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The Geraldine ambitions of the first earl of Cork

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2016

Patrick Little
Patrick Little*
Affiliation:
History of Parliament, London
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Extract

Richard Boyle, first earl of Cork, was a most unlikely antiquarian. A self-made man and a ruthless politician, by the early 1630s he had become the richest landowner in Munster and was entertaining ambitions to rule Ireland as Lord deputy. Yet in the same period the ‘great earl’ spent much time and effort sifting the archives for genealogical information about one of the most ancient noble houses of Ireland — the Fitzgeralds, earls of Kildare and Desmond. In 1627 Cork paid for repairs to the ‘pedigree box’ he kept in his study at Youghal, and it was soon put to good use. In 1632 Cork ‘and … other his judicious friends by him imployed herein’ spent time searching ‘several ancient records and sundry other deeds and muniments’ in order to produce a genealogy of the senior branch of the Fitzgerald clan, the earls of Kildare. And shortly afterwards Cork prepared a ‘fair pedigree of the house and descent of the ancient and noble family of the Fitzgeralds earls of Desmond, drawn up by myself, and friends’ searches of ancient records’, which he later sent to Thomas Russell, whose own ‘Relation of the Fitzgeralds’, published in 1638, was dedicated to and probably commissioned by, the earl. Why should a blunt businessman and wily politician such as the earl of Cork spend so much time and effort researching the genealogies of the defunct dynasties of medieval Ireland?

Type
Research Article
Information
Irish Historical Studies , Volume 33 , Issue 130 , November 2002 , pp. 151 - 168
Copyright
Copyright © Irish Historical Studies Publications Ltd 2002

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References

1 The standard works on Cork are Ranger, Terence, ‘The career of Richard Boyle, first earl of Cork, in Ireland, 1588-1643’ (unpublished D.Phil, thesis, University of Oxford, 1959)Google Scholar, and Canny, Nicholas, The upstart earl: a study of the social and mental world of Richard Boyle, first earl of Cork, 1566-1643 (Cambridge, 1982)CrossRefGoogle Scholar. See also Little, Patrick, ‘The earl of Cork and the fall of the earl of Strafford, 1638-41’ in Hist. Jn., xxxix (1996), pp 619-35CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Reeve, John, ‘Secret alliance and Protestant agitation in two kingdoms: the early Caroline background to the Irish rebellion of 1641’ in Gentles, Ian, Morrill, John and Worden, Blair (eds), Soldiers, writers and statesmen of the English Re olution (Cambridge, 1998), pp 19–35CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

2 Cork’s accounts, 1626-32, entry for 16 Nov. 1627 (N.L.I., MS 6897, unfol.).

3 Fitzgerald pedigree, c. 1632 (Dorset Record Office, D/SHC/KG 1474). The date can be determined by the mention of the marriage of Mabel Digby to Gerald Fitzgerald, which took place in 1631.

4 Lismore papers, ed. A. B. Grosart (2 series, 10 vols, London, 1886-8), 1st ser., iv, 15 (Cork’s diary, 4 Mar. 1634). For Russell see Hayman, Samuel and Graves, James (eds), Unpublished Geraldine documents (4 pts, Dublin, 1870-81), i. 3, 7-38Google Scholar; O’Sullivan, William, ‘A finding list of Sir James Ware’s manuscripts’ in R.I.A. Proc., xcvii (1997), sect. C, p. 97Google Scholar. I owe this last reference to Jason Dorsett.

5 Canny, Upstart earl, pp 126-8, 195n.

6 Ibid., pp 129-32.

7 Canny, Nicholas, Kingdom and colony: Ireland in the Atlantic world, 1560-1800 (Baltimore, Md., 1988), pp 45, 55, 66-7Google Scholar. Canny’s conclusions are supported by Cuarta, Brian Mac, ‘A planter’s interaction with Gaelic culture: Sir Matthew De Renzy (1577-1634)’ in Ir. Econ. & Soc. Hist., xx (1993), pp 1–17.Google Scholar

8 Little, ‘Cork & Strafford’; idem, ‘Family and faction: the Irish nobility and the English court, 1632-42’ (unpublished M.Litt. thesis, Trinity College Dublin, 1992), chs 1, 5.

9 Carew to Sir Robert Cecil, 27 June 1600 (P.R.O., SP 63/207/3, f. 321v). The pretender was put into the care of the young Richard Boyle: see Townshend, Dorothea, Life and letters of the Great Earl of Cork (London, 1904), pp 21-3.Google Scholar

10 Cal. S.P. Ire., 1615-25, p. 313. The ‘Súgán Earl’s’ claim was upheld after his death in 1607 by his brother and then by his nephew, and after the latter’s death in 1632 the earldom continued to be claimed by a cadet branch of the Fitzgeralds as late as the eighteenth century.

