St.
Patrick’s Day in the Ormond Deeds
Niall
C.E.J. O’Brien
The Ormond deeds form
the largest single collection of medieval deeds and records in Ireland
following the destruction of the Public Record Office, Dublin, in 1922.[1]
The various documents within the collection were dated at varied times
throughout the year. This article recounts some of the deeds which were dated
on St. Patrick’s Day. It is not clear if medieval people treated St. Patrick’s
Day with any special treatment than we do today with parades and a day off
work. Medieval people also had the day off work as they did for most of the
year on saint’s feast days and other holy days. St. Patrick’s Day was
recognised by religious people outside Ireland as at Muchelney Abbey in Somerset.[2]
Hamunsboli
On 17th
March 1346 William Fitz Maurice granted to William Coterel the land of
Hamunsboli.[3]
The land of Hamunsboli is identified as Cotterellsboly in the parish of
Ennisnag, Co. Kilkenny. In about 1293-6 Brother David de Castell, Prior of the
Hospital of Jerusalem, granted a carucate of land at Corbally, alias
Hamunsboli, to Hammund son of John which the Hospital had by gift of William
Marshal, Earl of Pembroke the carucate was formerly held by Eustace de
Bereylmund.[4]
The grant of St.
Patrick’s Day 1346 was from William Fitz Maurice and John his son to William
son of Richard Coterel of a messuage and sixteen acres of arable land at
Hamunsboli in Hospital near Ennisnag to have and hold forever. The grant was
made at Le Boli in Hospital near Ennisnag and witnessed by among others, Gerald
Fitz Hamund and Philip Fitz Hamund.[5]
The Coterel family
acquired a large estate in central County Kilkenny in the fourteenth century. The
grant of 1346 was not the first acquisition by the Coterel family of property
from that of Fitz Maurice. In 1342 Maurice son of Fule Fitz Maurice of Corbally
and John son of Alan Fitz Maurice made a grant to William son of Richard
Coterel of one messuage and two carucates of arable land at Corbally.[6] In
1412 Patrick son of Walter Coterel was lord of Stamkarthy and Hamunsboli.[7]
St. Patrick
Donada
At Carrick-on-Suir on
St. Patrick’s Day (17th March) 1396 an indenture was made between
James Butler, Earl of Ormond, and Robert Herbryke whereby the Earl granted the
manor of Donada to Robert.[8] A
previous deed relating to Donada was made on 4th November 1351 when
William Goer of Waterford made a quit-claim of Donda and the mill to Richard
Dodd of Dublin.[9]
Later in the fourteenth century the manors of Donada and Rathtrone were held by
Sir John de Bermingham from James Butler, 2nd Earl of Ormond.
Following the rebellions of John de Bermingham against King Richard II his
lands were seized, including the two Ormond manors (worth £16). On 4th
May 1391 King Richard restored the two manors to James Butler, 3rd
Earl of Ormond.[10]
On 17th
March 1410 William Allyngton granted the manor of Donadagh in County Kildare to
Robert Herbryg and Nicholas Stokes forever.[11] William
Allyngton had recived the manor by grant of Thomas of Lancaster, Seneschal of
England and Lieutenant of Ireland. Robert Herbryg was an important associate of
the Earl of Ormond in the Kildare area. In 1412 he was granted a lease for life
on the manors of Clintonscourt (Kildare) and Blackcastle (Meath) from the Earl
of Ormond for £46 12s 4d in annual rent.[12]
Nicholas Stokes appears
in the records as a senior official in the court of the Earl of Ormond. In 1412
he managed the rents from the barony of Knocktopher.[13]
New
Ross
On 17th
March 1409, Johanna Fisse made a quit-claim all her lands in New Ross to Robert
King, chaplain, his heirs and assigns. These messuages, lands, rents and
tenements were formerly held by Henry King, father of Robert King.[14] Johanne
Fisse was the sister of Martha Fisse, baker (wife of John Redmond), and John
Fisse of New Ross. In about 1380 Martha Fisse made her will and left Johanna
Fisse a gold ring. Robert King, the chaplain, received 4s and was one of the
three executors. Tibina Meyler, the wife of Robert King, received a half mark.[15]
The history of this property before 1409, and its subsequent history afterwards,
is lost to us in the absence of surviving documents.
