CHAPTER XXII
Reign
of Charles I A.D. 1625 to A.D. 1649
Charles, only surviving son of James I, succeeded
his father. A case of great injustice and oppression occurred at the
commencement of this reign, of which we shall give an account, of some
of the parties and transaction were connected with our county. It
appears that Phelim MacPheagh Byrne and Bryan, his son and heir, were
seized of certain lands in the county of Wicklow, of which some
individuals of rank wished to become possessed. Regarding the territory
of the father, they were partly successful, but Bryan the eon, defending
his property, he and his brother Turlogh were, by the contrivances of
their enemies, committed prisoners to Dublin castle, on the 13th of
March, 1025, on the information of Thomas Archer, Dermot MacGreffin
Kavanagh, Cahir MacEdmond MacArt Kavanagh, and Turlogh Duffe Kavanagh.
The latter person had at a former period plundered
the house and seized the cattle of one of Phelim's tenants; on which
Phelim, who was a justice of the peace and quorum, issued a warrant to
apprehend Turlogh Duffe, who fled into the county of Carlow, and thence
to Kilkenny, where he was apprehended. Through revenge" and in order to
save his life, he then accused Bryan and his brother Turlogh. Archer did
not become informer with so much readiness. The conspirators against the
Byrnes found it necessary to put him to the torture, by placing him
naked on a burning gridiron, with other cruelties, before they could
compel him to become accuser. On compliance, he obtained his pardon.
Dermot MacGriffin and Cahir MacArt were subsequently executed at
Kilkenny; both of whom declared before death, that they had falsely
accused Bryan and Turlogh Byrne. Such was the testimony, and such the
witnesses against these persecuted men, and upon this infamous basis two
bills were framed against them, which bills were creditably rejected by
two several grand juries at Carlow; for which they were prosecuted in
the star-chamber and fined! The Byrnes finally obtained their liberty,
but lost a considerable part of their estate.
In 1626, lord viscount Falkland, (the lord deputy),
convoked an assembly of the nation, for the purpose of granting a more
open toleration of the exercise of the Roman Catholic religion, with a
view to engage its professors in a liberal support of the state, and in
consideration of a large sum of money to be paid to the king. The
Protestant hierarchy, however, firmly opposed this project, which they
considered dishonourable to the government and detrimental to the
interests of religion. They assembled at the house of the primate, on
the 26th of November, 1626, and drew up the following protest:"
THE religion of the
papists is superstitious and idolatrous, their faith and doctrine
erroneous and heretical; their church, in respect of both, apostatical:
to give them therefore a toleration, or to consent that they may freely,
exercise their religion, and profess their faith and doctrine, is a
grievous sin, and that in two respects: for,"
First, it is to make ourselves accessary not only to their
superstitions, idolatries, and heresies, and, in a word, to all the
abominations of popery; but also (which is a consequent of the former)
to the perdition of the seduced people, which perish in the deluge of
the Catholic apostary.
Secondly, to grant them a toleration in
respect of any money to be given, or contribution to be made by them, is
to set religion to gale, and with it the souls of (he people, whom
Christ our Saviour hath redeemed with his most precious blood. As it is
a great sin, so it is also a matter of most dangerous consequence; the
consideration whereof we commit to the wise and judicious, beseeching
the God of truth, to make them who are in authority zealous of God's
glory, and of the advancement of true religion; zealous, resolute, and
courageous against all popery, superstition, and idolatry. Amen."
This document was signed by Thomas, bishop of
Leighlin and Ferns, and eleven others. The English House of Commons
zealously seconded the views of the Irish prelates. A remonstrance was
presented by it to the king, containing sentiments to the following
effect: "that the popish religion was publicly professed in every part
of Ireland, and that monasteries and nunneries were there newly erected,
and replenished with votaries of both sexes, which would be of evil
consequence, unless seasonably repressed." A period was thus put, at
that time, to any extension of the toleration granted to the exercise of
the Roman Catholic religion. But what would the members of the British
house of commons of 1626 say, could they now rise out of their graves,
and behold the inhabitants of Ireland, two hundred years afterwards, and
amidst all the light of the nineteenth century still clinging,
superstitiously, to their religion, and still erecting "monasteries, and
nunneries" for its nurture, promotion, and propagation?
A.D. 1627. On the 8th of February, this year,
Edward Brabazon, baron of Ardee, was granted the title of earl of
Carlow; but for some reason, not generally known, Meath was the place
from which his earldom was derived.
INQUISITIONS IN THIS REIGN
At Carlow, September, 1625 — Richard late
bishop of Leighlin was seized of Killenu and Garrebrit in county Carlow,
and with the assent and consent of the dean and chapter of the cathedral
of St. Lazarian of Leighlin, by deed dated 8th December, 1589, granted
them to Henry Sheffielde of Fennors- court in said county, his heirs and
assigns forever. — said Henry, by deed dated 1st May, 1601 in
consideration of a sum of money, conveyed same lands to Mortagh
M'Tirlagh Bime of Cloughrousk, and Fferdorrogh O'Gormogane of Grangefort
in county of Carlow; and aforesaid Mortagh and Fferdorrogh, by writing
dated 2nd May, 1602, granted to Edmond Birne of Cloughrouske, all and
singular the said lands. — Held of the king by knight's service.
Same day and place — Brien M'Donnogh Kavanagh
was seized of the towns of Ballynloghan, Cowlenaguppog, Aghebick,
Corryhegg, and Corrymore, containing two martelands and six pence land,
which premises were in the late reigns, and are now held in capite, by
knight's service, and by four pounds annual rent to George Baguoll and
his heirs forever. — He died April, 1619, and Art Kavanagh his son and
heir was of age and married at the time of his death.
Same day and place. — Morgan Kavanagh was
seized of the castle, town, &c., of Loaram, eighteen acres great country
measure, Kilballyhugh, ten acres, &c, — Said Morgan died 20th March,
1592, and Gerald Kavanagh, his son and heir, was of full age and
married, at the time of his death.
Same day and place. — Oliver Blaunchvill, son
and heir of Edmund Blaunchvill, late of Milltown, gent, deceased, was
seized of the town of Rathmoell, containing two acres great measure.
Same day and -place. — Theobald, viscount
Butler of Tulleo- Phelim, was seized of the castle, town, lands of
Cloaghgrena, Garrymore, Mortellestown, Clodagh, Ballytrplle, Rahinordane,
Ballynebrenagh, Ballingowne, Tomard, Tullaghcroyn, Rathorna, Corraghfin,
Conlenekisshye, Langley, Rathbindin, Cloaghkrystig, Cloghertniske,
Ballykevan, Corranloske, Newstonae alias Cloghnoa, Lyehin, Kilbride
alias Killinbride, Castlegrace, Ballyrownrye, and Kilmurry. — William
Birne of Oldtown claimed the towns of Ballynebrennagbe, and Thadeus
Nolan of Ballykelly, claimed the third part of the town of Kilbride.
Same day and place. — Nicholas, viscount
Netterville of Dowth, was seized of the town of Clonegall, Ballypiers,
Kildowan, and Ballyshearcarraghe, containing one and a half carucate of
land, and granted the premises to Laurence, baron of Lymericke, his
heire and assigns.
Carlow, 12st March,1626 Brien M'Donnoghe
Kavanagh was seized of the rents of Ballynrusshinmore and Ballynrusshin-
begg, containing twenty acres of land great measure, and seized of the
town of Ballyteiglieghe, containing eighteen pence land measure, and one
third part of Ballynegreany, containing; three pence land. — Died April,
1619, and Art Kavanagh, his son and heir, was of full age and married at
the time of his death.
Same day and place. — Murrough O'Birne was
seized of the town of Sragh, twelve acres great measure — died the end
of March, 1625.
Same day and place. — Teige O'Rian was seized
of a moiety of Cloghmoonney and Tomdarraghe, containing seven and a half
acres, great measure, and thirteen acres same measure in Ballyellin.—
Died 23rd November, 1618. Donell O'Rian, son and heir, was of full age
and married, at the time of his death. Held of the king.
Carlow, 20th March, 1626.— Thomas Colclongh, late of Tinterne in county
Wexford, knight, James Stanihurst, late of Corduffe in county Dublin,
John Allen, late of Fitherd in county Wexford, and William Campion, late
archdeacon of the cathedral
church of Ferns, were seized to the use of Nicholas Bagnall, late of
Donlecknye, in county Carlow, Esq., of the manor of Donlecknye, and town
of Donlecknye otherwise Castleboy, Knockmullin, and Moneybegg,
containing one marteland; Staplestowne, Killvenny and Ballykeroge, one
mart, Tinrylane and Ballynecarrigg, one mart, Newtowne and Ballynock,
half mart, Loncloaue, Ffinnagh and Ballydardane, one mart, Rathortane
otherwise Ballyntortane, Ballybegg and Killmacklyn, one mart, Rathcroage,
one sixth mart, Ballybrin, one third mart, Ballybrebbrack,one sixth
mart, Killgreny and Killedane, one fifth mart, Ballyclonetemoge, one
mart, Cloghwalter, one sixth mart, Ballynkillin, one marte, Upperseskin,
one third mart, Knockskurr, onethird mart, Domneroe, one third mart,
Clonegidd, one half mart, Rath, one half mart, Ballymoew and Caonibegg,
one half mart, annual rent ten pounds; of the town and land of Agha,
Boherdaffe, and Clonyne, held by Oliver Eustace, gent., Bohermore and
Ballysheane, one mart, Killdrinagh, half mart, Ballywilliamroe, one
mart, annual rent, twenty-two shillings and eight pence; of the town and
land of Ballygdernyn, twenty-three shillings, of Ballyhobback,
twenty-five shillings, Tartamwell and Ballybegg, twenty-five shillings,
of Ballyknockbane, lands of Ballytomin, one third mart, five pounds, of
Shaskenrean, Garratnonagh and Ballydowde, land of Killarrigg, one mart,
Killmalapoge, one third mart, thirty shillings, out of Killeny, Donowre,
half mart, reversion of Rathvallyvillaine, Killcruitt and Sleguth alias
Slyguh, containing two marts on expiration of a lease of years granted
to Robert Evers ; five pounds out of Rathellyn, Raduffe, one mart, two
third lands of Raheden containing two thirds mart, Ballylowe, Ballygowen,
Ballytarsue, Killconnor and Ballybramell, four marts, in expectation on
death of Gerald M'Murtagh Kavanagh, and Joan his wife, reversion of
Killcomyn, half mart, on death of Donat M'Morrough, reversion of
Killshaneclone and Ballyfayne, half mart, on death of Dermot M' Morris,
Cloncurgwoase, Knocknegowndonagh, Ballynesillagh, Ballynattin, and
Ballynegrann, one one third mart; forty shillings out of Ballykoppiygin
and Klllcallatrum ; forty pence out of Knockneganough, Kiltennell,
Ballymellin, Ballynvally, Keanoga and Canyghrake, one mart, held by
Patrick Fitzgerald; Uossedillig, Keylenarle, Moyvally, Knockroe,
Rathannow, Crannagh, Rahindarragh, Killedmond, Rahinquill, and Tomduffe,
one mart; reversion of Ballynloghan, Cowlenegappoge, Corribegg,
Corrimore, and Agherick, on death of Art M'Bryan Kavanagh and his heirs
male ; Orchard, half mart, Oldtown, half mart, reversion of Parkevespane,
and Ballyconnocke, one mart, on death of Cahir Kavanagh and Bryan
Kavanagh; reversion on the death of Owen Byrne, of the lands of
Ballyryan, one mart; reversion of Tomgunny, Bohillagh, Walterstown, and
Lynkardstown, on death of Henry Davells and his heirs; and reversion of
Ballyrie, on death of Bryan M'Griffin. — Aforesaid Nicholas Bagnall by
his last will devised these premises to his brother George Bagnall, and
then died. Ann Colclough alias Bagnall, was wife of the said Nicholas
and now lives.
