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1585.

(1.) Shreeves' offices are nothing at all foreseen unto. The shreeves to be called to accompt for all arrearages, issues, profits, fines, amercements, and such like, as also for all rebels' and felons' goods and chattels. Then would there be more profit and commodity coming into her Highness's coffers than heretofore. Some officers direct their letters to the shreeves, commanding them to surcease the execution of such writs as touch their kinsfolks or friends. Other officers know not what belongeth to shreeves, which doth animate the latter to turn all to his private gain. This causes them to sue here to be made shreeves.

(2.) Escheators and other officers to make their several accompts yearly, whereby her Highness's profits and commodities might be more respected, and not used as heretofore.

(3.) "When any custodiam is granted here, and that they have gotten their warrant signed, they presently depart and never come into th' Exchequer to have a patent made thereof, and to enrol it orderly in any office, or be bound for answering her Majesty the mean profits," to the loss of above 10,000l. in few years.

(4.) No officers, neither customer nor any other, yield any accompt as they do in England, or keep any books of entry of any merchandises; but the book of orders which I delivered to your Lordship, being once confirmed, would be a good direction both among officers and merchants. The merchants do what they list. Customhouses to be erected at every port.

(5.) Her Majesty loses, by letting out certain offices here, as her customs and impcst of wines, a great matter yearly.

(6.) "The merchants of Dublin of late have restrained all foreign merchants from traffic hither, whereby they hinder the Queen greatly, and hurt themselves and the whole country; for whereas all commodities were afore brought unto them by strangers, now nothing cometh in but of their own bringing; so that all things by that means waxeth so dear as passeth, and the merchants of Dublin bind all men to buy all commodities of them; whereas if the common course of traffic were used still, as it hath been, we should have plenty of all things, and everything good cheap."

(7.) "The courts of Exchequer, King's Bench, and Common Place are weak, and want good officers, which may look into the benefit and commodity of the Queen more than now is used. The officers that now are, being Irish, are so greatly affected to their own countrymen, that doing one for another they little regard the Queen's profit."

(8.) "The Barons and other officers are all ill-spoken of, for that men can have no justice, as it is said, although it be in the Queen's case. Again, her Majesty's revenue is decayed above 3,000l. a year, which was certain." The Barons of the Exchequer should be Englishmen, and one Englishmen in every bench.

1585.

(9.) “Whereas these Irish officers use no order at all, neither in sitting in the court nor otherwise, but rather walk out of the court at their pleasure to talk with their friends, or with such as have any matter to be moved, although it be against the Queen, they will be so instructed against they come to their places again as they will rather speak for the party than with the Queen, or else they will be silent altogether. Again, they sit in such unseemly order that there is no accompt made of a court here, but as a petty hundred court in the country, nor no reverence at all used to them." When any more English officers shall come over, which I wish to be very shortly, they should sit in such robes as our justices and barons do in England; for these men sit like any common persons.

(10.) All patents for pensions, annuities, or other payments to be enrolled here within six months. Every court to hold that which belongs to it, and not to meddle with another.

(11.) At Gallowaye the customer and officers have never been called to accompt.

(12.) The statutes to be put in print. Certain of them (specified) to be put in force.

(13.) "Memorandum.—It were very necessary at the Parliament some good act, order, or provision were instituted and made here for enclosing of grounds within this land with hedges and ditches, planting such trees to make hedgerows as the people may conveniently get to plant, or else with some kind of thorns or fruit trees, as in Somersetshire and Devonshire they do."

(14.) Justices and officers to be appointed to ride circuit here, as in England, twice a year, and to view and see the state of the country, whereby disorders and many things amiss, as bridges and highways decayed, may be reformed. The auditor and receiver to ride circuit and keep audit.

(15.) Money not to be carried out of this realm contrary to the statutes. "The merchants of Dublin have a vent to London, to take up all their wares upon credit to very great sums, the money to be paid here at Dublin. The nobility, knights, captains, gentlemen, and soldiers, and others of this realm, they again take up of the merchants of Dublin such commodities as they want upon their credit, and for time paying out of all reason for the same. At length, when the treasure cometh over from England, when these men have their pay, the money cometh presently to the merchants of Dublin. Then come the merchants, factors, and agents of London, and they receive a great part thereof for their masters' use, never employing any part thereof in or about any commodity here, but they, viz., the merchants, by one means or other, and likewise divers gentlemen convey the same privily out of this realm in this trunk or that trunk, which must not be searched (they say); for this gentleman allegeth it is his provision of apparel, and this merchant saith that he hath licence

1585.

to carry his money; and so between both, what with the gentleman with his device, and what with the merchant baving licence, as he will allege, for 100l., when by colour thereof shall be carried a thousand or more of sundry men's money, defrauding her Majesty and abusing her Highness' officers, we have scarce of any money here." The statute for restraint of money, viz., that none shall carry it over out of this realm but he shall pay 3s. 4d. of the pound for custom to the Queen, is not put in use here.

"If statutes of restraint will not serve to keep the money within this land, then if such money as cometh from England might be raised, as every sterling shilling to 14d., every harp of 9d. to continue as it doth, and all gold to be raised likewise, according to the rate of 101. in the hundred," they would carry none over again without loss of 101. in centum.

(16.) The Act of the 12 Edw. IV., that every merchant bringing in wares to this realm to the value of 100l. shall bring in bows with him to the value of 5l., to be altered from bows to calivers and other munition. "The shreeves of Dublin call every merchant to account that cometh in with goods bringing no bows with him, and they will set fine upon him as they list, and never respect the Queen's part. Whatsoever they have, it goeth into their box, but her Majesty hath nothing; but when time shall serve there is a writ of certiorari to call the mayor and shreeves to accompt for the Queen's part of all such fines."

