Annals of Dublin from 1173 to 1500

**

CHAP. XI**

Fasti Dublinienses: Or, a short chronicle of the remarkable actions done from time to time by the citizens of Dublin in defence of the state, intermixed with other accidents befalling the city, and the charters and grants made to it. **

A. D. 1173**. King Henry II. having received the submissions of the Irish, granted the city of Dublin to the people of Bristol to inhabit, as by the following charter.

“Henricus dei gratia, &c. Henry by the grace of God, king of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Normandy and Aquitain, and earl of Anjou, to the archbishops, bishops, abbots, earls, barons, justices, ministers, and sheriffs, and to all his faithful subjects French, English and Irish, greeting. Know ye, that I have given, granted, and by my charter confirmed to my subjects of Bristol my city of Dublin to inhabit. Wherefore I will and firmly command that they do inhabit it, and hold it of me and of my heirs, well and in peace, freely and quietly, fully and amply, and honourably, with all the liberties and free customs, which the men of Bristol have at Bristol, and through my whole land.. Witness William de Braosa, Reginald de Curtenay, Hugh de Gundeville, William Fitz-Aldelm, Reginald de Glanville, Hugh de Cressy, Reginald de Pavilly, at Dublin (See. cap. 1).” **

A. D. 1175**. Harvey of Mount-Maurice, being with earl Strongbow at Waterford, persuaded him to an expedition against the Irish in and about Cashell; and to strengthen themselves they sent orders to a body of the Ostmen citizens of Dublin, who had incorporated with the English, to march to their aid. But they were surprized by Donald prince of Ossory, or of Limerick, as Cambrensis says, and defeated with the slaughter of four gentlemen at arms, and 400 of the citizens; which elevated the Irish so much, that Roderick O-Connor, king of Conaught, passed the Shannon, and preyed the country even to the walls of Dublin. **

A. D. 1177**. Earl Strongbow died in Dublin of a mortification in his foot, and was buried with great solemnity in Christ-church, in sight of the cross, where still remains a monument to his memory. The same year Vivian, the pope’s legate, held a synod in Dublin, and therein published king Henry’s title to Ireland, and the pope’s ratification of it, denouncing excommunication against all who should withdraw their allegiance from him. He also gave licence to the English to take provisions deposited in churches or monasteries upon paying the value thereof **

A. D. 1178**. William Fitz-Aldelm, chief governor of Ireland, removed a relict called Jesus’s staff to Dublin, and deposited it in Christ-church there, which brought no small profit to the canons of that church. **

A. D. 1185**. Philip of Worcester, constable or chief governor of Ireland, in lent this year marched a body of forces from Dublin to Armagh, which he rifled and plundered for six days together, and then returned without loss to Dublin. **

A. D. 1190**. Great part of Dublin was consumed by an accidental fire. **

AD. 1195**. The body of Hugh de Lacy (who had been murdered at Durrogh in 1186) was this year removed from among the Irish, and buried at Bectiff in the county of Meath, by Matthew archbishop of Cashell, and John archbishop of Dublin; but they deposited his head in the abbey of St. Thomas, near Dublin. **

A. D. 1204**. Great numbers fell by the plague this year, in Dublin and the neighbouring parts. **

A. D. 1205**. Meyler Fitz-Henry, lord justice of Ireland, signified to king John, that he had no secure place to deposit his treasure in, and that for that, as well as other necessary occasions, it would be requisite to erect a strong fortress at Dublin in pursuance of which application, the commanded him by writ (See chapter 1) to erect a castle in Dublin, in such a place as he should think proper, in order to secure and defend the same, and to inclose it with strong wails: but first he commanded him to build a tower, unless a castle and palace might be more conveniently raised; for the building which work he assigned him 300 marks due to the king by Jeffery Fitz-Robert.

He also commanded him to oblige the citizens to fortify and strengthen the city, and granted them a fair to be held for eight days, to begin on the day of the invention of the holy cross, and that due proclamation be made thereof to invite merchants to resort thereto. This writ is the first notice we have of the original of the castle of Dublin; though it was not finished, nor perhaps begun by this lord justice; the honour of that action being ascribed to Henry de Loundres archbishop of Dublin, who was constituted lord justice in 1213. **

A. D. 1210**. King John being this year in Ireland with a considerable army, set about the reformation of it with vigour; and for this end he anew divided such parts of it as were in his possessions into counties, erected courts of judicature in Dublin, and appointed judges, circuit and corporations as in England. He also caused an abstract of the English laws and customs to be drawn up in writing, and affixing his seal thereto, deposited them in his exchequer at Dublin.