Aforesaid George Bagnall, by grant dated 12th
February, 1607, demised to Tadeo M'Donogh Reagh, Tadeo M'Morris Leogh,
Dermot M'Ffergananym, Roe and Murtagh M'Teige, the lands of Rahindarragh,
Cnocbroe, Killedmond, Rathanan, Rahincoill and Killinorba, for the term
of eighty-one years. By another grant, dated 1st July, 1619, demised
John Bernard the lands of Tinrilan, for the term of thirty-one years,
annual rent, fourteen pounds. — By another deed dated 5th March, 1620,
demised to Henry Walrond, the lands of Staplestown, Kilmeyny and
Ballicroage, for the term of one hundred and one years, at the annual
rent of thirty-one pounds six shillings and eight pence. — By another
deed dated 25th March, 1622, demised to Humphry Cory, the lands of
Ballincarrigg, for the term of one hundred and one years, at the annual
rent of thirty pounds. — Aforesaid Thomas Colclough, John Allen, and
William' Campion, made a deed, dated 26th July, 1623, assigning to the
aforesaid George all the premises; and the said George, by deed dated
20th May, 1624, conceded the premises to Sir Peter Butler, knight,
Patrick Sarsefield, James Butler Fitz-Pears, and Michael Cowly,
Esquires, their heirs and assigns. — Said George made his last will 21st
May, 1624, and died 17th September, 1625.— Walter Bagnall is his son and
heir, and was aged ten years at the death of said George, and not
married. — Held of the king in eapite, by knight's service.
At Catherlogh, 18th October, anno
2. — 'Walter Archer was seized of the rectory, parsonage, &c. of
Tullephelim, Killkroughaghe, and Rathvill, and by writing dated 22nd
March, 1613, granted Robert Archer Fitz- Walter, of the city of
Kilkenny, and Tberlagh Fitz-Thomas Loghlin, of Downemore in the county
Kilkenny, their heirs and assigns of the premises, for the uses
contained in the last will of the aforesaid Walter. — Aforesaid Walter
made his last will, 18th July, 1619, and had at the time of his death,
Henry, Archer, Thomas, James, John, Patrick and Catherine, who were all
unmarried at the death of their father. — Said Walter died 4th January,
1625, and said Henry is his son and heir, of age and married. — Held of
the king in capite by knight's service.
At Catherlogh, 20th January,— Murtagh
Kavanagh was seized of the castle and town of Lowrame, eighteen acres
great measure, Kilballyhughe, ten acres; and an annual rent of four
pounds out of Rahinenegearaghe, Knockenarran, Dromfeaghe, Cullintraghe,
and other lands in Rahinenegearaghe. Died 20th March, 1592. Gerald
Kavanagh was his son and heir, and was of age at death of said Murtogh,
and married. — Held of the king.
At Catherlogh, 3rd September, an. 3. —
Murrogh Birne of the Sragh was seized of twelve acres of land in the
barony of Ffort O'Nolan in the Sragh and Conamora, and sixteen acres of
land in Killculle, Ballybeg and Monnemolane. — Died March, 1624. — Held
of the king by military service. — Dallagh Birne was his son and heir,
of age and married at the death of aforesaid Murrogh.
Same day and place. — Murrogh O'Nolan late of
Carrampurcen, gent. defunct, was seized of twelve acres of land in the
barony of Ffort O'Nolan in Carrampurcen. Died 13th September, 1624. Held
of the king by knight's service. — Patrick O'Nolan is his son and heir,
of age, and married. — Earl of Ormond has an annual rent of eight pence
from each acre of land of barony of Ffort O'Nolan:
Same day and place. — Caher O'Nolan late of
IJallykelly, was seized of twenty-five acres of arable land in
Ballykelly. — Died 15th January, 1592. — Held of the king by knight's
service. — Teige O'Nolan is his son and heir, and was of age, and
married at the death of the aforesaid Caher.
At Catherlogh, 22nd April, an. 4. — Peter
Carew of Leighlin, in his lifetime was seized of the town and lands of
Aghe, containing half mart land, Corbally, half mart, Boherduffe, half
mart, and Clonyne, containing four shillings land. — Per deed dated Dec.
1578, granted all and singular to William Tallan of Aglui, and his heirs
male. — Said William died seized of the said premises, 20th August,
1584.— James Tallan was bis son and heir, of age at the death of the
said William, and married ; and by deed dated 10th August, 1604, granted
all and singular the premises, to Oliver Eustace ot Castlemore, his
heirs and assigns. Held of the king by knight's service.
Same day and place. — Brian O'Nolan was
seized of the town and lands of Lauraghteige, containing fifteen acres
of arable land,, in the barony of Ffort, and so died, 23rd March, 1626.
— Tadeus O'Nolan is his son and heir, and was aged twenty and a half
years at his father's death, and married. Held of the king by knight's
service.
At Catherlogh, 24th October, an. 6. — Edmond
Birne was teized of the town and land of Sheskinryan, containing one
quarter of a mart land, Ballydowde one fourth of a mart land, Garmalagh
one fourth of a mart land, and Coolroe one half of a mart land, and so
died. — Edmond Oge Birne, his son and heir, was of age at the time of
the death of his father, and married. — All the premises held of the
late queen Elizabeth in capite, by knight's service. — Aforesaid Edmond
Oge M'Birne, seized of the premises, by deed dated May, 1622, alienated
said premises (with others) to James M'Owen Bryne, of Sheskinryan in the
county of Catherlogh; which deed recites alienation to said James, lands
of Sheskinryan, Garmanagh, Ballybody Cowlroe, Rosmore, Ballyrea,
Carrigbegg, Killinclonebally, Raheragh, and Ballinesragh in county
Catherlogh. Town and lands of Sheskinryan, Ballydowde, Garmalagh, and
Couleree, held of the late king in capite, by knight's service.
At Wells, 21st December, 1631.— Gerrald
M'Murtagh Kavanagh in bis lifetime was seized of the castle of
Rathnegiragh in county Catherlogh, and of town and lands of Rathnegiragh,
Knocketempan, Ballyvolbrough, Cooletriaghtie, and Dromone, Dromfeigh,
Knockenarran, Corrunrane, Ballyheu, Billoghternane, and Ballimartine,
containing one fourth mart land, Lobmeswye,. One half a mart land, in
town and land of Lowrane, Balligeniell, otherwise Balligenirly and
Banogebeggy, one mart land, in town and lands of Cloyne and Rahinclony,
viz. Ballydonoghie and Clashganny one fourth of a mart land, and in town
and lands of Kilbally- kelly and Carrigin, one half of a marteland; and
so seized, by deed dated 27th October, 39th Elizabeth, granted William
Wall and Edmond O'Doyne, and their heirs, the premises, for certain
uses; which deed states that Gerald conceded to the aforesaid William
Wall of Urchyllin, and Edmund O'Doyne of Catherlogh, all castles,
messuages, &c. in town of Ranigeregh, Ballymorrough, Knocketompan,
Drumffea, Knockenarran, Corranranee, Killoghternane, Ballymartine,
Knockulart, Lyryn, Lobinesuy, Ra- hin-Cloney, Clonye, Killvallaghkeh,
Mobill, Ballyturne, Ballyn- vyoke, Raghen, Kyllane, and Aghe-Clare, and
rent service, &c. Aforesaid Gerald was similarly seized in fee, of the
town and lands of Garrichill and Ballyvullen, otherwise Miltown,
containing one fourth of a mart land, Castletoune and Ballynockane, one
half of a mart land, Shyane, .Knocketyane, Rosley, otherwise Rosly,
Vullardmore and Knock-Droraagh, one half of a mart land; in town and
lands of Rahinleigh, Beallala, and Tubbergurtim, one sixth of a mart
land, in town and lands of Garreightragh, otherwise Garryart, and twenty
acres of the bawn of Ballintrane; Ballyvogh twelve and a half acres,
moiety of town and lands of Tamplepedder, eight acres, Ballinekelly, one
sixth of a mart land, five acres of land in Ffort O' Nolan, called
Acranaskahuydy, Acranskeboell, Acranphiery, Acracat-leaghie and
Accranclassaghmore, and in town and lands of Knockullcrt and Inshinore,
one half of a mart land. — Aforesaid Gerald by his deed dated 12th
January, 1623, possessed Walter Sinnott and Dermot M'Dowlin Kavanagh,
and their heirs of all the premises; and said Walter Sinnott and Dermot
Kavanagh, by their deed dated 3rd September, 1630, possessed said Gerald
and his heirs of the premises. — Arthur Kavanagh of Ballyteigleigh,
gentleman, claims the lands of Garrehill, Castle- town, and all and
singular all manors, castles, lands, &c. of which aforesaid Gerald
M'Murtagh died seized, as next heir to the aforesaid Gerald.
Same day and place. — Gerrald Murphy was
seized of the town and lands of Knocknecrogh, Kiltennell, Ballincullin,
Ballinvally, Kennoge and Carrigleagh, containing one mart land, out of
which is paid forty shillings annual rent, to Walter Bagnall of
Dunleekny. — Patrick Murphy is his son and heir, and was of age at the
death of aforesaid Gerald, and married. Held of the king, by knight's
service.
17th July, 1632.— Robert Harpoole
of Catherlogh , was seized of the town and lands of Cloghnal, Rathaskart,
Ballybrine, and Ballybannine, containing one and one third of a mart
land, and so seized, the said Robert, by writing dated 9th June, 1597,
conceded the premises to Robert Bowen, John Hovendon, John George alias
Barington, and others, for the use of William Harpoole, son and heir of
said Robert, and the heir male of his body lawfully begotten, and for
defect of issue, for the use of George Harpoole, his second son, &c.
Aforesaid William Harpoole, by deed dated 11th April, 2nd year of late
king, demised the premises to Christopher Iverson for a term of three
hundred years. Aforesaid William, by deed dated the 15th November, 1611,
deihised premises to Robert Ivers for a term of three hundred years. —
Aforesaid William Harpoole died without heirs male. — Aforesaid George
Harpoole and Edward Hunt, by deed dated 11th August, 1618, conceded
premises to — Talbot of Mallahide, Henry Chievers of Mountain, Stephen
Luttrell of Luttrelstown, James Hovington, alias Hovinten, and George
Hovinston, and their heirs. — Aforesaid George Harpoole, by dated 28th
March, 1628, in consideration of forty pounds, conceded premises to
Richard Purcell of Garduffe and his heirs, with clause of redemption;
and afterwards died 26th February, 16 — Robert Harpoole is his son and
heir, and was of age at the death of his father, and married. — Held of
the Icing by knight's service.