"If a man bring 5l. worth of bows, he cannot get any money for them of any merchant here, because they are not used here, nor had in estimation."

(17.) "It were good some order were had for idle persons to force them to some kind of labour or work, and for relief of the poor, which here daily do abound.

(18.) "Likewise for destruction of ravening and devouring wolves some order might be had, as when any lease is granted to put in some clause, that the tenant endeavour himself to spoil and kill wolves with traps, snares, or such devices as he may devise."

(19.) "The place where her Majesty's courts are now holden [is] not convenient for the same for causes following.

"First. The place being the Castle, her Majesty's chief hold and seat within this realm, all people, both good and bad, have common access thereto about their affairs, as well false and rebellious fellows, as other her Majesty's good subjects, under colour of civility and honesty about their business, and cannot be denied to come thither; but it is not convenient they should come within that place.

"Item. The keeping of her Majesty's storehouse so nigh unto her Highness' courts, or keeping the courts so near the storehouse, where all men may view and overlook her Majesty's munition, provision, and store of all sorts for defence of this her Highness' realm, is not convenient; for in the term

1585.

Jan. 29.

Vol. 605, p. 71.

April 4. Vol. 614, p. 162.

May 23.

Vol. 619, p. 177.

574.

575.

576.

time the greatest rebels within this land may boldly come thither in some civil order, and, by their villainous devices, treasons, and conspiracies, in short time destroy all her Majesty's officers and loving subjects as they sit in her Highness' affairs.

"Item. This being brought to pass (which God forbid !), the Castle were theirs, with all ordnance and other munition and provision whatsoever; and then, by some privy token and signs, other great company of their confederates may come in, to take the city and spoil all her Majesty's people (which God forbid); but yet of late days such a matter was attempted, and had like taken effect, had not the Lord revealed it in time; for they have a prophecy, as it is said, that a boat of two tons shall one day carry away all Englishmen from Ireland."

Signed: "Your Honour's at commandment, Robt. Legge."
Pp. 9. Endorsed.

WARRANT by LORD DEPUTY PERROT to all MAYORS and SHERIFFS.

To aid and assist John Painter, governor of the fort of Mariburghe, in the transport of munition and furnishing the said fort and garrison there.

Dublin Castle, 29 January 1584.

Signed by the Deputy.

P. 1.

SIR JOHN O'RELY.

"Sir John O'Rely, Knight, his note unto your Honours concerning the ancient rights, duties, customs, and other inheritances which belong and appertain unto his several baronies in the Breny."

In the margin, opposite to one of the articles, is the follow-
ing paragraph:-"We have ordered that the freeholders [of
Dowelit Donell] shall come to inhabit that land, paying to
Sir John O'Rely his lawful customs and duties.
By the Commissioners at Cavan, the 4th of April 1585.
Jo. Armachan, Tho. Midensis, Robert Dillon, J. Garvey."

II. An order given by the Commissioners at Cavan, 1 April 1585, to Sir John O'Reily, to set down the limits of his territories, his rents, duties, and customs, and his complaints against his neighbours.

Pp. 3. Endorsed: To be delivered to my Lord of Meath.

An ACT of OBLIVION.

Order by the Lord Deputy and Council.

Whereas the multitude of suits and complaints both for very old challenges, and for new injuries done by spoils and stealths in the late rebellion, do breed many inconveniences,

1585.

June.
Vol. 632, p. 79a.

577.

[June or July?] 578.

Vol. 632, p. 80a.

and the spoils cannot be recovered, we order that all such suits
for preys before the 1st of May 1583 shall surcease, except
the demands appear by specialties and bonds, or have been
otherwise ordered by the governors of this realm, or by com-
missioners.

Castle of Dublin, 23 May 1585. Signed.
Copy. Pp. 2. Endorsed.

The LORD DEPUTY and COUNCIL to the COUNCIL in
ENGLAND.

By letters of 3 March we informed you of the service in the north. The Scots little looked that our service would

endure through the winter season. Agnus McDonnell made no long abode there after his landing. "The last and chief material remain of them were with McDonnell Ballagh, a man of accompt amongst them, and specially noted for that he was a chief actor at the killing of Captain Baker and Chatterton and their bands. He and his men were getting away too, and a couple of galleys were come to fetch them over, but Shan McBrian, having good spial upon them, did, by direction of Sir Harry Bagnall and Sir William Stanley, draw Captain Woodhouse with his and Sir George Bourcher's bands, besides his own company, upon him on a sudden, and killed him and all his best men, to the number of 52, whereof some were gent', and presently surprised the two galleys, and burnt [them]."

No

Sorley Boy and his son Alexander, Donell Gorme, and his brother Alexander Garraghe are fled over into Scotland. Scot of mark is now left in the Rowte or Glynne. We do not hear of anything intended out of Scotland. Lady Cambell and Agnus McDonnell "are humble suitors to her Majesty, by mediation of their King (James VI.), for the Glinnes. I the Deputy sent unto your Lpps., with my letters from Rosse, the 2nd of April last, a copy of such conditions as I thought good to impose upon him for those lands. He maketh now some stay at the hardness of them. Nevertheless, if there be as sound meaning in Scotland as is professed towards her Majesty, it is like enough he will be glad to accept them." No date or signatures.

Headed: From the L. Dep. and Council of Ireland to the Lls. of the Council in England: dated the of June 1585. Copy. Pp. 23.

A BILL for REPEALING POYNING'S ACT.

Where in a Parliament holden at Dublin, 11 Eliz., an Act [was passed] "that no bill shall be certified into England for the repealing or suspending of the statute passed in Poyning's time (11 Hen. VII.) before the same bill be first agreed upon in a session of Parliament holden in this realm," which statute

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