The Seton Estate of MoneyLagan, or Balleleghan (Babington), Longford, Ireland

Calendar of the patent and close rolls of chancery in Ireland: of the reign of King Charles I (1628)

 

Membrane 37

Grant to Sir John Seton, his heirs and assigns, for ever, as an undertaker, of 2,000 acres arable and pasture, and 1,104 acres bog and wood, in the barony and county of Longford ; a portion of 'which is to be held of the King in capite by knight's service, and the residue of the Castle of Dublin, in free and common soccage. The lands are erected into a manor, to be called the manor of Monelagan, otherwise Balleleghan, with power to create tenures, and hold a court leet, court baron, a weekly market on every Thursday at the town of Killeene, and two fairs at Monelagan, alias Balleleghan, one on the 20th April, and the other on the 20th October, with such covenants, conditions, and provisoes as are contained in the patents of undertakers of the territory of Ely O'Carroll.—Dublin. August 8,4°.

 

King to Lord Viscount Falkland and the Commissioners for the Custody of the Great Seal:

Right trusty and well-beloved cousin and counsellor, we greet you well: Whereas several proportions and certain quantities of land and hereditaments in the county of Longford, in that our realm of Ireland, were allotted and intended to be granted by our late dear father, King James, of blessed memory, by several letters patent, unto Robert Gordon, now deceased, without issue, second son of Sir Robert Gordon, knight, now also deceased, and unto Ninian Heron, Robert Lindsey, Robert Glendening, and James Gibh, and their several heirs respectively, for and under such tenures, rents, services, conditions, covenants, and agreements, as by the articles and instructions for the plantation of the county of Longford were prescribed and appointed, which said letters patent, as we are informed, have not hitherunto been passed, but only the said James Gibb his patent of his proportion.

And whereas also Sir Robert Gordon, as we are likewise informed, hath contracted and agreed with James Gibh, Ninian Heron, Robert Lindsey, and Robert Glendening, for their several estates and titles of and in the several proportions allotted and intended to be granted unto them, and with James Farrell, for 500 acres of his proportion, according to the measure of the plantation, as he received the same, allotted or granted, or intended to be granted unto the said James Farrell; we are graciously pleased, and do hereby require and authorize you, at the humble suit of John Gordon, of Lothinvar, son and heir of Sir Robert Gordon, and in consideration of the long and faithful service done unto us and our crown by Sir John Seton, of the Barnes, in the county of Lothian, in our realm of Scotland, to make a grant, confirmation, and release, or several grants, confirmations, and releases, by one or more effectual letters patent under the great seal of that our realm, in due form of law, with the advice of some of our learned counsel there, from us, our heirs and successors, unto the said Sir John Seton, his heirs and assigns, of all and every the several proportions, lands, tenements, and hereditaments, allotted and intended to be granted unto the said Robert Gordon, Ninian Heron, Robert Lindsey, Robert Glendening, and James Gibh, and of the 500 acres, parcel of the said James Farrell his proportion, if the said Sir John Seton or his heirs shall desire to have the said 500 acres passed unto the said James Farrell and his heirs; to be holden of us, our heirs and successors, by and under such tenures, rents, services, conditions, covenants, and agreements as are limited by the instructions for the plantation of the county of Longford, with power to Sir John Seton, and his heirs, to create all the lands 4 and premises, or so much thereof as the said Sir John shall think fit, into an entire manor, and to make freehold estates of and within the said proportions, lands, and premises;

 To be holden of the said Sir John, his heirs and assigns, by such English tenures, rents, and service as he and his heirs shall think meet; notwithstanding the statute of 18° Edward I., commonly called "quia emptores terrarum," without altering of our tenures, to be reserved upon the proportions, and according to the instructions of the plantation ; together with a court, in the nature of a court baron and a court leet, to be held at or near the Castle of Ballalekan, before the seneschal, for the time being, of the said Sir John, his heirs and assigns; two fairs yearly, and one market weekly, at such days, times, and places within the said proportions and lands as the said Sir John shall name and appoint, and to you shall be thought fit; together with the fees, perquisites, and profits incident and belonging to the court, fairs, and markets.

And, moreover, that the said Sir John, his heirs and assigns, shall have power and free liberty to have a tan house, or houses for tanning of leather, upon the lands or some part thereof, notwithstanding the statute of the eleventh year of Queen Elizabeth enacted in that our realm: the several proportions, lands, tenements, and hereditaments to be holden of us, our heirs and successors, for and under such tenures, rents, services, conditions, covenants, and agreements, severally and respectively, as in the instructions for the plantation in the county of Longford are prescribed and appointed; and our pleasure is, that upon such of the proportions as the said Sir John and his heirs cannot be resident, he and they do take order that sufficient men of British birth and their families shall remain and inhabit for the most part, according to the articles of plantation in that behalf; and that good bonds and caution be taken for the payment of such arrears of fines and rents as are or shall be due unto us for the several proportions, lands, and premises, according to the instructions, unto the Receiver-General of us, our heirs and successors, in that our realm, for the time being, and as shall be unpaid at the time of the passing of the said letters patent, by virtue of these our letters.

And, furthermore, we are graciously pleased, and do hereby require and authorize you, if the said Sir John, or his heirs, shall desire the same, to make a grant by like letters patent from us, our heirs and successors, unto the said James Farrell, his heirs and assigns, of 500 acres, parcel of the first recited proportion and lands which the said Sir Robert Gordon, by agreement, was to allot and assign to and for the said James Farrell and his heirs ; to be holden of ns, our heirs and successors, for and under such tenures, and proportionable rents, service, conditions, covenants, and agreements, according to the instructions of the plantation ; and, moreover, it is our gracious pleasure, in our further bounty to the said Sir John Seton, that in the letters patent there be inserted such "non obstantes" and other beneficial clauses in favour of the said Sir John

Vol. I. 2 B

4 Seton, as may make the same effectual in the law ; and lastly, our Charles I. pleasure is, for the better enabling of the said Sir John to be capable of the lands and premises, that you make him and his heirs free denizens of and in that our kingdom—Westminster, June 5, 4°.

Membrane 9.
Charles R.