By process of time after this Galway had its annual magistrates called portriffs. Portriffe in the old Saxon tongue is the magistrate of a sea-port as the sherriffe is of a shire. I find that James Develyn was, Anno 1431, portriffe of Galway. This family is since extinct, and the Darcys of Galway are their generall heirs.

The Develin's arms", still extant, carved in stone in James Reagh Darcy's house in Abby-gate street, is the same with the Dillon's arms.

After portriffes their annual magistrates were a sovereign and portriffe under him, for every year, till by the concession of King Richard III. (Ware, Henry VII. ad ann. 1500), Anno 1485, the last year of his reigne, they exchanged them for mayors and two bayliffes; who were elected on Lammas-day, and tooke their places on Michaelmas-day the 29th September.

About the same time as aforementioned, Donagh O'Murry, Arch Bishope of Tuam, instituted a colledge' (ibid. ad ann. 1501) for St. Nicholas'

1 Portdempne.-Irish Popcomna, still well known as the town and manor of Portumna, situate on the west bank of the Shannon, in the county of Galway. Here anciently stood the great castle of O'Madden, which, with the surrounding territory, is said to have passed to the De Burgos of Clanrickard, by marriage with one of the O'Maddens. In the Connaught "Composition" with Queen Elizabeth, A. D. 1585, it was specially provided, that the Earle of Clanrickard "shall have the castle or manor of Portumny, and fower quarters of land there, free, wherof he is now said to be seized as of his inheritance, fully discharged of all rents and demands of O'Madden."-See Appendix I.

Anno 1431.-During the above inter

val, several occurrences have been omitted by our author. Among others, in A.D. 1399, "Galway was taken and plundered by Ulick Burke, and innumerable were the spoils taken from it, both gold and silver, and all kinds of goods."-MS. in Trin. Col. Lib. H. 35, p. 320. The Four Masters record, that in A. D. 1424, Mac William of Clanrickard, i. e. Ulick Burke, died, after having subdued the devil and the world.

n Develin's Arms.-These arms may still be seen on an elaborately carved chimneypiece, in the old house, or rather castle, above alluded to.

• A colledge. Several bulls and other original documents of ancient date, relating to this once celebrated institution,

Nicholas' church in Galway, of a wardian and eight chorall vicars, whereunto where appropriated nine parishes of the diocess; which had as many parish vicars, all under the wardian, as well as the eight chorall vicars which served the high church and the town. The wardian is yearly elected by the common vote of the citizens, as the mayor is; but continued in one person for many years, during the pleasure of the electors. Dominick Duffe Linch Fitz-John, second mayor, and brother to the first, was chief founder of the colledge. There was but a small chappell soon before in this place. The church was dedicated to St. Nicholas Bishope of Myra, in Licia, worshipped the 6th of December: on which day Galway men invited to their table such as they would have to keep Christmas' next with them.

Anno 1486, 29th September, Pierce Lynch Fitz-John Boy, took

are inserted in the Addenda hereto. This is done with a view of saving them from oblivion, and of aiding, even by a little, the future ecclesiastical historian of Ireland.

P To keep Christmas.-" Galway men" were formerly noted for their hospitality, which they carried to such excess, that the civic authority was often obliged to interfere, in order to check or regulate it. Thus in A. D. 1518, it was enacted, "that no man of this town shall oste or receive into ther housses at Christmas, Easter, nor no feaste elles, any of the Burkes, M'Williams, the Kellies, nor no cepte elles, withoute license of the mayor and councill, on payn to forfeit £5: that neither O ne Mac shall strutte ne swaggere thro' the streets of Gallway."-Orig. Corporation Book. After this law, the good people here gradually grew more thrifty, inso

his

much, that their hospitality at length often required a spur to stimulate it. Thus, whenever a stranger, viz., any of the Burkes, M'Williams, or Kellies," found himself uninvited to dinner, he had only to appear abroad in his boots and spurs, and they seldom failed to insure him an invitation. But even this pleasant expedient is now of no avail, so far have we departed from the good old customs of former times.

¶ Anno 1486.—The well-known story of the mayor of Galway, who, about this time, is said to have condemned and executed his only son, "for killing and breaking faith with strangers," is not noticed by our author. As he possessed the best means of information, it is not probable that he would have passed over so singular an occurrence in silence, if he had con

his place as first mayor of Galway, of whose family was the last mayor of Galway, Thomas Lynch Fitz-Ambrose, deposed, anno 1654, by the usurped power, together with his two sheriffes, Richard Lynch' Fitz-James and Anthony French Fitz-Peter, contrary to the publick faith, upon rendition of the town past. Most of the mayors of Galway were of the same family; the ancestor of whom was William Lacy, son of Hugh de Lacy, first Lord Justice of Ireland, and of the daughter of Roderick O'Connor, last King of Ireland.

