Leinster." He died at Askeaton on the 14th of October in this year, and was succeeded by his son Garret.

In this year also, Donnall O'Brien of Thomond was banished from his patrimony by the Lord Justice. The chief towns of Thomond and not only these, but the entire country as well waste lands as inhabited lands, were placed by the English in the hands of the son of Donough O'Brien who was appointed Earl-and he was the first of the race of Cas who was popularly called Earl.3

Terrible was the commotion in consequence; for nothing went more to the hearts of the people than an indignity of this kind. In 1559, Conor, Earl of Thomond, sat before Inchiquin, to oppose the sons of Murrogh O'Brien. Donough, one of the sons of Murrogh was in the town, but Teigh, the other son of Murrough had been constantly in the company of the Earl of Desmond, since the expulsion of Donald O'Brien up to that period. Teigh made a sad complaint of his condition to the Earl of Desmond who assembled his troops and crossed the Shannon. The Earl of Thomond, leaving the camp at Inchiquin empty, proceeded to ask assistance from his trusty friend the Earl of Clanrickarde, which being granted, he did not halt until he arrived at the green of Inchiquin, and he returned back the same night to Ballyally. The camps of the Earls were not far asunder on that night. On the morrow, Desmond rose early, and marshalled his youthful warriors. They skirmished and fired on each other until they reached the top of Knock Furchaill' where fate brought them together, and victory after a fearful fight declared in favor of Desmond. Contemporaneously with this event O'Carroll, in accordance with the custom that every Irish chieftain thought it a duty to perform a predatory excursion as soon after his inauguration as possible, made his Captain's first expedition against Turlough Mac I Brien of Arra, on which occasion, he totally devastated and ravaged the country from Ballina, near Killaloe, to O'Hogan's mill, near Ardcroney. On the same day he slew Morrough MacIbrien, a distinguished Captain. In revenge the MacIbrien proceeded soon afterwards to ravage Ikerrin, in Tipperary; but in this expedition he was overthrown; O'Carroll approached in battle order, dispersed the guards of the MacIbriens, not one of whom escaped by flight, took MacIbrien prisoner, who was not set at liberty until he had paid ransom." The rebellion of Gerald, the 16th Earl of Desmond, which brought him and his family to ruin, not content with his peaceable settlement in the Earldom, began about this time. His first disturbances were (in 1564) against the Earl of Ormond. These Earls were ordered to England, and bound by

The Suire, Barrow, and Nore, below the city of Waterford.

2 Smith's History of Kerry, p. 253.

6

3 Though Murrogh O'Brien was created earl for life, in 1543, he was never called earl by the people.

4 Annals of the Four Masters.

6 Annals of the Four Masters.

5 Spancil-hill, Co. Clare.

7 One of the castles of the Mac I Brien, or the ruins of it, may yet be seen at Ballina.

s Sir John Davis says, the first occasion of his rebellion grew from his attempt to charge the Decies in the county of Waterford with coign and livery, black rents and cosheries, after the Irish manner, when he was resisted by the said earl, who fought him a pitched battle at Affane* in that county, on the 15th of February, 1564, when he was taken prisoner and lost a considerable number of his followers. -Smith's History of Kerry, p. 254.

* AFFANE. This place was granted, together with other places, to Sir Walter Raleigh. It was here that he grew the first cherries, as it was in Youghal that he grew the first potatoes.

recognizances in chancery of twenty thousand pounds to stand by the queen's award.1

