But in addition to the inhabitants of the demesne lands there were all those who could claim a freehold estate. Some were offshoots of the Geraldine house, others were descendants of those persons to whom the original tenants in capite had in turn granted large tracts to hold by Knight's service. These had manors of their own, with demesnes and dependent freeholders; they were bound to follow the Earl in war, and to render him other fixed feudal duties and payments. Then there was a very large number of smaller freeholders, mostly of English descent, all bound to pay fixed rents, and render certain services to the Earl. There were some Irish clans in this position.[1]
Then there were the dependent lords, such as the Fitzmaurices, Barons of Kerry or Lixnaw, and the Barretts of Co. Cork, who did not actually hold their lands from the Earl, but who, by more or less of compulsion, had been forced to pay him tribute, and follow him in war.[2] In this class, too, were some minor Irish clans, such as O'Conor Kerry, who had never been dislodged from their lands, but who acknowledged the suzerainty of the Earl.
Finally, there were the two great MacCarthy chiefs, with their multitude of subject clans, MacCarthy Reagh of Carbery, and MacCarthy Mór of Desmond. The former, it was claimed, was bound to follow the Earl in war, and to pay him yearly
- ↑ O'Hurleys and MacEnerys in Limerick.
- ↑ The Barretts of Cork had bound themselves by indenture to pay the Earl 12 marks yearly. But this they said had been imposed on them by force. From Clanmaurice the Earl had a money rent called "rent of the acres," amounting to £160 a year as well as 120 cows. Cal. St. Paps., 1610, p. 433.
