This schoole hath been hitherto settled att Trim, but without any publique place or schoolhouse there, the providing whereof (if at the charge of the schoolmaster) would render his salary lesse considerably.

This County of Westmeath, which is part of the Diocesse of Meath, complains of their want of a publick schoole within that County & part of the Diocesse; touching which (as I am informed) severall presentmts have been made by the Grand Jury of the said County to the Judges of Assize, they offering to build a schoole house att Mullingarre (the shire towne for that County), if the freeschoole might be there settled; whereas the County of Meath hath been backward in building a house, for the schoolmaster att Trim, for that part of the Diocesse; And I understand that the Bishop & Clergy are contented there may be two schooles within that Diocesse att the charge allowable by the Act of Parliam', if soe be that Mullingarre will build a school house, & accept of that part of the Salary which the Impropriators are to pay, the Bishop & Clergy paying to that of Trim, if that County please to build a schoolhouse there, otherwise it is desired it may continue as it is.

I finde there is also about 200 Acres of land, or more, sett out about Bannagher, als Fortfalkland, in the King's County, within the Diocesse of Meath, which land is diverted to the maintenance of a schoole in the towne of Bir or Parsons towne, within the Diocesse of Killaloe, about five miles from Bannagher. And whereas there is great want of a schoole in that part of the Diocesse of Meath, that being farre from Mullingarre or Trim, It is desired, according to his Majties Royall intention for the endowing a schoole at Bannagher or thereabouts in the Diocesse of Meath, that the land allotted for it may, be disposed for that use onely within the said Diocesse, The Diocesse of Killaloe being left to that provision for a freeschoole by the Bishop, Clergy, and others, as is by the Act appointed.

KILMORE.

In the Diocesse of Kilmore, at Cavan, there is a free schoole of King James his foundation, endowed with lands to the value of 40l. p añn, whereof James Sheridan is schoolmaster, who is not resident, but hath been long in England, soe that the schoole is onely supplyed by James Maxwell, the Usher, who (as I am informed) is insufficient for the place.

ARDAGH.

Iu the Diocesse of Ardagh, in the Corporacón of St Johnstown, there is a schoole endowed with lands worth foure pounds p añn, whereof Nicholas Fagan is Master.

There is also in the same Diocesse a freeschoole at Jamestown, in the County of Leytrim, endowed with lands, whereof William Hall is Schoolmaster.

CLOGHER.

In the Diocesse of Clogher there is a free schoole att Eniskellin, endowed with lands to the yearly value of 120l. p añn, whereof Mr Thomas Dunbarre is Master.

RAPHOE.

In the Diocesse of Raphoe there is a freeschoole endowed with lands to the value of 45l. p añn, whereof Mr Richard Ayton is Master, who teaches & resides in Raphoe, but there is noe publicke schoolhouse built there or elsewhere in that Diocesse.

DERRY.

In the Diocesse of Derry, att Lifford, there is a free schoole which was heretofore endowed by the Hangards with 50l. yearely in lands, viz., 301. for the Master & 201. for the Usher, whereof Mr Shortall is now Master.

There is a schoolehouse erected att Derry, & a Schoolmaster placed there, which is intended to be endowed by the Society of London.

I finde likewise a complaint, that there is a Schoole att Strebane taught by a Fanaticke person, which tends to the further perverting of the people.

DOWNE & CONNOR.

In the Diocesse of Downe & Connor there is a freeschoole at Belfast endowed with 401. yearly by the Earle of Donnegall, as also a faire Schoolhouse, Mr Edward Fisher Master.

There is also a free schoole att Lisburne well endowed by my Lord Conway.

There is also a free schoole setled att Carickfergus, which is maintained by the Bishop, Clergy, &c., according to the Statute of the 12th of Elizabeth, the towne adding 201. a yeare thereunto, whereof William Henry is Master.

There is also a Free Schoole at Downe Patricke, maintained in like manner by the Bishop, Clergy, &c., according to the said Act.

DROMORE.

The Diocesse of Dromore is a very small Diocesse, taken out of the Counties of Armagh and Downe, wherein I finde there is noe publicke free schoole, nor noe complaint of the want of one.

ARMAGH.

In the Diocesse of Armagh there is one Freeschoole att Dunganon endowed with lands to the value of 60l. p añn, whereof Mr Francis Fletcher is Master, where there is also a good Schoole House.

There is also in the said Diocesse a Free Schoole, at Armagh, endowed with lands to the value of 40l. p añn, & a good Schoolhouse there; Mr Thomas Mabb is Master.

There is also a Free schoole setled att Tredagh, endowed by Alderman Erasmus Smyth ; But is not fully compleated.

This is the best account I can certainly give of the Severall Schooles abovesaid, pursuant unto your Excies Command unto Your most humble & obedient Servant,

28th Aug: 1673.

JA: ARMACHANUS.

SR

LXXX. THE EARL OF ESSEX TO SIR ARTHUR Forbes.

Dublin Castle, Aug: 16: 73. Yesterday I recd yrs of ye 11th instant, wch gives me an account concerning some Torys in ye County of Fermanagh; That two Macguirs, whose brother was lately murder'd by ye Tories, offer to bring in all that Knott, either alive or dead. You know how tender a point it is to put ye power of killing into any man's hands, & it is possible that if these Macguires lately had a brother slaine, he might be killed upon some private quarrell, & that these brothers may take this opportunitie for revenging it, & justifie themselves by an allowance from me. This I say may, for ought I yet know, be ye case; but, however, ye destroying of those vile sort of people is so good a worke as I desire you will give them all ye encouragem that may be to induce them to apprehend as many of those Tories as they can, & in case any should happen to be killed, if it be made apparent that he is a Tory, it would be but reasonable to pardon

them.a

To S Arthur Forbese.

This language about the Irish Tories should be compared with that used by the Earl Kincardine, another humane man, concerning the Highland "thieves.""Lauderdale Papers," vol. ii. p. 136.

LXXXI.-THE EARL OF ESSEX TO THE EARL OF

MY LORD,

ARLINGTON.

Dublin Castle, Sept. 2nd: 73. Yesterday at Councell we tooke examinations concerning Dr. Loftus's practices in fomenting ye differences now in this Citty, & encouraging them not to give obedience to ye Rules, & after having heard him what he could say for himselfe, we committed him Prisner to ye Castle. I have directed Mr. Aldworth to transmitt to Mr. Bridgeman Copies of ye examinations of this business, wch if y' Lop please to cast yr eye upon, They will themselves speak his crimes: All wch he was so far from excusing or denying, as, when he came to be heard, he would have justified all ye materiall Parts of them, & particularly that concerning ye Power of ye Parliam*, a pointe surely too high for any private man to define.

The enclosed is a Copy of a Lie from ye Officers of ye Customs in ye Porte of Corke, written to ye Barons of ye Exchequer. I thought fitt to send it to yr Lop that it may be considered of, in regard ye transportation of woollen Yarne therein mentioned, if permitted to be conveigh'd to forreine Parts, may have great influence on ye Cloath Trade of England. For my owne part I am glad to see this Nation advance so far in their industry as to worke their Wooll into Yarne, & I am of opinion that all improvemts of this kind tending to manufacture, ought to be cherish'd and encouraged by ye Governm1, & I shall most willingly give my assistance, as far as his Majestie shall thinke fitt, to ye promoting of it, tho' every Pack of Yarne exported is somewhat of loss to me, in regard by this means they avoide ye duty payable to ye Sworde on Wooll & Sheepskins.

a Private secretary to Essex. The copies of Essex's letters are in his writing.