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Society to let the houses in Londonderry and Coleraine, with the acres and perches, in perpetuity.

£30 were granted for the relief of the poor of Coleraine. 5th August.—The Recorder was of opinion, that the Society had the power to let leases in perpetuity. The following is a copy of the case and opinion:

"By letters patent, reciting, that King James the First, by his charter, had incorporated a certain number of Citizens of London, by the name of the Society of the Governor and Assistants, London, of the new Plantation in Ulster, within the realm of Ireland, and had granted to the said Society several lands, &c. in that kingdom, parts of which lands the said Society had by lease and re-lease granted to the twelve Companies of London, who had engaged to undergo the greatest part of the charge of the said Plantation, according to their several disbursements, retaining in their hands such other parts as were not properly dividable, and defraying the charge of the general work of the said Plantation. That this charter being afterwards repealed in Chancery, and cancelled, King Charles the First, of his goodness to the Mayor, and Commonalty, and Citizens of London, intended to have restored the said Society, &c. but was prevented by the troubles of 1641. And, lastly, that it appeared the said Society and Companies had expended great sums in building and planting Londonderry and Coleraine; therefore, and for settling and planting the said places with trade and inhabitants, the King constitutes a new Society by the former name, with full capacity to purchase, give, grant, demise, or assign, any lands, &c. in England or Ireland; the said Society to consist of twenty-six Citizens of London, (eligible by the Common Council,) with the Recorder and the said Assistants, to be sworn by the said Mayor.

"The King then grants to the said Society, several lands, &c. with a reservation of certain quit-rents, and under certain covenants on their part.

"The Society's estate, now held under this grant, consists of all the houses and grounds in Derry and Coleraine, of certain adjacent lands, called the acres and perches, of certain lands, called the quarter-lands, and of the fisheries of the rivers Bann and Lough Foyle.

"There is no express mention in the letters patent of any trust for the twelve Companies; and, indeed, the Society have always acted independently of them, nor have they ever admitted themselves to be accountable, yet, from time to time, as money has been in hand, they have made dividends to the twelve companies.

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They have also, from time to time, granted leases for three lives, and a concurrent term of years, of the houses and adjacent lands, called the acres and perches, which lands have always been considered as an appendage of, and essentially necessary to be held with, the said houses.

"The lessees in Derry presented a memorial to the Society, wherein they set forth, that the granting and leasing to them a more permanent interest, would incite them to lay out large sums of money in building and repairs, whereby the said City would be improved, and the population, trade, and manufactures thereof increased; that having built and epaired their houses, they have paid, at least, twenty-five years purchase for the same, which they think entitles them to the favour of a Society, constituted (as they conceive,) trustees, for the benefit of the said City, as well as for the twelve chief Companies.

"That if they might obtain leases for three lives, renewable for ever, they would covenant to pay a fine upon the fall of every life, so that the scheme would prove beneficial to all parties.

"The city of London having granted such perpetual renewable leases of their houses, upon Conduit Mead, the Society have referred the said memorial to a committee, to examine how far the proposal made to them, might be made advan

nion.

tageous to the Society, and (through them) to the twelve Companies.

"In order to this inquiry, the Society previously desire your opinion, whether they have sufficient power to adopt the proposition of perpetual renewable leases, in case they should think it for their advantage to grant the same?"

"I am of opinion, that the Society have sufficient power to adopt the proposition of perpetual renewable leases, in case they should think it a benefit to the estate committed to their care, to grant such leases.

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(Signed)

Serjeant's Inn, 30th July, 1766."

"JAMES EYRE."

27th August.—The Committee made a report, setting forth their reasons for the propriety of granting leases renewable for ever.

30th August.-Propositions, on the subject of granting leases in perpetuity, were transmitted to the general agent, to be communicated to the tenantry.

In consequence of these proposals to the tenantry, many memorials were transmitted to the Society, accepting the terms offered.

23d December.-A representation was directed to be made out and transmitted to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, on the subject of Rathmullin being intended to be made a port of discharge.

25th February 1767.-Certain premises were granted to the Dean and Curates of Londonderry in perpetuity, for charitable purposes, at £14. 19s. 3d. per annum, under Stanley's

Will.

24th September.-The Governor was requested to sit for his portrait, to be executed by Mr. Dance the artist.

26th January, 1768.-The Corporation of Londonderry petitioned the Society for leave to quarry stones on Termonbacco for repairing the quay of the City.

3d February, and 18th January, 1769.-A report was made thereon, explaining the Society's right to the quarries.

16th February.-It was ordered, that all future Treasurers should give security in £2000.

13th April.-A letter was sent to the Corporation of Londonderry, recommending a representative for their City in Parliament.

19th April. A lease was granted to Lord Tyrone, of various holdings in Coleraine, particularly specified, on the same ́terms as all the other tenants of the Society, namely, twenty-one years and three lives, renewable for ever.

22d April.-The Corporation of Londonderry having sent a memorial to the Society for their consent to the making a bridge over Lough Foyle, the Committee made a report thereon, recommending such consent.

8th June.-A letter was received from the Right Honourable Francis Andrews, one of the representatives of Londonderry, on the subject of the bridge, and securing the Society the present rent of £20 a year for the ferry.

14th September.-A license was granted to the Corporation of Londonderry, to dig for lime and stone on Termonbacco. 6th December.-The Rev. Mr. Heyland was elected, by ballot, to the living of Coleraine.

8th March, 1769.-Lord Donegal filed a bill in the Exchequer against the Society, on the subject of the fisheries.*

31st May. The Corporation of Londonderry sent a memorial to the Society, offering to send an engineer, and submit plans for the new bridge.

1st November. The fisheries were let to Henry Hamilton, Esq. for thirty-four years, at the old rent.

11th April, 1770.-A lease was granted to the Corporation of Coleraine, for fifty years, to expire at the same time with the Londonderry Corporation leases. Reasons were assigned

* The proceedings in most of the suits, instituted at various times in respect of the fisheries, are to be found by reference to the abridgment of the Society's records, kept in the Irish Chamber.

why the Society granted the premises at low rents, disproportionable to the actual value of the property.

27th March, 1771.-The Society contributed £300 for the repair of Coleraine church.

8th October.—The heads of the special verdict in Lord Donegal's fishery cause were entered at length on the minutes, in which were set forth the rights of the Society.

11th December.-A letter was written, relative to the encroachments made by Lord Tyrone, or his tenants, in Coleraine.

18th December.-Memorials were sent to the Society from the Corporations of Londonderry and Coleraine, requesting their interposition to prevent Loughswilly being made a port.

3d June, 1772.-The general agent made an award between two tenants, pursuant to a power for that purpose contained in the leases, in cases of dispute ; which award is recorded at length, and relates to the boundaries and lights of a house in Derry.

19th November.-Another attempt was made to get a port of discharge established at Loughswilly; in consequence of which, a fresh application was made by the Corporation of Londonderry to the Society, urging them to oppose the measure, which they did accordingly.

10th March, 1773.-£30 were contributed towards the relief of poor weavers in Coleraine.

5th November.-Letters were received from various distinguished statesmen, on the subject of an opposition to a tax proposed to be laid on Irish absentees, and communications were made to the twelve chief Companies on the subject.

1st April, 1774.-A petition was sent by the Society to the King, respecting a bill to be passed, regulating the fishings in Ireland.

18th May. The Attorney and Solicitor General made a report on the Irish Fishery Bill.