"Mr PIGOTT, an honest and discreet gentleman of the [Queen's] County," was deeply involved in the transplantation of the O'MORES and their kin out of that County.
This did not pass the notice of Sir Arthur CHICHESTER, the Lord Deputy of Ireland, who wrote to William CECIL, the Earl of Salisbury, from Dublin Castle, on 17 June 1609, that:
"... the business was now fully brought to a pass, as all seven septs had departed thence, some into Thomond, more into Connaught, and most into Kerry with Mr CROSBIE."
CHICHESTER added his desire:
"... that Mr PIGOTT may know that he has recommended his honest service."
[Transactions, Kilkenny Archaeology Society Journal, Volume 53, page 143.]
And so, on 30 September 1609, at Loughrea, County Galway, CHICHESTER created Robert PIGOTT of Dysart a Knight of the Realm. The Heralds approved his use of the Arms:
"Ermine, three fusils conjoined in fess, Sable; on the centre one a crescent Or, for difference."
He was a significant figure in the fortunes of the English Pale, as far as it extended beyond Dublin and into the hinterland of what had become the Queen's County.
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ROBERT'S FATHER, JOHN PIGOTT, THE ORIGINAL GRANTEE OF DYSART.
His father, John PIGOTT, was one of the English Captains who accompanied Thomas RADCLIFFE, Earl of Sussex, into the country of Leix, perhaps as early as 1558. He may have done previous military service under RADCLIFFE in Holland; he almost certainly came from County Salop, of a junior branch of the ancient PIGOTT family established at "Chetwynd" in Edgmond Parish.
But it appears likely that he was involved in the expedition, organised by Henry RADCLIFFE (the Lord Deputy's brother), which sailed for Ireland in November 1558 - heading for the last of the Marian Plantations, beyond the west-north-western perimeter of the Dublin Pale (see further below), even as the Queen who authorised the project, Mary, lay on her death bed.
A little pre-history may not go astray here, for which I am indebted to Vincent P. CAREY and his "The End of the Gaelic Political Order; The O'More Lordship of Laois 1536-1603" [a chapter in "Laois - History and Society," Edited by NOLAN and LANE, Geography Publications, Templelogue, Dublin, 1999].
The previously powerful septs in Leinster, the O'MOREs and the O'CONNORs, were subjected to much closer contact and scrutiny by the English after the suppression of the Geraldine Rebellion of 1543-46, and the consequent collapse of the KILDARE buffer zone around the Pale. Lord Deputy Anthony ST LEGER (first appointed July 1540 - his grand-daughter Ann ST LEGER would become Robert PIGOTT's first wife) sought to negotiate with the Irish Lords, and offered concessions if they submitted, by surrender and re-grant of their lands, to willingly form part of a Tudor State under Henry VIII.
But then a harder line appeared, and with ST LEGER absent in England, confiscations began under his temporary replacement, William BRABAZON. [ST LEGER was recalled to England from February to August 1544; again, with ORMONDE, April to December 1546; and yet again in May 1548.]
In June 1547, the new English Council of Edward VI sent Sir Edward BELLINGHAM, who invaded the territory and built a fort at present-day Portlaois, naming it Fort Protector (around which a town grew, later known as Maryborough). With him went English followers, like Francis COSBY, who were to play an important part in the English colonization that followed.
ST LEGER, on his return in September 1550, now pursued this more aggressive approach, and in 1550-51 was instructed to survey and plant the Counties of Leix and Offaly; he was able to offer twenty-nine Leases for O'MORE lands in Leix by December. In 1553, the new Queen, Mary, re-appointed ST LEGER, and restored the exiled Gerald FITZGERALD as 11th Earl of Kildare.
But resistance to English rule continued, and it was decided to clear the native Irish and bring in English settlers. This was begun in 1556, and was implemented by Thomas RADCLIFFE, the Earl of Sussex, who in early 1557 had the Council in Dublin declare the Leix O'MOREs as traitors, effectively declare martial law, and appoint his brother, Sir Henry, as Governor of the forts in Leix and Offaly.
This finally enabled the formal shiring of their lands in the ancient districts of Leix and Ossory into the Queen's and the King's Counties, the first such counties to be established in the Kingdom since the 12th of King John, 1211.
Irish resistance turned into warfare, and in June 1558, the fighting between the O'MOREs and the English Captains under RADCLIFFE was so savage that Fort Protector was seriously threatened; a fierce counter-attack against the Irish proved successful, with Francis COSBY himself accounting for up to thirty or forty of the best of them.
CAREY, citing the "Vice Treasurer's Accounts, H.M.C., rep DeLISLE and DUDLEY MSs, 1, 366-440," noted that:
"The aggressive role of the captains was to have lasting negative consequences for future relations between the government and elements of the Gaelic Irish. The accounts of Sir Henry SIDNEY, vice-treasurer, for the period 1556-63 demonstrate that almost all of the then settlers were part of the military establishment. The amounts of money due them in wages and their frequency of service suggests that not alone was the area far from peaceful, but that the settlers had a vested interest in maintaining their military utility."
["Laois - History and Society." Op. Cit.]
SUSSEX's unpopularity in Ireland did not prevent his re-appointment by the new Queen, and he returned to Ireland in June 1560, with Elizabeth's clear instructions:
"Our two counties of Less and Offaly do yet remain unstablished or unhabited, being planted only with our men of war, whereby they lie waste without peopling, and our charge is likely to grow daily more intolerable. The good season of the year being past, they cannot be planted with building houses and towns as we see best, but you shall therein do as much as the season of the year and other accidents there will permit, to take the straights and strengths of the same counties, and build such castles and houses of strength as have or shall be by you thought meet for the better possessing of the same counties, and appoint such portions of land thereto as shall seem most convenient, and likewise to distribute such part of the rest of the country as ye shall perceive that ye may have convenient persons to take and inhabit the same, and to use the same grounds in manner of husbandry for increase of tillage of corn. And as for the reservation of the rent, although we would that for augmentation of our revenue ye should reserve for every acre during the first 10 years 2d., and for the other 10 years 3d., and so afterwards 4d., yet not knowing how present the same may be compassed, we remit the same to your wisdom and good consideration. And for other covenants or corporal service to be done by the tenants to whom ye shall make any grants, we also remit the same to your discretion, forseeing that you do not make any estate to any person better that to them and the heirs male of their bodies lawfully begotten."
[Reproduced in "History of the Queen's County," by Edward O'LEARY and Matthew LALOR, Sealy Bryers and Walker, Dublin, 1914, Volume II, page 448.]
[Part of the COTTON map, about 1561, reproduced in "Laois, History and Society,"
Edited by LANE and NOLAN, Geography Publications, Dublin, 1999, chapter 9, page 212.
The map is oriented with North pointing to the right; the name under Dysart reads C. PIGOT,
probably for Captain PIGOTT.]
How early John PIGOTT fitted into this picture is unclear; Ivan COSBY has identified him as one of the Captains under Sir Henry RADCLIFFE; and RADCLIFFE had been sent by his brother Thomas (the Lord Deputy) to London in April 1557 to present to Queen Mary his (Thomas's) plan to expel the Scots from Ireland, to which Mary and Philip gave their approval, granting £10,000 for the campaign (now expanded into a new Plantation exercise), and despatching RADCLIFFE with 1,200 men, levied in the area around Cheshire, from men who would be prepared to remain in Ireland over the long term, and with the broader aim of settling "... the whole of Ireland and reforming the laws and manners of the people" [C.S.P., Ireland] - Mary and Philip's Plantation.
This expedition set out for Ireland in November 1558, and probably arrived in Ireland under the reign of another Queen, Elizabeth.
The Irish Accounts of Sir Henry SYDNEY are replete with names of Captains serving in Leix and elsewhere, but in the accounts up to 1559, John PIGOTT's name does not appear, although he may have been accounted for under the name of his superior officer, whomever that may have been (perhaps even Giles OVINGTON alias HOVENDEN, who is mentioned a number of times in the pre-1559 accounts, and whose widow may have been Johanna WALSH, who became Robert PIGOTT's mother).
But John PIGOTT was named in further accounts, after 1560, in "... a list of persons serving by themselves (i.e. Pensioners), or with one or two other men, for various terms..." [H.M.C., De L'Isle and Dudley Papers, Volume 1, page 364 et seq].
He was certainly residing there when appointed, 4 November 1561, as the fourteenth named in a list on eighteen men, to a Commission, established by the Crown:
"... to mark the bounds and limits of King's and Queen's Counties, being the countries of Leix, Slevmarg, Irre, Glinmalirie and Ophalie; to divide them into Baronies and Hundreds; and to appoint in each County a place where the gaols shall be, under the Statute of 3 and 4 Philip and Mary (1557)."
[Lord Walter FITZGERALD, "Historical Notes on the O'MOREs and their Territory of Leix," Journal of the County Kildare Archaeological Society, Volume VI, 1909-11, Dublin, page 34, citing "Elizabeth Fiant Number 6786."]
For his efforts, John PIGOTT received a grant, by Letters Patent dated 28 February 1562-63, of the 772 acre estate, a mile south of the Rock of Dunamaise, between Maryborough and Stradbally, in the morning shadow of the Dysart Hills, with which the estate shared it's name:
"Grants to John PYGOTT of Dissert, Gent., of the lands of Dyssert alias Diserte, Derry alias Ramaspok and Ballycloyder, Colkey alias Colenechre, Molleneknawor, Rahinuske, Garrickneparke, Kiltecloghe, Ballykerrold and Cowlarne, Queen's County. To hold in tail male, by service of the twentieth part of a knight's fee, and a rent of £6 17s. and 8d. during the first seven years and £9 11s. and 6d. thereafter. Maintaining four English horsemen... last February, v."
[Fiant of Queen Elizabeth, Number 496, 1563.]
[Part of Robert DUNLOP's map, dated 1563, reproduced in "Laois, History and Society," Editors LANE and NOLAN, Geography Publications, Dublin, 1999, chapter 11, page 285.]
He obtained a further grant in 1569:
"Grant, under instructions, Greenwich, 2 Jul x. To John PIGOTT, of a parcel of land called Agholallor, Queen's County, extending eastward to the high road near a hill called Shyan Moyglas, the road dividing it from the land of Edward BRUTON (? BRERETON), westward to the mountain called Crossidiche, southward to the high road separating it from the land of John PIGOTTE. To hold in tail male, by the service of a fiftieth part of a knight's fee, at a rent of 3s. Maintaining one English footman. (The usual provisions are given less fully than is customary, and those for ploughdays, non-maintenance of Irish, residence, and some others are omitted.) 15 June xi."
[Fiant of Elizabeth, No 1386, 1569.]
These estates he was called upon to defend, by the sword.
And a significant part of the estate's strategic value lay under the ground, but in places very close to the surface - haematite, or iron-ore. I do not know whether John PIGOTT identified this asset and exploited it, or whether that occurred earlier, or perhaps even later by his son or grandson. A goodly amount of the ore mined there over the years was processed in the nearby smelter run by the COOTE family at Mountrath. Charles COOTE arrived in Ireland with Lord Deputy MOUNTJOY in 1600; he was knighted in 1621, served with distinction in the Civil War of 1641 (leading, among others, Sir Robert PIGOTT's son and heir, Captain John), and was killed near Trim, 7 May 1642. So perhaps the exploitation of the iron reserves took place later, rather than earlier.
Evidence linking John PIGOTT of Dysart to the Shropshire family is only circumstantial, and as yet uncorroborated:
i. The arms approved by the Heralds for his son Robert on his knighthood in 1609 were those of the Shropshire PIGOTT family, with a cadency mark for difference, the crescent, indicating the second son.
ii. The family of his grandson Alexander PIGOTT adopted the name "Chetwynd" for an estate in County Cork - this is the same name as the family estate in Edgmond Parish, County Salop, occupied by the PIGOTTs since about 1430, themselves a junior branch of the PIGOTTs of Broxton and Butley, Cheshire.
iii. Sir William BETHAM, Ulster King of Arms, did record a direct descent from Robert PIGOTT of Chetwynd (by his wife Margaret BLOUNT of Kinlet) in his pedigree of the PIGOTT family of Dysart Castle, issued 13 December 1837, which was in 1934 in the possession of Sir Berkeley PIGOTT, Bart.
vi. John PIGOTT's great-grandson, Chidley PIGOTT, of Cappard, in the Queen's County (the second son of Thomas PIGOTT of Cappard), died in January 1719 whilst on a visit to Chetwynd in Shropshire, and was buried in the parish churchyard there.
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I refer to this as the DIX pedigree - for Michael DIX of 4 Crescent Terrace, Cheltenham, Gloucester, who stated that Sir Berkley PIGOTT was his kinsman; DIX "compiled" and typed up the pedigree in 1934, and subsequently lodged it with the Society of Genealogists in London, where I made a copy in 1983.The first half of it records, with a number of identifiable errors, the following:
PIGOTT OF DYSART CASTLE.
1. Robert FITZPIGOTT alias FITZBIGOT was father of
(1) William (see next).
(2) Robert of Butleigh alias Butley, co Chester, m. Alice da of Walter ADDERLEY, & was father of
(Ia) Simon, whose son,
(Ib) William PIGOTT was alive 21 Edward III.
2. William PIGOTT of Humbarswood & Butleigh, co Chester, was father of,
3. William PIGOTT of Butleigh, v. 31 Edward I, was father of,
4. Robert PIGOTT of Butleigh, by Christina his wife had a son and heir,
5. William PIGOTT of Butleigh, 15 Edward III, father of,
6. John PIGOTT of Butleigh, m. Anne da & coheir of William FITZROBERT de Wettenhall, & was father of,
7. John PIGOTT of Butleigh, Serjeant-at-Law 13 Henry IV (1411) & 2 Henry V (1413), who had issue,
(1) Richard (see next).
(2) John, Burgess of Macclesfield.
(I) Isabella, m Thomas FOLLING of Chester.
8. Richard PIGOTT of Butleigh was father of
9. Hugh PIGOTT of Butleigh 8 Henry VI (1429), & jure uxoris of Chetwynd, co Salop, m Joyce da & coheir of Sir Richard PERSALL of Chetwynd, Knt, by Margaret da & coheir of Hugh MALPAS of Checkley, co Stafford, & had issue,
(1) Thomas, s & h.
(I) Margaret, m Humphrey FERRERS of Tamworth, co Derby.
10. Thomas PIGOTT of Chetwynd & Butleigh, Serjeant-at-Law, was father of,
11. Robert PIGOTT of Chetwynd & Butleigh, High Sheriff of Salop, 1517, m Margaret da of Sir John BLOUNT of Kinlet, co Salop, Knt, & had issue,
(1) Thomas, of Chetwynd and Butleigh, m firstly Elizabeth OTTELEY and by her was ancestor of PIGOTT of Chetwynd Park, co Salop (see BURKE's Landed Gentry, CORBETT of Sundorne Castle); he m 2nd Agnes daughter of Richard CROFTS.
