Catalogue description REFORMATION of IRELAND.

"The decay of Ireland written by Patrick Finglas, one of the Barons of the Exchequer in Ireland," in the ---- year of Henry VIII. [In MS 600. p, 204. there is an abstract of this paper, entitled: "An Abbreviate of the getting of Ireland, and of the decay of the same, per Baron Finglas." Though it is only an "abbreviate," it occasionally gives additional particulars, the most important of which are contained in the following notes. In MS 635. p. 185 and MS 623, p. 149, are similar documents, the former being entitled: "A brief note of the getting and decay of Ireland, preferred to King Henry the Eight, about the 7th year of his reign." All these documents are copies.]

There were in Ireland before the Conquest five Kings, who divided it into five portions, viz., Leinster, Ulster, Connaught, and two parts of Munster. The Chief and Monarch kept the county of Meath for himself. [In the Abbreviate: "The chief of these five kings (called the Monarch) kept the county of Midth with himself ad mensam; that is, for the maintenance of his more honorable diet."]

Most of these portions were conquered by King Henry II., called Henry FitzEmpress, and by such lords, knights, and gentlemen as came into Ireland by his licence and command. Earl Strongbowe was the chief of them. He obtained Leinster not only by conquest, but also by the gift of McMowrrowghe, then King thereof, who gave him his daughter. He enjoyed it eight years, during the life of McMowrowghe, and divided it to lords, knights, and gentlemen to hold of him.

"This Earl enjoyed all Leinster in rest and peace during his life, which was 14 years after the said Conquest, so that at the time of his death all the inhabitants of the same obeyed the King's laws, except certain kinsmen of McMorowghe, whom by reason of the alliance of his wife the Earl had permitted to inhabit the midst of the said country under tribute, in a little country (as it were a barony) called Ydron."

He had one only daughter and heir whom the said King took into England, and married to William Earl Marshal, who came into Ireland, and kept all Leinster in peace and obedience during his life for 40 ["60" in the Abbreviate.] years. The Earl Marshal had issue five sons and five daughters; which sons were Earls and Lords of Leinster one after another "until the time of King Edward V. They died without issue."

All the daughters of the said Earl were married to Lords in England, and after the death of their brethren they made partition of Leinster. The eldest had the country of Caterlawghe, the second Weyshforde, the third Kilkenny, the fourth Kildare, the fifth the manor of Donamase in Leashe, with other lands in Kildare.

The Lords husbands to the said ladies, having great possessions of their own in England, sent small defence for their lands in Ireland, though they received the profits; and some of them never saw Ireland; wherefore, within four years after, their lands began to decay; "and then he that had the manor of Donamase in Leashe did receive an Irishman, one of the Moores to be captain in war in Leashe, in defence of Irishmen upon the border."

The two others that had Caterlawghe and Wexford received one of the Kavenaghes that was in Idron, of the old blood of McMowrowghe, to be captain of war in defence of the country, and took no regard of the defence of their persons; so that in few years after, in the days of King Edward II., the said captain of Moores usurped upon all Leyshe and kept it as his own, and called himself O'Moore.

The captain of the Kavenaghes in like manner usurped upon a great part of the countries of Caterlogh and Wexford, and kept it as his own, and called himself McMowrowghe; and so, within short time after, by his Irish government and strength, rose up the Byrnes and Tooles; so that McMorowghe with the Byrnes banished all the English inhabitants between Caterlawghe and the East Sea, which is above 30 miles.

In King Edward III.'s days McMorowghe's successor, being of great strength, obtained of the King 80 marks of yearly wages to do service, which neither he nor his successors did or have done to this day, and yet receive the same pay. [In the Abbreviate:--"Every of the five portions that were conquered by the King and nobles left under tribute certain Irishmen of principal blood of their nation, who were before the Conquest inhabitants of the land. In Leinster, the Kevanaghes of the blood of McMurghowe, in South Mounster, the McArties of the blood of McArtie, sometime King of Corke. In West Mounster, where O'Brine is, which I read was never conquest ne obedient to the King's laws, O'Briene and his blood have continued there still, who bare tribute to Henry the Second and his successors by the space of a hundred years. And the Lord Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, had one of the best manors in O'Briene's country, and dwelled therein.

"In Connaught were left certain of the blood of O'Conor, sometime King thereof, and certain of the O'Kelleyes and other. In Ulster, certain of the Neles of the blood of O'Nele, sometime King thereof. In Midth, certain of the blood of O'Malaghlin, sometime King thereof, and divers others. All these Irishmen have ever since been inclined to English rule and order, waiting ever when Englishmen would rebel and digress from obedience of laws, which (more harm is) have fallen to their purpose."]

The south portion of Munster between Waterford and Limerick, which contains five counties, was conquered by Henry II., and by many knights and gentlemen. [The Geraldines, Butlers, Roches, Barries, and Cogans are here mentioned in the Abbreviate.] It was English, and obedient to the King's laws, for 160 years.

