INDEX

Carlow County - Ireland Genealogical Projects (IGP TM)


The History and Antiquities of
the County of Carlow.

by John Ryan's  1833


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CHAPTER XXVI

Reign of William III A.D. 1688, to A.D. 1702.

SOME necessary preliminary proceedings having been transacted, the royal dignity was accepted by the Prince of Orange, who ascended the throne of these realms by the style of William III., on the 13th February, 1680.

James having fled from England, landed at Kinsale on the 12th March, 1689, and entered the metropolis on the 24th of the same month. One of his first acts was the issue of a proclamation calling a parliament to meet at Dublin, on the 7th May following. Had the House of Lords been regularly assembled, most of its members would have been Protestants. In order, if necessary, to overpower them, the outlawries of popish lords were reversed, new creations were made, and other expedients were in readiness. But none of these measures were. required, as of sixty nine Protestant temporal lords, not more than four or five now remained in Ireland, and of twenty-two spiritual but seven were forthcoming. With regard to the House of Commons, it was evident that it must be almost, if not altogether composed of Roman Catholics. For the power of election in boroughs had been completely taken from the Protestants; while in counties, many of the freeholders had fled, and those who remained were intimidated from appearing at elections; their attendance at which, they further knew, could affect no good. In short but six Protestants were elected.

This parliament, thus illegally convened and returned, met at Dublin, on the 7th of May, 1689.

MEMBERS.

County of Catherlogh. Dudley Bagnal, Esq. 
. Henry Luttrell, Esq. 
Borough of Catherlogh. Mark Baggot, Esq. 
. John Warren, Esq. 
Borough of Old Leighlin. Darby Long, Esq. 
. Daniel Doran, Esq.

 In the House of Lords sat, Cheevers, viscount Mount Leinster; a new creation, we believe, of James. Among the nobility of Ireland at this period, was William Brereton, baron of Leighlin ;* who seems not to have been present at this parliament, and yet escaped the attainder with which Richard Ogle, Viscount Catherlogh**, was visited.

 Note *- Protestant we learn from Lawrence's Interest of Ireland that in 1540, Sir' William Brereton, baron of Leighlin, was lord justice of Ireland. ** A Protestant, and peer in 1661.

 This parliament continued its sittings from the seventh of May, to the 20th of July following; and, in this very brief space of time, effected the complete destruction of the arrangements of property in Ireland, by a repeal of the acts of Settlement and Explanation, under which two-thirds of the Protestants of the kingdom held their property; all of which was now restored to those who possessed it previously to the 22nd of October, 1641. They attainted three thousand Protestants, by name, of high treason, and vested their estates in the late King; the pretence on which this act of plunder was committed, being the absence from the kingdom of the objects of it. The tenor of this act was, that it should have full force did the individuals named not return in three months, and make their submission; while, with an extraordinary description of justice, the act itself was kept perfectly secret until the specified time had elapsed!

The following persons connected with our county are named in this precious specimen of law, justice, and liberality:

Lieutenant Joseph Stopford,
Robert Doyne, Esq,
John Dunbar, of Catherlogh, gent.
Captain Chidley Coote, of Shierwood park,
Narcissus Marsh, Lord Bishop of Leighlin and Ferns,
Benjamin Burton, banker,
John Tench, of Staplestown, Esq.,
Richard Warren, Esq.,
Francis Bradstown, of Morterstown, gent.,
Thomas Bernard, of Cloghuae, gent.
John Lucas, of Rathdaniel, yeoman,
Edmond Jones, of Tullow, Esq.,
Cadwallader Wyn, of Killelongford, gent.,
Roger Piers, gent.,
Joseph Ivy, of Grangeford, gent.,
Urban Vigor, of Old Leighlin, gent.,
Mr. Cocks, of Ballydartane, clerke,
Robert Stopford, of Ballybrack, Esq.,
Charles Wilcocks, of Sherwood Park, gent., —
Mr. Elliot, of Staplestown, clerk,
Ogle, viscount Ogle of Catherlogh,
Richard Boyle, of Old Leighlin, Esq.,
Edmond Pleydell, of Tankardstown, Esq.,
Sir Maurice Eustace, of Baltinglass, knt.

 It was now quite obvious, that Protestants could expect no security for either life or property. Such of them as yet remained in the kingdom, were plundered by thieves, instigated, we regret to say, by the priests, and encouraged by their popish neighbours: from which species of persecution no remedy existed, but attendance at mass. The clergy were treated with even more of cruelty. The house of the bishop of Leighlin was broken open and plundered before his departure from the kingdom, and several of the inferior clergy were not only robbed, but personally maltreated and abused. In short, every indignity was offered to them, and they found it difficult to escape with their lives.

