f. 69. f. 69 b. Ib. Ib. f. 73. f. 73 b. 106. Grant by Thomas Bullen, Earl of Ormond, to Piers Butler of Tullyphelim and Arkeloe.* 107. Note of an inquisition, 10 Edw. II., on the death of Joan de Valentia, Countess of Pembroke, who held in fee simple the county palatine of Wexford, &c., which descended to George Talbot, Earl of Waterford and Shrewsbury, and so to the Crown, by the Statute of Absentees. By the survey in 32 Hen. VIII. the value of the lands had greatly decreased 108. Note of an inquisition, 13 Hen. VI., on the death of John Talbot Lord Furnivall, who held the manor of Loghsendie, which contained all co. Longford and all West Methe, except the manor of Rathwier. It came to the Crown by the Statute of Absentees. 109. Note of a letter from the Earl of Surrey, Lord Lieutenant, to Henry VIII., in 1520, mentioning Preston Viscount of Gormanston, and styling Barry and Roche "Lords," not "Viscounts." ("This letter remaineth in the custody of Sir Robert Cotton.") In 1537 the King's revenue in Ireland was not full 5,000l. per annum. 110. Writ to the Sheriff of co. Hants, to make proclamation that no person bring groats or " pence of twopence," bearing the print of the Harp, out of Ireland. Westmr., 19 Nov., 32 Hen, VIII.† 111. Names of witnesses [to a charter?] in Pat. [Roll]. 42 Ed. III., part 2: John de Courcy, conqueror of Ulster, and Affrica his wife; John de Courcy, nephew of the Lord Wm. de Courcy, brother of John de Courcy, conqueror of Ireland. "In libro Margat.":-Hervey de Montmorency, to whom Richard Earl of Buckingham gave Salveden, gave the same to the nuns of Margat. Claus. 5 Hen. III. :-Geoffrey de Mariscis, Justiciary of Ireland. Anno 1509 (sic.) Thomas Earl of Ormond and Lord Rochferd; in the register of FitzJames Bp. of London, among the patrons in the diocese of London. John de Carreu, sheriff of Cork and Escheator of Ireland; in the "Rotulus de Proficuis," temp. Ed. III., m. 25, in the office of the rolls of the Exchequer at Dublin. *See Vol. I. of this Calendar, p. 128, where this is quoted at length. f. 74. Ib. f 74 b. 112. Writ to the Justiciary of Ireland to certify the King what Englishmen were "sufficient" to be justices both of common pleas and of those which followed the justiciary.— Rot. Claus. 12 Edw. III., p. 1, m. 23, dorse. 113. Grant by King John to Hugh de Lacy and his heirs of all the land of Ulster, on his creation as Earl, in the same manner as John Courcy held it on the day when he was captured in the field by said Hugh; doing one knight's service for all service, "salva nobis ordinatione crocearum. "Anno 7 Regis Johannis; numero 109; Chart." 114. "A complaint from the Lords and Commons of Ireland to King Henry 6, against James Butler, Earl of Ormond." "All the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of the said land and the Commons of the same in your Parliament holden at Dublin the Friday next after the feast of St. Martin in winter last past were fully advised and assented that I and my fellow messengers for the said land should desire of your sovereign lord[ship] to ordain a mighty lord of this your realm of England for to be your Lieutenant of the said land; that time being there present the Earl of Ormond as Deputy to the Lord Wells, then your Lieutenant there. "Please it your Highness to be informed how that if it had been seen good and profitable for you and for your said land for to have had the said Earl your Lieutenant, he should have been named at the said Parliament; doing you to understand that they all, both the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons there assembled, considered in their wisdoms, that it was most expedient to your sovereign lord[ship] to have to your Lieutenant there a lord of birth, of this noble realm, whom your people there will more favour and obey, than any man of that land's birth; for men of this realm kept better justice, execute your laws, and favour more the common people there, and ever have done before this time, better than ever did any man of that land, or ever is like to do. "May it may please your Highness to consider, how that it behoveth that he, that should be your Lieutenant there, be mighty, courageous, and a laborious man to keep the field, and to make resistance ever against your enemies, in comfort and supportation of your true liege people there. And none of these be seen or found in the said Earl, for both he is aged, unwieldy and unlusty, for he hath, for lack of labor, lost in snbstance, all his castles, towns, and lordships that he had within your said land; wherefore it is not likely that he should keep, conquer, ne get any ground to your sovereign lord[ship], that thus hath lost his own. "Moreover, pleaseth you to wit, that at divers Parliaments (when the said Earl hath had the rule there) he hath made and ordered Irishmen (grooms and pages of his household) knights of the shire, the which would not in no wise assent to no good thing that should profit and avail to your sovereign lordship]; and also hath suffered divers lords, spiritual and temporal, to absent them from the Parliament heretofore, taking from them great fines to his singular avail, where the profit should be yours. "Also, afore this time, when the said Earl stood your Lieutenant, he took the Prior of Cullen, one of the Lords of your Parliament there, and sent him to O'Dempsie's castle, that is an Irishman and your enemy, the which put him in great duresse of prison, and ransomed him at 100 marks, without any reasonable cause. And likewise made to be imprisoned in the lands of your enemies Jenkin Galan, one of the citizens of your city of Dublin, and David Shemais, gentleman, and ransomed each of them at 107.; and one Nicholas Cabbarry, likewise ransomed at 100 marks. "Also, pleaseth you to consider, how at the last departure of the Lord Wells out of your land, it was desired by the substance of the gentills and commons of the said land, that the said Earl should be in no wise his Deputy, because of his great rigour, and breaking of peace, that they dread him to do the like that he had done before time; whereupon at last he was bound by indenture tripartite to keep the peace and be of good rule during the time that he were Deputy to the said Lieutenant. And sithe it is so, he* feebleness of rule was so much dread to be Deputy, it is to be supposed, he were more to be dread, if he were your Lieutenant, and had rule himself. Also, please it your Highness to be remembered how