The Civil Power in Ireland, A.D. 1689

The contents of this Chapter are here recorded, to show that many Irish families occupied a high social position in Ireland, even after the Cromwellian Settlement. At the time of the Revolution when King William III. and Queen Mary II. ascended the throne, the Civil Power in Ireland, under King James II. vested (according to the MS. Vol. classed F. 4. 14 in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin) as follows:

1.—Lords or the Treasury.

Duke of Tyrconnell.

Earl of Dover.

Lord Chief Justice Nugent

Baron of Riverston.

Lord Chief Baron Rice.

Bruno Talbot.

Secretary: Mr. Colclough.

Deputy: Mr. Thomas Bourk.

2.—Commissioners or Revenue.

1. Sir Patrick Trant

2. Sir William Ellis.

3. John Trinder.

4. Mr. Collins.

5. Mr. Plowden.

Theobald Butler, Solicitor-General.

Charles Playdell, Secretary of all the old Revenue.

Robert Longfeld manages all matters about absentees’ goods, estates, and all that the people are robbed of.

Clerk of the Council: Hugh Riley.

3.—Chancery.

Sir Alex. Fithon, Baron of Gosworth, Chancellor.

Sir Wm. Talbot, Master of the Rolls.

Denis Fitzgerald, Clerk of the Rolls.

Alexius Stafford, Dean of Christ Church, Mathew Plunkett, a Priest, John Berford, John Kenedy, Masters of Chancery.

Henry Temple, Esq., Owen Coyle, Examinators.

— Power, Alex. Stafford’s servant, John Cairny, — Geoghegan, Clerks of Chancery.

John Newell, John Maynard, Two Protestants “kept in breanse, ye rest knew not how to doe yr business.”

Col. Wm. Dorington, Registrar of Chancery.

Clerk of the Hanaper: Thomas Arthur, a soldier, “in trust for Rob. Arthur’s wife, Tyrconel’s neece.”

4.—Common Pleas.

1. John Keating,

2. Denis O’Daly,

3. Peter Martin. (Three Justices.)

Edm. Fitzgerald, Prothonotary.

Robert Barnwall, Custos Brev. et Chirographer.

James Nagle, Cursitor.

— Idem, Clerk of Outlawries.

Capt. James Molyneux keeps his; “it not being worth any one’s acceptance.”

5.—Exchequer.

Bruno Talbot, Chancellor nor Treasurer, but Sir Henry Bond and Lewis Doe are Receivers; and all the Clerks, French and Irish.

Sir Stephen Rice, Lord Chief Baron.

Sir John Barnwall, Sir Henry Lynch, Barons.

Oliver Grace, Chief Remembrancer.

Mr. Barry, a Protestant, second Remembrancer; “Noe one would passe a graut breanse nor salary.”

Walter Lord Dungan, Prothonotary.

Murtah Griffin, his Deputy.

Philip Dwyer, ye Deputy’s Deputy, officiates.

Capt. Fr. Stafford, son to the late Lord Stafford, Clerk of the Pipe.

Richard Gavan, junr., a convert, his Deputy.

Capt. Richard Talbot of Malahide, Auditor General.

Capt. Chas. White of Leixlip, Clerk of First Fruits.

Col. Henry Dillon, Surveyor-General.

6.—King’s Bench.

Thomas Lord Nugent, Baron of Reverston, Chief Justice.

Sir Bryan O’Neil.

Richard Ulmack in Elect, to succeed J. Linden.

Captain Randal MacDonell, Clerk of the Crown and Prothonotary of all the offices.

His Deputies:

Francis Nugent, Prothonotary.

Bryan Kerney, of the Crowne.

Darby Cormick, of the Rules.

John Kelly, of the Pleadings.

Edmund Donogher, of the Errours.

7.—Lord Lieutenants of Counties.

8.—Sheriffs.