3

By the dissensions between the Earls of Ormond and Desmond, Munster was almost ruined, especially Tipperary and Kerry. The barony of Ormond was overrun by Pierce Grace; and Thomond was as bad as the rest by the wars between Sir Daniel O'Brien and the Earl of Thomond.2. Hooker states that there was now no religion; he means of course amongst those who, in the name of religion, perpetrated unheard-of iniquities. A great battle was to be fought between the Earls of Desmond and Ormond, concerning certain lands in dispute about the Suir and Cashel. The place selected was Bohermore, near Tipperary town; immense numbers of their respective English and Irish neighbours crowded together from Cork to the Barrow, and from Logh Garman, "to the wide, foamy harbour" of Limerick. But "When the hosts came front to front and face to face, the Great God sent the angel of peace to them, so that concord was established between the hosts; for, having reflected on the dreadful consequences of the battle, they parted without coming to any engagement on that occasion." Soon after this event, Teige, the son of Murrough O'Brien, was taken prisoner at Limerick, by order of the Lord Justice, and sent to Dublin to be imprisoned, and it was universally said at the time that the Earl of Thomond had a hand in his capture. Teige escaped from his bondage two years afterwards, when meeting Donald O'Brien, who had exerted himself to set aside the Earldom of Thomond before Connor's accession, united in opposition to the Earl, who raised many encampments against them; but the result of the fighting was that the Earl's people were defeated, many of them slain, and Brien, who was taken, was not given up until Shallee, in the barony of Inchiquin, was given to Teige by way of ransom. Ballycarr, the residence of the sons of Murrough, was afterwards taken and demolished by the Earl, who had brought ordnance and forces from Limerick for that purpose.7

It was in this year that the magnificent abbey and abbey lands of Corcomroe, with their rents and customary services, and acquirements of land in the territories of Thomond, and its church livings, were given to Donnell O'Brien, as a compensation for the lordship of Thomond, to which he would have succeeded by Tanistry.

The citizens of Limerick, now aided the Lord Deputy, Sir Henry Sidney; to the number of three hundred of them joined his forces in apprehending the Earl of Desmond at Kilmalloch, where for a short time the Earl was imprisoned, and thence conveyed into Limerick, where he was indicted for levying war against the Queen. His brother John was knighted, and made Seneschal of Desmond. This was the first occasion on which Sidney visited Limerick he had been some time previous occupied elsewhere in his endeavours to suppress the Desmond Rebellion. Queen Elizabeth wrote an obscure letter to him, all in her own hand, in reference to the disputes of the Desmonds and Ormonds, and this letter is printed in Smith's History of Kerry, pp. 256-7.

On the 24th of September in the next year (1565) Arnold, Justiciary of Ireland, by consent of the Secretary of the Council, commanded the Mayor, Bailiffs, and citizens of Limerick, that they should observe the solemn injunc

2 Ibid. Ibid.

The Irish name of Wexford. 6 Ibid. 7 Ibid. ad an. 1564.

1 Cox's Hibernia Anglicana, p. 320. Annals of the Four Masters. The English, to pacify him, bestowed these gifts upon him, as also such lands as descended to himself by gavelkind, and such as he had possession of in any other way. --Annals of Four Masters. 9 Cox's Hibernia Anglicana, p. 325.

tions of Sussex, lately Viceroy of Ireland, recently given to them by his letters, by which he cautions them that they should not dare, even in the slightest particular, to sell any one of the ancient commonage lands, but that they should preserve them entire to be expended in the public service and requirements.'

At this period a very remarkable man lived in Limerick, and taught school. This was John Goode, a Catholic Priest, of the order of Jesus, some time educated at Oxford. He was a man of extraordinary erudition, and gave great aid to Camden in that portion of his Britannia which treats of Ireland. ""Tis strange" (says Nicholson) that a writer so much honoured by this great British antiquary, who gives a high character of this gentleman's modesty and learning, should be overlooked by Sir James Ware and the Oxford antiquarians."2

Gerald, the Earl of Desmond, was removed from Limerick to London by the intrigues of Ormonde, and imprisoned in the tower, where were also confined at the time, the Baron of Dungannon, O'Connor Sligo, O'Carrol, and other Irish chiefs, most of whom made submission to the Queen in 1568, when they were enlarged. Sidney visited Limerick a second time in 1569, where he established Sir John Perrot in the office of President of Munster. In Collins' State Papers it is said that the city was in a wasted condition at this time, and that the Deputy recommended the building of a bridge here-most likely it was in consequence of his recommendation that Thomond Bridge underwent some repairs.3 Sidney's anxiety respecting bridge-building did not rest with recommendations-he built the bridge of Athlone in 1568.4

Arthur MSS.

• Nicholson's Irish Historical Library.

