already referred. I do not write by way of depreciating those who have trod the anxious path of local historical research before the present work was projected and undertaken; but I desire to show that a History of Limerick was an absolute desideratum which ought to be supplied. I have been engaged for some years, not only in collecting and preparing materials for this work, from rare and valuable published authorities, but I have supplied myself with manuscript materials of unquestionable authority-chiefly amongst them the MSS. of Dr. Thomas Arthur, a native of Limerick, the friend of Sir James Ware, the physician of nearly all the eminent Irishmen of his time, and a relative of the illustrious Archbishop Creagh; to which MSS. there appears to have been little or no access before those invaluable materials for the history of Limerick came into my possession, though constituting some of the most ancient written records of many of the most important of local events-some of the most curious and interesting of which have never hitherto seen the light, but all of which I have given. The White Manuscripts, from which Ferrar professed to draw, but much of which, I repeat, he left untouched, I have in my possession at present; and I have also had access to the interesting chartulary and annals of Edmond Sexten, preserved in the British Museum. I should add that some years ago I purchased the valuable Limerick MSS. of John D'Alton, Esq., M.RI.A., from which I have derived most im portant matter. Most of the other authorities I give below. As an instance of the fuller and more accurate details, to which I flatter myself this history will owe some of its advantages over former ones, I may refer to the period of the Sieges, a portion of the history to which Limerick is indebted for its chief celebrity, and visited by the lovers of national independence and military heroism. In treating of this and other parts of the work, I can safely aver I have spared no laborious exertions to acquaint myself both by reading, inquiring, and personal investigation, with all the narratives and traditions which bear upon the subject. On the history of its religious houses, and on the ecclesiastical history generally of Limerick, I have also taken particularly great care, and expended considerable time and labour, constantly referring to original documents, such as the Black Book of Limerick, for the more ancient details, and to original sources of information for the more modern, and setting down nothing for which I had not sufficient authority, although I am not of course so vain as to think I have escaped an occasional error. In the list of authorities the reader will find, I hope, a sufficient guarantee of my industry as a student, and fidelity as a historian; but it would be ungrateful to omit my acknowledgment for many obligations conferred by kind friends who have consulted the public libraries for me, and lent me their family papers and other useful materials, besides other literary assistance. In the history of the Catholic Bishops after the Reformation, I have to express my thanks for the valuable assistance of the learned antiquarian, Mr. Hanna of Ballykilner, county Down. The present Lord Gort has most obligingly furnished me with many interesting records, and valuable notes from the Carew MSS., now in the Lambeth Library; and his brother, the Hon. John P. Vereker, late Lord Mayor of Dublin, has supplied me with much available matter from his own interesting collections of papers. For the deeply interesting notes on the Jesuit Fathers, I am indebted to the kindness of the Rev. Father Hogan, S.J., a laborious and patient searcher after historical truth in this respect. L. Waldron, Esq., D.L., the late M.P. for the county Tipperary, has afforded me information as to the existence of materials in the British Museum, etc., whilst De Lacy Pierce, Esq., and his nephews, of the Adelphi Chambers, London, have most obligingly contributed various illustrative documents derived from the same source, and from their own historical collections and papers. I have got some notes, too, of much interest, from the Hon. Robert O'Brien, from General Sir Charles R. O'Donnell, and from the late lamented John Windele, Esq., Cork; while in translation, research, revision, and general literary assistance, I have enjoyed the constant, efficient, and friendly aid of Thomas Stanley Tracey, Esq., A.B., ex-Schol. T.C.D., who was conveniently near me. The reader will find in the Index the fullest references to almost everything in the book besides what is contained in the table of contents, the latter, in general, giving only the chief heads of the subjects in the text. List of principal authorities used in this work: Dunraven's (Earl of) Memorials of Adare, Fitzgerald and M'Gregor's Hist. of Limerick. French's (Bishop of Ferns) Unkinde Deser- Frois-art's Chronicles, Gordon's Ireland and Rebellion, Hamilton's Calendar of State Papers, Hanmer's Chronicles, Hardiman's History of Galway, Harleian MSS. in Brit. Mus. Harris's Hibernica, Harris's History of Down, Holingshed's Chronicles, Hoveden's History, Keating's History of Ireland, Kilkenny Archæological Society's Journal, Keogh's