State Papers 1601 : Patent Rolls of James I

Inquistion taken at Derry, 1 Sep 7th Jas. I.

XXIX.-14. Inquistion taken at Derry, 1 Sep 7th Jas. I.

before the commissioners named in the preceding commission, and

the following jury:

Anthony Reynolds,  Richard Appleton,

Jessy Smith, Andrew Dykes,

Richard Griffin, Hugh Tomson,

Humphrey Vale, Edm. oge O'Hagarty,

Richard Birne, Manus McRoarty,

William Cotesmer, Walter Tallon, and

Anthony Mathew, Donogh O'Derry,

Finding - that the bishop of Derry is seised in fee, in right of his

see, time out of mind, of a house or castle, and a garden plot on the

south of the cathedral near the long tower in the island of Derry, and

of an orchard or park on the east of the great fort there, paying

thereout yearly to the herenagh Laghlina 10 white groats - that the

dean of Derry is seised, in like manner, of a small parcel of land in

        the said island - that within the said island is the herenagh Loghlina

in Derry diocese, and the herenagh O'Derry in Raphoe diocese, both

belonging to the late abbot of Collumkill, and paying nothing to either

bishop - that all cuttings and fines for bloodshed belonged to the said

abbot, and were collected by one of his herenaghs, and that the herenaghs

could not be removed by the bishop or by any other person - that the

bishop of Derry is seised, as above, of Craggin and Druminurny, 1 qr.,

and of Courneglogh 1/2 qr., on the north of the bog in the said island -

that the dean of Derryis seised, of 4 qrs. of land to the north of the

said bog, between the lands of the bishop and of sir George Pawlett,

also of Ballyowen, 2 qrs., on O'Chane's side within the county of the

city of Derry, and of Templemore and Clonekey, 1 qr., and Coolecronagh,

1 qr., which were in the possession of the two former deans; these lands are

now in the possession of Will. McItegart the last dean, by the pope's

authority, but not in right of inheritance - that the archbishops of

Armagh have, time out of mind, received 2m yearly out of the 4 bal. of

Clonie, and out of its fishings, which lands and fishings were enjoyed by

the sept of Neale Portelony as inheritors or dowsaghes, but for the last

50 years have been in the possession of the bishop of Derry, by what right

is not known - that the abbey of Collumkill is situate in the island of

Derry, and that the following lands, now in the possession of the persons

whose names are annexed to each, were parcel of its possessions:

Corneshalagh and Granesholgillagh, 1 qr. each, Walter Tallon; Loruske,

capt. John Vaughan; Ballenegarde, capt. Henry Hart; Clonemore 1/2 qr.,

Gillechrist O'Hegertie; the grange of Dirgebroe in O'Chane's side, 1/2 qr.,

Patrick Reade; Termonbaccoe, 1 qr., sir Thomas Phillips; Balligam, 1/2 qr.,

George Norman; Ardnomohill, 1/2 qr., being parcel of Cargan qr., sir Ralph

Bingley; AltoDerry, 1 qr., parcel of Cargan qr., Crevagh, 1 qr., Denis

O'Derry; Balliwirry, 1 qr., John Howton; Mallennan, 1 qr., John Woodes;

Kellegh, 1/2 qr., Francis White; all which lands came into the King's hands

by the dissolution of monasteries - that the ruins of the priory of

begging friars of St. Francis, with a church-yard of 3a, are on the north

of the bog near the island of Derry, and that there was a nunnery in the

said island, to the south of the city, with a small garden called

Garnegalliegh, a quarter of land called Balligalliagh, and a half qr. called

Rossenegalliogh in O'Chane's side, which priory and nunnery lately came into

the hands of the King - that in the county of the city of Derry are two

parishes, viz., Derry parish, of which the bishop and dean of Derry are the

parson and vicar, and the tithes of which are paid in kind, except for a cow

and a calf, 8d; one-third of the tithes are paid to the parson, one-third

to the dean, and one-third to the herenagh, who pays to the bishop a yearly

pension, the amount of which in unknown, and could not be dispossessed so long

as he paid the same, but now the bishop takes both his own and the herenagh's

third, the repairs of the church are paid by the parson, vicar, and herenagh;

Clandermott parish, of which the dean of Derry is parson and vicar, and

receives the whole tithes, except one-third of those if Annagh, viz., 8d

for a cow and calf, and the rest in specie as before, and the dean is to keep

a curate who has a small garden plot of glebe; the Annagh, wherein is a chapel

of ease, as in Clandermott parish, and not a parish of itself, and a third of its

tithes belongs to the bishop of Derry - that sir John O'Dogherty, knt., was about

ten years since, seised by virtue of letters patent of the following lands:

Mastimellan, Costquoyne and Bonemaine, 1/2 qr. each, Ellaghmore with its castle,

Downeryne, Cregg, Ballyarnell, Ballymcrewortie, 1 qr. each, Lahardan, 1/2 qr.,

and the fishing of Coolemore, which lands came into the possession of the Crown,

by reason of sir John's entering into rebellion - that about 19 Apr. 1608, sir

Cahir O'Dogherty, knt., was seised of the said castle, lands, and fishing,

except Ballyarnell qr., Laharden 1/2 qr., on which Coolemore castle is built,

and 300a allotted to that castle; that sir Cahir's grant also became void

by his rebellion, and the lands, &c. are therefore vested in the Crown;

that sir Cahir was also seised in fee of Ballyarnell qr., with the appurtenances,

by conveyance from capt. Will. Sydney, at the time of his rebellion, which qr.

is now vested in the Crown - that the mearings of Inishowen or O'Doghertie's

country to the south and south-west are as follows: from the branch of

Loughswily on the W. and S. W. part of Birt, through the middle of a bog that

extends to Loughlappan, through the middle of that lough, and of a small river

falling into it from a well or spring on Mullaghknockemona, and from the top

of that hill through a small bog along the top of Ardnamahill and Knockenagh hills

on the eastern part of which latter rises the stream of Altbally McRowertie, which

is a mearing between Bally McRowertie in Enishowen and part of the lands of the

Derry and Garrowgarle to the causey under Ellogh, and through the bog to

Loughswilly, and from the said causey the mearing of Enishowen is through the midst

of the bog to Loughfoile - that O'Donell's castle, within the lower fort of

Derry city was bought by O'Donell from the herenagh Laghlinagh for 20 cows

as part of his herenagh, and built by O'Doghertie for O'Donell's use, for which

he was forgiven certain duties; this castle is now in the King's hands by the

treason of Hugh roe O'Donell - that Nicholas Weston of Dublin, alderman, has been

possessed of the following lands for about 4 years: Dowle, 4 qrs., Medowne and

Koolekeragh, 1 qr., each, with the fishing of the Faghan, and other small fishings

thereto belonging, which he claims by conveyance from sir Donogh O'Cahane, but

whether this conveyance be good in law is not known - that all the lands, &c.

within the county of Derry city, on the soth-eastern side of the river of

Loughfoile, except the lands above-mentioned to belong to any religious house, are

come into the King's hands by the attainder of Shane O'Neale in the 11th year

of Queen Elizabeth - that all the termon and herenagh land in the county was

first given by Collumkill and the succeeding abbots to the several septs, before

any bishops were known to be in the country, and that the said land was free,

and had privilege of sanctuary and other liberties, and was enjoyed by the sept

in course of gavelkinde.