dictis, Testibus protunc presentibus, Willielmo filio Alexandri Lynche tunc superiore ipsius ville de Galvy, Nicholao Ffrenche, Johanne filio Willielmi Blak dictis executoribus, Petro lynch, Roberto Ffrenche, memoratis provisoribus, Domino Odone O tyarny vicario dicte ville, magistro Valtero Lang notario, et Dominice filio Roberti lynche, et multis aliis."-Orig.

The foregoing "last will," and that of A. D. 1420, [see p. 198] are the most curious and perfect specimens of ancient testamentary disposition which the Editor has here met with. The pious exordium and conclusion of the latter are worthy the attention of the reader. Both instruments shew the wealth and munificence of the opulent burghers by whom they were made. They also point out the nature, and, in some degree, the extent of the commerce carried on at that period in this western part of Ireland. This class of documents may, moreover, be considered useful as affording satisfactory evidence of the manners and customs of the times to which they relate, and they therefore become valuable for historical purposes. Thus, we read in the foregoing will of A. D. 1420, that the testator, who appears to have died in the habit of St. Francis, bequeathed for post mortem ceremonies 40s. and a pipe of wine; which, it must be confessed, was a liberal allowance to keep up the "merriment of an Irish wake." This serves to prove the long standing of a custom which still prevails but too much in Ireland. The Editor has seen a "will" made within the last forty years, wherein the testator, a Connaught gentleman, ordered that, after his death, he should be "waked" by his tenants, for three successive nights, in a large out-house or barn; that a hogshead of whiskey should be supplied each night; and that he should himself be placed in a sitting pos ture, with a bottle and glass before him, as if enjoying the festivity of the scene. This "old custom," which General Vallancey learnedly tells us the Irish derived from the Arabians, is now happily disappearing.

“Sententia lata inter Ric. et Nico. Blake, et stirpem Walteri Thome de Kyltulag-mor.

"A. D. 1543.

"In Dei nomine Amen. Nos Dominus Willielmus De Burgo miles, Ricardiorum dominus, ac Regis excellencie in Conacia capitaneus, Reverendissimi domini, Christopherus divina gratia Tuamensis archiepiscopus, ac Rolandus eadem Clonfertensis episcopus, necnon et Boecius McKeagayn arbiter secularis, Judices seu arbitri electi sub intercessione et..... pena ducentarum vaccarum, de stando judicio et laudo nostro in causa mota super duabus quarteriis De Kyltulag-mor, inter honorabiles viros Richardum et Nicholaum Blake parte ex una, actores et generosos omnes et singulos de stirpe Walteri Thome de Silina Dorsi rubei ex altera, ut premissum est, invenimus sufficienter probatum, tam per instrumenta autentica, quam ex deposessione approborum