Botanologia and Zoologia, King's State of the Irish Protestants, King James's Irish Army List, Lewis's Topographical Dictionary, Lanigan's Ecclesiastical History, Local Traditions, Ledwich's Antiquities, Leland's History of Ireland, Leyden's Agonia et Victoriæ Martyrum London Gazette, 1650-1-2, etc., Lodge's Peerage of Ireland, Ludlow's Memoirs, Lynch's Law of Elections in Ireland, Lynch's Feudal Dignities, Lynch's Cambrensis Eversus, Lloyd's Ancient Church Government in Eng land and Ireland, Mason's Statistical Survey, Mason on Irish Parliaments, Morrin's Calendary of the Patent and Close MacCurtin's Vindication, etc., Memoirs of an Octogenarian (J. Roche, Esq). M'Dermot's History of Ireland, Molyneux's Diary of the Siege, MS. Annals (unpublished) of County and MSS. collections of the Smyth Papers, etc. Massingham's Florilegium, etc., Macaulay's (Lord) History of England, O'Heyne's History of the Dominicans, O'Connor's Rerum Hibernicarum Scriptores, O'Renehan's Collections, O'Curry's MS. Materials, Orrery's State Letters, Ouseley's MS. Corrections and Emendations Petty's Survey of Ireland, Tracts, etc., Petrie's Round Towers, Tara, etc., Reports of Commissioners of Public Records, Report of the Great Fishery Trials of Mal- Rutty's Mineral Spas, etc. Rushworth's Historical Collections, Southwell MSS., Spenser's View of Ireland, Sir John Davies's Historical Tracts, Stanihurst De Rebus Hibernicis, etc., Tours in Ireland (by several authors), Voltaire's Siecle de Louis XIV., etc., Walshe's Remonstrance and Letters, Ware's Antiquities, Bishops, History, etc., White's Apologia, Wynne's History of Ireland, Walker's Irish Bards, Walker's Dress and Armour of the Ancient Warner's History of Irish Rebellion, Watters's Irish Birds. Young's Tour, These, and a great number of others, are the authorities, to which reference has been made, and from which matter has been collated by me. In the Appendices I have added a considerable quantity of matter which was not available until the latest moment; and I contemplate, in the next Edition, to supply such additional facts and historical matter as may be developed by the State Papers, etc., in the course of publication. To unavoidable errors, which I have endeavoured, as far as possible to correct, the reader will, I hope, extend a generous forbearance. MAURICE LENIHAN. February 20th, 1866. CONTENTS. 1. Foundation and occupation of the city by the Danes.-Origin of the name of Limerick.-Earliest notices.-Introduction of Christianity into.-Wars II. Reign and achievements of Brian Boroimhe, etc., etc. ... ... III. Brian and his immediate successors; and the Kings of Thomond, etc. IV. The Kings of Thomond, continued, etc., etc. ... ... V. Annals of Thomond.-Monasteries founded by Donald O'Brien, King of etc. ... ... ... XI. End of the Kingdom of Thomond.-Rivalry between Limerick and Galway, XII. Limerick under the Tudors, continued.—Henry VIII.-Lord Leonard Gray. XIII. Successes of the English.-Fruits of the Reformation, etc. XIV. Limerick under Queens Mary and Elizabeth.-The Wars of the Desmonds.- XV. Progress of Sir H. Sidney.-Extraordinary customs of the Irish.-The Deputy's visit to Lord Power, at Curraghmore.-Battle of Manister, etc. XVI. Martyrdom of Bishop Healy and Father O'Rourke. - Continued atrocities, etc. XVII. English Progress.-Persecutions continued.-Arrival of the Spaniards, etc. XVIII. Fate of the Earl of Desmond.-Grants.-Richard Creagh, etc. XIX. Arrival of Earl James.-O Donnell's invasion of Thomond.-Jail Deliveries. ... XX. Rejoicings in Limerick on the Death of Queen Elizabeth.-Hopes and Dis- appointments.-Flight of the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnell, etc. XXI. Persecutions on account of religion.-Execution of John Burke, Baron XXII. Inquisitions.-Corporate spoliation. XXIII. Affairs in the City. Dr. Thomas Arthur.-Projected Catholic Universities. XXIV. The Civil War.-The Confederation.-Refusal of the Corporation to receive the Papal Envoy.--Correspondence between the Mayor and the Envoy.- Occupation of the King's Castle by the Confederates.-Murrough of the XXV. The Apostolic Nuncio Rinuccini.-Siege of Bunratty Castle.-Estimate of Ormonde. Te Deum in St. Mary's Cathedral.-Ormonde's peace de- nounced.-Bourke deposed.-Fanning constituted Mayor.-Atrocities of XXVI. Cromwell sent to Ireland.-Continued negociations.-Limerick threatened.- Ormonde and the Bishop.-Bishop O'Moloney.-Progress of Ireton, etc. XXVII. Ireton's campaign.-The siege of Limerick.-Terrible sufferings of the citizens.-Treason of Fennell, etc. XXVIII. Confiscation.-Oppressive taxation of the citizens.-Fearful burdens.- XXIX. The High Court of Butchery.-Savage executions.-Court of Adventurers. 187 XXX. Departure of the Irish for foreign lands.-Cromwell's Parliament.-Whole- XXXI. Death of Cromwell.-Accession of Charles II.-Disappointment of Catho- lics.-Rewards of the Regicides and Adventurers.-Grants.-Trades- men's Tokens.-Grant of Fisheries to Sir George Preston.-Lord Orrery.— Corporation doings, etc. XXXII. Important Events.-Schomberg lands at Carrickfergus.-King James arrives in Kinsale, and proceeds to Dublin.-Landing of King William.— The Battle of the Boyne.-Flight of James to France.-The march of |