Upon his departure from Dublin he left the government in the hands of John de Gray, bishop of Norwich, who, by command of the king caused pence and farthings to be coined of the same standard and fineness as those of England, which had an equal currency in both kingdoms. On this new coin was the king’s head in a triangle, inscribed JOHANNES REX, and on the reverse, a crescent and bright planet, with three lesser stars or starlings in the three points of another triangle, with the mint-master’s name, ROBERD. ON. DIVE. for Divelin, i. e. Dublin. The triangle on the Irish coins of this monarch, as well as those of his two next successors, have been supposed to represent a harp, the arms of Ireland, which was after more fully impressed on the coins of some of the succeeding kings. The ounce of silver at this time was divided into 20 sterling pence, and so it** **continued till the 9th of Edward III. at which time it was divided into 26 pence. This proportion remained till the 2d of Henry VL when it made 32 pence. The standard received another alteration an. 5th Edward IV. into 40 pence to the ounce, and since has increased to 60 pence. But this by the way. **

A. D. 1212**. John Comyn, archbishop of Dublin, departed this life, and was buried in a marble tomb on the south side of the choir of Christ-church, which he had partly renewed and somewhat enlarged in 1190. He also built and endowed that spacious church, dedicated to St. Patrick, in the southern suburbs of the city, having demolished the old parish church that was there, and therein placed 13 prebends, which number in after-times encreased to 22.

(His tenants nicknamed him Scorch-bill or Scorche-villeyn upon the following occasion: He being peaceably installed in his bishoprick, summoned all this tenants and farmers at a certain day appointed to make their personal appearance before him, and to bring with them such evidence and writings as they enjoyed their holds by: the tenants at the day appointed appeared, shewed their evidences to their landlord, mistrusting nothing; he had no sooner received them, but before their faces upon a sudden cast them all into the fire, secretly made for that purpose ; this fact amazed some that they became silent, moved others to rage, that they regarded neither place nor person, broke into irreverent speeches: “Thou an archbishop, nay, thou art a Scorche-villeyn,” another drew his Weapon and said, “As good for me to kill as he killed, for when my evidences are burned, and my living taken away, I am killed.” The bishop seeing this tumult, and the imminent danger, went out at a back door; his chaplains, registers and summoners were all beaten, and some of them left for dead. They threaten to fire the house over the bishop’s head; some means was had to pacify them for the present, with promises that all hereafter should be to their own content; upon this they departed. See Camd. An. Of Ireland 1212, black-book of the archbishop of Dublin, fol. 437.0

To him Henry de Loundres succeeded. This Henry is the person supposed to have built the castle of Dublin, and was made lord justice of Ireland in 1213. **

A. D. 1215**. The king granted a licence to the citizens of Dublin to erect a bridge over the Liffey, where they pleased. **

A. D. 1217**. King Henry III. granted a fee-farm of the city of Dublin to the citizens at 200 marks rent. Henry de Loundres, archbishop of Dublin, held a synod of the clergy there, wherein he established many canons, profitable for the Irish church, which are extant in the antient registry called Credo Mihi. **

A. D. 1223**. The power archbishop Loundres had as lord justice, and the pope’d legate, gave him the opportunity of encroaching on the rights of the crown and the liberties of the subject, by drawing temporal causes to the ecclesiastical courts, of which the citizens of Dublin complained to the king, who this year sent him an increpatory writ, prohibiting him from such practices for the future, with threats of severe treatment if he persisted. The king also sent him another writ* *about the fame time, commanding him to redress a nuisance committed in the harbour of Dublin, according to the law of England. **

A. D. 1224**. The citizens of Dublin made a voluntary loan to king Henry III of 366 marks (a sum considerable in those times) to forward an expedition against Hugh de Lacy (Brother to Walter de Lacy), who thereby was so effectually pursued, that he was obliged to make his submission, and was pardoned; and the king reciting the service, repaid the fame by privy-seal soon after. The same year the king granted to them 50 marks towards walling the city, to make up what was* *deficient in a grant made by him for the same purpose four years before of three pence for every sack of wool, six pence for every last of hides, and two pence out of every barrell of wine sold in the city. **

A. D. 1228**. About this time archbishop Loundres died and was buried in Christ-church, over against Comyn, as is said, in a wooden tomb on the north side of the choir, and was succeeded by Luke Dean of St. Martin’s, London. **

A. D. 1251**. King Henry III. caused a new coin to be stamped in Dublin, and called in the old. It bears the king’s head within a triangle, or three cornered harp, with this inscription, HENRICUS REX III. and on the reverse a cross, quartering a penny into four farthings, and the name of the mint-master, and place of coinage. RICHARD ON DIVE. for Divelin. The cause of striking this coin was probably to answer the pope’s demands of Irish subsidies made for the holy land this year. **

A. D. 1255**. Luke, archbishop of Dublin, died and was buried in the same tomb with archbishop Comyn in Christ-church, on the fabrick whereof he was at some expence. **

A. D.1262**. This year much contention arose between the prior and convent of Christ-church and the corporation of Dublin, about the tyth-fish of the river Liffey; but how the same was composed does not appear. **

A. D. 1266**. A great earthquake was felt in Ireland, which, being a thing very uncommon, struck more terror into the pie, than it did them mischief. **

A. D. 1267**. Great quarrels arose between Fulk de Saundford, archbishop of Dublin, and the mayor and citizens upon this occasion. The principal support of the churches of Dublin (as the archbishop alledged) consisted then of the offerings on sundays and holy-days, at the benedictions of new-married people, and the purifications of child-bed women, which offerings people made in the churches, accompanied by a numerous train, who all made their oblations upon the occasion. The mayor and citizens endeavoured to correct the excesses to which this practise had grown; and for this purpose they this year issued a proclamation with a penalty annexed, “That citizens should not presume to make their offerings more than four times a year, and restrained the numbers attending new married people, and child-bed women to two. They seized the wax candles carried in processions at funerals, which used to be given to the churches, and deposited them in their own halls, leaving only two to the church where the person was buried. They ordered that no prelate or ecclesiastical judge within the city should hold plea of usury, or of any crime or cause, except what were matrimonial or testamentary; and that they should have no cognizance of intestate goods, which they ordered to be paid into the exchequer; and further, that no citizen, even in causes ecclesiastical, should be obliged to appear in judgment out of the limits of the city.”

