Leixlip in the news, 1302 to 1461Trinity College Dublin, in collaboration with others, recently published on the web, newly translated rolls (written records in rolled-up form) created by the Irish Chancery. The Chancery is the secretariat of the government which attaches the great seal to documents to authenticate them. Rolls which are open and available for all to see are called patent rolls; those which are sealed in a closed state are known as Close Rolls. The newly available Irish records complement the records in British State papers of the same period which relate to Ireland. The formal launch of this new facility took place on Thursday, 10 May 2012 in TCD, with an address by Professor Robin Frame, entitled ‘Rediscovering Medieval Ireland.’ The website can be searched by modern place name and surname. The period, 1244 to 1509 is encompassed. For more information see
http://chancery.tcd.ie/content/irish-chancery-rolls
The following extracts, edited by John Colgan, refer to the thirty-five mentions of Leixlip and one of the Barony of Salt Barony.
1302-3: The King’s agent appointed Richard Bereford, with others, to supervise the weirs on the Liffey river between Dublin and the town of Leixlip, to inquire by the oath of worthy men of the counties Kildare and Dublin as to by whom the said weirs have been operated lately in ways other than those accustomed as of old, and to remove the damaging items. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.1, 31 Edward I, 22/2/1302-3]
1310: The King’s agent gave his chaplain, Andrew Kent, the chantry of the King’s chapel of the castle of Leixlip. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll No.125, 4 Edward II, 20/12/1310]. Chantry is an endowment to a priest to say masses for the benefactor’s soul in this chapel.
1380: The King’s agent made an order to restore a weir, a hatchery and a fishery on the river Liffey at Chapelizod, Co Dublin, belonging to William Taney, prior of St John of Jerusalem, because he had a lease on it, which had been taken into the King’s hand so as to secure a passage of water 24 feet wide to enable boats and floats with goods on them passage from Dublin city to the manor of Leixlip. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Close Roll, No.37, 4 Richard II, 24/11/1380]
1381: The King’s agent granted to Richard Harghin, now Hargaden, after his petition, 20s from the issues of Leixlip manor, by the hands of the prior and brethren of the hospital of St John of Jerusalem, in recompense for the office of chief serjeant of Co Dublin, which Edward III, grandfather of the present King, had given him by letters patent. Harghin had been maimed in the service of Edward III; the prior and brethren were ordered to have this allowance in their account. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Nos.3 & 19, 5 Richard II, 12/8/1381]
1384: A further order, to the Barons of the Exchequer, was given by the King to allow the prior and brethren of St John of Jerusalem to provide 20s a year out of the manor of Leixlip to Richard Harghin alias Hangham, who had given 25 years’ service as chief serjeant of Co Dublin. [Irish Chancery Rolls, No.60, 8 Richard II, 12/11/1384]
1395: The King made several orders, including one at Kilkenny for the delivery of letters patent by him to grant to John Phelipp lands called Marchalrath in Newcastle Lyons and a tenement in "le Lexlep" – Leixlip – Co Dublin for the term of his life. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Close roll No.61, 6 Richard II, 12/3/1385]
1398: On 15/1/1398 the King wrote to the Barons of the Exchequer stating that on 24/2/1395, King Richard II granted for life to William Kylvyngston, sergeant of his lands, all lands, tenements rents and services in Ardras, parcel of the manor of Leixlip, and by writ dated 2/3/1396, he ordered the prior and brethern of St John of Jerusalem, farmers of that manor, to permit him to have same. He ordered the Barons to grant the prior etc an allowance in their account. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Close Roll, No.7, 21 Richard II, 15/1/1398]
1399: The King’s agent granted £20 per annum to Edward Perers aka Perrers, (a Knight), from the fee-farm of the manor of Leixlip, payable by the prior of the hospital of St John of Jerusalem in Ireland. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent Roll, No.10, 22 Richard II, 1/3/1399] In a Close Roll (No.5) of the same date, the prior and the brothers of the hospital were ordered to make the payment to Perers. Similar order made in 26/8/1414.
1402: The commons of Co Kildare agreed, in aid of the resistance of the Irish who were striving to destroy neighbouring parts, to find 260 foot soldiers (known as kerns) and to assess sums for their sustenance; and to deliver the same to Thomas Peynton and Thomas fitz Adam, who were elected as receivers. The following persons were elected as collectors of the money, among whom were Stephen Ward and Thomas Griffin, in the barony of Sant aka Saltus Salmonum. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.242, 3 Henry IV, 27/5/1402]
1402: The King’s agent, from Trim Castle, granted for his service to Henry Strangways, clerk, of, inter alia, rent of 38s 8d per annum issuing from the lands and tenements at …………….., lately a parcel of …………….. probably the prior and brethren of the hospital of St John of Jerusalem at Leixlip, which the prior and convent of St Wolstan pay the King, to be held by Henry for his life, without rendering anything. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent Roll, No.29, 4 Henry IV, 16/11/1402]
1406: Lately the King granted to Thomas Monyn, Esquire, £20 to be received annually for his life out from the fee-farm that the prior and brethren of St John of Jerusalem in Ireland and their successors are required to render to the King at the Exchequer of Ireland for the castle and manor of Leixlip, Co Kildare, and for Chapelizod. Thomas has relinquished his grant and the King has now granted to Edward Perers, Knight, and Joan, his wife, of those £20 for their lives and whichever of them lives the longer, to be received as before. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent Roll, No.66, 7 Henry IV, 27/1/1406] Perers late sought exemplification of his grants (others of which extended to Dublin city and Wales), which is recorded in Patent Roll, No.49, 8 Henry V, 18/10/1420. Perers and his son, John, were also given the office of constable and keeper of the castle and town of Wicklow, in the territory of the enemy, O’Brynnes, Irish enemies, and far away from English lieges; detailed in Patent Roll No. 92, 1 Henry VI, 1/3/1423.
