PART III

 

I have purposely separated this part of my subject from the rest, and devoted a chapter to it, in order to prevent any confusion or misconception arising as to the origin of the barony. At the same time the generations will follow in a similar manner to Part II., beginning here with, Sir Richard Power, Lord of Coroghmore, eldest son of Sir Piers Power and the Lady Fitzgerald of the Decies. Sir Richard was Sheriff of the County of Waterford, as his father and grandfather had been before him. It was in the person of this very distinguished knight that the Barony of Power and Curraghmore originated. He was created a peer of Ireland by patent dated 13^th Sept., 1535, when he was raised "to the estate, degree, title, name, and dignity to him and the male heirs of his body for ever, to be called the Baron de le Power and Coroghmore, with place and seat in the parliaments and councils held within Ireland amongst the other barons."

 

Copy of the Patent creating Sir Richard Power, Baron de le Power and Curraghmore, in the County of Waterford. Preserved at the British Museum

 

(The Latin version follows but can be typed later)

Henry the Eighth, by the Grace of God, King of England and France, Defender of the Faith, Lord of Ireland, and on earth Supreme Head of the Church of England. To all whom the present Letters shall come, Greeting:

 

Know ye that we of our special grace and of our certain knowledge and mere motion, and also in consideration of the true and faithful services manifoldly done to us by our beloved and faithful Sir Richard Power, knight, and especially in the present wars in our land of Ireland, have preferred and ordained, and by the tenor of these presents do prefer and ordain the aforesaid Richard to the estate, rank, title, name, and dignity of Baron of le Power and Coroghmore, in our County of Waterford, in our land aforesaid, and have imposed, given, and granted, and by these presents do give and grant to the same Richard, the name, title, and style of Baron of le Power and Coroghmore. To have and to hold the same estate, rank, title, name, and dignity to the aforesaid Richard and the heirs male issuing of his body and for ever.

 

We willing, and by these presents we do grant for us, our heirs and successors, that the aforesaid Richard and his heirs aforesaid in succession bear and have, and every one of them bear and have, the estate, rank, title, name, and dignity aforesaid, and in succession be called and designated by the name of Baron of le Power and Coroghmore. And that the said Richard, and his heirs aforesaid, be successively in all things held as Barons of le Power and Coroghmore, and be treated and reputed, and every of them be held, treated, and reputed as Barons of le Power and Coroghmore, and that they have, hold and possess a seat and place in the parliaments and councils of us, our heirs and successors, within our lands aforesaid, among the other Barons, as Baron of le Power and Coroghmore. And also that the said Richard and his heirs aforesaid, enjoy and use, and every of them enjoy and use, by the name of Baron of le Power and Coroghmore, all and singular such rights, liberties, privileges, pre-eminences, and immunities whatsoever pertaining lawfully and of right to the estate of Baron, which the other Barons of our said land of Ireland have heretofore honourably and quietly used and enjoyed, or at present enjoy and use.

 

Express mention in these presents is not made of the true yearly value, or of the certainty of the premises, or of either of them, or of other gifts or grants heretofore made by us to the same Richard, any statute, ordinance, act, provision or restriction to the contrary thereof, had, made, ordained or provided, or any other thing, cause and matter whatsoever in anywise notwithstanding. In testimony whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patent.

Witness ourselves at Oxford, the thirteenth day of September, in the twenty-seventh year of our reign.

 

This patent confers a title and certain honours and distinctions and privileges upon Sir Richard Power, and not alone upon him during the natural term of his life, but (in language which cannot be misconstrued) grants the same title, honours, distinctions, and privileges upon the heirs male of his body for ever - "Ricardo et heredibus masculis de corpore suo exeuntibus in perpetuum." It creates a peer of Ireland in the person of Sir Richard Power himself, and ordains that the barony with its accompanying honours shall legally and hereditarily descend to the male heirs, as long as a male heir of his body exists, "in perpetuum." By this patent, also, King Henry VIII. grants Sir Richard Power a place and seat in his parliaments and councils of the succeeding sovereigns of England - "Habeantque Teneant et possideant sedem et locum in parliamentis et consiliis nostris, et heredum et successorum nostrorum infra terram nostram predictam."

 

Lord Chancellor Audeley, writing to Thomas Cromwell, says:- "I have also made two patentes for two barons in Ireland, that is to say, to Sir Richard Power, Kt., and Thomas Eustace, gentleman. Cowley [Clerk of the Crown] showed me that the old course to make barons there is to have letters patentes out of the Chancery here in England: wherefore I have made and sealed the same patentes, and send theym unto you for spede of the dispache of Ireland [Irish] matters, praying you to move the king's grace thereof, and to order the said patentes as shall stand with his pleasure. Dated 13^th Sept.,1535.-(State Papers, Hen. VIII., parts 1, 2, page 445, Record Tower, Dublin Castle.)

 

The receipt of the two patents was acknowledged October following in a "Bill indented made the tenth daie of October, in the xxvii yer of the reign of our sovereigne lord King Henry VIII., witnesseth that I, John Alen, Master of the Rolls in Ireland, have received of the right honourable Mr. Thomas Cromwell, principall secretarie to our said sovereigne lord, two patentes, one of creation for Thomas Ewstace, another like to Sir Richard Power, of barons of parliament in Ireland." - (Extract from State Papers, Hen. VIII., vol.2, No. 68.)

 

Taken along with the inquisition post mortem on his son, the 3^rd lord (to be noticed presently), it will, I doubt not, be sufficiently apparent, that the Barony of "Le Power and Curraghmore," with its accompanying honourable adjuncts, was, and is, the hereditary and just right of the direct male representatives of the 1^st Lord, namely, Sir Richard Power and Curraghmore, 1535.