(2) George, of Bonisall, m Catherine da of HENSHAW of Henshaw, co Chester, ex quo PIGOTT of Bonisall.
(3) John (of whom next).
12. John PIGOTT of Dysart Castle, Queen's County, who received by letters patent, dated 28 February 1562, the lands of Dysart Enos formerly known as Dysart O'Lalor, and for many centuries the chief stronghold of the O/LALOR sept, lying between Maryborugh & Stradbally, near the famous stronghold of the O'MOREs, the Rock of Dunamase. He d 27 April 1570, having m Johanna WALSH, and by her (who m 2ndly John BARNES, Gent) had issue,
(1) Thomas, of Dysart Castle, d.s.p. 7 April 1578, & succeeded by his brother.
(2) Robert (see next).
13. Sir Robert PIGOTT...
BETHAM nowhere records the sources for this descent; but it appears, on the strength of other available data from the published records, that he has made a number of assumptions that raise serious questions about the accuracy of the pedigree as a whole - for one example, the two John PIGOTTs (6) and (7) appear to be one and the same - and for another, Joyce de PESHALL's husband was Richard PIGOTT (8), not Hugh (9).
Further, it is evident that the junior Chetwynd branch probably became a separate entity, and would have had no proprietorial claims to Butleigh, which remained with the senior branch, although it does appear likely that some members of each branch married into the same families, including the BLOUNTs.
But, specifically, it appears that the John PIGOTT whom BETHAM identified as the third son of Robert PIGOTT (11) and Margaret BLOUNT was probably not the Irish adventurer of 1558, the subject of this blog, but instead his father John; who was, it appears, married at an Isabella MALPAS, and by whom he had, inter alia, it is speculated, a second son, who was probably our John PIGOTT of Dysart.
Wills evidence indicates the unlikelihood of there having been a son named John born to Robert PYGOTT and Mary BLOUNT - Robert's will, dated 19 December 1535, and proved 19 May 1536 [Diocese of Lichfield, Wills and Probates, on Findmypast.co.uk], named sons Humphry (already deceased), Thomas (the son and heir), Edward, Richard and Francis, but no John.
However, their son Thomas PYGOTT, the Chetwynd heir, married Isabel (or Elizabeth) ONLEY; and her will, dated 15 May 1554, as the widow of Thomas, named sons Robert, John and Richard, as well as four daughters, Mary WELER, Anne YOUNGE, Katherine and Dorothy. The son John appears nowhere in the published pedigrees that I have seen for this family. Presuming these are probably PIGOTTs, and not her children by an earlier marriage, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that this John may have been the one who went to Ireland in ca 1558, and there named his sons Thomas (for his father) and Robert (for his grandfather). Perhaps?
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John PIGOTT died on 27 April 1570, probably at Dysart, and aged, at a rough guess, around 40-45 years. He left a widow, Johanna, formerly WALSH (and perhaps widow of Giles HOVENDEN - see the July 1600 Act of Privy Council below), and at least two sons, the elder named Thomas, aged about 6, and the younger, our Robert.This date of death was recorded in the Exchequer Inquisition post mortem (Inq. p.m.) for his elder son Thomas in 1578 [a copy of which, certified by the Deputy Keeper of Public Records, was published in Vere Langford OLIVER's "History of Antigua," 1895, Volume 3, pages 26-27].
Thomas was the heir-apparent:
"Grant, under commission at Dublin, 26 September ix, to Johanna WALSHE, widow of John PYGOTT of Dysart, Queen's Co, Gent, of the wardship, marriage and custody of lands, of Thomas PIGOTT, son and heir of the said John. To hold during minority, at a rent of £8, retaining £3 for maintenance of the minor. Consideration £8 - 2 August xii."
["The Irish Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns," Volume 2, 1558-1586, Dublin, 1994, page 208 - Elizabeth, Number 1585, year date 1570.]
The widow Johanna was married again, perhaps as early as 1571, to John BARNES of Castletown, who made his residence at Dysart, which he continued to rebuild and further fortify. After the death of the heir-apparent Thomas in 1578, they were together named as wards of the new heir apparent, Robert, now aged 13:
"Grant to John BARNEIS of Disert, Gent, and Johanna his wife, of the wardship and marriage of Robert, brother and heir of Thomas, son and heir of John PIGGOTT late of Disert, Queen's County, Gent; and custody of his lands. To hold during minority, the widow's third excepted. Rent £6 7s. 8d. Fine 40s. - 15 April xx."
[Ibidem, page 442, Elizabeth, Number 3235, year date 1578.]
John BARNES was listed as Pensioner, Garrison of Ireland, 29 September 1571; Pensioners in Pay, 31 March 1572, for "... service in Laois and be also continually ready to go to any other place," so perhaps not yet married to Johanna PIGOTT; with others, he hoped for orders to root out "... these wicked traitors Rory Oge and his adherents. Perfect intelligence of their mind to overthrow the Queen's County next winter," 11 March 1573; and he was of Dysart, when he petitioned the Privy Council, 3 June 1573, praying for "... continuance of his pension in consideration of his great losses by the rebels, and his charges in building a castle."
This was clarified further a year later, unless instead for a subsequent and additional attack:
"... BARNES was also last August pitifully spoiled by certain rebels called the O'MOREs and the O'CONNORs of 140 kine, 1000 sheep and calves, 36 plough horses, then presently killed and 90 others taken away, and divers of his tenants were likewise burnt and spoiled. In consideration of these losses and his costs these 3 years in building a castle and house in the Desert..."
[Calendar of State Papers, Ireland, endorsed 3 June 1574.]
This appears to put BARNES in Dysart as early as mid 1571, although perhaps not yet married to the widow and her widow's third.
He wrote to Lord Deputy GREY on 4 September 1580, advising that "... rebels besiege Maryborough with a great force, and expect James EUSTACE this night. Is fain to send this poor beggar with this letter."
Some historians have incorrectly assumed this letter's author was a PIGOTT.
It appears that John BARNES may have died in 1587.
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ROBERT PIGOTT TAKES POSSESSION OF HIS INHERITANCE.
During Robert's minority, a substantial event in the bloody history of the region took place at Mullaghmast - the infamous Massacre - in March 1578. Robert was only 13, so probably did not play a major part in it, although it may have been how his brother Thomas lost his life.
Between 70 and 80 Irish, mostly O'MOREs, were "tricked" into attending a meeting at the great Rath of Mulagh Maistin, ostensibly under "protection" of Sir Henry SIDNEY, Lord Deputy. Two English colonists, COSBY and HARTPOLE, were clearly identified as perpetrators of the slaughter which followed, although SIDNEY's connivance seems likely, if not assured.
Robert PIGOTT, on reaching his majority, eventually succeeded to Dysart:
"Livery to Robert, son and heir of John PIGOTTE, late of Dizarte, Queen's County, Gent. Fine £9 11s. - 4 September xxviii.'
[Fiant of Elizabeth, No 4921, 1586.]
I can think of no reason why Robert would delay gaining personal control of his inheritance; and if so, the date of the grant suggests that Robert was born on, or shortly before, 3 September 1565. My guess is that his 21st birthday proper would have been celebrated among the tenants, with a hogshead or two of wine, some kegs of beer, and a fatted calf on the grill; and that his journey to Dublin would have taken place a day or three after they had all recovered from the celebrations.
And Robert was further instructed in his responsibilities:
"The Queen to the Lord Deputy and the Lord Chancellor directing that letters patent be passed to Robert PIGGOTT, of the lands of Desert in the Queen's County; to hold to him and his heirs in consideration of his building and fortifying his possessions whereby the said County would be the more speedily inhabited and civil government assured."
[Calendars of State Papers, Elizabeth, dated at Nonesuch, 25 May 1587.]
These were confirmed as a re-grant of his father's lands by Letters Patent dated 16 October 1587:
"Grant (under Queen's letter, 25 May xxix) to Rob. PYGOTTE, Gent, son and heir of John PYGOTTE, late of Desert, deceased; of the lands of Deserte alias Dyserte, Derrye alias Ramaspoke and Ballycloyder, Colkey alias Colenechre, Molleneknawor, Rahynuske, Garrick-neparke, Kiltecloghe, Balleykerrold or Balleycarrolde and Cowlarne, Queen's County. To hold for ever, by the service of a fourth part of a knight's fee. Rent £9 11s. 6d. Conditions. The prohibition of alienation is omitted. - 16 October xxix."
[Fiant of Elizabeth, No 5047, 1587.]
Robert's coming of age co-incided with a "breathing space" for the plantation, which endured until 1596, when the Nine Years War (1594-1603) finally came to the Queen's County. Owny McRory O'MORE sought to settle scores at Stradbally Bridge in May 1596, where, in a savage battle, two generations of COSBY heritors, Francis and his son Alexander, were killed in sight of their widows, of whom the younger, Dorcas SIDNEY, famously observed the order of their demise, and noting thereby her entitlement to a widow's third (one of her sons, Richard COSBY, was to marry, but not during his disapproving mother's lifetime, a daughter of Robert PIGOTT).
Robert may have been in service elsewhere in Ireland - on 16 August 1595, "Captain PIGGOTT had a company delivered him... Captains TUTCHER and PIGOTT went into Connaught with their Companies." [RUSSELL's Journal, C.S.P.]
But this Captain PIGOTT was probably instead George PIGOTT, of a branch of the "other" PIGOTT family, of Aston Rowant in Oxfordshire, and who was killed shortly afterwards.
Adam LOFTUS, Archbishop of Dublin (his grand-daughter, Martha COLCLOUGH, was to become the wife of Robert's son and heir, John PIGOTT), wrote in 1596:
"As for the Queen's County, the state thereof is at this present most lamentable, for the English gentlemen which there were planted are all spoiled, and have their towns and haggards burned by the O'MOREs, save only a few gentlemen of the WINGTONs (perhaps in error for OVINGTON or HOVENDEN) and their near allies, which are foster-brethren to the Earl of Tyrone."
These are the HOVENDENs with whom it is alleged Robert PIGOTT's mother was previously joined by marriage before she married his father; and they came from Ulcombe, in Kent, where they were neighbours of the ST LEGER family.
And on 11 February 1595-96, the Earl of Ormonde enclosed a letter from Robert with his own to Lord BURGHLEY:
"... Robert PIGOTTE, Justice of the Peace, to Captaine Warhame SENTLEGER; information that Brian REOCH is joined in friendship with Sir Charles O'CARROLL. News of Brian REOGH and Faregh McTIRLAGH being in MADDENs' Country. Soldiers to lie at Ballinacor."
Robert had already married, as his first wife, Warham ST LEGER's sister Ann.
In the will of Sir Warham ST LEGER, dated 1 March 1599, and proved P.C.C. 6 March 1599, he named his sons William and Anthony, as well as Sir George THORNTON and Robert TUCKER, as well as a William PIGOTT [BETHAM's Abstract]. It is curious that the PIGOTT he named was not his brother-in-law Robert.
REBELLION COMES TO THE QUEEN'S COUNTY.
On 7 November 1597, rebels under Owny McRory O'MORE and Captain Richard TIRRELL had permission from the Lord Lieutenant, during his truce with Hugh O'NEILL, Earl of Tyrone, to evacuate from Leinster with their forces and proceed to the north. On their way through Leix, they were attacked somewhere near Dysart-enos by the Maryborough garrison, which they cut to pieces. Two accounts of the fight, one from either side, were sent to the Earl of ORMONDE, for the information of the Lords Justices LOFTUS and GARDINER.
Captain Warham ST LEGER sent his dispatch by the hand of his brother-in-law, Robin (alias Robert) PIGOTT of Dysart-enos, who may have been the un-named Sheriff referred to in the dispatch. The Lords Justices informed Sir Robert CECIL (Lord BURGHLEY), by letter dated at Dublin,14 December 1597, of "... uncertain declarations of one PIGOTT, the bearer of Sir Warham ST LEGER's letter," noting that they "... could not understand from him which side began the broil," and of having used "... divers means to bolt out the very truth thereof."
[See O'LEARY and LALOR's "History of the Queen's County." Op. Cit., pages 473-44.]
They decided that, due to the lack of any detail in both ST LEGER's and PIGOTT's versions as to how the fracas started, therefore the Maryborough garrison was to blame.
Conditions in Queen's County deteriorated. By 1598, an anonymous source reported:
"The poor English gentlemen not daring to manure one foot of their land nor almost to venture to look out of their castles, which they are now even ready to abandon for lack of means to relive them, their tenants being already departed from their dwellings and become rebels with the rest, so as now we account the Queen's County no better than lost, the gaining whereof hath heretofore cost England so much blood and treasure."
ORMONDE added, in the same year:
"Some of them yield up their strong castles without resistance, which the traitors break as soon as they be possessed of them. So as if mine advice were followed, those that thus yield them up should be restored to them again, but the castle should be bestowed on others that would better keep them."
And in the next, 1599, Sir George CAREW wrote:
"... the freeholders of Leix (whereof I am one) are many in number, but not one of us make any profit of these lands, neither have we any part of them in possession save only the two have Castles Dysert and Ballyadams, which PIGOTT and BOWEN [hold] by the sufferance of the rebels hitherto; and now they say they shall hold them no longer. I am persuaded they are or will be lost very shortly."
Robert PIGOTT may eventually have been forced out of occupancy of Dysart. He apparently went over to England in 1600, to plead for relief of his losses, probably at Court. He carried letters of recommendation from Sir Geoffrey FENTON and Sir George CAREW, dated at Dublin, 3 and 4 April 1600, respectively.
In his own letter to Sir Robert CECIL, dated 7 May 1600, Robert wrote that he:
"... came not over hither to seek relief at the hands of the Queen till necessity enforced him thereto, through the extreme miseries he has endured in her service, hoping to find some respect of his services and losses for enabling him to continue his endeavours, and also to encourage others who depend on him, his allies and near kinsmen, of English parentage, by surname BRERETONs, BARRINGTONs and DANYELs. Prays CECIL to make known to the Queen the extremity of his estate and the hopes that the above-named expect of him."
[H.M.C., Salisbury MSs (CECIL), Volume X.]
Robert wrote again to CECIL, 18 May 1600, thanking him:
"... for his dispatch. Prays for a few words to the Lord Deputy in his favour, inserting therein that his employment was conferred upon him by Council, and not at his own suit, lest his Lordship should conceive offence; also that his employment may be in the Queen's County."
[Ibidem.]
On 27 June 1600, the Privy Council, comprising the Lords Keeper, Treasurer and Admiral, the Earl of Shrewsbury, Mr Comptroller, and Messrs Secretary CECIL and HARBERT, authorised payment of an account, as follows:
"A letter to the Lord Treasurer praying his Lordship to give order for the payment of c.li to Robert PIGOTT, uncle and tutor of four poore children of Captaine Walter HOVENDEN, for the maintenance and reliefe of said children, which summe was thought meete to be paied in regard of a greater summe dew from her Majestie to the saide Captaine for his entertainment at the tyme of his decease (he being slaine in Her Majesty's service in the warres). This 100.li to be issued by the Privy Seale of the 27th June, 1600."