11 Preston claimed the title through his wife, whose great-grandfather was the eleventh earl of Desmond: see Hayman, & Graves, (eds), Unpublished Geraldine documents, i, 102Google Scholar. In 1626 Preston was granted all the Fitzgerald lands in Kilkenny and Tipperary (Cal. S.P. Ire., 1625-32, pp 325-6, 686).

12 Canny, Upstart earl, pp 46-7.

13 Ibid., p. 47.

14 Townshend, Life & letters, pp 475-6, 478-9, 481-2, 488, details the extent of Cork’s investment by the time he drew up his will in 1642.

15 Lismore papers, 1st ser., ii, 238; iii, 208; Cork’s accounts, 1636-9, entries for 3 Oct. 1636, 7 Mar. 1638, and passim (N.L.I., MS 6899, unfol.); Townshend, Life & letters, p. 475.

16 Cork rentals, 25 Mar. 1640 (N.L.I., MS 6245, p. 166).

17 New hist. Ire., ix, 166.

18 Cal. S.P. Ire., 1615-25, p. 233. For Cork’s disputes with Power see ibid., pp 400, 434, 470, 524-5, 525-6.

19 Canny, Upstart earl, p. 44.

20 D.N.B., Fenton entry; Cal. S.P. Ire., 1611-14, p. 331Google ScholarPubMed; Michael MacCarthy-Morrogh, The Munster plantation: English migration to southern Ireland, 1583-1641 (Oxford, 1986), pp 168-9.Google Scholar

21 ‘Descents of the Fitzgeralds’, early 17th century? (B.L., Add. MS 4814, f. 41r).

22 Cal. S.P. Ire., 1625-32, pp 110, 117;‘Wardships, liveries, etc’ (N.A.I., Lodge MSS, l.A.53.55, f.28r).

23 Lismore papers, 1st ser, ii, 75-6, 90, 105.

24 Ibid., p.230.

25 Cork to Lady Villiers, 17 Oct. 1631 (Chatsworth House, Cork Letter-book I (MS 78), p. 350); Cork’s accounts, 1626-32, note of debts post-1629 (N.L.I., MS 6897); Lismore papers, 1st ser., iii, 110, 162, 165-6.

26 Cork to Lady Villiers, 17 Oct. 1631 (Chatsworth, Cork Letter-book I (MS 78), pp 350-51).

27 Fitzgerald, C. W. (ed.), Descents of the earls of Kildare and their wi es (Dublin, 1869), pp 13–30.Google Scholar

28 Cal. pat. rolls Ire., Jas I, p. 474; settlement, 19 James I (Dorset R.O., D/SHC, Box 3C/81).

29 Lands of the earl of Kildare, 1618 (B.L., Add. MS 19937, esp. ff 2r, 5v).

30 Cal. Carew MSS, 1603-24, pp 196-7; order for arbitration, 15 Feb. 1614 (Dorset R.O., D/SHC, Box 3C/81); Cal. S.P. Ire., 1633-47, p. 9.

31 Cal. S.P. Ire., 1615-25, p. 139; Cal. pat. rolls Ire., Jas I, pp 471-3, 495.

32 Cork to Kildare, 15 May 1630 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/1/5, p. 8). Cork’s note on p. 151 of this volume makes it clear that this is his own letter-book — possibly a companion to the two Cork letter-books now at Chatsworth.

33 Cork to Kildare, 20 Apr. 1630 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/1/5, pp 8-9); Cork to Kildare, 15 May 1630 (ibid., pp 10-11).

34 Richard Talbot to countess of March, 28 Feb. 1624 (Chatsworth, Cork Letter-book I (MS 78), p. 14).

35 Cork’s attention had already been drawn to the plight of the Kildare estate by 1624: James Waller to Cork, 10 Apr. 1624 (N.L.I., MS 13237(9), unfol).

36 Lismore papers, 1st ser., ii, 199 (13 Oct. 1626).

37 Settlement, 30 Nov. 1626 (Dorset R.O., D/SHC, Box 3C/79, unfol.).

38 Lismore papers, 1st ser., ii, 113, 203; see also Cork’s accounts, 1626-32, entry for 27 Dec. 1626 (N.L.I., MS 6897). The marriage settlement was signed on 31 January 1628: see Birmingham Record Library, A1155 (Wingfield Digby MSS). I owe this last reference to Dr Stephen Roberts.

39 Settlement, 30 Nov. 1626 (Dorset R.O., D/SHC, Box 3C/79, unfol.); see also Cork’s accounts, 1626-32, entries for 13 Jan. 1627, 13 Feb. 1629 (N.L.I., MS 6897).

