MAGISTRATES AND CORPORATE OFFICERS, VIZ. PROVOSTS, PORTREVES, SOVEREIGNS, WITH SEVERAL CURIOUS BY-LAWS, AND A LIST OF THE PARLIA- THE earliest magistrates of Galway of whom any account remains extant, were provosts or portreves, (called also bailiffs or seneschals,) appointed by the earls of Ulster, and the family of De Burgo, until 1396. These were succeeded by sovereigns and provosts, elected under the charter of Richard II. until 1485, when a mayor and bailiffs were created, (the latter being changed into sheriffs, by the The original armorial bearings and corporate seal of Galway were the arms of the De Burgo family, and the earls of Ulster, "Or a cross gules," which were continued until about 1368, when, upon the intermarriage of Edmund Mortimer, earl of March, with Philippa, daughter and sole heiress of Lionel, duke of Clarence, and earl of Ulster, (by Elizabeth his wife, sole daughter and heiress of William De Burgo, earl of Ulster,) the arms of both these noble families were quartered and assumed by the town. (See also page 57, note m, where, for Mortimer read second and third, and for De Burgo first and fourth.) In 1396, when the town was entirely surrounded by walls, and that other fortifications were erected, the corporation took for arms," Azure, a chevron, or, between three castles, triple towered and masoned, argent;" but when commerce increased, these were again succeeded by the antique galley as above, which was the general form of merchant ships after the reign of charter of James I. in 1610.) Of the magistrates for the two preceding periods no list now remains, the old corporation books and records being lost. The few names, therefore, which follow were collected from ancient documents, but are by no means to be considered as perfect. So far, however, as they extend, they are accurate. From the year 1484 to the present time, the list of mayors, bailiffs and sheriffs is complete. Several curious By-laws, enacted since that time by the corporation, have been extracted by the author from their books of records, (particularly the old volume, Lib. A.) and the orthography, which is remarkable for bordering, in many instances, on that of the Irish language, (from the indiscriminate use of English and Irish by the inhabitants) is, for its singularity, preserved. Provosts, Portreves and Sovereigns. 1274. Thomas De Lince, provost. 1290. Richard Blake, alias Caddell, bailiff or portreve. b 1353. Stephen Penrise, provost. D 1378. Richard Scared, alias Scaret, provost. 1485. Pyerse Lynche. Bailiffs. Andrew Lynche Fitz-Stevne. 1486. Domynick Lynche Fitz-John. Richard Mares. Geffre Blake. By-laws enacted by the Corporation. 1486. That no man of this corporation be served with any writ or process until the matter be first tried by the mayor and council of this town, sub pœna 201. Richard II.-See Strutt's Antiquities.-These arms, which continue to the present day, are " Argent, an antique galley with one mast, the sail furled, floating in waves of the sea, proper; on the centre point, in an escutcheon, the arms of England." This provost was afterwards bailiff and collector of the new customs; he died in 1383. с This sovereign died in 1476; William, his son, who was sovereign for many years, died in 1492. d On 2d June, 1564, Nicholas Blake was fined 40%. for issuing the queen's writ against the warden and Richard Joyce, "young man," his farmer, "without first suing them before the mayor and council according to ancient custom."-Corp. Book, A. Bailiffs. No bailiffs appear to have been elected from 1486 to 1496. Wallintyn Blake. Peter French. Stevne Lynch Fitz-Jamis. Robert Lynch Fitz-Martin. That every inhabitant shall have such reasonable weapon according to his calling, sub репа 12d. 1500. Richard Begge made free, on condition of his keeping a comon house or ynne (inn) for victualling and lodging strangers: and at the request of Andrewe Fallon, on behalf of his daughter Julian Fallon, who is married to Donell Oge O'Vollaghon, (O'Nolan) of this towne, goldsmith, and for the better relief of said Andrewe, who is old and impotent, the said Donell made free, on condition of maintaining him. 1505. If any outlandish man or enemy of the inhabitants shall take any of them for any discord or words between any brother or neighbour of Galway, so that one neighbour procure for evill will to his neighbour, so be taken as aforesaid; that then he which procureth such taking shall ransom and restore again that person, rendering to him all his loss and damadges, and the remainder of the goods to the prince and officers for the time being. That no housholder be an hostler, nor no mayntayner of the comon horsse, or harlots, on payn of 6s. 8d. Bailiffs. Laynard Lynch. That no boucher take no cnaye-goulle nor skeingh-glac out of no cow that he selleth. 1508. That whatsoever man, woman or childe, be found foullinge the streets or walls, either by night or day, to lose 2d. Alsoe, every dweller shall make clean before his door once a week, and that no dung heaps be made on the streets, sub pœna 12d. 1509. Whatsoever man or woman have any kyne in towne shall keep them in theer houses both summer and winter, and if they be found on the streets to pay 4d. and no swine or goat to be kept in towne above fourteen days, on payn of killing. 1510. That every couper shall give towe toune hopis for a penye, thre pipe hopis for a penye, thre hogshedds and barrell hopis for a penye. That the shore men, or cottoners, shall give fyve baunlac, six, seven baunlac of frise for towe pence, eight baunlac, nyne baunlac, ten baunlac for thre pence, and a shore mantill for 10d. sub pœna 12d. 1511. That all idle men and women not able to pay watch tax ne talladge be expulsed the town: that the fishers of the logh shall bring into the market thre daies in the wicke, and to give an hundred eeles for 2d. That no butter be sold above one penye a pound, and no dearer, on payn to lose 12d. and his body to be put in prison that doth the contrary. 1513. That no honey be brought to towne except it be good and merchantable; and that no dweller shall become surety for any gent of the country, nay ransom none of them. This mayor fell over the West bridge, on the 25th of November, in this year, and was drowned.-Annals. The church of St. James, at Newcastle, was built by this mayor.-Id. |