At this period, Dudley Bagnal was lord lieutenant of the county of Carlow, and Maurice Baggot and William Cooke, deputies.

There were numerous grievances suffered by the Protestants. of Ireland, to which we have not made allusion ; and it was now obvious that some speedy remedy should be applied to the evils of Ireland, some effort made to reduce the kingdom to peace, order, and subordination. For this purpose, Duke Schomberg was despatched with a considerable force, and landed, on the 13th August, 1689. His progress, however, was not as speedy as was desirable, and king William resolved to undertake the reduction of Ireland in person.

Previous to his departure from London the king deemed, it necessary to appoint commissioners of the great seal for Ireland, accordingly, by patent dated at Westminster, 80th May, 1690, he nominated Sir Richard Reeves, Knt., Robert Rochfort, Esq., and Richard Pyne, Esq. to that office. They attended King William to Ireland, and remained at Belfast until the victory at the Boyne placed the greater portion of the country at his command.

The following were among the officers of the army of James II., on the 2nd June, 1690: — Colonel Charles Kavanagh, colonel Sir Maurice Eustace, colonel Dudley Bagnal, lieutenant Colonel Richard Eustace.

On the 1st of July, 1600, was fought the ever memorable battle of the Boyne; when the forces of King William were completely victorious.

Resolving to use all gentle means to reduce the people to subjection, his majesty issued the following declaration, on the 7th July, 1690.

THE DECLARATION OF WILLIAM AND MARY, KING AND OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, FRANCE, AND IRELAND, TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF OUR KINGDOM OF IRELAND, WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.

William- R.

As it hath pleased Almighty God to bless our arms in this kingdom with a late victory over our enemies at the Boyne, and with the possession of our capital city of Dublin, and with a general dispersion of all that did oppose us, we are now in so happy a prospect of our affairs, and of extinguishing the rebellion of this kingdom, that we hold it reasonable to think of mercy, and to have compassion upon them, whom we judge to have been seduced. WHEREFORE, we do hereby declare, we shall take into our royal protection all poor labourers, common soldiers, country farmers, ploughmen, and cottiers, whatsoever, as also all citizens, townsmen, tradesmen and artificers, who either remained at home, or having fled from their dwellings, shall, by the first day of August, next, repair to their usual places of abode, surrendering up what arms they have to such justices of the peace, as are, or shall be appointed by us, not only to receive the same, but also to register the appearance of such of the said persons, as shall come, and submit unto our authority : for our royal intention is, and we do hereby declare, that we will not only pardon all these poor, seduced people, as to Jth.eir lives and liberties, who shall come in by the time aforesaid, for all violences they have done or committed by the command of their leaders during the war ; but we do also promise to secure them in their goods, their stocks of cattle, and all their chattels personal whatsoever, willing and requiring them to come in ; and where they were tenants, then to preserve the harvest of grass and corn for the supply of the winter. But, for as much as many of them had a legal right to the tenancy of several lands, some holding from Protestants, and some from popish proprietors, who have been concerned in the rebellion against us, our will and pleasure is, that all those tenants who held from our good Protestant subjects, do pay their rents to their respective landlords, and that the tenants of all those, who have been concerned in the present rebellion against us, do keep their rents in their hands, until they have notice from the commissioners of our revenue, unto whom they are to account for the same. AND as we do hereby strictly forbid all violence, rapine, and molestation to any, who shall thus come in, and remain obedient to us, so for those of 'this, or any other rank or quality, who are already in our quarters, and within our power, and obedient to us, we do hereby charge and require, that they be not disquieted in any sort, without our particular command. For the desperate leaders of the present rebellion, who have violated those laws, by which this kingdom is united, and inseparably annexed to the imperial crown of England, who have called in the French, who have authorized all violences and depredations against the Protestants, and who rejected the gracious freedom we offered them in our proclamation of the 22nd February, 1689, as we are now, by God's great favour, in condition to make them sensible of their errors, so, as we resolved to leave them to the event of war, unless by great and manifest demonstrations, we shall be convinced they deserve our mercy, which we shall never refuse to those who are truly penitent.

 

"Given at our royal camp at Finglas, near Dublin, the 7th day of July, 1690, in the second year of our reign."

