Catalogue description SIR WILLIAM DRURY, LORD JUSTICE.

Instructions given by the Queen's Majesty, with the advice of her Highness'Council, to Sir Wm. Drury, Knight, [whom] she hath appointed Lord Justice of Ireland, and Wm. Gerrard, Esq. Lord Chancellor of the same land.

They shall assemble the rest of the Council there, and "enter into the estate of the four provinces, Ulster, Connaught, Munster, and Leinster, how and by whom every or any of these estates be perturbed, how and in what sort at this day the loyal and true subjects are defended from the enemies, and at what charge to her Majesty and at what charge to the country. After, to consider whether any part of the garrison now in pay [may] be diminished and the country sufficiently defended. Then, to consider of all our castles and forts, which at this day at our charge are guarded and kept, what maintenance daily belongeth or is otherwise challenged to belong to every or any of them the said castles or forts, either in lands or customs.

Also to confer and consider how the confines of our countries bordering upon the rebels, specially Leixie and Offally, be inhabited by the owners of the same lands, and whether by such persons or in such sort, with such armour and munition, as either by the laws of the land or in respect of their tenures they are bounden; wherein our will and pleasure is, that you effectually put those the laws of that land in execution, by which laws and through the deserts of owners of the lands we may lawfully demise the lands and appoint tenants.

Also to consider how the Irish rebels, next borderers upon the Pale, may best be dealt with to bring them to civil order, especially the Tooles, Byrnes, and Kavernaughts, "who have over long been suffered to live in the like rude and disordered sort as do the most savage of the Irish." Also to call our Clerk of the Check, and "to peruse his check roll of the whole number of the soldiers and others in our pay, who be their captains, where they live and how employed, and whether all those to whom we give pay as soldiers be continually employed in service." You shall cause the said Clerk of the Check to reduce his manner of entering those in pay into his check roll according to the ancient order.

Because we would be truly advertised of the debts we owe and of those due to us, you shall consider of the late notes laid down by our Auditor, and how all those to whom we remained in debt when Sir Henry Sydney last received the government, and who are not yet discharged, had and came by their warrants, whereby you may gather who are meetest speedily to be paid. We hope, with the revenue of the lands and the levying of the said debts, that those to whom we owe anything may be satisfied without suit to be made to us, and that "such as have patents of office there appertaining to our revenue, should have their yearly fees or the arrearages thereof paid by our Treasurer for the Wars, out of our treasure sent out of England; and therefore you shall charge our Treasurer with that default passed, and direct him not commit the like, what commandment soever any our governors there shall give to the contrary.

We perceive how greatly religion and justice "be decayed in most parts, the parish churches fallen down, and there no service said or very seldom." You shall take "such order as all those the several parish churches decayed may be reedified, who in law are chargeable therewith, the parsons, vicars, or their farmers, compelled to keep curates." You shall cause convenient places to be made or repaired wherein aptly to receive the justices in all times of sessions; also sufficient gaols. The said justices shall put in execution the laws against marriage and fostering with the Irish and using Irish laws and customs; and you shall appoint, in the towns where the sessions shall be kept, and in the good towns through which the passage of the justices lies, inns and places of lodging with convenient proportion of hay and corn, which they shall pay for.

You shall peruse the instructions taken in the time of King Henry VIII. (then put in print,) delivered to Sir William Skevington, Deputy there. So many of them as you think meet for this present age shall be put in execution.

We are wearied with the intolerable charges. Extraordinary expenses are the chief consumer of our treasure. As often as any allowance exceeding 10l. shall be demanded, you shall stay the granting or sending of a warrant by your concordatum, until you have called together all those of our Council being within eight miles, so as you ever have the number of four besides yourself to confer and consider of the demand.

Upon consideration of such sums as since the begnning of our reign have been answered to us "for subsidies, proffers of Mayors and Sheriffs, fines for liveries, the twentieth part for spiritual livings of the Crown, office [of] Clerk of the Hanaper, of the first fruits, fines for homage, forfeitures of merchandises, profits for wards, fines for leases, fines for alienations, fines in the Castle Chambers, forfeitures upon bonds and recognizances, [and] the fines of amercements cessed by the Commissioners in Causes Ecclesiastical," we find the same so small that we think we have not been answered of that which we ought to have received. The orders taken in the time of the Earl of Essex, set down in writing and subscribed by Gilbert Gerrard, Attorney General, for the speedy and due payment of our revenue, are to be executed. Before they pass any warrant to demise any part of our lands, or any pardon or protection for any offender, you and the Council shall consider of the same. The profits accruing thereby have rather been employed upon others than turned to our use.

When any spiritual promotions fall void, they shall be bestowed upon apt and fit persons, eschewing corruption.

You, the Lord Justice, and Lord Chancellor, with our Council, shall enter into the consideration of all officers and offices in our Court of Exchequer established to determine causes touching the revenue, and consider what appertains to the duty of those several offices, what fees they have, and whether our said revenue may not be received by fewer officers and at lesser charge.

Be careful to see our people governed by justice, that they may defend themselves from all oppressions, exactions, spending, coynes, liveries, payments of black rent, or any other Irish tribute or payment.

Search and try out what beefs the Irishry yield and pay us, and what they ought to yield.

Whereas upon the change of governors many good servitors in office have usually been displaced, and the friends and followers of the new governor admitted, although unfit, you shall have care that there be just matter inducing before you displace any.

Have special consideration of all such as hold any their lands of us, that we be not defrauded of any service.

At Michaelmas next, and so forth quarterly, send us a true accompt of the receipts and charges of the quarter, and a perfect certificate of your proceedings.

Copy.

Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts preserved in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth, ed. J. S. Brewer & W. Bullen (6 vols., 1867-73), vol. II, document 90.