OF THE CAMDEN SOCIETY, ELECTED MAY 2, 1840. President, THE RIGHT HON. LORD FRANCIS EGERTON, M.P. THOMAS AMYOT, ESQ. F.R.S. Treas. S.A. Director. CHARLES FRED. BARNWELL, ESQ. M.A., F.R.S., F.S.A. THE RT. HON. RICHARD LORD BRAYBROOKE, F.S.A. JOHN BRUCE, ESQ. F.S.A. Treasurer. JOHN PAYNE COLLIER, ESQ. F.S.A. C. PURTON COOPER, ESQ. Q.C., D.C.L., F.R.S., F.S.A. THE RT. HON. THOMAS PEREGRINE COURTENAY. T. CROFTON CROKER, ESQ. F.S.A., M.R.I.A. THE REV. ALEXANDER DYCE. SIR HENRY ELLIS, K.H., F.R.S., Sec. S.A. THE REV. JOSEPH HUNTER, F.S.A. SIR FREDERICK MADDEN, K.H., F.R.S., F.S.A. THOMAS STAPLETON, ESQ. F.S.A. WILLIAM J. THOMS, ESQ. F.S.A. Secretary. THOMAS WRIGHT, ESQ. M.A., F.S.A. UNIVERSITY INTRODUCTION. THIS Volume is an humble contribution towards the illustration of two periods of Irish history generally regarded by party writers-as indeed most Irish historians may be termed according to their own views and prejudices. Both periods, 1641 and 1690, are emphatically spoken of at the present day by the Irish peasant as "the times of the troubles ;" and the accounts of civil warfare, now printed, are historically important as contemporary records of the views and conduct of parties who were actors in, not speculators upon, the events which they have described. The first of these narratives is little more than a Journal of the defence of a small tower or castle called Ballyally, in the county of Clare, which was held on lease from |