Papers - Medieval Ireland by Randolph Jones
Medieval Dublin XIX, 2023
An examination of Hogeson's last will and testament, now preserved in PRONI, which considerably i... more An examination of Hogeson's last will and testament, now preserved in PRONI, which considerably increases our knowledge of this little known mayor of Dublin, who held office for the year 1514-15.
Hobilar. The Journal of the Lance and Longbow Society, 2023
An unexpected victory gained by Sir Stephen le Scrope, deputy lieutenant of Ireland. over the O'C... more An unexpected victory gained by Sir Stephen le Scrope, deputy lieutenant of Ireland. over the O'Carrolls and the Burkes at the town of Callan, Co. Kilkenny.
The Ricardian Bulletin, 2023
Over the years, there has been speculation that the boy crowned in Dublin in May 1487 was none ot... more Over the years, there has been speculation that the boy crowned in Dublin in May 1487 was none other than Edward V, the eldest son and successor of Edward IV. However, there is a contemporary document still extant in Ireland which strongly suggests that this is not the case. The document, a chance survivor, is well known and has been referred to before by various historians of the Lambert Simnel episode. However, it has not been examined in depth to reveal the internal evidence it contains.
The Ricardian Bulletin, 2022
Henry VII's meeting with the lords of Ireland of 1494 at Greenwich brought them face-to-face with... more Henry VII's meeting with the lords of Ireland of 1494 at Greenwich brought them face-to-face with Lambert Simnel and Edward Plantagenet in a case study of Tudor power.
Medieval Dublin XVIII, 2021
Although the Mareward family came from an English gentry background, the foundation of its succes... more Although the Mareward family came from an English gentry background, the foundation of its success rested on two marriages contracted by its founder in Ireland. This advanced him from a man-at-arms and minor office holder, to country gentleman and prominent citizen within a short period of time. The Marewards maintained their close connections with both Dublin county and city until 1487. Thereafter, the family struggled to maintain itself, thanks to the early deaths of successive heads, the long periods spent by their underage heirs as wards, and ultimately its failure to produce enough male offspring to guarantee its own survival.
Hobilar. The Journal of the Lance and Longbow Society, 2008
A rethink of my 2007 Dublin Historical Record article on the same subject and which was later the... more A rethink of my 2007 Dublin Historical Record article on the same subject and which was later the basis of my 2016 'Friends of Medieval Dublin' talk, both of which are also listed on this website.
The Ricardian Bulletin. The Magazine of the Richard III Society, 2021
On 27 May 1487, a young boy was crowned king in Dublin. Not only of England, but also of Ireland.... more On 27 May 1487, a young boy was crowned king in Dublin. Not only of England, but also of Ireland. Since then, his identity has been the subject of much debate. Henry VII called him Lambert Simnel, the son of an Oxford joiner, but his real identity is immaterial. He was then perceived to be Edward, the son and heir of George, duke of Clarence, and it is in this persona, now ‘Edward VI’, that Ireland was ruled on his behalf by Gerald Fitzgerald, the eighth earl of Kildare. The boy-king’s story has usually been told from the English point of view, culminating with his capture at the battle of Stoke Field on 16 June 1487, yet his reign in Ireland continued until July of the following year, when those who ruled in his name successfully negotiated their return to Henry VII’s allegiance. What happened during this extraordinary period is rarely mentioned. The sources are sparse, not helped by the fact that many of the original documents were deliberately destroyed soon afterwards. Yet, there is material available today which helps illuminate these events, some of it unnoticed by previous writers, some of it forgotten.
The Ricardian Bulletin. The Magazine of the Richard III Society, 2020
“Richard the Third, who Chiefly Minding to Settle himself in the Throne of England, did not conce... more “Richard the Third, who Chiefly Minding to Settle himself in the Throne of England, did not concern himself much with the Affairs of Ireland.”
