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have been let at a fair and equitable value, were parcelled out among the corporators and their friends, at a figure so very low, that when we examine the rental of this noble property, we ask ourselves where were the consciences of men, who could thus deal with public property? Whilst we admire the principle and fidelity which prevented the Stritches, the Whites, the Comyns, the Arthurs, &c. from renouncing faith and taking the oath of supremacy, from retaining the wand of office, rather than violate duty, we must deplore the laxity in Corporate affairs which prevailed in an otherwise heroic age, but which we shall have to denounce a century later, when the property of the citizens was nearly alienated altogether, and the city bereft of the patrimony which the charters of successive monarchs conferred upon it, and which was found and recognised by the inquisition of James I. to which we have been just referring.

James's reign as we have seen, was rendered remarkable in Ireland, not only by the wholesale plunder of Catholics, but by their savage persecution. The question of the king's supremacy created great disturbances among the corporators, and it was not until the accession of Charles the 1st in 1625, that the execution of these unjust and cruel laws were so far relaxed, that the mayor and sheriffs, viz. James Bourke, James Stackpole, and George Burke of Limerick, went publicly to mass: so far back as 1605, Fox the mayor was deposed for refusing to take the oath, and Andrew Creagh was appointed the first Protestant mayor. In 1617, a proclamation was issued for the expulsion of the Catholic clergy, and the city of Waterford, whose corporation had, like that of Limerick, resolutely refused to take the oath of supremacy, was in consequence deprived of its charter.

In the year 1616, the mayor ordered the gate call Mongret, which had been long closed, to be reopened.' Hitherto the Catholics had strenuously resisted the appointment of any but Catholics to the magistracy, but at last the Viceroy and council promulgated a decree prohibiting any one from discharging any public office, unless he had first taken the oath of supremacy, and solemnly attended the Anglican service, and this under the penalty called pramunire. Hence it happened that they elected those whom they expected to be obedient to the king's wishes, whom they now call "conformists," as they call the Catholics recusants." In 1616, Dominick Roche, mayor, John Stritch and Richard Lawless, sheriffs, both conformists. 1617. John Stritch mayor, George James Creagh and Pierce or Peter Harold,' sheriffs. The two later had conformed.

certifies the pedigree above referred to, and an endorsement contains the names of Daniel O'Kearney, Bishop of Limerick, 1st of September, A.D. 1776, attesting that this family of the Whites had always remained in the Catholic faith; of Laurence Nichell, Secretary to the Bishop, and by his command; and of Michael Peter MacMahon, Bishop of Killaloe, testifying to the same effect. These Whites suffered severely by confiscation. The name of White appears in the city annals at a much earlier period than the fifteenth century. The family had enjoyed very high positions in the city as Magistrates, Mayors, &c. and in the Catholic Church, of which several of them were distinguished dignitaries, including Doctor Jasper White, P.P. who lived in the year 1668, and compiled important ecclesiastical records, which are extant, and to which I refer in the proper place; and the Rev. James White, P.P. St. Mary's, compiler of the MSS. Annals of Limerick.

1 Arthur MSS.

HAROLD.-This is one of the most ancient families in the city of Limerick, and is now represented by Daniel and Edward Harold, Esqrs. (who inherit the paternal property which in penal times was held in trust by Lord Milton). They are sons of the late Richard Harold, Esq., of Pemywell House and Park, and grand-nephew of General Baron Harold, of the regiment of Keaingsfeld in the Bavarian service, who distinguished himself highly abroad, and received the different orders of the Holy Roman Empire. Several others of the family rose to the highest rank in the service of Saxony and Bavaria. The Danish forces having had a bloody conflict

1618. Dominick Roche was Mayor and resigned in Dublin, when Pierce White was chosen. The sheriffs were Edward Sexton and David Roche, both conformists.

Sir Oliver St. John, whom we have seen appointed with special instructions to enforce the law against recusants, also banished by proclamation, all monks and friars educated in foreign seminaries; but his intolerable severity had created so many enemies, that he was unable to make head against them, and was superseded in 1622, by Henry Lord Falkland, to the great joy of the Catholics, who as at the accession of king James, began to erect and repair abbeys, and to re-appropriate the churches. Usher, Bishop of Meath, afterwards so well known as Archbishop of Armagh, distinguished himself at this period by his gross intolerance, though his own ecclesiastical court, according to Bishop Bedel, might from its disgracefully corrupt state, have more fitly employed the energies of his great mind, than the most efficient mode of riveting the penal chains upon Catholics.

