the calendar of ormond deeds

County Louth Archaeological and History Society

The Calendar of Ormond DeedsAuthor(s): L. P. MurraySource: Journal of the County Louth Archaeological Society, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Dec., 1932), pp.546-550Published by: County Louth Archaeological and History SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27728370 .

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Wst Calendar of #rmonb BeebsL

NEW LIGHT ON THE PEPPARD GRANT.

By Rev. L. P. Murray, E.L

The Irish Manuscripts Commission.

During the course of the past two years the Irish Manuscripts Commission

has shown commendable activity. In addition to five numbers of the Analecta

the following volumes have been issued :?

The Book of Clannaboy ; The Civil Survey of Tipperary ; Facsimile of Book of Lecan ; Rinuccini Memoirs (Part I) ; Townland and Parish Index ; Liber Primus Kilkenniensis ; Calendar of Ormond Deeds ; Red Book of Ormond.

The list is a noteworthy one. It is true that there has been some strong criticism of the method of editing a few of these volumes?particularly the ANALECTA. It is held that the publication of mere Reports on collections of documents?instead of issuing scientific Catalogues?is a waste of money, energy, and printing space.

Another ground of criticism is that some of the volumes have been issued without

adequate glosses, indexes or historical notes. Outstanding examples of this are the BOOK OF CLANNABOY?which was reviewed in our last issue?0 MELLAN'S

DIARY, and the recently issued COMMENTARIUS RINUCCINIANUS. One particular volume?THE TOWNLAND AND PARISH INDEX?is of no historical value, apart from the editor's useful introduction. Generally speaking,

however, students of Irish history should be well satisfied with the record of the

Commission 's activities.



ORMOND DEEDS CALENDAR 547

The Kilkenny Records.

At the first glance it would appear that Co. Kilkenny is being treated rather

favourably by the Commission. Xwo of the volumes in the above list?the ORMOND CALENDAR and the RED BOOK?were edited from records preserved in the

muniment room at Kilkenny Castle ; while the LIBER PRIMUS?reviewed in our last issue?was edited from the Archives of the Kilkenny Corporation. Xhere

is a satisfactory explanation for this apparent favouritism. Xhe city of Kilkenny has been more fortunate than any other town in Ireland in the number and im

portance of its early records that have been preserved ; wrhile, since the destruction

of the Record Office, the Muniment Room in Kilkenny Castle contains not only the largest single collection of medieval deeds and records now extant, but also an

almost equally valuable collection of family and State records covering the period from the 16th century down to modern times. Xhe two volumes issued last year

by the Irish Manuscripts Commission are the beginning of a series dealing with the

medieval records.

The Ormond Calendar.

It wrould be impossible within the limits of a short review to deal adequately with this valuable publication. Xhere are 863 deeds calendared?mostly Grants

and Charters given to the first Norman settlers or their immediate descendants?

and they deal with the tenure of land in almost every county in Leinster and Munster.

Xhere were few happenings of importance in the history of the early Norman settle

ments that are not reflected in these deeds. Names of men famous in the history of the period mingle with those of others long forgotten, as they all skip together across the pages of the CALENDAR?the Papal Legate, Christian of Lismore ; the Count of Mortain, afterward King John of England ; Donald O Brien, King of

Limerick ; all the famous Butlers, Mariscos and Marescals ; Strongbow and his

Knights ; the arrogant Berminghams and De Verdons ; the Pippards, Repentinis, Gernons, Clintons and Mandevilles, who carved up the fertile lands of Louth ; numerous abbots from Holy Cross, Louth, Dunbrody, Jerpoint and Glendalough ;

Archbishops from Canterbury, Cashel and Dublin ; bishops from almost every diocese in the three kingdoms ; De Burgos, De Lacys, De Courcys, Fitzgeralds,