[Acts of the Privy Council, 25 July.]
This reference to Robert PIGOTT being uncle to Walter HOVENDEN's children (by Mary COSBY) suggests a possibility that Robert's mother, Johanna WALSH, may have been married to Giles HOVENDEN before she married Robert's father, as indicated in current correspondence from Peter HOVENDEN-JONES of the U.K.
But, returning to Robert's main reason for going to England, on 18 July 1600, Sir George CAREW wrote to CECIL, noting that:
"... by Mr PIGOTT I have received Her Majesty's gracious letter for my warrant touching the payment of the 2,000 foot and 100 horse, which Her Majesty is pleased to be added unto her former list of 14,000 foot and 1200 horse."
So, it would appear that Robert's mission was also to obtain further military employment. And his grant of 20 footmen is mentioned in further letters.
To CECIL, on 15 July 1603:
"... Sir David FOWLE (? FOULKE) having heretofore moved you in my behalf touching my suit to H. Majesty (Elizabeth died 24 March 1603) with the assent of my Lord Lieutenant of Ireland hath lastly willed me to bring unto you a letter framed with a blank for term. My suit therefor is you would be the means to His Majesty for some term to be set down in the blank, to relieve my decayed estate. I am emboldened to beseech it because the last letters had were not effected in that ample manner I had hoped for, the lands which I aimed at and you intended for me being given me 'in custodiam' by my Lord MOUNTJOY, and gotten from me notwithstanding by others, namely Sir Richard GRYMES and Captain FLEMING. P.S. My desire is to have 7 years. Sign and Seal.
"The enclosure - draft warrants for continuing to Robert PIGOTT the number of 20 footmen bestowed on him in Ireland for his zeal in the late wars."
On 30 July 1603, the newly crowned King, James VI and I, commanded:
"... Charles, Earl of Devonshire, to allow the said (Robert) PIGOTT full establishment of 20 footmen on account of his good desert and loss in the late wars."
But by 1605, circumstances had changed. The Lord Deputy wrote to the Privy Council, on 14 June:
"... in behalf of Robert PIGOTT, for remuneration for the entertainment of 20 foot allowed to him by the King's special letters, but now no longer to be allowed on account of the recent reduction in the Army."
And on 16 June, Robert himself wrote to the Earl of Salisbury:
"... that the entertainment for his poor xx footmen has been left out of the list for the payment of such companies. This will embarrass him deeply, as his poor estate is engaged for the payment of £300. Prays his Lordship's interference with the Lord Deputy and Council for the continuance of this entertainment, at least until his own poor estate of living shall be redeemed and paid for; otherwise he will be forced to break up his home and family. Has never got one penny of the grant of land which his Lordship promised him in the Queen's time. Is unable, in regard his estate is brought so low, to make his repair to Salisbury, and craves pardon for his boldness in writing."
THE PATENT FOR THE DYSART ESTATE IS RENEWED BY THE NEW KING.
The Dysart estate was the subject of a renewed grant to Robert PIGOTT by King James VI and I; the grant, published as No LIX (39) of the Calendar of the Patent Rolls of the Chancery of Ireland, page 113, bearing the date 12 February James vth (1608).
The grant included the extent of the estate, identifying Castle, Towns (presumably Townlands) and other lands; and it also included a very lengthy and rambling description of the boundaries, written rather like a surveyor might record in his notebook to guide his way, based on descriptions of visible markers along the way including "white Stones" (presumably marker stones perhaps recently white-washed to stand out), piles of stones (perhaps erected into marker cairns), and refers to lines of ditches, streams, lanes, woods, bogs, etc (and evidently, for many of them, unlikely to remain a valid description over a very long period of time - so probably now almost entirely untraceable, other than by the summits of named mountains, and the occasional Townland references).
The extent of the Grant was recorded as follows:
"Grant from the King to Rob. PIGOTT of the Dizart in the Queen's Co, Esq.
"QUEEN'S CO.
"The Castle and Town of Desert otherwise Dysart, with all the lands, etc, in Desert, Rathbegg, and Rahenboylley, parcels of Dysart, and in Kilteclogh otherwise Kilteale.
"The castle and lands of Ballinjerold otherwise Ballycarroll, Cowlarne, Rahin-Rhaighen, Balliriegh and Ballipetteriske, parcels of Cowlarne, and in Mulleneknawer otherwise Mullinnecknawe, and Kilcromen, parcels thereof.
"Carrickneparke otherwise Carrineparke, and Clonepamphe, parcel thereof.
"Coolkey otherwise Coolecreighie, and Kilnebrone, parcel thereof.
"Dirrie otherwise Rainaspicke or Rahinespickure, and Ballymoyne, parcel thereof.
Rahimiske otherwise Rahinkedow, Rahinemulliagn and Ballycloyder."
These lands were re-granted under the following conditions:
"Rent £9 11s. 6d. Irish.
"To hold for ever, as of the Castle of Maryborough, by the fourth part of a knight's fee and the conditions of plantation.
"The rectories, churches, or chapels, tithes, glebes and presentations of the vicarages, etc, of Kilteale, rent 15s.; and Disertenes, and of Gallen or Dysart-Gallen, rent 10s.; being parcel of the possessions of the Abbey of Conall, Kildare Co.
"License to keep courts within the premises; to hold two fairs on Whitmonday and All Saints, and two days following, each at Disert or Desert; rent 10s.
"To hold these last by fealty, as of the Castle of Dublin, for as fine of 4 Marks Irish, under the commission for the remedy of defective titles.
"These lands had been granted to him 16 October 29 Elizabeth [1587] at a rent of £9 11s. 6d., which is remitted by this Patent, as is the rent of £1 6s. 1d., reserved to Sir James FULLERTON, by patent, dated 7 November 1605, upon the said Rectories, etc.
"To attend upon the chief Governor, with the greater part of his domestics and tenants, armed and provided for three days, in defence of the Queen's County to answer all hostings; to maintain 4 able horsemen upon the premises; and to observe the other conditions of the plantation of the Queen's County."
The "perambulating" boundary description, inserted in the Patent between the Grant and the Conditions, was recorded as follows:
"Which lands are bounded as follows.
"From the ford of Belachalke, by the middle of a stream which runs from the said river to the lough of Loughearaghgriskeene; and thence through the middle of the said lough, and from it along the middle of the gutt of Loughnemuckie; thence by the middle of the wood of Barnegrenan, to the close or croft of Cooleroyney, leaving on the outside of the land of Robert PIGOTT nine ridges (pecias); thence through the middle of Boneslevane, and through the middle of an old ditch, to the wood of Corogheknaveagh, leaving on the outside of the lands of Robert PIGOTT the plain fields of Clanchill; thence through the middle of the said wood, to a thorn called Skeagharete; thence through a ditch near a meadow, to Tubbergillereogh; thence through a stream flowing from the aforesaid well, to a great oak near the mountain of Knockanroe; thence through a ditch in a moor called Monecharin, extending to Knockanetritoagh; thence through the middle of the aforesaid moor, to a ditch near Monacharan, and though the middle of it, to a pit crossing the green high way; thence through the middle of a small ditch to the pit at the end of a ditch called Clieghquiele; thence through the middle of the said ditch to Rahienarne, leaving the rath aforesaid with the lands of the aforesaid Robert PIGOTT; thence through another ditch, northwestward, to the Glen of Glanbarrowe; thence through the middle of a ditch on the said glen, to the close or croft at the further end thereof, northward; thence through the middle of another ditch between Robert PIGOTT's lands and the Town of Kilvincet, to a croft called Croghtnegirta, leaving the said croft with the lands of Robert PIGOTT; thence from the bounds of the ditch through the middle of another ditch to the great moor of Moanavane, and thus directly through the middle of the said moor, to the end of the ditch of Monyneloggagh, leaving it with the lands of Robert PIGOTT; thence through the middle of a lane, between the western boundary of the wood of Rahinuske, from the aforesaid lane, through the middle of the ditch of Fearnedrishog, and from the end of that ditch, across part of the common, to the white stone in a wood, called Killenpeers; thence through the middle of another ditch, to the broad sallow on the angle of the said ditch; thence through a fair lane, to the stream at Clashelkilfimaghe, and then over the said stream, through the middle of another ditch near Ballinpetteriske; thence across the great lane, through the middle of another great ditch, to the old Town of Loughshenhane, leaving the said town without the land of Robert PIGOTT; thence near the tall sallows, to a white rock in a field at the foot of the mountain of Carricknougher, leaving the greater part of the said mountain with the land of the said Robert; thence through the middle of another ditch to the outer part of the mountain of Carrigeahae, leaving the entire mountain with the land of the said Robert; thence through the middle of a wood, to Lackenebrocke, and thus through the middle of an underwood, to a blind lane, leaving Crottinecardy with the lands of said Robert, at a heap of stones; thence through the middle of the said lane, to the foot of Knockanemore mountain; thence through the middle of a ditch to Skalpvadderee; thence to Bonneduffe; thence to a dry pit under and near Banneglassa; thence directly to the well in which a hawthorn grows in the middle of Crossedcunanee, near another road; thence to another great hawthorn in an underwood; thence over the submit of Carrickewilliam mountain, to the well of Tobberdreolane; thence by the summit of the said mountain, across Lackanfreigh, to a well in which young ash trees grow, called Glassenfonsocke; thence downwards by the rocky boundary of Carrickwilliam, to a passage or pace lately made between an oak and a service-tree, called Ballaghnetorine, lying beyond the pace of Coolbarneshide; thence to a ditch on the eastern side of Rathnenebolliegh, and from the said ditch, through the middle of another stoney ditch, to a cross-cut in the earth, called Crosseretagh; thence to a stone in the middle of Loughchoe; thence to a thorn called Skeaghnacrosse, near the end of the lane of Voarmote; thence through the middle of that lane, to the foot of the mountain of Shanemaglasse, leaving said mountain at Loughteogue; thence through the middle of another ditch, surrounding a place called Tirekiragh, leaving said plain with the lands of Robert PIGOTT; thence through the grove of Blackclone; thence through another muddy ditch, and another road near the white thorn, and across the highway or gutt called Askeballihomoltagh, near Crottamalenten; thence through the middle of a stream flowing into the ford of Ballichalk aforesaid."
It sounds like a very interesting hike through a picturesque part of the county - and the very best of luck would be needed in trying to retrace it on the ground today.
In the same Patent Roll, in the following Patent No LX - 45, dated 12 February 5 James (1608-09), was a grant to Robert PIGOTT of Disert in the Queen's County:
"... of the wardship of Nich. WHITE, son and heir of Isaac WHITE of Maryborough, Queen's County, deceased, for a fine of £1 Irish, and an annual rental of £1 Irish, retaining 10s. thereof for his maintenance and education in the English religion and habits, and in Trinity College, Dublin, from his 12th to his 18th year."
LATER LIFE OF SIR ROBERT PIGOTT, KNIGHT.
Sir Robert's career after his Knighthood reflected his improved status.
On 3 April 1613, with others, including Sir William HARPOLE and Sir Adam LOFTUS, he was ordered to draw forth a fiant of incorporation by the Portreeve and Burgesses of the Town of Catherloghe, County Carlow.
With Sir William POWER, he was elected to represent the Queen's County in the Irish Parliament which sat from 18 May 1613 until 24 October 1615; and again, same county, but with Sir Henry POWER, from 1615 onwards.
He was appointed to a commission of King James, dated 22 June 1615, for a General Visitation throughout the Kingdom of Ireland, specifically "... to visit all dioceses, deaneries, archdeaconries, prebendaries, parsonages, vicarages, churches, chapels and all other spiritual livings and dignities whatsoever."
In July 1627, he was named in a commission to raise, for the Army, £800 English in the Queen's County.
And on 14 July 1629, his name was attached to a petition, forwarded by the Lord Deputy to the King, which complained:
"... of the suggested collection of money for the exchequer and the unfair incidence of the taxes which weigh heavily on the oppressed tenants of the great Lords; also in declaring that the soldiers are going in the country and levying money on the pretence of having the Lord Deputy's license; also that they may not be charged for the fourteen of Sir Pierce CROSBY's soldiers who were recently cast."
Sir Pierce was Patrick CROSBY's son and heir - the CROSBY whom Robert had helped to resettle the O'MOREs out of Queen's County before 1609.
Details of the latter part of Sir Robert's life have been a little less forthcoming.
We know that his son and heir, John PIGOTT, formerly of Grangebegg, in Upper Ossory, was in 1634 to succeed him as M.P. for the Queen's County, and being then recorded as resident of Dysart, may well have moved back into the family estate in readiness to inherit it, or take over its management during his father's old age.
____________________________________________________________________________
REBELLION COMES TO THE QUEEN'S COUNTY.
On 7 November 1597, rebels under Owny McRory O'MORE and Captain Richard TIRRELL had permission from the Lord Lieutenant, during his truce with Hugh O'NEILL, Earl of Tyrone, to evacuate from Leinster with their forces and proceed to the north. On their way through Leix, they were attacked somewhere near Dysart-enos by the Maryborough garrison, which they cut to pieces. Two accounts of the fight, one from either side, were sent to the Earl of ORMONDE, for the information of the Lords Justices LOFTUS and GARDINER.
Captain Warham ST LEGER sent his dispatch by the hand of his brother-in-law, Robin (alias Robert) PIGOTT of Dysart-enos, who may have been the un-named Sheriff referred to in the dispatch. The Lords Justices informed Sir Robert CECIL (Lord BURGHLEY), by letter dated at Dublin,14 December 1597, of "... uncertain declarations of one PIGOTT, the bearer of Sir Warham ST LEGER's letter," noting that they "... could not understand from him which side began the broil," and of having used "... divers means to bolt out the very truth thereof."
[See O'LEARY and LALOR's "History of the Queen's County." Op. Cit., pages 473-44.]
They decided that, due to the lack of any detail in both ST LEGER's and PIGOTT's versions as to how the fracas started, therefore the Maryborough garrison was to blame.
Conditions in Queen's County deteriorated. By 1598, an anonymous source reported:
"The poor English gentlemen not daring to manure one foot of their land nor almost to venture to look out of their castles, which they are now even ready to abandon for lack of means to relive them, their tenants being already departed from their dwellings and become rebels with the rest, so as now we account the Queen's County no better than lost, the gaining whereof hath heretofore cost England so much blood and treasure."
ORMONDE added, in the same year:
"Some of them yield up their strong castles without resistance, which the traitors break as soon as they be possessed of them. So as if mine advice were followed, those that thus yield them up should be restored to them again, but the castle should be bestowed on others that would better keep them."
And in the next, 1599, Sir George CAREW wrote:
"... the freeholders of Leix (whereof I am one) are many in number, but not one of us make any profit of these lands, neither have we any part of them in possession save only the two have Castles Dysert and Ballyadams, which PIGOTT and BOWEN [hold] by the sufferance of the rebels hitherto; and now they say they shall hold them no longer. I am persuaded they are or will be lost very shortly."