In 1626, Falkland advised the Irish Catholics to send agents to King Charles I., who actually accepted from them the offer of £120,000 in return for some relaxations of the penal laws, then known by the name of "graces,' and the advantages resulting from what were extended to other religionists besides Catholics. The money was to be paid in three yearly instalments, and the first instalment was actually paid, when the agents on returning home, found that not only were the royal promises evaded, but that a proclamation had been issued against the "popish regular clergy"-and Lord Falkland being recalled, the penalties enacted in the reign of Elizabeth were mercilessly enforced.

with the Irish at Singland, in which twelve hundred men were slain, an angel appeared in the camp of Auliff, the Danish Prince. Since then the Harolds of Limerick bear the angel habited issuing from a Ducal coronet. The Harolds of Dublin have a Lion Rampant gules as their crest-the arms of both families are the same-the motto is formitas in calo. In St. Mary's Cathedral the seat of one of the ancient oak stalls is carved with the Harold Arms and the above motto. Of this family was Harold, Bishop of Limerick, A.D. 1151. The name appears frequently on the principal roll of the city from A.D. 1418 to 1689. Twelve of the name were mayors of Limerick. Eighteen of the name were bailiffs and sheriffs. Sir Balthazaar Nihill, one of the Knights of Malta, was married to Miss Harold of Limerick. General de la Hitte, the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the French Republic, was married to the daughter of the celebrated beauty, Miss Jane Harold; she was wife of Rogerson Cotter, Esq., of Mallow (uncle of Sir J. Cotter, Bart., of Rakferant), and aunt of Daniel and Edward Harold, Esqrs. above mentioned. This family is related to the Ryans, of Inch House, Co. Tipperary; the Macarthys, of Spring House, Co. Tipperary; the Shiels, of Limerick, &c. ; the Grehans of the County Dublin; the Galways of Limerick and Cork; the Roches of Limerick; the Woulfs of Clare, &c. &c. The portrait of Miss Jenny Galway, the wife of Richard Harold of Pemywell, and daughter of Sir Geoffry Galway, who was executed on the surrender of Limerick, in 1651, to Ireton, is in the possession of Messrs. Daniel and Edward Harold. The late eminent Chief Baron Woulfe's grandmother was Miss Harold, of Pemywell. A curious circumstance connected with this ancient family occurred during the mayoralty of the late Alderman Joseph Gabbett. The ninth son of the General Baron Harold, above mentioned, feeling the absolute necessity of possessing himself of the family genealogy, which was essential to his recognition abroad, wrote to the mayor expressing his anxiety to this effect. The letter was written in French-he was not aware that any of the name survived in Limerick. The moment Alderman Gabbett received the letter, he communicated with Richard Harold Esq., who immediately forwarded the required documents, duly attested and signed by the authorities, including the Catholic and Protestant Bishops of Limerick. The document went to its destination at Dusseldorf, where the young soldier was forthwith enrolled among the nobility, and his progress in the army, in which he had already distinguished himself, was rapid in the extreme.

CHAPTER XXIII.

AFFAIRS IN THE CITY.-DR. THOMAS ARTHUR.-PROJECTED CATHOLIC

UNIVERSITIES.-WENTWORTH.-ARCHBISHOP USHER, ETC.

To return to the affairs of the city-1624. In this year the Lord Deputy Falkland arrived in Limerick, and was entertained by Mr. Sexten, the mayor. On September the 4th of this year, died Donough O'Brien, Earl of Thomond, at Clonmel; he was buried in St. Mary's, Limerick, where there is a remarkable monument erected to his memory, which I notice among the monuments in that Cathedral. He was Lord President of Munster. During the reign of James I., the following persons had filled this high office :-Donough, Earl of Thomond, Sir Henry Beecher, Sir Henry Danvers, Sir Oliver St. John, Henry Earl of Thomond, Sir Edward Villiers, and Sir William St. Leger. It was in this year that Dr. Thomas Arthur, by his great skill in the profession, saved the life of the man whose name we have already referred to, who figured more conspicuously than any other in his time, as a historian, an antiquary, an opponent of Catholics, and a prelate of the Church Establishment-we mean Dr. James Usher, who is called "pseudo-primas Ardmachanus," by Dr. Arthur, and who had lately returned from England, where he had been a long time, afflicted with a most dangerous disease which had baffled the skill of the physicians of that country. Not having been done justice to by the doctors in England, Dr. Arthur accordingly proceeded to