  "By the king's most excellent majesty, you are hereby required to affix our great seal to this declaration ; for which this shall be your warrant.

ROBERT SOUTHWELL"

* Ancestor of John S. Rochfort, Esq. of Clogbgrenan, in our county.King. *


"To our Commissioners of our: great seal of Ireland."

The commissioners of the great seal appointed certain justices of the peace in each county, to receive the arms and register the names of all persons who should submit, in consequence of the foregoing declaration. The following were nominated in our county:

The Sheriff for the time being, Win. Brereton
Sir Thomas Butler, Marmaduke Taylor
Dr. Henry Berkeley James Waller
Nicholas Kemys,  
William, resolved not to remit in his exertions for the reduction of Ireland, now pursued his course to the south. From "Carlow, he despatched the duke of Ormonde to Kilkenny, to secure possession of that city, in which part of the enemy's force still remained. Upon the advance of the king's forces, they retired, having first extorted a considerable sum of money from the inhabitants! William proceeded from Carlow to Kilkenny, where he was splendidly entertained by the duke of Ormonde.*
King William embarked for England, on the 5th of September, 1690.
Doctor Narcissus Marsh was translated from Leighlin and Ferns to the archbishopric of Cashel, on the 26th February, 1690, from, thence to Dublin, on the 24th of May, 1694, and thence to Armagh, on the 18th February, 1703. He died on the 2nd of November, 1713, m the seventy-sixth year of his age. He published a work entitled Manuductio ad Logicam, written by Philip de Trieu, to which he added the Greek text, and some tables; printed at Oxford, in 1678, 8vo. He added illustrating notes to Gassendus' small tract De Demonstratione, printed with the former. While provost of the university of Dublin, he published — Instiutiones Logic* in usum juveniutis Academic Dubliniensis, 1681, 8vo.

He wrote also a work on acoustics. A charge delivered by him to the clergy of the diocese of Dublin, was published in 1694, quarto. But, independently of his works, the well known valuable public library which bears his name will ever render the memory of this prelate respected. It was during his occupancy of the see of Dublin, that doctor Marsh resolved on the establishment of this useful institution. Having built a house near St. Patrick's cathedral, and purchased nine thousand volumes of books, (being the library of the bishop of Worcester, then lately deceased,) he procured an incorporation in the year 1707, in which it is stated, that the " Most Reverend Father in God, Narcissus, lord archbishop of Armagh, primate and metropolitan of all Ireland, while archbishop of Dublin, did, out of his generous inclinations to the public good of this kingdom, for the propagation of the true christian religion, and for the encouragement of learning, at his own great costs and charges, erect and build a fair large house, upon part of the garden or ground belonging to the house of St. Sepulchre's, which is the ancient seat or palace of the archbishops of Dublin, near to the city of Dublin," &c. He had, himself, three thousand volumes of books, in every branch of literature, which he deposited, together with the nine thousand, already mentioned, in this public library. The archbishops of Armagh and Dublin, the lord chancellor, lord chief justice of king's bench and common pleas, the chief baron of the exchequer, the deans of the two cathedrals of Dublin, and the provost of the university for the time being, are governors, and a body corporate, whose duty is, to manage and preserve the library.

*Story's History of the wars of Ireland. Lon. 1693.

Bartholomew Vigors, L.L.D. succeeded doctor March as bishop of Leighlin and Ferns. He was educated in the University of Dublin, and thence appointed to the rectory of St. Mary's, Wexford, and subsequently to the deanery of Armagh, by Ietter patent, dated 29th June, 1681. On the removal of Bishop Marsh to the see of Cashel, he was promoted to the bishopric of Leighlin: and Ferns, by letters patent, dated 27th February, 1691. He was permitted to hold the rectory of Killeban in commendam. Doctor Vigors was consecrated in Christ church, Dublin, on the 8th of March following his appointment, by Francis, archbishop of Dublin, assisted by the archbishop of Cashel, and the bishops of Deny, Meath, Kildare, and Killaloe.*

On the 23rd March, 1092, King William declared the war in Ireland to be concluded.

Parliament met on the 5th of October, 1693.

MEMBERS.

County of Catherlagh. Sir Thomas Butler, Knt. & Baronet.
Borough . Catherlagh, Sir Wm. Russell, knight and baronet.
Borough Old Leighlin Edward Jones, Esq.

15th. Oct. 1692. A petition of the deputy sovereign, common council, freemen, and inhabitants of the borough of Catherlagh, complaining of an undue election of burgesses to serve in this present parliament for the said borough, was read, and referred to the committee of elections and privileges.

