VICISSITUDES OF AN ANGLO-IRISH FAMILY 1530-1800. A STORY OF IRISH ROMANCE AND TRAGEDY BY PHILIP H. BAGENAL, O.B.E., B.A. (Oxon) and Barrister-at-law. ALONDON CLEMENT lNGLEBY AT THE SIGN OF THE BOAR'S HEAD, GREAT JAMES STREET, w.c. 1 1925 SIR NICHOLAS BAGENAL. PREFACE. While yet a schoolboy I was strangely attracted by some chapters in the Kilhenn.v Archceological Journal dealing with the Barony of !drone, Co. Carlow. They had been written in 186o-61 by Mr. John Patrick Prendergast, barrister-at-law, after­ wards the author of The Cromwellian Settlement. With him I first became personally acquainted in 1874 on my call to the Irish Bar, and for several year3 saw a great deal of him at his house, 127, Strand Road, Sandymount, where he lived with his brother Francis. Many were the walks and talks in· search of historical monuments and memories of which he was well informed and full of anecdote and information. From him, indeed, I received the spur which urged me on to make some serious study of Irish history, and I owe more to him than I can ever repay or acknowledge for his kindness, hospitality and encouragement in my early literary and historical pursuits. I therefore dedicate this unequal little treatise to the memory of my beloved old friend whose interest equalled mine in the Elizabethan adventurers, the Royal cavaliers and the Georgian gentlemen who bore my family name. :VVhatever their faults, their vices, and even crimes may have been, they struck surely and always the note of absolute loyalty to the Crown of England in all their doings. They willingly spent their lives, fortunes and estates in its service, and preferred before all other interests and respects whatsoever their obligations to their Sovereign. This may perhaps some day be accounted unto them for righteousness. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. I have to acknowledge with grateful thanks the permission of the Earl of Kilmorey to reproduce the portrait of his ancestor, Sir Nicholas Bagenal Knight Marshal, which has been in the possession of his family from the Ijth Century since its accession to the Mourne property in Co. Down. To the Catholic Record Society I owe thanks for leave to reproduce the portrait of Sister Catherine Dominick Bagenal, who was 31 years Mother Abbess of the Gravelines Convent of poor Clares. She was a daughter of Colonel Dudley Bagenal, who died in exile at Bruges, after the Battle of the Boyne. To Colonel Bagnold of Warren Wood, Shooters' Hill, I owe thanks for his kind information and leave to produce an old print of the village of Bagnall; The chapter relating to Sir Nicholas Bagenal first appeared as an article in the Journal of the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, March, 1915. P.H. B. 11, Spencer Hill, Wimbledon, S.W. 1925 TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER !.-INTRODUCTORY. An ancient Staffordshire family. The village of Bagnall still existing. The family name. Various spellings. Its record in public documents since 1153. Gradual descent of the family from landowning to burgess class. Revival under the Tudors. John Bagenal, Mayor of Newcastle-under-Lyme, 1519-33. His sons, Ralph and Nicholas. CHAPTER IL - SIR RALPH BAGENAL. A soldier and adherent of the Protestant cause. Knighted at the battle of Mussel­ burgh, 1547. Serves in Ireland. Member of the Privy Council and Deputy Lieuten­ ant of the Army there. His part in the attack on Rathlin Island. The incident of Butside's capture by the Scots. Obtains grants of Abbeylands in Staffordshire. Knight of the Shire 1555-9. In Parliament refuses to kneel to Cardinal Pole. Tennyson's allusion to the incident in Queen JJfary, Takes refuge in France. Restored to favour by Queen Elizabeth. His character and impecuniosity. His death in 1586. CHAPTER III. - sm SAMUEL BAGEN AL. Son of Sir Ralph. Engaged in the famous expedition against Cadiz 1596, and at Calais, where he was knighted. His service in South of England during the Spanish menace. Goes to Ireland in command of 2,000 men. His character there. Letters to Cecil about dogs. Dies in bad circumstances. His widow's petition to the King and his letter. CHAPTER IV.-SIR NICHOL.AS BAGENAL. Second son of John Bagenal of Newcastle-under-Lyme. Having in 1539 killed a man in a brawl, fled to Ireland. Takes service with Con O'Neill, 1st Earl of Tyrone. After three years obtains pardon from Henry VIII. in 1544. Serves in the French Wars for three years. On return to Ireland appointed Marshal of the Anny. Admitted to the Privy Council in Dublin 1550. Duties and powers of the Marshal. Makes his headquarters in Newry. His relations with various Viceroys. His exper­ iences of fighting in It-eland. Edward VI. gave him lease of the Abbeylands of Newry 1550, and the Lordship of Mourne, which were subsequently granted in fee. Descrip­ tion of his settlement and dealings with the Irish. Knighted in 1551. His doings in Ulster and war with Shane O'Neill. !