Anno 1611, in the mayoralty time of Richard Bodkin, the corporation of Galway was erected by King James into a county of the town of Galway, different from the county of Galway abroad, to be governed by a mayor and two sheriffs. The King's sword given to be carried before the mayor; and the liberties of the town to be enlarged two miles of each side. Patrick Martin and Christopher Bodkin were the first sheriffs. The same time, the company of the young men, which was instituted Anno 1521, in the mayoralty time of William Martin, had their patent from the mayor and corporation, to make by-laws for the well governing of their company; and that their captain should sit next after the sheriffs.

sidered it to be true. The omission certainly renders the truth of the story somewhat suspicious.

Lynch. This was formerly the leading family here, and many splendid acts of its munificence remain on record. Among others, Sir Henry Linch, Bart., by his will dated 15th Nov. 1633, bequeathed as follows: "Item. £500 out of the profits of my lands, to thintent that such porre maydens of the birth of Galway, shalbe from tyme to tyme, for ever, be preferred with such competent portions, as to my

Anno

trustees shall seem meete: to which purpose my will is, that they procure a charter of incorporation, by the name of 'The Guardians of the poore Maydens of Galway,' with licence to purchase land to that use. And that in preferring of such maydens, those that shall be of the Linches shall be first provyded, and next them of the Martines."-Orig. Will in the Prerogative Office, Dublin. See the Miscellany of the Irish Archæological Society, vol. i. for further particulars of the Lynch family.

Anno 1628, in the mayoralty time of Sir Richard Blake, King Charles the First granted the mayors to be of the king's counsell for the government of the town and county at large; and in commission joined with the governours of Galway to execute marshall law. They were alsoe chief in commission for the assizes kept in the county of the town, and admiralls of all the ports and creeks within the Bay of Galway to the Isles of Aran: whereupon it happened, Anno 1629, John Lynch Fitz-Richard being mayor, that the judge of assizes fined the mayor in a 100" for not attending him at court; whereof the mayor, having notice, came to court, and fined the judge' 200" for presuming beyond his commission.

The mayor's court had the decision of any sum unlimited; and his warrant of attachment went over the whole province of Connaught. Four of them died the year of their mayoralty, viz., Andrew Brown, Anno 1574; James Darcy, Anno 1603; Robert Martin, Anno 1622; and Marcus Blake, Anno 1629; and four of them were deprived of their mayoralty for recusancy, inasmuch as their consciences did not lead them to take the oath of the King's absolute supremacy over the Church, viz., Oliver Brown, deposed the 8th of January, 1603, Sir Valentine Blake, Baronet (with his two sheriffs, Andrew Lynch and Thomas Blake), the 13th of Nov. 1611; Sir Peter French, Anno 1616, being fined' in a hundred pounds ster.; and

• Fined the judge.-The petulance of the judge has often been known to lessen the dignity of the bench. At the time alluded to, "Assizes" were of recent introduction in the west of Ireland; and our doughty mayor considered himself fully on an equality with the petulant judge. For ludicrous anecdotes of two of these oldgoing "judges of assize," whose names

were Jacob and Sparke, see Gratianus Lucius, p. 252.

t Fined.-These fines for recusancy must be considered severe, when compared with those imposed on the citizens of Dublin at that period. In A. D. 1613, the commissioners appointed to inquire into "general grievances," in their report to the King (a curious historical document,

and Oliver Martin deposed after his election, the 27th September, 1632.

The aldermen were chosen at evening, the last of July, by the mayor, recorder, and aldermen who bore office only, at which time one or two were supplyed for election yearly, in place of the mayor afore elected, and aldermen deceased. The next day they went to election by the major vote of the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses only; until in the year 1624, all freemen were made capable to vote; whereby Robert Blake Fitz-Walter was chosen, who was the first mayor not questioned for recusancy for thirty years before. Their order of precedency was,-1, the mayor; 2, recorders; 3, baronets and knights; 4, aldermen who were mayors; 5, sheriffes; 6, the captain of the young men; 7, aldermen in election; 8, chamberlain ; 9, esquires and counsellors at law; 10, burgesses that did undergoe office; 11, the rest according to their age and calling.

Saint Francis' Abbey by the river on the north side of the town, was founded, Anno 1296, by Sir William Bourk" (Lord Warden of Ireland,

never published) stated, that "the laws in force for maintenance of God's true religion are in very few places put in due execution, in regard that, in the country and corporate townes, with great difficulty is to be found any jury that will present recusants; and in the city of Waterford, the laws for religion cannot be executed:" and they recommended "a constant course to be held in execution of the laws, for compelling his Majesty's subjects to attend the preaching of the word, and hearing of divine service for suppressing of Popish schools establishment of schoolmasters weeding out Popish priests

and, instead of idle and scandalous ministers, to place those that are learned and painful."-Rot. Pat. 16 Jac. I. p. 3, No. 6.

" Sir William Bourk.-Roger O'Ferrall, in his curious Book of Genealogies, preserved in the Office of Arms, Dublin, gives the following account of the founders of this family: "Richard D'Burgo, the elder, son of William Fitz-Adelm, called by the Irish (for a distinction between him and his younger brother, Richard the younger, ancestor to the Earls of Clanrickard), Mac na Cundaoise Saxanaġie -the English countesse's son, was Lord Justice of Ireland, A. D. 1227, and Lord of