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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 Mc Thomas, Tibott Reoghe M: Tibott Mc 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:

"I. 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.

4.

"The said Sir Moroghe, and the sept above named, shall make satisfaction of all spoyles and hurtes done by them, since the first day of intelligeances of the Commissioners, as the 1. Dep. shall nominate and appoint for that purpose.

6. "They shall pay such fine to the use of her Majestie, for their undutiful breaking out into action of rebellion, as the 1. Dep. shall lay down.

7. "All which beinge performed by the sayde Sir Moroghe and the rest, according the expresse meaninge hereof, then they and every of them to have her Majestie's gracious generall pardon for there offences past. IN WITNESS whereof, we the 1. Dep. and the rest of her Majesties councell have hereunto put our hands, and for the better accomplishment of the premises, the said Sir Morogh and the rest above named, in behalf of themselves and of the rest of there confederates, have likewise hereunto put their hands. At Galway the 20th of June, in the 31 yeare of the reigne of our sovereign ladye Elizabeth, by the grace of God, queene of England, France and Ireland, defender of the fayth, &c.-In the presence of the Archbishop of Tuam, the Erle of Clanricard, the Bishop of Kildare, the Bishop of Elfin, the Bishop of Kilmacoughe, the Lord Birmingham, the Lord of Trimlaston, the Baron of Donkallin, Sir Hubert Burke ( ) M: Davie knight, the mayor and aldermen of Galway, and divers others whose names thereupon endorsed. "WILLIAM BURKE the Blind Abbott's marke, +.-SIR MORoghe ne doe O'FLARTIE'S marke +-WALTER KITTAGH BURKE's marke +DUALTAGE O'CONNOR's marke +.—TIG ROE O'MAYLEY'S marke +.— ROBERT O'MAYLEY's marke +.-WATER NE MULLY'S marke +.— EDM. M. TIBBOTT's marke +.-TIBBOTT MC GIBBON's marke +SHANE MC MORICE's marke +.—SHANE Mo THOMAS's marke +. JOHN ARMACHAN.-THOMAS MIDENSIS.-Robert Dillon.-LUCAS DILLON. -THOS. LE STRANGE.-GEOFROY FENTON.

“Subscribed by the parties within named, and they solempnilie swore upon the hollye Evangelists, as well for the performance of the peace, and all and every the articles within conteyned, as for their loyalties and duties to her Majesty henceforth; and for payment of her Majesties Composition money, in the presence of those whose names are underwritten.

"W. TUAMENS.-U. CLANRICARD.-PETER TRIMELSTON.-R. DUNKELLIN. ED. ATHENRY.-THOMAS DILLON.-ANDREW MORRIS, Mayor of Galway. RICARD BURKE.-NATH. DILLON.-WILL. BOWEN.-WILL. MARTIN, Sheriff of the Co. of Galway.-DOMINICK BROWNE.-Fra. SHERES. EDW. BIRMINGHAM.-GEORGE MORICE, baylife of GALWAY.” [Brit. Museum, Cotton, Titus B, xiii. fo. 446.]

This was the last political act of the life of Sir Murrough ne doe. Having surrendered the title of chieftain, he lost whatever influence he possessed over the native clans', and soon after disappeared from history. He died in A. D. 1593, having made the following will, transcribed from the original, which is preserved in the Prerogative Office, Dublin :—