that afore this time, my Lord of Marche, my Lord Gray, (whose souls God assoyle,) and my Lord Talbot, that have been Lieutenants of your said land, have afore this time appeached the said Earl, severally, of many great treasons, the which stand yet undetermined; the which is a great proof, that the said Earl hath not been of good rule, and unable to have your said land in governance. "Also, there been many and divers other great things misdone by the said Earl, which I may not declare, because of mine order; for declaration of which, please it your Highness to do come before you, the Lord Wells, the Baron of Dudley, Sir Thomas Stanley, sometimes Lieutenants of your said land, Giles Thornton, your Treasurer there, and others that have borne and bear offices there, charging them, by the faith they owe to God and you, to report to your Highness the rule of the said Earl done for the time that they have stood officers there. "Also please it your Highness, the premises considered, to discharge the said Earl of the said office of Lieutenant, and to * Sic. f. 76 b. direct a commission to certain commissioners, to inquire within your said land of the matters comprised within the said articles, and of the rule and governance that the said Earl hath been of, in the time that he hath stood Lieutenant there, heretofore, over that as is rehearsed above; and thereupon to certify you by writing (under the Great Seal of that kingdom) as they find by iuquisitions. And so you may have clear knowledge, whether it be for your profit and avail, for the ease and welfare of your land, that the said Earl be your Lieutenant there or not. And the said Earl must be discharged before the said inquisitions be taken, for he hath so rigorously intreated your poor of your said land before this time, that they dare not say the truth while that he standeth your Lieutenant there, without that he be first discharged; lest that, for their soothsaying, he would be more rigorous to them hereafter than he was unto them before, the which they might not bear." 115. "These been the articles which Giles Thornton, Treasurer of Ireland, showeth and declareth unto the full, honorable, and right wise Council of the King our Sovereign Lord. "First the said Giles excuseth him and him acquitteth by the faith which he oweth to God and to the King our sovereign Lord, that the things which he saith and expresseth by the writing hereafter following, it is for the weal and profit to the King and good governance of his foresaid land and people, and for no manner of singular lucre ne avail for himself, ne for no hindering hate or malice which he hath against person or party in that land, as he will acquit him at all times, in such wise as you like or you liketh to assign him, to his power; considering to your gracious and honourable directions that he hath been sent and drawn forth in the King's service that dead is, whom God assoyle, and also in the service of our Sovereign Lord (that now is) these 38 winters and more, and never had fee ne reward but only of them twain; and now in his old age, that he should do or say any thing that should be shame or reproof to him, God defend, and so he trusteth to his mercy that he wolle.* "The first article is, that it is known of the discord, partialities, and divisions which is in the land of Ireland and long hath continued, between the Earl of Ormond and his affinity on that party, and the Lord Talbot and the Archbishop of Develin his brother on the other part, sithe that the said Giles hath be Treasurer, there hath be such party sitting in * "wotte," MS. the King's Council, and in all his courts there, that no matter for the King's avail, ne for suit of party, may have due process ne execution in the law, where it toucheth any of the two parties, to great hindering to our said Sovereign Lord and to all his said land, as it appeared by a Parliament there late holden; and so it is like to continue, [un]less that remedy therefore be provided. "Item, as the said Giles is informed by the officers in the Exchequer there, where great sums been due and leviable to the King's use and profit, for which sums the officers dare not make due process, for dread of putting out of office, at every exchange of Lieutenant or Justice. And so it is in all the King's courts there, to the great loss of our said sovereign Lord. "Item, sithe the time of King Harry the fifth hitherto, there hath been granted out of the King's revenue there (without authority or power to them given by the King's grace), annuities and pardon of debts, accounts, and arrearages of accounts to divers persons by the Justices and Lieutenants there, against the form and ordinance made and sent thither by King Ed. 3, which amounted to 1,452l. 58. 94d., like as the said Giles hath them to shew ready written. "Item, it were right profitable, necessary, and needful that the Chief Baron of the Exchequer there was a sufficient man of law, and that he nor none other officer of the same place be in fee with no other lord, but that they may occupy their office in their proper persons, and by no deputies, for that place is greatly hindered by deputation. "Item, liketh your honourable and gracious discretions to give in knowledge to the said Giles how he shall be demeaned, as for annuities and grants of the King's feefarms and de mesnes within the said land, grants of pardons, debts, accounts, real services, prize of wines, given by any Justice there of their own authority, as well in the time of the King that dead is, as in the time of our sovereign Lord that now is; and whether they shall be allowed or no. "Item, where divers annuities were granted of the King's feefarms in the time of King Henry 4 by Thomas of Lancaster, that time his Lieutenant, being to divers persons for term of life, he having no power thereto, but only to grant forfeitures; and in as much as the said grants were confirmed by both King Harries the 4 and 5, and by our sovereign Lord that now is, it is to be inquired whether the said grants and confirmations be good or naught. "Item, liketh you to understand that the great frosts and weathers that hath been these 3 years have so impaired and hurt the walls of the castle of Dublin and Wicklow, which will draw to right great and notable sums of money, [un]less than they been the sooner repaired and amended. "Item, it is to be remembered that at the next Parliament to be holden in England, that it be ordained and enacted in |
