directing that letters patent should be made out to every freeholder in Connaught and Clare as was intended at the making of the Composition in Elizabeth's reign. Accordingly we find in the Calendar of Patent Rolls James I. long lists of grants to Connaught owners.[1] In some instances, no doubt to save expense, the lesser proprietors joined together, and empowered one of the leading men to take out letters patent to their estates in trust for them.[2] The result was the creation in Connaught, alongside of the great estates of the chief men, of what was in many cases a virtual peasant proprietary.[3]
The Lords Justices in 1641, still bent on opposing the "graces," and clinging with narrow fanaticism to the idea of a plantation in Connaught, endeavoured to gloss over the meaning of James' order. They declared first that Perrot's Composition was merely a composition in lieu of cess with the Crown, and was not any engagement upon the Crown for any interest in their lands in respect of the composition, and secondly as to King James' letter of 1615 they do not think the demand of the Connaught landowners just, as the composition was not really a grant of lands—
- ↑ From p. 330 on.
- ↑ Pat. Rolls, James I., p. 348. Here about eighty proprietors in Connemara empowered Morrogh na Moire O'Flaherty to procure grants to himself of lands lately surrendered by them which were found by inquisition to be their property.
- ↑ Cal. St. Paps., Ap. 1631, p. 606. Sir J. Jephson to Lord Dorchester. "The Counties of Mayo, Sligo, and Roscommon, which it is proposed to plant, are covered with thousands of families owning from £5 to £12 yearly value."See also Books of Survey and Distribution.