Fitzhenrys, Cogans and Xalbots ; with hundreds of others of less note. Xhere

are also numerous monastic charters, including those of Kells (in Ossory), Holy Cross, Kilcooiey, Nenagh, LOUXH, Oseney and St. Mary's of Dublin. Xhe deeds

make an enormous addition to our knowledge of the first influx of Norman settlers, the workings of the feudal system in Ireland, the relations between the Norman

barons and the Irish chiefs, and the extent of the overlordship of the Crown. As

the Editor remarks, "

the Ormond deeds contain finds of the sort that is thrilling to historical researchers." It is easy, as one reads, to reconstruct the struggle

of the Norman Conquest?not merely the actual invasion and plantation, but the

change in outlook, culture, laws and systems of tenure that the advent of the

foreigners brought in its train. Even the very diversity of race amongst the new

N



548 COUNTY LOUTH ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL.

settlers themselves?French, Welsh, Saxon, Flemish and Norse?is reflected in the

nomenclature. The documents are almost as useful for genealogical and topo

graphical research as they are for historical studies. They show the gradual change from

" Pincerna

" to Butler,

" Camerarius

" to Chamberlain,

" De Fraxineto

" to

De Freyne, and De Repentini to Pentony. The most curious change disclosed

is that of "

de Sancto Albino "

to "

De St. Aubyn "

and finally to "

Tobin." Curiously

enough, a Norman family of frequent mention bore the name of "

De Sancta Br?gida," which probably became Mac Giolla Bride, Kilbride or MacBride.

Early Louth Deeds.

The earliest Louth deed, dated 1176, is that in which Richard Tirel granted to

Adam de Hereford "

for his homage and the service of the fee of two knights, the

land which he holds of his brother Roger in Uriel (Louth) in a good and fitting place." It is probable that this grant never took effect. The next is the important charter

of King John (then Count of Mortain) to Peter Pippard, dated about 1185, and

contained in an INSPEXIMUS of the reign of Henry IV. :

.... Know that I have granted to Peter Pippard all the land which Uibert (Gilbert ?) his brother, gave of Peter's land to the same, namely 2J cantreds of his conquest (de suo

conquestu) in Uriel, viz. ' deferrors

' (? out of Ferrard), with the Castle of Ardee, four

burgages of Drogheda, one boat for fishing on the Boyne (Buing), four burgages in Carling ford with liberty of fishing in the lord's boats (dominicis batellis), and the half cantred of Muderne (Mudhorna, or Cremorne) nearer to the river, one cantred of Ethir (Orier ?), half cantred of Clochkerin (Lough Erne ?) and one cantred of Clonoys (Clones ?).

The next two, in chronological order contain grants from the Priory of Louth

to Roger and Peter Pippard :

I. Cristin (O Macturan), Bishop of Louth and Thomas, the Prior of St. Mary's, Louth,

quitclaim to Peter Pippard and his heirs the presentations of the churches of Clunken

(Clonkeen) and Drumcar. (Between 1187 and 1192).

II. Donatus, Prior, and the Convent of Louth, quitclaim to [Richard Pippard and his heirs] the presentation of all the churches and tithes of the cantred of Macherne (Mugh dorna or Cremorne) except a third part of the tithes of corn, wool and lambs, the fee of five knights, namely the fee of a Knight of Ros (Magh Ross) and the fee of four knights out of the lordship of Douenacmain (Donaghmoyne), which third part Roger Pipard gave to the said church.

The first of these two deeds must be placed between the years 1187 and 1192 ; while the name of Thomas, bishop of Clockar, as one of the witnesses fixes the second

between 1192 and 1197. All these deeds are welcome, as historical documents

are very scarce for the latter portion of the twelfth century. The list of witnesses

to the two grants of the Louth monastery show that the Clintons, Repentinis, Gernons, Fulshaws, Sturmis, and Haddesors had already settled on lands in County Louth.

The Peppard Deeds.