40 See correspondence between the Digbys and Lady Offaly, Mar.-Oct. 1623 (Sherborne Castle, Dorset, Digby MSS, I, ff 151-2, 155rv, 175-6).

3 Lismore papers, 1st ser., ii, 210.

42 Ibid., p.255.

43 Ibid., p. 240; iii, 103-4.

44 Indenture, 20 Dec. 1632 (Dorset R.O., D/SHC, Box 3C/79, unfol); Lismore papers, 1st ser., iii, 184 (13 Mar. 1633).

45 Lady Offaly to Cork, 18 Apr. 1639 (Chatworth, Lismore MS 20, no. 9); Cork to Lady Offaly, 1 Mar. 1640 (Sherborne, Digby MSS, FAM/C1); Lady Offaly to Cork, 13 Apr. 1640 (ibid.).

46 Townshend, Life & letters, pp 482, 488-9.

47 Lismore papers, 1st ser., iii, 199.

48 Chatsworth, Lismore MS 24, nos 104-6, c. 1640? See also Cork’s description of Kildare Digby and his sister Lettice as ‘two angels’ in May 1637 (Lismore papers, 1st ser., v, 5).

49 See Cork to Bristol, 6 Dec. 1633 (Chatsworth, Cork Letter-book I (MS 78), pp 714-15).

50 Kildare to Sir Robert Cecil, 14 Sept. 1601 (P.R.O., SP 63/209/1, f. 204r).

51 Henry Lucas to Lord Dorchester, 17 Aug. 1629 (P.R.O., SP 16/148, f. 125rv).

52 Lismore papers, 1st ser., ii, 335 (25 July 1629).

53 Lords justices and council to Lord Dorchester, 30 Mar. 1630 (P.R.O., SP 63/250, f. 157r); remonstrance of Lord Digby, c. 1630 (ibid., ff 159r-161v; for another copy in Cork’s own letter-book see P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/1/1/1, pp 442-3).

54 Sir William Talbot to Kildare, 28 May 1629 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/l/5, p.29).

55 Dowager countess of Kildare to Kildare, 1 June 1629 (ibid., p. 29; see also ibid., pp 24-5).

56 Order, 13 July 1629 (B.L., Eg. MS 2553 (Nicholas papers), f. 71r).

51 Lismore papers, 1st ser., ii, 336.

52 Indentures, 14, 15 Oct. 1629 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/1/3/2-3); Lismorepapers, 1st ser., ii, 336; iii, 48.

59 Cork to Mr Hodges, 11 Mar. 1630 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/1/1/1, p. 142).

60 Cal. S.P. Ire., 1625-32, p. 490.

61 Cal. S.P. dom., 1629-30, p. 38 (14 Aug. 1629).

62 Cork to Lennox, 13 Oct. 1629 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/1/5, p. 3).

63 Cork to Kildare, 13 Oct. 1629 (ibid., p. 5).

64 Lismore papers, 1st ser., iii, 8, 18-19, 37, 41.

65 Ibid., pp 6, 143; Cork to Kildare, 15 May 1630 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/1/5, pp 8-9); dowager countess of Kildare to Kildare, 4 Sept. 1630 (ibid., pp 47-8); dowager countess of Kildare to Kildare, 29 July 1631 (ibid., pp 48-9).

66 Cork to Kildare, 13 Oct. 1629 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/1/5, pp 4-5); Cork to Kildare 20 Apr. 1630 (ibid., pp 10-11).

67 The transcript survives in the Leinster papers at the P.R.O.N.I.: see H.M.C. rep. 9, ii, app. (1884), pp 264-5: Niocaill, Gearóid Mac (ed.), The Red Book of the earls of Kildare (Dublin, 1964), pp v–vi.Google Scholar

68 P.R.O.N.L. Leinster papers, D/3078/1/1/2. Cork’s involvement is suggested by the inclusion of information provided by his friend Sir James Ware (ibid., pp 25-7). The Leinster papers of this period contain many documents which probably originated with Cork: see above, n. 32.