Robert PIGOTT may eventually have been forced out of occupancy of Dysart. He apparently went over to England in 1600, to plead for relief of his losses, probably at Court. He carried letters of recommendation from Sir Geoffrey FENTON and Sir George CAREW, dated at Dublin, 3 and 4 April 1600, respectively.
In his own letter to Sir Robert CECIL, dated 7 May 1600, Robert wrote that he:
"... came not over hither to seek relief at the hands of the Queen till necessity enforced him thereto, through the extreme miseries he has endured in her service, hoping to find some respect of his services and losses for enabling him to continue his endeavours, and also to encourage others who depend on him, his allies and near kinsmen, of English parentage, by surname BRERETONs, BARRINGTONs and DANYELs. Prays CECIL to make known to the Queen the extremity of his estate and the hopes that the above-named expect of him."
[H.M.C., Salisbury MSs (CECIL), Volume X.]
Robert wrote again to CECIL, 18 May 1600, thanking him:
"... for his dispatch. Prays for a few words to the Lord Deputy in his favour, inserting therein that his employment was conferred upon him by Council, and not at his own suit, lest his Lordship should conceive offence; also that his employment may be in the Queen's County."
[Ibidem.]
On 27 June 1600, the Privy Council, comprising the Lords Keeper, Treasurer and Admiral, the Earl of Shrewsbury, Mr Comptroller, and Messrs Secretary CECIL and HARBERT, authorised payment of an account, as follows:
"A letter to the Lord Treasurer praying his Lordship to give order for the payment of c.li to Robert PIGOTT, uncle and tutor of four poore children of Captaine Walter HOVENDEN, for the maintenance and reliefe of said children, which summe was thought meete to be paied in regard of a greater summe dew from her Majestie to the saide Captaine for his entertainment at the tyme of his decease (he being slaine in Her Majesty's service in the warres). This 100.li to be issued by the Privy Seale of the 27th June, 1600."
[Acts of the Privy Council, 25 July.]
This reference to Robert PIGOTT being uncle to Walter HOVENDEN's children (by Mary COSBY) suggests a possibility that Robert's mother, Johanna WALSH, may have been married to Giles HOVENDEN before she married Robert's father, as indicated in current correspondence from Peter HOVENDEN-JONES of the U.K.
But, returning to Robert's main reason for going to England, on 18 July 1600, Sir George CAREW wrote to CECIL, noting that:
"... by Mr PIGOTT I have received Her Majesty's gracious letter for my warrant touching the payment of the 2,000 foot and 100 horse, which Her Majesty is pleased to be added unto her former list of 14,000 foot and 1200 horse."
So, it would appear that Robert's mission was also to obtain further military employment. And his grant of 20 footmen is mentioned in further letters.
To CECIL, on 15 July 1603:
"... Sir David FOWLE (? FOULKE) having heretofore moved you in my behalf touching my suit to H. Majesty (Elizabeth died 24 March 1603) with the assent of my Lord Lieutenant of Ireland hath lastly willed me to bring unto you a letter framed with a blank for term. My suit therefor is you would be the means to His Majesty for some term to be set down in the blank, to relieve my decayed estate. I am emboldened to beseech it because the last letters had were not effected in that ample manner I had hoped for, the lands which I aimed at and you intended for me being given me 'in custodiam' by my Lord MOUNTJOY, and gotten from me notwithstanding by others, namely Sir Richard GRYMES and Captain FLEMING. P.S. My desire is to have 7 years. Sign and Seal.
"The enclosure - draft warrants for continuing to Robert PIGOTT the number of 20 footmen bestowed on him in Ireland for his zeal in the late wars."
On 30 July 1603, the newly crowned King, James VI and I, commanded:
"... Charles, Earl of Devonshire, to allow the said (Robert) PIGOTT full establishment of 20 footmen on account of his good desert and loss in the late wars."
But by 1605, circumstances had changed. The Lord Deputy wrote to the Privy Council, on 14 June:
"... in behalf of Robert PIGOTT, for remuneration for the entertainment of 20 foot allowed to him by the King's special letters, but now no longer to be allowed on account of the recent reduction in the Army."
And on 16 June, Robert himself wrote to the Earl of Salisbury:
"... that the entertainment for his poor xx footmen has been left out of the list for the payment of such companies. This will embarrass him deeply, as his poor estate is engaged for the payment of £300. Prays his Lordship's interference with the Lord Deputy and Council for the continuance of this entertainment, at least until his own poor estate of living shall be redeemed and paid for; otherwise he will be forced to break up his home and family. Has never got one penny of the grant of land which his Lordship promised him in the Queen's time. Is unable, in regard his estate is brought so low, to make his repair to Salisbury, and craves pardon for his boldness in writing."
_________________________________________________________________________
THE PATENT FOR THE DYSART ESTATE IS RENEWED BY THE NEW KING.
The Dysart estate was the subject of a renewed grant to Robert PIGOTT by King James VI and I; the grant, published as No LIX (39) of the Calendar of the Patent Rolls of the Chancery of Ireland, page 113, bearing the date 12 February James vth (1608).
The grant included the extent of the estate, identifying Castle, Towns (presumably Townlands) and other lands; and it also included a very lengthy and rambling description of the boundaries, written rather like a surveyor might record in his notebook to guide his way, based on descriptions of visible markers along the way including "white Stones" (presumably marker stones perhaps recently white-washed to stand out), piles of stones (perhaps erected into marker cairns), and refers to lines of ditches, streams, lanes, woods, bogs, etc (and evidently, for many of them, unlikely to remain a valid description over a very long period of time - so probably now almost entirely untraceable, other than by the summits of named mountains, and the occasional Townland references).
The extent of the Grant was recorded as follows:
"Grant from the King to Rob. PIGOTT of the Dizart in the Queen's Co, Esq.
"QUEEN'S CO.
"The Castle and Town of Desert otherwise Dysart, with all the lands, etc, in Desert, Rathbegg, and Rahenboylley, parcels of Dysart, and in Kilteclogh otherwise Kilteale.
"The castle and lands of Ballinjerold otherwise Ballycarroll, Cowlarne, Rahin-Rhaighen, Balliriegh and Ballipetteriske, parcels of Cowlarne, and in Mulleneknawer otherwise Mullinnecknawe, and Kilcromen, parcels thereof.
"Carrickneparke otherwise Carrineparke, and Clonepamphe, parcel thereof.
"Coolkey otherwise Coolecreighie, and Kilnebrone, parcel thereof.
"Dirrie otherwise Rainaspicke or Rahinespickure, and Ballymoyne, parcel thereof.
Rahimiske otherwise Rahinkedow, Rahinemulliagn and Ballycloyder."
These lands were re-granted under the following conditions:
"Rent £9 11s. 6d. Irish.
"To hold for ever, as of the Castle of Maryborough, by the fourth part of a knight's fee and the conditions of plantation.
"The rectories, churches, or chapels, tithes, glebes and presentations of the vicarages, etc, of Kilteale, rent 15s.; and Disertenes, and of Gallen or Dysart-Gallen, rent 10s.; being parcel of the possessions of the Abbey of Conall, Kildare Co.
"License to keep courts within the premises; to hold two fairs on Whitmonday and All Saints, and two days following, each at Disert or Desert; rent 10s.
"To hold these last by fealty, as of the Castle of Dublin, for as fine of 4 Marks Irish, under the commission for the remedy of defective titles.
"These lands had been granted to him 16 October 29 Elizabeth [1587] at a rent of £9 11s. 6d., which is remitted by this Patent, as is the rent of £1 6s. 1d., reserved to Sir James FULLERTON, by patent, dated 7 November 1605, upon the said Rectories, etc.
"To attend upon the chief Governor, with the greater part of his domestics and tenants, armed and provided for three days, in defence of the Queen's County to answer all hostings; to maintain 4 able horsemen upon the premises; and to observe the other conditions of the plantation of the Queen's County."
The "perambulating" boundary description, inserted in the Patent between the Grant and the Conditions, was recorded as follows:
"Which lands are bounded as follows.
"From the ford of Belachalke, by the middle of a stream which runs from the said river to the lough of Loughearaghgriskeene; and thence through the middle of the said lough, and from it along the middle of the gutt of Loughnemuckie; thence by the middle of the wood of Barnegrenan, to the close or croft of Cooleroyney, leaving on the outside of the land of Robert PIGOTT nine ridges (pecias); thence through the middle of Boneslevane, and through the middle of an old ditch, to the wood of Corogheknaveagh, leaving on the outside of the lands of Robert PIGOTT the plain fields of Clanchill; thence through the middle of the said wood, to a thorn called Skeagharete; thence through a ditch near a meadow, to Tubbergillereogh; thence through a stream flowing from the aforesaid well, to a great oak near the mountain of Knockanroe; thence through a ditch in a moor called Monecharin, extending to Knockanetritoagh; thence through the middle of the aforesaid moor, to a ditch near Monacharan, and though the middle of it, to a pit crossing the green high way; thence through the middle of a small ditch to the pit at the end of a ditch called Clieghquiele; thence through the middle of the said ditch to Rahienarne, leaving the rath aforesaid with the lands of the aforesaid Robert PIGOTT; thence through another ditch, northwestward, to the Glen of Glanbarrowe; thence through the middle of a ditch on the said glen, to the close or croft at the further end thereof, northward; thence through the middle of another ditch between Robert PIGOTT's lands and the Town of Kilvincet, to a croft called Croghtnegirta, leaving the said croft with the lands of Robert PIGOTT; thence from the bounds of the ditch through the middle of another ditch to the great moor of Moanavane, and thus directly through the middle of the said moor, to the end of the ditch of Monyneloggagh, leaving it with the lands of Robert PIGOTT; thence through the middle of a lane, between the western boundary of the wood of Rahinuske, from the aforesaid lane, through the middle of the ditch of Fearnedrishog, and from the end of that ditch, across part of the common, to the white stone in a wood, called Killenpeers; thence through the middle of another ditch, to the broad sallow on the angle of the said ditch; thence through a fair lane, to the stream at Clashelkilfimaghe, and then over the said stream, through the middle of another ditch near Ballinpetteriske; thence across the great lane, through the middle of another great ditch, to the old Town of Loughshenhane, leaving the said town without the land of Robert PIGOTT; thence near the tall sallows, to a white rock in a field at the foot of the mountain of Carricknougher, leaving the greater part of the said mountain with the land of the said Robert; thence through the middle of another ditch to the outer part of the mountain of Carrigeahae, leaving the entire mountain with the land of the said Robert; thence through the middle of a wood, to Lackenebrocke, and thus through the middle of an underwood, to a blind lane, leaving Crottinecardy with the lands of said Robert, at a heap of stones; thence through the middle of the said lane, to the foot of Knockanemore mountain; thence through the middle of a ditch to Skalpvadderee; thence to Bonneduffe; thence to a dry pit under and near Banneglassa; thence directly to the well in which a hawthorn grows in the middle of Crossedcunanee, near another road; thence to another great hawthorn in an underwood; thence over the submit of Carrickewilliam mountain, to the well of Tobberdreolane; thence by the summit of the said mountain, across Lackanfreigh, to a well in which young ash trees grow, called Glassenfonsocke; thence downwards by the rocky boundary of Carrickwilliam, to a passage or pace lately made between an oak and a service-tree, called Ballaghnetorine, lying beyond the pace of Coolbarneshide; thence to a ditch on the eastern side of Rathnenebolliegh, and from the said ditch, through the middle of another stoney ditch, to a cross-cut in the earth, called Crosseretagh; thence to a stone in the middle of Loughchoe; thence to a thorn called Skeaghnacrosse, near the end of the lane of Voarmote; thence through the middle of that lane, to the foot of the mountain of Shanemaglasse, leaving said mountain at Loughteogue; thence through the middle of another ditch, surrounding a place called Tirekiragh, leaving said plain with the lands of Robert PIGOTT; thence through the grove of Blackclone; thence through another muddy ditch, and another road near the white thorn, and across the highway or gutt called Askeballihomoltagh, near Crottamalenten; thence through the middle of a stream flowing into the ford of Ballichalk aforesaid."
It sounds like a very interesting hike through a picturesque part of the county - and the very best of luck would be needed in trying to retrace it on the ground today.
In the same Patent Roll, in the following Patent No LX - 45, dated 12 February 5 James (1608-09), was a grant to Robert PIGOTT of Disert in the Queen's County:
"... of the wardship of Nich. WHITE, son and heir of Isaac WHITE of Maryborough, Queen's County, deceased, for a fine of £1 Irish, and an annual rental of £1 Irish, retaining 10s. thereof for his maintenance and education in the English religion and habits, and in Trinity College, Dublin, from his 12th to his 18th year."
LATER LIFE OF SIR ROBERT PIGOTT, KNIGHT.
Sir Robert's career after his Knighthood reflected his improved status.
On 3 April 1613, with others, including Sir William HARPOLE and Sir Adam LOFTUS, he was ordered to draw forth a fiant of incorporation by the Portreeve and Burgesses of the Town of Catherloghe, County Carlow.
With Sir William POWER, he was elected to represent the Queen's County in the Irish Parliament which sat from 18 May 1613 until 24 October 1615; and again, same county, but with Sir Henry POWER, from 1615 onwards.
He was appointed to a commission of King James, dated 22 June 1615, for a General Visitation throughout the Kingdom of Ireland, specifically "... to visit all dioceses, deaneries, archdeaconries, prebendaries, parsonages, vicarages, churches, chapels and all other spiritual livings and dignities whatsoever."
In July 1627, he was named in a commission to raise, for the Army, £800 English in the Queen's County.
And on 14 July 1629, his name was attached to a petition, forwarded by the Lord Deputy to the King, which complained:
"... of the suggested collection of money for the exchequer and the unfair incidence of the taxes which weigh heavily on the oppressed tenants of the great Lords; also in declaring that the soldiers are going in the country and levying money on the pretence of having the Lord Deputy's license; also that they may not be charged for the fourteen of Sir Pierce CROSBY's soldiers who were recently cast."
Sir Pierce was Patrick CROSBY's son and heir - the CROSBY whom Robert had helped to resettle the O'MOREs out of Queen's County before 1609.
Details of the latter part of Sir Robert's life have been a little less forthcoming.
We know that his son and heir, John PIGOTT, formerly of Grangebegg, in Upper Ossory, was in 1634 to succeed him as M.P. for the Queen's County, and being then recorded as resident of Dysart, may well have moved back into the family estate in readiness to inherit it, or take over its management during his father's old age.
We also find him recorded as co-defendant of a Bill brought before the Court of Chancery, Dublin, 27 June 1634 [Chancery Court Bill Books, Findmypast], the Plaintiffs being John HOLT and Thomas CHANAW (?), and the Defendants as Sir Robert PIGGOTT, Michael HOLT and Dorothie his wife. The details of the case have not survived.
Inevitably, Dorothie was Sir Robert PIGOTT's daughter.