There are thirty-four deeds' in the book dealing with the Peppard Giants,

Charters, etc., of which twenty-two deal with lands in the Ardee Lordship and its

neighbourhood in tiie Counties of Monaghan and Meath. The others deal with the



ORMOND DEEDS CALENDAR 549

lordships of Rathdowney, Cloncurry, Castlewarden, Outrard, etc., which were

also originally Peppard settlements. We give the Louth deeds in chronological order :

I. 1185. Grant from King John (mentioned above). II. 1187-1192. Charter of Cristin, Bp. of Louth (mentioned above). III. 1192-1197. Charter of Donatus, Prior of Louth (mentioned above). IV. 1193. Grant by King John (then Count of Mortain) to Peter Peppard of three

cantreds of the land of Ohegeni near the land of Uriel.

V. Between 1194 and 1210. Grant from Walter de Lacy to Roger Pipard, of all the land which Gilbert Beg held on the river of-, the service of Ralph Repentini, land at Xauerac (Darver ?), and the land and service of William Cosin.

VI. 1207. Grant from Hugh de Lacy to Roger Pippard of one cantred of land in Dufferin.

VII. An Tnspeximus of IV. Xhe land is here called Uhegeni per propinquiores terre de Uriel.

VIII. 1203-6. Sir William Pipart witnesses a charter granted by Nicholas de Verd?n to Xheobald Walter of land in Honectath in the south part of Ardmacha.

IX. Before 1241. Mandate from Walter de Lacy to Peter de Repentinny to be intentive to his sister Lady Alice Pipard.

X. 1252. King's writ to sheriff of Louth to enquire what lands, etc., of Roger Pypard were lately alienated after the death of William, Roger's son and heir. Xhe Jurors at

the subsequent inquisition were : John de Clynton (Clinton), William le Xaverner, Richard de Xauerach, Adam the clerk, Gilbert Esturmy (Sturmi of Stormanstown), William Wyot, Roger Magnus, Roger Gernun, William de Kenefare, Reginald de Sto. Germand, Adam Serle (of Serlestown ?) and Richard Crumpe. It appeared that Roger Pippard and

William, his son, had died seised of Moylak and Moymuck, of a moiety of the lands of Adnale up to the lands of the Canons of Louth, and of the Seneschalship of the Priory of Louth. Lady Alice Pipard, daughter and heiress of William, was a minor in the King's

wardship. Peter de Repentini, by reason of an exchange made with Roger Xalun of the

said Peter's land of Ardglonte for Roger's land of Crefmartre, intruded. He enfeoffed his

son, Adam de Repentini of Moylak and Moymuk, gave the water of Adnale to Gilbert

de Repentini, and allowed the Prior of Louth to alienate the seneschalship. XL A.D. 1275. Arnald le Flammang (Fleming ?) quitclaims to Ralph Pippard three

carucates at Grannach in Donachmayn (Donaghmoyne). Xhe witnesses were Henry de Aldeleg ; William Xalon ; John Malet ; Philip Xeling ; Gilbert de Repenteny, Sir Ralph's Constable of Ardee ; Roger de Crumba, sheriff of Louth ; Simon Serle ; Simon le Flamang ; Gerard de Nugent ; Peter Camararius ; John de Repenteny ; Robert le Venur ; and Robert the clerk.

XII. a.D. 1275. Agreement between Sir Ralph Pippard and Nicholas son of Dunglone, by which he demises to him 23 acres in the tenement of Ardee, formerly Galhusting's, which he bought from Richard Kenefer.

XIII. 1276. Henry, son of Ralph Molendarius of Hadbaynawch, grants to Sir Ralph

Pippard, Lord of Ardee 2 /- rent yearly out of his mill in Hadbaynawch. Witnesses :

Roger Pippard, Peter Cerle, Simon Makepeys, William Dode, William Yonge, John le

Yonge, and John the clerk.

XIV. 1276. Agreement between Sir Ralph Pippard and Alexander le Noble, by which he demises to him 20 acres in the field called Balitarsan. Given at Ardee.

XV. 1276. Agreement between Sir Ralph Pippard and William Molendarius, William

Palmarius, Philip Lilie, Hugh Lodelouwe, Xhomas Brun, Stephen Glein, Nicholas Albus,

John Devenys, Xhomas Molendarius and Adam Develin by which he lets to them 40 acres arable and 9 acres meadow on the Meath side.