"In the name of GOD, amen-I Sir Mourgh ne doe O'Fflaerty of Aghnenewre in the countye of Galwaie, knight, being sicke of boddye, weake and feeble, but of perfecte memorye and remembraunce, do make this my laste Will and testament, as followeth Firste I bequeathe my soule to GOD Almighty, Christe Jesus my Salviour, and my bodye to be buried at the disposicon of my friends as they shall appointe. I also bequeth that my lands and goods, together with my heyer and children, shalbe chargeable with all such debts as I rightlye owe. I appointe my son Rory Sheoghe O'Fflarty my principall heyer, and chiefe of and over my children, name, kindred, and countrye, in the chiefest place, degree and preheminence; and that the rest doe yeald reverence and dewe obedience unto him; and leave my lands, as well that which I have by dissente and by purchase, to him, and all the reste of my sonnes, to be indifferentlie betwixt them parted, allwaies the elder, viz. Rory Sheoghe to have the first eleccon and choice of eche towne and parcell, and principall porcon: the like I doe of all other my principall stufe furnetures, Provyded alwayes that my children shall agree and be friendly thon to thother. I leave to the sonne of Teig O'Fflartye, the roome and place of a sonne, as any of the rest of my own yonger sonnes shall have*, reserving a choice to the thelder before the . . . . . . I leave all variances, contentions and strifs to happen, to be ordered and discided by my deere friends Robuck Ffrenche fitz John, and Anthony Linche, in all matters concerninge my landes, lordshippes,

So determinately inimical were the O'Flaherties to the State, that Sir Murrough could not prevail on any of the clan to come in and submit, except his own son, Hugh dubh (Gen. Table, II. No. 37). He himself appears to have been used as a state stalking-horse on the occasion, to insure the submission of the other insurgent chiefs; for his pardon had been previously granted.

This passage discloses a curious remnant of the ancient clan system in Ireland. It may remind the reader of the old patriarchal will attributed to Cathaoir Mor, monarch of Ireland, about A. D. 174; for which see our author's Ogygia, part III. ch. 59; and the "Book of Rights" contained in the

goods,

Book of Lecan, fo. 440, preserved in the library of the Royal Irish Academy. The following extract is from an old translation of that will by Doctor Reymond, "sometime Fellow Trin. Col. Dub.," and preserved in the same library; "First he spoke to his eldest son, Rossa Failge (Rossa of the rings) and said, 'my power and privilege to my Rossa of the rings, the fierce memorable man who shall govern his substitutes.' He then gave Rossa 10 shields, 10 rings, and 10 cups and said, 'your posterity shall never be subjects to the issue of my other sons.' Cathaoir then directed his chiefs to be always assistant and obedient to the prosterity of Rossa Failge."

See Book of Genesis, xlviii. 5. Teig here named

goods, chattells: and doe appointe, ordaine and make them my executors of my will, which I declare to be as afforesaid. IN WITNESSE of which to be the will of the said Sir Mourgh, wee the persons underwritten have hereunto subscribed our names the third of ffebruary, 1593.-WALTER FFRENCHE.-ARTHUR FFRENCHE.-ANTHONY LYNCH FITZ THOMAS.-RICHARDE FFRENCHE-ARTHOUR LYNCH FITZ-A.-MOYLLER M: X DERMOTT O'HALLURAN.-Edmonde M. MORISHE.-By me Rowland Gowne— Probat. 3° die Maii an° Dni 1594."

Having thus far traced the principal transactions of the descendants of Brian na n-oinseach O'Flaherty', chief of the eastern part of Iar-Connaught, which forms the present baronies of Ross and Moycullen; I now turn to the western clans, the principal of whom was the Sliocht Eoghain (Owen) descended from Hugh mór", the elder brother of that Brian. The subordinate branches were the clan Donogh, clan Connor, and clan Dermod Dubh, and all were settled in Conmacne-mara, sometimes called the two Conamaras; which at the date of the Composition, were created a barony by the name of the barony of Balinahinch. We have seen that Donal Crone O'Flaherty", descended from Hugh mór, was the chief of all Iar-Connaught in A. D. 1569, when he was set aside by Queen Elizabeth, who appointed Morrough of the battle-axes chieftain in his place: Quia "Donaldus Crone O'Flarty nunc capitaneus patrie predicte, non est sufficiens nec idoneus ad officium illud exercendum, nec in ullo regimine et gubernatione expertus ad illam patriam gubernandum, minusque habilis ad capitaneatum illud exequendum, tum etiam propter disobedienciam suam"." But notwithstanding that patent, Donal continued to exercise, or assert his right to the chieftainship of all the O'Flaherties until his death, and never acknowledged the patent right of Morrough. But there was another powerful competitor for the title, viz. Donal an chogaidh (of the wars) O'Flaherty of Bonowan, whose sons, "Owine and Moroghe,” were named as contracting parties in the indenture of Composition. The tanist, or next in succession, as the ablest and bravest of the clan, was Teige na buille (the furious) who became nominal chieftain after the death of Donal Crone; although the title, by the Composition, was legally abolished for ever".