 

The wife of the 1^st Lord Power was the Lady Katherine Butler, second daughter of Piers Butler, 8^th Earl of Ormonde, (who was created Earl of Ossory by Henry VIII., Feb. 23, 1527-80) by his wife Margaret, 2^nd dau. of Gerald, 8^th Earl of Kildare. Sir Richard Lord Baron Le Power and Coroghmore was slain while on service for the Crown against Irish rebels by the "traytor" Connogher or Owen O'Callaghan, on the 10^th November, 1539. I find that the following reference to Sir Richard Power among the Presentments of Juries of the City of Waterford:- "Item, that there was an office taken in the Countie of Waterford for the Kynge after the death of Sr Ricd Pover, 't fonde that Pers Pover being w'in age is the king's warde, 't the said Sr Richard dyed seased of the manor or Castell of Carraughmore, the Castell of Clonhey, the Castell of Kylmtomassyn, wt their appurtenances, Knokdyrry, Balylogh, Knockmyles, the Crosse, 't divers other villages as Calleghan," &c

 

A word here will not be out of place having reference to Lady Katherine Power, Baroness de le Power; and to her mother, Margarete, Countess of Ormonde. The latter survived her husband, the Earl of Ormonde, and it is said ruled the Ormonde territory "with a rod of iron" during the minority of her son. Among the peasantry of the County Kilkenny many traditions regarding her exist, and to this day she is referred to by them as Mairgaid nin Gearoid, i.e. Margaret ny Gerald. In like manner, her daughter, the Lady Katherine Power, after her husband's decease in 1539, governed her son's country with a strong hand, thus following the example of her mother, whose repute, no doubt, aided her in her authority.

 

"The theme of the Presentment of the Commons of the County of Waterford to the Royal Commissioners, A.D. 1537, consists principally in setting forth the list of exactions and impositions used by Lady Katherine Power. Lord Power had died shortly before the date of these representations; but his widow governed her son's country with as much vigour as her mother, when also a widow, had ruled the Ormonde territory. It seems, however, that the Baroness was much supported by the widespread authority of the Countess, whose soubriquet as given in the presentment viz., "Magheen," or little Margaret, is an amusing instance of the Irish practice of giving nick-names, which are usually antiphrastic; for it cannot but be imagined that this Countess was as great in body as in mind."-(See Annuary R.H.A.A.I. for 1868 and 1869.)

 

"The verdict of the Commyners of the Countye of Waterford." Among the jurors I find the names of Willius Fitz-Robert Poyer, and Willius Fitz-Nicholas Poyer: -

"We fynde that the Countie of Waterforde belongeth only to sov'aigne Lorde the king, and that all the baronyes and freeholdes of the same, immediately be holden of his goode grace and none ether, no of no Poer, Butler, nether Geraldyn, nether beryth to none of them no ante nor service.

"We fynde also that Sir Pyers Poer and his father, Rychard Poer, the later, were, and ev'y one of them, was the king's Sheryf of the foresaide Countye of Wat'ford, and ev'y of them ruled ye same by thauctorite Of ther office; and after by contynuance of tyme they usurped on the king's auctorite and toke them to be lordes of the said countye, untyll Maghyn and they ruled the hole countye at ther pleasures by extort power oppressing the king's subjects.

"And Dame Katheryn Butler [Lady Catherine Power, daughter of Piers, Earl of Ormond, and his 'Magheen,' and widow of Sir Richard, Lord Power of Curraghmore] daylye useith lyke extortion, imposytions, and unlawfull exactions, as used the aforesaide Poers by ther tyme; and nowe in the name of younge Pyers Poer, sonne unto the late deceassed Sr Rychard Poer, and Katheryn Butler pretendeing as lorde and inherytor of the King's Countye [Waterford] by cession of inherytaunce."

A very long list of "exactions and impositions used by the foresayde Poers, and nowe by the Lady Katherine Poer, alais Butler," is then given in the presentments, a few of which will illustrate the customs of the period, and show that Lady Katherine exercised a firm and not always a just rule: -

 

"Fyrste, coyne and lyv'ye, bothe horsse and man, contynually upon all the King's subjects.

"Item, if the Lorde Deputye, or any greater man be conveevyed by the said Katherine, but she wylle commaunde a subsydye to be levyed apon the Countrey for meate, drynke and candel llyght, to the lords plersar.

"Item, my Lorde Butler came into this Countie by the sufferance of my Lady Katheryn, and eyde of certen p'sons, viz., Whelans, and take away forcybly certayne kyen and catall from the King's subjects, and from them that was doing the King's s'vice, as Poer of Kylmedan; as Mr Seintlowe and Mr Wyse maye testyfie ferther at length.

"Item, now this pr'sent tyme, the forsayde Lady Katherin, entendeing to goo to Dublyn, cesseyth the Countrey for her going thyther, and for the conviveing gyven by her to her fader, to the some of xxi. mks, and this to be levied of the King's subjects.

"Item, the saide Lady Katherin did levye and take up of the subjects xviiixx shepe for her hande and maydens

"Item, Katheryn Butler denyed, and dysobeyed the King's auctorite, forbyddeing Jamys Wyse to execute the office of sencyallship, in which office the said Jamys was auctorysed by the King's Deputye, whiche auctorite he declared to herre, and to herre audyence."

 

Such was the extravagant dominion exercised by the house of Curraghmore, as evidenced in these verdicts, of which I have given a few illustrations. In 1543, indeed, a subsidy of £30 yearly was agreed to be paid to the Royal Revenue out of the "Poorine County" (additional MSS. Brit. Mus., 4,790, p.99); but in June, 1548, the freeholders of the County addressed a complaint to the Lord Deputy, that Lord Power had, without right, cessed and distrained upon them six shillings upon every ploughland, reserving all lands that hitherto have been free.

 

Lady Katherine Power, mentioned so frequently in these presentments, married secondly Sir James Fitzgerald, Earl of Desmond, and dying at Askeaton, 17^th March, 1552, is there buried.

