non dignum invenit, cui tugurii mei regnum restituat. Tibi soli peccavi, Domine; Sit nomen Domini benedictum in æternumk." In another place he says: "I live a banished man within the bounds of my native soil; a spectator of others enriched by my birth-right; an object of condoling to my relations and friends, and a condoler of their miseries!." And in these, or similar unavailing complaints,-at times elated by hope, but more frequently sunk in despondency, he seems to have passed the remainder of his life. Towards the close of the reign of Charles II. a Commission was held in Dublin, to hear and determine the claims of "transplanted persons in Connaught and Clare." Here our author exhibited his claim, grounded on the adjudication of the Parliamentary Commissioners before alluded to; and he was accordingly decreed entitled to a small portion of his inheritance, viz., the lands of Legvineagh, Kaylagh, and Sersey, situate in the barony of Moycullen, containing about 500 acres, not one acre out of every fifty of the ancient territory of Gnobeg. At this time he resided at Parke, part of the lands so adjudicated, which lay along the sea-coast, about seven miles west of Galway. There he wrote his Ogygia and other works", but his circumstances were no way benefited by the above decree. This arose from the debts which he had been previously obliged to contract, and the impoverished state of the district. His privations, therefore, continued through life; and of their extent some idea may be formed from a letter of his contemporary, Edward Lhuyd, which has lately come to light. That learned man having travelled through Ireland, to collect materials for his great work, the Archaeologia Britannica, among those whom he specially visited for information was our author; and in the letter alluded to, which was written about A. D. 1702, he mentions some book communicated with a letter " to old O'Flaherty, who, unless it comes frank, will, I fear, be scarce able to pay postage°!" k Ogyg. 180. "The Lord hath wonderfully recalled the royal heir to his kingdom, with the applause of all good men, and without dust and blood; but he hath not found me worthy to be restored to the kingdom of my cottage. Against thee alone, O Lord, I have sinned; May the name of the Lord be blessed for ever." Ogyg. Vind. p. 153. see ante, p. 252, and page 421, note *. It • See Thorpe's Catalogue of the Southwell MSS., p. 287, referred to ante, p. 424. In a subsequent letter, "relative to a very rare plant found in the Isle of Aran," Lhuyd states, that our author's residence was "just opposite to the island."-Id. Its remains are still shewn, about twenty perches to the north of the road, midway between Forbagh and Spiddle. The house is about sixty feet in length, with one little chamber off it to the west. Immediately to the south of the house is a low rock, covered with a n He generally dated, "Ex Armorica Galviæ." green mossy sward, commanding an extensive view This shore is still called Coir Fairge, for which of the sea, the three islands of Aran, and a consider m His certificate, dated 11th April, 1677, is inrolled in the office of the Remembrancer of the Exchequer, Dublin. It may here be observed, that the destitution thus described was not confined to our author alone; it was largely shared by the Irish gentry in general at the time". In a few years after this, Thomas Molyneux, describing a journey which he made to Connaught, thus writes of our author: "Wednesday, 21st [April, 1709], I went to vizit old Flaherty, who lives very old, in a miserable condition at Park, some 3 hours west of Gallway, in Hiar or West Connaught. I expected to have seen here some old Irish manuscripts, but his ill-fortune has stripp'd him of these as well as his other goods, so that he has nothing now left but some few pieces of his own writing, and a few old rummish [romish?] books of history, printed"." At the time of this melancholy recital our author was beyond the age of eighty. He survived about eight years, and died at Parke", leaving an only son named Michael'. able extent of the northern coast of Clare. On this rock our author is said to have spent much of his time in viewing the sublimity of the prospect. P See the same Catalogue, p. 94, for the description of the Irish by Sir Richard Cox, and quoted herein, ante, p. 13, note d. Thorpe's Cat. p. 236, also notices a MS. pamphlet, entitled "The Groans of Ireland," written about 1694, in which the "beggary of the Irish" in France is described as "horrific;" and a passage is given which sustains the statement. 