and found on the several inquisitions that Hugh, sometime Earl of Tyrowen, and Roderick, sometime Earl of Tyrconnell, and Sir Cahir O'Dogherty and others, "did enter into rebellion, and at the time of the said entering into rebellion were seized in their demense as of fee, of, &c." and the six counties of Ulster were duly enumerated by their several baronies, parishes, and townlands, and the number of acres and baliboes (or balibetaghs,) polls, quarters, and tathes, were set out with becoming accuracy.

Quick upon the finding of these inquisitions, which handed over to the King the ancient and princely inheritance of the O'Neills and the O'Donnells, and the countries of the O'Cahans, the Maguires, the O'Doghertys and the O'Reillys, and a score of other ancient names-or it may be even before the formal finding-a project was submitted by the Irish Privy Council, to the King and Council in England for the division and plantation of the escheated lands in six several counties of Ulster, namely, Tyrowen, Coleraine,* Donegal, Fermanagh, Armagh, and Cavan.

This project, though in many instances much modified and in others not at all followed, contains the principles on which the Plantation was conducted. It will be found in the ensuing Chapter.

phry Vaile, Richard Birnes, William Colesmore, Anthony Mathew, Richard Appleton, Andrew Dykes, Hugh Thompson, Edmund O'Hegarty, Manus Mac Rorty, Walter Jullan, and Donoghty O'Deny; all good men and true.

* Coleraine the ancient name of the county which now enjoys the composite appellation of Londonderry.

CHAPTER V

Project of Plantation submitted to the English Privy Council Orders and Conditions to be observed by the Undertakers Commission to inquire into "the King's Title" to the escheated principalities-Orders and instructions to the Commissioners of division.

"WHEREAS," says a state paper of the day,* 66 great scopes and extent of land in the several counties of Armagh, Tyrowen, Coleraine, Donegal, Fermanagh, and Cavan, within our province of Ulster are escheated and come to our hands by the attainder of sundry traitors and rebels, and by other just and lawful titles, we have heretofore caused several inquisitions to be taken and surveys to be made, which being transmitted and presented to us, we considered with our Privy Council, attending our person, how much it would advance the welfare of that kingdom, if the said land were planted with colonies of civil men and well affected in religion." The civil men were to be English, and principally Scotchthose well affected in religion were to be Protestants the fulfilment of which conditions would

* "Orders and Conditions for Commission for inquiry into escheated lands."-Harris's Hibernica, page 132. † James set up a whimsical hereditary title to the Crown of Ireland.

lead to the extermination of the native races of Ireland.

For the information of the Privy Council attending the person of the royal Planter, the Irish Privy Council submitted their project.

They commenced by laying down four general points, to be observed in all the escheated counties, namely:

I. That the proportion of land to be distributed to Undertakers may be of three different quantities. The first and least may consist of so many parcels of land as will make a thousand English acres, or thereabouts. The second or middle proportion of so many parcels as will make fifteen hundred English acres, or thereabouts. The third and greatest of so many parcels as will make two thousand English acres, or thereabouts.

II. That all lands escheated in every county may be divided into four parts; whereof two parts may be divided into proportions consisting of a thousand acres a-piece, a third part into proportions of fifteen hundred acres, and the fourth part into proportions of two thousand acres.

III. That every proportion be made a parish, and a parish church be erected thereon; and the incumbents be endowed with glebes of several quantities, viz.: an incumbent of a parish of a thousand acres to have sixty acres, of a parish of fifteen hundred acres to have ninety acres, and of a parish of two thousand acres to have one hundred and twenty acres; and that the whole tithes, and the duties of every parish be allotted to every incumbent, besides the glebes aforesaid.

IV. That the Undertakers of these lands be of several sorts. First, English and Scottish, who are to plant their proportions with English and Scottish tenants. Second, Servitors in Ireland, who may take English or Irish tenants at their choice. Third, Natives of those counties, who are to be freeholders.

Following these four general principles of division, were special directions for each county, based upon their relative statistics. But before stating these special directions, it will be well to consider those applicable to the whole scheme of the Plantation.

In each county, the authors of this project divided the lands escheated into two divisions, one the portion of the church, and the other the portion of the Undertakers. The first was composed of Termon, Monastery, and Mensall or Demesne lands

the second of the escheated territories of the "late traitors."

Before the Synod of Kells, held under the presidency of Cardinal Paparo, in 1152,* tithes

Moore, vol. 2. p. 189. Mr. King in his "Church History of Ireland," 2nd edition, p. 227, asserts, that it was at the synod of Cashel, held in 1172, that tithes were first introduced. The synod of Kells was important, because it was a formal recognition of the supremacy of Rome, which had always been acknowledged by the whole church of Ireland, a Legate and Cardinal presiding and distributing palliums at their own earnest request to the four archbishops. But the decrees of the Cashel Synod were very important. They consisted of seven clauses: 1, Against marriage by near relations; 2, Touching the christening of infants at the church door; 3, Establishing or confirming the payment of tithes of annuals, corn, and other produce to

H

were unknown in Ireland. They were introduced by a law promulgated in this synod, and Ireland owes to Rome the establishment of an impost so distasteful to her; "than which human wisdom never yet discovered a more equitable and less burthensome provision for the clergy." Before the introduction of tithes, the clergy were mainly supported by donations of cattle and other commodities from the people; but they enjoyed other valuable sources of revenue. The chief of

which consisted of lands settled on a church by its founder, before it was consecrated by the bishop, to whom then the endowment belonged. These were called Erenach or Termon lands. They enjoyed privileges of sanctuary; and were stocked in ancient times by the founders with septs and races, bound to perform certain services for those to whom they were assigned.† They were let to tenants who were compelled to reside, and the proceeds were applied to maintain hospitality, to repair the churches, and to pay the rent reserved by the bishops. At the time of the Plantation, claims were made by the bishops and archbishops in the various counties for Termon lands, to the amount of 43,087 acres; but on in

the church; 4, Church lands to be exempted from lay exactions, coyne, livery, coshering, &c.; 5, Exempting the clergy from paying eric when they chanced to be relatives of a murderer. 6, Touching wills. 7, Relating to burials, and uniformity of worship.-King's Church History, p. 225.

*This institution almost reconciles Ledwich to the connexion of the Irish Church with Rome.

† Stuart's "Armagh," App. p. 616. The word termon is derived from the Latin terminus.