 

Sir Richard, Lord Power, left at his death three sons and two daughters, viz., (1) Piers, his successor (of whom presently); (2) John, heir to his brother; (3) Hon. Thomas Power, of Coolfin; Katherine; and Elice, wife of Sir Thomas FitzGerald of Desmond.

 

The Hon. Thomas Power, of Coolfin, or Cullfin, County of Waterford, armiger, married a daughter of Thomas Tobin, of Cumpshinagh, County Tipperary, Esq., by Elinor, sister to James, Earl of Desmond, and had a daughter Elinor married to Thomas, brother of Edmond, Viscount Mountgarrett; and a son James Power, of Coolfin, whose first wife was a daughter of Pierce FitzHenry, in the County Wexford, by whom he left a son Thomas, who, dying on the 15^th December, 1637, left issue by his wife Margaret, daughter of Peter Butler, of Monyhory, County Wexford, four sons and four daughters, viz., (1) Peter (of whom presently); (2) Richard, who married Gyles, daughter of David Power, of Coolroe, County Waterford; (3) John; and (4) James. The daughters were, Joan, who died d.s.p.; Gyles, who married Jeffrey Fanning, of Fanningstown, County Tipperary; Katherine; and Margaret, the wife of Richard Power, of Ballincurry, County Waterford.

 

Peter Power, of Coolfin, Esq., eldest son of Thomas married Katherine, daughter of William Wall, of Clonymuck, or Coolnamuck, County Waterford. This Peter Power was one of the "Transplanted."

 

Piers Power, eldest son and heir, 2^nd Lord Power and Coroghmore. He was Colonel in Chief of the 700 men sent from Ireland, who served King Henry VIII. in such good stead at the seige of Boulogne, for which he was dubbed knighted, 1544. (Hollinshed, 314). He died, unmarried, on the 16^th Oct., 1545, and was buried in the Abbey of Mothel.

 

In 1545, Sir William Wyse excuses himself to the Lord Deputy for not levying a tax for galloglasses in the shire of Waterford alleging that he could not raise it, owing to the arbitrary conduct of Lady Katherine Power; and he afterwards writes 5^th January, from Waterford, that Lord Power having died, the Earl of Ormond and his sister Lady Katherine will be at the Abbey of Mothel beside Curraghmore, where they intend to celebrate an obsequy for Lord Power's soul and that much devotion of meat and drink is prepared there. "The poor people are like," he says, "to sing requiescant in pace, but the more they cry the more sorrow increaseth" - (State papers.)

 

His brother, Sir John Power, surnamed Mor, 3^rd Lord Power and Curraghmore, succeeded to the estates, title, and dignities. He was born in 1516, and died on the 8^th November, 1592, leaving by his wife, the Lady Elenour FitzGerald, 3^rd daughter of James FitzJohn, 14^th Earl of Desmond (Lord High Treasurer of Ireland), and sister of Gerald FitzGerald, 15^th and last Earl of Desmond - whose estates, consisting of nearly 800,000 acres, were forfeited in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, 1583 - six sons: (1) Richard, his heir; (2) the Hon. Piers Power of Rathgormycke and Clondonnell, of whom hereafter (see part IV.); (3) Hon. David; (4) Hon. Thomas, who married the daughter of FitzGerald, Baron of Burnchurch, and widow of Robert Power, Baron of Donoyle, who died 1587; (5) Hon. Maurice; and (6) Hon. William.

Sir Richard Power, the first Lord Power and Coroghmore, as already stated, had three legitimate sons, viz., Piers, 2^nd Lord; Sir John, 3^rd Lord; and the Hon. Thomas Power, Coolfin. He had, however, besides these, two illegitimate sons, Edmond and Nicholas. Of Edmond I shall treat presently. Nicholas Power, the younger of the two, married, according to Carew Ms. 635, a daughter of Thomas Tobin of the Comshie, County Tipperary, by Elinor, sister of James, Earl of Desmond, and had issue Walter Power, of Lismuen, County Waterford, who married "one in the Pooweris Countrye"; (2) Morice; (3) William; (4) Nicholas, whose wife was the daughter of one of the Powers. Miss Tobin, the wife of Nicholas Power, married secondly, Moroghe Ballagh M'Shee; and thirdly, William FitzJohn FitzGerald, Knight of Kerry.

Of Edmond Power, the elder of the two illegitimate sons of Richard, Lord Power, some interesting records exist. I think it almost beyond the realms of doubt that he was identical with the Edward Power, last Abbott of Mothel, in the County of Waterford. The following account of that religious house is taken from Ryland's "History of Waterford" p. 297, and will be interesting in connection with the Power Family: -

 

"At Bollendesart and at Mothil in the neighbourhood of Carrigbeg, there were two famous religious houses; of the former nothing is known further than that it was built, probably in the sixth century by St. Maidoc of Ferns; the latter was also constructed at the same time, or even at an earlier period, for we find that in the sixth century St. Coan succeeded St. Brogan, who was the founder of the Abbey and the first Abbott. The Abbey of Mothil was established for Canons Regular of St. Augustin, though some assert that it belonged to the Cistercians. The abbots were long engaged in disputes about their property, and in one case which occurred in 1296, the Abbot Adam was non-suited, he having sued by the name of Abbot of Morthull. Edward Power, the last Abbott, surrendered the Abbey, 7^th April, 31 K. Hen. VIII (1540); being then seised of the same, also of the church, steeple, and cemetery, hall, five chambers, dormitory, kitchen, granary, two stables, an orchard, and other closes, containing six acres, all within the precincts of the abbey, together with lands in Mothil, Kilenaspiecke, Kilberny, and Grange Morlery, exceeding 700 acres; and also the rectories of Rathgormuck, Moynelargy, and Ballylaneen, all which were appropriated to this abbey. In two years afterwards, all these possessions were granted to - Butler and Peter Power, at the annual rent of £6 4s., Irish money. The ruins of this ancient abbey cover a large extent; the west and south walls of what was probably the church, are still standing. In the latter, a beautiful Saxon arch, about 12ft. high, opens into a small square chamber; part of the ancient arch has been recently filled up, leaving a narrow entrance, to which an iron gate has been attached…..In the small building which appears to have been reserved for the interment of particular families, two of the sculptured stones are inserted in the wall opposite the entrance, under a piece of ornamental work. Around a flat tombstone in this place is the following inscription, in large Roman capitals: - 'Hic jacet Gualterus Power, generosus oriundo exantio…..Familia Johannis Gulielmi et uxor ejus Caterina Phelan qui suis sumptibus construxerunt hoc monumentum, 16 Junii, 1628. Quorum. Animiab. Propitietur Deus.' In the ruins of the large building an iron railing encloses the burial place of the Powers of Gurteen. In the enclosure is a very ancient tomb." I think it is extremely probable that the last Abbot of Mothil in the foregoing extract was Edmond, or Edward, Power, the illegitimate son of the first Lord Power and Curraghmore; and the Walter Power, whose name is recorded on the tombstone, was possibly his nephew, the son of Nicholas, to whom I have already referred as marrying "one in the Pooweris Countrye," presumably Catherine Phelan, a County Waterford family name.

