WtSTROV-p—Farh/ Italian Afaps of Ireland from 1300-1600. 383 



Edward I (to clear the debts of his war in Palestine), in 1299 ; accordingly, 

 the " Hammer of Scotland " granted to Coppns Joseph, Coppus Cotenne, and 

 Taldiis Janian (who, with the ubiquitous " Tholosianus " Donati, formed the 

 Irish branch of the Friscobaldi), the Irish Customs on wine and hides which 

 were held by the Gascon merchants. The latter being naturally aggrieved, 

 were indemnified out of the lands of the Earl of Cornwall in a sum of 

 £3,370 I3s. IJrf. for wine" supplied to the King's household. The financial 

 practice of the day seems very complex to us. The Friseobaldi also trenched 

 on the interests of the Eicarcli of Lucca, being given the wool held by the 

 latter company in England, Ireland, and Scotland in IJiOl. In the next two 

 years Beatus Panuchi, Scoldus de Friseobaldi, Coppus Cotenue,' and others of 

 the company, were regranted the Custom on wool and hides in Ireland. They 

 were on friendly terms with the Donati, whom they sometimes attorned in 

 their lawsuits with others. The Mozzi of Florence also traded with Ireland 

 in 1309.- 



A third Florentine firm, the Betticli, are named in the Justiciary Piolls. 

 Hugelin Pere and Hugelin Teste were among its members and traded in 

 Ireland. Several other firms are recorded in Ireland. The Gherardini 

 commenced business in England under Otto degli Gherardini in 1199. The 

 Bardi were bankers in Florence in 1244, and appointed legal representa- 

 tives in Ireland, May 29th, 1311.^ The S-pini, like the Gherardini 

 had occasional Irish connexion. Gerald de Nerly of the Spini was paid 

 £100 by the Government for good service, 1214, and in 1302, King Edward 

 being in debt to Philip Gerardinus and Gerardinus Gottis of Nerlis, assigned 

 to them the tenth allowed him in Ireland by Pope Boniface VIII.* 



One cannot but suspect that it was those merchants who originated in 

 later days the popular belief in the Florentine origin of the Geraldine nobles 

 in Ireland. Gamurrini's "History of the Gherardini" (in 1671) expresses 

 doubt as to whether he should include the Irish lines ; but he yields on the 

 authority (to modern antiquaries unsatisfactory) of a late document which 

 told how, in 1413, one of the Irish family, Maurice Fitz Gerald, a priest of 

 Ardfert, when " seeking for some one in Florence," stated that his ancestors 



1 He is also mentioned in tlie Calendar of Fines, i, p. 439, where there is much about the 

 Friseobaldi, pp. 466, 471-472, 475, 481. The Friseobaldi collected at Kingston-on-Hull, Newcastle- 

 on-Tyne, and Exeter in 1300 ; Coppe Cotenue appears there. (Red Book of Exhcqeuer, Rolls 

 series, III, p. 988.) 



■•= Papal Register Cal., 1309. 



3 " Guilds of Florence," p. 171, p. 182. 



* Florentines — See " Guilds of Florence," E. Stanley, chap. vi. There are endless entries in the 

 Cal. Doc. Ir. Tinder dates Plea, Pipe, Judiciary Rolls, Reports D. K. R. Ir. 36-41. The monastic 

 and other Registers, Gilbert's "Documents of the Anglo-Normans," Pat. Rolls, "Liber Kubeus 

 de Scaccario," iii, pp. 977 and 988. 



