Add MS 48015

Copies of papers relating to Ireland in the 16th century, principally in the hand of Robert Beale (1541–1601), administrator and diplomat.

ff. 1r-31v: Extracts from chronicles and copies of charters relating to the medieval history of Wales (ff. 1r-8r) and Ireland (ff. 20r-31v). Latin.

ff. 43r-46v: List of Lords Deputy and other officials of Ireland, in the reigns of King Henry II to King Henry VIII.

ff. 48r-123v: Annals of Ireland between 1131 and 1539. With pages set out for entries up to 1600. Titled ‘Collectanea de rebus Hibernicis. Written out of a written booke of Laurence Noel: and other notes gathered out of sondry histories’, i.e. Laurence Nowell (d. 1576), Dean of Lichfield and antiquary. The text to 1370 is based on a chronicle in the Book of Howth. Latin. For other copies see Lansdowne MS 229, ff. 73r-78v, and Cotton MS Domitian A XVIII, ff. 59r-88v. Latin.

f. 124r-124v: Brief declaration of the revenue of Queen Elizabeth I in Ireland. By Thomas Jenison, Auditor-General of Ireland. 1575. Latin.

f. 125r-125v: Suggestions for improving Irish revenue yields. By Edward Waterhouse, Irish secretary of state. c. 1575.

ff. 126r-130v: Account of Irish court fees, annuities and pensions. 1576-1577. Latin.

ff. 121r-175v: Copy of ‘Two bookes of the histories of Irelande’, by Edmund Campion (1540–1581), Jesuit and martyr. 1571. See Vossen, ed. Two Bokes (Publication Note). Another copy is in Cotton MS Vitellius F IX, ff. 71r-146v.

ff. 175*r-175*v: Fragment of another copy of the material on ff. 172r-173v above.

ff. 175**r-177v: Description of Munster, with a list of chief men for each area. With a second, longer version. 1574.

f. 178r: Memoranda on Irish bishoprics. Latin.

ff. 178v-183v: Genealogies of the Irish nobility. Similar to a text after Laurence Nowell (Lansdowne MS 229, ff. 78v-79v; Cotton MS Domitian A XIII, ff. 91r-92v), with added memoranda. Latin and English.

f. 184r: ‘Pensions answered to the wilde Irishe yerly out of the Englishe Pale’. See Lansdowne MS 229, f. 80r.

f. 184v: ‘Englishe Countyes paing tribute to the wilde Irishe yerly’. See Cotton MS Domitian A XIII, f. 104r. 1549.

f. 186r: List of ‘Certen herd Irishe wordes’.

ff. 188r-205v: Descriptions of Irish provinces, with clans and chief men. With reference to Sir Thomas Smith, and Walter Devereux, Earl of Essex. Covering Leinster, Meath, Connaught, Ulster, and Munster. With a list of factions, and lords and clans well-disposed and unreliable. 1572-1575.

ff. 196a-196d: List of rents and services due to Queen Elizabeth I from the province of Connaught. Under the composition made by Sir Nicholas Malby. 1577.

ff. 207r-207v: Memoranda of covenants entered into by Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy. For conversion of customary rents to cash payments. See Canny, The Elizabethan Conquest (Publication Note). c. 1576-1577.

f. 209r: Customary obligation of Ulster chieftains living between the Blackwater and the Pale. 1574.

f. 209r-209v: Charges of the garrison for a town to be built at Blackwater according to the plan of Walter Devereux, Earl of Essex. 1574-1575. See ff. 313v-344v below.

ff. 210r-212v: Paper on the military strength of Ulster chieftains and the wages of Irish fighting men. April 1575.

ff. 213r-216v: ‘A description of the power of the Irishmen in Irland’. From a notebook of Laurence Nowell. Another copy is Cotton MS Domitian A XIII, ff. 100, 101r-102r, 103v. Pre-1576.

f. 217r: Paper on havens in Ireland, possibly from the notes of Laurence Nowell. See Cotton MS Domitian A XIII, f. 103v, and Add MS 48017, f. 75v.

f. 217v: ‘Paces’, i.e. passes to be cut. Possibly from the notes of Laurence Nowell. See Cotton MS Domitian A XIII, f. 103v.

f. 218r: Revenues of Ireland. Possibly from the notes of Laurence Nowell. See Cotton MS Domitian A XIII, ff. 103v-104r and Add MS 48017, f. 75v.

ff. 219r-220v: Paper titled ‘Capteines of cuntryes in Irland’.

f. 221r-221v: Paper titled ‘Englishmen become Irishe’. Possibly from the notes of Laurence Nowell. See Cotton MS Domitian A XIII, f. 104r.