These encroachments on the ecclesiastical immunities were highly resented by the archbishop. He often admonished the mayor and citizens to a forbearance, which having no effect, he by his ordinary authority promulgated the sentence of excommunication against them, and put the city under an interdict, to strengthen which he had recourse to cardinal Octobon, the pope’s legate then at London who on the 18th of February sent a commission to the bishops of Lismore and Waterford to denounce the mayor and citizens excommunicate by bell book and candle, in all places within the city and province of Dublin.

These disputes put the city into a great flame, and in summer 1268, sir Robert de Ufford, lord justice, and the privy council interposed in the quarrel, and a composition was made between the archbishop and the citizens in the mayoralty of Vincent Tabi, the terms of which, relating only to some of the particulars (the matters meerly ecclesiastical being probably before given up) were these, viz. ” If any citizen committed a publick sin, he should for the said offence commute for a sum of money. If he continued in his sin, and that the fame were enormous and publick, that then* fustigetur*, &C he should be cudgelled about the church. That for a third offence he should be publickly cudgelled before the processions made to Christ-church or St. Patrick’s, and if after this penance he should persist in his fin, that the official of the archbishop should give notice of it to the mayor and bailiffs, who should either turn him out of the city, or cudgell him through it. It was further agreed, that a general inquisition should be made once a year through the city after all publick sins; but that no citizen should be drawn out of the jurisdiction of the city by any official of the archbishop, but should answer within the city before the ordinary jurisdiction.” We thought this passage worth transcribing from the black-book of the archbishop of Dublin, and the crede mihe, to shew the practises and penances of those early times, and how little remedy the citizens had by turning reformers. **

A. D. 1271**. Fulk de Saundford, archbishop of Dublin died, and was buried in St. Patrick’s church, in St. Mary’s chapel; and in the same monument his brother John de Saundford, also archbishop of Dublin, who died in 1294, was deposited. **

A. D. 1279**. Stephen de Fulburn, bishop of Waterford, lord deputy, by the command of king Edward I. made an alteration in the coin. This monarch to his everlasting honour fixed a certain standard in England for money, both as to* *weight and fineness, according to which rule the mints in Ireland were regulated, as appears from the accounts of Donat and Andrew Sperdsholt, masters of the exchange in Dublin.

The money at this time struck presented the king’s face within a triangle, or three cornered harp, in the same manner as those of the two former reigns, inscribed EDW. R. ANGL. DNS. HIB. on the reverse a cross, as in his father’s, inscribed, CIVITAS DUBLINIE. In this king’s reign there were four mints in Dublin, and a great deal, of money coined there, as also at Waterford and Drogheda. **

A. D. 1282**. High-street was burned. **

A. D. 1283**. On the 2d of January the greatest part of the city of Dublin was burned down by an accidental fire, which did not spare the steeple, chapter-house, dormitory and cloisters of Christ-church: but such was the devotion of the citizens, that they first set about a collection for the repair of the church before they thought of re-edifying their own houses. **

A. D. 1289**. The following grant was renewed to the citizens of Dublin 18 Edw. I. The king to the bailiffs and honest men of Dublin, greeting. Since in aid of walling your town we lately by our letters patents granted that you should take some customs to a certain day, of every thing to be sold coming to that town; and our beloved and faithful subject Nicholas de Clerc, treasurer of Ireland, has certified us, that you at the command of the said Nicholas have employed great part of the money arising by those customs to the enclosing or repairing the exchequer at Dublin, therefore we continue the said tax for three years longer than our first grant, &c (Atwood, p. 130). **

A. D. 1300**. Two species of base money called *pallards *and *crocards *were forbidden by proclamation. Holingshed explains these coins to be a white money, artificially composed by a mixture of silver, copper and sulphur, and that a penny of them were worth no more than a half sterling, *i e. *a halfpenny. The *crocard *might have been perhaps of such a composition; but *the pollard *seems to have been a legal money clipped, and reduced by that means to less than the value. As a pollard-tree is a tree that has been often topped, and a pollard-stag is a stag that has cast his horns; in the same sense the pollard seems to be *pecunia detonsa. *The proclamation for crying down this money is extant in the red-book of the exchequer in Dublin. **

A. D. 1301**. A great part of the city of Dublin, together with St. Werburgh’s church, was accidentally burned down on St. Columb’s-eve. The manner of building here* *then was of wattles and thatch, as is observed before; so that it will be no extraordinary thing to hear often of such accidents. At this time the common-pleas, and the pleas of the crown were not held before judges appointed in the courts for that purpose, but before the chief governor of Ireland, and sometimes, when he was otherwise employed, by commissioners appointed by him. **