 

The following records would seem to strengthen my surmise that the last Abbot of Mothil was the son of the first Lord Power: -

"A.D. 1539-41. - Cal. Patent and Close Rolls, Chaucery, Ireland, Henry VIII., Membrane 6.

"No.37. -Surrender by Edmond Power, Abbot, with the consent of the Convent of the Abbey of Sts. Coan and Brogan, of Mothill, in the County of Waterford, April 7, 81.

"No. 28. -Surrender by Edmund Powere, Prior, with the consent of the Convent of the Priory of St. Katherine, near Waterford, Oct. 6, 81.

"A.D. 1545. -Membrane 6, Henry VIII. No. 7. Grant to Edward Powre, bastard brother of the late Lord Power, of the church, cemetery, site, and possessions of the late abbey, cell, or monastery of Saints Koam and Brogan, otherwise called Brogam of Mothell, Kylenaghe, alias Kilbrem, Rathgormyke, Monolargy, otherwise Molargy, Ballylaughlyn, otherwise Ballylanyn, near Maghyn, Teamplewoke, and Templeny, in the County of Waterford and the Grange of Mockelerc, in the Country of Compsy, or Comshenaghe, in the County of Tipperary, the possessions of the said late house, to hold for the term of his life. Reciting a lease dated Aug. 1^st, 33 Hen. VIII., of the same monastery and all its possessions to Katherine Butler, of Curraghmore, and Peter, late Power, for 21 years. May 2^nd, 37" (1545).

 

This grant proves indubitably that Edward, or Edmond Power was the natural son of Richard first Lord, and brother of Piers the second Lord, who died October 1545, and was buried in the Abbey of Mothel. The date of this grant is just five years after the surrender of the abbey by Edmond Power, the last abbot, and it seems to me altogether improbable that the Edward Power to whom the abbey and its possessions were granted in 1545, was a different individual. On the contrary the presumption is in favour of my theory, that the last abbot was granted these lands for his life, through, perhaps, the influence of his brother, Lord Power and the Lady Katherine Butler.

"In 1549. - Pardon was granted to Edmond Power, of Mothill.

"In 1568-9. - Pardon again granted to the same.

"In 1569. - Edmond Power, of Mothil, gent., commissioned to execute martial law in the County of Waterford.

"In 1570-1. - Pardon to Edmond FitzRichard Poer, of Mothel, gent., late Sheriff of the County of Waterford.

"In 1570. - Edmond Power, Sheriff of the County of Waterford; John Power, of Feddanns, gent., and others, were commissioned to make inquisition of the number of acres in County Waterford, to extend it into ploughlands, and divide into baronies; to find what places are cessable, and to divide the county into four quarters or cantreds, dividing any of these into baronies.

"In 1576. - Sir Nicholas Devereux, of Balmagir, County Wexford, conveyed to Edward (Edmond) Power, of Mothyll, in the County of Waterford; Alexander Redmond, of the Hooke, County Wexford, and others, certain lands in said County Wexford, for his own use, remainder to Dame Katherine, his wife, who was daughter of the first Lord Power.

"In 1579. - Pardon to Edmond FitzRichard Power, of Mothel, gent.

"In 1584. - Pardon to Nicholas Power FitzEdmond (probably of Mothel)."

 

Edmond Power, the natural son of Richard, Lord Power, married first a daughter of M'Brian Conaghe, by whom he had a son Nicholas Power, probably the Nicholas Power FitzEdmond mentioned in the pardon, 1584. This Nicholas Power, of Mothel, married a daughter of Robert Redmond, of The Hall and of The Hooke, County Wexford, by his wife Jane, daughter of Sir Nicholas Devereux, of Balmagir. Edmond Power married secondly a daughter of Thomas Tobin, of the Cumshie, County Tipperary, and sister of his brother's wife, and had one son, Thomas Power.

 

Richard Power, eldest son and heir, 4^th Lord Power and Coroghmore, succeeded Sir John, the 3^rd Lord. He died at Coroghmore, 8^th August, 1607, leaving issue by his wife, the Hon. Katherine de Barry, third daughter and co-heiress of John de Barry, Viscount Buttevant, 2 sons, John, and the Hon. Piers Power of Monolargie (of whom hereafter), and a daughter Elizabeth, the wife of David, only son of David Viscount Buttevant, who died in vita patris, leaving by her David, created first Earl of Barrymore, in 1627. (See Part IV.)