Catherlogh, l0th October, Dermit O'Curren
was seized of a moiety of the town and lands of Lysmaconly, five acres,
measurement of Ffort O'Nolan. Died 10th year reign late king James.
Murrogh O'Curren is his son and heir, and was of age at the death of
said Dermit, and married. Said Murrogh after death of said Dermit, was
similarly seized of the other moiety of Lysmaconly, five acres, and by
his writing dated, 12th April, 13th of late king, alienated last
mentioned moiety of Lysmacouly, to Thomas Butler, knight and baronet,
his heirs and assigns. Held of the king by knight's service.
Catherlogh, 22nd June, 1 633.— Pierce Butler
and Richard Comerford Fitz-Thomas were seized, (for the use of the late
right honourable Thomas, earl of Oruonde, his heirs and assigns), of the
town and lands of Tullaghbegg, otherwise Tullaghnemragher, in county
Carlow, containing one dwelling house, monastery, church, and other
edifices, within the precincts of the monastery, six cottages, and
eighty acres of land in the town and lands of Mallardstown, otherwise
Ballirainorte, three great acres parcel of the monaslery aforesaid; a
moiety of Tamplepeder, eight acres, moiety of Killmaglish, eight acres,
in town and lands of Rathdowgin, twenty acres, of Rathtoath, forty
acres, and moiety of Lisgarvan ten acres. — Thomas, late earl of
Ormonde, and Eleanor, countess of Ormonde his wife, by deed, dated 8th
September, 1614, granted Michael Walsh, (defunct) and others, of these
premises and others. Aforesaid Thomas died 20th November, 1624, without
male heirs, and Elizabeth Preston, countess of Ormonde and Ossory is his
next heir, viz. daughter and heir of Elizabeth Butler, late countess of
Desmond deceased, sole daughter and heir of aforesaid Thomas late earl
of Ormonde and Ossory, who was of age and married. Died 10th October,
1628. — Elizabeth, the countess, was aged thirteen years at the time of
the death of her mother, and not married.
Catherlogh, 21st October, 1633.— Henry O'Rian
and William O'Rian were seized of the fourth part of one acre of land in
Balliellin, and by deed dated the 10th of June, 1618, conceded the
premises to Edward Butler of Lowgrange, in the county of Kilkenny,
knight, his heirs and assigns. — Donat M'Murtagh O'Rian was seized of
one acre in Balliellin, and by deed dated the 24th February, 1623,
granted the premises to the aforesaid Edward Butler, his heirs and
assigns. — Cahir M'Murrogh O'Rian and Donat O'Rian, were seized of one
acre and the fourth part of one acre in Balliellin, and by deed, dated
4th July, 1625, granted the premises to the aforesaid Edward Butler, his
heirs and assigns.— Murragh M'Teige O'Rian was seized of one . acre and
the fourth part of one acre in Balliellin, and by deed, dated 31st May,
1632, granted the premises to the aforesaid Edward Butler, bis heirs and
assigns.' — Daniel M'Melaghlin was seized of one messuage, one garden
and three acres in Balliellin, and by. deed, dated 9th June, 1625,
granted the premises to the aforesaid Edward Butler, his heirs and
assigns. — John O'Rian was seized of five acres in Tomquile, and by his
deed, dated the 2nd March, 1628, granted the premises to the said Edward
Butler, his heirs and assigns. — Murrogh O'Mackesie and Elizabeth
Mackesie, otherwise Rian, his wife, were seized of one messuage, one
garden and three acres, and by deed, dated 19th July, 1623, granted the
premises to the aforesaid Edward Butler, his heirs and assigns.— Thadeus
M'Henry O'Rian was seized of the fourth part of one acre, in Tomdarragh,
and by deed, dated 22nd February, 1627, granted the premises to the
aforesaid Edward Butler, his heirs and assigns. — Thomas Butler,
baronet, was seized of nine acres of land in Balliellin, and by deed,
dated 1st November, 1630, granted 'the premises to the aforesaid Edward
Butler, his heirs and assigns. Walter, late earl of Ormonde and Ossory,
deceased, was seized of four acres of land in Cloghvony, Balliellin and
Tomdarragh, and by deed granted the premises to Thomas, a younger son of
the aforesaid Edward Butler, his heirs and assigns. — Moriertagh
M'Walter O'Rian was seized of two acres of land in Balliellin, and by
deed, dated the 20th February, 1632, granted the premises to the
aforesaid Edward Butler, his heirs and assigns. Held of the king in
capite, by knight's service.
Same day and place. — Daniel Kavanagh, alias
Spaineagh, was seized of one third of the town and land of Barragh and
Knockbracke, one fifth of Carigue and town and lands of Monygrogh in
county Catherlogb, containing, one half of a mart and, and by deed,
dated 9th July, 1622, granted the premises (wirh others) to Maurice
Kavanagh and Richard Browne, their heirs and assigns, for certain uses
in said indenture specified. He was similarly seized of the manor,
castle, town and lands of Clonemullin, Kilboanish, and Tamshomicke,
alias Tomshomicke, alias Cariduffe, containing one mart land. — Died
12th March, 1031. — Morgan Kavanagh, knt., is his son and heir, of age
and married. Eleanor Kavanagh, late wife of said Daniel, now lives. —
Held of the king.
Same day and place. — James the late king,
was seized of one hundred and four acres arable and pasture land, in the
town of Laghlin, and of two hundred and sixteen acres arable and
pasture, in the town of Ballyknockan, and by his letters patent, dated
19th June, in the 19th year of his reign, granted the premises (with
others) to Edmond Medhoppe, Esq. his heirs and assigns. Aforesaid
Edmond, by deed dated 20th June, year aforesaid, granted the premises to
Arthur Savage, late of Castle Kevan in the county Kildare, knight, his
heirs and assigns. — The aforesaid late king was similarly seized of
thirty-one tenements, one garden, and one water-mill in Balliknockaw, in
or near the town of Leighlin; and 25th September, year aforesaid,
granted the premises (with others) to Robert Kennedy, his heirs and
assigns, and said Robert, by deed, dated 26th September, year aforesaid,
granted the premises aforesaid to Arthur Savage knt., his heirs and
assigns. — Aforesaid Arthur, by deed, dated 10th December, 1st year of
the present king, granted all the premises to Edward Bolton, Esq.
solicitor general, Robert Weldon, Erasmus Burrows and Maurice Eustace,
their heirs and assigns, for certain uses in said deed specified. — Said
Arthur died Kith March last past. Thomas Savage, knight, is his son and
heir, was of age at time of his father's death, and is married. — To
hold off the king.
Catherlogh, 31st October, 1634.— George
Bagnall, late of Dunleckny, in county of Catherlogh, was seized of the
town and lands of Urny, otherwise Nurny, Ballymorrish and Ballyally in
county aforesaid, containing one mart land, and by his deed, dated 31st
May, 10th year of the late king, feoffed the premises to Robert Ivers of
Cloghna, his heirs and assigns. — Walter Bagnall, son and heir of
George, was aged twelve years at death of his father, and not married. —
Held of the king in capite, by knight's service.
Catherlogh, 18thJanuary, 1636. — The earl of
Ormond and Ossory, lady Elizabeth his wife, and Thomas Comerford, were
seized of the castle of Clonmore, with appurtenances, two hundred
messuages, two hundred cottages, two hundred tofts, five hundred
gardens, one orchard, three thousand acres of meadow, two thousand acres
of pasture, three thousand acres of other descriptions in Clonmore,
Killmacartan, Hacketstown, Ballynefunshage, alias Constablehill,
Ballycullane, Croneskeagh, Ballygallduffe, Ballynekilly, Ballyduffe,
Killongford, Raheen, Crewcrim, Tombeigh, Dromgome and Coolemanagh. — So
seized, in the tenth year of the present king, alienated the premises
aforesaid to David Booth, Patrick Weymes, Gerrald Fennell, M.D. Edward
Comerford, and their heirs and assigns. — Premises held of the king, by
knight's service.
Catherlogh, 15th September, 1637. — Morgan
Kavanagh, late of Borres, was seized of the castle, town and lands of
Borres, with a watermill, Bailyneskin, Ballynegreeng, Ballycioyse,
Ballighnegreeng, Downasse, Ballygargg, except portion of Arthur Kavanagh
in Ballynegreeny, and Ballyngargg, one and one sixth mart land;
Insbinsowkie, Gowlee, Ballynemong, Gragenedurloge, Moycullia,
Ilahineshepeder, Ballyglassin, and Ballyeine one mart, Cowlenemarre,
Ardagh and Ballykeynaoe, one mart, Nowtown, Ballyhimucke, Corbally,
Ballyowlart, Skehanigh, Knocknesegart, Knockduffe, Ballyrickevlakee, and
Aglebrackan with Ballyhegan two mart, Knockine, Ballyneclohy,
Ballynegreeny, and Carrig- leod one mart, Behanigh, Ballyhumultie,
Glannemaccolitan, Tower and Torragh, one mart, Ballycrunegauneskeagh and
Slewdurdee one half of a mart, Dranagh, Dromyn, Cowlternigh, Ballylevane
and Clownigh, one mart, Polmontie, Glancharry, Rowanmore and mill of
Poimontie, one half of a mart, moiety of St. Moling, and two parts of
Ballyrochan in three parts divided, one third mart ; an annual rent of
twenty shillings out of Ballyteigleigh one fourth of a mart; ten
shillings of Rathgrin, Kilmissan, Ballinbranigh, Ballymurchoe and
Knockvalgerine, five shillings of Bally bracke, Lissulican, and
Killmackinnee; ten shillings of Tynecarrigg, Ballybegge, Tynekille,
Killcolynne, Knockbane and Sheskin, and three shillings and four pence
from the third part of Ballyrowchan, in possession of Melaghlin
O'Colitane. — Aforesaid Morgan Kavanagh, so seized, died1636. Bryan
Kavanagh is his son and heir, and was of age at the time of his father's
death.
On the 25th of July, 1633, the celebrated,
highly gifted, but unfortunate Thomas, lord vicount Wentworth, was sworn
lord deputy of Ireland. " One whose vast abilities," says Borlafce, "
the king had had due experience of, therefore constituted him in this
place."
Parliament met at Dublin, on the 14th July
1634. It was summoned by lord Wentworth, lord deputy.
3rd, December, 1634. It is ordered upon
question by the House, that the election of Sir Morgan Kavanagh, knight,
is held void, and so adjudged, and that a new writ shall forthwith issue
to the sheriff of the county of Catherlogh for a new election, in lieu
and stead of the said Sir Morgan Kavanagh.