69 Lismore papers, 1st ser., iv, 6.

70 Ibid., pp 44-5.

71 Robert Randolphe to Kildare, 3 Apr. 1632 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/l/5, p.43).

72 Cork to Kildare, 13 Oct. 1629 (ibid., p. 5).

73 Cork to Kildare, 25 Mar. 1630 (ibid., p. 7).

74 Cal. S.P. Ire., 1625-32, p. 549.

75 Lismorepapers, 1st ser., iii, 98, 134-5; iv, 52.

76 Ibid., iii, 115.

77 Funeral certificate, 12 Aug. 1633 (B.L., Add. MS 4820, f, 126r).

78 Lady Offaly to Kildare, 27 Sept. [1631] (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/l/5, p.21).

79 Dorset R.O., D/SHC/KG 1474.

80 Cal. S.P. Ire., 1625-32, pp 589-90.

81 Lismore papers, 1st ser., ii, 212.

82 Not to be confused with the Arminian divine of the same name: see D.N.B.

83 Lismore papers, 1st ser., iii, 82, 179.

84 Ibid., p.l35.

85 See, for example, ibid., pp 121, 151.

86 Fitzpatrick, Thomas, Waterford during the Ci il Wars (1641-53) (Waterford, 1912), p. 129.Google Scholar

87 James Plunkett to Kildare, 9 Feb. 1633 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/1/5, p. 100).

88 Ibid.

89 William Talbot to Kildare, 14 Mar. 1633 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/1/5, p. 97).

90 Cal. S.P. Ire., 1633-47, p. 9. This is dated ‘before 26 April’ in the calendar, and is almost certainly from mid-March.

91 William Talbot to Kildare, 14 Mar. 1633 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/1/5, p. 97).

92 Cal S.P. Ire., 1633-47, p. 9.

93 Lady Offaly to Kildare, 24 Mar. 1633 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/1/5, pp 105-6); William Talbot to Kildare, 1 Apr. 1633 (ibid., pp 106-8).

94 Lady Offaly to countess of Carlisle, 10 Aug. 1633 (T.C.D., MS 10949/6). I am grateful to Dr Toby Barnard for drawing my attention to this document.

95 Dowager countess of Kildare to Kildare, 11 Aug. 1633 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/3/1/5, p. 139). A document dated 19 Sept. 1633 (Lismore papers, 1st ser., iii, 210) may refer to the same settlement.

96 Lismore papers, 1st ser., iii, 212 (2 Oct. 1633).

97 Cal. pat. rolls Ire., Jas I, p. 495; see also Charles I to Wentworth, c. 1639 (Dorset R.O., D/SHC, Box 3D/118).

98 Lismorepapers, 1st ser., v, 26 (9 Aug. 1637); Cal. S.P. Ire., 1633-47, pp 96, 184.

99 Countess of Kildare to Cork, 3 Mar. 1639 (Chatsworth, Lismore MS 19, no. 120); countess of Kildare to Cork, 5 Mar. 1639 (ibid., no. 121).

100 Countess of Kildare to Cork, 10 Mar. 1639 (ibid., no. 124).

101 Arthur Jones to Cork, 10 June 1639 (ibid., Lismore MS 20, no. 53).

102 William Perkins to Cork, 11 June 1639 (ibid., no. 57).

103 Mortgage, 13 Apr. 1641 (P.R.O., C 54/3857/12); bond, 10 May 1641 (ibid., LC 4/202, f. 218r); Lismore papers, 1st ser., v, 127.

104 Bramhall .Kildare, 14 Feb. 1642 (P.R.O., C 2/ChasI/B61/ll).

105 Countess of Kildare to Cork, 8 Feb. 1642 (Chatsworth, Lismore MS 22, no. 146).

106 Fitzpatrick, Waterford, p. 134.

107 Cork to Speaker Lenthall, 25 Aug. 1642 (Chatsworth, Lismore MS 23, no. 119).

108 Townshend, Life & letters, p. 470.

109 Ibid., pp 475-8, 489-90.

110 Ibid., pp 483, 489-90.

111 Ibid., p. 498.

112 Ibid., p. 505.

113 See second earl of Cork’s diary, entries for 30 Mar., 2, 5 May 1657, 10 Feb. 1658, 2 Mar. 1660 (Chatsworth, Lismore MS 29, unfol); lease, 20 Dec. 1657 (P.R.O.N.I., Leinster papers, D/3078/1/4/14); bond, 28 Apr. 1657 (N.L.I., MS 20625). The sixteenth earl died in December 1656: see inventory, 11 Dec. 1656 (N.L.I., MS 18996(i)).

114 MacCarthy-Morrogh, Munster plantation, pp 165, 168, 245.

115 Canny, Upstart earl, p. 47.

116 Bettesworth, Thomas to SirPercivalle, Philip, 28 Oct. 1643 (H.M.C., Egmont, i, 191).Google Scholar

117 The reference was probably religious rather than horticultural in origin, as the metaphor of grafting would immediately suggest parallels with Romans 11:16-24 (‘if the root be holy, so are the branches’).

118 I am indebted to Toby Barnard, Jason Dorsett and Jane Ohlmeyer for their comments on earlier versions of this paper. I should also like to thank the trustees of the Chatsworth Settlement and Mr Simon Wingfield Digby of Sherborne Castle for permission to cite material in their collections.