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&c. The streets, the highways, the fields were covered with the dead bodies where they remained unburied, a prey to birds and beasts, infecting the whole air with the putrid exhalations; 400,000 persons are computed to have perished of famine and sickness. Land fell 75 per cent. in value; Wool, which in the reign of Queen Anne, was 12s. to 15s. fell to 6s., whilst a boat load of best turf sold for 14s., and oats per stone was 5d.2 A man might walk "from John's gate to Thomond bridge" without meeting six persons then. The dead lay in the streets without interment; and when the victims of cold and its concomitant starvation became so numerous, that coffins could not be provided in sufficient quantities or with sufficient quickness, a bottomless coffin was provided, from which the corpse was thrown grave, and hundreds of the dead were interred in this way.

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This calamity having reached the dominant classes, persecution, for a while, lost its intense rancour, and amid the horrors of general impending ruin, gave a respite to the Catholics. The state of things had an adverse effect even on the turnpike roads, which had become for some time such bad speculations for those who had engaged in them, that they gave no return.3 Edward VI. Edmond Herbert of Cahirmochill, County of Limerick, Esq., fourth son of Sir Edward Herbert of Poolcastle, County Mongomery, second son of the Earl of Pembroke, settled in Ireland in the reign of James I, and married Ellen, daughter of Richard Bourke of Lismolane, County Limerick, Esq., of the house of Castleconnell-his son was Maurice Herbert of Rathkeale, in the County Limerick, Esq., who married Margaret, daughter of Edmond Bourke of Ballinguard, County Limerick, Esq., who dying 10th of February, 1638, was buried in the Church of Rathkeale. Sir Thomas Herbert, created a Baronet on the 4th of August, 1662, fifteenth Charles II, was buried in Rathkeale—and was succeeded by his Grandson, (his daughter having married Edmond Southwell of Castlematress, County Limerick, Esq..) created Baron Southwell of Castlematress, 4th September, 1717-fourth George I.

Among the gallant officers up to a very recent date in the Austrian service, descendants of the famous Irish Brigaders, is General Brown Herbert, of Rathkeale, Chamberlain to his Imperial Majesty. He, according to Mrs. De Lacy Nash's Historical Researches, is the son of General Peter Herbert, Count of the Holy Roman Empire, who distinguished himself as Ambassador of the Court of Austria to Constantinople at the close of the last century, and was descended from Maurice Herbert of Rathkeale in the County of Limerick, a county which gave so many warriors to European powers in the last century. Baron Peter, through the operation of the penal laws left Ireland to try his fortune with his grand-uncle by affinity, Marshal De Lacy, whose immense wealth fell to the Emperor of Austria.

General De Lacy Evans, M.P. is a worthy scion of this truly illustrious race.

O'Connor's History of the Irish Catholics.

2 Ousley's notes to Ferrar.

a The returns of the Bruff or Limekiln Turnpike for the nine years ending in 1741, showed an average of about £62 per year; Ardskeagh Turnpike, £85, and Blackboy, £195. Out of this income, wages of collectors and other monies were deducted, leaving a very small comparative nett income. To afford an idea of the character and quantity of the traffic by the principal Trunkpike (the Blackboy) in this year, we give the subjoined return from the official document, for one week, in June, 1742:~

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From these domestic matters we are drawn for a moment by a startling and dreadful event, which occurred in the Limerick Regiment of the Irish Brigade, which was in Spain at the time, and which is told as we subjoin the particulars, in a contemporary publication :-1

Extract of a Letter from Naples, dated May 31.

"This Afternoon Captain Lynch and Adjutant-Major Macklain were beheaded on a Scaffold for the Murder of their Colonel Odeo2 (Irish) in the Limerick Regiment which came from Spain, the Officers of which Regiment are all Irish or Scotch. These two unfortunate Gentlemen had been perpetually abused by their Colonel, who declared them disqualified for their Places; and likewise by his endeavouring to bring in his Brother to be Major of the Regiment, under whom they could not serve, he having been declar'd infamous in Spain; and the Colonel having refused to give them satisfaction, they were blinded with Passion, and as he was coming home at Night they drew on him, and he calling to the Guard and refusing to fight, Captain Lynch shot him through the Head. Their Action was not to be countenanced, but the Injuries they suffered are too long to be mentioned. They died with Courage and Resolution. Most of the Officers are under Confinement, and 'tis not known what may be their Fate."

