Byrne's Dictionary of Irish Local History (4 page)

annals
. Native Gaelic sources of Irish history which were originally records kept in monasteries but from the sixteenth century also came to be compiled by learned laymen.

annates
. The first fruits of a new clergyman's
benefice
which originally were remitted to the pope. After the Reformation benefice holders were required to pay the income of the first year of appointment to the crown.
See
Board of First Fruits, twentieth parts,
valor ecclesiasticus
.

annuity
. 1: A sum of money paid annually to maintain the beneficiary of a will or deed. It was raised by a charge on the rental income of the land (rentcharge) or by loan or mortgage which were also repaid by rentcharges. A widow's annuity was known as
jointure
2: In the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the annual re-payment by a smallholder to the
Irish Land Commission
on the sum advanced by the commission to enable him to purchase his holding.

antiquarian
. A collector of antiquities or facts about the past. The term is used currently to describe pseudo-histories which contain lists of facts without interpretation or comment. Antiquarian histories, preoccupied as they have been with the genealogies and achievements of the gentry and clergy in local communities, contributed considerably towards the low status occupied by local history, a situation only recently ameliorated with the emergence of local histories characterised by sensitive reconstructions of society and economy and investigations of individual and collective mentalities. Given the destruction of Irish state records in 1922, however, it must be acknowledged that modern Irish historiography would be all the poorer without the legacy of transcripts of original records bequeathed us by nineteenth-century antiquarians as they burrowed in the Public Record Office. (Marshall,
The tyranny
, pp. 46–62.)

apostasy
. The renunciation of one's religious faith.

applotment
.
See
tithe applotment.

apport
. In medieval times, the surplus produced by a priory which was sent to the mother house after expenses incurred in the administration of priory lands had been deducted.

appraiser
. A valuer of property such as goods distrained for non-payment of rent or treasure trove. Appraisers also valued the property of a deceased person to compile a probate inventory.

Apprentice Boys
. A Protestant Unionist association founded in 1814 as the Apprentice Boys of Derry to commemorate the shutting of the gates of Derry city against the Catholic Jacobite army on 7 December 1688 by thirteen apprentices. The shutting of the gates was prompted by the circulation of a forged letter which aroused fears of a Protestant massacre. Apprentice clubs commemorate the shutting on 20 December and the lifting of the siege on 12 August. (Haddick-Flynn,
Orangeism
, pp. 368–374.)

appropriate. Tithe
assigned to an ecclesiastical figure other than the local clergyman is styled ‘appropriate'. Where all of the tithe, great and small, was so assigned it was termed ‘wholly appropriate'.
See
tithe, impropriate.

approver
. 1: A steward or bailiff who supervised the letting of the king's lands or royal manors to the monarch's best advantage, collected the royal revenue and accounted for his transactions at the
exchequer
2: An informer, particularly one who turns king's evidence.

appurtenance
. A building or right associated with or pertaining to a particular property, including outbuildings, mills, kilns, commonage, dovecotes or subterranean minerals.

apse
. An arched recess at the end of a church.

a.r
. Anno regni
or
regnal year
. Literally, the year of reign of.

archdeacon
. The chief deacon, next in rank to a bishop. In some Anglican dioceses it was the archdeacon's duty to assist the bishop in diocesan affairs but in others the post was merely titular. Archdeacons originally wielded considerable power, sometimes even rivalling that of the bishop, but they were severely curbed by the Council of Trent. In England in the eighteenth century archdeacons exercised considerable authority over diocesan clergy but although there were 34 in Ireland they had no such jurisdiction. They were often simply accessories to the cathedral, some not even having a stall in the chapter. It was only in the nineteenth century that the archdeacon emerged as a fully functioning middle-manager in the Established church structure. The title is honorific in the Catholic church.

ard plough
. Probably the earliest form of plough used in Ireland, the ard or light plough consisted of a wooden frame, curved at one end, with a pointed wooden or stone share projecting from the base of the curve. The addition in later times of a
coulter
, a vertical metal blade placed slightly forward of the share, improved the efficiency and speed of the plough by cutting through matted roots. Neither share nor coulter, however, were able to turn the sod and it was not until the
mouldboard
was fitted that the typical ridge and furrow ploughing pattern was achieved. (Mitchell,
The Shell guide
, pp. 143–4.)