In a Registered Pedigree, now in the National Library of Ireland, in Volume 26 of the Genealogical Office Pedigree series (generated in the old Office of the Chief Herald in Ireland), at page 151, is the "PIGOTT of Cappard, Queen's Co" pedigree [Image 78 of the digitalised version on the N.L.I. web-site], where a number of mentions are made of a Chancery Bill, ROCHFORT v. PIGOTT, dated 16 February 1635. This entry is not found on the Bill Book abstracts recently digitalised on Findmypast.
In the CAPPARD pedigree, this date is attached to the entry for Thomas PIGOTT of Cappard (died 1685); however, there was another entry, dated 16 February 1735, as defendant, for Southwell PIGOTT, also of Cappard, and another set of mentions of Bills dated 1735, without day or month, for Thomas PIGOTT's sons Robert PIGOTT (with his wife Margaret) and Chidley PIGOTT, Thomasine PIGOTT (wife of HULL, then Primeiron ROCHFORT), Gertrude PIGOTT otherwise SOUTHWELL the wife of John PIGOTT of Kilfinney, and John and William PIGOTT, who both died in 1717 or1718, without issue.
I do not know whether the pedigree writer made an error with his dates here?
We find that Sir Robert was named, with his son Captain John, in "certain orders" dated 9 July 1641, made in the Irish House of Commons, concerning the Advowsons of the Rectories of Disert-Enos and of Kilteale, both in the Queen's County; it might reasonably be presumed from the wording of these orders that Sir Robert was still living; and it seems certain that both of their names appear on the order because they were both members of the Parliament that made that order.
This was connected with certain claims made by Jonathan HOYLE, Rector of Dysart-Enis and Kilteale, which had been adjudicated at the Council Board, but were overturned after a vote in the House.
It may also have been connected with difficulties being faced by Bishop BRAMHALL, as he tried to implement in Ireland the Laudian "improvements" against Puritan trends in worship, and which resulted in his impeachment by the Irish Parliament.
"10 Julii, A.1641.
"Upon the petition of Sir Robert PIGOTT, Knight, and Captain John PIGOTT his Son, unto this honourable House, thereby setting forth, they were seized in their demesne as of Fee, of both the Rectories of Dysart-Enys and Kilteale in the Queen's County; and being so seized, they were by Threats forced to submit unto an Order of the Councel-Board, grounded upon the Petition of one Jonathan HOYLE, Clerk, by which Order they did pass all their Right in the said Rectories unto the said HOYLE, and did accept of a Lease for Years from the said HOYLE of the Moiety thereof at a certain Rent, and humbly desired Relief therein.
"Which Petition was by this House referred to a select Committee, who having taken the said Petition, Answer, Replication, and Rejoinder into Consideration, and having heard the said Cause in Presence of both Parties and their learned Counsel, made report thereof unto this House, as followeth, viz:
"That Henry the eighth was seized in Right of his Crown of the late Priory of Connell in the County of Kildare, by Virtue of the Statute of Dissolution of religious Houses; and that it was found by Survey, in anno 32. H. 8, and by an office taken in Catherlogh 5. E. 6, that the said two Rectories of Dysert-Enys and Kilteale were Parcels in the Possessions of the late Priory of Connell; which Right and Title, by double Matter of record, vested in the Crown, as aforesaid, so rested in the Crown until 1 Jacobi, in which Year the said rectories, amongst other things, were by Letters Patent passed unto James FULLERTON, Knight, who passed the same by his Deed, dated 2 Jacobi, unto Sir Robert PIGOTT, under which Title, and other effectual Letters Patents passed upon by a Commission of Grace for Remedy of defective Titles, in the fifth year of King James, the Plaintiffs claimed.
"And by the said Report it appeared, that the Defendant made Title unto himself, that the said Rectories were no Rectories impropriate, or any Parcels of the said late Priory of Connell, but that the same were spiritual Livings and presentable unto by the Rightful Patron; and that himself was lawfully presented thereunto by the King, that now is; and that by Decree and Order of the Councel-Board was not extrajudicial or void, for that the Councel-Board were thereunto authorized by his Majesty's instructions, as a special Case of the Church."
"And for Proof of what he alleged, he produced unto the Committee divers Instruments and Writings, setting forth from the Year 1583 until 1 Jacobi several Presentations unto the said Rectories, in the Right of Sir Robert PIGOTT, and one made by Queen Elizabeth in 1584, by Reason of Lapse; several Licenses and Dispensations; several Inquisitions for taxing the said Rectories in twentieth Parts; and some Leases thereof made by Parson, Patron, and Ordinary, which by mesne Assignments came unto the said Sir Robert PIGOTT; who being in Possession thereof, obtained a Fee thereof from Sir James FULLARTON, as aforesaid.
"All which Presentations, Licenses, Dispensations, twentieth Parts, and Leases appearing to be in Time of War, and during the Time the Title of the Crown was concealed thereunto, and that no Evidence was brought to prove the said Rectories were at any Time presented unto, before the said Title was vested in the Crown, they were therefore conceived not to be of equal Weight and Force with the Title made by the Plaintiff.
"And for as much as it appeared by the several Allegations of Sir Francis HAMILTON, Knight and Baronet, Sir Christopher BELLEW, Knight, Mathew DERENZY, Esq, and Thomas PIGOTT, Esq, that the late Lord Lieutenant did at the Councel-Board use many Threats to the said Sir Robert PIGOTT, to bring him into the Star-Chamber, and to make him pay all the mesne Profits from the very Beginning, if he did not conform himself unto the Order of the Councel-Board; and it also appeared by the Allegation of Sir Charles COOTE, Knight and Baronet, that the said Order would never have been consented unto at the Councel-Board by many of the Privy-Councel, in Regard they conceived, that the Sir Robert had the better Right, but that the Lord Lieutenant did promise to give the Plaintiff Land of equal or better Value in the Plantations, by Reason of which threats and Promises the Plaintiff consented unto the said Order, and in Conformance thereof executed estates unto the now Defendant HOYLE.
"And that the Defendant shall bring the said Deeds and Writings, made by him unto the Plaintiff, to be vacated and cancelled in Parliament; it is therefore ordered, that the Committee, who made the Report, shall repair unto the House of Lords, upon Monday Morning next, and there present this Cause unto their Lordships to appoint a Day for Hearing of the said Cause, and to proceed to Judgement thereupon, as they shall, in their great Judgements, see to be equal and just, always saving the Rights and Privileges of this House."
There is one intriguing name mentioned here - that of Thomas PIGOTT, Esq. If he was related to the Dysart PIGOTT plaintiffs, he could only have been the son of Sir Robert, and younger half brother of John PIGOTT, Sir Robert's eldest son and heir, who would then have been aged much more than about 35 years.
Later in the year, after the commencement of the rebellion (see below), Jonathan HOYLE, then of Parke, Queen's, County, by right of his now wife, the relict of Thomas BARRINGTON, deceased, sought refuge at the PIGOTT's Dysart Castle, with his wife, her sister, nine children and three servants. HOLYE, in his deposition, dated 18 January 1643, stated that at Easter following his arrival at Dysart (i.e., Easter of 1642, which fell on 20 April), Captain John PIGOTT threatened him, and "... turned him out" of Dysart; whence he sought safety at the Castle of Cullenagh, where he was cordially received by Francis BARRINGTON.
It is possible that Jonathan HOYLE was "welcomed" into Dysart in the early days of the rebellion by the older, wiser and perhaps ailing Sir Robert PIGOTT; and it may therefore follow that he was threatened and turned out by the younger and keener John PIGOTT, perhaps after his father had died and he had taken control of his inheritance?
If so, one might speculate that Sir Robert may have died sometime during the month of April in 1642.
Indeed, in a CROSSLÉ Abstract [Findmypast], dated 26 April 1642, under the heading of "Queen's County Depositions," (F. 2.8), we find:
"Isabel SMITH, relict of Richard SMITH (381) - 'Fled with her husband to Dysart Castle, where Capt. John PIGOTT lived..."
Although there is further reference in the same entry to the murders at Dysart in 1646, which was four years after the Abstract date.
However, there may have been another reason, as we shall see below.
We know for certain that Sir Robert was alive when he made his will, dated 20 March 1641 [Genealogical Office, Dublin, MS 113, page 365; and BETHAM's Abstract] - although it does seem likely that this date has been recorded "in error" for 20 March 1641-42 (which would be consistent with his still being alive in early April 1642).
Sir Robert was also "... now living" when his eldest son and heir, Major John PIGOTT, then still living at Grangebeg, made his will - the date, perhaps as early as the mid-late 1630s, was lost when the will itself was destroyed by fire in the sack of Dysart in 1646. However, the will was later "reconstructed," and proved in May 1654 [see John PIGOTT's separate post on this blog-page].
[Dysart churchyard, with a rear view of the ruins of the 18th century church, built well after Sir Robert's time.]
REBELLION RE-VISITS THE QUEEN'S COUNTY.
In late October 1641, Irish Catholics once more rose up against the Protestant minority, many of whom were robbed and despoiled of goods and assets, and some of whom slain, or left for dead, over the ensuing months.
Sir Robert PIGOTT is mentioned a number of times in the "1641 Depositions" now held in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, and viewable on-line on the www.1641.tcd.ie web-site.
Following are several of them, taken by Commissioners sent from Dublin in April 1642, concerning the early wave of despoliations at the hands of rebels:
1. Deposition of Laurence WILKINSON, a preacher of God's word, lately of Mountmellick, dated 11 April 1642, in which he stated that:
"... on Thursday 9 April 1642 this deponent coming to the dwelling of Sir Robert PIGGOTT at Dysert in the Queen's County, and acquainting the British Protestants there that some Commissioners were come, along with the Armye, to make enquiry of the losses of the subjects by this rebellion..."
2. Deposition of Thomas BARRINGTON, of Parke, in the Queen's County, dated 11 April 1642 - in which he stated that he had been threatened by the rebels for:
"... being a soldier and warder in Sir Robert PIGGOTT's Castle at Disert..."
[MS 815, folios 246v-247r; Jurat 11 April, before Jo. STERNE and Randall ADAMS.]
[MS 815, folios 293r-293v; Jurat 11 April, before John STERNE and Randall ADAMS.]
We find that Sir Robert was named, with his son Captain John, in "certain orders" dated 9 July 1641, made in the Irish House of Commons, concerning the Advowsons of the Rectories of Disert-Enos and of Kilteale, both in the Queen's County; it might reasonably be presumed from the wording of these orders that Sir Robert was still living; and it seems certain that both of their names appear on the order because they were both members of the Parliament that made that order.
This was connected with certain claims made by Jonathan HOYLE, Rector of Dysart-Enis and Kilteale, which had been adjudicated at the Council Board, but were overturned after a vote in the House.
It may also have been connected with difficulties being faced by Bishop BRAMHALL, as he tried to implement in Ireland the Laudian "improvements" against Puritan trends in worship, and which resulted in his impeachment by the Irish Parliament.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Details of the case were published in "The Journal of the House of Commons of the Kingdom of Ireland," Volume 6, Dublin, 1796, at page 254 [as viewed on ECCO], as follows:"10 Julii, A.1641.
"Upon the petition of Sir Robert PIGOTT, Knight, and Captain John PIGOTT his Son, unto this honourable House, thereby setting forth, they were seized in their demesne as of Fee, of both the Rectories of Dysart-Enys and Kilteale in the Queen's County; and being so seized, they were by Threats forced to submit unto an Order of the Councel-Board, grounded upon the Petition of one Jonathan HOYLE, Clerk, by which Order they did pass all their Right in the said Rectories unto the said HOYLE, and did accept of a Lease for Years from the said HOYLE of the Moiety thereof at a certain Rent, and humbly desired Relief therein.
"Which Petition was by this House referred to a select Committee, who having taken the said Petition, Answer, Replication, and Rejoinder into Consideration, and having heard the said Cause in Presence of both Parties and their learned Counsel, made report thereof unto this House, as followeth, viz:
"That Henry the eighth was seized in Right of his Crown of the late Priory of Connell in the County of Kildare, by Virtue of the Statute of Dissolution of religious Houses; and that it was found by Survey, in anno 32. H. 8, and by an office taken in Catherlogh 5. E. 6, that the said two Rectories of Dysert-Enys and Kilteale were Parcels in the Possessions of the late Priory of Connell; which Right and Title, by double Matter of record, vested in the Crown, as aforesaid, so rested in the Crown until 1 Jacobi, in which Year the said rectories, amongst other things, were by Letters Patent passed unto James FULLERTON, Knight, who passed the same by his Deed, dated 2 Jacobi, unto Sir Robert PIGOTT, under which Title, and other effectual Letters Patents passed upon by a Commission of Grace for Remedy of defective Titles, in the fifth year of King James, the Plaintiffs claimed.
"And by the said Report it appeared, that the Defendant made Title unto himself, that the said Rectories were no Rectories impropriate, or any Parcels of the said late Priory of Connell, but that the same were spiritual Livings and presentable unto by the Rightful Patron; and that himself was lawfully presented thereunto by the King, that now is; and that by Decree and Order of the Councel-Board was not extrajudicial or void, for that the Councel-Board were thereunto authorized by his Majesty's instructions, as a special Case of the Church."
"And for Proof of what he alleged, he produced unto the Committee divers Instruments and Writings, setting forth from the Year 1583 until 1 Jacobi several Presentations unto the said Rectories, in the Right of Sir Robert PIGOTT, and one made by Queen Elizabeth in 1584, by Reason of Lapse; several Licenses and Dispensations; several Inquisitions for taxing the said Rectories in twentieth Parts; and some Leases thereof made by Parson, Patron, and Ordinary, which by mesne Assignments came unto the said Sir Robert PIGOTT; who being in Possession thereof, obtained a Fee thereof from Sir James FULLARTON, as aforesaid.
"All which Presentations, Licenses, Dispensations, twentieth Parts, and Leases appearing to be in Time of War, and during the Time the Title of the Crown was concealed thereunto, and that no Evidence was brought to prove the said Rectories were at any Time presented unto, before the said Title was vested in the Crown, they were therefore conceived not to be of equal Weight and Force with the Title made by the Plaintiff.
"And for as much as it appeared by the several Allegations of Sir Francis HAMILTON, Knight and Baronet, Sir Christopher BELLEW, Knight, Mathew DERENZY, Esq, and Thomas PIGOTT, Esq, that the late Lord Lieutenant did at the Councel-Board use many Threats to the said Sir Robert PIGOTT, to bring him into the Star-Chamber, and to make him pay all the mesne Profits from the very Beginning, if he did not conform himself unto the Order of the Councel-Board; and it also appeared by the Allegation of Sir Charles COOTE, Knight and Baronet, that the said Order would never have been consented unto at the Councel-Board by many of the Privy-Councel, in Regard they conceived, that the Sir Robert had the better Right, but that the Lord Lieutenant did promise to give the Plaintiff Land of equal or better Value in the Plantations, by Reason of which threats and Promises the Plaintiff consented unto the said Order, and in Conformance thereof executed estates unto the now Defendant HOYLE.
- - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - -
"Upon serious Consideration had by this House of the said Report, and of the several Objections made by the Counsel of the Defendant to the Plaintiff's Title, it was voted by this House, without one negative Voice, that the Plaintiff's Title and Right unto the said Rectories of Dysart-Enys and Kilteale was a good Title and Right, and better than the Title or Right of the Defendant HOWLE, and that the Decree of the Councel-Board was erroneous and extrajudicial, and that the Plaintiffs ought to be restored unto their Possession, together with the mesne Profits of the said rectories, since the said Order was put in Execution, recompting thereof so much of the Profits as the Plaintiffs, or either of them, have received, or hath been paid by the Defendant to his Majesty."And that the Defendant shall bring the said Deeds and Writings, made by him unto the Plaintiff, to be vacated and cancelled in Parliament; it is therefore ordered, that the Committee, who made the Report, shall repair unto the House of Lords, upon Monday Morning next, and there present this Cause unto their Lordships to appoint a Day for Hearing of the said Cause, and to proceed to Judgement thereupon, as they shall, in their great Judgements, see to be equal and just, always saving the Rights and Privileges of this House."
There is one intriguing name mentioned here - that of Thomas PIGOTT, Esq. If he was related to the Dysart PIGOTT plaintiffs, he could only have been the son of Sir Robert, and younger half brother of John PIGOTT, Sir Robert's eldest son and heir, who would then have been aged much more than about 35 years.
Later in the year, after the commencement of the rebellion (see below), Jonathan HOYLE, then of Parke, Queen's, County, by right of his now wife, the relict of Thomas BARRINGTON, deceased, sought refuge at the PIGOTT's Dysart Castle, with his wife, her sister, nine children and three servants. HOLYE, in his deposition, dated 18 January 1643, stated that at Easter following his arrival at Dysart (i.e., Easter of 1642, which fell on 20 April), Captain John PIGOTT threatened him, and "... turned him out" of Dysart; whence he sought safety at the Castle of Cullenagh, where he was cordially received by Francis BARRINGTON.
It is possible that Jonathan HOYLE was "welcomed" into Dysart in the early days of the rebellion by the older, wiser and perhaps ailing Sir Robert PIGOTT; and it may therefore follow that he was threatened and turned out by the younger and keener John PIGOTT, perhaps after his father had died and he had taken control of his inheritance?
If so, one might speculate that Sir Robert may have died sometime during the month of April in 1642.
Indeed, in a CROSSLÉ Abstract [Findmypast], dated 26 April 1642, under the heading of "Queen's County Depositions," (F. 2.8), we find:
"Isabel SMITH, relict of Richard SMITH (381) - 'Fled with her husband to Dysart Castle, where Capt. John PIGOTT lived..."
Although there is further reference in the same entry to the murders at Dysart in 1646, which was four years after the Abstract date.
However, there may have been another reason, as we shall see below.
We know for certain that Sir Robert was alive when he made his will, dated 20 March 1641 [Genealogical Office, Dublin, MS 113, page 365; and BETHAM's Abstract] - although it does seem likely that this date has been recorded "in error" for 20 March 1641-42 (which would be consistent with his still being alive in early April 1642).
Sir Robert was also "... now living" when his eldest son and heir, Major John PIGOTT, then still living at Grangebeg, made his will - the date, perhaps as early as the mid-late 1630s, was lost when the will itself was destroyed by fire in the sack of Dysart in 1646. However, the will was later "reconstructed," and proved in May 1654 [see John PIGOTT's separate post on this blog-page].
[Dysart churchyard, with a rear view of the ruins of the 18th century church, built well after Sir Robert's time.]REBELLION RE-VISITS THE QUEEN'S COUNTY.
In late October 1641, Irish Catholics once more rose up against the Protestant minority, many of whom were robbed and despoiled of goods and assets, and some of whom slain, or left for dead, over the ensuing months.
Sir Robert PIGOTT is mentioned a number of times in the "1641 Depositions" now held in the Library of Trinity College, Dublin, and viewable on-line on the www.1641.tcd.ie web-site.
Following are several of them, taken by Commissioners sent from Dublin in April 1642, concerning the early wave of despoliations at the hands of rebels:
1. Deposition of Laurence WILKINSON, a preacher of God's word, lately of Mountmellick, dated 11 April 1642, in which he stated that:
"... on Thursday 9 April 1642 this deponent coming to the dwelling of Sir Robert PIGGOTT at Dysert in the Queen's County, and acquainting the British Protestants there that some Commissioners were come, along with the Armye, to make enquiry of the losses of the subjects by this rebellion..."
2. Deposition of Thomas BARRINGTON, of Parke, in the Queen's County, dated 11 April 1642 - in which he stated that he had been threatened by the rebels for:
"... being a soldier and warder in Sir Robert PIGGOTT's Castle at Disert..."
[MS 815, folios 246v-247r; Jurat 11 April, before Jo. STERNE and Randall ADAMS.]
[MS 815, folios 293r-293v; Jurat 11 April, before John STERNE and Randall ADAMS.]
Clearly, in my view, Sir Robert PIGOTT was still living.
However, it does appear likely that these mentions would not have been made in this form if Sir Robert was already dead - with the possible exception of the last?
Further mentions of the wider PIGOTT family associated with Dysart make interesting reading, despite the fact that many modern Irish researchers regard the claims made in them to be highly exaggerated.
Two features are immediately evident - firstly, the PIGOTT's made no claims of losses themselves, suggesting their defences were relatively secure, and this is supported by the use of Dysart as a safe-haven by others - and secondly, there are indications of the PIGOTTs maintained relatively "easy" relationships with their estate tenants, despite many of those tenants being regarded as, potentially, part of the rebellion.
The above Thomas ROBINS alias ROBINSON, of Carrigneparke, Queens County, made another depositon, also dathed 11 April 1642, in which he deposed that:
"... on or about 16 December last... this deponent, with Thomas PIGGOTT, late of Capard in the parish of Rossallis (sic), went to John MORE's of Ballidavis in the said county, where Colonel Francis Hargood O'DONNELL came to the said MORE's house, and this depomemt was in bodily fear and danger; and the said... Thomas PIGGOTT and Arthur PIGGOTT were in the house in compant together; afterwards this deponent returned with said Thomas PIGGOTT to Disert..."
Thomas BARRINGTON made also a deposition on 11 April 1642 [MS 815, folios 244v - 245r], in which he stated further:
"...that Robert HOLTT now of Disert, Gent, told this deponent that [since Christmas last] Arthur PIGGOTT, Thomas PIGGOTT, Esquire, Thomasin HULL, widow, and all of Disert, were not only in company with Colonel Fergus DONNELL of Konoher and Captain OWGEN {at} Balladam, drinking and talking there, and that the said Mrs HULL was in private conference with James FFERGUS at least an hour [in the window], but at their [farewell and] departure they saluted, and congratulated each other.
"He deposeth that James O'CONRAN said that most of the tenants of the said Sir Robert PIGGOTTs at Colecree, in Disert parish, were rebels and robbers of the English, and we are now protected by the mediation of Barnaby DUN, Esquire, Thomas PIGGITT, Arthur PIGGOTT; and this, believeth Richard SMITH, can inform so much.
This deponent sayeth that he hath, at sundry times, pursued the rebels that took cattle from the lands of Disert, with some of Sir Robert PIGGOTT's tenants who would not suffer this deponent to shoot the said rebels when it was in his power to have killed them.
"And that one Friday before Christmas, or thereabouts a time, he went forth with Arthur PIGGOTT to rescue certain cattle taken away by the Rebels; which cattle they having regained, of women of his father's tenants asked why he attempted to rescue the same, saying it would be the worse for him...
"This deponent heard by [one] that six rebels came to Grange in Disert parish, where they commonly frequent, proposing cut off and murder [some] this deponent's father-in-law and his uncles; and entering an ale-house there they found, instead of the English they looked for, Edmund SAVAGE, Esquire, Mrs HOLT, and William PARKES, drinking; with whom, as this deponent heard, they had free commerce, and did no hurt, but drunk cheerfully; at which place a servant of the deponent's father, by a knott of rebels there, was taken prisoner and in danger of hanging, had he not escaped..."
Here we immediately recognise some of Sir Robert PIGOTT's kinfolk:
Barnaby DUN and Edmund SAVAGE were his sons-in-law, the respective husbands of Elizabeth PIGOTT (the widow of Richard COSBY), and of Joan PIGOTT; and Mrs HOLT was Dorothy PIGOTT (the widow of Michael HOULTE of Agheneheley) - these three, Elizabeth, Dorothy and Joan, were Sir Robert's the surviving daughters by his first wife Ann ST LEGER.
Thomas PIGOTT, Arthur PIGOTT and Thomasin HULL (the widow of Argentine HULL, an Army man who may well have known the Army men named here) were Sir Robert's younger children by his second and then present wife Thomasin PEYTON alias CASTILLION.
Thomas BARRINGTON [MS 815, folios 246v-247r] stated further:
"Barnaby DOYNE [DUN], esquire, and his wife being at Disert said that if any should attempt to discover the [ ] or impeach the said Francis COSBY, her son, they should never stay in the house, and he also threatened to turn[ing] them out, but express{t} no reason. Mrs SAVAGE, another sister, in railing and bitter speeches, said that any [who] should seek to challenge her said kinsman, meaning her father [in law], to be gone from thence upon no other ground.
"And further deposeth that divers {persons} as Arthur PIGGOT and Robert HOLTE hath confessed to this deponent that Edmund SAVAGE Esquire and some others of the Castle , as Thomas PIGOTT and John HOLT and divers others [of] more in the Castle, had been in Company, since the rebellion, with Colonel DONNELL, Captain OUGEN, at the house of John MORE of Balliadams Kill, in the Queen's County, some six weeks since, from taking this."
Here again we find further kinfolk mentioned:
Francis COSBY was Sir Robert's grandson - then aged 30, the second son of Richard COSBY by Elizabeth PIGOTT; John HOLT and Robert HOLT were probably two more grandsons, the sons of Dorothy PIGOTT by her late husband Michael HOULTE (although Dorothy's sons were probably only aged in their late teens).
And here we see further and clear evidence, from his daughters and son-in-law's defense of him, that Sir Robert was still living.
And, given that BARRINGTON was living at Parke, where Jonathan HOYLE had married the widow of Thomas BARRINGTON, deceased (who was likely to have been the deponent's father), then that may well account for HOYLE being turned out of Dysart by John PIGOTT - HOYLE may have continued to make accusations about Sir Robert's grandson, Francis COSBY, and his alleged despoliation of HOYLE's probable step-son.
Marmaduke CLAPHAM, of Synrone, King's County, in his deposition dated 13 April 1642, and probably referring to an earlier time, "... about December last," recorded that John CARROLL said that he would "... send a convoy to see him [CLAPHAM], his wife and children, safe conduct to Dublin, otherwise it was impossible for them to escape killing... but the convoy ran away and forsaked the deponent after 10 miles of travel, whereupon immediately after, the deponent and his wife and children were stripped naked, and had forthwith perished but that out of Christian Charity they were relieved by Sir Robert PIGOTT and Sir William GILBERT..."
And once again, we have mention of another of Sir Robert's relations - Sir William GILBERT was married to Catherine CASTILLION, Sir Robert's step-daughter (Lady Thomasin PIGOTT's daughter by her first husband Peter CASTILLION); and their daughter Anne GILBERT was already (or perhaps about to be) married to Sir Robert's grandson and eventual heir-apparent, Robert PIGOTT (ca 1614-1646) the younger.
After this "flurry" of early activity, this Civil War then continued sporadically until the Cessation of Arms negotiated in September 1643.
In that month, in fact while the negotiations for the "cessation" were still in play, the Earl of Castlehaven, leader of the Catholic forces in Ireland, raided the Queen's County, taking "... three or four small places" - later explaining that, at the time, "... all parties laboured to get what they could into their possession."
[See "The Earl of Castlehaven's Review; or his Memoirs of his Engagement and Carriage in the Irish Wars." James TOUCHET, London, 1684, page 42.]
Although un-named by Castlehaven himself, one of the "... three or four small places" has been identified as Dysart, and another the neighbouring Kilminshey, estate of Sir William GILBERT (whose wife was Sir Robert's step-daughter, Catherine CASTILLION).
Rolf LOEBER records that:
"... GILBERT was forced to surrender the house to Lord Castlehaven, after putting up some resistance... when Castlehaven received the message of the Cessation, Lady GILBERT and her family re-entered into possession of it."
[Warfare and Architecture in County Laois. Another chapter in "Laois - History and Society." NOLAN and LANE. Op. Cit.]
One can only assume that the PIGOTTs were allowed to re-occupy Dysart in the same manner and at the same time.
But we have got a bit ahead of ourselves, as the PIGOTT involved was Major John, and not his father, Sir Robert - which does suggest that Sir Robert was by then already dead.
DEATH OF SIR ROBERT PIGOTT.
For all his Knightly status, and his familial connections, it is surprising that Robert's death appears to have gone unobserved, at least in the published record.
He was evidently still living in early April 1642, as several mentions in T.C.D. Depositions appear to testify (see above); and he was deceased before the Cessation of Arms in September 1643, and certainly so by the time his will was proved, in Dublin, on 17 April 1644.
It is likely that the will details were abstracted in the P.R.O. (Four Courts, Dublin) from the original 1644 probate grant (with will copy), by Sir William BETHAM, Ulster King of Arms (Chief Herald in Ireland), during the 1830's.
BETHAM abstracted genealogical details from nearly all of the Original Wills then held in the P.R.O.; he recorded these in a series of note-books (which survive in the National Archives of Ireland, in Dublin), and he used them to annotate his drop-line pedigree constructions (which also survive, in Manuscript form and microfilmed copies, in the Genealogical Office, Kildare Street, Dublin - now digitalised on Findmypast).
As speculated above (see the HOYLE sojourn in Dysart at the start of the 1641 Rebellion), Sir Robert's death may have occurred during April of 1642, and perhaps before Easter (21 April).
Further mentions of the wider PIGOTT family associated with Dysart make interesting reading, despite the fact that many modern Irish researchers regard the claims made in them to be highly exaggerated.
Two features are immediately evident - firstly, the PIGOTT's made no claims of losses themselves, suggesting their defences were relatively secure, and this is supported by the use of Dysart as a safe-haven by others - and secondly, there are indications of the PIGOTTs maintained relatively "easy" relationships with their estate tenants, despite many of those tenants being regarded as, potentially, part of the rebellion.
The above Thomas ROBINS alias ROBINSON, of Carrigneparke, Queens County, made another depositon, also dathed 11 April 1642, in which he deposed that:
"... on or about 16 December last... this deponent, with Thomas PIGGOTT, late of Capard in the parish of Rossallis (sic), went to John MORE's of Ballidavis in the said county, where Colonel Francis Hargood O'DONNELL came to the said MORE's house, and this depomemt was in bodily fear and danger; and the said... Thomas PIGGOTT and Arthur PIGGOTT were in the house in compant together; afterwards this deponent returned with said Thomas PIGGOTT to Disert..."