 

The Hon. John Power (Oge), eldest son of Richard, the 4^th Lord. He was killed, in the lifetime of his father, by Edmund FitzGibbon, the White Knight, in the king's service (Cal. Pat. R., p.105), leaving by his wife, Hon. Hellen de Barry, second dau. of David, Viscount Buttevant, a son and heir, John, and a daughter, the Honourable Mary Power, who married Philip McGrath, of Sledy Castle, Co. Waterford, and regarding whom quite a romance of the 17^th century has been written. The Hon. Hellen Power, after the death of her husband, married secondly Thomas Butler, tenth Earl of Ormond, and had a grant of the wardship of her son John, 7^th December, 4 Jac. I. (Cal. Pat., p. 105); and thirdly, Sir Thomas Somerset, Viscount Cashel, Knight of the Bath, third son of Edward, fourth Earl of Worcester, ancestor of the Dukes of Beaufort. Richard, the 4^th Lord, was succeeded at his death in 1607, by his grandson John, then aged 8 years and a half (Lodge - 1754), eldest son of the Hon. John Power, by Hellen, dau. of the Viscount Buttevant.

 

John Power, 5^th Lord Power and Coroghmore, succeeded his grandfather. Being a lunatic, he escaped "Transplantation." Among the applications to the commissioners in 1654 for dispensation from Transplantation, is one on behalf of John, Lord Baron Power, of Curraghmore, "for that he had for twenty years past been distracted and destitute of all judgement." Wardship was granted to his mother, 4 Jac. I. Of this lord the following incident is related - a story which I cannot in any way substantiate. "It chanced that the Lord of Coroghmore had a shrewd daughter, who, knowing her father to be a staunch Royalist, devised a plan to save him, and cleverly put it into execution. She contrived to entice the old man into one of the dungeons of the Castle, and there she safely bolted and barred him in. She then received Cromwell at the door, and placed the key of the Castle in his hands. She assured him, that although her father had thought it prudent to remove for a time out of the way, he was not only well disposed towards the ruling powers, but willing to give any proof of his allegiance that might be required. The consequence was that Curraghmore remained in possession of its lord." It happened coincidentally that the name of the last Baron of Donoyle, whose misfortunes have already been narrated, was, also, John Power. By his wife Ruth, daughter and heiress of Robert Phypoe, of St. Mary's Abbey, Dublin, Lord Power left at his death in 1661, seven children, viz., (1) Richard, his son and heir; (2) Hon. Piers Power, of Kilowen, Esq., whose male line is extinct; (3) Hon. Robert, d.s.p.; (4) Hon. John, d.s.p.; (5) Hon. David, d.s.p.; (6) Hon Elenor Power, who married Thomas Walsh, of Piltown, Esq.; (7) Hon. Katherine Power, who in 1658, married Sir John FitzGerald, of Dromana, Lord of The Decies, who was married, first to her cousin, John Power, 7^th Lord Power; and 2ndly, in 1677, to the Hon. Edward Villiers, a Brigadier-General in the army, eldest son of George Villiers, 4^th Viscount Grandison. The 5^th Lord Power's wife, Ruth Phypoe, died before 17^th of June, 1642, at which date the children were young and helpless, as shown by the petition of Kinborough Phypoe, their maternal grandmother.

"Petition of Kinborough Phypoe, widow, grandmother of the 5^th Lord Power's seven distressed motherlesse children, ye eldest sonne being 12 yeares of age, ye second fower yeares, ye third three, ye fourth scarce two," &c. This petition is dated 17 June, 1612, and in it no mention is made of the age of the daughters. Lodge says that the 5^th Lord Power had nine children - five sons and four daughters, and mentions Margaret and Mary, in addition to those I have given; but the grandmother's statement in the petition as to the number seven, must be accepted as correct.

 

Richard Power, eldest son and heir, 6^th Lord Baron Power and Coroghmore, born 1630, twelve years old in 1642, succeeded his father the 5^th Lord 1n 1661, being then thirty-one years of age. He was M.P. for the County of Waterford, and governor of the city and county. On the 9^th of October, 1679, he was created Viscount of Decies and Earl of Tyrone, to him and the heirs male of his body, holding at the time, as 6^th Lord, the Barony of le Power and Coroghmore. He was Colonel of a Regiment of foot in the service of King James II., and died a Jacobite prisoner in the Tower of London, 14^th October, 1690; buried at Farnboro, Hants. He married, in 1654, the Lady Dorothy Annesley, eldest dau. of Arthur, Earl of Anglesea and Viscount Valentia. She was buried in the Cathedral of Waterford. He left at his death two sons, John and James.

 

John Power, the elder son and heir, 7^th Lord Baron de le Power and Coroghmore, and 2^nd Earl of Tyrone. It is said that he appeared after his death to Lady Beresford, and foretold to her, amongst other matters, the marriage of his niece, Lady Katherine Power, with her son, Sir Marcus Beresford. In Prendergast's "Cromwellian Settlement of Ireland," it is stated that - "After the Restoration, Colonel Poer, in Munster, Colonel Coughlan, in Leinster, and Colonel Dudley Costelloe, in Connaught, dispossessed of their hereditary properties, headed bands that gave infinite trouble." He married Katherine FitzGerald, of Dromana, Lady of the Decies, his first cousin, the daughter and heiress of Sir John FitzGerald, of Dromana, and of Katherine Power, sister of his father, the 6^th Lord. They were married by the Archbishop of Canterbury when she was but twelve and he eight. Later on, she pleaded the marriage had been brought about by the undue influence of her uncle and guardian, Richard Power, 6^th Lord Power and 1^st Earl of Tyrone, and in 1677 she married the Hon. Edward Villiers, son of the Viscount Grandison. John, 7^th Lord Power, died issueless on the 14^th October, 1693, and was buried in the Protestant Church at Carrick-on-Suir. He was succeeded by his brother,