This is how the seventeenth-century Anglo-Irish antiquarian, Sir James Ware, described Richard III’s brief reign of Ireland. While Sir James’ statement is essentially correct, Richard didn’t completely ignore his lordship across the Irish sea. Thanks to two sets of instructions preserved in his signet letter book, plus contemporary sources that are still extant, or transcribed before the destruction of the Irish public record office in 1922, we have some indication of how Richard intended to rule Ireland and how his initiatives were received there.
A 'Beyond 2022' blog summarising the known contents of this lost roll which belonged to the year ... more A 'Beyond 2022' blog summarising the known contents of this lost roll which belonged to the year 30 Henry VI (1451-2). See https://beyond2022.ie/?p=2381
Ricardian Bulletin, 2020
Richard, duke of York, and lieutenant of Ireland's, brief stay at Mullingar in July 1450, respond... more Richard, duke of York, and lieutenant of Ireland's, brief stay at Mullingar in July 1450, responding to a raid made into Co. Meath by the Mageoghegans.
Medieval Dublin XVII, 2019
An examination of the account of the Lambert Simnel conspiracy written in Ireland by Walter Husse... more An examination of the account of the Lambert Simnel conspiracy written in Ireland by Walter Hussey, a retainer of the St Lawrence family and an official in the Irish exchequer during the first half of the sixteenth century.
Since this article was published, I've discovered that the two unnamed members of Kildare's retinue, knighted by Henry VII at the Twelfth Night celebrations in 1494, were Nicholas St Lawrence, Lord Howth and Christopher Fleming, Lord Slane. See TNA SP 46/123.
'Archives Fever' section of the 'Beyond 2022' website
Most of Ireland’s exchequer records from the Middle Ages were destroyed in 1922. But even before ... more Most of Ireland’s exchequer records from the Middle Ages were destroyed in 1922. But even before that disaster, the survival rate was poor for two series of records produced by the Exchequer of Receipt or ‘lower exchequer, namely the Issue Rolls (which recorded outgoing disbursements or payments) and the Receipt rolls (which recorded incoming proffers or payments). In this context, the recent identification in a manuscript at the College of Arms (London) of extracts taken from a lost Irish Issue Roll from the first regnal year of King Henry V (1413–14) is doubly welcome. The extracts serve as a supplement to Connolly’s important calendar of Irish Exchequer Payments; they also shed light on an eventful year in Ireland’s past.
Journal of the Old Drogheda Society, 2017
In 1468, Drogheda became the third Irish municipality to win the privilege of a ceremonial sword ... more In 1468, Drogheda became the third Irish municipality to win the privilege of a ceremonial sword to be borne before its mayor. Dublin was the first in 1403, followed by Waterford in 1461. The grant is well known, having been mentioned before by local and national historians. Yet, a detailed analysis of the events which led up to it has not been made before, nor an account given of the principals involved, James Dokeray and William Davy, both mayors of Drogheda.
The Ricardian: Journal of the Richard III Society, 2017
James Dokeray is one of the interesting mayors of Drogheda during the late medieval period. Occas... more James Dokeray is one of the interesting mayors of Drogheda during the late medieval period. Occasionally mentioned by historians, he is usually seen as a bit-player in the run up to the earl of Desmond's arrest and execution in Drogheda in February 1468. Yet Dokeray's life deserves a fuller treatment that this, for there is a surprising amount of material to be found on him in the records of the period. This article attempts to bring this material together into a coherent narrative of his extraordinary career.
This article won the Richard III Society Research Prize for 2018.
Decies: Journal of the Waterford Archaeological & Historical Society, 2016
The battle of Ballymacaw is usually seen as one of a series of encounters fought between 1367 and... more The battle of Ballymacaw is usually seen as one of a series of encounters fought between 1367 and 1538 by the citizens of Waterford on the one hand and the Powers and/or the O’Driscolls on the other. No reasons are given for this prolonged period of blood-letting, apart from a deep-seated rivalry, often described in isolation from events happening elsewhere in Ireland. Yet a closer examination suggests that Ballymacaw was part of a much wider struggle then being fought in Ireland between much larger factions – Desmond against Ormond, Lancaster against York. It also resulted in Waterford being honoured with a bearing-sword by the king of England.
