Page:Confiscation in Irish history.djvu/99

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THE PLANTATION OF LEINSTER
87

were finally bought off by a grant of lands contingent on the death of the late chief's widow.[1]

Some two hundred freeholders surrendered their lands. One-half of the country was divided among them; but here, as in other plantations, we must suppose that the smaller landowners lost everything.[2]

The work of confiscation went merrily on. That Mac Gillapatrick of Upper Ossory had received a grant of his lands from Henry VIII. with the title of baron; that his son had been " bedfellow" of Edward VI.; that the family since then had preserved among all temptations its loyalty to the Crown did not prevent the seizure of one-fourth of the territory, which was granted to the Duke of Buckingham.[3]

Sir John Mac Coghlan of Delvin had served the late Queen well in her wars; his estates seemed secure by a grant from her, and at the same time she had directed that the rest of the inhabitants of Delvin were to have letters patent, every man of his own; chief and clansmen in O'Molloy's country seemed equally secure; O'Dunne of Iregan had received from James himself a grant setting out fully all the rents and services which he was to receive from the clansmen in lieu of the old uncer-

  1. Cal. St. Paps., 1621, p. 334. It cannot be maintained against the King because they have been expulsed by the Irish 200 years, and the land recovered from them at the charge of the Crown.
  2. The chief had had 166 quarters, and a yearly sum of £276 13s. 4d. out of 445 quarters held by the free tenants, in lieu of the former Irish exactions. Pat. Rolls, Jas. I., p. 9.
  3. The title was derived from Isabel Marshall who married Gilbert de Clare, through their son Richard, whose son, another Gilbert, had one son who died without offspring and three daughters and coheiresses, one of whom, Elizabeth, married William de Burgo. Then through the Mortimers it, with the rest of the de Burgo inheritance, came to the Crown. (Inquis. Lageniae).