Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/MacMoyer, Florence
MACMOYER, FLORENCE (d. 1713), last keeper of the book of Armagh, known in Irish as Finghin Maclnmhaoir, wrote his name in Latin Flarentinus Muire (Book of Armagh, fol. 1046), and when in England was called Florence Wyer. The 'Book of Armagh,' written in 807, was one of the most precious possessions of the church of Armagh, and its custody was the official duty of the Clan MacMoyre from the fourteenth century and probably much earlier. The townlands of Agincurk, Ballintate, Ballintemple, Cavanakifl,Corlat, Knockavannon, Lurgana, Outleckan in the parish of Ballymyre, Barony of Fews, co. Armagh, were time out of mind the property of the sept (Armagh Inquisition, 12 Aug. 1609), and at Ballymyre the last keeper was born. He was educated at a large school of which the locality is unknown, and himself became a schoolmaster (Letter of Bishop Cusack). In 1680 he pledged the book for five pounds to pay his expenses to London. On 3 May 1681 he was the first witness at the trial of Oliver Plunket [q . v.], archbishop of Armagh, and swore that Plunket obtained the primacy by promising to aid in a French invasion of Ireland, that he aided Colonel Miles Rely and Colonel Bourne to raise forces to join the French when they landed, and wrote treasonable letters. The foreman of the jury seems to have thought him a villain (Burnet, ii. 502) ; and it is clear that he and his kinsman, John Moyer, a Franciscan friar, had in revenge for a private quarrel determined to compass Plunket's death by agreeing in what now seems incredible evidence as to his association in a treasonable conspiracy. He explained his not giving evidence earlier than 1681 of what happened in 1667 by saying that he was a Roman catholic. The lord chief justice asked 'Are you not so now?' and he replied 'Yes, I am so,' Plunket solemnly affirmed that he had never spoken to him, and had never to his knowledge seen him before MacMoyer was detained in prison in London till after 1683. He then returned to Ireland, lived in a glen in the townland of Ballintate, co. Armagh, and died 12 Feb. 1713, universally despised. He was buried in Ballymyre churchyard, and his tombstone was treated with indignity. Those of the sept who lived in their ancient district changed their name to MacUidhir or MacGuire, which though written differently approaches the sound of the abbreviated Irish form Maclnmhaoir, and it was long believed that every year Florence MacMoyer was solemnly cursed by the pope. He never redeemed the 'Book of Armagh,' which about 1707 came into the possession of Arthur Brownlow, from whose descendant it was bought by Bishop William Reeves and given to Trinity College, Dublin.
[Memoir of the Book of Armagh, by William Reeves, vicar of Lusk, 1861; Proceedings of Royal Irish Academy, Aug. 1891; James Stuart's Historical Memoirs of Armagh, 1811; State Trials, ed. 1810, viii. 447, 474; Moran's Memoirs of Oliver Plunket, Dublin, 1861, p. 307.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.190
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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