ff. 223r-224v: Description of Ireland ‘out of an old pamflett’. Quoted by Sir John Perrot in his 'Discours touching the reformacion of Irland', July 1581, Add MS 48017, ff. 63r-71v, and printed in The Government of Ireland (See Publication Note). See also Add MS 48017, f. 76r.

ff. 225r-226v: List of attainted lands, in Munster and Connaught. c. 1578.

ff. 228r-230v: List of 72 religious houses in Munster and Connaught concealed from the Crown and never charged for revenue. c. September 1578.

ff. 231r-240*v: Survey of the property held by 34 religious houses in Connaught. Extract from a survey made by Michael Fitzwilliams, the Queen’s surveyor in Ireland in 1569. Septeber 1578.

f. 241r-241v: Description of the Irish nobility and their clan allegiances, titled ‘The Irishe nobility in Irland. Ireland is devided into sixe partes’. Another copy is Add MS 48017, ff. 170r-171v.

ff. 241*r-241*v: Fragment of pen sketches of the arms of Irish nobility, and saints. 16th century.

ff. 243r-247v: Paper by Patrick Finglas, Baron of the Irish Exchequer, titled ‘A Breviate of the Conquest of Irland and of the decaye of the same’. See a similar copy in Add MS 48017, ff. 172v-177v. c. 1533.

ff. 249r-258v: Copy of a book addressed to the Commission headed by Anthony St Leger, sent to investigate the state of Ireland. Mainly concerning abuses committed by the Lord Deputy, and the administration of justice. c. February 1538.

ff. 259r-263v: Copy of a treatise by Thomas Walshe. Titled ‘of the causes of the losse of the kings revenues in Ireland’. Recommending the establishment of a president and council for Munster. With a sketch plan of a court room (f. 260v). c. 1552-1553.

ff. 264r-265v: Copy of a treatise by Thomas Walshe. Titled ‘of opinions touchinge the reformacion of Irelonde’. Advocating presidencies and councils for Leinster and Munster. With a reference to the disaffection of Hugh McNeill Oge (f. 264v). c. 1552-1553.

ff. 266r-273v: Copy of a tract by Sir Thomas Cusack, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, address to John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland. On the state of Ireland. 8 May 1552.

ff. 274r-277v: Copy of a paper by Edmund Tremayne, titled ‘Whether the Quenes Majestie be to be counselled to governe Ireland after the Irishe manner…or to reduce it…to the englishe government’. Another copy is Cotton MS Titus B XII, ff. 358r-361v.

ff. 278r-284r: Copy of a memorandum prepared by Patrick Sherlock, possibly sheriff of Waterford, for Queen Elizabeth I. On the reform and augmentation of the revenues of Ireland. Advocating presidencies for Munster, Connaught and Leinster. Sir John Perrot is suggested for the presidency of Minster. Written while Sir Henry Sidney was away from Ireland, October 1567-September 1568 (f. 279v).

ff. 284v-290v: Copy of a tract titled ‘A plotte conceaved for the government of the Realme of Irelande’. Advocating presidencies in Connaught, Munster and Ulster, with proposals for financing the scheme from Irish revenues and taxes. c. 1567-1568.

ff. 291v-294r: Copy of a memorial by Thomas Ratcliffe, third Earl of Sussex. Supporting the coyne and livery. 1 April 1578. Another copy is in Cotton MS Titus B XII, ff. 175r-176v.

ff. 294v-297r: Reply to the memorial above (ff. 291v-294r) by Nicholas White, Master of the Rolls in Ireland. Spring 1578. Another copy is in Cotton MS Titus B XII, ff. 177r-178v.

ff. 297v-300r: Discourse against coyne and livery, possibly by John Chaloner, secretary for Ireland. Another copy is in Cotton MS Titus B XII, ff. 179r-180v. 13 March 1579.

ff. 300v-303v: Reply by Sir Nicholas Malby to the memorial above (ff. 291v-294r). Another copy is in Cotton MS Titus B XII, ff. 180v-182v. Spring 1578.

ff. 304r-305v: Paper against coyne and livery, by Sir Nicholas Malby. Another copy is in Cotton MS Titus B XII, ff. 173r-174v. c. 1578-1579.

f. 306r-306v: Paper against coyne and livery, by Sir Nicholas Malby or Edward Waterhouse, secretary for Ireland. Another copy is in Cotton MS Titus B XII, ff. 174v-175r. c. 1578-1579.

ff. 309r-311v: Copy of a paper by Sir John Perrot, titled ‘The cause why Irelande hathe continued so longe disordre’. In two parts, advocating reform in Ireland, particularly of the revenue, and the setting up of presidencies for Munster and Ulster. Another copy is in Cotton MS Titus B XII, ff. 356r-358v. 1584.