18th. Oct. 1692 Mr. Poulteney delivered in at the clerk's table a bill in paper, intituled, an act, declaring all attainders, and all Other acts, made in (he late pretended parliament, to be void.

Ordered, that the said bill be laid on the table.

19th. October, 1692. The petition of John Browne, Esq. complaining of the undue election of burgesses to serve in this present parliament for the borough of Catherlagh, was read, and referred to the committee of elections and privileges; and then, it being a & fast-day, and the house being to go with Mr. Speaker to Christ- church, the house adjourned, till to-morrow morning at nine of the clock.

20th. October, 1692. A petition of Edmond Jones, Esq." complaining of an undue election and return of a burgess to serve in this present parliament for the borough of Catherlagh, in the county of Catherlagh, was read, and referred to the committee of elections and privileges.

Parliament again met on the 27th August, 1695. , .

MEMBERS 

Catherlagh Sir Thomas Butler, baronet.
  John Allen, Esq.
Borough. Catherlagh Edmond Jones, Esq.,
  Robert Curtis, Esq. 
Borough. Old Leighlin Richard Boyle, Esq.
  Edward Jones, Esq., lately dead. John Beauchamp, Jun. Esq., returned in place of said Edward Jones.

31st August, 1695. A petition of John Browne, Esq., was presented to the house and read, setting forth, that the petitioner and Robert Curtis, Esq., were duly elected burgesses to serve for the borough of Catherlagh, in the county of Catherlagh, in this present parliament, and were so returned by Walter Rochfort, Esq., sovereign of the said borough, (and to whom the precept for the said election was directed), by indenture signed and sealed by the said sovereign and the majority of the burgesses and freemen of the said borough ; that soon after the said election, the said sovereign tendered the said indenture to Benjamin Bunbury, Esq., high sheriff of the said county, (who had directed the said precept as aforesaid), and desired him to seal and execute a counterpart thereof; but the said sheriff refused so to do, and annexed to the writ of election an indenture, signed and sealed by some of the burgesses of the said borough, and not by the sovereign thereof, by which last mentioned indenture, the said Robert Curtis and Edmond Jones, Esq., are returned as duly elected to serve in this present parliament for the said borough ; whereas the said Edmond Jones was not so elected, but the petitioner and the said Robert Curtis were duly elected burgesses to serve for the said borough as aforesaid.

Now forasmuch as it appears by the first mentioned indenture, ready to be produced to the house, that the petitioner and the said Robert Curtis were duly elected burgesses to serve in the present parliament for the said borough, and so returned by the proper officer; and for that the said sheriff hath notoriously misbehaved himself in making the said return annexed to the writ, and in refusing to indent with the said sovereign, according to the form of the statute in that case made and provided ; and for that the said borough hath at present no representatives in this parliament returned by the proper officer according to law; and therefore praying the house to take the premises into consideration, and to order the clerk of the crown to annex unto the writ of election the said indenture returned by the said sovereign, and to give the petitioner such relief in the premises as shall seem meet and just.

Ordered, That the examination and consideration of the said petition be referred to the committee of elections and privileges, and that they report the matter thereof, with their opinion thereon, to the house.

5th September, 1595. A petition of Thomas Burdett, Esq., was presented to the house, and read, setting forth, that the petitioner stood a candidate for the election of the borough of Catherlagh, in the county of Catherlagh, but was illegally obstructed in his said election by the sovereign of the said borough, who at the beginning of the election publicly declared in court to the petitioner, that he would not indent with him or any one, unless that he gave bonds to indemnify the corporation, by which the petitioner supposes the said sovereign meant to serve them without charges, which wages (though the petitioner) did not expect desire, yet he does humbly consider, that the sovereign's executing the said bond was arbitrary and illegal, and a hindrance to a free election, upon which the petitioner was free to decline ; and therefore praying the house to order a new election, and grant such order against the said sovereign, as shall meet.

Ordered, That the examination and consideration of the said petition be referred to the committee of elections and privileges, and that they report the matter thereof to the house, with their opinion thereupon.

11th September, 1695. Mr. Solicitor General reported from the committee of privileges and elections, that the said committee had taken into consideration the petition of John Browne, complaining of the undue election and return of Edmond Jones, Esq; returned to serve in this present parliament as a burgess for the town of Catherlagh, in the county of Catherlagh, and came to this resolution; which he read in his place, and afterwards delivered in at the table, and is as followeth, viz:

Resolved — That it is the opinion of this committee that Edmond Jones, Esq., is duly elected to serve as a burgess in this parliament for the borough of Catherlagh, to which resolution the house agreed.