Ard Rí.
High-king. The question of high-kingship and its effective reality remains disputed. Mostly the phrase appears to denote overlords above the rank of king of a
tuath
. Two other attributions,
Rí Erenn
(king of Ireland) and
Rí Temro
(king of Tara) were also assigned to powerful overlords, notably in the case of the Uí Néill who appear to have fitted the bill as supreme rulers of Ireland.

argent
. In heraldry, denotes the colour silver or silvery-white.

Arianism
. A heretical fourth-century doctrine which argued that the Son, though divine, had emanated from the Father at a specific time and was therefore not co-eternal with him. The Father created the Son and so the Son was subordinate and of a different substance to Him. Thus, Christ was neither fully human nor possessed of a divinity identical with God. In the nineteenth century Irish Presbyterianism was riven by a controversy over Arianism, leading to the secession of some ministers to form the Remonstrant Synod in 1830.
See
General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, New Light, Presbyterian, Seceders, Synod of Ulster, Southern Association.

Armagh, Book of
. The only surviving complete copy of the New Testament from the ninth century, the
Book of Armagh
was written by the scribe Ferdomnach (died c. 845) and his assistants for the Abbot Torbach. Comprising 215 vellum leaves, the manuscript also contains St Patrick's Confession, the lives of Muirchiú and St Martin of Tours and the memoirs of Tirechán. It forms part of the collection of Trinity College, Dublin.

‘Armagh Expulsions'
. An Orange attempt to cleanse Armagh of Catholics following the defeat of the Catholic ‘
Defenders
' at Loughgall in 1795. Assassination and intimidation led to the flight of several thousand Catholics to Connacht and other parts, the disgruntled refugees spreading Defenderism wherever they settled. (Miller, ‘The Armagh troubles', pp. 155–191.)

Armagh, Register of.
A series of eight volumes (seven of which comprise original manuscript records) relating to the affairs of the archbishops of Armagh (1361–1543) which constitutes the largest single corpus of original material for the late medieval period. It contains letters, mandates, examinations of witnesses,
acta
, marital cases, letters
patent
, excommunications, clerical inhibitions, deprivations and appointments, probate matters and cases on appeal. Although the registers are named after individual prelates, they are not always completely co-extensive with their period of episcopal rule. (Armagh Register.)

armiger
. (L., an armour bearer) A person entitled to bear heraldic arms. A squire.

Arminianism
. A hotly-disputed liberal Calvinist doctrine espoused by the Dutch theologian Jacobus Arminius (1560–1609) which maintained that salvation was possible for all, a belief contrary to strict Calvinist teaching on predestination. To Arminius the idea that the elect were chosen before Adam's fall seemed incompatible with the mercy of God and implied that human will had no role to play in salvation. John Wesley was influenced by Arminianism as was the Methodist church which grew out of the Wesleyan movement.
See
Calvinism.

arquebus
(hagbush). A portable firearm that was supported on a rest.

arraign
. To indict.

Arroasian
. The form of
Augustinian
rule which St Malachy encountered at the abbey of Arrouaise in the diocese of Arras c. 1140. The Arroasians borrowed severe observances from the
Cistercians
including a strict rule of silence, abstinence from meat and fats and the wearing of a white habit with no linen. Between 1140 and 1148 Malachy promoted the spread of Arroasian observance particularly in the northern half of the country and wherever he encountered opposition appears to have established distinct communities alongside many episcopal seats. After his consecration as archbishop of Dublin, St Lawrence O'Toole adopted Arroasian observance at Christ Church Cathedral, one of the few cathedrals in Ireland to do so. Convents of Arroasian canonesses were also established in Ireland, the first being the senior house at St Mary's Abbey, Clonard (c. 1144). By the fourteenth century the Arroasian observance had begun to wane and there are few recorded Arroasian houses after that time.
See
nuns. (Dunning, ‘The Arroasian', pp. 297–315.)

articlemen
. The term usually comprehends persons admitted to the articles of surrender of Limerick or Galway at the close of the Williamite War. Relatively generous terms were offered to the Jacobites because William was anxious to close the war in Ireland and transfer his troops to Europe. Under the articles, the estates of the garrisons and citizens of Limerick and Galway were guaranteed provided they submitted to the king and did not opt to leave for France. Almost one-half of the land remaining in Catholic hands by 1703 was held by articlemen.
See
Limerick, Treaty of (1691).

