that country, and were borne in the said Gnobegg, and hath remembrance thereof these fiftie yeares, and hath kept howse uppon and within the same, cheefe thirteen yeares, and so deposed.

"TEIGE MAC FYNNINE O'HALLORAN of Ohayry in the said countie, gent., of the adge of 70 yeares, sworn, saith, that O'Flahertie had services and duties out of every parte of Gnobegg, and that he himself did paie him duty oute of his own land when he dwelled under him. That the said Roger's auncestors had an annuall rent oute of the Islands Eddy, but what some certaine he knoweth not. The cause of his knowledge in the premisses is, that he was born in the said Gnobegg, att Renveile-Owhoye, and dwelt in Gnobegg many yeres, until aboute 8 or 9 yeres agoe he was driven away and thrust oute of his castles and lands by his kinsmen, Moroghe ne doo, since which time he hath dwelt in Clanricard.

d.

"OWEN MC TEIGE of Clonduff in the said county, gent., of thadge of 60 yeres, saith, that Hugh oge was son to the sd Hugh more, and 'lord O'Flahertie:' that he herd say that Roger, his predecessor, had as of anuall rent the some of 3" 4 oute of the Islands of Eddy; the cause of his knowledge is, that he sawe the said Roger's grandfather, Hugh oge O'Flahertie, aforesaid, to be 'Lord O'Flahertie' in the premisses, and never sawe any man to speake any thinge against him in the same, and was born in the countrie, as in Clonduff, and there hath dwelled all his life.

“Dermott Mc BRIEN of Tullykean in the said com., gent., of thadge of 50 yeres, saith, that the said Hugh oge was 'O'Flahertie,' and died seized of the premisses as of his inheritaunce, and was son to the said Hugh more; and to verefie the same, he saith that when his son, Mortagh O'Flahertie, was slayn in Moycullen, he himself was taken by the murderers and detayned by them untill he died at Moycullen.

"OWEN MC DERMOD O'HALLARAINE of Barney, gent., of thadge of 50 yeres, saith Hugh more was son to Gilleduff, as he hath hard, and had the premisses, and was chief lord; and Hugh oge was son to the said Hugh more, and was 'O'Fflahertie.'

"MOROGH Mc GILLEDUFF SHOYOGH (Joyce) of Sean Ballyard gent., of thadge of 40 yeres, saith that Roger's auncestors had 3" 4a sterling of annuall rent oute of the Islands Eddy, for he sawe the same paid to the said Roger's father, Moriertagh O'Flahertie. The cause of his knowledge is, that he was bredd and borne in Gnobegg, and there lyved and dwelt until the said Roger's father and brethern were there slayne, and then they were all thrust oute by Moroghe ny doo.

66

"MORERTAGH MC DONELL of the Spiddle gent., of thadge of 60 yeres, saith, that Hugh more Me Gilleduff was O'Flaherty," and held all Gnobegg as well before he was 'O'Flaherty' as after, and thereof died seized as of his inheritaunce; that Hugh IRISH ARCH. Soc. 15. 3 E

oge

oge was seised of the premisses as of his inheritaunce; that Moriertagh father to the said Roger was son to the said Hugh oge, and was slayne with four of his sonnes att Moycullen; and that there belongeth to that (Gilleduff's) sect out of Island Eddy 3o 4a sterling, for he was with Morertagh, father to the said Roger, in Gallway. drinking wine, when the same was paid to him by the Parcelles."-Orig. Roll.

These disputes were probably arranged, about the time that the Composition was entered into in September, 1585, with Sir John Perrott, for the Queen. Immediately previous to that measure, and as part of the preparation for it, the degree of knighthood was conferred on Morrough of the battle-axes; but so far was that long-contemplated arrangement from pacifying the province, that it appears rather to have occasioned the outrages which followed. The indenture was scarcely signed, when Sir Richard Bingham, himself a party to it, "dispatched seven or eight bands of soldiers" to Iar-Connaught, who plundered and burned the country of Sir Morrough, and slew "men, women, and children” indiscriminately throughout the entire district. These proceedings so enraged the ill-treated chieftain, that he at once forgot his new "degree of knight-hode," abandoned all his former deep and cautious policy, and, in an evil

So hostile were the O'Flaherties to the Composition, that not one of the name, except Murrough himself, acknowledged or executed the indenture; they would not even allow any of the other freeholders of the district to appear on the occasion. The clause alluding to "the just dealings of Sir Richard Binghame" (see ante, p. 312), was considered so false and insulting, that they unanimously refused to subscribe to it. That extraordinary man was universally detested by the native Irish. They considered him as a sanguinary monster, and full dearly did he make them pay for the imputation. An account of his proceedings, and there are abundant materials for it, would form a most interesting piece of Irish history.