A. D. 1304**. A great part of the city of Dublin was again burned down on the 13th of June, and among other places Bridge-street, the quay, the church of the Dominicans, and one quarter of St. Mary’s-abbey were consumed, in the latter or which, being at that time the repository of the records in chancery, many of them were destroyed. The same year the first stone of the new choir of the Dominican was laid by sir Eustace le Power on the festival of St. Agatha the virgin. **

A. D. 1305**. The mayor of Dublin having made some complaints to the Irish parliament against the treasurer and barons of the exchequer, the cause was this year transmitted to England to be heard, and the mayor was fined, and committed a prisoner to the tower of London, in regard he could not make out his accusation. **

A. D. 1306**. The lord chancellor, Thomas Cantock, was consecrated bishop of Emly in Christ-church, Dublin, and upon the occasion feasted the nobility and gentry, and afterwards the poor, with a magnificence unheard of in those times. **

A. D, 1308**. William Mc. Balthor, or Mc. Walter, a great robber and incendiary, was condemned by the lord justice Wogan in the king’s courts, Dublin, and was drawn at a horse’s tail to the gallows, and there executed. John Decer, mayor of Dublin, at his own charge made a marble cistern in the publick street to receive water from the conduit in Dublin for the benefit of the inhabitants (such as was never before seen there.) He also a little before built a bridge over the Liffey, near the priory of St. Wolfstan, and a chapel dedicated to the B. V. Mary in the Franciscan monastery, wherein he was afterwards buried himself: he also erected another chapel to the B. V. Mary in St. John’s hospital. His bounty to the Dominicans is also celebrated; for he erected a large and elegant stone-pillar in their church, and presented to the friers a large stone altar with all the appurtenant ornaments, and entertained them at his own table every friday out of charity. It is also recorded in the registry of the Dominicans of Dublin, that this generous magistrate in a time of great scarcity raised a vast sum of money, and furnished out three ships to France, which returned in two months laden with corn, and that he bestowed one of the ships loading on the lord justice and militia, anothee on the Dominican and Augustin seminaaries, and reserved a third for the exercise of his own hospitality and bounty. At the same time the prior of Christ-church, being destitute of corn, and having no money to buy it, sent to this worthy mayor a pledge of plate to the value of 40 l. but he returned the plate and sent the prior a present of 20 barrels of corn. These beneficent actions moved the Dominicans to insert the following prayer in their litany, viz. “Orate pro salute majoris, ballivorum, et communitatis de omni civitate Dubliniensi, optimorum benefactorum huic ordini tuo, nunc et in hora mortis.” **

A. D. 1310**. The bakers of. Dublin were drawn on hurdles at horses tails through the streets, as a punishment for using false weights and other evil practices. This happened in a year of great scarcity, when a cronoge of wheat sold for 20 s. and upwards. **

A. D. 1312**. The septs of the O-Birnes and O-Tools invaded Tassagard and Rathcool, and were powerful enough to strike a terror into the citizens of Dublin, as well by their numbers as their policies, in laying ambushes up and. down the woods of Glendolory on the south side of the city of Dublin. The citizens had not at this time power sufficient to suppress them, and the state were otherwise employed in opposing a riot raised by Robert de Verdon in that part of Urgile, called the county of Louth. But upon the submission of Verdon, the O-Birnes and O-Tools were quelled. **

A. D. 1313**. John Decor, at this time a private citizen, but formerly mayor of Dublin, built a bridge extending from the town of Bailyboght to tile causeway of the mill-pool of Clontarf, which before was a very dangerous passage. But after great charges the bridge was carried away by an inundation **

A. D. 1315**. Edward Bruce, brother to the king of Scotland, having this year landed 6,000. men at Carrickfergus, overran a good part of the north, and possessed himself of Green-Castle. But the citizens of Dublin sent out a strong party by sea, and soon recovered it for the king. They took therein the governor sir Robert de Coulragh, whom they brought with them to Dublin, and cast him in prison ; where being stinted to a hard diet, he died for want. On account of these troubles raised by the Scots, the term s was by special proclamation pursuant to the king’s order, adjourned from Hillary to the quindene of Easter; **

A D. 1316**. David O-Tool, and four others of the same sept laid an ambush of a considerable party in the wood of Cullen, near Dublin, in order to surprize the citizens unaware, as they had formerly done in the year 1209. But they had not forgot their losses upon that occasion ; and therefore issued out prepared with their black standard before them, headed by sir William Comyn, and had the execution on the O-Tools for six leagues, of whom they flew 17, and wounded many desperately. On the 15th of November this year happened so great a tempest, that much mischief was done by it both by sea and land; it threw down many houses in Dublin, and demolished the steeple of Christ-church. The fame year information being given that Richard earl of Ulster (Sur-named Bourgh or de Burgo.) was instrumental in bringing Bruce and his Scots into Ireland, Robert de Nottingham, then mayor of Dublin (He was seven times mayor of Dublin) and a strong band of the commons, marched to St. Mary’s-abbey (where the earl lay in a state of quietness, notwithstanding Bruce was encamped at Castle-Knock) and arrested and imprisoned him in the castle of Dublin.