XVI. 1276. Agreement between Sir Ralph Pippard and John Barb ram and others

by which he lets to them 94 acres arable of his lordship. XVII. 1278-9. Indenture between Sir Ralph Pippard and lord John de Pychford

to the effect that John had conveyed to Ralph the wardship and marriage of the heir of Simon de f?landr' (Fleming ?) ; also suit of court of John de Russeburg and of Richard

Nugent and mustering (monstracio) for suit of court and mustering of Ardee in wdiich

the said John is bound to the said Sir Ralph for the whole said tenement of the town of

Louth.



550 COUNTY LOUTH ARCHAEOLOGICAL JOURNAL.

XVIII. 1290. Mandate by Ralph Pippard to Walter le Hauberger to place John Pippard in seisin of manor of Cloncurry.

XIX. 1290. Ralph grants to John and his wife, Matilda daughter of Theobald le

Botiller, his manor of Cloncurry. XX. 1292. Ralph Pippard appoints Robert de Mellebur* as his attorney, to receive

all his rents in Ireland, and to sell his crannoky' in his manors of Leinster.

XXI. 1294. Ralph Pyppard grants to John Pyppard, his son, for his life all his

castles, manors, etc., of Ergallia (Uriel, Co. Louth), Lagenia (Leinster), Ulthonia (Ulster) and Media (Meath), namely, his castles and manors of Salmon Leap (Co. Kildare), Ardee,

Donaghmoyne, Villa Maundevylle (Manfieldstown, Co. Louth), Ardsallagh (Co. Meath), Oughterard (Co. Kildare), etc., etc. Witnesses : Robert de Grey, Robert Barrey, Geoff, de

Greseler, Will, de Scalebrook, Richard de Repenteny, Mylo de Rupeforti, Richard de

Essetre, William Clinton, Richard Taf, John de Heddesore, Thomas de Stanleye, John de

Rancia, Robert le Bretun (Walshe ?). XXII. 1297. John Pyppard quitclaims back to Ralph Pyppard all claims to the

above manors, castles, etc.

We hope, in the next number of the Journal, to deal at greater length with

these deeds, to show how they explain and throw new light on the entries in the

State Papers and other contemporary sources, to identify the placenames, and, as

far as possible, to trace the tenures of lands in the baronies of Ardee and Louth

during the first two centuries of the Norman invasion.

The Irish Chiefs.

For the most part, the Gael is not much in evidence in the documents edited

in the ORMOND CALENDAR, beyond the fact that they presume his almost

total disappearance from the districts planted by the Normans. There are, how

ever, a few deeds containing copies of indentures and treaties between Norman

lords and Irish chiefs. The earliest that we noted was one between Ralph Pippard of Ardee and Eneas MacMahon?sometime between 1284 and 1297. It is an in

denture of agreement between Ralph Peppard and Enegus MacMahon, whereby he grants him the regality of Crichnegarum (Crich Mughdhorna ?) up to the river of

Oganath, with the villate of Lowegus (Clones ?) and the rents and service out of

Cie?an (Killanny ?) and Lowcemegan (Donaghmoyne ?). We fear that some

medieval scribe, ignorant of Gaelic sounds, has made the identification of place names almost impossible. Enegus binds himself to defend Ralph's men on their

lands, and not to permit Gilleho (sic) MacMahon to pasture the said lands. The

witnesses include Simon Clinton ; Hugh, Gilbert and Richard de Repenteny ; Philip de Bakefus ; Simon Serle ; Walter le Hauberger, constable of Ardee and Richard

Kerdif.

Model Editing. This is the first of the Commission's publications in which the editing gives

little cause for complaint. Both the Table of Contents and the Index are satis

factory. The deeds of wider interest?royal patents and grants, original charters

and treaties, etc.?are reproduced in full ; while the less important deeds are sum

marised in all essential details. We would suggest that the other editors, as well as the contributors to the ANALECTA, should request Professor Curtis to form a

special class for giving instruction in the calendaring of historical documents.



the calendar of ormond deeds

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