Thomas BARRINGTON made also a deposition on 11 April 1642 [MS 815, folios 244v - 245r], in which he stated further:
"...that Robert HOLTT now of Disert, Gent, told this deponent that [since Christmas last] Arthur PIGGOTT, Thomas PIGGOTT, Esquire, Thomasin HULL, widow, and all of Disert, were not only in company with Colonel Fergus DONNELL of Konoher and Captain OWGEN {at} Balladam, drinking and talking there, and that the said Mrs HULL was in private conference with James FFERGUS at least an hour [in the window], but at their [farewell and] departure they saluted, and congratulated each other.
"He deposeth that James O'CONRAN said that most of the tenants of the said Sir Robert PIGGOTTs at Colecree, in Disert parish, were rebels and robbers of the English, and we are now protected by the mediation of Barnaby DUN, Esquire, Thomas PIGGITT, Arthur PIGGOTT; and this, believeth Richard SMITH, can inform so much.
This deponent sayeth that he hath, at sundry times, pursued the rebels that took cattle from the lands of Disert, with some of Sir Robert PIGGOTT's tenants who would not suffer this deponent to shoot the said rebels when it was in his power to have killed them.
"And that one Friday before Christmas, or thereabouts a time, he went forth with Arthur PIGGOTT to rescue certain cattle taken away by the Rebels; which cattle they having regained, of women of his father's tenants asked why he attempted to rescue the same, saying it would be the worse for him...
"This deponent heard by [one] that six rebels came to Grange in Disert parish, where they commonly frequent, proposing cut off and murder [some] this deponent's father-in-law and his uncles; and entering an ale-house there they found, instead of the English they looked for, Edmund SAVAGE, Esquire, Mrs HOLT, and William PARKES, drinking; with whom, as this deponent heard, they had free commerce, and did no hurt, but drunk cheerfully; at which place a servant of the deponent's father, by a knott of rebels there, was taken prisoner and in danger of hanging, had he not escaped..."
Here we immediately recognise some of Sir Robert PIGOTT's kinfolk:
Barnaby DUN and Edmund SAVAGE were his sons-in-law, the respective husbands of Elizabeth PIGOTT (the widow of Richard COSBY), and of Joan PIGOTT; and Mrs HOLT was Dorothy PIGOTT (the widow of Michael HOULTE of Agheneheley) - these three, Elizabeth, Dorothy and Joan, were Sir Robert's the surviving daughters by his first wife Ann ST LEGER.
Thomas PIGOTT, Arthur PIGOTT and Thomasin HULL (the widow of Argentine HULL, an Army man who may well have known the Army men named here) were Sir Robert's younger children by his second and then present wife Thomasin PEYTON alias CASTILLION.
Thomas BARRINGTON [MS 815, folios 246v-247r] stated further:
"Barnaby DOYNE [DUN], esquire, and his wife being at Disert said that if any should attempt to discover the [ ] or impeach the said Francis COSBY, her son, they should never stay in the house, and he also threatened to turn[ing] them out, but express{t} no reason. Mrs SAVAGE, another sister, in railing and bitter speeches, said that any [who] should seek to challenge her said kinsman, meaning her father [in law], to be gone from thence upon no other ground.
"And further deposeth that divers {persons} as Arthur PIGGOT and Robert HOLTE hath confessed to this deponent that
Here again we find further kinfolk mentioned:
Francis COSBY was Sir Robert's grandson - then aged 30, the second son of Richard COSBY by Elizabeth PIGOTT; John HOLT and Robert HOLT were probably two more grandsons, the sons of Dorothy PIGOTT by her late husband Michael HOULTE (although Dorothy's sons were probably only aged in their late teens).
And here we see further and clear evidence, from his daughters and son-in-law's defense of him, that Sir Robert was still living.
And, given that BARRINGTON was living at Parke, where Jonathan HOYLE had married the widow of Thomas BARRINGTON, deceased (who was likely to have been the deponent's father), then that may well account for HOYLE being turned out of Dysart by John PIGOTT - HOYLE may have continued to make accusations about Sir Robert's grandson, Francis COSBY, and his alleged despoliation of HOYLE's probable step-son.
Marmaduke CLAPHAM, of Synrone, King's County, in his deposition dated 13 April 1642, and probably referring to an earlier time, "... about December last," recorded that John CARROLL said that he would "... send a convoy to see him [CLAPHAM], his wife and children, safe conduct to Dublin, otherwise it was impossible for them to escape killing... but the convoy ran away and forsaked the deponent after 10 miles of travel, whereupon immediately after, the deponent and his wife and children were stripped naked, and had forthwith perished but that out of Christian Charity they were relieved by Sir Robert PIGOTT and Sir William GILBERT..."
And once again, we have mention of another of Sir Robert's relations - Sir William GILBERT was married to Catherine CASTILLION, Sir Robert's step-daughter (Lady Thomasin PIGOTT's daughter by her first husband Peter CASTILLION); and their daughter Anne GILBERT was already (or perhaps about to be) married to Sir Robert's grandson and eventual heir-apparent, Robert PIGOTT (ca 1614-1646) the younger.
After this "flurry" of early activity, this Civil War then continued sporadically until the Cessation of Arms negotiated in September 1643.
In that month, in fact while the negotiations for the "cessation" were still in play, the Earl of Castlehaven, leader of the Catholic forces in Ireland, raided the Queen's County, taking "... three or four small places" - later explaining that, at the time, "... all parties laboured to get what they could into their possession."
[See "The Earl of Castlehaven's Review; or his Memoirs of his Engagement and Carriage in the Irish Wars." James TOUCHET, London, 1684, page 42.]
Although un-named by Castlehaven himself, one of the "... three or four small places" has been identified as Dysart, and another the neighbouring Kilminshey, estate of Sir William GILBERT (whose wife was Sir Robert's step-daughter, Catherine CASTILLION).
Rolf LOEBER records that:
"... GILBERT was forced to surrender the house to Lord Castlehaven, after putting up some resistance... when Castlehaven received the message of the Cessation, Lady GILBERT and her family re-entered into possession of it."
[Warfare and Architecture in County Laois. Another chapter in "Laois - History and Society." NOLAN and LANE. Op. Cit.]
One can only assume that the PIGOTTs were allowed to re-occupy Dysart in the same manner and at the same time.
But we have got a bit ahead of ourselves, as the PIGOTT involved was Major John, and not his father, Sir Robert - which does suggest that Sir Robert was by then already dead.
DEATH OF SIR ROBERT PIGOTT.
For all his Knightly status, and his familial connections, it is surprising that Robert's death appears to have gone unobserved, at least in the published record.
He was evidently still living in early April 1642, as several mentions in T.C.D. Depositions appear to testify (see above); and he was deceased before the Cessation of Arms in September 1643, and certainly so by the time his will was proved, in Dublin, on 17 April 1644.
It is likely that the will details were abstracted in the P.R.O. (Four Courts, Dublin) from the original 1644 probate grant (with will copy), by Sir William BETHAM, Ulster King of Arms (Chief Herald in Ireland), during the 1830's.
BETHAM abstracted genealogical details from nearly all of the Original Wills then held in the P.R.O.; he recorded these in a series of note-books (which survive in the National Archives of Ireland, in Dublin), and he used them to annotate his drop-line pedigree constructions (which also survive, in Manuscript form and microfilmed copies, in the Genealogical Office, Kildare Street, Dublin - now digitalised on Findmypast).
As speculated above (see the HOYLE sojourn in Dysart at the start of the 1641 Rebellion), Sir Robert's death may have occurred during April of 1642, and perhaps before Easter (21 April).
Indeed, there are several Depositions held in the Trinity College Library, which narrow down the time frame of Sir Robert's death, as we have already seen above:
11 April 1642 - Thomas BARRINGTON deposed that he was "... a soldier and warden in Sir Robert PIGOTT's Castle."
18-20 April 1642 - Jonathan HOYLE deposed that he was "... turned out of Dysart" by John PIGOTT, "... at Easter following his arrival there."
26 April 1642 - Isabel SMITH deposed that she fled to Dysart Castle, "... where Captain John PIGOTT lived."
Which suggests that Sir Robert died in the week between 11 and 17 April 1642.
Further, there was another Deposition, made by Thomas ROBINS, dated xijth (12th - although cited in the heading as the 11th) April 1642, to which some obscure remarks were added in a different hand:
"AB - Ransom taken by SAVAGE; prisoners suffered to escape; Sir Robert PIGGOTT distressed upon any to cease no more..." [MS 815, folios 249r - 249v.]
On viewing the original page image, it appears to me more than likely that the above interpretation of the difficult to read handwriting of the AB added note is not be entirely accurate - I distinctly see the word "Dysert" in between "PIGGOTT" and "upon":
"Sir Robert PIGGOTT, Dysert ? (---) upon any to serve ? no more."
I seriously wonder whether this "footnote" may even have been directly connected with his death?
I seriously wonder whether this "footnote" may even have been directly connected with his death?
His death was probably not caused directly by an act of violent rebellion. If it had, there is little or no doubt that some account of it would have appeared in one or other of the 1641 Depositions.
If so, he probably died in his bed, and probably therefore at his house at Dysart.
Sir Robert was by now aged 76 years and about 8 months, and it seems likely that the difficulties associated with handling the rebellion would have taken it's toll on him.
And if he did die at Dysart, there is no doubt that his body would have been buried in the old parish church or the surrounding churchyard at Dysart-Enos.
It was undoubtedly the waging of this rebellion-cum-civil war which prevented the Heralds from providing Sir Robert with the appropriate marshalling for his funeral. They were probably all too busy protecting themselves, their families and their property interests.
But a death in 1642 seems appropriate, given that the chaotic circumstances would probably also delayed the proving of his will.
Sir William BETHAM's Abstract [Findmypast] of his probate record in the Prerogative Court of Ireland, records the following brief details, but does not mention the date of probate:
"Sir Robert PIGOTT of Disart, Knt.
"Will 20 March 1641.
"Wife Thomazin.
"Sons Arthur and Robert.
"Thomas PIGOTT Esq."
Curiously, none of the surviving issue of his first marriage, or their families, are mentioned here either.
There was an additional Act of Administration grant made in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 8 March 1647[-48?], which has been indexed in the "P.C.C. Wills Index, 1631-1648,"published by the British Record Society, in Volume 100, at page 324, as follows (with some abbreviations filled in as indicated):
"Sir Robert PIG[G]OTT, Knight, Dysart, Queen's County, Ireland. To Prime (?) ROCHFORD and his wife Thomasine ROCHFORD alias PIGOTT, daughter, 8 March 1647, page 33."
An image of this B.R.S. Index page is viewable on the Findmpast.co.uk website, under their "England and Wales Published Wills and Probate Indexes, 1300-1858" listing.
ROBERT PIGOTT'S FIRST MARRIAGE.
The date of Robert PIGOTT's first marriage is unknown, but it would probably have taken place shortly after the time of his coming of age and obtaining the Livery of his father's estates. This occurred towards the end of 1586.
This wife was Ann ST LEGER, daughter of William ST LEGER (eldest but evidently disinherited son of Sir Anthony ST LEGER of Ulcombe, County Kent, Lord Deputy of Ireland, by Agnes WARHAM) and his spouse Isabel KEYES (said to have been the daughter of Thomas KEYES, Serjeant-Porter to the household of Queen Elizabeth, but perhaps instead his sister - see his separate posting in this blog site).
We have a proof that the marriage had taken place by 19 September 1591, when Mrs PIGOTT was named as one of the God-mothers of Ann COSBY, sixth daughter of Alexander COSBY of Stradbally and his wife Dorcas SYDNEY; there is a possibility that it occurred after 10 July 1590, when the previous COSBY daughter (Mary) was baptised, naming the God-mothers as "... Lady Dier and Sentleger" - unless this SENTLEGER was another relation, perhaps even Mrs Ann PIGOTT's mother?
[Source - Ivan COSBY, citing "COSBY Papers, Stradbally," his 1969 B.A. dissertation, Trinity College Dublin, an abridged version of which was published as "The English Settlers in Queen's County, 1570-1603," Chapter 11 in "Laois, History and Society," edited by Padraig G. LANE and William NOLAN, Dublin, 1999, the quoted detail appearing in Appendix IV, at page 323, in "A true register of all the children's names, the day of their birth, the year, and the names of the godfathers and godmothers, by Mrs Dorcas SYDNEYs own hand"].
But a death in 1642 seems appropriate, given that the chaotic circumstances would probably also delayed the proving of his will.
Sir William BETHAM's Abstract [Findmypast] of his probate record in the Prerogative Court of Ireland, records the following brief details, but does not mention the date of probate:
"Sir Robert PIGOTT of Disart, Knt.
"Will 20 March 1641.
"Wife Thomazin.
"Sons Arthur and Robert.
"Thomas PIGOTT Esq."
Curiously, none of the surviving issue of his first marriage, or their families, are mentioned here either.
There was an additional Act of Administration grant made in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury on 8 March 1647[-48?], which has been indexed in the "P.C.C. Wills Index, 1631-1648,"published by the British Record Society, in Volume 100, at page 324, as follows (with some abbreviations filled in as indicated):
"Sir Robert PIG[G]OTT, Knight, Dysart, Queen's County, Ireland. To Prime (?) ROCHFORD and his wife Thomasine ROCHFORD alias PIGOTT, daughter, 8 March 1647, page 33."
An image of this B.R.S. Index page is viewable on the Findmpast.co.uk website, under their "England and Wales Published Wills and Probate Indexes, 1300-1858" listing.
ROBERT PIGOTT'S FIRST MARRIAGE.
The date of Robert PIGOTT's first marriage is unknown, but it would probably have taken place shortly after the time of his coming of age and obtaining the Livery of his father's estates. This occurred towards the end of 1586.
This wife was Ann ST LEGER, daughter of William ST LEGER (eldest but evidently disinherited son of Sir Anthony ST LEGER of Ulcombe, County Kent, Lord Deputy of Ireland, by Agnes WARHAM) and his spouse Isabel KEYES (said to have been the daughter of Thomas KEYES, Serjeant-Porter to the household of Queen Elizabeth, but perhaps instead his sister - see his separate posting in this blog site).
We have a proof that the marriage had taken place by 19 September 1591, when Mrs PIGOTT was named as one of the God-mothers of Ann COSBY, sixth daughter of Alexander COSBY of Stradbally and his wife Dorcas SYDNEY; there is a possibility that it occurred after 10 July 1590, when the previous COSBY daughter (Mary) was baptised, naming the God-mothers as "... Lady Dier and Sentleger" - unless this SENTLEGER was another relation, perhaps even Mrs Ann PIGOTT's mother?