5th, March, 1635. — It is ordered that the
burgesses of Old Leighlin and others, shall attend the committee of
privileges upon Wednesday next, to show by what charters or
prescriptions they come to this present parliament.
20th March, 1635. — In the sub-division of
the subsidies to the king by the lord deputy, the county of Carlow was
set down at five hundred and twenty-five pounds, which was this day
confirmed by the house, &c.
10th, April 1 635. — It is ordered upon
question that Patrick Byrne, Callagh Byrne, and Daniel Kavanagh, shall
be forthwith sent for by the serjeant arms, to answer the wrongs done
against the privileges of this house, complained of by Sir Thomas
Butler, baronet.
16th, April 1635. — It is ordered, upon
question, that the witnesses for clearing of the differences between the
earl of Ormonde, and Sir Thomas Butler shall be heard and examined in
this house to-morrow morning, and at the same time the serjeant at arms
to bring Edmond M 'Shane Butler.
Anew parliament was called by the earl of
Stratford, lord lieutenant. It sat on the 16th March, 1639.
MEMBERS.
- Catherlogh
Sir Thomas Butler, Baronet. Oliver Eustace,
- Borough of Catherlogh
Robert Hartpoole, Esq., Thomas Harman, Esq.
- Borough of Old Leighlin
Roger Brereton, Esq. James Cusake, Esq.
1st Oct. 1640. — Memorandum. This day the
knights, citizens and burgesses of this present parliament again met and
assembled together in the said Commons House; and, after prayers ended,
Sir Maurice Eustace, knight, speaker, ascended the chair.
12th Nov. 1640. — It is ordered, upon
question, that the committee or agents appointed by this house to go to
England, to represent the grievances of this kingdom to his most sacred
majesty, shall go at the charge of the country.
26th Jan. 1641. It is ordered, upon question,
that five thousand and eighty-six pounds is now agreed upon to be levied
in the several provinces of this kingdom, for the supply of the
committee or agents in England, and that the said five thousand and
eighty-six pounds shall be levied in the manner following, viz. out of
the county of Catherlogh, sixty-five pounds ten shillings, &c.
4th March, 1641 Whereas it was ordered by the
Commons in this present parliament assembled, that the sum of five
thousand and eighty-six pounds should be forthwith collected for the
charges of the committee appointed by this house to attend his majesty
for redress of their grievances, and that the said sum should be equally
levied off the lands and rents of the lords spiritual and temporal and
the commons of this kingdom, by consent of the lords' house of
parliament ; and also that the charges of messengers to be sent with
despatches into England should be likewise equally borne by the said
lords and commons of this kingdom : now upon report made of the
conference with the lords, it is agreed, and accordingly this day
ordered by this house, that the sum of two thousand four hundred pounds
taxed for the committee of the lords' house, shall be also equally borne
in like manner by the lords spiritual and temporal and the commons of
this kingdom.
An applotment by the second committees for
the several provinces of this kingdom, for the levying of two thousand
four hundred pounds allowed to the committee of the lords in England to
be entered amongst the orders of this house, and to be sent down into
the several counties, &c. viz.
County of Catherlogh twenty-five pounds, &c.
25th May 1641. — Upon the humble petition of Sir Thomas Butler, knight,
a member of this house, it is ordered, that the
heir and executor of Ulicke Walle, Esq. late high Sheriff of the county
of Catherlogh, and David Lea, now sub-sheriff of the said county, are
forthwith to give the said Sir Thomas full and present satisfaction of
his just demands, or else personally to appear here, and answer in
writing unto the said petition.
29th July, 1641. — It is ordered that the
petition of Sir Thomas Butler, plaintiff, and the answer of Edward Walle,
son, heir and executor of Ulicke Walle, late high sheriff of the county
of Catherlogh, and Edward Butler, now high sheriff of the said county,
shall be referred to the consideration of a committee, who are to report
to this house what they conceive lit to be done therein. And a committee
was appointed accordingly.
17th Nov. 1641. Levying of Forces. It is
ordered, upon question, that the order now read and agreed upon
concerning the levying of forces in every county in this kingdom, shall
be entered as an ordinance of this present parliament, and be published,
and put in print.
The order for the levying of forces.
Whereas the present condition and danger of
this kingdom doth require from all his majesty's good and faithful
subjects of the same a speedy levy of forces, as well for the defence of
his majesty's crown and dignity, and the persons and estates of his
majesty's faithful people of this realm, as for the opposing and
suppressing of the now disturbers of the general peace and quiet of this
land ; it is therefore this day ordered by the lords spiritual and
temporal, and commons in this present parliament assembled, that it
shall and may be lawful for each county of this kingdom, such as his
most excellent majesty or the governor or governors and council of this
realm shall appoint, to raise and continue a convenient number of armed
men of horse and foot, during the present troubles and distresses of
this realm. And that it shall be lawful for any such county to provide
arms and ammunition for the said men, and to appoint commanders over
them for the defence of each of the said counties ; and for his
majesty's further service in this kingdom, to assess, collect and levy
as equal as they can such competent maintenance for the support of the
said horse and foot in every of the said counties respectively, and in
such manner and form as every of the said counties, in their discretion,
shall respectively think fit. And it is further ordered that the
sheriffs of every such county shall assemble the lords, gentlemen and
freeholders thereof, after timely and convenient notice unto them given
of the time and place of meeting, for the speedy accomplishment of the
premises, and of all other things thereunto conducing, as often as the
service shall require the same.
22nd June, 1642. Memorandum. Forasmuch as it
appears unto this house that persons hereafter named, who were members
of this house, are either in open rebellion or stand indicted of high
treason, so as the said persons are conceived and adjudged to begotten
and unprofitable members, fit to be cut off, and not worthy any longer
to be esteemed as members of this honourable house; it is therefore now
ordered that all the said under named persons shall stand expelled and
excluded from this house, and to be no longer reputed any member of the
same; and it is further ordered; that Mr. Speaker shall issue oat
warrants to the clerk of the crown of his majesty's high court of
chancery, to issue forth writs for new elections to be made in the rooms
and places of the said under named persons.
In this list are
- Indicted persons.
- Robert Harpoole, B. Catherlogh
- Thomas Davills, B. Old Leighlin
15th August, 1042. — The house taking into
serious consideration the great fidelity, pains, care and expenses of
Sir Maurice Eustace, knight, and speaker of this house, in the service
of this house, and his exceeding great loss by reason of the damnable
rebellion to this kingdom, do order that Mr. Richard Parsons, &c'. are
appointed a select committee to go unto the right honourable the lord*
justices and council, and present unto their lordships the humble
petition of Sir Maurice Eustace, knight, and speaker of this house-, and
humbly desire, in the name of this house, their lordships' assistance
and furtherance therein, according to the request of the said petition,
in the most effectual and convenient way as their lordships should think
fit.
30th March, 1647. — In committee— That his
Excellency would command copies of the three letters from Dundalk,
concerning the Locale regiments, and of Major Herman's letter,
concerning Catherlogh, to be given.
That Captain Plunket hath condescended to
send one thousand pounds towards the relief of this city and other
garrisons, and for the relief of the Locale men, now at Dundalk; of
which sum sixty pounds is paid already for the use of the garrison at
Catherlogh.
9th April, 1647. — After prayers read, a
letter from Major Harman was this day read, directed unto the speaker.
It is ordered that the letter of Major Harman be communicated unto the
committee of security.
14th June, 1647. — Mr. Lewis's report
concerning the business of Mr. Speaker.
And it was the opinion of the house, nullo
contradicente, to be entered amongst the acts and orders of this house,
which followeth in his verbls scilicet :
The house understanding that there is a resolution to prorogue the
parliament for some long time, and not knowing when they shall meet
again, did take into their consideration the many good services
performed by Sir Maurice Eustace, knight, their speaker, unto the house,
his singular affections to the English nation and public service, his
earnest endeavours for the advancement of the Protestant religion, the
inveterate hatred and malice of the detestable rebels, many ways
declared and acted against him, and the great expenses which he hath
been formerly at for the honour and service of the house ; and having at
the present no better way of requital than to convey the memory thereof
to posterity, do think fit, in manifestation of their high esteem
thereof, to declare, and do hereby declare the same to be such as in all
times ought to be remembered for his advantage ; and do therefore order
that this be entered amongst the acts and orders of this house.
Parliament adjourned on the 15th June, to the
27th of the March following.
We have thought it more conducive to
clearness, to dispose of the proceedings of parliament in reference to
our county, in a connected series. Other interesting and important
matter now claims our attention.
Thomas Ram, bishop of Leighlin and Ferns,
died of an apoplexy at Dublin, on the 24th November, 1634, in the
seventieth year of his age. He was interred at Newborough, otherwise
feorey, in the county of Wexford, in a chapel which he" had erected on
an estate of his own acquisition; which estate, his descendants at
present enjoy. He erected the Episcopal house at Old Leighlin, and
bequeathed a library for the use of his clergy, which was afterwards
totally destroyed in the rebellion of 1641.
George Andrew, or Andrews, succeeded. He was
born at Daventry, in Northamptonshire, was educated at Magdalen college,
Oxford, and afterwards was appointed rector of Dromcliffe, otherwise
Ecormack, (in the diocese of Killaloe,) dean of Limerick, and chanter of
St. Patrick's, Dublin. He was consecrated bishop of Leighlin and Ferns,
in St. Patrick's Cathedral, on the 11th May, 1635, by Launcelot,
archbishop of Dublin, assisted by the bishops of Dromore, Kilmore, and
Ardagh. Rarely has it occurred that the displeasure of persons in power
has caused the promotion of an individual. Such, however, was the fact,
in the case of bishop Andrews. He, it seems, was chairman of. the
committee appointed by a convocation of the clergy to consider the
question of the introduction of an exact conformity between the English
and Irish established churches; and having made some opposition to the
proposed assimilation, he thereby incurred the severe disfavour of the
lord deputy Wentworth, who wrote thus to the archbishop of Canterbury,
on the 16th December, 1634:
"I instantly sent for dean Andrews, that
reverend clerk who sat forsooth in the chair of this committee,
requiring him to bring along the aforesaid book of canons so noted in
the margin, together with the draft he was to present that afternoon to
the house. This he obeyed, and herewith I send your grace both the one
and the other. But when I came to open the book and run over their
deliberandums in the margin. I confess, I was not so much moved since I
came into Ireland. I told him, certainly not a dean of Limerick, but
Ananias had sat in the chair of that committee; however, sure I was,
Ananias had been there in spirit, if not in body, with all the
fraternities and conventicles of Amsterdam ; that I was ashamed and
scandalized with it above measure. I therefore said, he should leave the
book and draught with me; and that I did command him upon his
allegiance, he should report nothing to the house from the committee,
till he heard again from me. If your lordship think dean Andrews hath
been to blame, and that you would chastise him for it, make him bishop
of Ferns and Leighlin, (Doctor Ramme, the last bishop, being lately
dead), to have it without any other commendams; and then I assure you,
he shall leave better behind him, than will be recompensed out of that
bishopric, which is one of the meanest of the whole kingdom." The
promotion of dean Andrews immediately ensued. When the rebellion of 164l
broke out, he was obliged to fly to England for safety, where he lived
obscurely for several years. He died at London, in 1648, and was buried
in St. Clement's church. During his occupancy of the sees, the manor of
Fethard, which had been recovered by bishop Ram, was, in pursuance of an
act of parliament, exchanged for other lands situate nearer to Ferns. On
the death of bishop Andrews, the dioceses of Leighlin and Ferns remained
vacant until the restoration of 1660.
