CHAPTER XVI
Reign of Henry VII A.D. 1485 to
A.D. 1509.
Henry VII., of the house of Lancaster, obtained
the crown by the victory of Bosworth. Milo Roch, bishop of Leighlin,
died in 1489, and was buried in his own cathedral, before the image of
St. Laserian.
In 1490 Nicholas Maguire was advanced to the
government of this see. He was born in Idrone, (a barony in the county
of Carlow), but was educated at the university of Oxford. On his return
to Ireland he was made prebendery of Hillard, or Ullard, in the diocese
of Leighlin, and stood in high esteem for his learning, (then rather a
rare attribute), as well as for his assiduity in preaching. He was
advanced to the see by a papal provision on the 30th of April, 1490,
being at the time not thirty-one years of age.
He commenced many literary works, but death
prevented the completion of any of them, except his "Chronicle." Dowling
acknowledges the great information he received from this work in the
compilation of his annals. Bishop Maguire drew up a minute account of
the several divisions effected of the territories inherited in Ireland
by the five co. heiresses of William, earl Marshal.
A.D. 1494 the celebrated Sir Edward Poynings,
knight of the Garter, was appointed lord deputy.
The earl of Kildare was at this time suspected
of treasonable designs; but on investigation before the king he was
acquitted.
However, his brother James seized on the castle
of Carlow. The lord deputy, resolving to repossess so strong a position,
marched immediately against the earl's brother. After a siege of ten
days, the castle was surrendered to him. And yet, Dennit Taaffe, who
published, what he calls, an Impartial History of Ireland, states of Sir
Edward Poynings: "He first marched against O'Hanlon, where he was
disappointed of his expected glory.
His next essay was in the county of Carlow,
where he fared no better." But this strange disregard of truth is not
very surprising in a work, which can only be designated an ill-written,
intemperate, frantic tissue of invective and declamation; a production,
calculated to work pure unmitigated mischief among the unthinking and
ignorant.
In the same year (1494) Sir Edward Poynings
called a parliament, which passed the law called Poynings' Act,
regulating the mode in which new laws should be introduced. Other
enactments were passed to the following purport: that the statutes of
Kilkenny be confirmed and executed, excepting those about the Irish
language, and riding on saddles: that no man take money, or horse money,
by colour of gift, reward, or otherwise by reason of any menace ; and,
if he do, the giver is to forfeit one hundred shillings, unless he
complain seasonably, and the receiver is to suffer the punishment
appointed for the takers of coin and livery : that the soldier shall pay
three halfpence a meal, and his man a penny, and a penny for six
field-sheaves of oats, and litter accordingly; and whoever refuses to
quarter soldiers at this rate, forfeits twelve pence each time, unless
he be a man of twenty marcs estate per annum, and excepting cities and
corporate towns.
There was also an act passed in favour of the knights
of St. John of Jerusalem, (who had an establishment at Killarge or
Killergy, and probably now Killerig, in our county),'enabling them to
resume all their possessions alienated by prior Keating, or his
predecessor, Thomas Talbot; to effect the restoration of their jewels
and relics, which they had pawned; and to depose the preceptors placed
by them in the commanderies; with an additional clause, that none but
Englishmen should hold the office of prior in future. A.D. 1499. A
parliament this year enacted, that the nobility should ride on saddles
according to the English custom. Henry VII. died on the 22nd of April,
1509.
("Spelling are as seen in the book")
CHAPTER XVII
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