f. 312r-312v: Copy of a list of allies and enemies of the Geraldines in Munster. By Sir John Perrot. c. 1571-1573.

ff. 313v: Extract of a letter from Walter Devereux, Earl of Essex, to the Privy Council. Enclosing his plan for Ulster. 12 October 1574.

ff. 314r-318v: Plan for the government and reformation of Ulster, by Walter Devereux, Earl of Essex. 12 October 1574. See Canny, The Elizabethan Conquest (Publication Note). Another copy is in Cotton MS Titus B XII, ff. 458v-462v.

ff. 319r-320v: Queries raised by the Privy Council concerning the plan of Walter Devereux, Earl of Essex. Another copy is in Cotton MS Titus B XII, ff. 452r-453v. 8 November 1574.

f. 321r-321v: Letter from Walter Devereux, Earl of Essex, to the Privy Council. 12 January 1575.

f. 322r-322v: Extract from a letter from the Lord Deputy and Council of Ireland to the Privy Council. Dublin, 2 January 1575.

ff. 323r-333v: Answer sent by Walter Devereux, in response to the doubts expressed concerning his plan for Ulster (above, ff. 319r-320v). Another copy is in Cotton MS Titus B XII, ff. 453r-458v. c. 12 January 1575. See also Canny, The Elizabethan Conquest (Publication Note).

ff. 335r-336v: Statement on the garrison necessary to be maintained for two years for the reformation of Ulster. Sent to the Privy Council by Walter Devereux, Earl of Essex. Another copy is in Cotton MS Titus B XII, ff. 450r-452v. 8 October 1574.

f. 337r-337v: Proposals by Walter Devereux, Earl of Essex, for raising £500 per annum revenue from Ulster. Another copy is in Cotton MS Titus B XII, f. 458r-458v. October 1574.

ff. 339r-340v: Copy of the doubts listed above (ff. 319r-320v). 8 November 1574.

ff. 341r-344v: Copy of part of the answer sent by Walter Devereux above (ff. 323r-330r). A memorandum by Beale on f. 344v states that the marginal notes to the original were in the hand of Walter Devereux, Earl of Essex.

ff. 346r-365v: Copies of letters from Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, to the Privy Council. Reporting on his progress through Ulster (4 November 1575), Leinster (15 December 1575), Munster (27 February 1576) and Connaught (27 April 1576). Other contemporary copies are in Sir Henry Sidney’s letter book, Cotton MS Titus B X, ff. 6r-45v. See also Collins, Letters and Memorials (Publication Note).

ff. 367r-389v: Copy of ‘Certen notes touching the Estate of the realm of Irland’, taken from speeches by William Gerard, Lord Chancellor of Ireland, in the winter of 1577-1578. With dedicatory epistle to Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (ff. 367r-370r), May 1578, and notes for the reform of Ireland (ff. 387r-389v). Another copy is in Bodleian Library MS Rawlinson D 687. See ‘Lord Chancellor Gerrard’s Notes’ (Publication Note).

ff. 397r-407v: Copy of a discourse by Sir Humphrey Gilbert on the reformation of Munster. Another copy is in Add MS 48017, ff. 118r-125r, 129v. See also Canny, The Elizabethan Conquest (Publication Note). 1 February 1574.

ff. 408v-413r: Report of a conference between Sir Henry Sidney, Lord Deputy of Ireland, and the Irish Council and nobility of the Pale. For the composition of the cess. See Hogan and McNeill, Walsingham Letter-Book (Publication Note). 24 July 1578.

ff. 413v-414r: Order of the Privy Council. Relating to the cess. See Hogan and McNeill, Walsingham Letter-Book (Publication Note). c. May 1579.

ff. 414v-418v: Letter from the Privy Council to Sir William Drury. See Hogan and McNeill, Walsingham Letter-Book (Publication Note). 8 April 1579.

ff. 419r-427v: Orders to be observed by the Lord Justice and Council in Ireland. For ordering the establishment there. See Hogan and McNeill, Walsingham Letter-Book (Publication Note). 31 March 1579.

ff. 428r-434v: Papers on the establishment of Ireland. See Hogan and McNeill, Walsingham Letter-Book (Publication Note), and Cotton MS Titus B XIII, ff. 243r-246v. 31 March 1579.

ff. 435r-442v: Opinion of Sir Walter Mildmay and others, as commissioners appointed by the Privy Council. Concerning articles sent to officials in Ireland, and the Irish response. See Hogan and McNeill, Walsingham Letter-Book (Publication Note). 31 March 1579.