Lionel, Duke of Clarence, second son to King Edward III., Lieutenant in Ireland in his father's days, seeing the lords and gentlemen inclined to Irish rule, made certain statutes in a Parliament at Kilkennye for the preservation of English order. If they had been kept, Ireland had been in obedience to this day. It was provided--

(1.) That none should take coyne or livery of the King's subjects.

(2.) That none of the King's subjects of English nation should make any alliance, by alterage, fostering, or otherwise with any of the Irish nation.

(3.) That no man of English nation, having lands or tenements, should marry any Irish woman.

Soon after the Duke's departure, ["Into England."--Abbreviate.] the chief Lords of Munster and Leinster being then of great wealth and name, as James ["John" in the Abbreviate.] FitzThomas, Earl of Kildare, James Butler, Earl of Ormond, and Maurice FitzThomas, Earl of Desmond, having division between themselves, began to make alterage and alliance with Irishmen to strengthen themselves against others; by reason whereof they disdained to be punished by the King's Deputies; "and to prove experience for the same," there was, by concord of the Irishmen, a battle between the Earls of Ormond and Desmond, ["In King Hen. VI.'s time."--Abbreviate.] in which all the good men of the town of Kilkenny were slain, and the Earl of Desmond prevailed. Since that time neither the Geraldines of Munster nor of Leinster nor the Butlers have duly obeyed the King's laws, but continually allied themselves with Irishmen, using coyne and livery, so that all the freeholders and English inhabitants in the countries of the Earls of Desmond, Ormond, and Kildare are clearly expulsed, and Irishmen inhabit in their stead; and "there is at this day obedient to the King's laws only the little English pale betwixt Dublin and Trim and Dundalk, which passeth not 30 miles compass."

The county of Meath was given by King Henry FitzEmpress to Sir Hugh de Lacye, to hold by 100 knights' fees. Sir Hugh, after he had conquered it, gave much thereof to lords and gentlemen, to hold of himself. While he was building the castle of Derwaighte in West Meath, a mason of his own traitorously slew him; and it is written in the Chronicles, "Quod ibi cessavit Conquoestus." ["Hybernioe" is added in the Abbreviate.] This Sir Hugh had two sons, Sir Walter and Sir Hugh; which Sir Hugh was afterwards Earl of Ulster.

The said Sir Walter had two daughters, one married to Sir Theobald de Verdon, the other to Sir Geoffrey Genevile; they partitioned Meath between them. The manor of Tryme was allotted to Sir Geoffrey, whereto the King is right heir; and the manor of Loghseudy in West Meath to Sir Theobald, whose daughter and heir was married to the Lord Furnivall in England, who sent little defence for the same, whereby West Meath is wholly Irish. [In the Abbreviate: "The Manor of Logsedie came in Theobald's portion, who had none heir but daughters, which were married in England to the Lord Furnivall and others, who dwelled still in England, taking profits as they could get for a while and sent small defence thereto, so that within four years all was lost except certain manors within the English pale, which Thomas Baron of Slane and Sir Robert Hollywood, Sir John Cruce and Sir John Bellowe purchased in King Richard the Second his days. And thus decayed the half of Midth, which obeyed not the King's laws these hundred years."]

Concerning the other portion of Munster, where the Byrnes dwell, I read not that it was conquered; howbeit there is no doubt but O'Brien submitted himself to King Henry II. and bare him tribute. And I read that Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, had one of the principal manors of O'Brien's country, and dwelled in the same.

The said Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, who married the second daughter of William Earl Marshal, Sir William De Burgo, and Sir Walter ["William" in the Abbreviate.] Bermingham, Lord of Amery, were principal conquerors of Connaught; who, with their gentlemen and free holders, inhabited the same, and made it English and obedient to the King's laws from O'Brien's country to Slygo in length, which is above 60 miles; and from Athlone to Gallowaye in breadth, which is above 30 miles. It continued in prosperity 160 years, until the days of King Edward III.

Sir John Courcye was chief conqueror of all Ulster, and kept it in good order until the 10th year of King John. He had seven battles in winning it. He gave out evil reports concerning King John for killing Arthur, son of Geoffrey, John's elder brother; whereupon King John wrote to Sir Hugh de Lacye, second brother to Sir Walter de Lacye, Lord of Meath, [In the Abbreviate.:--"To Sir Walter de Lacie and to his brother Sir Hugh."] to bring Courcye into England. A great battle was fought ["At Downe" in the Abbreviate.] between Sir Hugh and Sir John. The latter prevailed, but upon Good Friday following was taken ["Going about the churchyard of Downe."--Abbreviate.] by Sir Hugh, through the treason of his own men, whom Sir Hugh hanged for betraying their master. He took Courcye into England to King John, who gave him the earldom of Ulster.

Lacye enjoyed all Ulster during his life, which was 70 years after the Conquest, and had one only daughter, that was married to Sir Walter de Burke, Lord of Connaught, who enjoyed them both during his life, and had issue Sir William de Burke, Earl of Ulster, who had issue Richard de Bowrke, who was Earl of Ulster and Lord of Connaught, and kept them both in prosperity, but was traiterously slain, having but one daughter, his heir. "He might dispend of revenues yearly at the time of his death 13,000l. sterling." ["10,000l. ster. and above."--Abbreviate.]