approborum et anticorum, atque ex solucione annualis pensionis, quod ille due quarterie de Kyltulagh-mor, jure hereditario spectant ad prefatos Ricardum et Nicholaum Blake. Quare antefato nomine invocato, non declinantes ad dextram neque ad senextram, sed Deum semper pre oculis habentes, easdem duas quarterias de Kyltulag-mor cum omnibus cummoditatibus et communibus, eisdem Richardo et Nicholao Blake, per hoc nostrum laudum sive sententiam, adjudicamus, imponentes omnibus et singulis de eadem stirpe Walteri Thome, perpetuum silencium, ut de cetero non inquietabunt nec perturbaberunt prefatos Richardum et Nicholaum, nec suos firmarios, subditos seu familiares, habitantes in eisdem duabus quarteriis de Kyltulag-mor. Et si qui vel quis de eadem stirpe Walteri Thome, contrarium facere presumpserint aut presumpserit, quod protunc ceteri alii et qualibet pro se de eadem stirpe Walteri Thome teneantur et tenetur eisdem Ricardo et Nicholao blake emendationem condignam facere, ac etiam solvere penam ducentarum vaccarum prescriptarum, eodem laudo nostro declaramus: reservata nobis potestate absolvendi vel condempnandi eosdem de stirpe Walteri Thome, in illis centum sextagenta quenque marchis in quibus cessarunt, in solucione debite pensionis tempore ferme, eaque finita secundum asseveracionem predictorum Ricardi et Nicholai. Actum, gestum, latum, et declaratum in Senobio Sancti Francisci ville Galvie, tercio die mensis Apprilis An° Domini M.CCCCC.XLIII. et regni invictissimi Henrice octavi, Regis Anglie Francie et Hibernie, fideique defensoris, ac sub Cristo supremi capitis ecclesie Anglicane et Hibernicane, Ano tricessimo quarto. Hiis testibus presentibus, viz. nobili viro Donaldo O'Flaharty-Jacobo Skeret, Johanne frenche, Thoma lynche burgens. ejusdem ville, ac dominis Abbate O Cormockayn et Davide Juveni custode dicti Senobii, Jonote Me Thomas ac Thoma O Gyllorayn, cum pluribus aliis clericis et laycis. In fidem vero et testimonium omnium premissorum sigilla et signa nostra presentibus apposuimus.

W. B. "CHRISTOPHORUS TUAMEN.

"M- - propria.

ROLANDUS Mire baerzalach mac
CLONFERTEN. Domnaill tamaoc.
Manu pro.

les in breit seo ¿uas
mar ta sí scribta.”

"The Order taken betywxt Joh. Wak Wlleg &y Blaks by ye lord Chaunseler.

"A. D. 1553.

Memorand. that whereas Johnn M'Welycke complayned be for the Right honorable S Thomas Cusake kinght, the kinges Majestes Lord Chaunceller of Irelande, againste Richarde Blake and Nichas Blake of Galwy, for to have recompence of suche buldinges and charges as his auncetores was at, for the buldinge of the castell of Kyltullaghmore in the counte of Connaght, supposinge the same to be ther inheri

taunce. Whereas trouthe they had nothinge therein But for the terme of foure score yeres, yeldinge ther for yerlie xxvI. VIII. sterlinge as by a deade thereof shoued forthe by the said Richarde and Nichas made by the auncetors of the said Richard and Nichas unto the grauntfather of the said John more playnler did appere: Yet for as myche as the said parties of ther own free willis submytted them selvys to the order arbytterment and judgment of the said Lorde Chauncellor whiche toke the charge thereof upon hym. Ffyrste did adwarde that the said parties sholde performe all former arbittermentes and judgementes yevine betwixt the said parties for and concerninge the premisses, And alsoe consideringe the powertie of the said John, and that the said Richarde and Nichas shall take the comodyte of the said buldinge done uppon ther inheritaunce, ther for the said Lorde Chaunceller doo adwarde and judge that the said Richard and Nichas shall paye yerlye unto the said John and his assignes duerynge his naturall lyfe and no furdher, .... shillinges foure pence sterlinge abowe the thre shillinges foure pence affor adwarded, Whiche som amountithe to sixe shillinges eight pence sterlinge yerlye: And alsoe shall yelde and paye fyve markes sterling unto the said John, be for this unto hyme adwarded, unles the said Richarde and Nichas do prowe the said sum to be satisfied unto the said John. The hiring thereof by the said L. Channellor ys appoyntede to the Archebusshoppe of Thombe and to the maior of Galwy. And if it appere unto them that the said fyve markes or any parte therof to be dwe, then the said Richard and Nichas to paye the same within thre monithes after. ffurder the said L. Channcllor doo adward, Judge and decre, then when soe ever the saide John be lafully required by the said Richard or Nichas ther heyres or assignes, shall release to them ther heyres and assignes all the right, title, intreste, possession and demand that he hathe, or of right he oght to have, in or uppon the said towne lordshippe and inheritaunce of Kyltullaghmore, for ever.-In Wittnes whereof, the said L. Chauncller unto this presents hath subscribed his name. Yevyne at Galvy, the VIII. of Apriell Ao. r. r. Edwardi sexti septimo.

