44 



The fact is, and history declares it, that the crown of England, which 

 had all the respoasibility and charge of the conquest, as well as the after 

 expenses for the support and maintenance of an Irish executive govern- 

 ment, being in the distance, was induced to pass away to its great and 

 successful military leaders and civil supporters the territorial and other 

 valuable fruits which from time to time had been won ; and that too 

 without the reservation of anything like suitable crown rents to aid in 

 the payment of said Irish government charge and expenses. And so re- 

 cently as the year 1546, the Academy will probably be surprised to 

 hear, the entire revenue of this kingdom, from all sources, amounted to 

 to barely £3000, a sum totally inadequate to defray the annual civil and 

 military charges. 



The possessions of the monasteries and other religious foundations, 

 surrendered to and vested in the crown by various acts of parliament, 

 in the reign of King Henry YI II., were disposed of by that monarch 

 with greater regard to state interests, and the consequence was an in- 

 crease of the revenue before stated by a sum of £6,800 per annum. 



Under such circumstances, it is not surprising that Edward VI. 

 she iild have considered it necessary to appoint a surveyor and escheator- 

 jgeneral to take and retain in his office, for the perpetual information and 

 protection of the crown, accurate surveys of all estates and interests 

 remaining to it, as well as of all other that might afterwards fall in by 

 escheat, forfeiture, or otherwise ; and it is to this office, and nearly to 

 this period, that the origin of manuscript townland plots or surveys are 

 really attributable. 



The creation grant of this office was by letters patent under the 

 great seal of Ireland, dated 15th I^ovember, 2d Edward YI., and was 

 passed to Walter Cowley, of the office of surveyor, appraiser, valuer^ 

 and escheator-general of all and singular crown honours, manors, lord- 

 ships, messuages, lands, tenements, woods, possessions, revenues, and 

 hereditaments within Ireland, together with an annual salary of one 

 hundred pounds, — a very large amount of remuneration in those days. 

 I subjoin the names of all persons appointed to said office, and dates of 

 the respective grants, down to the 23rd October, 1641, the period at 

 which the portion of my narrative communicated in this paper termi- 

 nates, viz.: — 



1. Walter Cowley, . . . . To hold during pleasure, , . 15 Nov. 1548, 2 Edw. VI. 



2. Edmund Sutton, . . . . Without tenure, ..... . 19 Sept. 1551, 5 Edw. VI, 



3. Michael Fitzwilliams, . . To hold for life, 12 May, 1552, 6 Edw. VI. 



4. Launcelot Alford, . . . To hold during pleasure, . . . 16 Jan. 1572, 14 Eliz. 



5. Sir GeofFry Fenton,Knt. . To hold for life, 10 Aug.1591, 39 Eliz. 



6. William Parsons, Gent., . To hold during good behaviour, 26 Dec. 1602, 44 Eliz. 



7. Francis Blundel, . . . . In reversion for life, 18 Feb. 1609, 6 Jas. I. 



8. William Parsons, . . . A reinstatement, ...... 14 Feb. IGIO, 7 Jas. I. 



9. William Parsons and his 



brother Laurence, ... To hold for life, . 26 Mar. 1611, 9 Jas. I. 



10. Sir William Parsons, Sir 

 A dam Loftus, and Rich- 

 ard Parsons, son and 



heir to Sir William, . . Upon surrender for life,. , . . 24 Dec. 1624, 26 Jas. I. 