He made resistance, and seven of his men were slain in the fray, and the abbey spoiled upon suspicion that the monks favoured, the enemy. The earl lay a considerable time in confinement; and though the lord justice and several of the king’s council sent a mandate to the mayor to discharge him upon bail, yet the mayor disobeyed the orders, and he was kept in close custody till Whitsuntide 1317, when the lord justice repaired to Dublin, and assembled a parliament at Kilmainham, by which he was set at liberty, having first taken an oath on the sacrament, that he would neither by himself, his friends or followers, offer any mischief to the citizens for his imprisonment. He also gave pledges for the performance of his oath, yet was left at liberty to pursue any remedy by law.

During the imprisonment of the earl of Ulster, Bruce marched to Dublin at the head of his army, and made a show as if he would besiege it. The citizens to prevent any danger from his approach, by common consent set fire to Thomas-street, the flames whereof unfortunately laid hold of St. John’s church without Newgate, and burned it down to the ground, together with Magdalen chapel, and all the suburbs. St. Mary’s abbey was destroyed, and St. Patrick’s church rifled by the enemy. The church of the Dominicans was also razed, and the stones of it employed in building and repairing the city walls, which were enlarged on the north part, and extended to the quays. For before this time the walls were carried by St. Owen’s church near 400 feet from the river, and the Merchants-quay was then reputed as part of the suburbs of the city. But in the time of this danger the citizens built a new wall along the river to the Old-bridge, and so to Newgate. The damages done to the Dominican abbey were afterwards repaired by the citizens, who nevertheless sued out the king’s pardon to prevent any future reckonings (See Prins Animad. p. 60. A writ that the citizens could not be molested for burning houses and seizing cattle on this occasion; and another for a pardon.): and the king afterwards, upon their petition, in consideration of their sufferings from the Scots at the time of this timing, remitted to them half their fee-farm rent, the whole amounting to 200** **marks. Bruce, finding that the city was well fortified, and the inhabitants prepared for a vigorous defence, turned aside to Naas, and made no further attempts on Dublin. **

A D 1320**. An university was erected in St. Patrick’s-church, Dublin. **

A. D 1327**. Adam Duffe O-Toole was convicted of blasphemy in Dublin, viz. for denying the incarnation of Christ, the trinity in unity, for assuming that the blessed virgin was an harlot, that there was no resurrection, that the scriptures were a mere fable, and that the apostolical see was an imposture and usurpation, and the next year, pursuant to his sentence, was burned on Hoggin-green (Now College-green) near Dublin. **

A. D. 1328**. The mayor of Dublin was by commission appointed one of the judges for the trial of Roger Outlaw, prior of Kilmainham, who was accused of heresy by the bishop of Ossory. **

A. D. 1331**. A great famine afflicted all Ireland in this and the foregoing year, and the city of Dublin suffered miserably. But the people in their distress met with an unexpected and providential relief For about the 24th of June a prodigious number of large sea fish, called Turlehydes, were brought into the bay of Dublin, and cast on shore at the mouth of the river Dodder (This is now called Donebrook river, and falls into the Liffey at Ringsend). They were from 30 to 40 feet long, and so bulky, that two tall men placed one on each tide of the fish could not see one another. The lord justice, sir Anthony Lucy, with his servants, and many of the citizens of Dublin, killed above 200 of them, and gave leave to the poor to carry them away at their pleasure. **

A. D. 1332**. Sir Anthony Lucy marched out of Dublin into the county of Wicklow, attended by a strong band of citizens, and took the castle of Arklow from the Irish, and repaired the same and left a good garrison in it This year John Decer, a great benefactor to the city, died and was buried in the Franciscan convent. **

A. D. 1333**. The scarcity that had afflicted Dublin and the whole kingdom for some years past, was this year relieved, and the harvest came in so early that wheat was sold in the markets of the city on the 19th of June at six-pence a bushel. A parliament was assembled this summer in convent of the Carmelites in Dublin, during which, as they were going out of the court of the friers, one Murrough Mc. Nichol O-Tool was suddenly murdered in the crowd by some person unknown; upon which the nobility, upon a supposition of’ treason, were greatly terrified; but the murderer made his escape in the crowd undiscovered. **

A. D. 1337**. An odd accident happened, which, though of no consequence, affrighted the citizens. Seven partridges forsaking the fields, took their flight directly to Dublin, and flying swiftly over the market-place, settled on the top of an inn which belonged to the canons of Christ-church. The boys of the town found means to catch two of them and killed a third; which inhospitable usage frightening the rest, they took a swift flight and escaped into the neighbouring fields. **

A. D. 1338**. So great a frost was this year from the 2d of December to the 10th of February, that the river Liffey was frozen over so hard as to bear dancing, running, playing foot-ball, and making fires to broil herrings on. The depth of the snow that fell during this frosr, is almost incredible; yet it is agreed, that such a season was never before known in Ireland; however, we do not find that it was followed by any scarcity. **

A. D. 1342**. It is reported that on the 11th of October this year, and the 11th day of the moon, two moons were seen by many about Dublin, in the morning before day-break. The one was bright, and, according to its natural course in the west, the other in the east with very little light. **