9 See another extract from this "Journey," ante, p. 57, note P The entire is now being published by that learned and accomplished member of the Irish Archæological Society, Dr. Aquilla Smith, in the Miscellany of the Society, A. D. 1846. Among the "few pieces of his own writing" mentioned by Molyneux, was probably our author's "Animadversions on the Subjection of the Bishops of Ireland to the Archbishops of Canterbury." This tract appears dated a few days after the traveller's visit, and is now first printed in this Appendix. According to tradition, he was interred within his house at Parke, by order of his son, which was done under the strange idea of keeping possession of the estate. This is probably true, for the same tradition relates that his son was a fool. The books of the Heralds' Office, Dublin, state that Roderic O'Flaherty, author of the Ogygia, was On married, in A. D. 1652, to a daughter of Colonel On 15th Feb. A. D. 1717, "Michael Flaherty of Parke, gent." exhibited a plaint in the Chancery of Ireland, that "Roger Flaherty late of Parke, Esq., whose son and heir the said Michael is, depending on Richard Martin, Esq.', who was his close neighbour and neere relation, and who had been concerned for the said Roger in the court, of Claimes in 1677, and knew him to be a quiet and easy man, no ways conversant with law affairs, having during his life addicted himself to other studies of histories and antiquities of this kingdome: that it was agreed between them that the said Roger (who was not within the Articles of Limerick or Galway, and was therefore apprehensive that he would forfeit his estate), should perfect an antedated conveyance of his lands to the said Richard (who was within Articles), which conveyance was dated 3rd Oct. 1691; and afterwards they had further deeds in 1703, which were antedated to Nov. 1691: that at length Richard Martin, pretending those conveyances were made for full and valuable consideration, retained the possession of the lands, which he settled on the marriage of his son, Anthony," but which the said Michael prayed to be restored to him. The suit thus commenced lasted several years, and ended in the overthrow of Martin. Pending the proceedings, Michael O'Flaherty married Annable Martin, who was a neere relation" both of himself and his opponent, and widow of Edmond Fitzpatrick, Esq., of Aran". He, soon after, assigned the Galeng (p. 332), was father of Laius (p. 334), of whose son Fidcuir, O'Hara and O'Gara sprang (p. 334). Ogygia is to be had in sheets, within Temple-bar, as you goe from the strand, London." -Extract from a book marked "O'Gorman MSS." p. 344, preserved in the library of the Royal Irish Academy. For whom vide ante, p. 418. We have seen that this individual obtained several grants under the Act of Settlement, of the confiscated lands of the O'Flaherties, in Iar-Connaught; all which he prudently, as will appear in the sequel, had confirmed by William III. The scrambling of court favourites, discoverers, adventurers, soldiers, and others, for confiscated lands in Ireland, during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, is well known. The hurry with which the patent grants of those lands were generally prepared, occasioned unavoidable mistakes. These, with the numerous clauses, savings, and reversions which the grants contained, gave rise to serious apprehensions as to the validity of the titles estate derived under them. Many persons even dreaded a revival of those inquiries into defective titles, which led to such evil consequences in the times of James and Charles I. That those apprehensions were not wholly groundless, appears from some proceedings recently taken. Within the last twenty years the Commissioners of Woods and Forests instituted a searching inquiry into the patent titles of Ireland, particularly for reversions in the Crown, and lands for which no grants could be produced. On this inquiry the Editor's aid was solicited to direct researches, with offers of ample remuneration, which he declined. The investigation, however, proceeded, and caused no small degree of uneasiness among landed proprietors. Considerable sums were exacted from many, who were obliged to compound for their estates, and tracts of land were taken possession of for the Crown. At length, owing to accidental causes, the proceeding was discontinued, and, it is to be hoped, will never be revived. "In the early part of the last century the family of estate to his step-son, Rickard Fitzpatrick, Esq. (Deed registered 1st Feb. 1736), by whose descendants, or their devisees, it is possessed to this day. Here the Editor thinks it time to close this lengthened narrative; and the only apology he can offer for the minute, perhaps trifling, details into which he has been insensibly led, is the character of the learned individual to whom they relate. On his account alone, it is probable that some of the incidents related may yet attract notice in the literary history of Ireland; which, though hitherto sadly neglected, will always prove the true source of permanent glory for the country. "Fitzpatrick, of Aran," was one of the most opulent families of this part of Ireland; but the name is now extinct, or sunk in poverty. It may, however, be curious to trace it a little, in consequence of its having been, with some probability, supposed to be a branch of the ancient and noble stock of Upper Ossory. It appears, ante, p. 409, note *, that in A. D. 1642, Richard Fitzpatrick was seneschal of Ibrickan, in the