Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Moore, Edward (1530?-1602)
MOORE, Sir EDWARD (1530?–1602), constable of Philipstown, second son of John Moore of Benenden in Kent, and Margaret, daughter and heiress of John Brent, and widow of John Dering of Surrenden in Pluckley, was born apparently about 1530. Sir Henry Sidney speaks of him (Collins, Sidney Papers, i. 282) as his kinsman and the Earl of Warwick's man ; but it is uncertain what the relationship exactly was. He came to Ireland about the beginning of Elizabeth's reign with his brothers Owen, the eldest, who became clerk of the check, and died in 1585 ; George, who was killed at Glenmalure in August 1580 ; and Thomas, the youngest, afterwards Sir Thomas of Croghan in the King's County, who was ancestor of the extinct house of Charleville, and died in December 1598. Moore is described (Cal. Fiants, Eliz. 641) in May 1564 as Edward Moore of Mellifont, esq., from which it would appear that he had already, at that time, obtained a lease of the dissolved abbey of Mellifont, which, from its position on the northern confines of the Pale, was a post of considerable strategic importance, and as such had not escaped the notice of Shane O'Neill (State Papers, Ireland, Eliz. ix. 65). Moore, though not actually in the queen's service, frequently furnished information to the government of the movements of the Irish in the north, and on more than one occasion rendered valuable assistance to the marshal of the army, Sir Nicholas Bagenal, in holding them in check (ib. xxix. 34, 36, 54, 70). He was warmly commended by Sir William Fitzwilliam (1526-1599) [q. v.], and his services were recognised by leases of lands in the neighbourhood of Mellifont (ib. xxxiv. 31 : Cal. Fiants, 1723).
In 1571 he appears as sheriff of the county of Louth, and in the same year he extended his influence by a prudent marriage into the Brabazon family (Cal. Fiants, 1832; State Papers, Ireland, Eliz. xxxiv. 31). He rendered what assistance he could to the ill-starred colonisation scheme of Walter Devereux, first earl of Essex; but in May 1574 he was appointed governor of Offaly, in place of Henry Colley, and on 2 June he was reported to have entered on his charge, and to have made a likely beginning against the O'Conors (ib. xlii. 58, xlv. 71, xlvi. 41, 54 ; Cal. Fiants, 2391, 2403). He was absent in England during the greater part of 1575, but on 24 May 1576 he obtained a grant during pleasure of the office of constable of Philipstown. On 22 Oct. he was made a commissioner for concealed lands, and for ecclesiastical causes in May 1577 (State Papers, Ireland, Eliz. 1. 65, 73, 74 ; Cal. Fiants, 2810, 2906, 3047). He was knighted by Sir William Drury in 1579, and in the same year obtained additional leases of lands in the counties of Louth, Meath, Kildare, and Queen's County (ib. 3559, 3564-5, 3593-6, 3599, 3615). During 1579-80 he was 'a very good instrument' in effecting an arrangement with the Baron of Dungannon for the preservation of the Pale from the depredations of Turlough Luineach O'Neill, MacMahon, and others (Cal. Carew MSS. ii. 177, 232, 304).
In March 1587 he visited England 'for divers causes, much importing himself,' connected probably with some property he inherited from his cousin, Nicholas Moore of Cranbrooke and Wigmore. 'He is,' said Sir John Perrot [q. v.] in commending him to the attention of Walsingham, 'a valiant gentleman, and hath served her majesty long here, and very chargeably in all journeys with me since my coming over, having no charge of horsemen or footmen, or other certain entertainment from her majesty during my time, saving the constableship of the fort in Offaly ' (Cal. State Papers, Ireland, Eliz. iii. 281). Shortly after his return to Ireland he was, on 28 Sept. 1589, created a privy councillor (ib. iv. 241). In the examination of the witnesses against Perrot he was regarded as leaning unduly in his favour, and at the instance of Sir William Fitzwilliam, who looked askance at him, as being 'grown to be a man of party in his quarters,' and a friend to the Earl of Tyrone, he was placed upon his bond to appear when required (ib. iv. 322, 357, 399, 451). He did not return to Ireland till September 1594, when he was at once, as always having lived on friendly terms with the Earl of Tyrone, despatched north in order, if possible, to effect a settlement between him and the state (Cal. Carew MSS. iii. 223). Though unsuccessful, he displayed great prudence in his management of the business, and took a principal part in subsequent similar negotiations in 1595-6 (ib. iii. 181 ; Cal. State Papers, Ireland, Eliz. v. 529, 534). In May 1599, during the absence of the Earl of Essex in the 'remote parts of the kingdom,' and again in May 1601, during the absence of Lord Mountjoy, he acted as a commissioner for the preservation of the peace of Leinster (Cal. Fiants, 6293, 6326, 6527). He died early in 1602 (ib. 6590), and was probably buried in St. Peter's Church, Drogheda.
According to Lodge (Peerage, ed. Archdall, vol. ii.), Moore married, first, Mildred, daughter and heiress of Nicholas Clifford of Chart in Kent, widow of Sir George Harpur of Sutton Valence, who died without bearing him children; secondly, Margaret, daughter of William, fourth son of John Brabazon of Eastwell in Leicestershire,and widow of Warren and Blount, by whom he had (1) Henry, who married Mary, daughter of Francis Agard of Fawston in Staffordshire, and died without issue during his father's lifetime, about 1590; (2) Sir Garret [q. v.], who succeeded him; (3) Sir John, who died without issue; and (4) William of Barmeath in co. Louth. But according to Hasted (Kent, ii. 412), Sir Garret Moore, the ancestor of the earls of Drogheda, was son of Moore's first wife, Mildred Clifford. It is certain that in 1571 Moore married 'the Lady Brabazon,' and as Garret, according to Lodge, was born about 1560, it is evident that Hasted is correct (cf. Archæologia Cantiana, x. 327). According to another account (Irish genealogies in Harl. MS. 1425), Moore is said to have been married three times. The name of his first wife is not given. His second is said to have been the widow of a gentleman of the name 'of Wentworth in Essex, and his third, the mother of Garret, and ancestress of the earls of Drogheda, is confusedly stated to have been the daughter of Clifford of Kent, widow to Sir William Brabazon, Humphrey Warren, and Mr. Blunt.
[Authorities quoted above.]