Catalogue description ACT OF ABSENTEES.

Statutes at Large, I. 84.

"The Act of Parliament for resuming and giving of certain lands in Ireland into the King's hands, anno r. R. Hen. VIII. 28°.

Whereas Thomas Haward, Duke of Norfolk, and Lord Barkley, his comparcener, claim and hold as their ancient inheritance the seigniories and lordships of Catherley, Old Rosse, and divers other manors and lands; George Talbott, Earl of Waterford and Salop, the seigniory of Wexford; the heirs general of the Earl of Ormond divers other lands; the Abbot of Furneys, the Abbot of St. Austyne's of Brystowe, the Prior of Christ's Church of Cantorburie, the Prior of Lanthonie, the Prior of Cartmell, the Abbot of Kentsham, the Abbot or Prior of Osney, the Abbot or Prior of Bath, and the Master of St. Thomas of Acres, several lands and possessions within the said land; both they and their ancestors have suffered the King's enemies to encroach and enter into their dominions, so as for the recovery thereof the King's Highness, his father and grandfather have been put to inestimable charges; and the same so by them attained, the said inheritors have entered again into their possessions, taking the profits for a season, without making provision for any defence or good order, but making leases of divers their holds and manors to the late Earl of Kildare, which thus came into the possession of Thomas FitzGerald his son and heir, who of late rebelled against the King, intending to take Ireland out of his possession, and was assisted against the King by the inhabitants of the said lands and possessions; so that, for repressing the said Thomas FitzGerald and his complices, and winning the castles of Catherleighe, Old Rosse, Arcklo, Tullagh in Offelyne, Kylrushe, and other possessions of the persons aforesaid, the King was enforced to send thither an army royal.

Moreover, "the persons aforesaid, having heretofore the said lands at their own disposition and order, perceived little profit thereby, and by their negligence and misorder thereof, and especially within the counties of Carloo and Wexford, being places privileged by the King's said most noble progenitors, that the Lords thereof may keep and hold all manner of pleas within the same, by occasion and under pretence and colour whereof the King's laws, writs, and other processe[s be] not obeyed, nor any law or justice there used or ministered;" so that the King's enemies "have them in servage, all murders, robberies, thefts, treasons, and other offences remain unpunished, the King's wards, reliefs, escheats, and all other profits and revenues being withdrawn, and the service, strength, and assistance of the subjects greatly minished."

Therefore,--although the King has sufficient right to all the said possessions, and "if his Grace would take of th' inheritors and possessioners of the same the arrearages of the two parts of the yearly profits thereof by the reason of their absency out of the said land, contrary to the statutes thereof provided, the same would countervail the purchase thereof,"--yet for corroboration of the title of the King and his heirs to all the same lands: Be it enacted, that the King shall have, hold and enjoy all honors, manors, castles, seigniories, hundreds, franchises, liberties, "countie palantynes," &c., and all other profits as well spiritual as temporal, to which the said Duke and his comparcioners, the said Earl of Waterford, the said heirs general to the Earl of Ormond, and the said abbots, priors, and master, have lawful right; saving to all other the King's natural subjects dwelling in this land, all such right, title, interest, use, possession, leases, rents, annuities, offices, and fees as they have in or to the premises, or any parcel thereof, as if this Act had never been made. [This copy of the Act omits several provisos, which are printed in the "Statutes at Large."]

Copy.

Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts preserved in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth, ed. J. S. Brewer & W. Bullen (6 vols., 1867-73), vol. I, document 92.