Ireland under the Tudors, with a Succinct Account of the Earlier History. Vol. 2 (of 3)Bagwell, Richard
History
Ireland under the Tudors, with a Succinct Account of the Earlier History. Vol. 2 (of 3)
Bagwell, Richard
Ireland -- History -- 16th century
Sir Peter claimed a vast inheritance in Munster as heir to the conqueror
Robert FitzStephen, whose only daughter was supposed to have married a
Carew. Unfortunately for this theory Giraldus twice states in the
plainest language that FitzStephen had no legitimate offspring, and it is
hard to see how his testimony can possibly be shaken on such a point.
Carew may perhaps have married his natural daughter, but that would give
him no title at all under the grant of Henry II.; and his claims over the
vast region between Lismore and St. Brandon's Head in Kerry may therefore
be dismissed. That the Carews did, however, by some means become
possessed of much land in Munster is none the less clear. There was a
Marquis Carew who, at some period before the accession of Henry IV., had
a revenue of 2,200_l._ in the county of Cork, besides the possession and
profits of Dursey and other havens there. The Carews seem to have left
Ireland altogether in the time of Richard II., so that in any case there
was a prescription of 170 years against Sir Peter. The English heralds
manufactured a pedigree for him 'in colours very orderly,' bringing down
his title from FitzStephen's mythical daughter: and had not political
considerations stood in the way, it is probable that his title would have
been admitted by the Crown.[149]
[Sidenote: Carew comes to Ireland and claims Idrone.]
Hooker took a house in Dublin for his principal, and warned him that most
things would have to be brought from England, and that it was difficult
to raise even 20_l._ in the Irish capital. The raw material of good
housekeeping--fish, flesh, and fowl--was to be had; but sugar and spices,
a steward, a cook, a physician, and a surgeon, would all have to be
imported. These preparations being at last completed, Carew set sail from
Ilfracombe, and landed at Waterford, whither Hooker lost no time in
repairing. Thither also came two other men of Devon, Thomas Stukeley, at
this time Constable of Leighlin, the stormy petrel of Elizabeth's time,
and Henry Davells, afterwards the victim of a frightful tragedy. Both
professed themselves anxious to help their countryman in his attempt to
recover the Barony of Idrone in Carlow, which had formerly belonged to
his family, and which Hooker had already inspected. Davells and Stukeley
accompanied Carew to Leighlin, where the latter entertained him, and
where he received several chiefmen of the Kavanaghs, which clan had been
in possession of Idrone since Richard II.'s day at least. Sir Peter
informed them that he was their lord, and was come to claim his own,
'which speeches were not so hard unto them but they more hardly digested
them.'[150]
[Sidenote: The Council allow Carew's claim in the Cheevers case.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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