this a memorable instance remains on record.—"His Majestie (Charles II.) taking notice of the barbarous and uncouth names by which most of the townes and places in his Kingdom of Ireland are called, which hath occasioned much damage to divers of his good subjects, and are very troublesome in the use thereof, and much retards the reformacion of that Kingdome. For remedy thereof is pleased that it be enacted that the Ld. Lt. and Councell shall and may, advise of settle and direct, in the passing of all letters pattents in that Kingdome for the future, have new and proper names more suitable to the English tongue may be inserted with an alias for all Townes, Lands, and places, in that Kingdome, that shall be granted by letters pattents, which new names shall thenceforth bee the only names to be used."—This notable plan, however, failed, and the patentee regicides objected not to the Irish lands, because of their "barbarous and uncouth names." On the contrary, they resorted to every species of force, fraud, and perjury, to wrest them from the ancient possessors. On this subject the strange and unexpected avowals of the late Earl of Clare,[1] who was Chancellor of Ireland when he made them, deserve particular attention.
- ↑ His lordship was descended from the old sept of the Clan-Gibbons', and was the best friend to the English interest in Ireland, that these latter times have produced. Against this clan our Irish bards have been bitterly invective. The following stanza is taken from a satirical poem written by Angus O'Daly, called Angus na naor, or the Bárd rúadh, about the year 1600.
Ní fhuil fearg nach d-téid air g-cul,
Acht fearg Chríost le cloinn Ghiobúin;
Beag an díth a m-beith mar tá,
A fás air olc gach aonlá.
The sternest puke that heaves the heart to hate,
Will sink o'erlaboured or with time abate;
But on the clan Fitz-Gibbon Christ looks down
For ever with unmitigated frown—
Did mercy shine! their hearts envenomed slime,
Even in her beam, would quicken to new crime.
