Hollywood of Artain, which seldom heard the like. 'What meaneth this cry," said he, 'do they think that we are crows that we will fly with crying;' and sware by the holy St. Nicholas that blesses Artain, they shall find us men ere we depart.' With that, the Irish gallowglass came on, to whom the English archers lent such a shower of arrows, that their weapons and their hands were fastened together. Mc Swine, captain of the Irish gallowglass, came foremost, and asked where was great Darcy? Darcy answered that he was at hand, which he should well understand. With that, Mc Swine struck Darcy such a blow upon the helmet that he put him upon his knees. With that, Nangle, Baron of the Nowan, being a lusty gentleman, that day gave Mc Swine such payment, that he was satisfied ever after. They fought terrible and bould awhile. The Irish fled, among whom there came a horseman running among the English, and asked who had the Earl of Kildare and the rest of the lords of the English Pale prisoners. With that one Skynvors [Squyvors in another copy], a souldier out of Dublin, struck him with a gun, with both his hands, and so let out his brains. The young Gerot this time being left for reliefe, seeing the battle join, could not stand still to wait his time, as he was appointed by the Earl his father, but set on with the foremost, in such sort that no man alive could do better with his own hands, than he did that day, for manhood of a man. But by reason of his hastyness not tarrying in the place appointed, all the English carriage was taken by the Irish horse, and a few of the English gentlemen taken prisoners that was on that side the battle. When the battle was done, and a great number of Irish slain, as it was reported nine thousand, the Lord of Gormanston said to the Earl, Wee have done one good work, and if wee do the other wee should do well.' Being asked what he meant, sayed he, " wee have, for the most number, killed our enemies; and if wee do the like with all the Irishmen that wee have with us, it were a good deed.'

6

"This battle was fought the 19th day of August, 1504, at Knocktow, which is from Galway 5 miles. The hill is not high but a great plain. The greatest of the Irish was Richard Burke, father to Ulick ne Kyen. Me William Eytragh, that is also of the Bourkes, at this time was with the Earl. The O'Briens was with Mc William. The Baron of Delvin, a little before the joining of the battle, took his horse with his spurs, and threw a small spear among the Irish, and slew by chance one of the Bourkes, and returned. The Earl said to him that he kept promise well, and well did and worthy, saving that after his throw he retired back. After, they went to Galway, where the Irish gathered again, and said they would give to the Earl another field; but they durst not ever fight a battle with the English Pale. The Earl bestowed 30 tun of wine among the army. There was a sore fight after between Mc William east, and McWilliam of the west. By reason at that field aforesaid, they held not together;

IRISH ARCH. SOC. NO. 15.

X

but

but he of the east had the worse. The Earl of Kildare was made knight of the garter, after the fight of Knocktow."

The foregoing description of the celebrated "field of Knocktoe," in the old historical romance style, was apparently penned by a friend or retainer of the Howth family (probably some troubadour of the Pale), who flattered his patrons, but perverted the truth. That the narrator was ignorant of many leading facts connected with the subject, or that he has wilfully misrepresented them, appears from contemporaneous evidence of the highest authority. Thus, he has described the Anglo-Norman Clanrickard as a mere Irishman; and has next asserted that “O'Neill" was engaged in the battle, on the side of the lord deputy; but the contrary of this is recorded in the Annals of Ulster, A. D. 1504. Thither (to Knocktow) "went O'Donnel, O'Reilly, Mac Mahon, O'Farrell, O'Connor Faly, and all the Gaedhil of Leath Chuinn, excepting O'Neill, alone,-7 Gaedil leize Cuinn uile, aċt maỏ O'Neill amáin." See the copy of these Annals in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. Ware reduces the number of slain at Knocktow, from nine thousand to two thousand.—Annals, A. D. 1504. The speeches attributed to the leaders, and the night scene between Howth and Kildare, are all imaginary, and well adapted for dramatic representation.

The Book of Howth, from which the narrative has been taken, is a miscellaneous compilation of the sixteenth century; supposed to have been made for Christopher, the blind Baron of Howth, who died A. D. 1589; and who was grandson of that "lord of Howth," who is said to have performed so conspicuous a part in the battle. This book, for more than a century past, was supposed to be lost, but it has been recently discovered by Mr. O'Donovan, among the Carew MSS. preserved in the library of his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, at Lambeth, London, where it lay catalogued under a wrong title. The recovery of this book may be useful, if only to expose the origin of those fables, which Hanmer, Stanihurst, Cox, Leland, and other writers have advanced as true historical facts. From it, Hanmer published his accounts of Sir John De Courcy, and Sir Armoric St. Lawrence, ancestor of the Howth family. It likewise appears to have been consulted by Ussher and Ware. See the MS. F. Trinity College Library, Dublin. Also F. 4, 30, for "Extracts out of the Book of Howth, penes Thomas Stafford, Esq., very false in many particulars." By those best acquainted with our records and history, it has never been considered of authority, nor held in any other light than as a compilation of Anglo-Irish fables, invented to flatter and amuse the inhabitants of the Pale.