A. D.1343**. St. Thomas-street was burned down by an accidental fire on the 13th of February. **

A. D. 1348**. This year a great pestilence raged through the greatest part of the world, and among other places destroyed vast numbers in the city of Dublin. It was called from the greatness of it the first peftilence, as having spread more mortally than any other that had before happened, and in respect of others that happened a few years after. John Clyn, a franciscan of Kilkenny, who lived at that time, gives a particular account of it in his annals, which therefore I choose to translate. “This year, and chiefly in the months of September and October, great numbers of bishops and prelates, ecclesiastical and religious, peers and others, and in general people of both sexes flocked together by troops, in pilgrimage to the water of Tachmoling, insomuch that many thousands of souls might be seen there together for many days. Some came on the score of devotion, but the greatest part for fear of the pestilence which raged at that time with great violence. It first broke out near Dublin, at Hoath and Dalky; it almost destroyed and laid waste the cities of Dublin and Drogheda insomuch, that in Dublin alone from the beginning of August to Christmas, 14.000 souls perished. This pestilence had its first beginning (as it is said) in the east, and pasting through the Saracens and Infidels, flew 8,000 legions of them it: seized the city of Avignon, where the Roman court then was: the January before it came among us, where the churches and cemeteries were not sufficient to receive the dead and the pope ordered a new cemetery to be consecrated for depositing the bodies of those who died of the pestilence; insomuch, that from the month of May to the translation of St. Thomas, 50,000 bodies and upwards were buried in the same cemetery. This distemper prevailed in full force in lent; for on the 6th day of March, eight Dominican friers died. Scarce a single person died in one house; but it commonly swept away husband, wife, children and servants all together.”

The author seems to have died of this plague, and to have had a foresight of his approaching fate. For he closes his annals in 1348: “But I (says he) frier John Clyn, of the franciscan order of the convent of Kilkenny, have in this book written the memorable things happening in my time, of which I was either an eye-witness, or learned them from the relation of such as were worthy of credit, and that these notable actions might not perish by time, and vanish out of the memory of our successors, fleeing the many evils that encompass us, and every sympton placed as it were under a malevolent influence. expecting death among the dead untill it comes, such things as I have heard delivered with* *veracity, and have strictly examined, I have reduced into writing. And lest the writing should perish with the writer, and the work fail with the workman, I leave behind me parchment for continuing it, if any man should have the good fortune to survive this calamity, or any one of the race of Adam should escape this pestilence, to continue what I have begun.” **

A. D. 1350**. The septs of the Harolds, the O-Birnes and the Archbolds, in the presence of the lord justice, sir Thomas Rooksby, elected for themselves separately chieftanes their several tribes, and submitted to the government, swearing to continue faithful subjects; and their chieftanes engaged that if any of their clans or adherents should for the time to come commit any felony or robbery on the king’s subjects, that they would upon notice bring such in to abide their trials, according to the course of law. This for a considerable time gave great quiet to the citizens of Dublin, who were often molested by these bordering enemies. **

A. D. 1351**. Kenelbreck Sherman, formerly mayor of Dublin, died on the 6th of March, and was buried under the belfry of the Dominicans, which he himself had built. He likewise glazed the great window at the upper end of the choir, roofed the church, and did many other pious works. His munificence at his death was approximated at 3,000 marks, besides what he had expended in his lift-time an charities. **

A. D. 1359**. ‘Till this time there was only one judge to dispatch the business of the court of king’s-bench, namely, John Redeness, who was at this time called plainly only justice. But now, the business being found to be too much for one man, the king, upon the application of the subject, appointed William Petit a second justice, under the name of an associate to Redeness, and allotted him an annual fee of 40 l. and he had liberty to practise as a lawyer, notwithstanding his being appointed a judge. **

A. D. 1361**. Morris Doncrese, a citizen of Dublin, died on the 6th of January, perhaps of a pestilence that raged this year, and was* *buried in the churchyard of the Dominicans, having given 40 l. towards glazing the church of that convent, besides other benefactions. He had been twice sheriff of the city, but never mayor. This year the city had a great loss by the removal of the exchequer to Carlow; and the steeple of the Dominicans was thrown down by a tempest. **

A. D. 1362**. On the 6th of April St. Patrick’s church, Dublin, was burned dawn by the negligence of John the sexton. A few years after it was re-built, and the present steeple added to it by archbishop Minot. **

A. D. 1370**. The third pestilence raged, and destroyed many of the nobility, gentry and citizens. This was reckoned more violent than either of the two former **

A. D. 1376**. It was this year found by inquisition that the citizens of Dublin had exceeded their powers by holding pleas of trespass in the tenement of Clonliffe, being without the bounds of the city franchises, against the king’s charter granted to the abbot and convent of St. Mary’s, Dublin; and that Nicholas Serjant, mayor, and Roger Folliogh and Robert Piers, bailiffs of Dublin, usurped a praetorian jurisdiction without the city liberties, upon John Stoad at Ballybough in the tenement of Clonliffe. **

A. D. 1383**. A great pestilence, called the fourth pestilence, raged and destroyed abundance of people. **

A. D. 1394**. King Richard II. made his first voyage to Ireland, and landed at Waterford, about Michaelmas, with an army of 30,000 foot and 4,000 horse, and having received the submission of most of the Irish of Leinster, he marched to Dublin, where he continued till the beginning of summer. During this time he granted to the city of Dublin a penny to be received yearly out of every house to repair the bridge and streets. Probably this is the original of the landgable-pence. He also confirmed by patent dated the 4th of June this year, all former grants made to the city. It is said also that he held a parliament this winter in Dublin, and redressed many grievances complained of. But it is more certain, that on the 25th of March he knighted four petty princes, of Ireland, who in robes agreeable to their state, sat that day with the king at table; and having supplied the courts of justice with able lawyers, he returned to England. **