In this year Mr. Whitefield arrived in Limerick from America, where he first preached the new doctrines of Methodism. He reached Limerick from Fort Fergus, at two o'clock, p. m., and describes the city in his Journal as a large garrison town, with a Cathedral in it-the roads better than he had seen them on his journey, "but the people much more subtle and designing." He saw many beggars, which he imputes to the want of Parish Provision. (!) He waited on Dr. Buscough, the Protestant Bishop, "preached in the Cathedral to a very numerous audience, who seemed universally affected," refused an invitation from the Mayor, having been preengaged by the Bishop, and left Limerick next day rather satisfied with his visit. Whitefield, of course, saw but the outside of things, for a epedemic sickness prevailed in the city, and continued to strike down its victims during 1740 and 1741, when the Mayor, Joseph Roche, Esq., and several influential citizens, were attacked by the disease, and lost their lives. In this year, too, (1741) the Custom House of Limerick was burned; and as if to destroy whatever traffic remained in the city, and to injure the country as much as possible, the harpies of the Corporation again commenced operations, and caused greater indignation among the highest as well as among the poorest classes, than had been at any previous period experienced or expressed. While they plundered, the city was in a fearfully neglected condition, and the outcry against them was limited to no party or persuasion.

1 The General Evening Post (London), from Tuesday, June 18th, to Thursday, June 20th, 1740. Page 1, col. 2.

Odeo is a corruption for O'Dea, a very numerous family in Clare.

a White's MSS., in which it is added that Whitefield was the founder of the Swaddlers, or Methodists, "who take great head."

4 Whitefield's Journal-an unwarrantable remark.

5 Ibid.

...

The exactions by the Corporation in the way of tolls, and the fearfully neglected and wretched state of the streets may be judged of from the facts we subjoin :-* Custom taken for Cloak bagg at John's Gate in July, 1745 The like for Boots and Shooes in August, 1745 Custom paid for Household goods, for every load The like for Roots, Cabbage, Dead Fowl, &c., each ... The like for washed linen, and everything coming to my house

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4d.

3d.

4d.

ld.

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The like for Potatoes each load, though seldom more than two bushels on a horse. 1d.
The like for my saddle horses last August coming from ye field in the suburbs 1d.

From the papers of John O'Donnell, Esq., of Trough House, Grandfather of Lieut.-General

Sir Charles Routledge O'Donnell, Colonel of the 18th Hussars.

But, superadded to the sufferings of the gentry, as well as of the people, persecution was soon again let loose by the Government, and became fierce and general. The Lord Lieutenant and Privy Council issued a proclamation, in which the rigors of the Penal Enactments were revived against Catholic Archbishops, Bishops, Vicars General, and all others exercising ecclesiastical jurisdiction, and against all who harboured or sheltered them. Almost contemporaneously with this edict came an order to the Revenue Collectors of the Province of Munster, to drive several lands for an arrear of Quit Rent, which arrear amounted in one collection-that of Cork-to over £6,000-lands for which patents had been passed in the 20th and 22nd of Charles II. to Sir George Hamilton and the Protestant Bishop of Ossory.'

To arrest the miseries consequent on the neglect of agriculture, a bill for the encouragement of tillage was introduced into the Irish Parliament in the sessions of 1741; but it was subjected to public criticism and animadversion, inasmuch as it did not grapple with evils which were then, as well as they now are, felt by those so deeply interested in the question. In a letter from a Mr. Wm. Jessopp, to Mr. Charles Smyth, then attending his Parliamentary duties in Dublin, Mr. Jessopp, under date Limerick, Dec. 4th, 1741, says :

"It is Certain there are great Numbers of Acres in this Kingdom that in their Native State are not worth 2s., phaps not 1s. p. Acre, That by plowing, Burning, Liming, Sanding, or other manureing, with good draining & good Tillage for some years, may be made of 4 times, and possibly of 10 times that Vallue; And those Acres are for the Most part Moory, Boggy, and Heathy grounds, And to encourage the Improvemt. of such kind of Land the Act passd in 1731 gave the Tiller the Tyths for 7 years of Hemp, flax and Rape growing thereon, but of no other graine. Now it is certaine in my poore judgment that Such lands, After A Vast Expence to the Tiller, are not capable of Rape more than one year, or of flax or Hemp more than one year more, & after must be for Barley or Oats, so that the 7 years encouragemt, intended by the Act is by the Limitation reduced to 2 or 3 at the most,