The authority of the President, in his district, was equal to that of the Viceroy in Ireland. He had the power of life and death, could create knights, was royally attended with guards, and had power by patent to command all the forces raised in the province. He had authority to hear and determine all complaints and to hold Commission of Oyer and Terminer, and gaol delivery throughout the province, and to hold his courts when and where he thought proper, with power to execute martial law upon all persons, who had not five pounds of freehold, or goods of ten pounds' value, and to prosecute any rebel with fire and sword; for this purpose he might array any of the Queen's loyal subjects. He could hear and determine complaints against all magistrates and officers, civil and military, throughout the Province of Munster, and the Crosses and Liberties of Tipperary and Kerry, and might punish the offenders at discretion. He had authority to put persons accused of high treason to the torture, and reprieve condemned persons and to issue out proclamations, tending to the better ordering and regulation of the Queen's subjects. He had a retinue of thirty horse and twenty foot; the under captain's allowance was 2s. per diem, and the guidon and trumpeter's 2s. each. He had also a serjeant-atarms to carry a mace before him; and it was his duty to apprehend all disobedient persons. Fynes Morison has given the following statement of the expense of the presidency of Munster for the year 1598.

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Drogheda, to visit him professionally, dwelling in the Archiepiscopal palace, and remaining there for some time from the 22nd of March, 1625.1

The proclamation which was in this year issued against the regular clergy, was every where evaded and turned into ridicule. It was read in Drogheda by a drunken soldier in such a ridiculous manner, that it created great amusement amongst the inhabitants, and was so despised by the Catholic clergy, that they nevertheless exercised full jurisdiction, and not only proceeded to build abbeys and monasteries, but "had the confidence" as Cox expresses it, "to erect a university in Dublin, in the face of the government, which it seems thought itself limited in this matter by instructions from England." Concessions and ordinances, which were made in the Roman Chapter of the Dominicans were issued, appointing, among other important matters, that Five Universities should be erected in Ireland, viz. at Dublin, at Limerick, at Cashel, Athenry, and Colerain.3

It is by no means indicative of the progress of toleration, to find the same government refusing even a charter to a similar institution at this very day in Dublin, nor, says the same writer, was the beauty of the Protestant church at this time sullied by its avowed enemies only. Things sacred were exposed to sale in a most scandalous manner; parsonages and episcopal sees were alienated, and the churches were generally out of repair.

1626. There was a proposal from the Court this year for the toleration of the Catholic religion in Ireland; but the Protestant Bishops protested against it.4

1629. Complaints were now made against the Lord Deputy for partial administration. He was soon after removed, and Adam Loftus, Viscount Ely, Lord Chancellor, and Richard, Earl of Cork, Lord High Treasurer, were sworn Lords Justices.

These Lords Justices caused St. Patrick's Purgatory to be dug up, and by directions from the Council in England seized on fifteen of the new religious houses of the Irish Catholics.

1 "On the 30th of August I proceeded to Limerick, where I remained until the tenth day of the following March with my wife, and obtained in the meantime from some patients £21 8s. 6d. At that time it was, that Mr. James Usher, Doctor and pseudo-primate' of Armagh, who had lately returned from England, where he had long laboured under a severe disease, to remove which, he had tried in vain the assistance of the royal physicians at a vast expense, sent for me. I waited upon him, while staying at his own palace in Drogheda, March 22nd, 1625. Then having heard his statement and weighed the opinions of the most eminent physicians, and serriously studied the symptoms which arose throughout the whole history of the disease; from these I thought I had explained the cause of this doubtful disease, which every day grew worse and worse, and which had hitherto escaped the observation of several very eminent men, which when I was sensible I had perfectly ascertained after making a slight experiment to try my conjecture, I confidently undertook his cure; nor did my hopes once deceive me. The curing of so eminent and on account of his erudition, so celebrated a man, of this grievous and stubborn disease, which baffled the skill of the royal physicians and most eminent doctors of England, made me celebrated and a favourite amongst the English, whom I had greatly disliked [exosus] for the sake of the Catholic religion." While this cure was progressing, the Doctor accompanied the Primate to Lambay Island, where remote from intrusion they devoted their attention to the cure. The Primate gave him £51 for his professional services.

2 Hib. Angl.

3 Hib. Dom. pp. 115-6, which gives the year 1629; and shows, p. 117, that these ordinances were confirmed in 1644 to the Dominican province of Ireland.

