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COUNTIES OF MEATH AND WESTMEATH ACT 1543
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CHAP. I.
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An Act for the Division of Methe in two Shires.
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Meath divided into two shires.
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Causes for making this act.
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The baronies which shall compose Meath.
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All officers as usual therein.
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FORASMUCH as the shire of Methe is great and large in circuit, and the west part thereof laid about and beset with diverse of the King’s rebells, and that in several partes thereof the King’s writs for lacke of ministration of justiee, have not of late beene obeyed, ne his Grace’s lawes put in due exercise. And that the said sheriffe of the said shire, for the said shire, for the time being, most commonly hath beene one of the inhabitants of the English pale, within the said shire, and is not able to execute the King’s processe and precepts, and other things belonging to his office, throughout and by all the said shire, and in speciall in diverse places of the west part of the same, by which diverse of the inhabitors of the same, whose auncestors and predecessors hath beene obedient to the King’s highnesse, and his moft noble progenitors, of their duetie of obedience, and allegeance unto the king’s highnesse, and his lawes, for and by default of due execution of his said lawes: in consideration whereof it is thought meet, that the said shire should be devided, and made two shires, and one of them shall be named and called the countie of Methe, and the other shall bee called the countie of Westmethe, and there shall bee two sherifes, and other officers convenient, within the said shires, and that the King’s subjectes thereby should greatly en crease, in obedience unto the King’s highnesse and his lawes. Wherefore be it enacted, ordayned, and established by the authoritie of this present Parliament, that the baronies or hundreds of Duleke, Scryne, Slaue, Margallen, Nouan, Kenles, the halfe barony of Fower, next unto Kenles, having and conteyning in the same the paroches of killalou, Demore, Cloue, Moylagh, Logherne, Oldecastell, and Luyn, Moyseuragh, Deese, Rathtouh, and Donboyne, shall be in the countie of Methe. And all and singular honours, lordships, castells, mannours, landes, tenementes, and hereditamentes, lying or being within the compasse of the said baronies or hundreds, whatsoever they bee or shall bee, shall stand and bee from the feast of Saint Catherine, the virgin and martyr, which shall bee in the yeare of our Lord God a thousand five hundred fortie and two reputed, accepted, deemed, and taken within the said countie of Methe; and that within the same countie there shall be made, ordeyned, elected, and deputed a sheriffe, two coreners, one escheator and clerke of the market, justices of peace and gaole deliverie, knightes of the shire, and all others officers and ministers, according as in the said shire of Methe before this time hath beene used and accustomed, as ost as need shall require; which sheriffe, coronors, escheators, clerke of the market, justices of peace and gaole deliverie, officers, and ministers, so to be made, ordeyned, elected, and deputed, and every of them, shall have the same and like authoritie, power, prechminence, priviledge, and profites within the said baronies, precinctes, limites, and boundes, now by this act made in the said countie of Methe, as the like officers in times passed had within the same shire of Methe, and in none other limitte or place within the said whole shire.
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What baronies shall compose Westmeath
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II. And further, by the same authoritie it is ordeyned and enacted, That Dalton’s countrey bee from henceforth made and named the baronie or hundered of Rathcomyrte; and Delamar’s countrey, named Moywrackry, made and named the barony or hundred of Roffaughe; and Tyrrel’s countrey, named Fertullaghe, made and named the barony or hundred of Fertullaghe; and Dillon’s countrey, named Maghirquirke, made or named the baroney or hundered of Kilkenny west; which barony or hundred of Kilkenny west shall have and contayne in the same the paroches of Kilkenny, Dromvrane, Bonowne, Oughevalle, Artenecrane, Alone, and Brawney-fwryn; and a certaine pecee of a certaine countrey, named Moylagaghe, to be of and as parcell of the other halfe barony or hundred of Fower; which Moylagaghe lyeth on the northwest part of the same halfe barony or hundred of Fower; which halfe barony shall have and contein in the same the paroches of our lady chruch Saint Feighens in the towne of Fower, Kilpatricke, Mayne, Beallaghila, Lyckbla, Foyeran, and Hylton.
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All officers as usual therein.
Molinger to be the shire town of Westmeath.
