138 



Proceedings of the Rotjal Irish Acadenuj. 



the kynge a lyttell servyce they wyll have a concordat urn for 

 extraordynary expences. 



Of the insuffycyexct of some claekes 

 belongynge to some of hys ma couetes. 



It hath pleased hys ma^' to dygnyf y the cheef Judges of thos courtes 

 wyth honourable tyteles as they be in Englande-^ but the courtes 

 thentselves are undygnyfyed agayne by the insuSycyency of inferyor 

 Clarkes ther unto belongynge. In the courte of comon pleas ther is 

 one man-* that hathe ingrosed the wholl offyces apteynynge to vi 

 seul all psons & houldeth them all in hys owne handes no lesse hurtful 

 to the kynge then inconvenyent to the subject that is a suter. 



The lyke agayne in hys ma^'' hygh courte of Castell chambre 

 called here the court of stare chambre wher an ygnorant man 

 posesseth five or syx seulall offyces,-^ that is not able to execute any 

 one of them acordyng unto a due course & forme of lawe, but 

 comyteth many errours as it comonly faleth owt allmost eulry court 

 day. The lawyers that be pleaders at the barre for the greatest 

 numbre of them are Iryshe, arrogant papystes that wyll neyther com 

 to church, nor take the oathe of obedyence ; & that a company so 

 malytyous & repugnant to hys ma^'' lawes shuld be suffered to make a 

 benyfyt of hys ma^'' lawes I leave to you^ ho' consyderatyon. 



Of offycers belongynd to Cyttyes & 



TOWNES corporate IN IrELANDE. 



Ther is not a Cytty in Irelande (no not Dublyne itself) that is able 

 yeare after yeare, for two yeares togyther to make choyce of a mayore 

 & two shery ves that wyll take the oathe of obedyence to hys ma*' ; but 

 to speakeof inferyor offycers as notaryes, sargantes, cunstables, jaylers 

 & such other lyke in Dublyne wher they are most conformed, I knowe 

 not any of thes but is a papyst that on suneday mornynges wyll fyrst 



-3 Under Elizabeth the heads of the three Common Law Courts were sometimes, 

 but not usually, knighted. Under James the First, they were invariably so 

 honoured. 



21 Apparently one "William Crowe, who held at this period the oflBces of Protho- 

 notary, Autographer, and Custos Brevium in the Court of Common Pleas. 



25 Perhaps Anthony Stoughton, Clerk of the Court of Castle Chamber, 

 1586-1626. 