1406: The King’s agent, at Kilkenny, granted to Henry Poule, chaplain, the free chapel of Leixlip, which pertains to the King’s gift. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent Roll, No.56, 7 Henry IV, 12/3/1406]
1408: The King granted to William Stokynbrig, second engrosser of the Exchequer, a lot of lands, including one messuage (=a house with surrounding garden or land) and one acre that lately belonged to John Walsh in Palmerston Palmerstown, co Dublin, and all the messuages, lands and tenements which William holds by the King’s letters in Leixlip. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent Roll, No.128, 10 Henry IV, 6/1/1406]
1409: King’s grant, made in Kilkenny, to Nicholas Cook of four messuages, three gardens, one croft and seven acres of land in Leixlip, Co Kildare. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent Roll, No.111, 10 Henry IV, 1/6/1409]
1410: William Stafford, parson of a moiety of the Church of Leixlip and Comsy Confey, diocese of Dublin, and John Tydylsyde, chaplain of the church of Chall..tu Wyn…. intend to exchange their churches. Presentation to Thomas Cranley, archbishop of Dublin, of John of the said moiety. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.1, 11 Henry IV, 6/1/1410]
1415: The Lord Lieutenant, John Talbot of Halomshire, Knight, and the King’s council in Ireland, making his decision at Trim, Co Meath, granted for service £20 per annum to Thomas Talbot, junior, Esquire, of the fee-farm that the prior and brethren of the hospital of St John of Jerusalem in Ireland, and their successors, are required to pay to the King each year for the castle and manor of Leixlip and for Chapelizod, with appurtenances; to have for life, receiving those twenty pounds out of the hand of the prior and brethren of that hospital in equal portions at Michaelmas and Easter. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.159, 2 Henry V, 21/2/1414]
1415: The King’s representative in Ireland, acting from Trim Castle, inspected and confirmed letters patent dated 22/4/1401 in the time of 2 Henry V by which the King granted to Walter de Hyde of £40 per annum from the fee-farm that the prior and brethren of St John of Jerusalem in Ireland are bound to render to the King for the castle and manor of Leixlip and Chapelizod, as the King had retained Walter to himself for life. In a separate order of the same date, the prior and brethren were ordered to make the payment to de Hyde. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, Nos.11& 12, 3 Henry V, 29/3/1415]
1415: The King’s representative ordered the Treasurer and the barons of the Exchequer to allow the prior and brethren of St John of Jeerusalem to pay Walter de Hyde £40 a year out of the fee-farm in their account, out of Leixlip and Chapelizod etc. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.13, 3 Henry V, 23/4/1415]
1419: On 12/1/1419 at Trim Castle consideration was given to a certified copy of an act made in the King’s council before John Talbot, lord lieutenant of Ireland at Naas on 20/11/1417. Many documents were considered and following is a brief summary with particular reference to North Kildare. At this time a debate and discord had arisen between Thomas Butler, prior of the hospital of st John of Jerusalem in Ireland, on the one side, and Walter Burke (alias Burgh), chieftain of his lineage on the other and both parties had assembled and retain with them many men, both horse and foot, the King’s Irish enemies and English rebels, to a very great number in order to ride against each other and destroy the King’s liege people, etc. Walter Burgh eventually observed the King’s peace, lately made in the Lieutenant’s presence in Waterford, towards the faithful English but for a few days etc. Brother Thomas Butler, prior, was ordered, by proclamation made on 16/1/1418 in several parts of Dublin, including the borough of Lucan, Newcastle, the borough of Kilmainham, and the market town of Lusk, to appear in the parliament at Dublin on 14/2/1418. And Richard Wellesley, sheriff of Kildare, returned that he caused proclamation to made at Naas on Monday, 14/2/1418; at Kilcoke on 30th January; at Cloncurry the next day; at Kildare on 29th January; at Leixlip on 1st February; at Clane on 3rd February; ad Kyldroght on 4th February; at Straffane on Sunday, 6th February, etc. On 14/2/1418 Laurence Newton, the King’s serjeant-at-arms, at the barriers of the place of the parliament in Dublin, called out, in the presence of the Lieutenant and the lords and commons assembled there, "Brother Thomas Butler, prior of the hospital of St John of Jerusalem in Ireland, come and appear in this parliament to answer the King upon high crimes, contempts and offence which will be charged against you according to the tenor of the writs of proclamation made concerning this, on pain of law." Having read this three times, and again for another three days, the Lieutenant appeared in parliament and, by the assent and advice of the lords spiritual and temporal, adjourned the parliament, in the same estate and condition as it was, to the town of Trim until Monday next, 30/5/1418. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.14, 6 Henry V, 12/1/1419]
