402 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



trade. We have already met foreign trade at Kilmallock, Cashel, 

 TiPPERARY, QuiN, in Co. Clare, and other inland towns. Kilkenny; its 

 murage rates from 1214 include dues on wine, pepper, saffron, ginger, spices, 

 almonds, cummin, figs, and raisins. It is probable that this important place, 

 mth much of central Leinster, was supplied from New Ross, and so possessed 

 no significance for foreign mariners. Wine was sent to Tristledekmot 

 (Dysert-dermot, or Castledermot), Co. Kildare, for the Lords Justices in 1280. 



Ardakt. In 1292 Ardfert, in Kerry, paid dues on 40 hogsheads of wine, 



and on 44 more later in that year. There was a market at Ardart, " in the 

 square," in 1324, which was equally on the grounds of the Bishop and on 

 those of the Prior of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. Their prede- 

 cessors had put up a wooden cross " as the sign of a market with a stocks." 

 Nicholas, Bishop of Artfert; Michael O'Colneny, the Dean: Thomas 

 Fitz Gerald, and others, without the Prior's knowledge, carried off the cross 

 and stocks, and set them up further on within the Bishop's lands, to the 

 detriment of the Prior. The case was tried that year, with various 

 postponements.' In 1302 foreign merchants were forbidden to retail cloth 

 at Moen,- or Moon, Co. Kildare. 



7. The Customs. 



In this subject expert study is greatly needed; to this I make no pretence, 

 so will merely tabulate the farm of certain cities and towns, the •prise of 

 wines and the new customs, so far as preserved, in the reigns of Henry III 

 and Edward I, and (in the last item) of Edward II. Even on the surface 

 these figures give an idea of the comparative wealth of the Irish towns and 

 the fluctuations of trade ; could the matter be exhaustively studied, we might 

 see in the records (Hke the rings in a tree-trunk) a correspondence with 

 external conditions. Certainly the effect of Thomas de Clare's fierce war in 

 Thomond, of King Torlogh Brien's terrible raid down eastern Co. Limerick, 

 of Eichard de Clare's war, and of the Bruce's war is apparent on slight 

 examination. The drain too of King Edward's Scottish war and its 

 interference with shipping, sailors, and supplies are discernible. The lesser 

 ports had less to lose (" cantat vacuus "), but it is striking to find Limerick (a 

 near neighbour, however, to perennial wars) falling to be a peer of Dingle and 

 Wexford in commerce, despite its political and corporate importance. 



As we had to note more than once, a usual impost on wine was one cask 



•Plea Rolls, Edwr. II, No. 147, mem. 11, No. 154, mem. 2. 



-For all the lesser ports see App. Eep. D.K.E. ; Cal. Doc. Ir. ; Pat., Pipe and Plea E. ; CiU. 

 Jiistic. Rolls. 