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The state of affairs regarding land at this time, is shown by the following curious entry, which I find in Dr Thomas Arthur's MSS.:

"The Lord Henrye O'Bryen, Earl of Thowmond, 19o Martii, 1635, did lease unto me for four score and nineteen yeares, three plow-lands and a half in Creatlaghmore and Portregue, at the rent of a red rose in mid-summer, or a grain of pepper if it he demanded. Uppon condition that if his honor, his heyres, executors or assignes die within six moneths after warning

Land changed hands to a great extent in these troubled and disastrous years; and bargains were struck, which are hardly paralleled in the cheap dealings of the more modern Incumbered Estates' Court. Dr. Thomas Arthur states, that Daniel FitzTerlagh O'Brien of Annagh, in Ormond, Esq., on the 1st of September, 1631, sold him the absolute fee simple of two plow-lands and a quarter, less one-eight and fortieth part of a plow-land, in the Barony or Cantred of Arra, Co. Tipperary, in the Parish of Templean-Calha, near Ballina, with the fishing weirs thereunto belonging, in the river Shannon, for £200! He states moreover, that Daniel's foster brother, Kennedy M'Donough O'Bryen, sold him on the same day, the half quarter of a plow-land, called Mehannach, and the half quarter of a plowland, called Droumnakearten, for £31!! In order to warrant and defend all these lands against all persons unto him (Dr. Arthur), his heirs and assigns, Moriartagh O'Bryen, son and heir of Daniel Kennedy M'Donough, procured John O'Kennedy of Douneally, William O'Kennedy of Lissenaragid, and Conor O'Cleary of Bruodyr, "all gentlemen of Ormond," to become bound with them in one thousand pounds bond of the statute staple, acknowledge to him at Limerick, 6th January, 1636. It is a startling fact that in a few years afterwards, these gentlemen of Ormond, the O'Kennedys of Lissenaragid, and of Dounally, figure in the Book of Distributions as forfeiters.

Wentworth's progress in Connaught was made in 1635, to try by inquisition the King's title to the counties of Roscommon, Sligo, Mayo, and Galway, and the county of the town of Galway; in this he was successful, Galway alone opposing-but the sheriff and jurors, composed of the principal inhabitants of the county, confessed the King's right, after they had been sent to the Star Chamber, and gave in their oaths to that effect in the Court of Exchequer.1 The case of tenures upon the Defective Titles was decided in a solemn judgment by all the Irish judges. Five of the judges concurred in the opinion that the holders of the Letters Patent from the King or any of

be given them by me, my heyres, executors or assignes, pay us in whole sum and entyre payment the sum of one thousand and fiftie pounds, sterling, with all the arrears of the interest thereof, then the said lease to be expired. William Brickdale, Esq., and George Conessis, Esq., are bound with his honor in bonds of the statute staple for the warrantie and performance of covenants. His honor by a special note under his hand is bound to save me from all subsidies and other country charges to be imposed upon that land during that mortgage. Edmond, Lord Baron of Castle Connell, who, in right of his wife, the Lady Margaret Thornton, the relict of Dunnough O'Bryen of Carrigogunnil, was tenant to the said Earl in the premises, did atturne tennant unto me, and payd me during his life a hundred pounds rent thereout, per annum. And since his death, the said Lady Dowager Margaret, of Castle Connell, payed me duly every year one hundred pounds sterling rent thereout until Easter, 1642, inclusively. But ever since then payed me no rent thereout, and yet detained the land until she deserted it in ano. 165- (perhaps 1650) In a marginal note the land is said to contain in Kilelypsh, 250 profitable, 183 unprofitable acres, 22 acres one-tenth profitable, Portreigue in Kilfentenan Parish, 243 acres profitable, 58 acres one-tenth unprofitable, in ano. 1637, in Stratford's tyme. These plow-lands in the survey made in the Earl of Stratford's tyme contained 720 acres. The Civil Survey Jurors, March, 2nd, 1635, were these: Robert Starkey, Torlough MacMahonne, Paul MacNemara, Neptune Blood, Thomas Hickman, Captain Thomas Cullen, Thomas Clanchy, George Clanchy, Thomas Fanning, George M'Nemara."

:

I Writing from the abbey of Boyle, 13th of June, 1635, Wentworth says to Lord Cottington, "It's true I am in a thing they call progress, but yet in no great pleasure for all that, all the comfort I have is a little Boney Clabber; upon my faith I am of opinion it would like you at one measure, would you had your belly full of it, I warrant you, you should not repent it; it is the bravest freshest drink you ever tasted-your Spanish Don would in the heats of Madrid hang his nose and shake his beard an hour over every sup he took of it, and take it to be the drink of the gods all the while. The best is, we have found his majesty's title to Roscommon, and shall do the like I am confident for all the other three counties, for the title is so good there, there can be nothing said against it."-Strafford's Letters and Despatches, vol i. p. 441. [Boney Clabber is the Irish baine claba for "thick (sour) milk.]"

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