21st October, 169/5. Ordered.— That Mr. Speaker issue his warrant to the clerk of the crown to make out a new writ to the sheriff of the county of Catherlagh, to choose a burgess for the borough of Old Leighlin, in the place of Edmond Jones, Esq., deceased.

28th March, 1696. The ASSOCIATION of the knights, citizens, and burgesses of Ireland in parliament assembled. WHERHAS there has been a horrible and detestable conspiracy for assassinating his majesty's most sacred person, and invading his kingdoms with French forces, contrived and carried on by the late king James and his adherents, to subvert our religion, laws, and liberties ; we the knights, citizens, and burgesses, in parliament assembled, whose names are hereunto subscribed, do heartily, sincerely, and solemnly profess, testify, and declare, that his majesty king William was, and is, rightful and lawful king of England, Ireland, Scotland, and France, and the dominions and territories thereunto belonging, and we do mutually promise and engage to stand by and assist each other, to the utmost of our power, in the support and defence of his majesty's most sacred person, title, and government against the late king James, the pretended prince of Wales, and all their adherents, and against all other persons whatsoever; and in case his majesty come to any violent and untimely death, which God forbid, we do hereby further freely and unanimously oblige ourselves to unite, associate, and stand by each other, in revenging the same upon his enemies and their adherents, and in supporting and defending the succession of the crown, according to an act made in England in the first year of the reign of King William and queen Mary, intituled, " an act, declaring the rights and liberties of the subject, and settling the succession of the crown."

(This document is signed by ROBERT ROCHFORT, speaker; THOMAS BUTLER and JOHN ALLEN, members for the county of Carlow; EDMOND JONES and ROBERT CURTIS, members for the borough of Carlow; and numerous others. I do not observe the names of the members for the borough of Old Leighlin in the list.)

14th August, 1697. Ordered— That Michael Wall, of Kilkenny, John Fitz-Gerald, brother to Garret Fitz-Gerald of Ballyellin, in the county of Catherlagh, and George Gahan, is taken into custody of the serjeant at arms attending this house, for a breach of privilege complained of by Mr. Council, a member of this house.

Parliament was dissolved on the 14th June, 1699.*

In 1693, Charles, second and youngest son of Thomas, earl of Ossory, was created baron of Cloghgrenan, viscount Tullow, and earl of Arran. He was brother to the last duke of Ormonde. 'He died without male issue in 1758. Thus these titles became for the second time extinct.

Forfeitures, of course, followed the war in Ireland against William III. In consequence of the intolerable tyranny of James II., William had been acknowledged king of these united realms, on the 13th February, 1689, by the major part of the people; and all who waged war against his government, afterwards, were consequently engaged in rebellion, and could hope for nothing but the usual results. The estates thus forfeited were vested in trustees, and a court was established, in which all who had any description of legal claim to them, or any part of them, were to declare it, on or before the 10th August 1700. The following is a transcript of the claims relating to lands in

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INQUISITIONS IN THIS REIGN

NAME OF PERSONS            DATE  PLACE WHERE TAKEN

Dudley Bagnall 8th December 1690 Catherlagh
Dudley Bagnall 8th December 1690 Catherlagh
Pierce Lord Galmoy 27th July   anno 6 Catherlagh
John Baggott 27th July   anno 6 Catherlagh
Oliver Eustace 25th March   anno 7 Catherlagh
Charles Cavanagh 25th March   anno 7 Catherlagh
Oliver Eustace 17th April   anno 9 Catherlagh
Oliver Eustace 15th Nov   anno 9 Catherlagh

From “an abstract of arrears of quit-rents &C returns by the collectors of several districts to be standing out in arrears in each Barony in each district at Christmas 1694, in the province of Leinster” We find the following in relation to out County

Barony of Catherlogh Quit-rent £42 3 10
Barony of Catherlogh Crown-rent 70 9 3
Barony of Idrone Quit-rent 145 5 3
Barony of Idrone Crown-rent 26 15 5 ½
Barony of Forth Quit-rent 164 10 2
Barony of Rathvilly Crown-rent 30 5 0
Barony of St Mullins Quit-rent 21 2 10

 King William the Third died on the 8th March 1702 in the Fifty-second years of his age, having reigned thirteen years.

("Spelling are as seen in the book")


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