Catalogue description COMPOSITION for CESSE in CONNAUGHT.

Commission from the Queen to Sir Richard Bingham, Chief Commissioner in Connaught and Thomond; the Archbishop of Tome (Tuam); the Earls of Ormond and Clanricard; the Bishop[s] of Clonfert and Elphine; the Lord Brimigham, Baron of Athenry; Sir Nicholas White, Master of the Rolls; Sir Edward Waterhouse, one of the Privy Council; Sir Thomas Lestrange, one of the same; Thomas Dillon, Chief Justice of the said province; Charles Calthorp, Attorney-General; Gerald Quemerford, Attorney in the said province; Sir Tirrelagh O'Brien; Sir Donell O'Connor Sligo; Sir Brien O'Rorck; Sir Richard Bourck; Sir Morogh ne Dowe O'Flaerty; Francis Barkley, Provost-Marshal in the said province; Nicholas Fitz Symons, of Dublin, alderman; John Marbury; Robert Fowle; and John Browne.

Whereas the said province is torn by the dissensions of the lords and chieftains, who challenge authorities, cuttings, and cessings, under pretext of defending the people under their rules; and we understand that these our subjects are inclined, through the ministry of Sir John Perrott, our Deputy General, to embrace all good ways and means to conserve them in obedience, whereby our prerogative may be known, and their rights and titles made certain: We authorize you to call before you all the nobility, spiritual and temporal, and all the chieftains and lords of the countries, and thereupon, in lieu of the uncertain cesse borne to us and of the cutting[s] and spendings of the lords, to compound for a rent certain to us upon every quarter or quantity of land within that province. The baronies to be divided into manors.

Witness our said Lord Deputy General, at Dublin, 15 July, 27 Eliz.

II. The RETURN of the COMMISSIONERS.

By our own view, and by the presentments of good and lawful men, we have found what number of quarters of land are contained within the counties of Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Rosscommon, and the confines thereof, within Connaught and Thomond, accompting O'Rorck's country to be of the same, as in the several presentments taken thereof is at large inserted, which we return, together with the several indentures passed and agreed upon for the composition rent granted in the same to the Queen by the lords, freeholders, &c.

Dated 3 October, 27 Eliz.

The barony of Clancoistolla is not as yet presented, nor comprised within this composition.

Signed by Sir Richard Bingham and others.

III. CONNAUGHT and THOMOND.

(1.) "A brief abstract of the composition there lately taken, as well for the Queen's most excellent Majesty, as also between the lords and their freeholders."

Irish callings, customary rents, and spendings to be extinguished.

Sum of the quarters of land, 7,872; whereof 6,712 are chargeable by composition, and the rest remain in freedom.

(2.) "The names of the new erected manors for the Queen's Majesty in the province of Connaught and Thomond aforesaid, with the rents and services to them knit and annexed.

Total of the yearly profits arising to her Majesty by the composition:--Rents, 3,365l.; tenures, royalties, suits, and services, 475l.; 340 quarters concealed, and found since this composition (at 10s. each), 160l. (sic).

Also reserved to her Majesty, 312 horsemen and 1,386 footmen.

IV. MAC's and O's.

"Names of all the Mackes and Ooes within the province of Connaught and Thomond," whose lands are to be comfirmed to them by letters patents in English succession, with small yearly rents.

41 Mac's and 26 O's.

V. The LORDS and CHIEFTAINS of CONNAUGHT and THOMOND to the LORD DEPUTY.

Where it hath pleased you to send hither Sir Nicholas White, Master of the Rolls, joined in commission with Sir Richard Bingham, our chief officer, &c.; the composition is now certainly and indifferently set down.

From the province of Connaught, 27 September 1585.

Signed: W. Tuamen. [William Lealy, Archbishop of Tuam.], Ulick Clanricard, D. Thomond, Sir Donnell O'Connor, Mack William, E. Athenry, Eugenius Achad., [Owen O'Hart, Bishop of Achonry.] Eugenius electus Aladen., [Owen O'Connor, Bishop of Killala.] Thirlaugh O'Brien, Sir Brien O'Rorck, Sir Morough ne Doo, Knight, Margett Cusake, in the name of the young Baron of Inchequin, her son.

Contemp. copies.

Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts preserved in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth, ed. J. S. Brewer & W. Bullen (6 vols., 1867-73), vol. II, document 581.