William Piercy, efq; Surgeon Right Hon. Earl of Rofs, Willm, Smith of Carmoyle, efq;- Mrs. Vereker of Roxborough Henry Vereker, efq; George Vincent, eiq, Capt. Geo. Vincent, 9th regt." Lieut. Wm. Vincent, 19th regt. Boyle Vandeleur, efq; W. Vandeleur, efq; 16th regt Dr. John Unthank, Mr. John Venables of London. Mrs. Waller of Castletown, Mrs. Doro, Waller, Cattletown Mifs Wilfon, John Thomas Waller of Castletown, efq; Ralph Westropp. efq; J. C. Walker, efq; M. R. I. A. Thomas Walker, efq; Dublin,, 14 Copies. Mr. William Wilfon, Bookfel- Mr. James Watfon, of the Mr. John Watfon of Nenagh, Mr. Richard Wilfon, Owen Young of Harristown efq Additional Subfcribers. Mr. Martin Arthur, Anthony Boland, of Ennis, efq; Thomas Edwards, efq; Mr. William Fraley, John Green of Graige, efq; DIRECTIONS FOR THE BINDER. The View of Limerick to front the Title Page. Dedication to J. P. Smyth, efq; to follow the Title. The Plan of Limerick to be palted on a blank Leaf, to front the References Map of the Siege to face Medal ftruck by King William, Coins ftruck in Limerick, Cathedral Church, The Exchange, The Cuttom House, Themond Bridge, The Poor Houfe, Map of the County Limerick, Page xviii 74 81 121 151 200 204 209 223 379 441 to Sir R. de Bourgho to follow the Title 469 View of Kilmallock, Dedication of the Effay on Caftle Connell. View of Cattle Connell, PREFACE PREFACE. WHATEVER may be the motives to induce a man to compile a Hiftory, the task is an arduous one, and if executed with a juft portion of accuracy, and diligence, will be entitled to fome degree of praife. To the love of literary purfuits the world is indebted for the prefervation of its antiquities, fo pleafing to an enlightened mind. The honeft defire of refcuing our Hiftory from oblivion, of tranfmitting remarkable events to pofterity, fupports the hiftorian in his undertaking, renders him fuperior to every difficulty, and repays the toil of reading and collating a number of manuscripts and old books. IT is near twenty years fince the Author publifhed a fketch of the Hiftory of Limerick. He was then little acquainted, what a refpectable figure this city makes in the Hiftory of Ireland. Unwearied diligence has increafed his knowledge, and finding the work has not been undertaken by an abler pen, he has endeavoured to complete one more worthy the perufal of his fellowcitizens, to whom he will be ever happy to acknowledge himself connected, by every tie of affection and gratitude. THE THE materials for the book published in 1767, were taken from a manufcript, preferved with great care for a long feries of years, in the family of the rev. Mr. White, a clergyman of the church of Rome, who died in the year 1768. The manufcript is now in the poffeffion of Dr. Macmahon, the prefent Roman Catholic bithop of Killaloe. Another manufcript of fome antiquity, relating chiefly to Limerick, was found in the poffeffion of the late Mr. Robert Davis, burgets. It is written in verfe, and brought down no farther than the year 1680; it confirms Mr. White's in many places, and on the whole was deemed fo curious, that feverál paffages of it have been brought into the annals of this Hiftory. FOR both these manufcripts, and much ufefur information, the Author is indebted to Ralph Oufley, Efq; a member of the Royal Irish Aca-1 demy, whofe tafte for literature induced him to copy them, and whofe refearches after antiquity in general, afford fo'much pleature to his friends. He is alfo happy in an opportunity to exprefs his obligations to his Grace, the Duke of Northumberland, for the plan of Limerick, to Sir Vere Hunt, baronet, for feveral hiftorical anecdotes, and for his polite attention to contribute every poffible information. His acknowledgments are juftly due to Meffrs. Sandby, Pelham, Bath, Oufley, and Denmead, for the drawings which have affifted to ornament and illuftrate this work. • See a Sketch of his Life in the Appendix, Page 359. THE This Academy was patronized by the King, and incorporated by charter in the year 1785. The Council is compofed of three Committees, viz. Science, Polite Literature, and Antiquities. |