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 John Perrott, of an ancient Pembrokeshire family, but supposed by
some to be a son of Henry VIII., was the person selected for the task of
reducing Munster. He had been made a Knight of the Bath along with
Ormonde at Edward VI.'s coronation, had served at St. Quentin, and in
1560 had again been the Earl's companion in the tilt at Greenwich, where,
in presence of the French ambassador, he maintained Elizabeth's quarrel
against all comers. In running a course with Mr. Cornwallis both riders
lost their tempers and fell to tilting in the Queen's presence with sharp
lances and without armour--a pastime which she soon put a stop to. The
story is characteristic of the gallant but imprudent man who played so
great a part in Irish history. His taste and magnificence, perhaps his
extravagance, may be guessed from his additions to Carew Castle--a manor
which had been granted to him by Mary in spite of his Protestantism and
of his refusal to persecute other Protestants. Ormonde now declared that
his old comrade should be Lord President even against his will, and to
judge by the delay he was neither anxious for the honour nor in a hurry
to begin the work.[186]
[Sidenote: Perrott's instructions.]
The salary of the Lord President was fixed at 133_l._ 6_s._ 8_d._, as in
the case of Connaught, and he was allowed thirty horse and twenty foot in
the Queen's pay. The first Chief Justice, with a salary of 100_l._, was
James Dowdall, afterwards Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench. Nicholas
Walshe, afterwards Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, was second justice,
with a salary of 100 marks. Thomas Burgate was the first Clerk of the
Council, which originally consisted of the Archbishops and Bishops of
Munster and of the Earls of Ormonde, Thomond, and Clancare, power being
reserved to the Lord Deputy to appoint additional councillors at his
pleasure. The Council had all the judicial authority of a Court of
Assize. The Lord President was not to be out of his province for more
than six days without the Deputy's license; but special leave was given
to Sir John Perrott to visit his estate in Pembrokeshire and to return
within one month. The liberties of Tipperary were not to be needlessly
infringed, but those of Kerry were declared to be null and void. The Lord
President and Council were to assist all officers, civil and
ecclesiastical, to maintain their proper authority, and the following
curious provision was made in furtherance of religion as by law
established:--
'The said Lord President shall have and retain one chaplain or minister
that shall and can preach and read the Homilies; who shall be allowed his
diets in the household of the said Lord President, and shall receive the
entertainment of one of the house assigned to the President; to whom the
Lord President shall cause due reverence to be given, in respect of the
office that he shall have for the service of God.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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