The streets from Newgate lane to Thomond Gate in a shocking and scandalous condition, and at one time so filled with filth near the pen formerly held by Thomson, that there were stones in the middle of the street to step on for those passing through, the filth being so soft that it ran over the street. The Bridge so badly paved with large stones as to be dangerous for horses to pass. 2d. each taken for three cows passing through the town the 3rd of Nov. inst., and ld. each for them ye next day, though not drove out of the suburbs.

These exactions continued to the destruction of trade, the persecution of the farmers, and the injury of the city. On the 22nd of June, 1749, Joseph Gabbett, Esq., of Doonstowne, in a letter addressed to Ambrose Wilson, Esq., at Cahirconlish, gives an account of the dispute he had in Limerick about these exactions, by which they took market toll, "just three times as much as they had a right to." He gave information of it, and had the extorters indicted, but was obliged to postpone the trial that assizes, because he had not the original docket, for which he applied against the assizes following, but could not obtain it without the expense of bringing down the clerk of the House of Commons, in whose hands it was! He also had the people who took illegal toll at John's Gate convicted before the Mayor, of extorting one penny for each horseload of potatoes, but had no other satisfaction given than making them return a halfpenny to each person who had so resisted them. It appears that Mr. Wilson had a law-suit at the same time, as Mr. Gabbett wishes him every success in his undertaking.

To show the enormous extent of the oppression caused by these corporate exactions at this period, William Monsell, Esq., on the 5th of November, 1749, in a letter addressed to "the Rev. Charles Massy, A.M., Dean of St. Mary's, Limerick," complains in bitter terms of the " robbery." The oppression, practised by the freemen on the public in this citty, is but too well known to town and country, the latter being mostly sufferers in having exorbitant tolls taken off their corn by the iniquitous toll-men of this citty, and no remedy by applying to the magistrates." He goes on to show how he suffered, and he adds that "those violent proceedings made me and several others drop tillage, though our country wants cultivating." He expressed a hope that the Common Council of the city would take the matter into consideration in order to a redress of the infliction.

The Smyth papers in the Corporation of Limerick.

and those lands that did not pay the Church Id. p. acre before at the Expence of the Tiller, in 2 or 3 years time must pay 2 or 3 or 4d. p. acre, wd. most certainly discourage the bringing in of thousands that Woud be brought in if the encouragemt. had a reasonable Continuance. In such Case, if it be thought hard on the present Incumbent, let him have 2 pence or 3 pence or 4 pence p. acre for A reasonable time after the first year and no more, further I am satisfied there are great quantitys of Mountain lands that when plowd & burnd or Limed, where Lime can be had, or Marled where Marl is to be gott, they would be Tilld if the Encouragemt, extended to Corne as well as to Hemp, Hop or flax, wh. for want of Such encouragemt. will I fear lye in their native barren way, not producing one single ffarthing to the Church, nor anything to the Nation but the Rearing of a few stuntd Younge Cattle, a few Goats, and here and there a small Cabbin & Garden. There is also another Exception in that Act in favour of the Church, that I cannot think tends to its advantage. That any lands that did ever before pay Tyth for Hay shall be understood by that Act to have any abatment of Tyth for any terme. Now it is certain thruth that there are a great number of acres and such Moory sower Meadows that never was Tylld nor ever was worth in the best situation above 10s. p: acre, and yett for want of other meadowing have been mowd time out of mind and paid Tyths, and yet if those lands were once plowd and burnd and well Tylled for 3 or 4 years at most woud for ever after, if kept drained, be of 3 times Vallue, if the Tiller was encouraged by a Remittance of the Tyth for a time, or if that would not do, by limitting the Tyth to 12d. per acre for a term of years, and so the present Incumbent suffers nothing. And as to the premium allowd on Exportations, I do humbly apprehend and hope the House will think proper to Enlarge & allso to Extend it to Wheat, Oates, Oatmeal, & qury whether it woud not be proper to gaurd such Exportation, when grain is at a low price, from the Insolence of the populace by a Riott act or some other way, & I know no place needs it more than this you represent. Another thing I woud just mention in relation to the Linen Manufactures, so long the care of Our Nationall Councills, And I coud heartily wish you talkt to yr. Unkle Burgh about that affair, As he is quallifyed I believe to do a great deall both in the House and at the Board. It s Certain we have in the County of Limerick good Lands for Hemp and for flax, but by having no kind of demand for our Hemp seed, Nor any Tollerable good hands to be had for Watering and dressing our Hemp & our flax, I know too well the Tillage of it turns to a poor acct., So that if we had such a thing as by a County ffactory, or otherways A demand & Markett for our Hemp and flax Green, or I mean Ripe in the ffeild, Or had a proper person to direct or take care for us that out Hemp & flax were well handled, tho we paid him ourselves, it would be of good account, for the truth is our Hemp and our flax are most certainly more than half lost for the want of Skillful, honest hand to water and grass and dress it for us."