d Sir Murrough steadfastly adhered to the Composition until he was forced into rebellion, as above. In A. D. 1585, he attended the Parliament which met in Dublin. While there, an information was exhibited against him by one William Sweete, to recover the penalties incurred under the Act 10 Hen. VII., against Retainers: "For that, on the 1st April, in the 27th year of the Queen's reign, the said Morroghe

moment,

ne Dowe, knight, at Kilmaynham, in the county of Dublin, retained in his service William Martyn, Anthony Lynch Fitz-Thomas, Stephen Ro French, and Cornelius O'Halleran, of the town of Galway, merchants; and gave to them four several cloaks for their livery, to serve him, the said Morroghe na Dowe, knight, as reteyners, against the form of the statute aforesaid; wherefore the aforesaid William Sweete, as well for the said lady the Queen, as for himself, seeks the advice of the Court in the premises, and that the aforesaid Morroghe ne Dowe, knight, shall forfeit £80; viz. for every of the aforesaid persons so by him retained £20, and that the same William a moiety thereof may have, according to the form of the statute," &c.—Rot. Mem, in Offic. Cap. Rem. Scacc. de an. 28° Eliz.

moment, joined the confederates, and raised the standard of rebellion against the Queen. In the numerous conflicts which followed, and which will be found detailed in the Annals so often referred to, his losses were immense. His country was repeatedly plundered, and several of his sons (of whom he had twelve) and grandsons were slain and executed. These reverses brought Sir Morrough to his senses. He soon repented of his rashness, suddenly withdrew from the confederacy, repaired to Dublin, submitted, and craved pardon. He then surrendered all his titles and possessions to the Crown, in the following terms:

"Know all men that I Sir Morough ne doe O'Flahertie knight, do hereby surrender all my castles and lands within the baronies of Moycullen, Rosse and Ballynahinchy, in the county of Galway [the castles and lands are all named], and also that I do disclaim and surrender, for ever, the name and title of chieftain, and the name of O'Flahertie, and all Irish customs to the same name belonging: Provided always that this surrender shall not affect the right of any other person, to any of the premisses aforesaid. Scaled with my seal, the 10th day of January, in the 30th year of the Queen's reign. Mem. quod die et anno supradictis, prefatus Murogh ne doe O'Flahertie, apud domum de Sancto Sepulcro juxta Dublin, scriptum supradictum ut ejus sursum-redditionem cognovit, ac ut factum suum in manibus venerand. &c. Adami Dublin Archiepiscopi, ad usum Domine Regine, ultro et sponte tradebatMORGHE NE DOE + is marcke"." This surrender was followed by a pardon, and a grant of all his manors, lordships, castles, and lands "in O'Flahertie's country, in the baronies of Moculyne, Ballinehensie and Rosse in the counties of Galway and Mayo, called Iher-Connoght; or otherwise known by the names of Gnomore, Gnobegg, Conomarra and le Joyes' country, to him his heirs and assigns for ever, to be held of the Queen, as of her manor of Arkyn in the great island of Arin"." These ample

priest, by whom he is seduced." MS. Lib. Trin. Coll. Dub. How far Sir Morrough, when delivering his surrender as above to the Archbishop of Dublin, one of the most zealous reformers of his time, may have proved conformable in religion, has never been ascertained.

f To induce the Irish chieftains to embrace the Protestant religion, and go to church, was one of the great objects of Queen Elizabeth's government in Ireland. Thus, captain Thomas Lee, in his declaration to the Queen, A. D. 1594, writes of the Earl of Tyrone : "When he is with the state, he will accompany the Lord Deputy to the church, and home again, and will stay and hear service and sermon; they (the English of the Pale) as soon as they have brought the Lord Deputy to the church door, depart as if they were wild cats, and are obstinate, but he (in my conscience) with good conference, would be reformed; for he hath only one little cub of an English

ample "graces" were not conferred by the "State," without ample engagements on the part of Sir Murrough. The principal of these was the pacification of Connaught; and in this project he succeeded so well with the leaders of the rebellion, that they agreed to lay down their arms, and submit themselves to the mercy of the Queen. A time was accordingly appointed for that important service. The Lord Deputy, with several members of the Privy Council, met the insurgent chiefs; and the following submission and "Articles of Peace" were entered into:

"W. Fitzwilliam.