1419: A gift and grant was made by the King’s representative, Richard Talbot, archbishop of Dublin, on behalf of Thomas Talbot, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, of £20 per annum to Laurence Merbury, Knight, from the fee-farm of Leixlip and Chapelizod, to be received from the hands of the prior and brethren of the hospital of St John of Jerusalem at the terms of Michaelmas and Easter in equal portions. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.76, 7 Henry V, 20/9/1419]
1431: The King’s Justiciar in Ireland, Robert Talbot, archbishop of Dublin, made a grant of £20 per annum to Thomas Hawkeslow for the term of ten years from the fee-farm of Chapelizod and Leixlip. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.55, 9 Henry IV, 14/7/1431]
1431: Richard Talbot, archbishop of Dublin and the King’s Justiciar, made a grant to William Sutton, for his lifetime, of £10 from the fee-farm of Chapelizod and Leixlip. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.57, 9 Henry IV, 18/7/1431]
1440: An order made in writing by the King’s agent at Drogheda to the Treasurer and chamberlains of the Exchequer for payment to Alexander Eve of a tally of 50 shillings (levied in 1437) from the fee-farm of Chapelizod and Leixlip, by the prior and brethren of the hospital of St John of Jerusalem in Ireland, farmers, who were unwilling to receive it. Tallage is a form of taxation levied on towns, etc, and on feudal dependents. ‘Tally’ is a piece of wood scored across with notches for the items of an account and then split into halves of which each party kept one. A tally is also the account so kept. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Close roll, No.46, 20 Henry IV, 20/11/1440]
1442: The King’s representative, writing from Dublin Castle to the Treasurer and chamberlains of the Exchequer reminded them that it had been ordered by letters patent at Westminster dated 27/1/1406, transferred an annual grant of £20 payable by the prior and brethren of St John of Jerusalem out of Chapelizod and Leixlip to Edward Perrers, Knight, and his wife Joan for the life of the longest-living of them. Now Joan had survived Edward and was seised until Michaelmas 1441, when all the manors and lands and all kind of profits pertaining to the said prior and brethren, except the house or preceptory (= a subordinate community of Knights Templar, and their property) of Kilmainham and other parcels and portions of the lands of the collegiate church of Kilmainham, were seized in the King’s hands by the Chancellor, by force of an agreement made in Dublin Castle in June last by Lionel Welles, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland; and because Thomas fitz Gerrot, prior of the said hospital did not appear before the King to answer upon certain treasons and other offences which were to be declared to him on the King’s behalf; As the castles and lands of Leixlip and Chapelizod were seized by the King, Joan did not receive those ten pounds due to her last Michaelmas and after, the said Joan did appoint James Cornewalshe. Esquire, chief baron of the Exchequer, and Nicholas Furlong, chaplain, as her executors, and she died at Bagotesrath, co Dublin, on 31/12/1441, the executors seek payment of those £10. It was so ordered. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Close roll, No.25, 22 Henry IV, 19/5/1442]
1450: James Butler, Earl of Ormond and Deputy Lieutenant, made an order at Dublin of a grant to John Gogh, second baron of the Exchequer, of £10 per annum out of the fee-farm of Chapelizod and Leixlip by the prior and brethren of the hospital of St John of Jerusalem in Ireland, in part payment of his fee of £20 and, further, the arrears of his fee and the remaining £5 per annum at the Exchequer. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.50, 29 Henry IV, 5/1/1410]
1450: Grant made by the King’s representative to Robert fitz Rery, the King’s attorney, towards the fee of his office of 100 shillings per annum out of the fee-farm of Chapelizod and Leixlip, by the hands of the prior and brethren of the hospital of St John of Jerusalem in Ireland. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.51, 29 Henry IV, 6/1/1410]
1450: Grant made by James Butler, Earl of Ormond, Deputy Lieutenant, to Thomas Sneterby, serjeant-at-law, towards the fee of his office, of 100 shillings per annum out of the fee-farm of Chapelizod and Leixlip and 100 shillings of his arrears out of the revenues of Ireland. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.53, 29 Henry IV, 7/1/1410]
1461: The King’s representative in Ireland made a grant to Thomas Dartas, alias Darcas, of the free chapel of Leixlip. [Irish Chancery Rolls, Patent roll, No.73, 1 Edward IV, 20/5/1461]
Trinity College Dublin, in collaboration with others, recently published on the web, newly translated rolls (written records in rolled-up form) created by the Irish Chancery. The following extracts, edited by John Colgan, refer to the thirty-five mentions of Leixlip and one of the Barony of Salt Barony.
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