Medieval Dublin XIV, 2015
Janico Markys, Dublin, and the coronation of 'Edward VI' in 1487
The Ricardian Bulletin, 2014
Medieval Dublin XI, 2011
On St Barnaby’s day, 11 June 1534, Thomas Fitzgerald, Lord Offaly, also known as ‘Silken Thomas’,... more On St Barnaby’s day, 11 June 1534, Thomas Fitzgerald, Lord Offaly, also known as ‘Silken Thomas’, son and heir of Gerald, earl of Kildare and the vice-lord deputy of Ireland in his father’s absence in England, dramatically renounced his allegiance to Henry VIII in the chapter house of St Mary’s abbey, Dublin. Thus began a train of events that was to lead eventually to Fitzgerald’s execution at Tyburn, together with all of his uncles, in February 1537. One of the major highlights of Fitzgerald’s subsequent revolt was the three-month siege of Dublin, both city and castle. It was in defence of the latter that one man came to the fore. His name was John Whyte. Until now his story has not been told, nor the reason why he chose to resist such a powerful enemy.
The Soldier in Medieval England On-line Database
Sir Walter Bitterley, ‘a right valiant knight’, a king's knight of both Richard II and Henry IV, ... more Sir Walter Bitterley, ‘a right valiant knight’, a king's knight of both Richard II and Henry IV, who met an unfortunate end in early fifteenth century Ulster.
The Irish Sword: the Journal of the Military History Society of Ireland, 2007
The first gun is thought to have come to Ireland in 1361 with the baggage of Lionel, Duke of Clar... more The first gun is thought to have come to Ireland in 1361 with the baggage of Lionel, Duke of Clarence.. However, a previously unnoticed entry in the Irish pipe rolls indicates that the gun could have made its first appearance three decades earlier.
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Papers - Medieval Ireland by Randolph Jones
This is how the seventeenth-century Anglo-Irish antiquarian, Sir James Ware, described Richard III’s brief reign of Ireland. While Sir James’ statement is essentially correct, Richard didn’t completely ignore his lordship across the Irish sea. Thanks to two sets of instructions preserved in his signet letter book, plus contemporary sources that are still extant, or transcribed before the destruction of the Irish public record office in 1922, we have some indication of how Richard intended to rule Ireland and how his initiatives were received there.
Since this article was published, I've discovered that the two unnamed members of Kildare's retinue, knighted by Henry VII at the Twelfth Night celebrations in 1494, were Nicholas St Lawrence, Lord Howth and Christopher Fleming, Lord Slane. See TNA SP 46/123.
This article won the Richard III Society Research Prize for 2018.
This is how the seventeenth-century Anglo-Irish antiquarian, Sir James Ware, described Richard III’s brief reign of Ireland. While Sir James’ statement is essentially correct, Richard didn’t completely ignore his lordship across the Irish sea. Thanks to two sets of instructions preserved in his signet letter book, plus contemporary sources that are still extant, or transcribed before the destruction of the Irish public record office in 1922, we have some indication of how Richard intended to rule Ireland and how his initiatives were received there.
Since this article was published, I've discovered that the two unnamed members of Kildare's retinue, knighted by Henry VII at the Twelfth Night celebrations in 1494, were Nicholas St Lawrence, Lord Howth and Christopher Fleming, Lord Slane. See TNA SP 46/123.
This article won the Richard III Society Research Prize for 2018.
Most of the references can be found in my 2016 'Decies' article, on which this talk was based.
My thanks to Heather Falvey, who subsequently helped with the transcription of the final sentence in Meredith Hanmer's account. Up until then, this had defeated me!
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