A. D. 1399**. The citizens of Dublin made an inroad into the O-Birne’s country, cut off 33 of the Irish in battle, and took 80 prisoners. King Richard II. having on the 13th of May this year landed at Waterford, made his entry into Dublin on the 28th of June with a puissant army and a large train, and was nobly entertained by the mayor, and by many of the citizens. Notwithstanding the great resort to the city upon this occasion, yet the price of provisions did not much increase. He received here the news that Henry duke of Lancaster had invaded England, upon which he hastened over and was* *soon after deposed and murdered. **

A. D. 1402**. (According to Ware’s list of mayors, John drake did not fill that office until 1403) John Drake, mayor of Dublin, with a strong body of citizens well armed, marched out of Dublin against the O-Birnes and other Irish rebels, of whom on the 11th of July they flew, (as Campion says) near Bray, 4,000, but Henry of Marleburg reduces the number to 493, all being men of war: for the merit of which action the citizens elected Drake mayor for the succeeding year. The consequence of this success was the submission of Daniel O-Birne, for himself and his sept, and his voluntary surrender of the castle of Mackenigan to the king. The fame day that this victory was obtained the new church of the Dominicans in Dublin was consecrated by the archbishop of that city **

A. D. 1405**. The citizens of Dublin fitted out a fleet of barks, and going on board in June, invaded Scotland at St. Ninians, where they behaved themselves valiantly, and did much mischief. After this they sailed along the channel, and made a descent into Wales, and having ravaged the coast, brought from thence the shrine of St. Cubie, which on their return was deposited in Christ-church among other reliques there. Both these actions were in aid of king Henry IV. against whom the Scots had marched an army into England, and the Welsh under the conduct of Owen Glendower, had rebelled **

A. D. 1406**. The citizens of Dublin marched out their forces on Corpus Christi day, and being joined by a body of the country people in the neighbourhood of the town, they advanced against* *the Irish, whom they routed, slew many of them, took two standards, and as a token of their victory brought home the heads of those they had slain, and fixed them on the city gates. **

A. D. 1407**. In consequence of the several great services done to the crown of England at divers times by the citizens of Dublin, king Henry IV. on the 5th of March this year, granted a licence that the mayor for the time being, and his successors for ever, should bear before them a gilded sword, for the honour of the king and his heirs, and of his faithful subjects of the said city, in the same manner as the mayors of London had borne before them. **

A. D. 1410**. Thomas Butler, prior of Kilmainham, being then lord deputy to the duke of Lancaster, lord lieutenant, marched out of Dublin with 1,500 kerns into the country of the O-Birnes, and was strengthened by a band of citizens under the command of Robert Gallen, then mayor of Dublin. Upon their approach to the enemy, 800 of the kerns deserted to the Irish so that if the powers of Dublin had not been at hand, it might have proved fatal to the lord deputy; who by that means made an orderly retreat, with the loss only of John Derpatrick. **

A. D. 1419**. The mayor of Dublin marched out with the lord lieutenant into the County of Wicklow, where they razed Castle-Keivin. **

A. D. 1423**. On the 28th of July a writ was sent to the mayor, bailiffs and citizens of Dublin, to raise and march out all the sensible men of the city to resist O-Connor and O-Reily, who with their clans were committing great depredations on the king’s subjects, and they (the mayor, &c.) were commanded to meet the archbishop of Dublin, lord justice, at Trim, on the sunday following. The like writs were sent to the magistrate of Drogheda and other corporations.

On the 25th of October the same year, it was debated in council before Edward, bishop of Meath, lord deputy, that whereas Donald O-Neill Garrow and Mc. Mahon, gathering together a great multitude of Irish enemies and English rebels, had risen up in war, and burned, pillaged and destroyed the land, and especially the county of Louth, and had slain sir Thomas Stynt, the king’s captain, and many others, and that upon this the said lord deputy and council had appointed the mayor, bailiffs and commons of Dublin, to march out with a great force into Louth, but that the rebels upon the hearing of their coming, had marched off, and the liege subjects of the said parts were relieved. And, as the charge of the citizens in the said expedition amounted to 19 l.7s. 4d. it was ordered, that the said deputy should re-imburse them out of the income of the revenue. **

A. D. 1424** On the 9th of June, upon the application of James Butler, earl of Ormond, then lord deputy, it was ordered in council that the mayor and citizens of Dublin should have in prest the sum of 40 l. to enable them to aid the lord deputy in an expedition against the Mc. Mahons, Magenis’s, O-Donnells, and other Irish enemies then in rebellion. **

A. D. 1426**. It does not appear what services the mayor and citizens did in the two preceding expeditions; but whatever they were, the state took them into consideration, and besides the two sums before paid them, the king on the 6th of February this year, granted to them 20 1. as a reward. **