"WHEREAS Sir Moroughe ne doe O'Flartie of Ere-Connaght, chief of his name, William Burke, alias the blind abbott, eldest of the low Burkes, Edmond Burke Mc Thomas Evagherye, Meyler oge Mc Walter Fadda Burke, David O'Dowde chief of his name, Hugh Duffe Mc Moroghe O'Flartie, Shane Mc Morice, Walter M Tibott alias Me Tibott, Shane Mc Thomas, Tibott Reoghe M Tibott Mc Gibbon, ( ) O'Donell, Edmond Me Tibott, Robert O'Mayle, Walter Kittaghe Burke, Walter ne ( ) Teg roe O'Mayle, and Dualtaghe O'Connor of the sept of O'Connor Dun, beinge the chiefe and principall of such as latelye entered into action of rebellion in the county of Mayo, and in the country of Ire-Conaght, the most of them brought into Galway against the comminge of us the 1. Deputy, 1. Primett, the 1. Bishop of Methe, Sir Robert Dillon and Sir Thomas Le Strange knights, commissioners appoynted for that service, ffare as Galway aforesayed, the 12 of this June 1589, in the bodie of St. Nicholas' church, exhibited to the Right honorable Sir William Fitzwilliam, knight, lord deputy, and the councell then present, upon their knees, there humble submission, the teneur whereof ensueth.

"To the Right honorable Sir William Fitzwilliam knight, L. Deputy general of Ireland. In most humble manner, and according to the loyaltie, and most bounden dutie to the Queen's most gratious majestie, her royall crowne and dignitie, and also to your honorable good 1. makethe our lowlye and humble submission, Sir Moroghe O'Flartie, knight, chief of his name, William Burke alias the blind abbott, chief of the low Burkes, Edmond Burke Me Thomas Evagherie, Walter Mac Tibot alias Mr Tibott, Edmond Me Tibott, and others now present, to the Queen's majestie and most benigne favor, and to her crowne and scepter, and also to your good lord. as well for our selves, being now present, and sett upon our knees before your 1. with lamentation and grief for our unhappye revolt from our naturall dutie and allegiance, as also for all and singular our tenants, followers and servants, and all other our most unhappie associates in this hatefull, odious action, raysed, put in execution and practised

corded, particularly in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The above surrender and grant will be found, in hæc verba, in an Inquisition taken 7th

Feb. 8° Jac. I., and preserved in Offic. Cap, Rem.
Scacc. Dub.

tised in the county of Mayo, and the countrie of Ire-Conaght, or elsewhere wheresoever within the province of Connaght, whereof we, for us all, being from them hereunto authorysed, and they swore and bound to us by oathe and faythe, to conforme and stand to what orders or conditions soever we should agree and consent unto, Do not onlye acknowledge ourselves to be right heavye and humbly sorry, even from the bottom of our hearts, the cause or occasion thereof whatsoever, notwithstanding; but also we here do offer, for and in the name of us all, to stand and performe what order soever your good 1. and her Majesties privie council here, shall order and sett down, as well for our former faults in this and late falling from our duties, as also for our unfayned, loyall and dutifull obedience to her Majestie, her crowne and dignitie, during our natural lives hereafter, most humbly hassuring your honorable 1. to accept this our humble and unfayned submission; and that we may tast of her Majesties most gracious mercy, as many others as grevious and hatefull offenders heretofore have been. And we, from the bottom of our hearts, according to our bounden duties, shall, not onlie daylie and continually, most humbly praye for our most gracious sovereigne ladye and Queene, long to raygne with prosperitie over us, with faythfull promise of the venture of our lives, and the spendinge of our lands and goods to serve her Majestie att all tymes, but allso for your honnours longe to continew in honourable state amongst us.

"Upon which there petition and humble submission, we the 1. dep. and the rest of her Majesties councell (whose names are subscribed) entringe into the consideration of the matters, and of the great desire they have to yeald themselves to her Majesties grace and mercy, and to stand to such directions and orders as we, in the behalfe of her Highness, shall set down, have with the full and whole consent of the sayed Sir Morogh o'flarte, William Burke, Meyler oge, Hugh Duffe M: Morogh, O'Dowde, Shane Mc Morice, Walter Tibott, Shane M: Thomas, Tibott Reoghe M: Tibott M: Gibbon, ( ) O'Donell, Walter Kittaghe Bourke, Walter ne Mullye, Teig roe O'Mayle, and Dualtagh O'Connor of the sept of O'Connor Dun, concluded, ordered and agreed, in manner and forme followinge:

"1. First, that every sept shall deliver in suche sufficient pledges for the observation of the peace, and for their loyalties and obedience to her Majestie and the state, as wee the 1. Dep. and councell shall nominate and think meet.

2.

That the sayd Sir Moroghe, and the rest of the Burke's and others above named, with the rest of their confederates, shall presently disperse their forces, and every one to repayre to his habitation, and to live as becometh goode and dutifull subjects. "3. They shall forthwith deliver to the 1. Deputy, such Spaniards, Portagalls, and other foreigners of the Spanish fleets, as are now amongst them.