James Power, 8^th Lord Baron de le Power and Coroghmore, and 3^rd Earl of Tyrone, heir to his brother John. He was Governor of the City and County of Waterford. He died on the 19^th of August, 1704, when the Viscounty of Decies and Earldom of Tyrone, created in the person of his father became extinct, but the Barony of le Power and Coroghmore devolved upon the heir male, Colonel John Power, of Monolargie, whose descent from the 1^st Lord is shown hereafter. Earl James was buried in the church of Carrick-on-Suir. The present Mansion House of Curraghmore was built in 1700 by this Earl, but the date of the erection of Curraghmore Castle is not recorded. By his wife Anne, daughter and co-heiress of Andrew Rickards, of Dangan-Spidoge (whom he married on the 13^th of December, 1692, and who died 26^th September, 1729, and was buried with her husband), he left an only child, a daughter, the Lady Katherine Power, of Curraghmore. She married, on the 16^th of July, 1717, Sir Marcus Beresford, 4^th Baronet, eldest son of Sir Tristram Beresford, 3^rd Bart., by his wife Nichola-Sophia, second dau. and co-heiress of Hugh Hamilton, Baron of Glenawley. Sir Marcus Beresford, in consequence of his marriage with Lady Katherine Power, was created Earl of Tyrone on the 18^th of July, 1746. He died in 1763 on the 4^th of April, and was buried at Clonagam. The oldest surviving son, George de la Poer Beresford, succeeded his father as 2^nd Earl of Tyrone, and was created Marquis of Waterford, in the Peerage of Ireland, on the 19^th August, 1789. He was great-grandfather of the present Lord Waterford.

 

In 1767, Lady Katherine Beresford petitioned for the Barony of Poer, which was created in the person of Nicholas Poer, Baron of Donoyle, Lord of Kilmedan, who was summoned to parliament by writ on the 23^rd November, 1375, and again in 1378, 1381, and 1383 (see page 5). These ancient writs created no peerage, the fact about Nicholas Poer being simply that he was summoned by writ among the other barons of Ireland, as being Baron of Donoyle. Nevertheless, Lady Katherine Beresford's claim was admitted, although her descent from Nicholas Poer was through the marriage of his daughter Elenour with her paternal ancestor, David Poer, Lord of Coroghmore (see page 28). "The anomalous decision in 1769" [when Lady Katherine Power, then Dowager Countess of Tyrone, widow of Sir Marcus Beresford, 1^st Earl of Tyrone, was allowed this supposed barony] "was founded on the idea that (as in England) a barony could be created by writ in Ireland - an idea not only contrary to all previous practice, but even to common sense, making the writ of a subject (i.e., the Lord Lieutenant, who frequently, sponte sud, issued it) equal to that of the Crown." The following is the "draft report" on the claim to the Barony of Poer by writ: -

 

Endorsed -

To his Excellency the Earl of Northumberland.

Draft of the Report of the Attorney and Solicitor General on the petition of Catherine, Dowager Countess of Tyrone; Glascock Agent

To their Excellencies the Lords Justices of Ireland

In obedience to an order of reference, bearing date the 11^th day of May, made by his Excellency the Earl of Northumberland, referring to us the consideration of the annexed petition of Catherine Countess Dowager of Tyrone, claiming the title and dignity created by the writ of summons in virtue of which Nicholas Lord Le Poer sat and voted in the parliament of Ireland in the 48^th year of the reign of King Edward the Third.

We have considered the said petition and have been attended by the council and agent for the petitioner.

The said petition sets forth, That the ancestor of the petitioner, Sir Roger Le Poer, came into Ireland in the reign of King Henry the Second, and was distinguished for his services in that kingdom to the crown of England.

That Nicholas Le Poer, his lineal descendant and heir, was summoned to the parliament of Ireland as a baron by writ in the 48t^h year of the reign of King Edward the Third, and sat and voted in virtue of the said writ as a baron, and again sat and voted as a baron in the same reign, and afterwards in the reign of Richard the Second; and died seized of this dignity and honour to him and his heirs who sat and voted as barons in the parliament of Ireland by that title, till the 25^th of King Charles the Second, at which period Richard Lord de la Poer, the petitioner's grandfather, to whom the said barony had come by mesne descents, was by letters patent created Earl of Tyrone, and that on his death the said Earldom descended to John, his eldest son and heir, and to the heirs male of his body, and the said barony to him in fee.

That John died without issue, and the earldom descended to James, his brother and heir, and to the heirs male of his body, and the barony to him and heirs.

That James died without heirs male of his body in the year 1701, leaving the petitioner, his only child and heir, and the barony descended to her as such.

That the petitioner intermarried in the year 1717, during her minority, with Sir Marcus Beresford, afterwards created Earl of Tyrone, and the said Earl died on the 4^th day of April, 1703.

 

And therefore the petitioner prays that the title and dignity created by the said writ of summons by virtue of which the said Nicholas Lord le Poer sat and voted in parliament, may be declared by the King's most excellent majesty to belong as of right to the petitioner and her heirs.

In order to support the case stated by the petitioner, the following propositions are necessary to be proved:

That the Barony of Le Poer was vested in fee in Nicholas le Poer, in the 48^th of King Edward the Third.

That Richard Lord Baron de le Poer and Curraghmore, who was created Viscount Decies and Earl of Tyrone in the 25^th year of the reign of King Charles the Second, was seized of the said barony in fee.

That the petitioner is heir general and sole heir to the said Richard

In order to prove that the said Nicholas le Poer was seized of the said barony in fee, the following evidence was laid before us, which we have annexed to this our report:

 

An attested copy of an original record remaining in the Office of the Rolls of the Court of Chancery of a writ of summons, dated at Naas The 22^nd day of November in the 48^th year of King Edward the Third, directed to the Archbishop of Armagh, by which the said archbishop was summoned to a parliament which was then appointed to be held at Dublin on the octave of St. Hillary then next ensuing; and an attested copy of a writ by summons of the same date to the same parliament, directed to James Butler, Earl of Ormond, which said record mentions that the like writs of summons to the same date, were directed Comitibus, Magnatibus, et Proceribus Subscriptis, and among many other lords, to Nicholas Poer.

