334 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



as the output of the press or presses of the Council of the Confederate 

 Catholics and of their successors in occupation of these cities. Then the 

 historical value and importance of the whole output would be perceived and 

 appreciated, as it cannot properly be when dealt with in piecemeal and 

 disconnected fashion. 



In each city, as will be noticed upon a careful perusal of the lists, the 

 press of the Confederate Catholics was succeeded by a hostile press, or their 

 own was made use of by their opponents. In the case of Waterford such 

 press was that of the Cromwellian party, who captured the city in August, 

 1649, and either took possession of the press there or brought in one of their 

 own, and the few items from 1651 on are the extant output after the 

 Cromwellian occupation of the city. 



A very careful examination, and comparison, of the respective outputs 

 of the presses of Kilkenny and Waterford are desirable, and would probably 

 lead to a correct decision as to the place of printing of doubtful items, and 

 other uncertain points concerning the different presses in each city. 



Some of the items in this list are of great historical interest, and are well 

 known ; others are not so familiar to the student of Irish history, and so 

 merit his attention. 



It is right here to allude for a moment to the allegation that a Sermon 

 was printed in Waterford in 1618. No copy of it, if so, exists, while a copy 

 of the London edition of the Sermon is to be found in the Bodleian Library 

 at Oxford. It is a mistake, as a rule, to allege that there was no early 

 printing in a town. Again and again has the alleged first year of printing 

 been proved an error, and much earlier printing has been found. In a sea- 

 port city like Waterford a press might have been imported for a while, and 

 then removed elsewhere. Presses in 1618 were comparatively small, and 

 easily moved about as required. 



Peter de Pienne, who printed for the Cromwellian authorities in Water- 

 ford, had printed in Cork previously while it was in the hands of the 

 royalists. 



This list is restricted to printing in the city of Waterford in the 

 seventeenth century, and leaves untouched the controverted printing 

 there in the sixth decade of the sixteenth century. It will be seen on 

 perusal of the list that the items in it are either political or religious in 

 character and aim, but are all or nearly all of considerable value 

 historically. 



A few facsimiles of title-pages and ornaments are given. 



1. 1643. An/ Argument/Delivered/By/Patricke Darcy Esquire,/ By The 