NOTE C. See page 3, note o. "Enachdun."

4, 4,

In the sixth century, Aodha, the son of Eochy Tirmcharna, King of Connaught, bestowed Enachdun on God and Breanuinn (St Brendan of Clonfert), "Coda mac

Εατα

Eażać Tiormċarna mic Fheargusa so thioònuic Eanaċduin do Dhia agus do Bhreanuinn ar tus.”—Book of Ballymote, p. 54. The first ecclesiastical foundation here was a nunnery of canonesses of the order of St. Augustine, dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary (Ware), established by St. Brendan, who placed his sister Briga over it; and died here himself, according to the Annals of Tigernach, in A. D. 577; but according to the Four Masters (who here anticipate the common era by one year) on the 16th of May, A. D. 576. See Ussher, in Primord. p. 955, who states that Enachdun was "in provincia Connachtarum in plebe Huabruin." An abbey of Canons Regular, or Præmonstratenses of the order of St. Augustine, was also founded here at an early period (Ware), but by whom is not stated. Enachdun was afterwards erected into a bishop's see, probably by the chiefs of Hy-Briuin Seola, the progenitors of the O'Flaherties; but there is no regular list or account extant of its ancient bishops. It is not named among the five sees of Connaught regulated at the synod held at Rath Breasaill, in Leaghes (the present Queen's County), A. D. 1110. Those sees were: 1. Tuaim da Gualan; 2. Cloinefeart Brenuin; 3. Conga; 4. Cilalladh; 5. Ardcharna. The see of Cong soon after this ceased; or, as is most likely, the episcopal chair was transferred to Enachdun, which is but a few miles distant. This synod made the following decree respecting Connaught: "If the clergy of Connaught be satisfied with the division, we are well pleased, but if not, let the division be made according to their own pleasure; onlie they shall have but five bishops in the province of Connaught." Harris, in Ware, was in the dark with respect to this synod; and even Dr. Lanigan himself appears not to have been fully informed on the subject. See ch. 25, ss. 13, 14. An account of this synod will be found in an old unpublished History of Ireland, preserved in manuscript in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. Ware, in his Antiq., cap. xvi. mentions ex antiquo codice, "Tuathal O'Connaigtaig episcopus Huambruin, i. Enachdunensis," as present at the synod of Kells, A. D. 1152, but Ware's explanation of Huambruin by Enachdun is doubtful; besides, no such bishop appears in the lists of Keating or Colgan, which are acknowledged accurate. Ware also states, in his Annals, since the coming of the English, that Concors, Bishop of Enachdun, with other Irish prelates, was present at the British Council held in A. D. 1189. See also Lanigan, c. 31, s. 7. At A. D. 1201, the Four Masters record the death of Conn O'Mellaigh (O'Malley), bishop of this see, and a bright ornament of the Church. A. D. 1238, the Cloic Teac, tower or steeple of Enachdun, was built.—Id.; but no trace of it now remains. A. D. 1241, Muircheartach O'Flaherty, Bishop of Enachdun, died. Id. A. D. 1250, Thomas O'Meallaigh, Bishop of Enachdun, died.-Id. On the death of the latter, Bishop Concord was consecrated, but Florence Mac Flin, Archbishop of Tuam, entered on the see, and retained it against him. See Harris in Ware, who

X 2

quotes from Prynne some of the documents connected with this long continued dispute, particularly Archbishop Mac Flin's extraordinary petition to Hen. III. A. D. 1251, which states that "the church of Enachduin was but a parish church belonging to Tuam." In A. D. 1268, Hugh, the son of Connor O'Flaherty, official of Enachdun, died.-Four Masters. By the Close Roll, 2 Edw. II., A. D. 1309, it appears that one Gilbert, a Friar Minor, was elected to this see by the Dean and Chapter, but without license; and that the King, for a fine of £300, restored the temporalities.-Calendar, p. 7, No. 12. This bishop is not mentioned by Ware, Harris, or Lanigan. In A. D. 1328, Thomas O'Malley, Bishop of Enachdun, died at Rome, according to the Four Masters; but the Annals of Loughkee, quoted by Ware, state that he died at Avignon, in A. D. 1328, which was after the union of the see of Enachdun to Tuam.-Ware. In A. D. 1400, the church of Annadown (Enachdun), was built by O'Flaherty (Hugh Mor), chief of his name.-See an entry to that effect in the Herald's Office, Dublin; but it is probable that the church was only repaired, or partially re-edified, at the time. In A. D. 1411, the monastery was burned.-Four Masters. In A. D. 1484, the parish church of St. Nicholas of the town of Galway, being in the diocese of Enachdun, was erected into a collegiate church, and endowed with several ecclesiastical benefices which formerly belonged to that see.-Hist. Galway, p. 234. After the Suppression, the possessions of Enachdun were granted to the Earl of Clanricarde and others— Archdall, 789. All the buildings there are now in ruins.