A melancholy picture is drawn of the state of
decay into which' the established church had fallen, about the period of
the accession- of bishop Andrews. "The church of Ireland," says Carte, "
was at this time in a deplorable condition, the cathedrals in many
places destroyed, the parish churches generally ruined, unroofed or
unrepaired, the houses of the clergy left desolate, and their
possessions alienated during the wars and confusions of former times.
Most of the tithes had been appropriated to monasteries and religious
houses, and afterwards vested in the crown, or sold to private persons
and made lay fees. In some dioceses, as in Ferns and Leighlin, there was
scarce a living left that was not formed out to the patron, or to some
person for his use, at two, three, four or five pounds a year for a long
time, three lives, or a hundred years. The bishoprics themselves, though
many in number, yet but- of small- revenue, having the greatest part of
them been depauperated in the change of religion by absolute grants and
long leases, (made generally by the popish bishops that conformed), some
of them notable to maintain a bishop, and no good benefice near them to
be held in commendams. Several of them were by these means reduced to
fifty pounds a year." — Wentworth applied himself to the correction and
remedy of these evils, and with some success.
A.D. 1639. Richard, second son of the first
duke of Ormondey was this year created baron of Cloghgrenan, viscount
Tullow, and earl of Arran. He died without male issue in 1685.
A. D. 1641. It is now our painful task to
notice one of the most disastrous periods in our annals, when from a
state of profound peace, and apparent amity, the country was suddenly
plunged into all the horrors of bloodshed and massacre. We allude to-
the great rebellion, which broke out on the 23d of October, 1641. On a
primary view, the dreadful scenes enacted on this occasion seem wholly
unaccountable. The Roman Catholics exercised their religion with nearly
as much freedom as was enjoyed by the established church, the king had
exhibited the kindest dispositions towards them, by concessions recently
granted ; they were eligible to the offices of sheriff of counties,
officers of corporations, &c., without being obliged to take the oath of
supremacy; and further, the Romish part of the population were allied to
the English, or Protestants, by the ties of marriage, friendship, and
daily personal intercourse. Is it then wonderful, that the cause of the
inhuman violence with which the former, (under such circumstances),
massacred their unsuspecting, unprepared neighbours, should seem
impossible of divination ? The page of history, however, furnishes a
solution; we there learn the immediate, positive cause; but the man of
liberal feeling, who cannot comprehend the blighting, distorting,
withering influence of a dark superstition on the human mind, will
always feel unable to conceive, by what process such causes could have
led to such results. Would that we could, with truth, omit all accounts
of the dreadful deeds of these times! Would that we could blot out
atrocities, which are discreditable equally to human nature, to the
country in which they were enacted, and to the people by whom they were
perpetrated.
The concocters of this rebellion were the
Roman Catholic priests, and the members of their flock. The former
desired to behold their church ascendant in Ireland, they wished to
obtain the tithes, and other advantages enjoyed by the established
clergy, and, in a word, to raise their religion to its former rank, and
themselves, as its ministers, to their pristine wealth and authority.
The laity had, in consequence of rebellion, been very extensively
deprived of their estates, and now thought they had a favourable
opportunity of effecting a restoration of them. For the accomplishment
of their objects, both parties deliberately planned a universal massacre
of the Protestant inhabitants of the country; thinking that by a
complete extermination of the settlers, they should secure the kingdom
to themselves. And so effectually did they carry their designs into
execution, that according to some authorities, the number of Protestant
men, women, and children, massacred in the first three months of the
rebellion, amounted to 154,000 If — What must be the principles of a
system which leads to such results? But so long as the dogma, extra
ecclesial null salt/sett, out of the church there is no salvation, with
others of like tendency are inculcated, very little value can be placed
on the lives of " heretics." It is matter of great regret that a people
naturally of many good qualities, should be subject to a system, proved
to be so pernicious to the best interests of mankind.
A leading individual in the rebellion was
Colonel Richard Plunket, a younger son of Sir Christopher Plunket, of
Dunsoghly, who had married the fourth daughter of Sir Nicholas Bagenal,
knt., Marshal of Ulster. He had extensive connections in Leinster, and
had sufficient address to induce not a few of them to join in the
enterprise.
On the 22nd of October, a general meeting of
the conspirators was held, at which were present, lord Maguire, colonels
Plunket and Byrne, Mr. More, and some others. They here made
arrangements for the execution of their scheme; but colonel Byrne had
observed the absence of Sir Morgan Kavanagh, who had engaged to be
present; he, however, assured the rest, that he had no. doubt Sir Morgan
would be in attendance on that night, or early the, following morning.
In all, there were but eighty of the conspirators present at this
meeting; but the paucity of their numbers did not deter them from
proceeding. They resolved to commence their work on the next day; and
with this resolution they departed but the discovery of the plot obliged
them to fly from the metropolis, though it did not check their
proceedings in the provinces.
The Lord’s justices (sir William Parsons and
sir John Borlase) seem to have used considerable exertion for the
defence of the state, on being apprised of the intended rebellion. They
issued commissions to the chief persons in each county, authorising them
to levy troops, and attack the rebels; and in order to prove to the
Roman Catholics that confidence was reposed in them, the government
issued these commissions to several noblemen and gentlemen of that
communion. This act was not, however, productive of any beneficial
result, as many, if not all of the Roman Catholics of rank who were thus
honoured, afterwards joined the rebels. The following is the form of the
commissions thus issued; one of which was addressed to Walter Bagnall,
Esq., of the county of Carlow : —
BY THE LORDS JUSTICES AND COUNCIL.
W. Parsons. John Borlase.
"Right trusty and well-beloved, we greet you
well. Whereas divers most disloyal and malignant persons within this
kingdom have traitorously conspired against his majesty, his peace,
crown, and dignity; and many of them in execution of this conspiracy,
are traitorously assembled together in a warlike manner, and have most
inhumanely made destruction arid devastation of the persons and estates
of divers of his majesty's good and loyal subjects of this kingdom, and
taken, slain, and imprisoned great numbers of them. We out of our care
and zeal for the common good, being desirous by all means to suppress
the said treasons and traitors, and to conserve the persons and fortunes
of his majesty's loving subjects here in safety; and to prevent the
further spoil and devastation of his majesty's good people here; do,
therefore, hereby require and authorise you to levy, raise, and
assemble, all, every, or any the forces, as well footmen as horsemen
within the county of—, giving you hereby, the command in chief of all
the said forces ; and hereby further requiring, and authorising you, as
commander of them in chief, to arm, array, divide, distribute, dispose,
conduct, lead, and govern in chief the said forces, according to your
best discretion; and according to your conscience and discretion to
proceed against them, or any of them, by martial law, by hanging them,
or any of them, till they be dead, according as it hath been accustomed
in time of open rebellion ; and also to take, waste, and spoil their,
or any of their castles, forts, houses, holds, goods, and territories
aforementioned, according to your discretion ; further hereby requiring
and authorising you to do, execute, and perform all, and singular, such
other things for examination of persons suspected, discovery of traitors
and their adherents, parleying with, and granting protection to them, or
any of them, taking up of carts, carriages, and other conveniences,
sending and retaining espials, victual ling the said forces, and other
things whatsoever conducing to the purpose aforementioned, as you in
your discretion shall think fit, and the necessity of the service
require ; further hereby requiring and authorising you, as
commander-in-chief, to constitute and appoint such officers and
ministers respectively, for the better performance' and execution of all
and singular the premises, as you in your discretion shall think fit.
And we do hereby require, and command, all and singular his majesty's
sheriffs, officers, and ministers, and loving subjects, of and in this
the county of , and the borders thereof, upon their faith and allegiance
to his majesty, and to his crown, to be aiding, helping, and assisting
to you, in the doing, and executing of all and singular, the premises ;
this our commission to continue during our pleasure only, and for the so
doing, this shall be your sufficient warrant. "
-
Given at his majesty's castle of
Dublin, Nov. 1641.
-
R. DILLON, Jo. TEMPLE.
-
To our very good "JA WARE, ROB.
MEREDITH."
The earl of Ormonde was appointed
lieutenant-general of the army. On the 21st Nov. 1641, the Kavanaghs of
the counties of Carlow and Wexford, together with the Byrnes and Tooles
of the county of Wicklow, appeared openly in rebellion. Having taken a
fort in the county of Wicklow, they extended their devastations through
the counties of Carlow and Kilkenny. They next proceeded to the county
of Waterford; but were there defeated by Sir William Sellenger, lord
president of Munster.
The rebels of the north approached to
Drogheda, and defeated the King's forces at Julian's-town on the 29th
November, 1641. The disaffected noblemen and gentlemen now conceived
that the time had arrived, when they should take an open and decided
course. — They had long contemplated a defection, and now the favourable
crisis seemed at hand. Lord Gormanston called a meeting of the county of
Meath, and from this meeting may be dated their overt rebellion; as
their proceedings on the occasion led them into violent contact with the
government.
Now a general defection took place. " Several
gentlemen," says Temple, " who in the several counties of the pale were
made captains, and had received arms from the state for the companies,
departed from their obedience, and addressed themselves and their
companies wholly to the service of the rebels, Nicholas White, Esq., son
and heir of sir Nicholas White, of Leixlip, was the first that gave the
example about the second of December: but he carried the matter so
handsomely, as his company ran away to the rebels, as he pretended,
without his consent, or even his knowledge, any longer time before their
departure, than to give him opportunity to come and acquaint the state
therewith, and his own disability to hinder the same; but before it was
possible to use any means of prevention, the men were all gone with
their arms and munitions to the rebels; many of the other captains
desired no such fine cover for their intentions, but delivered
themselves and their arms up to be disposed as they should direct,
without any further scruple or compliment to the state : whereupon the
lords finding how notoriously they were abused by the very great
confidence reposed in such gentlemen of the pale, as being made
captains, had received arms from them, and perceiving what course they
began now to steer, and how they were resolved to employ their own arms
against them, they took such order, and with such celerity and
diligence, made stay of several of those arms, which were delivered out
for the use of the pale, as of the 1,700 arms distributed among the
several counties thereof they recovered again into their hands, 950."
A commission dated the 23rd December, and
seventeenth year of Charles I., was issued to certain individuals
empowering them to collect evidence on oath touching the murders,
outrages, and depredations committed by the rebels, since the 23rd
October, 1641. The following persons were appointed commissioners: Henry
Jones, dean of Kilmore, Roger Puttock, Randal Adams, William Huthock,
John Sterne, William Aldrich, Henry Brereton, and John Watson, clerks.