His daughter, named Elizabeth, was married to Lionel Duke of Clarence, third son to King Edward III. Lionel was his father's Lieutenant of Ireland, and had the same revenues as his father-in-law, but he made no long stay there. Neither he nor any of his heirs provided any good defence for their lands in Ulster and Connaught, by occasion whereof in the time of King Henry VI., all Ulster was clean lost. [In the Abbreviate.:--"The Duke being dead, his heir had never any revenue out of Connaught; and so, for lack of looking to and defence, not only that, but also Ulster, before King Edward the IV.'s days, who was true heir thereunto, was lost; so that at this day the King hath no profit at all therein, saving only the manor of Carlingford."]

The King is right heir to the said Earl of Ulster and Lord of Connaught, and yet hath no more profit thereby, but only the manor of Carlingforde, which is scarce worth 100 marks by the year.

The said Earl Richard had many knights and gentlemen of his name and kin, dwelling in Connaught, who, after his death, made alliance and alterage with the Irish, fell to Irish order, and usurped all the said lordship of Connaught betwixt two of them, of whom the chief was called McWilliam Oghter, the other McWilliam Eighter, and so do continue to this day as Irish as the said O'Brien.

At the Conquest, certain men of name and condition were suffered under tribute, as Irishmen, in every of the said five portions; which Irishmen have been enemies to good order, unless compelled thereto; and therefore they were glad to aid Englishmen when they fell to disobedience, which at length turned to the confusion of the English, as appears now in Leinster, Munster, Connaught, Meath, and Ulster.

These disorders have been the cause of a general decay, the reformation whereof to some seems very difficult, considering that the Irish are in this age become more politic and have more use of munition and artillery than either before the Conquest or long time after. But if it please the King to put to his hands, it will appear to be a matter of no such moment, for our English far exceed them in war, and as for artillery our English exceed them seven fold. [In the Abbreviate.:--"In all my days I never heard that 100 footmen or horsemen of Irish would abide to fight with so many English: whereof I report me to the Duke of Norfolk, and others that have been there." This proves that the Abbreviate was written after 1524.] Moreover the English have now a greater advantage than at the Conquest, for then there were not five piles or castles in all Ireland, where at this day there are no less than 500. [The Abbreviate here concludes. It is endorsed: "1529.--An Abbreviate of the getting of Ireland and the decay of the same, which was written, as may be conceived, about the 20: of K. H. 8. reign."]

If the King purpose to make a thorough reformation of this land, he should begin at Leinster, which was not these 500 years so likely to be conquered, for the Kavenaghes, the Byrnes, and Tooles are but feeble, in regard of the strength they have been of in former time.

Albeit he purpose not to make a general reformation, yet it is very fit that he should reform Leinster, which will be of no great difficulty, for there is on the one side of the rebels the county of Kildare, and on the other side the county of Kilkenny, and the sea on the third side.

There are many abbeys near the said borders where the rebels dwell, which are a greater succour to the rebels than to the King's subjects, and should be suppressed. If they were inhabited by English lords and gentlemen, it would greatly further the conquest of Connaught.

It might please the King to give to divers individuals the following places:--the abbeys of Donbrethye and Tynterne in Wexford, Duske in Carlowghe, and Baltinglasse in Kildare; Old Rosse, with the fassaghe of Bentry; the castles of Leighlyne, Caterloghe, Rathvillye, and Clanmoore, with baronies adjoining; the lordship of Wexford, the castles of Fernes, Kevyne, Wicklowe, Rathlowne and Powerscourte, and Arkelowe. All these abbeys, &c., are round about the rebels, and for the most part are possessed by Englishmen.

Moreover, the King should give the castles of Bridge and Athye with the barony of Ryban to an English captain, for a stay betwixt the county of Kildare and O'More; and to another the manor of Barhingham for a stop betwixt the the said county of Kildare and O'Conner. Besides these, there are many castles and piles in McMorowghe's country, and in O'Brien's country, which, if bestowed as aforesaid, would be a great strength against the rebels.

The least of these captains would expend yearly 200 or 300 marks; besides giving lands to freeholders under him. It were requisite that all of them should have no great possessions in England. As they cannot without the King's aid recover the lands that the Kavenaghes, Byrnes, and Tooles have now in possession, or banish them out of the country, the King should find an army, so as every of the said captains might have a retinue of men of war for their defence for 2 or 3 years, until they be settled, and the land tilled and inhabited.

Touching inhabitants, as it might be dangerous to depeople the realm of England, the lands might be inhabited by some sorts of the Irishry, as at the first Conquest, "for there be no better labourers than the poor commons of Ireland, nor sooner will be brought to good frame, if they be kept under a law."

Signed: Patrick Finglasse, Baron.

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 1.