 

An attested copy of an original record remaining in the Office of the Rolls of the Court of Chancery in this kingdom of a writ of summons, dated at Tristledermot The 22^nd day of January in the first year of Richard the Second, directed to the archbishop of London, by which the said archbishop was summoned to a parliament which was then appointed to be held at Tristledermot aforesaid on the Monday next after the feast of Everninus next following, which record mentions like writs of the same tenor and date, with the necessary changes, directed to several lords, and among others to Nicholas le Poer. An attested copy of an original record remaining in the Office of the Rolls aforesaid of a writ of summons, dated at Trym the 11^th day of December in the 4^th year of Richard the second, directed to the archbishop of Dublin, by which the said archbishop was summoned to a parliament which was then appointed to be held at Dublin on the morrow of all souls next ensuing, which record mentions that like writs of the same tenor and date, with the necessary changes, were directed to several lords, and among others to Nicholas le Poer.

 

An attested copy of an original record remaining in the said Office of Rolls aforesaid of a writ of summons, dated at Dublin the 29^th of April in the 5^th year of Richard the second, directed to the archbishop of Dublin, by which the said archbishop was summoned to a parliament which was then appointed to be held at Dublin aforesaid on the Monday after fifteen days of the Holy Trinity next ensuing, which record also mentions like writs of the same tenor and date, with the necessary changes, directed to several lords, and among others to Nicholas le Poer.

 

There being no journals of parliament existing in this kingdom so early as the aforesaid times, no positive evidence to prove that the said Nicholas le Poer sat in parliament, in pursuance of the said writs of summons, could be given; but we humbly apprehend that the said several records in the reigns of King Edward the Third and his successor, having classed the Barony of Le Poer with other baronies and titles of honour, which are at this day in being, and which have continued in the same families from the aforesaid times to the present, and other evidence hereinafter stated, induce a presumption that the said Nicholas le Poer sat and voted in parliament in the 48t^h of Edward the Third, in pursuance of the said writ of summons, and thereby became seized in fee of the said barony, no barony by letters patent having been created earlier than the 11^th of Richard the Second.

 

No evidence has been laid before us to show the regular succession in the family of the petitioner from the time of Richard the Second to the reign of King Henry the Eighth, but there was produced to us an attested copy of an original record in the said Rolls Office, of a grant made by King Henry the Eighth in the 37^th year of his reign, which recites a former grant made in the 33^rd year of his reign to Peter Power, of Curraghmore, late Lord Power, which was produced as evidence that the said Barony of Power, or Le Poer, descended to and was subsisting in the said Peter in the 33^rd year of Henry the Eighth, which we conceive to be evidence of the said fact, as no other evidence appeared to us of any other title the said Peter could have had to the honour of Lord Power, save as aforesaid; and as it appears to us from the evidence hereinafter stated that the said Peter was the descendent and heir of the said Nicholas Lord Poer.

In order to prove a regular succession from the time of Queen Elizabeth to the 25^th year of King Charles the Second, when Richard Lord Poer was created Earl of Tyrone, the following evidence was laid before us in support of the second proposition, which we have likewise annexed to this our report.

 

An attested copy of an extract from a parliament roll in the Office of the Rolls, containing the names of the lords spiritual and temporal and commons in a parliament held by Thomas, Earl of Sussex, at the city of Dublin, in the 2n^d year of Queen Elizabeth, in which role is mentioned, among the temporal lords, John Poer, Lord of Curraghmore.

Likewise an extract from another parliament roll in the said office, containing the names of the lords spiritual and temporal, and such as were summoned to the parliament, holden before Sir John Perrot, in the 27^th year of Queen Elizabeth, in which, among the temporal lords, we find the Lord of Curraghmore.

 

There was also laid before us an attested copy of an original record in the aforesaid Office of the Rolls, bearing date at Greenwich the last day of May, 1588, in the 30^th year of Queen Elizabeth, whereby her Majesty grants a fee-farm? Of the value of £50 English by the year to Richard Poer, son and heir to the Lord Poer of the realm of Ireland, in consideration of his own and his ancestors' good services, particularly in regard of his grandfather having been slain in that realm in service against rebels; of his uncle having been slain at Bullen (Boulogne) in the service of King Henry the Eighth; and of the wounds received by his father and himself in the kingdom of Ireland, in her service.

 

To prove that the said Richard was afterwards Lord Poer, an attested copy of the inrollment of letters patent was laid before us, bearing date the 5^th day of December, in the 3^rd year of the reign of King James the First, by which his majesty grants certain fairs to John Poer, Esq., the grandson and heir apparent of Richard, Lord Poer, Baron of Curraghmore.

Also an attested copy of an original record remaining in the Rolls Office, containing a commission bearing the date the 20^th day of August in the 5^th year of the reign of King James the First, directed to several persons therein named to take an inquisition at what place, day, and year Richard, Lord Poer, late Baron of Curraghmore, died; and of what seized, and who is his next and lawful heir; and of what age at the time of his death, and whether married or not, to which said commission is annexed the inquisition taken in pursuance thereof on the 2^nd day of September, 1607, in the 5^th year also of the said King, viz., the following month, by which inquisition it appears that Richard Power, Lord Power and Baron of Curraghmore, died at Curraghmore on the 7^th day of August, 1607, seized of the manor of Curraghmore and several other lands, held in Capite of the King; and that John Power, then Lord Power and Baron of Curraghmore, was the next and lawful heir of the late Lord Richard, and was eight and a half years old at the death of the said Lord Richard, and that the use of the said lands descended to the said John Power, then Lord Power and Baron of Curraghmore aforesaid, as next heir of the said Lord Richard, viz., as son and heir of John Poer, deceased, who was son and heir of Lord Richard, and who died in the lifetime of his said father.

 

This evidence having deduced the succession of Richard to John, his grandson, and vested the estate of Curraghmore and Barony of Poer in the said John, an infant.