Cashel
On 17th
March 1544 an award was published at Cashel by Edmund, Archbishop of Cashel,
James Fitzgerald, Earl of Desmond and Richard Butler between James Butler, Earl
of Ormond, and Sir Thomas Butler, Baron of Cahir. The dispute concerned the imposition
of coyne and livery in the cantred of Clonmel. Coyne and livery worked best in
stable political conditions. The private tax was where local gentry agreed to
provide food and lodging for soldiers and stabling for horses. In the 1540s and
after military commanders tried to extract more taxes to fund extra troops to
the disapproval of the local gentry and freeholders and the system broke down.[16]
By the award the Earl
and Baron were to be at peace with each other. The Baron was to allow the Earl
to livery his men and horses in the cantred of Clonmel. The Baron was to allow
gallowglass to live within his area. If the Baron wished to build castle the
local freeholders were to supply workmen and the Earl’s lands were to provide
funding. The Baron was to abide by any awards made by the Earl of Desmond,
Archbishop of Cashel and Bishop of Lismore concerning any complaint of the
gentlemen and freeholders of the cantred of Clonmel. The Baron was to assist
the Earl in the recovery of his ancient rights and help the officers of the
liberty of Tipperary in the administration of same. The Earl was to defend the
Baron in all lawful cases against all men except against the King. The Baron
was to be commander of half the Earl’s army as his family were by ancient
custom.
Cahir Castle - home of the Baron of Cahir
Three days before, on
14th March 1544, the Baron of Cahir acknowledged a bond to the Earl
of Ormond of £1,000 to cover the expenses of coyne and livery in the cantred of
Clonmel. The Baron was to abide by the judgement of the three justices above,
or failing that, to abide by the judgement of William Brabazon, Lord Justice of
Ireland, and three government officials.[17]
Conclusion
As can be seen only a
few of the hundreds of medieval documents in the Ormond collection were dated
on St. Patrick’s Day. Many more documents were dated on 16th March
and 18th March but they appear as just another day at the office
than any direct connection with St. Patrick’s Day.
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End of post
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[1]
Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond
Deeds (6 vols. Stationery Office, Dublin, 1932), vol. 1, p. v
[2] B.
Schofield (ed.), Muchelney Memoranda
(Somerset Record Society, Vol. XLII, 1927), p. 130
[3]
Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond
Deeds, vol. 1, no. 784
[4]
Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond
Deeds, vol. 1, no. 311
[5]
Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond
Deeds, vol. 1, no. 784
[6]
Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond
Deeds, vol. 1, p. 751
[7] Edmund
Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds
(6 vols. Stationery Office, Dublin, 1934), vol. II, p. 304
[8]
Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond
Deeds, vol. II, p. 228
[9] Edmund
Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds,
vol. II, p. 5
[10] Edmund
Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds,
vol. II, p. 212
[11]
Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond
Deeds, vol. II, p. 294
[12] Edmund
Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds,
vol. II, p. 305
[13]
Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond
Deeds, vol. II, p. 306
[14]
Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond
Deeds, vol. II, pp. 191, 287
[15] Edmund
Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond Deeds,
vol. II, p. 346
[16]
David Edwards, The Ormond lordship in
County Kilkenny 1515-1642: The Rise and Fall of Butler Feudal Power (Four
Courts Press, Dublin, 2003), pp. 175, 176
[17]
Edmund Curtis (ed.), Calendar of Ormond
Deeds (6 vols. Stationery Office, Dublin, 1937), vol. IV, pp. 262-5
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