A considerable mass of evidence was collected
in relation to the county of Carlow under this commission. We make the
following extracts: —
"Anne Hill, wife of Arthur Hill, in the
county of Catherlogh, deposeth, that as she passed through the county of
Wicklow, William the plaisterer, with nine or ten rebels more, pulled
off her back a young child of one year and a quarter old, threw it on
the ground, and trod on it that it died; stripped herself and four small
children, who, by the cold they thereby got, since died. — Sworn.
"The wife of Jonathan Linn and his daughter,
were seized upon by the rebels near the town of Catherlogh, carried by
them into a little wood called Stapletown-wood, and there the mother was
hanged, and the daughter hanged in the hair of her mother's head, as is
deposed by James Shaw, vicar of Old Leighlin, Jan. 8, 1643."
James of Hacketstown, in the county of
Catherlogh, deposeth that an Irish gentleman told him and others, that
he turned an Englishman woman away that was his servant, and had a
child, and that before the poor woman and child were gone half a mile,
divers Irish women slew them with stones. — Sworn. April 21, 1643.
James Shaw, a minister, deposeth, that after
the cessation made with the Irish, divers of them confessed, the priests
had given them the sacrament, upon condition they would not spare man,
woman, or child, that were Protestants; and that he heard divers of
these say in a bragging manner, that it did them much good to wash their
hands in the blood of the Protestants which they had slain. — Sworn. Jan
7, 1549.
“The examination of
Dame Anne Butter, wife unto Sir Thomas Butler, of Rathealin, in the
county of Catherlogh, knt. duly sworn, deposeth. That after Walter
Bagnal, of Dunleckney, in the county of Catherlogh, ESQ., and Walter
Butler, with a great number of men, had in a violent manner entered this
deponent's house, they not able to resist, they set strict guard over
this deponent, her husband and family, and brought them from their
settled dwelling unto Loughlin bridge, where they kept herself, her
husband, and children, in restraint, for two weeks; and from thence
conveyed them, with a strict guard, to Kilkenny, and there they were
brought before the lord Mountgarrot; where Walter Bagnal and James
Butler, brothers to the lord Mount garrot, did use all means possible to
move the said lord to put this deponent, her husband, and family to
death and torture; alleging, that they were rank puritan Protestants,
and desperately provoking, and these words, saying, " there's but one
way, we or they," meaning Papists or Protestants must perish. To which
malicious provocation the said lord did not hearken. And this deponent
further deposeth, that Walter Bagnal, with his rebellious company,
apprehended Richard Lake, an English Protestant, and his servant, with
his wife and four children, and one Richard Taylor, of Leighlin-bridge,
his wife and children; Samuel Hatter of the same, his wife and children;
an English woman caffed Jone, and her daughter, and was credibly
informed by Dorothy Renals, who had been several times an eye-witness of
these lamentable spectacles, that she had seen to the number of five and
thirty English going to execution and that she had seen them when they
were executed, their bodies exposed to devouring ravens, and not
afforded so much as burial. Another English woman, who was newly
delivered of two children in one birth, they violently compelled her in
her great pain and sickness, to run from her child-bed, and took the
infant that was left alive, and dashed his brains against the stones,
and after threw him into the river of the Barrow: and having a piece of
salmon to dinner, Mr. Brian Kavanagh's wife being with her, she, the
said Mrs. Kavauagh, refused to eat any part of the salmon ; and being
demanded the reason, she said she would never eat any fish that came out
of the Barrow, because she had seen several infants' bodies, and other
carcasses of the English taken up in the weir. — And this deponent
saith, that sir Edward Butler did credibly inform her, that James
Butler, of Tinyhinch, had hanged and put to death all the English that
were at Gowran and Wells, and all thereabouts. And further deposed),
that she being in Kilkenny, a prisoner in restraint, and having
intelligence that some of her own cattle were brought thither by Walter
Bagnal, she 'petitioned (being m great extremity) to the lord of
Mountgarrot, to procure her some of her own cattle for her relief;
whereupon he recommended her suit to the mayor and corporation of
Kilkenny; who concluded, because she and her family were Protestants,
and would not turn to mass, they should have no relief. Jane- Jones,
servant to the deponent, did see the English formerly specified going to
their execution; and as she conceived were about the number of
thirty-five; and was told by Elizabeth Homes, that there were forty gone
to execution."
Sworn, 7th September,
1642.
"ANNE BUTLER"
John Watson.
Patrick Maxwell, of Graige, county of
Kilkenny, gent, sworn and examined, deposeth, That there were taken out
of. Graige by the rebels, and hanged to death, one John Stone and his
wife, and his son; William Valentine; Robert Pym and his wife, one of
their children of a year and a half old, and Thomas White, a merchant,
and his wife, who, being great with child, had her belly ripped up,
after she was hanged, so as the child fell out of the cawl alive; Walter
Sherly; Mrs. Ivan Sailer, an ancient widow; one John, a servant to Stone
aforenamed. The rebels that hanged them were Garret Forrestal, of
Knockive, and Gibbon Forrestal, of Tynyhinch, and the eldest son of
Richard Barrow, alias Fitz-Geraldin, of Knockeen, and divers others whom
he cannot name, all of the county of Catherlogh; which said Robert Pym,
after he was hanged no twice, proved alive in his grave, and struck his
hand upon his breast, saying, " Christ receive my soul, “and with these
words in his mouth was, then and there, buried quick. "
George Allibone, late of the town and parish
of Hacketstown, in the county of Catherlogh, gent, now examined,
deposeth : That about or upon the 22d of November, last, about Ten o'
Clock at night, Edmund M'Dowling, of Killevane, in the county of Wick-
low, and Maurice Bane, of Kilkelonah, and Coll M'Gerald Birne, of
Bordhill, both in the said county of Wicklow, with about sixty persons
more, in their company, came to this deponent's house in Hacketstown,
above said, and his said house forcibly entered, and took away goods
belonging to this defendant, viz., household provision, butter and
cheese, bedding, linen, wearing- apparel, brass, and other household
goods, with about one hundred pounds. This deponent further saith, that
upon or about the 23d day of the said month of November, a son of Brian
M'Phelim of Carriggerrow, (whose Christian name this deponent knoweth
not) of the county of Wicklow, John Ashpoole, of the Tuckmill near
Baltinglass, in the said county, and two of the sons of William Cooke,
of Poddermanagh, in the county of Catherlogh, (whose Christian names
this deponent knoweth not), with many others, assaulted this deponent
upon the high way near Baltinglass above said, and first disarmed him of
his sword and pistol, and then forcibly took from this deponent cattle
worth two hundred and fifty pounds, alleging that they would and must
have them for the king's soldiers. This deponent further saith, that at
his farm of Killelongford in the county of Catherlogh he left cattle
worth fifty pounds, which by reason of this rebellion he could not bring
away, but yet knoweth not who took them. This deponent further saith,
that he had justly due and owing to him of good debts almost sixty
pounds, part due from such as are now in rebellion, and the rest being
the greater part, from Protestants by the rebels despoiled and unable to
make satisfaction. This deponent further saith, that he left behind him
at his farm in Hacketstown above said, cattle worth five pounds, which
he is credibly informed were seized upon by Bran McOwen Birneof
Hacketstown above said. This deponent further deposeth, that at the mill
of Hacketstown he left and was despoiled of corn and malt, took and
bedding worth fifteen pounds, upon which mill he is informed that Peter
Wickham of Talbotstown in the county of Wicklow above said hath entered,
and in it placed a miller. This deponent further saith, that he was by
the said rebellion dispossessed of and driven from one farm whereon he
dwelt, his estate in the farm being worth forty pounds, and hay and fuel
worth twenty pounds and of one lease, in Hacketstown above said, which
he had let out to two several tenants, worth eighty pounds, and of one
lease at Killclony worth about one hundred pounds, for that this
deponent hath lost in all by the rebels against our sovereign lord the
king, the sum of six hundred and twenty pounds, besides what he lost by
the undue sale of such cattle as he brought to Dublin, twenty pounds,
the benefit of an increase of rent in a farm near Dublin, worth twenty
pounds. In all lost six hundred and sixty pounds. And further this
deponent cannot say.
Sworn, March, 1st, 1642.
GEORGE ALLIBONE.
-
John Watson.
-
Roger Puttlock
A. D. 1642. The army being badly provided for
in Dublin, and it being desirable to relieve some forts and towns which
had been seized by the rebels, the earl of Ormonde, lieutenant general,
marched from the metropolis on the 2nd of April, 1642, at the head of a
force of five hundred horse, and eight thousand foot. On the' 5th he
re-took Athy, and on the following day, Sir Patrick ' Weniye was
despatched with a detachment to relieve the castle of Carlow; but on his
approach, the rebels, whose force amounted to seven hundred men, burned
the town and fled, fifty of them being killed in the pursuit. Wemys then
succoured the castle, within which he found nearly five hundred English
and Protestants almost starved. He also relieved the neighbouring castle
of Cloghgrenan. Captain Harrnan afforded valuable aid to Wemys in these
affairs.
On the 15th of April, an engagement occurred
at Blackhaleheath, about twenty miles from Dublin, between the king's
forces under the earl of Ormonde, and those of the confederate Catholics
commanded by lord Mountgarrett, Sir Morgan Kavanagh, colonel Bagnall,
&c. The latter were completely defeated, and Colonel Kavanagh's head was
brought to lord Ormonde after the battle.
16th November. The confederate Catholics
ordered thirty-one thousand seven hundred men to be raised for their
service. The number to be levied in the county of Carlow was two
thousand four hundred; of which, forty horse and four hundred foot were
ordered to attend the general army; the remainder to do duty within the
county.
A.D. 1643. Among the various stratagems made
use of by the rebels to embarrass the loyalists, they adopted one for
which the latter were quite unprepared, namely, an order issued to all
their party not to sell provisions to the English even for ready money.
Against this diabolical device, there was at the time no defence; and,
therefore, many places of strength were deserted by their wardens. Among
the rest, Carlow suffered much in this particular.
In March, the earl of Ormonde and an army of
five hundred horse and two thousand five hundred foot marched from
Dublin, to oppose the rebels who had possessed themselves of the
considerable town of New Ross, and other places. Orders were previously
given, that provisions for the army should be sent by sea to Duncannon,
and thence by water to Ross; a step which was rendered necessary by the
want of horses and waggons, as well as the " stony and uneven" state of
the roads in the counties of Carlow and Wexford through which they
should pass. On the 4th the earl took the town of Timolin, with a
slaughter of one hundred of the rebels, and from thence marched to
Leighlin-bridge, as if with the intention to pass the river Barrow; when
suddenly turning to the left, and passing through Newtown and the
mountainous parts of the county of Carlow, he crossed the river Slaney,
and reached Ross on the 11th March. The rebels having desired that a new
parliament might be called; the judges delivered the following reasons
(on the 13th September 1643) against compliance with that request. The
melancholy state of each county is fully depicted in this document:"
MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIFS,
"According to your lordship's order of the
eleventh of September, 1643, we have considered of such inconveniencies,
as we conceive may arise to his majesty, and his service, as affairs now
stand, if this present parliament should be determined, and have reduced
the same to writing, which we humbly present to your lordships' further
consideration."