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III. And be it further enacted by the same authority, That the baronies or hundreds of Delven, Moyashell, Maghirityernan, Corkrie, Ferbille, Moyguoise, and the said baronies or hundreds now made by authority of this act, as Rathcormycke, Rossaughe, Fertullagh, and Kilkenny west, and the half barony of Fower, whereof the said Moylagaghe is now made parcell, shall be taken, accepted, and had, in the countie of West-Meth: and all and singular honoures, lordshippes, castels, mannours, landes, tenementes, and hereditamentes, lying or being within the compass or precinct of the said baronies or hundreds of Delvin, Moyashell, Maghirityornan, Corkrle, Ferbille, Moyguoise and of the said baronies or hundreds now made and established by the authority of this act, as Rathcormirte, Rossaughe, Ferrullagh, and Kilkenny west, and the half barony of Fower, whereof the said Moylagaghe is now made parcell, whatsover they be or shall be, and every part thereof, shall stand and be for ever from the said feast of Saint katherin aforesaid reputed, accepted, named and taken the countie of West-Meth; and within the same countie there shall be ordayned, elected, and deputed, a sheriffe, coroners, escheator, clerke of the market, justice of peace and of goale deliverie, kinghtes of the shire, and all other officers and ministers, according as in the same shire of Meth before this time hath been used and accustomed, as ost as need shall require; which sheriffe, coroners, escheator, clerke of the market, officers, and ministers, so to be made, elected, and deputed, and every of them, shall have the same and like authority, power, prcheminence, priviledge, and profites, within the said baronies, precinctes, limites and bounds, now by this act made the countie of west-meth, as the like officers in times past had within the said shire of Meth, and in every part or place within the said shire of Meth; and that the towne of Molinger shall be named, accepted, reputed, used, had, and taken, the head and shire towne of the said countie of West-Meth.
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The prison.
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III. And further, forasmuch as it is though needful and necessarie, that there shall be a common goale for the receipt and sure keeping of such persons, as shall be committed to prison within the precinct of the said countie of West-Meth, and that there is no place so meet for the same, as the house of late Fryers of Molinger aforesaid, being the shire towne appointed by this act: be it therefore enacted, ordeyned, and established by authority of this present Parliament, That the said common gaole or prison shall be within the precinct of the said house, and in such place thereof where the lord deputie, the lord chauncellour, the three cheif judges, and the master of the rolles, for the time being, shall assigne and appoint.
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IV. Provided always, and be it enacted by authoity aforesaid, That all process and processes, awarded or to be awarded out of any our soveraign lord the King’s courts or by any of his Grace’s judges, officers, or ministers to the sheriffe, or any other officer or officers, minister or ministers, in the said countie of Meth, and not returnable ne returned before the said Saint Katherin’s day, being or pursued for the recoverie or redresse of any cause or matter within the limites, precinct, or circuit of the countie of Meth, made and established by authoritie of this present act; and that the same processe and processes, so to be served and returned, shall be of and in the same maner and condition, and of and in such like force, strength, and vertue, to all intents, constructions, and purposes, as though the same had been served and returned by the sheriffe, officer or officers, minister or ministers, of the said now countie of Meth, as though this act had not been made; this present act, or any thing therein contayned to the contrarie notwithstanding. And that likewise by authoritie aforesaid all processe and processes, awarded or to be awarded out of any of our said soveraign lord the King’s courts, or by any of his Grace’s judges, officers, or ministers to the shiriff or any other officer or officers, minister or ministers in the said countie of Meth, and not returnable ne returned before the said Saint Katherin’s day, being or pursued for the recoverie or redresse of anie cause or matter, thing or things within the limits, precinct, or circuite of the said countie of Westmeth, made and established by authoritie of this present act, shall be served and returned by the shiriffe, or other officer or officers, minister or ministers of the said countie of Westmeth, and that the same process, and processes so to bee served and returned shall bee of, and in the same manner and condition, and of and in such like force, strength and condition, and vertue, to all intents, constructions, and purposes, as though the same had been served and returned by the sheriffe, officer or officers, minister or ministers, of the said countie of Meth, as though this act had never been made, this present act, or any thing therein contayned to the contrarie in any wise notwithstanding.
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Each half barony of Fower to be taken as an intire barony in all trials.
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V. Provided and be it enacted by the authoritie aforesaid, that the now knights for the said countie of Meth elected and returned for this present parliament, shall continue, remaine, and bee knightes, of and for the said countie of Meth, made and established by authoritie of this present act; and also of and for the said countie of Westmeth, made and authorised by authoritie aforesaid, during the continuance of the same Parliament, and to the utter dissolving of the same in like manner, forte, forme, effect and condition, as though this act had never been made, anie thing or things conteyned or mentioned in the same to the contrarie in anie wise notwithstanding. The intent meaning and making of this act is that everie of the halfe baronies of Fower in all tryalles shall be taken as an entire barony; that is to say, that moytie allotted to the shire of Meth to bee taken as an entire barony of that shire; and the other moytie allotted to Westmeth to be as an entire barony in that shire, for all tryalles.
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