451 
over most part of Europe and much of Asia. And if we refer to his 
«Precepts for Trayvellers,”’ Part iii, Booki., we find that the traveller is 
required to observe and note everything; and the record of his journey- 
ings proves that he practised what he preached. As secretary to the 
Lord Deputy Mountjoy, he had been from 1599 to 1608 actively em- 
ployed in Ireland, and was thoroughly acquainted with the Irish. Un- 
expectedly, by stress of weather, in 1613, he finds himself in Youghal, 
where he makes the most of the chance opportunity to collect information. 
And, from his rank and connexions, we may be sure that all were anxious 
to meet his inquiries, and to communicate their own several, separate 
stores of information. This, we are to remember, was in A. D. 1613, 
and that the Countess had died there in 1604, say nine years previously. 
Moryson’s information of the old Countess was, therefore, most probably 
obtained from individuals personally acquainted with her, “that she had 
lived to the age of 140 years ; that in her last years she was able to walk 
four or five miles to the market town (Youghal) weekly; and that not 
many years before she died she had all her teeth renewed.” So, when 
Fynes in his ‘‘Itinerary” comes to treat on “long life,”’ the Irish Countess 
of Desmond becomes a remarkable illustration. But if, instead of an 
occasional walk of four or five miles out, and as many home, he could 
have stated that she had walked 120 miles consecutively, would he not 
have done so ? and raised the really wondrous into the wondrously mar- 
vellous. And is it in the nature of any informant—an Ivish one, more 
especially—to dwell on a comparatively trifling incident, and to be silent 
on what would be really and truly astounding, ‘‘ barring only” that it 
had occurred. And yet, in 1613, when Moryson was at Youghal, 
“taking notes’ of all he could glean that was interesting, every indivi- 
dual of the age of twenty, or even less, would have personally known, 
at least by sight, the great lady at the Castle of Inchiquin, only five 
miles from them, and whom, in her walks to Youghal, they had seen so 
frequently. Consider the idolatry that has ever existed in Ireland 
towards ancient and noble families—the feeling for blood which per- 
vades all classes. J remember 4 countrywoman speaking to my mother 
respecting the wife of a neighbouring farmer—‘“‘ Oh, Ma’am, she was a 
Kirby, and people was surprised that she demeaned herself to marry a 
Murphy.” And in the Desmond family, Thomas, who became the sixth 
earl, A. D. 1899, marrying the beautiful Katherin M‘Cormack, daughter 
of one of his tenants, was expelled from his estates and earldom by his 
family and vassals, for forming an alliance so dishonouring to his blood, 
and died an exile in France, Sir William Betham considers about A. D. 
1421_2,—the Harleian, 1430. But our Countess was a Geraldine by 
birth, and a Desmond by marriage; combining in fullest perfection old 
blood and old nobility. Her husband, on attaining the earldom in 1529, 
when he was seventy-six years of age, fixed his residence at the Castle 
of Inchiquin, where he died 1534; and the castle, bemg part of his 
widow’s jointure, she continued its occupant until her death, in 1604, 
a residence of seventy-five years, she bemg sixty-five when she came 
there as Countess. ‘‘ The oldest inhabitant’”’ of Youghal and its neigh- 