County of Clare, and receiver there for the Earl of Thomond; also, that Teige (Thady) Fitz-Patrick resided there at the time. Ibrickan lies next to Aran. In A. D. 1686, John Fitzpatrick, gent., resided at Loughmore, for which see ante, p. 86, note P, in the south island. His son Richard, in the same year, married Joan French, of Spiddle, for which place see ante, p. 61, note . Richard died A. D. 1701, leaving four sons, Scander, Denis, Peter, Patrick. John, the father, died A. D. 1709, at the house of his son-in-law, George Morris, in the west suburbs of Galway (where Martin Morris, Esq., present high sheriff, and great-great-grandson of that George, now resides), leaving chattels to the amount of £6000, and £1500 in silver and gold, which he kept in a cellar of his in that town. John had a second son, Edmond, who married Annable Martin, of Dangan, and died about A. D. 1717, leaving a son, Rickard. Annable his relict intermarried with I. Michael O'Flaherty, the son of our author, as before related, p. 429. Rickard represented Galway in the Irish Parliament for several years, and died A. D. 1761, without issue. Edmond Fitzpatrick, his nephew, sheriff of Galway, A. D. 1769 and 1797, left an only son, James, who died without issue. Whether any of the name now exist the Editor has not ascertained. In the reign of Charles II., Sir Stephen Fox granted leases of the islands of Aran to John and Richard Fitzpatrick, at £500 per annum; and afterwards made them abatements in the rent, for losses sustained on account of the frequent landing of the enemy's privateers on those islands, and committing depredations there. In A. D. 1713, Sir Stephen, in consideration of £8200, conveyed the islands to Patrick French of Monivea and Edmund Fitzpatrick, of Aran, one moiety to the former, and the other to the latter, their heirs and assigns, for ever. Patrick French was trustee for Simon Digby, Lord Bishop of Elphin, whose moiety was granted, by lease for ever, to Edmond Fitzpatrick, at £280 per annum. On 15th February, 1744, Rickard Fitzpatrick, in consideration of £2050, released his moiety of the three islands to Robert French, in trust for Robert Digby of Landenstown, his heirs and assigns, for ever.-Deeds Registered. I. "Observations on Dr. Borlace's Reduction of Ireland, by Roderic O'Flaherty. [From the Author's autograph, in the possession of the Right Honorable the Earl of Leitrim*]. "Mr. Downing, "The ensuing observations on Dr. Borlace's Reduction of Ireland you desired from me, I had by me this long time, but had no convenience to transmitt it till now, assuring that if I could serve you better my endevours would not be wanting for you. I am, "Yr faithfull servant, "R. O'FLAHERTY". Galway, 17, Ja: 168 "The Reduction of Ireland, etc. "The title improper, where is onely a catalogue of the chiefe Governours of Ireland. "In the preface to the Reader, 140,000 soules in a few weekes dislodged by the authority of S' Jo: Temple's Irish rebellion, is by many thousands further from truth, than the relation of 17 persons onely massacred, as appears by the streight enquiryes made in Cromwell's time; and yet but few of those many thousands could be found to have beene really murthered. For there were not soe many thousands of protestants living then in all Ireland, much less in Ulster, where most of those murthers were said to have been committed. Wherefore the Black booke in Athlone, upon * A copy of these Observations is preserved in the MS. Library of Trinity College, Dublin, I. 1, 3, No. 32. Borlase's "Reduction" was published in London, 1675, 8vo. See Harris's Ware, ii. 351, for Borlase; and Dr. Nalson's severe remarks on him; wherein he is charged with plagiarism, "that may well render him suspected not to be overstocked with Honesty and Justice." The following is extracted from the Depositions A. D. 1641, in Trinity College, Dublin, before referred to: "Francis Haselope, late of Ballyharaghane, in the parish of Disert, barony of Inchiquine, gent., saith, that about 29 Dec. last, he being in company at Ballyheraghane, with one Connor O'Hogan, fryer of the Convent of Agheise(?) and John O'Hogan his brother, demanded of them the reason of this suddaine rising againste the English, and the forcible takeinge away of their goode; who, severally of them, answered, that it was the King's fault in setting such meane and base governors to rule over them, then and there nominating Sir William [Sir William interlined] Parsons, now one of his Majesjesties Lords Justices of the Kingdom, and Sir Richard [Sir Richard interlined] the Lo. Chancellor, to be men of base degree, and such as heretofore they would have to solicitt their cause from Cort to Cort, during the whole Tearme, for five shillings a peece; and that Burlace ye other Lord [Lord interlined] Justice, quoth the fryer, and the said John averring the same, was but a base pynnmaker, or a header of pynnes; all which words were spoken in most bitter and invective manner."-Jurat. 9 June, 1642. y See Facsimile at the beginning of this volume. |