A. D. 1434**. The annals of Mary’s-abbey relate, that on the 4th of March this year, the mayor and citizens of Dublin humbled themselves and did penance by walking bare-footed through the streets, first to Christ-church, next to St. Patricks, and at last to Mary’s-abbey, humbly begging pardon for the offences they had committed, in the said churches. The crimes alledged against them were for committing manslaughter in taking the earl of Ormond prisoner in an hostile manner, and for breaking open the doors of St. Mary’s-abbey, dragging out the abbot, and carrying him forth like a corps, some bearing him by the feet, and others by the arms and shoulders. **

A. D. 1447**. Vast multitudes died in Dublin of a plague and famine this year, which afflicted all parts of the kingdom. **

A. D. 1459**. The river Liffey at Dublin was intirely dry for the space of two minutes. **

A. D. 1459**. A mint was opened in the castle of Dublin where not only silver but brass money was coined. **

A. D. 1461**. A great tempest threw down the large east window of Christ-church, and the stones of it broke to pieces many chests and coffers, in which the jewels, reliques, ornaments and vestments of the altar, as also the deeds, writings and muniments of the church were deposited, and the damages done upon this accident to the prior and convent were very great. Many foundation charters of the church were so lacerated and destroyed, that they were scarce left legible, or the impressions of the seals to be discerned; and particularly a foundation charter of Henry Fitz-Empress, which by no means could be read; the prior and convent, by the advice of lawyers, went to the barons of the exchequer, and moved them to inroll such of their deeds as could be distinctly read, which was done accordingly. The compilers of the black-book of Christ-church, Dublin (from whence this account is taken) adds a miracle upon the occasion. For they say, that the chest in which the staff of Jesus and other reliques lay, was intirely broken to pieces, and that the staff was found lying without the least damage on the top of the rubbish but that the other reliques were intirely buried under it. **

A. D. 1462**. A mint was established in Dublin for coining groats, two-pences, pence, half-pence and farthings; and soon after it was ordered, that English money should advance a fourth part in Ireland. **

A. D. 1466**. Another plague wasted Dublin, Meath, and the adjacent countries. **

A. D. 1472**. A fraternity of arms of St. George was established by act of parliament, to consist of 13 of the most honourable and most faithfully disposed persons of the four counties of Kildare, Dublin, Meath and Louth; and a poundage was laid on all merchandize imported or exported for their support. Among these, the mayor of Dublin for the time being was nominated to be one for the county of Dublin, together with the lord Howth and sir Robert Dowdall. **

A. D. 1477**. The plague again wasted Dublin this year. **

A. D. 1480**. The mayor and bailiffs of Dublin, with certain bands of the commons, went out a hosting into the O-Mores country in company with the lord deputy. **

A. D. 1484**. The plague raged greatly this year in Dublin. **

A. D. 1486**. Lambert Simnel, an impostor, was crowned king in Christ-church, by the name of Edward VI. the mayor and citizens by the influence and example of Girald earl of Kildare, lord deputy, the lords of the council, and other men of great quality, assisting. **

A. D. 1487**. Jenico Marks, mayor of Dublin, and the citizens, made a submission and apology to the king for their misbehaviour in the affair of Lambert Simnel, in these words, “We were daunted to see not only your chief governor, whom your highness made ruler over us, to bend or bow to that idol, whom they made us obey; but also our father of Dublin, and most of the clergy of the nation, except the rev. father, his grace Octavian, archbishop of Armagh. We therefore humbly crave your highness’s clemency towards your poor subjects of Dublin, the metropolis of your highness’s realm of Ireland, which we hope your gracious highness will remit, with some sparks of favour towards us. Your highness’s loving an faithful subjects of Dublin, Jenico Marks, mayor of Dublin, John Serjant, John West, Thomas Mulighan, John Fian, aldermen of the same, &c.” Several of the citizens at this time could riot write, but put their marks to the letter. **

A. D. 1488**. Sir Richard Edgecombe being sent to Ireland to take the homage and oaths of the nobility, and to grant them the king’s pardon, landed at Kinsale the 27th of June, and came to Dublin on the 5th of July, and on the 21st took the homage and oaths of fealty from the earl of Kildare, lord deputy, and the rest of the nobility, and on the 23d the mayor, bailiffs and commonalty of the city, assembled at guild-ball, and delivered to them the king’s letters of pardon. On the 27th he dined with the recorder, and on the 30th he embarked at Dalkey. **

A. D. 1489**. This year the first musquets or fire-arms, that (perhaps) were ever seen in Ireland, were brought to Dublin from Germany, and six of them, as a great rarity, were presented to Gerald, earl of Kildare, then lord deputy; which he put into the hands of his guards, as they flood sentinels before his house Thomas-court. **

A. D. 1493**. By means of a riot on Oxmantown-green, several eminent citizens were slain this year, and the mayor of Dublin, John Serjant, was committed to ward in the castle, and Richard Arland elected mayor till the Michaelmas following. The cause of his committal is not mentioned; but probably it was for abetting, or not taking due care in quelling the riot, or perhaps for engaging himself in Perkin Warbeck’s imposture. **

A. D. 1496**. Jenico Marks (who had been mayor of Dublin 10 years before) was this year slain in Keysar’s-lane, endeavouring to compose a riot of the citizens. **

A. D. 1497**. There was a great dearth this year through most of Ireland, but especially in Ulster At and about Dublin it was not so great; for a peck of wheat, being almost four English bushels, sold for 10s. and malt for 8s.

To Chapter XI.a. Harris Contents.