“The greater part of the freeholders of this
kingdom are now in actual rebellion, whereby his majesty ought to be
justly entitled to all their estates, both real and personal; this
cannot be done but by their conviction and attainder, either by course
of common law, or by act of parliament. By course of common law it will
be very difficult to be effected, for these reasons following.
First, those who are indicted in most of the
counties of this kingdom cannot be attained by outlawry, by reason that
the sheriffs of those counties, by occasion of the present rebellion,
cannot keep their county-courts, to proclaim, and make due return of the
exigency: nor can they be attained by verdict for want of jurors, most
of all the freeholders in the kingdom being now in rebellion. "
Secondly, those that are not indicted, or
those that are already indicted, and in prison, or upon bonds, cannot be
proceeded against legally at the common law for want of jurors; because,
as aforesaid, most of the freeholders are in rebellion.
Therefore of necessity, those persons must
either not be attainted at all, or only by act of parliament, which is
scarce possible to be effected, if this present parliament be dissolved,
or discontinued; for that upon a new parliament to be summoned, the
knights and burgesses must be elected by the freeholders and inhabitants
respectively, most whereof are in rebellion. And yet the present
parliament will be discontinued, unless a commission under the great
seal of England to the now lords justices, or other the chief governor
or governors for the time being, be here before the 13th of November
next, being the day of prorogation, for the beginning of the next
session of parliament, to enable them to continue this present
parliament; the last commission for the continuance thereof being only
to the lords justices, one whereof is since removed."
Unless the parties now in rebellion, being
legally attainted, which cannot be here, as is aforesaid, as the case
now stands, but by act of parliament, his majesty cannot have power to
dispose of their estates, as in his wisdom be shall think fit, either
for the increasing of his revenues, or for the peaceable establishment
of this commonwealth, and indifferent administration of justice therein.
RICH. BOLTON Cancel, GEO. SHURLY, GERARD
LOWTHER
JA. DONNALON, SA, MAYARH.
The rebels had at this time gained very
considerable ad vantages. The earl of Castlehaven had taken Ballenanry
and Cloghgrenan, in our county; the soldiers of the king were badly
paid, mutinous, and oppressive to the people Under these unfavourable
circumstances, the marquis of Ormonde thought it prudent to conclude a
cessation of anna; which was accordingly signed on the 15th September,
1643. The lords justices and council ratified the compact; they"
considering the unsupportable wants and miseries of the army, the great
distress of many of his majesty's principal forts, the imminent danger
of the whole kingdom, and the impossibility of prosecuting the war
without large supplies, whereof they could not apprehend either hope or
possibility in due time, did for those reasons conceive it necessary for
his majesty's honour and service, that the cessation should be agreed to
upon the articles then drawn up and perfected." The following is one of
the articles of cessation : " that the several counties of Catherlogh,
&c., shall, during the said cessation, remain in the hands of the said
Roman Catholic subjects now in arms, &c., and their party, except such
castles, towns, lands, territories, and the lands and hereditaments
thereunto belonging, which upon the said 15th day of September, 1643, at
the hour aforesaid, are possessed within the said county, by his
majesty's Protestant subjects, and their adherents, respectively."
This temporary peace was not satisfactory to
all parties among the rebels. The Romish clergy, the old Irish, and the
impoverished portion of the Romanists descended from the English, were
particularly averse to it; as they could never hope to accomplish their
various objects while peace and order prevailed. These parties would,
therefore, have gladly broken the cessation immediately after its
consummation. They continued to exclaim loudly against it; knowing, that
should the estated gentlemen of English descent once lay down their
arms, it would probably be difficult to induce them to embark again in
the enterprise; particularly, if they could entertain any hope, that
their lives and estates would remain secure and untouched.
A.D. 1644. The marquis of Antrim having
proposed to raise a body of troops for the service of the King, arrived
in Kilkenny, on the 23rd February, and made his plan known to the Roman
Catholic council. Upon Antrim's undertaking to raise three thousand men
to assist the marquis of Montrose in Scotland, they "re-solved to assist
him with two thousand muskets, two thousand four hundred pounds weight
of powder, proportion able match, and two hundred barrels of oatmeal, by
the first of May following; upon knowledge first, that all other
accommodations no concurring, and a safe and convenient port be provided
in Ulster, for receiving the said arms, ammunition, and victual; and
upon this further provision, that the said port be commanded by Walter
Bagnall, and the men there to be by him appointed, such as in his
judgment should be thought faithful and observant of just commands." J
The marquis of Ormonde, on the part of the' king, entertained forms
suspicions relative to the reservation in the latter clause of this
article, and, therefore, he returned an answer in general terms ;
stating, that when their supplies were prepared, a proper place for
their reception would be procured. Considerable ground for the
apprehensions of the marquis arose from the fact, that colonel Bagnall
had some private pretensions to territories at Newryy ' and other places
in the north. "Bagnall," says Carte, " was undoubtedly a man of honour,
was cousin-german to the marquis of Ormonde, and had given strong
appearances, that he would be for the king with all his power in case of
a rupture with the Irish; bat it would have been a great prejudice to
the king's affairs in Ulster, to put those parts into the hands of a
Roman Catholic, nor was it prudent to confide them to anyone who had
such particular pretensions." — Tie scheme was not acceded to by the
government.
A.D. 1645. John Battista Rinuccini,
archbishop of Firmano, nuncio of the pope, arrived here on the 22nd of
October. Well would it have been for the Roman Catholic laity, had this
bigotted, intolerant, reckless priest never set his foot on the shores
of Ireland. Peace was at this period in contemplation between the
belligerents; but the nuncio proceeded to Kilkenny, where the Romish
council sat, and used all his influence to prevent a cessation of
hostilities; in which laudable work he was assisted by the clergy of his
persuasion. Their efforts, however, were unsuccessful; peace was
concluded. On the 28th of March, 1646, the treaty was signed by the
marquis of Ormonde, on the part of the king, and lord Muskerry, Sir
Robert Talbot, John Dillon, &c., for tie confederates; in the presence
of the marquis of Clanricarde, lord Digby, Sir Maurice Eustace, and
Doctor Gerard Fennell. The nuncio and the Romish clergy, however,
persisted in their opposition. Their views had been overlooked, their
ambitious desires unattained, their projects unaccomplished ; and eager
to realize their objects, without any great regard to the consequences
which must ensue to the laity, these men formally met at Water- ford,
and issued a most violent manifesto against such of their flock as had
assisted in restoring peace to this unfortunate land.
The following is the document.
-
BY THE ASSEMBLY ECCLESIASTICAL OF
THE SUPERIOR AND
-
INFERIOR IRISH CLERGY, MET IN THE
HOLY GHOST AT WATERFORD,
-
BEFORE THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD,
-
THE ARCHBISHOP OF FIRMANO,
APOSTOLIC NUNCIO IN IRELAND."
Upon the question moved among us, and debated
for many days, whether they are to be declared as perjured who do
receive the peace contained in the thirty articles transmitted to us by
the supreme council, and if they be to be excommunicated as perjured
persons? The reasons and opinions of every one being first heard, and
the writings of some doctors of sacred theology read, it is decreed
nemine contradicente, that all and every one of the confederate
catholic's, who shall adhere to the like peace, or shall consent to the
maintainers thereof, or otherwise embrace the same, be held absolutely
perjured, especially for this cause, that in those articles there is no
mention made of the catholic religion and the security thereof, nor any
care had for the conservation of the privileges of the country; as is
found promised in the oath; but rather all things are referred to the
pleasure of the most renowned king, from whom in his present state
nothing of certainty can be had, and the armies, and arms, and forts,
and even the supreme council of the confederate Catholics, are subjected
to the authority and rule of state and protestant officers of his
majesty, from whom that we might be secure we took that oath."
For which, and many other causes, we being
moved only in our consciences, and having God only before our eyes, that
it may be known to all and singular, as well Irish as foreigners, that
we have neither given nor shall give consent to such a peace, unless
secure conditions may be added for religion, and for the king, and for
the country, according to our oath ; and that our flocks and all
confederate Catholics (who in general assembly’s sometimes desired our
sentence in this spiritual affair, as only belonging to the
ecclesiastical judge) may assuredly know, what bath been by us
determined, that in that sense, they as pious and faithful Catholics may
concur, we have demanded this decree to be written, and in all places
published in the English and Irish tongues, and have firmed it with our
hands and seals ; but the other question of excommunication we have
reserved to the next session ; dated at Waterford the 12th of August,
1646."
This document is signed by Francis Edmund,
Romish bishop of Leighlin, (who seems to have been a most violent
clerical agitator), and several others. A decree of excommunication
(dated at Kilkenny, 5th October, 1646) followed. It was issued by
Rinuccini and the ecclesiastical congregation of both clergies of the
kingdom of Ireland; and was fulminated against all such as should adhere
to the late peace, or should bear arms for the heretics of Ireland, or
aid and assist them.
The marquis of Ormonde left Dublin, for
Kilkenny, on the 28th Aug. 1646. On approaching Cashel, on the 10th
Sept., he was informed, that Owen O'Neale, commander of the Ulster
rebels, (who adhered to the nuncio's party and rejected the peace), was
marching towards him. This intelligence was further confirmed, by a
letter from Sir Robert Talbot, who advised the marquis to take
precautions for securing the ford of Moygany, the only pass where,
without a long march through the counties of Carlow and Kildare, to
Monasterevan, O'Neale's forces could pass the Barrow in order to join
the Kavanaghs, Byrnes and Tooles, on whom the latter commander relied
for much assistance.
While the marquis was considering what course
he should adopt, the earl of Castlehaven came and informed him, that it
was the intention of O'Neale and Preston, the rebel generals, to cut off
his retreat, and that not a moment was to be lost; that he should
immediately march for Leighlin-bridge, and having there crossed the
Barrow, hasten by forced marches to Dublin. The marquis despatched
orders to major general Sir Francis Willoughby, at Gowran, to march with
all his forces to Leighlin-bridge, and possess himself of that place.
When Willoughby had advanced to within three miles of Leighlin, he was
informed, that Colonel Walter Bagnall, with one hundred men, had secured
the castle at the foot of the bridge. He, therefore, sent two officers
to Bagnall, to learn whether he was to consider him as a friend or an
enemy. Bagnall courteously replied, that the passage over the bridge
should be free, and that he might command any accommodation that the
castle could afford. The major general found the promise fulfilled, and
having crossed the bridge, bivouacked his men in an open field, where he
remained until evening ; when, learning that the marquis of Ormonde had
approached near Leighlin, with his horse, he despatched a courier to
inform him, that his men had lain in the field a considerable portion of
the day, that there was not accommodation for them and for the horse by
which he was accompanied, and suggesting, that he should march to Carlow
with the foot, and leave the horse in their present quarters. To this
proposition, the marquis assented, and Sir Francis proceeded late in the
evening to Carlow, where he learned, that Owen O'Neale was marching to
Kilcullen in order to obstruct his progress. Orders were in consequence
given, that the troops should march an hour before day on the following
morning, in order to pass that place before O'Neale could reach it. Sir
Francis and his force arrived in Dublin, on the 13th September,1646.
