time of the King's title till his pleasure should be known.[1]
The first reference in the State Papers to the King's title is in a letter from Chichester to Salis bury in June 1610, in which it is referred to as a "new discovery." In December of the same year he asked that the lands in question should not be granted to the natives or to any other suitor but to Sir Edward Fisher and Sir Laurence Esmonde according to a form sent by Fisher. It would appear that having now looked into the "new discovery" he had determined not to regrant to the natives, but to make a plantation, and that the grant thus asked for was merely of a temporary nature to enable him to proceed with the work.
The new title was briefly this. Art MacMurrough Kavanagh and his subject chiefs had agreed with Richard II. to give up their Leinster territories by a certain day, and to set out and conquer new homes for themselves in some other part of the island, of which the King was to give them estates of inheritance. Whether anyone ever believed that this preposterous agreement could be carried out seems open to doubt; besides it is not clear how Art and his chiefs could surrender lands of which they were only trustees for their clansmen.
However the King at once granted seven manors of the lands then held by Art and his subjects to Sir John Beaumont. His interest descended to
- ↑ The King's title was first spoken of during a trial between Sir R. Masterson and one of the Kavanaghs. This was before the orders for accepting surrenders were made. The Deputy had not heard of the King's title when the orders were made.