It is curious to find the citizens of Limerick in this very year, 1865, discovering a means of supplying those wants complained of upwards of a ycentur ago, viz. the want of markets, instructors, and factories.

Limerick having been provided with public lights under the Act 6th Geo. II. which also regulated the fighting of Dublin and Cork, some improvements, which had been loudly called for, were made in the Act in 1741.

CHAPTER XLIII.

EFFORTS OF

PAINTERS.

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THE CATHOLICS.- NEW CHAPELS BUILT. PAINTINGS AND NEW PROJECTS. GRANTS.-LIMERICK CEASES TO BE FORTIFIED. REMOVAL OF THE GATES AND WALLS.-PETITIONS TO PARLIAMENT, AND INVESTIGATION.-CORPORATE INIQUITY EXPOSED. NOBLE CONDUCT OF THE ANTI-CORPORATE PROTESTANTS.

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THE efforts of the Catholics in these gloomy times to possess themselves of becoming houses of worship were untiring. Hitherto the Catholic parishioners of St. Munchin had no parish chapel, but had been accustomed to resort to St. Mary's chapel, which was placed outside Thomond Gate.' The parishioners of St. Munchin, therefore, were under the necessity of building a chapel for themselves in 1744, when they raised a small but convenient one near the same place-Thomond Gate-close by the strand. The Rev. Patrick Scanlan was the Parish Priest.2 In the year following the Right Rev. Dr. Lacy, who had succeeded Dr. O'Keeffe as Catholic Bishop of Limerick, and who was a member of the illustrious family of De Lacy of Bruree, was appointed administrator of the diocese of Kilfenora by the Right Rev. Dr. Daly, Bishop of that sce, who was residing at the time at Tournay in France; and on the 19th of September in the succeeding year, the Rev. James White, Parish Priest of the Abbey of St. Francis, "fixed" a small chapel for the use of his parishioners in the Abbey. It is a strange fact that while the Catholic religion was at this period extending itself in Limerick, great alarm prevailed in nearly every other corporate city and town throughout Ireland, in consequence of the powerful efforts which the young Pretender, the Chevalier Charles Stuart, had been making in Scotland and England to upset the Hanoverian dynasty in the person of the second George.

But that the Corporators of Limerick took alarm there can be no doubt; and that they were making preparations for a wholesale onslaught on the property of the people, is indisputable. In the years 1747 and 1748, more than two-thirds of the estates of the Corporation, consisting of town-parks and premises, near and adjoining to the city, together with several plots of building ground and houses within the city, fell out of lease, and the Corporators demised amongst themselves the entire of these lands for nine hundred and

White's MSS.

This chapel went to ruin fifty years after this, and was entirely taken down in the year 1799, and a much better, larger and more convenient one built in the same place, which was blessed and the first Mass said in it in October.-Dr. Young's Note in White's MSS.

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At a meeting of the Corporation of Clonmel, held on the 1st of January, 1745, it was resolved, "in consequence of the rebellion of the Popish Pretender, that there be immediately an inspection made into all the walls, castles, gates, and fortifications of this town, in order immediately to fortify and repair the same, and put the same in a position of defence, at the expense of the Corporation, and that they do forthwith report the same to this Council, that the Corporation may immediately lay in a sufficient fund for carrying on the said work with all speed, and that the Mayor, as soon as such estimate be given in, do immediately call a council for this purpose."-Minutes of Clonmel Corporation Book.

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