The following Bulls of Popes Innocent VIII., Alexander VI., and Julius II., A. D. 1487-1511, relating to the diocess of Enachdun, have been transcribed by the Editor from the originals preserved in the old Collegiate Library of Galway; and they are here inserted for the cogent reason assigned by De Burgo, for introducing similar documents: "Ne pro consueto Hibernorum infortunio, ne dicam negligentia, prorsus de memoria hominum deleantur."-Hib. Dom. p. 440.

I.

"Bulla pro Par. de Gnowceg, A. D. 1487.

"Lecta in audientia. A Zenus, locum tenen.

"Innocentius episcopus servus servorum Dei, dilectis filiis Johanni de Burgo et Nemee Magnelly canonicis ecclesie Enachdunensis ac officialibus Enachdunensibus, salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Apostolice sedis providentia circumspecta ad ea libenter intendit per que in singulis ecclesiis continue benedicatur altissimus, ac persone ecclesiastice in illis divinis laudibus insistentes, temporalium rerum, sine quibus spiritualia diu subsistere non possunt, ubertate fruantur. Cum itaque, sicut acce

pimus, rectoria parrochialium ecclesiarum de Gnobeg, Enachdunensis diocesis, invicem unitaram que de jure patronatus laicorum existet, ex eo quod dilectus filius Mauritius Offlaghart, olim rectoriam predictam, tunc certo modo vacantem et canonice sibi collatam, assecutus, illamque per annum et amplius pacifice possidens, se non fecit, impedimento cessante legitimo, nullaque per eum super hoc dispensacione obtenta ad aliquem ex sacris ordinibus promoveri, vacet ad presens, et tanto tempore vacaverit quod ejus collatio, juxta Lateranensis statuta concilii, est ad sedem predictam legitime devoluta, licet prefatus Mauritius, rectoriam predictam, sic vacante, nullo titulo, nullove juris adminiculo sibi de novo quesito, sed temeritate propria et de facto per nonnullos annos detinuerit, prout adhuc detinet indebite occupatam. Et ut exhibita nobis nuper, pro parte dilectorum filiorum moderni rectoris, Guardiani nuncupati, et octo presbiterorum ecclesie Sancti Nicholai ville Gallvie, dicte diocesis, inibi inter se collegium auctoritate apostolica constituentium, petitio continebat si rectoria predicta masse communium fructuum, reddituum et proventuum dicte ecclesie Sancti Nicholai, qui inter rectorem et octo presbiteros prefatos, qui inibi juxta dicti collegii institucionem in divinis deservire tenentur, dividuntur, et ad ipsorum sustentacionem non sufficient, perpetuo uniretur, annecteretur, et incorporaretur, ex hoc profecto commoditatibus rectoris et octo presbiterorum predictorum plurimum consuleretur, pro parte rectoris et presbiterorum offerentium masse quadraginta, et rectorie predictarum duodecim marcharum sterlingorum fructus, redditus et proventus, secundum communem estimationem valorem annuum non excedere, nobis fuit humiliter supplicatum, ut rectoriam predictam eidem masse perpetuo unire, annectere et incorporare, aliasque in premissis oportune providere, de benignitate apostolica dignaremur. Nos igitur, qui dudum inter alia, voluimus, statuimus et ordinavimus, quod quicunque beneficium ecclesiasticum tunc per annum immediate precedentem pacifice possessum, et quod certo modo vacare pretenderet, deinceps impetraret quot annis illud ipse possessor possedisset in hujusmodi impetratione exprimere deberet et teneretur, alioquin impetracio predicta, et quecunque indesecuta, nullius existerent firmitatis, quamque de predictis certam noticiam non habemus, prefatos rectorem et presbiteros ac eorum singulos a quibus excommunicationis, suspensionis et interdicti, aliisque ecclesiasticis sentenciis, censuris et penis, a jure vel ab homine, quavis occasione vel causa latis, si quibus quomodolibet innodati existunt, ad effectum presentium duntaxat consequendum, harum serie absolventes, et absolutos fore censentes, necnon tempus per quod prefatus Mauritius dictam rectoriam detinuit pro expresso habentes, hujusmodi supplicationibus inclinati, discretioni vestre, per apostolica scripta, mandamus, quatenus vos vel duo aut unus vestrum, si vocatis dicto Mauritio et aliis qui fuerint evocandi, rectoriam predictam, ut premittitur, vel alias quovis modo aut ex alterius cujuscunque persona, seu per liberam resignationem