Articles of Religion
(1615). A series of 104 articles or doctrinal statements prepared and agreed at the 1613–15
convocation
of the
Church of Ireland
. Compiled by James Ussher, professor of divinity at Trinity College, they included the bulk of the 1571 convocation of Canterbury's
Thirty-Nine Articles
but controversially omitted the thirty-sixth which refers to the ecclesiastical orders of deacon, priest, bishop and the procedures for episcopal consecrations, an omission which appears to reflect the puritan or Calvinist-leaning nature of the Irish church. The articles confirmed the church's adherence to the doctrine of predestination. A rigid and severe Sabbatarianism was espoused. The pope was condemned as the anti-Christ, royal supremacy was upheld, Catholic ceremonies and traditions were declared contrary to the teaching of the bible and the
Anabaptist
doctrine of the community of property was denounced. Under Lord Deputy Wentworth the articles were suppressed by the 1634 convocation and replaced by the Thirty-Nine Articles in an attempt to make the Church of Ireland correspond more closely to the English church.

assart
. Marginal, waste or wooded land that was cleared and drained and brought into cultivation. Also known as extent land.

assay
. 1: A proof 2: The assay of metals is the examination of precious metals to test their fineness. Weights and measures are assayed to ensure that they weigh or measure what they claim to do.

assignment
. The transfer of a right or entitlement, usually a lease or mortgage.

assistant-barrister
. To raise the standard of justice dispensed by the justices of the peace the
lord lieutenan
t was authorised from 1796 (36 Geo. III, c. 25) to appoint an assistant-barrister of six years standing in each county to assist the justices at the
quarter-sessions
. The assistant-barrister was also given the power to hear
civil bills
to the sum of £20 in cases of debt, £10 in cases of
assumpsit
and £5 in cases of
trover
, trespass and
detinue
. Later the monetary limits were increased and he was empowered to deal with cases of assault and the recovery of small tenements. From 1851 he became the chairman of quarter-sessions and could act in the absence of the justices. In 1877 the office was abolished and replaced by that of county court judge.
See
justice of the peace.

assize
. 1: A court sitting, literally the jury summoned by writ to sit together to try a cause 2: In earlier times the term referred to the writs that operated in assize courts, the assizes of
novel disseisin, mort d'ancestor
and
darrien presentment
3: The twice-yearly assize courts (county courts) trying civil and criminal cases replaced the
eyre
courts of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries.

assize, commission of
. A commission to conduct an assize was issued by the
king's bench
to the judges of assize, empowering them to hear civil and criminal cases on circuit. Commissions of
gaol delivery
were normally given to judges of assize and from the sixteenth century they also heard civil actions of
nisi prius
, cases which had begun in the fixed courts and were brought to the point where the verdict of a local jury was necessary.

assize courts
. Civil and criminal cases were heard before the assize courts. They were presided over by the judges of assize who were dispatched to the counties on twice-yearly circuits (spring and summer). They succeeded the itinerant justices in
eyre
but the disturbed nature of the country prevented the establishment of a regular circuit until the close of the seventeenth century. There were five circuits (six between 1796 and 1885) until their abolition in 1924 when they were replaced by the circuit courts in the Irish Free State (and by the crown courts in Northern Ireland from 1978). A winter assize was added from 1876 to deal solely with criminal cases. Dublin city and county did not form part of the assize circuit. A permanent commission, the ‘County of the City of Dublin', sat at Green Street to hear criminal cases presided over by a judge of the king's bench. A second commission dealt with cases arising in the county. Increasingly the assizes came to deal solely with criminal cases. From 1796 civil actions were heard by an
assistant-barrister
in each county and by the mid-nineteenth century civil jurisdiction was being exercised by the
quarter-sessions
. The spring and summer assizes were the occasion for the meeting of the
grand jury
which, in addition to determining the validity of indictments before the courts, also performed important local government functions.
See
civil bill.

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