\fakes Newry a stronghold and place of arms. Queen Mary in 1553 super~edes him in the office of Marshal ; placed under surveil­ lance; giving recognizances for good behaviour. Returned as l\fember for Stoke-upon. Trent 1558, having been assigned property there by his• brother Sit' Ralph Bagenal. Queen Elizabeth restol·es him to office of Marshal. Complains that O'Neill had spoiled his lands in Co. Down. Serves with Sir H. Sidney in Irish Wars for six years. His dealings with Thomas Stukely. The agitation in the Pale against the Cesse 1576. Lord Baltinglasse's accusations against Sir Nicholas. Decision of the Council. T!1eir letter to Tirlough Luineach O'Neill. Sir H. Sidney visits Newry. His descrip­ tion of the Bagenal property there. Sir Nicholas's letter to Lord Leicester describ­ ing state Qf Ireland. His offer to the Queen to make Newry a walled town, and ix. CHAPTER X. - THE BARONY OF !DRONE, Co. CARLOW . .A. barony in the County Carlow. Carlow part of the dowry of Eva, daughter of the King of Leinster, who married Strongbow. His only daughter and heir mar­ ried the Earl of Pembroke. Carlow the portion of the eldest of their 5 daughters. The McMurrough Kavanaghs still keep possession of some portion. Exact bounda­ ries of the barony as stated by Mr. Robert Cosby's Co1mnission in 1572. Sir Peter Carew successfully claimed the Barony as descendant of the Countess of Norfolk by litigation in Dublin. His heir and nephew sold it to Sir Nicholas Bagenal for his son Dudley. CHAPTER XI. - DUDLEY BAGENAL. Dudley Bagenal, second son of Sir Nicholas; enters into possession of !drone, and is appointed Constable of Leighlin Castle. His character and temperament. Pursues an opposite policy of administration to Sir Peter Carew. He quarrels with the Kavanaghs and is killed and multilated at Ballymoon. Letters from State Pa1)ers on the subject. Dudley married first Katherine Nangle, daughter of the Baron of Navan; the issue was one son Nicholas, who married Ann, daughter of Sir Thomas Colclough of Tintern Abbey, Co. Wexford. Nicholas was killed in a duel and buried at Christ Church, Dublin, 1607. Dudley married secondly Mabel, daughter of George Fitzgerald of Ticroghan, by whom he had sons George and .A.dam, and a daughter Eleanor. George married first Jane, daughter of Garrett Fitzgerald of Kilkea, Co. Kildare, and secondly Joan, daughter of Sir Walter Butler of Kilcash, afterwards 11th Earl of Ormonde. By her he had a large family, most of whom died young and unmarried, except W alte1·, Thomas and Eleanor, who married first Sir Thomas Colclough of Tintern Abbey, and secondly Luke Plunkett, Earl of Fingall. George dwelt at Ballymoon until he built the family mansion at Dunleckney in 1608. CHAPTER XII. - WALTER BAGEN AL. Walter Bagenal born 1614. Maternal grandson of Sir Walter Butler, afterwards 11th Earl of Ormonde. Married (1) Elizabeth, widow of John Plunket of Dun­ shoghly, and (2) daughter of Christopher Roper, Lord Teynham. Brought up a Roman Catholic and connected by blood with many Catholic families in the Pale. In 1641 appointed Governor of Carlow. Joins the Catholic Confederation. Some account of its objects and the various parties in Ireland. Commands a troop of horse. His intimacy with Richard Bellings. Some account of the latter. CHAPTER XIII.-HIS PART IN THE REBELLION OF 1641. How Walter became implicated in the Rebellion. His kinship and connection with the prime movers, Rory O'Moore and Colonel R. Plunket. Some account of the latter. His co-operation with Queen's Co. leaders. The attack upon Carlow Castle described by witnesses. CHAPTER XIV. - COLONEL WALTER BAGEN.AL (Continued). :Background of Irish affairs 1642-46. Negotiations between the King through Ormonde and the Confederates. Glamorgan's treaty. The Confederates divided as to a_ peace with Ormonde. Bagenal and others support Ormonde and the ,peace carri~d. Demonstration by the Bishops at Waterford and Rinuccini the Papal Nuncto recently arrived, The attempt to capture Ormonde. His escape aided by viii. found a school, and " plant religion." Sidney's opinion of Sir Nicholas's services. Elected a Knight of the Shire for Co. Down in tl1c Irish Parlinment 1585. The "parle" with Tirlo11gh O'Neill. His death. Succeeded hy Hugh O'Neill, 2nd Earl of Tyrone. Sir Nicholu~'s quarrel with Sir John Perrott, the Queen's Deputy, and his letter thereon to Lord Leicester. Resigns the Marshalship and dies 1590. His wife and family, and their marringcs. Some account of his ,veish property. CHAPTER Y.-THE MARSHAL'S ARMY. Durer's picture of Irish Warriors.