 

The next evidence laid before us was an attested copy from the journals of the House of Lords, of the names of the lords spiritual and temporal at the parliament holden at Dublin the 14^th day of July, 1634, delivered in by the king-of-arms, among whom is the Lord of Curraghmore. Also attested copies of the following extracts from the journals of the House of Lords.

 

A motion made at the bar the 2^nd day of August, 1634, by Mr. Attorney, that the absent lords who had not sent proxy, or made fit excuse, might be amerced, and among these lords John Lord Power, of Curraghmore, is mentioned.

Information given to the House by Lord Barrymore, the 4^th of November, 1634, that Lord Power is sick.

A catalogue of the nobility of Ireland, as they ought to sit the first day of parliament held at Dublin the 16^th day of March, 1639, in which John, Lord Baron of Curraghmore, stands the eighth, an takes place the third after the Lord Howth, which we conceive to be evidence that the peerage that the said John, Lord Baron of Curraghmore, was then intitled to, was very ancient; and it appearing to us by the evidence hereafter stated, that the said John, Lord Baron of Curraghmore, was the heir of the said Nicholas, Lord Le Poer, and it not appearing to us that the said John, Lord Baron of Curraghmore, could have had any other title to the said peerage than as heir to the said Nicholas Le Poer, we conceive that the aforesaid several matters sufficiently prove that the said John, Baron of Curraghmore, held the said barony by that title, and as the heir of the said Nicholas, Lord Le Poer.

 

An entry in the journals of the 5^th March, 1665, of Lord Power being added to the Committee of Privilege and Grievances.

 

An entry in the journals of the House of Lords of the 20^th March, 1665, of several bills being referred to a committee, of which Lord Power is one.

 

In order to prove that the said John was succeeded by Richard, his son and heir, the following evidence which we have likewise annexed to this our report, was laid before us: - First, an attested copy from the Office of the Rolls of an original grant of King Charles, bearing date the 24^th day of July in the 20^th year of his reign, of fairs to Richard, Lord Le Poer, and his heirs. Secondly, an attested copy from the office aforesaid of letters patent, granted by King Charles the Second on the 2?th day of May, in the 23^rd year of his reign to Richard, Lord Le Poer, which letters patent recite that the father of the said Richard, under whom he claimed, was proved before the commissioners of the Court of Claims to be lunatic before the beginning of the late rebellion, and adjudged an innocent person. That the commissioners of the said Court of Claims did adjudge the several lands in the said letters patent mentioned to Arthur, Earl of Anglesey, as guardian to the said John Le Poer, and to the heirs and assigns of the said John Le Poer. His Majesty by the said letters patent in consideration of the merits of the said Richard, Lord Le Poer and Curraghmore, and to encourage the loyalty of others, does release to him all quit rent.

 

The said letters patent also mention that the ancestors of the said Richard Lord Le Poer, from their first planting in Ireland for above 400 years, had entirely preserved their faith and loyalty to the Crown of England, which carries the fame and antiquity of the family to the 56^th year of the reign of Henry the Third, in 1270.

The next evidence was an attested copy of letters patent of King Charles the Second bearing date the 9^th day of October in the 25^th year of the said King, creating Richard, Lord Baron De La Poer and Curraghmore, Viscount Decies and Earl of Tyrone, to hold the said dignity to him and his heirs male.

 

And the next evidence was a certificate from the Deputy Clerk and Keeper of the Rolls, that he had made diligent search in the Office of the Rolls of his Majesty's High Court of Chancery in Ireland, and could not find any inrolment of letters patent granting to any person of the name of Poer, or De Le Poer, any title or dignity of a peer of this realm, from the earliest records remaining in the said office until the 25^th of King Charles the Second, at which time the above-mentioned patent was granted to Richard, Lord Le Poer, of the dignities of Viscount Decies and Earl of Tyrone.

 

To prove the third proposition that the petitioner is heir general and sole heir of Richard, Lord Baron De Le Poer, so created Earl of Tyrone, the following evidence was produced, which we have likewise annexed to this our report: -

The affidavits of James Duckett, in the County of Waterford, Esq., aged 68; of William Power, of the said County aged 57: and James FitzGerald, of the said County, aged 51, whose testimony founded on general reputation and their own belief is -

That Richard, Earl of Tyrone, died leaving two sons, John and James.

That John, his eldest son and heir, succeeded to his estates and honours and died without issue.

That on his death, the estates and honours descended to James, his brother.

That James died in the year 1704, leaving the petitioner his only child and heir.

That Richard, the first Earl of Tyrone, was the heir general of the Lords De Le Poer, Barons De Le Poer, sometimes called Lords of Barons De Le Poer and Curraghmore.

That the petitioner is the lineal descendant and heir of Richard, Earl of Tyrone, and of the old Lords or Barons De Le Poer.

That Curraghmore is, and for some hundreds of years hath been, the mansion seat of the family.

 

And that one of the witnesses hath known the petitioner from her infancy, another 36 years, and the third, 26 years.

During the course of the evidence laid before us, having observed to the petitioners counsel that one Henry Power had pretended a claim to the title of Lord Power,

The following evidence to invalidate that claim was laid before us, an affidavit of the aforesaid James Duckett and William Power whose testimony grounded on general reputation is-

That Richard, Lord Power, who lived in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, had two sons - (1) John, his elder, who died in the lifetime of his father, leaving a son and heir called John; and (2) Pierce, his younger son.

That John, the grandson, was father of Richard, Earl of Tyrone, and that upon failure of issue male of Earl Richard by the death of Earl James his son, the descendants of Pierce Power (of whom the said Henry was one) were called Lords Power for no other reason than as being upon the death of Earl James the heirs male of Richard Lord Power who lived in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

The death of Lady Beresford (nee Power) took place in 1769, six years after her husband's demise. She also was interred in Clonagam, in the Curraghmore Demesne; and with her ended the senior line of Power of Coroghmore springing from Matthew de Poer, grandson of Sir Robert de Poher, A.D. 1177.