535 



" The name is evidently French, but as I do not find it in 

 Battle Abbey Roll, or in Brampton's List, I should suppose 

 the first who came to England must have followed the Con- 

 queror after he was settled as King of England, or in the 

 reign of William Rufus. 



" In another MS. in my possession I find the following 

 passage, which I consider refers to the possessor of this 

 seal: 



" ' Herbert Delamare, of Norman French extraction, and 

 a leading man, came to Ireland on the first invasion thereof 

 by the English (with Hugh de Lacy, who obtained the grant 

 of the kingdom of Meath from King Henry II., to be held in 

 as ample a manner as O'Melaghlin held it ; in fact the King 

 granted him an honour, or Palatinate, as ample as it could be 

 granted: the words are ^^quod ibi habeo vel illi dare possum") 

 He obtained ample grants of great possessions in the western 

 parts of Meath, of which he was made governor, and from him 

 all the Delamers of Ireland were descended. From him this 

 family were called by the Irish Mac Erbei't. 



" ' William Delamer, son of Herbert, lived in the reign 

 of Henry the Third, and founded and endowed the Abbey of 

 Multifernam. 



" *• John Delamer, a powerful nobleman, built the strong 

 castle of Maghbreacy, in the country of Annaly, now called 

 the county of Longford, and made it his chief seat in 1294, 

 which it continued until the family were deprived of their es- 

 tates by Cromwell. In that year he joined John Fitzgerald, 

 Baron of Ophaley, against Richard De Burgo, Earl of Ulster, 

 and took him prisoner, and confined him in the Castle of Lei.x. 

 This John was slain by the O'Ferralls of Annaly. 



" ' Sir William Delamare, of Herbertstown, in the County 

 of Meath, was Hving in 1322, and was married to a lady named 

 Margery, and was father of 



" ' Herbert Delamare, who entered into recognizance for 

 the fealty of all his clan, 1347 ; his son was 



