40 



custody the record of it was deposited and preserved before the lament- 

 able fire of 1711, made his report of the destructive efiects of that fire 

 upon the muniments in his department to the Lord Lieutenant and 

 Privy Council of the day, although in general terms he states that 

 Strafford's survey was totally consumed, he does not describe in what 

 it consisted, — thus imposing the unprofitable and unpleasing task of fill- 

 ing in the picture upon the industry or imagination of inquirers of after 

 times. 



To supply such omissions, to clear up all doubts and discrepancies, 

 and satisfy every reasonable mind that Strafford's survey comprehended 

 maps, and yet was not, as Howard alleges, the earliest survey, or even 

 townland survey, I have entered upon my present task, and trust to 

 carry it to a close briefly, clearly, and conclusively, and with as little of 

 weariness to my indulgent hearers as may be practicable, considering 

 that it is the condensed evidence of the record relics of nearly four cen- 

 turies. Eut, feeling that such a task cannot be concluded within the 

 limit of time conceded to those having the privilege of addressing the 

 Academy, I have divided the subject into two papers, the first of which, 

 now in hand, carries the narrative down to the memorable historic era 

 of the Great Eebellion, which broke out in this kingdom on the 23rd of 

 October, 1641. 



It seems not inappropriate to the introduction of the subject to state 

 briefly what my record experience teaches me to have been very ancient, 

 if not the most ancient geographical divisions of Ireland, and the changes 

 which time and circumstances efi'ected in these divisions. There is a 

 full, carefully prepared, and apparently authentic account of the ancient 

 territorial divisions of Ireland, prefacing two very solemn records of the 

 reign of Queen Elizabeth. One of these records contains the indentures 

 of composition made between the crown and the lords spiritual and 

 temporal, chieftains, freeholders, and others of the province of Con- 

 naught, and of some counties in Munster. The other is a book of sur- 

 vey of the great and small county of Limerick. Eoth were compiled to se- 

 cure a certain and perpetual land revenue to the crown of England ; and 

 for this purpose it was necessary to ascertain with precision the numbers 

 of plowlands or quarters in the several divisions of Connaught and some 

 parts of Munster, and the number of acres in the several divisions of 

 the great and small county Limerick. It was not, therefore, an act of 

 chance, choice, or caprice, the preparation of the account of the ancient 

 territorial divisions of Ireland which prefaces these records. It was a 

 solemn duty upon a solemn occasion, and for a solemn purpose, and I 

 therefore think myself justified in proposing this account as trustworthy 

 and reliable. 



These records point to and name five great divisions, namely, the 

 kingdoms of Leinster, Ulster, Munster, Connaught, and the compara- 

 tively small, though rich, central territory of Meath. Irish scholars and 

 antiquaries may possibly be enabled to decide whether this territory, 

 so conveniently placed relatively to the four surrounding kingdoms, was 

 not originally set apart and appropriated as the appanage of th^t king 



