford, and Tipperary, for the sure keeping of felons and other transgressors.

(7.) They "shall do their best, with all their possible power, to attain to the King's possession his castle and honor of Dungarvan."

(8.) After the death of James late Earl of Desmond, notwithstanding his rebellion and offences, the King, trusting that Thomas, now Earl, according to his letters of submission and petition, would have demeaned himself like a true subject, granted livery of all the lands of the said James to the said Thomas, who, in Waterford before Sir William Skevington, then Commissioner, and others of the Council, "did not only give a solemn oath accustomed for an Earl to the King's Highness, but also did bind himself by indenture to his Grace" for the observance of his obedience and duty, and the reducing of his subjects in those parts to good order and subjection, which he has untruly transgressed. Therefore the Earl of Ossory binds himself and his son to endeavour to reduce the said Earl and other the King's English subjects in "these" parts to due obedience.

(9.) The Bishop of Rome's provisions and usurped jurisdiction have been the chief cause of the desolation and decay of Ireland, "by the abominable abuse whereof the cathedral churches, in monasteries, parish churches, and all other regular and secular, for the more part, in effect through the land, been in utter ruin and destroyed; for the said Bishop of Rome commonly hath preferred by his provisions to the administration and governance of them not only vile and vicious persons unlearned, being murderers, thieves, and of other detestable disposition, as light men of war, who, for their unjust maintenance therein for some time to expel the rightful incumbent, and other seasons by force of secular power to put the true patrons from their patronage, and other their misorders, have not only spent, wasted, and alienate such lands as the King, his noble progenitors and his nobles gave to the augmentation of God's divine service in the churches of that land, the exhibition and maintenance of the ministers of the same, and the utensils and ornaments there, but also by occasion of the same great wars hath been stirred amongst the King's people and countries virent (sic), brent in the copy in the Record Office, bishops and divers other persons spiritual and temporal murdered, and many other detestable things have ensued thereby." Therefore the King has willed his Deputy to resist with all his power the abuse and usurped jurisdiction of the said Bishop of Rome; and the Earl of Ossory has promised that he and his son will resist the said provisions with all their power.

(10.) Such of the Irish or English as shall be brought to good conformity by means of the said Earl and his son shall be favourably accepted, entertained, and aided by the Deputy and Council.

Copy.

Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts preserved in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth, ed. J. S. Brewer & W. Bullen (6 vols., 1867-73), vol. I, document 42.