A highly curious inquisition was taken at this time in Limerick touching the marriage of the Earl of Clanrickarde with Grany O'Karwell, or O'Carroll. It is thus stated in Morrin's Calendary of the Patent and Close Rolls of Chancery:

1566-9th Elizabeth. Depositions of witnesses taken before the King's Deputy and the Council at Limerick, 5th October, 36th Henry VIII., touching the marriage of the Earl of Clanrickard with Grany O'Karwell:-Hugh MacDonnell MacEgan, Brehon of Cloughketinge, in Ormond, saith "he heard Molrone O'Karwell say, when the late Earl of Clanrickard, then called Ulick Bourke, came to marry Grany, the O'Karwell's daughter, for that he thought he would give up the said Grany, before he should marry her in the face of the church, he would himself see the marriage solemnised between; and at the same time, deponent being at Modergime (Modereeny?) saw them go to church to be married, and saw them likewise come from the church; and further, heard those that were in the church say that the marriage was performed and done accordingly, howbeit he saw it not done himself." Teige Oge M'Gilyfoyle deposed "that he was present at the mass, and saw solemnly married, in the face of the Church, and kneeling before the high altar, saw the Earl kiss the Priest and then the said Grany; and being in the church when the mass time, saw them go out together, and the next day they departed thence." Shanet McDononoghe MacDermot Mycke Gilyfoile agrees in all things with the second deponent, mutatis mutandis. Sir Adam Oge O'Hyran, priest, saith, "that at the solemnization of the marriage he was chaplain to the O'Karwell, and that it was he that said the mass, and coupled them together by the laws of Holy Church, being there divers other priests, gentlemen and horsemen, during the solemnization."-Oct. 5 36° Henry VIII. (Morrin's Calendary of the Patent and Close Rolls, Chancery, Ireland, p. 504.)

The old bridge, which was surmounted by the ancient" Queen's Arms," had a compartmented stone facade, containing, amongst other inscriptions, one commemmorating the building of this bridge by Sidney, and the beheading of the "arch traytor Shane O'Neill," as the sculptor designated the haughty and unbending Shane na Dinis. This stone is now in the R.I.A., to which it was presented by Mr. John Long, C.E., when building the new bridge at Athlone. William Englebert, a famous Engineer, who was born at Sherborne, got from Queen Elizabeth for his services, 1588, a pension of 100 marks per annum. King James would not permit him to serve any foreign prince. He died in 1634 at Westminster.* It is not improbable that this engineer built, or gave the designs for the bridges on the Shannon at Limerick and Athlone, for Sir Henry Sydney, then Lord Justice of Ireland. The annals give the building of Athlone Bridge under date 1568, as follows:-" The Bridge of Athlone was built by the Lord Justice of Ireland, i.e., Sir Henry Sydney." Bridges over so large a river were at that time regarded as works of great magnitude, and doubtless the best engineering skill then available was secured to advise on the erection of these bridges across the Shannon.

*Fuller's Worthies, Vol. 2, p. 366.

CHAPTER XV.

PROGRESS OF SIR H. SIDNEY.-EXTRAORDINARY CUSTOMS OF THE IRISH.THE DEPUTY'S VISIT TO LORD POWER AT CURRAGHMORE. -BATTLE MANISTER, &c.

OF

IN 1568 Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy, held a parliament, in which a subsidy of 13s. 4d. was granted out of every occupied plough-land in Ireland, except those belonging to the Corporations of Dublin, Limerick, Cork and Waterford, and the chief government was to present to all church diguities, the cathedrals of Cashel, Limerick, Cork and Waterford excepted.'

In 1569 Limerick was one of the first places where the acts and ordinances of the remarkable parliament held this year were ordered to be proclaimed. In the course of a great hosting which Sidney made in the same year, he proceeded from Cork to Limerick, demolished some of the towns of Munster between those cities, and next proceeded to Connaught, and reduced to "obedience" all the country to Limerick, naming Sir Edward Phitun (Fitton) President-the first President that ever was named in that country. Limerick at this time was in a wasted condition. In the next year following the Deputy received the submission of MacI Brien Arra, who, in consequence, was confirmed in the possession of all his "manors, castells, lordshipps, signiories, rules, hereditaments, commodities, and profits, with all and singular appurtenances" in Duhallow. These expeditions were successful.' It was about this period that Clare was made a portion of the province of Connaught. The deputy visited Limerick a second time in 1575, and was entertained with more pomp than anywhere else. Here he kept sessions, and observed the same methods he did at Cork; he then marched into Thomond, in which, though it had formerly belonged to the English lords of Clare, and was inhabited by many English, now not a man of English extraction was to be found, and even the O'Briens, though very near relatives, were inveterate enemies one to the other; the country was entirely wasted, and innumerable complaints of murder, rape, burning, robbery, and sacrilege were made to the deputy, who imprisoned the Earl of Thomond and Teig Mac Murrough until they gave bonds and hostages of their good behaviour; he kept the earl's brother in irons, made Sir Donald O'Brien sheriff, left a provost marshal and a garrison among them at their request and charge; and upon shewing them that the uncertainty of their tenures was the cause of all their disturbances, they promised to surrender their estates and take patents according to law. Having effected these objects he proceeded to Galway.5