The nuncio made a public entry into Kilkenny,
on the 18th September. His first step was to imprison lord Muskerry, and
most of the members of the supreme Catholic council. Other gentlemen,
who had been advocates for the peace, underwent similar punishment.
Colonel Bagnall was among the number. "The clergy," says Carte,
"delighted with power, assumed the government to themselves : and on the
26th, by a solemn decree, appointed a new council, consisting of four
bishops and eight laymen, ordering all the generals to be subject to
their orders, and investing them with the same power as the former
council. The nuncio took upon himself to be president of this new
council, and to act as supreme moderator in temporal as well as
spirituals."
On the 2nd of November, the nuncio, with
generals Preston and O'Neale,1 made propositions to the marquis of
Ormonde, the third of which was as follows : "
That Catherlogh, &c., and all the garrisons
within the Protestant quarters, be garrisoned by the confederate
Catholics, to maintain and keep the said cities and places for the use
of our sovereign lord, King Charles, and his lawful successors, and for
the defence of the said kingdom of Ireland." As might be expected, these
propositions did not meet concurrence from the lord lieutenant.
General O'Neale having rallied part of his
forces, advanced to support the confederates at Kilkenny, in their
rejection of the peace. General Preston, who now affected loyalty, wrote
to' the marquis of Clanricarde, on learning this movement of O'Neale,
requesting that full faith should be reposed in the contents of a letter
Written that day, the 10th December, to the lord lieutenant. The
substance of this communication was, that general Preston was on his
march to encounter the van of the northern army, and desiring the lord
lieutenant to meet him with his forces at a certain place. With which
request his lordship complied; when instead of Preston, he found a
"letter from him to the marquis of Clanricarde, stating, "that his
officers, not being excommunication proof, were fallen from him to the
nuncio's party, and therefore he advised him to proceed no farther, but
to expect the issue of a general assembly, that was to be at Kilkenny,
on the 10th of January: following, when he doubted not but things would
be set right by the consent of the whole kingdom, which would be much
for his majesty's' service, than to attempt the forcing of a peace upon
those that were averse to it." The marquis resolved to await the issue'
of the assembly.
On the 10th of January, 1647, the Roman
Catholic assembly: met at Kilkenny. The debates were carried on for
three week with great violence, between the advocates of peace and their
opponents; The nuncio loudly and dictatorially inveighed against' the
peace, last year concluded. "The bishop of Leighlin," says Bellings,
"who always sat upon an eminent bench at the Upper end of the house,
could, with waving bis hat, raise such a storm from the middle seats,
and towards the door, that nothing' could be heard for a long time
after, but the repeated thunder of I, or No, or that name which he first
dictated to them."
Those who advocated the maintenance of the
peace, urged1 the impossibility of raising supplies to carry on a war;
they 'reminded the' assembly of the great power of the English
parliament, with the navy at its ' command; and declared their firm
conviction, that' no resource was left for their safety but a junction
with the forces of the" king, then rapidly declining in power. " There
was ' a miraculous answer given," says Bellings, " by the same bishop
'of Leighlin, who citing that text of Scripture, where Christ raised
Lazarus from the dead, removete lapidem, wished them to observe, • that
when our Saviour came to perform that stupendous work, he ' gave his
disciples no other share in it, than of removing the stone; so, said he,
perform you that which is within your power, remove the stone, reject
the peace, proceed on vigorously, and God will do' the rest. This was
the reply given to the premeditated and prudent discourses of many
gentlemen, who thought the weight of the subject deserved more
particular satisfaction to the arguments concerning it, and those sacred
words a more rational interpretation; yet you must not wonder if it was
cried up, since he spoke it, who might command applauses with waving his
hat."
An order was made by the assembly, that a
declaration might be drawn up, stating that no culpability attached to
those who concluded the late peace; while the peace, itself, was
declared invalid and of no force to all intents and purposes. Before the
declaration was engrossed, Colonel Walter Bagnall, "a young man," says
Bellings, "who to the nobleness of his birth, and the plentifulness of
his fortune, had added a great stock of valour, and many excellent
parts, took occasion to speak after this manner:
MR. PLUNKET,
When I consider the weight and importance of
the matter now agitated, I do not wonder that we have spent so many days
in the debate of it, for the house may then be thought to have satisfied
her own wisdom, when all objections are laid open and cleared: but when
I observed men's reasons are rather cried down than convinced, and that
it is an impetuous storm, not a natural tide, that raises the sea of our
passions to so exorbitant an height, I must confess, I look upon it as a
sad presage of the many miseries (if God prevent them not) which will
befall us and our posterity; for I appeal to the consciences of all that
hear me, if when we were first compelled (for compelled we were) for
safety of our lives and fortunes, and the defence of our religion, and
our king's rights, to take up arms, we had then, while yet his majesty
was in power, able to dispute his cause with probability of success,
with his rebel subjects of England, been offered less advantageous
concessions, we had not joyfully accepted them with a thankful
submission to his gracious pleasure: and truly I cannot see that
improvement in our condition, if we shall prudently weigh all
circumstances, which should make us now less willing to acquiesce. We
have plenty of arms, you will say, which we then wanted; our armies are
formed, and our affairs directed by a constant way of government;
certainly, it cannot be denied, if the comparison extend no farther than
between us and ourselves, and if we make our inference without having a
respect upon our enemy, and judging at the same time of the change of
his condition, the then tumults with the new confederate catholic?, we
have manifold advantages, which we then wanted: but when we shall
consider, that the party in the parliament of England, which hath vowed
the extirpation of our religion, and was then seconded but by the
confused clamours of the multitude at London, hath armies at present,
and the royal fleet at their command ; that they who then were in their
dens, and scarce would adventure to hop out of their nests, do now fly
all England over, and that of the two concurrent parties, whose conflict
gave us respite to advance thus far in our work; that party is ready to
prevail which threatens our destruction: when I say we shall maturely
weigh this charge to the better in our enemies, we cannot be so partial
to ourselves, as to think one state so much improved beyond theirs, that
we should now, upon consideration of that inequality reject those
conditions which we would cheerfully have embraced at first; and it is
visibly manifest, that if we should have inclined to such resolutions at
a time when our king was in a posture to keep the parliament forces
employed, and so to divert this storm from falling upon us, both our own
interest, and the dutiful compassion of our sovereign's present
condition, ought now, in all reason, to move us, by endeavouring to
redeem his majesty from his heavy pressures, to lay everlasting
obligations of gratitude upon him, and by assisting his party in
England, to lift up a shield for our defence, which can no other ways be
done, than by accepting this peace, concluded and published by authority
of the kingdom, and by avoiding those severe punishments which never
fail to attend the breach of public faith. The bitter vengeance which
was exacted of the king of Hungary, for breaking, at the instance of
Cardinal Julian, the pope's legate, that peace which he had newly
concluded with Amurath, the great Turk, ought still to be before our
eyes, wherein the memorable circumstances make it evident, how that
crime was the object of God's indignation, for Amurath had no sooner
lifted up those articles to heaven, saying, Christ, if thou best a (rod,
as the Christians do make thee, revenge the violation of thy name, and
this perjury: but the young king who before had so far prevailed, as he
believed himself in the possession of the victory, was instantly
repelled, his army entirely defeated, himself overcharged with armour,
drowned in a morass, and his evil counsellor miserably butchered. But
now, Mr. Plunket, I shall beg the leave of the house to recede from the
ordinary custom, and to apply my spirit to the prelates. My lords, there
was a time, when our ancestors, at the peril of their fortunes, and with
the danger of their persons, sheltered some of you and your predecessors
from, the severity of the laws. They were no niggardly sharers with you
in your wants; and it cannot be said that the splendour of your present
condition hath added anything to the sincere and filial reverence which
was then shewed you. We their posterity, have with our blood, and the
expense of our substance, asserted this advantage you have over them,
and reduced the exercise of your function from the penalties of the law,
and your persons from the persecution to which they were subject. We are
upon the brink of a formidable precipice, reach forth your hand to pull
us back; your zeal for the honour of God will be thought no way the less
fervent, that you preserve the Irish nation; and your judgments will not
suffer for the attempt, when you give over upon better information.
Rescue us, we beseech you, from those imminent miseries that environ us
visibly; grant somewhat to the memory of our forefathers, and to the
affection we bear you ourselves; let this request find favour with you,
made to prevent the violation of public faith, and to keep the devouring
sword from the throat of our wives and our children.".
This sensible address obviously affected some
of the bishops, but their resolutions were too firmly fixed to admit of
change. The peace was accordingly rejected; and thus the lives and
properties of the Romish laity were placed in jeopardy, and eventually,
to a great extent, lost, by the reckless violence and insatiable
ambition of their priests.
During the sitting of the assembly, the
clergy laid their wishes before it in writing. They proposed an
establishment of popery all over Ireland, not only in their own, but the
Protestant quarters, the possession of all churches, benefices, and
dignities ecclesiastical; the repeal of the common law so far as it gave
the crown any ecclesiastical power, liberty to erect universities and
schools under their own regulations, to appoint provisions to
bishoprics, dignities, and livings as they had done since the beginning
of the war, and to exercise their ecclesiastical jurisdiction in its
full extent. They also demanded a restoration of all the lands formerly
belonging to abbeys, and other religious houses in the kingdom.
A.D. 1647 Such was now the state of the
government in Ireland, surrounded by enemies; attacked by the Irish
rebels on the one hand, and in expectation of hostile proceedings from
the English parliamentary forces on the other, that the marquis of
Ormonde, of two evils, chose that of delivering Dublin into the hands of
the latter. Meanwhile the Irish proposed an accommodation, which the
marquis rejected, on account of their absurd, indeed, under the
circumstances; we may almost say insane, requirements. Time was,
however, thus gained to obtain a supply of ammunition for the defence of
Dublin; but he received no supplies for the other garrisons of the
kingdom. The castle of Carlow was among those most exposed to the enemy;
and for its relief, the marquis borrowed sixty pounds, which he
forwarded to Major Harman for that purpose. A party of fifty men,
however, whom he ordered to the place as a reinforcement, could not
obtain entrance, in consequence of it having been invested on the night
of April I0th, the very day of the termination of a cessation which had
been agreed on between the parties. The castle resisted the attacks of
the enemy till the 2nd of May, when it was surrendered.
On the 28th July, the marquis of Ormonde
delivered Dublin to the parliamentary commissioners, and embarked for
Bristol, where he arrived on the 2nd August; but his return being
desired by the military and Protestants, he landed in Ireland on the
30th September, 1648.
On the 17th January, 1649 the Marquis of
Ormonde concluded a peace with the Roman Catholics at Kilkenny. This
event however had no salutary influence on the proceedings of the
republicans in England; who, on the 30th January, beheaded their king.
Thus ended the unhappy reign of Charles I.
("Spelling are as seen in the book")
CHAPTER XXIII
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