"THOMAS CUSAKE CANCEL.
"R. CLANRYCARD.

"CRISTOPHER. TUAMEN.
"ROBERT DYLLON, Attorn.
"ROLANDUS CLONFERTEN."

The following fragment is all that now remains of the "Pettegree," which accompanied the petition of John Blake to the commissioners of the Plantation, in A. D. 1640 (see ante, p. 192). The commencement, which connected some of the early branches with the main stock, is lost.

John

The said Andrew had three sons, William, now living, descended of the first; Henry Fitz-P., now living, descended of the second; and Marcuse and Sir Richardf now living, descended of the third.

NOTE K. See page 34 "College of Galway."

The Regal Visitation of A. D. 1615, gives the following account of this foundation: "Quam primum venimus ad Galiviam, Templum ingressi, majorem et Aldermanos illius civitatis convocavimus, et quesivimus quomodo cultus divinus in eadem Ecclesia celebratur. Presentabant illi coram nobis duos ministros, quorum alter noviter, paulo ante adventum nostrum, promotus et electus fuit Guardianus Collegii ibidem, homo lesie fame, et vix probate vite. Alter, minister vagus, undiquaquam cursitans, et alias in diversis diocesibus beneficiatus. Hoc responsum valde displicuit nobis, nam justam prebuit occasionem nobis suspicandi, quod in eadem civitate vixissent, pro majori parte, sine servitio divino, et pene absque Deo in terris. Cujus defectus rationem ulterius indagantes, invenimus in cemiterio ejusdem ecclesie, extructum fuisse ab antiquo, Collegium pro uno Gardiano et octo vicariis choralibus, ad serviendum et celebrandum divinum cultum in illa ecclesia, primo fundatum per Papam ducentis abhinc annis; extunc restauratum per Edwardum sextum et Reginam Elizabetham ad usum precedentem. Intelleximus etiam quod annuus valor beneficiorum spectantium ad idem collegium extendit se ad octoginta libras, quolibet anno, sed quod qui fuerunt nuper Gardiani in illo collegio minus juste authoritatem sibi usurpassent sub debito et justo valore dimittendi fructus et emolumenta dicti collegii. Nominatim vero denotaverunt nobis Rolandum nunc episcopum Clonfertensem et Duacensem, et Abelem Walsh nuper Gardianos, nimis providos dimisisse proventus Collegii, a valore octoginta librarum ad valorem quadraginta librarum reduxisse. Unde nos diligentius literas fundationis illius collegii considerantes, et tenorem literarum patentium, invenimus istas iniquas dimissiones omnino injuste fuisse factas; et quod Gardianus dicti Collegii electus tantumodo ab anno in annum non potuit pro tempore longiori dimittere. Et quia speciatim per dictas literas patentes providetur, quod Gardiani et vicarii singulis annis tenentur reddere computum majori et Ballivis illius civitatis, de dimissione fructuum collegii, atque sine eorum consensu et speciali confirmatione nihil potuerunt facere vel dimittere quod ad damnum illius collegii redundaret; harum verum debita consideratione inducti, primo sequestravimus omnes fructus et emolumenta inducti collegii in manus trium civium illius civitatis satis divitum et bone fame et estimationis qui libentur hujus negotii curam in se susceperunt; quos ego Cancellarius per strictam recognitionem domino Regi obligavi, ut fidelem computum et exactum, annuatim fructuum et proventionum illius collegii redderent majori et vicecomitibus dicte civitatis, serio dedimus in mandatis, ut non solum cum advisamento Archiepiscopi Tuamensis unum Gardianum et octo vicarios in dicto collegio locarent, constituerent ad celebrandum divinum cultum et servitium in eadem Ecclesia, sed etiam ut annuale stipendium

pro