Sir John Perrott, who in 1572, had been appointed Lord President of Munster, had so effectually proceeded in the interest of Elizabeth, that James Fitzmaurice, of Desmond, was compelled to submit to him at Kilmalloch, which town on 4th of March before he had burned and plundered, having executed the sovereign and several of the townsmen, Fitzmaurice

Cox's Hibernia Anglicana, Vol i., p. 330.

The letters patent passed to Mac I Brien are duly enrolled among the patents of 120 Elizabeth.

made his submission in the Church, lying prostrate at the President's feet, who held the point of the sword at his heart, in token that he had received his life at the queen's hands.'

Extraordinary customs prevailed in this reign, if we are to credit contemporary witnesses. At the execution of Murrogh O'Brien, "a notable traytor" at Limerick, the foster mother of the unfortunate Murrogh took up the head, sucked the blood as it flowed from it, and stated, that the earth was not worthy to drink it. She then steeped her face and breast in the reeking gore, and tore her hair, crying and shrieking most terribly."

We will not follow the Deputy to Galway, which he describes not flatteringly, neither shall we go through those still continued and apparently endless wars of the Desmonds and O'Briens, which fill so vast a space in the annals of these eventful times. During the Mayoralty of Roger Everard the Deputy arrived, as we have seen, in Limerick, and Ferrar, who is followed by Fitzgerald, erroneously states, on the authority of the Davis MSS. that it was in this year that the sword of state was carried before the Mayor, and that the Cap of maintenance was for the first time worn. The sword had been sought for in the reign of Henry VIII. but refused; Elizabeth, however, in her charter, which she granted to Limerick in 1582, and not in 1575, not only bestowed the sword, but gave the "hatte of mayntenance” also. For this most important charter see Appendix.

During Sir Henry Sidney's visit to Limerick he addressed a letter to the Lords of the Council in England, which supplies some interesting details, illustrating the state of the south of Ireland at this period. The letter is dated Limerick 27th of February, 1575-6, and after giving an account of his arrival in Waterford, after his tour in Ulster and Leinster in all which places he met with a very favourable reception, proceeds to describe his visit to Lord Power at Curraghmore, where he was entertained" with plenty and good order," and where he found the tenants in a condition which would be considered enviable at the present day, for though the soil is stated to be much worse than in the county Kilkenny, "yet his tenants made more of one acre of land than there was made of three acres in that country or was made in the Decies, the lordship near adjoining him on the other side; and the reason was that he suffered no idlers in his county, nor the better sort to oppress each other."

From Curraghmore the Lord Deputy proceeded to Dungarvan Castle, where the Earl of Desmond waited on him, humbly offering him any service that he was able to do the queen.

From Dungarvan the Deputy passed into Sir John of Desmond's country, in the county of Cork, from which he proceeded to Lord Barry's, and on the 28th of December, arrived at Cork, where he was received "with all the joyfulness, tokens and shews they could express, and diet and lodge six weeks for half their pay." Here he was waited on by the chief men of the province, all of whom, the letter states, offered all fealty, homage and service to her Majesty, and to hold their lands of her and yield her both rent and

service.

After having settled matters at Cork, he proceeded towards Limerick and was two nights entertained at Lord Roche's. At Limerick he was attended by

Smith's History of Kerry, pp. 262-3.

2 Spencer's View of Ireland. p. 104; he adds that the old Gauls used to drink their enemy's blood, and paint themselves with it, and that the Irish drank the blood of their friends.