Fonsie Mealy's RARE BOOKS & COLLECTIBLES December 7th & 8th, 2021

86 Imperfections Not Stated Fonsie Mealy’s Est. 1934 617. Irish Cricketing Earl Appoints a Chaplain, 1789 Co. Meath: Declaration by John, Earl of Darnley, that he has appointed the Rev. Edwin Thomas to be his domestic chaplain, 10 April 1789, 1 single page m/ ss with red seal. John Bligh, 4th Earl of Darnley (1767- 1831) succeeded his father the 3rd Earl at the age of fourteen in 1781. (His father, who suffered under the delusion that he was a teapot, had delayed marriage until he was nearly fifty; he then fathered at least seven children,” in spite of his initial alarm that his spout would come off during the night.) the family seat was at Athboy in Co. Meath. Darnley also inherited estates in Kent, where he and his brother Edward were stalwarts of the county cricket team; they have been described as “the first Irish first-class cricketers.” The Rev. Edwyn Thomas (1767- 1847) belonged to a long line of Thomas clergymen; he was rector of Ballynacourty, Co. Kerry, 1797-1841, as a m/ss, w.a.f. (1) €180 - €220 618. Tithe Refund to a Kerry Clergyman, 1839 Co. Kerry: A printed Notice dated 7 June 1839 from George Mathews, Dublin Castle, to the Rev. Edwin Thomas, Tralee, informing him that the commissioners appointed to revise the tithe memorials report that arrears of tithe composition are payable to him at 25% from 7 parishes (listed in m/ss, with the amounts for each), w.a.f. (1) €150 - €200 619. Repayments in 1689 A printed Document with m/ss endorsement. Order dated 11 October 1700 to pay £300 to Sir Thomas Littleton, Bart (Speaker of the House of Commons), in repayment of a loan at 15% duties on silks and muslins. Endorsement by Littleton dated 31 Jan 1700/01 assigning same to John Warfilde, as a document, w.a.f. (1) €150 - €200 620. Westmeath Land Deed, 1760 Manuscript: An exemplification of common recovery suffered by Richard Nugent of the lands of Robinstown and Higginstown, Co. Westmeath, 1760. Prior to 1834 it was illegal for a landowner to sell part of his estate. The usual way round this was for him to “suffer a common recover”. This took the form of a notional law-suit featuring his friends or legal advisors or court officials or even fictional characters. The legal phraseology was often extremely complicated, but so formulaic that it was seldom written out in full. Going through this process gave a landowner absolute title to the lands mentioned, and enabled him (for instance) to sell them or to break an entail. The grants issued were designed to impress the recipient - large, written on vellum (often in Latin) and in an ornate script. They bore the King’s portrait at the top and had the great seal of the Irish Exchequer attached (unfortunately missing in this case). (1) €100 - €150 621. Co. Tipperary: ‘An Innocent Papist’ a 17th Century manuscript Quitclaim by Nicholas White (signs ‘Whyte’) of Co. Kildare. single large sheet, dated April 1663, with armorial seal, for 36s paid by Lieut. Col. William Moore, of any right to arrears of profit from townlands of Balloughter, Barony of Lower Ormond, etc. Document says (line 5) that under His Majesty’s Act of Settlement, White has been declared ‘an innocent Papist,’ and to be restored unto his former Estate, etc., as a m/ss, w.a.f. Interesting. (1) €400 - €600 622. Napoleon Repatriates aWounded Irish Officer Military Interest: A Passport, allowing John Nicholson, a lieutenant in the 83rd Infantry and now a prisoner of war, to be repatriated to England via Morlaix on grounds of ill health as part of a prisoner exchange. Dated February 1813 and signed by Napoleon’s Minister for War, Henry James Clarke, duc de Feltre (both of whose parents were Irish). Includes a detailed description of the prisoner, who is aged 28, a native of Wexford, and “a perdu la jambe gauche” (so he was unlikely to be of much further military use). The 83rd (County Dublin) Foot served in the Peninsular War, where presumably Lieut. Nicholson received his injury. Paper, 40cms x 28 cms (some damage), as a m/ss document, w.a.f. (1) €200 - 300 623. How the Penal Laws Originated [Anon] Typescript, “ The Penal Laws: an Essay, ” Folio, 12 pp. last page damaged. The unnamed author writes to protest at the continuing Catholic propaganda about the iniquities of the Penal Laws, not seeking to excuse the wrongs inflicted but to explain their origins in the massacres and persecutions committed by Catholics in the preceding years, and pointing to the unchanged attitude of the Catholic Church towards Christians of other faiths, as a typescript, w.a.f. (1) €100 - 150 616. Early 18th Century Grant of Lands in Carlow/Kilkenny from the Duke of Ormonde Kilkenny Interest: Printed indenture dated 22 March 1703 (1704 new style) between James [2nd] Duke of Ormonde and Christian Borr of Dublin, granting him the towns and lands of Ballynunry (Co. Kilkenny) and Kilcoole, Co. Catherlagh, for one year at a rent of one peppercorn, reserving to the Duke all rights of hawking, hunting, fishing and fowling etc. Vellum, 30cms x 54 cms, as a m/ss, w.a.f. (1) €180 - 250 620