was Sir Murrough's eldest son (Gen. Table, II. No.
37). He was killed A. D. 1589, in Iar-Connaught,
by Sir Richard Bingham's men. His son, above
adopted, was Morogh na m-bo.-(Id. No. 38.)
1 Id. 30.

" Id.

" Id. 34.

When

See ante, p. 387, Donal Crone was alive in A. D. 1585, for in that year he appears named as a contracting party in the indenture of Composition, where he is described as "competitor for the name of O'Flahertie."-See p. 309, ante. His descendants (if any) are unknown.

9 By an Inquisition taken after the death of Teige

When Morrough of the battle-axes "waxed" sufficiently "stronge," he resolved to subdue those western clans, or compel them to acknowledge his jurisdiction. To further this project he surprised the castle of Balinahinch, which was built on an island of the same name, in the centre of Conmaicne-mara. As soon as Teige na buille and the sons of Donal an chogaidh became aware of Murrough's designs, they immediately saw the advantage he acquired by gaining the castle, and that advantage they resolved to deprive him of. Accordingly, in A. D. 1584, they made a successful attack on the island; and although it was boldly defended by Murrough's son, Teige, they succeeded in taking it and the castle. Teige thereupon collected a considerable force and made an irruption into their territory, which he plundered of all its cattle. This petty warfare continued for some time with mutual destruction. The Clan Eoghan having made a descent on the island of Aran, were pursued thither by Teige, and a battle took place, in which several of the western O'Flaherties were slain". The Annalists say that the matter in dispute was not worth all the bloodshed it caused on that day; but we have seen above, that there was a greater object in view than the mere possession of the island. A reconciliation at length took place. The Clan Eoghan retained the castle, and with it, for a while, their independence; and thus ended the last instance of clan warfare which took place in Iar-Connaught.

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by virtue of a division made between him and certain of his competitors, he was seised of half Ballindoon, 4 qrs. and half Ballynahinchy, 4 qrs. And he was so seised, "prout erat principalis cognominis sui, et maxime senex ejusdem cognominis de O'Flahertie, Anglice, prout erat tanist tempore ineunte compositionis, et etiam diu postea," of the castle or stone for. tress of Ballynahinchy in the island of Ballenehinchy, and of the fishing of the Owenmore, and that he was peaceably seized thereof, until one Thady (Teig) Mac Murrough ne dowe O'Flaherty, by force entered IRISH ARCH. SOC. 15.

Of

and built the lower part of the said castle, and possessed the same for some time, and until the said Teige ne bully and his two sons, together with Morrough na moyre O'Flaherty, expelled him out of the said castle and island; which the said Morrough ne moyre as yet unjustly holds the possession of. That the said Teige was also seised of several head and chief rents out of other lands. That Morrough ne moyre, for the last six years, by force compelled the tenants to pay him the said rents. That the said Teige ne boolly, in right of his chieftainship, was also seized of chief rents out of the Cleggan, Ballynakilly, &c., and that Morrough ne moyre claims 3 cartrons in the island of Inishnee under a mortgage, dated the 10th March, 1598, made by Edmond O'Flaherty (Gen. Table, II. No. 37), son of the said Teige ne bullie."--Orig. Inquis. Rolls Off. Dublin. Their descendants are unknown.

3 F

Four Masters.

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