[Source - Ivan COSBY, citing "COSBY Papers, Stradbally," his 1969 B.A. dissertation, Trinity College Dublin, an abridged version of which was published as "The English Settlers in Queen's County, 1570-1603," Chapter 11 in "Laois, History and Society," edited by Padraig G. LANE and William NOLAN, Dublin, 1999, the quoted detail appearing in Appendix IV, at page 323, in "A true register of all the children's names, the day of their birth, the year, and the names of the godfathers and godmothers, by Mrs Dorcas SYDNEYs own hand"].
Ann PIGOTT died on 9 October 1599, and was buried in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.
Her Funeral Entry [Genealogical Office, Dublin, MS. 65, page 41] recorded her five surviving children by name, and noted there were "... other children, but they deceased before her."
This number of children fits in quite well with a marriage around 1589-90.
Robert and Anne's surviving children were:
a. Dorcas COSBY, believed to have been born at Stradbally in about 1608; said to have married, about 1632, Adam or William LOFTUS of Ballyadams, County Wicklow.
b. Alexander COSBY, born Stradbally, 8 February 1610; heir to his father's estates in Stradbally, December 1631; died 6 August 1636; married Ann SLINGSBY, with issue:
i. Francis COSBY; born about 1630; heir-apparent to his father's estates, August 1636; died May 1638.
ii. Ann COSBY; died an infant.
c. Francis COSBY, born Stradbally, 5 July 1612; succeeded to Stradbally Hall, May 1638, on the death of his nephew Francis COSBY the younger; named by his mother Sybilla DUNN in her Deposition, April 16m42; M.P. for Carysforte; will dated 17 December 1665, proved 7 July 1674; married Ann LOFTUS (daughter of Thomas LOFTUS of Killyan); she died in 1673; issue:
i. Alexander COSBY, born about 1639; died 1694; married Elizabeth L'ESTRANGE, with issue.
ii. Thomas COSBY, born about 1650; of Vicarstown, Queen's County; died in 1713; married Elizabeth SMITH, with issue.
iii. Sydney COSBY; of Ballymanus, Queen's County; died in 1716; married Sarah HARDING.
iv. Ellen COSBY.
v. Dorcas COSBY.
d. Richard COSBY; named as third son in his father's Funeral Entry, 1631; died in 1640.
e. Sydney COSBY, born Stradbally, 2 October 1613; died in 1663; married SEGAR.
f. William COSBY, born 1615; named fourth in order in his father's Funeral Entry, 1631; of Garrymaddock, Queen's County; died 13 September 1683; married Jane STAFFORD, with issue.
g. Matthew COSBY; named fifth in order in his father's Funeral Entry, 1631.
Elizabeth was married secondly, to Barnaby DUNN of Ballybrittas, Queen's County, with further issue:
h. Charles DUNN. [Unless instead a step-son - as suggested by the age he gave in his February 1653 Examination - about 25 years - viz't born ca 1627, four years before Sybilla's firsst husband Richard COSBY died.]
Sybilla DUNN was named as a joint Defendant in a Bill entered in the High Court of Chancery, Dublin, 24 October 1673, along with William L'ESTRANGE and Daniell DUNLANEY, the plaintiff being Richard WARBURTON.
Sybilla DUNN was named as a joint Defendant in a Bill entered in the High Court of Chancery, Dublin, 24 October 1673, along with William L'ESTRANGE and Daniell DUNLANEY, the plaintiff being Richard WARBURTON.
Some published pedigrees incorrectly record Elizabeth as a daughter of Robert's second marriage to Thomasin PEYTON alias CASTILLION - but the birth of her eldest child in about 1608 proves otherwise, as it indicates that she herself must have been born in or before the early 1590's; further evidence occurs, in the impaled escutcheons recorded her Funeral Entry in Dublin, which indicate unequivocally that she was the only spouse to both COSBY and DUNN husbands; and we also know that Thomasin's first husband, Peter CASTILLION, was still alive on 5 October 1600.
See his separate blog on this blog-site.
a. Edward HOULTE, eldest son, possibly born about 1628 (but perhaps earlier, as indicated below); named in his father's will, December 1637; joined English forces engaged in the relief of the besieged Protestants in the Castle of Burrowes, Queen's County, about 1642, when he was shot in the head and killed.
b. Em. HOULTE; named in her father's will, 1637; she was probably the eldest daughter who died from grief at the death of her brother Edward, 1642.
c. Robert HOULTE, perhaps born in or before 1621; named in his father's will, December 1637; probably of Dysart, Gent (and if so, probably of age), when named in the Deposition of Thomas BARRINGTON, of Parke, Queen's County, dated 11 April 1642; probably with his mother in Dublin in 1645; forced by circumstances of the Rebellion to go into England.
d. John HOULTE; named in his father's will, December 1673; living with his widowed mother in Dublin, 1645, under distress.
e. Grace HOULTE; named in her father's will, December 1637.
f. Elizabeth HOULTE; probably died young.
ROBERT PIGOTT'S SECOND MARRIAGE.
Robert married again.
The details are also elusive, but we know that his second wife was not yet a widow in October 1600, when her first husband wrote a dispatch, dated 5 October, from Moyry Pass, or Gap of the North, concerning the relatively inconsequential encounter there between Lord Deputy MOUNTJOY and the Army of the Earl of Tyrone; the apparent sudden truncation of this dispatch suggests that he may have been killed on that day.
This second wife was Thomasine, widow of Captain Peter CASTILLION (1569- about 1600), and daughter of the Irish Auditor, Christopher PEYTON by his first wife Anne PALMER.
Christopher PEYTON, of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, Esq, afterwards of Dublin, made his will (or probate was granted in the P.C.I.) on 12 October 1612, naming his then wife Alice; his daughter Anne the wife of Sir Richard COOKE, Knt, Chief Secretary in Ireland; his grandson Peyton COOKE; his daughter Thomasin the wife of Sir Robert PIGOTT, Knight; Elizabeth the wife of Richard COOKE (???); his daughter Cecily ROKEWOOOD and Edmond ROKEWOOD [BETHAM's Abstract].
There were two known children of Thomasine's first marriage whom she would have brought into Robert's household - a son Peyton CASTILLION, and a daughter Catherine CASTILLION (who was to marry Sir William GILBERT of Kilminchey - and it was their daughter Ann GILBERT who was to marry Robert's grandson and namesake, the heir apparent to Dysart who died a week before his father, Major John, in September 1646).
When Peter CASTILLION died, his widow Thomasin would have become the sole guardian, during his minority, of their only known son Peyton CASTILLION; and presumably therefore the beneficiary, on his behalf, of the annuity arising from the advowson of the Rectory Manor and Tithes of Godalming, the leasehold of which had been granted to Peter's father, John Baptist CASTILLION, by the Dean of Salisbury (Peter VANNES) in 1561, and granted by John (Giovanni) to his son Peter on the occasion of his marriage to Thomasin PEYTON (as recited by Peyton CASTILLION in his P.C.C. will), which occurred in late 1593, some 4 years before Giovanni died (in February 1598).
The National Archives at Kew has indexed a document held in the Surrey History Centre [TNA Ref - C 2/Jas1/P5/17], entitled "PIGGOTT v CASTILLION" - being the pleading of a "Complaint" in the Court of Chancery (Six Clerks Office), for the date range 1603-1625, with the Plaintiffs listed as Sir Robert PIG[G]OTT, Knight, and Dame Thomasin his wife, and the Defendants as Sir Francis CASTILLION, Knight, and Valentine CASTILLON, Esq.
The date of the PIGOTT's complaint, addressed to Francis Lord BACON, the Lord Chancellor of England, was 10 November 1620; it recorded that Thomasin's first marriage took place in the "sixtus tertius" (or 36th) year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, the settlements being dated on 26 November of that year - probably 1593.
The Defendants' answer further stated that her first husband, Peter CASTILLION, had died about 20 years prior (about 1600), and that she had married Robert PIGOTT thereafter, without stating the date.
Thomasin's only surviving son by her first marriage was Peyton CASTILLION; he should have come of age before 1621 - this action may have been connected with his achieving his majority.
The "decision" mentioned both Peyton CASTILLION, and Alexander PIGOTT, Sir Robert's second surviving son.
There was a further record of litigation, in the same court, on the same subject, for Sir Robert PIGOTT vs Richard CASTILLION, with a date 21 June 1638.
Details of Thomasin's death, as for both of her husbands, remain obscure - however, she is said to have survived her first husband by over 50 years, as recorded in the will of her son, Peyton CASTILLION.
A Thomazine PIGGOT, late of Payhembury, Widow, made a bequest of £20 to the poor of the parish of Payhembury, County Devon, before 1661, she being "late of that parish" [see The National Archives web-site, for County Devon holdings, Payhembury Millenium Book, pp.150-151 - a further TNA Ref 2974 A-1/FF 2, dated 1662, appointed new trustees to manage the bequest, Thomazine being recorded as deceased] - she may, however, have instead been the widow of Francis PIGGOTT of Payhembury (his petition dated 3 December 1651; also mentioned in 1655).
Robert and Thomasin had further issue:
6. Thomas PIGOTT; born about 1605-10, the eldest son of the second marriage; granted Corbally alias Corolly, Queen's Co, by Patent dated 6 December 1639; appears to have inherited Capard, same County, on his father's death, about 1642; named in the 11 April 1642 Deposition of Thomas ROBINS, as "Thomas PIGGOTT, late of Capard in the Parish of Rosenallis, Queen's County," having been visiting, with his brother Arthur PIGGOTT, at the house of John MORE at Ballydavis, Queen's County, when they were physically threatened by Colonel Francis Haywood O'DONNELL, and that they afterwards returned to Dysart; of Capard and Cloncannon, "Census" of 1659; named in the marriage settlements of his son Robert, 1679; died intestate, 1685, administration granted on 30 August 1686; married, possibly to a Miss LOFTUS; her Funeral Entry Indexed 1681, as "...spouse of Mr PIGOTT..." [Genealogical Office, Dublin - actual entry not found]; issue:
a. Robert PIGOTT; of Capard and Corbally; died 1706, s.p.; married by Settlements dated 26 February 1676 (and cited in later Deeds), Margaret SOUTHWELL, daughter of Sir Thomas SOUTHWELL, of Castle Matras, County Limerick; she died in 1717, having married secondly, Thomas FITZGERALD, of County Limerick.
b. Chidley PIGOTT; of Capard and Corbally; named in brother Robert's Marriage Settlements, 1676; he died at Chetwynd, County Salop, in January 1719, and was buried in the Chetwynd parish churchyard on 23 January; unmarried and s.p.
William was of Kilfinney, County Limerick, Barrister; he was High Sheriff of County Limerick, 1655, 1656, 1663; a Commissioner for Poll Money Ordinance for County Limerick, 1659; held lands in County Limerick, Civil Survey of 1654-56, including 450 acres in the parish of Kilfinney, 75 acres and more in the parish of Rathkeale, and another 400 acres in the parishes of Dundonnell, Cloinshire and Clonecah; he died on 25 Feb 1667, and was buried at St Werburgh's Church of Ireland, Dublin; his will, dated 1666, was proved 15 Feb 1668 [probably in BETHAM's Abstracts].
William married on 26 May 1649, Anne DOWDALL, widow of John SOUTHWELL, and the elder daughter and co-heiress of Sir John DOWDALL of Kilfinney Castle; she had a Pass (Officers of Customs) from the Council of State and Admiralty Committee, dated 21 June 1649, to "...Anne, wife of Lt Col PIGGOTT, with two servants and necessaries, to Munster" [C.S.P., Dom Ser, 1649-1660, 1857, page 572]; issue:
a. John PIGOTT, born about 1650; of Kilfinney, County Limerick; admitted Middle Temple, 20 August 1670; J.P. for County Limerick, February 1674; called to the Bar, May 1687; of the City of Dublin, 1713; died 8 May 1717, and buried St Paul's Dublin (M.I.); will dated 18 February 1716, proved P.C.C., 2 August 1717, and P.C.I., 7 January 1718; married firstly, Gertrude, daughter of Thomas SOUTHWELL, 1st Baronet of Castle Matras, County Limerick, by Elizabeth STARKEY; Gertrude died at Kilfinney, 28 May 1683, and was buried in Ballinakill Church, near Kilfinney (M.I. - badly shattered when I visited in 2004, but 85% fragments able to be re-assembled), with four of her children; issue:
i. William PIGOTT, eldest son; admitted Middle Temple, 1700; died v.p., before February 1716; married Jane BROOKES (daughter of Sir John BROOKES, Baronet, of York and London, by Mary WALLER, daughter of Hardess WALLER); issue - John PIGOTT; named in grandfather's will, as his heir, February
1716; died 1718, s.p,; and William; named in grandfather's will, 1716; died 1718, s.p.
ii. John PIGOTT; died s.p., and buried at Ballinakill Church, near Kilfinney (M.I.).
iii. Robert PIGOTT; ditto.
iv. Richard PIGOTT; ditto.
v. Anne PIGOTT; ditto.
vi. Southwell PIGOTT; eldest surviving son; named in his father's will, February 1716, as Captain in the Army; succeeded his nephew to Capard, 1718; probably built the present Capard House, said to have been built in 1742; advertised Capard "...to be let, furnished or unfurnished, with a large demesne" in July 1747, then living in Dawson Street, Dublin, and it appears that he later went to to live in Bathford, Somerset; his will, dated at Bathford on 18 May 1751, with a codicil dated 20 February 1755, was proved P.C.C., London, 13 March 1756; he married Henrietta Wynanda Van Der GRAAF, with issue - including three sons named in Southwell's will, as John PIGOTT the eldest, Colclough PIGOTT the second, and Dowdall PIGOTT the third.
vii. Elizabeth PIGOTT, eldest surviving daughter; a widow when named in her father's will, February 1716; died Dublin, 12 September 1732; married, by License dated 9 January 1695, Richard WARBURTON, of Garryhinch, King's County, M.P. for Portarlington; issue - five sons and three daughters, including Gertrude, wife of George CARDEN, Judith the wife of Emanuel PIGOTT of Chetwynd, Cork, and Jane the wife of Emanuel's son George PIGOTT of Cork.
viii. Jane PIGOTT, youngest daughter; named in her father's will, February 1716; died before 1729; married, as his first wife, Sir Henry PIERS, of Tristernagh, County Westmeath; he died (of an overdose of opium), 14 March 1733, having married secondly, the daughter of Lord Santry; issue.
John possibly married secondly, at St Dunstan-in-the-West, London, 4 October 1686, Elizabeth CREW (? perhaps instead CAREW); John married again, possibly thirdly, at St James's, Westminster, 27 June 1696, Margaret, widow of Robert LEIGH of Rosegarland, County Wexford, and daughter of Sir Caesar COLCLOUGH, 2nd Bart of Tinterne, County Wexford; no further issue.
b. Elizabeth PIGOTT, born at Kilfinney; named as "...only sister" in John PIGOTT's will, February 1716; married Alexander FITZGERALD, of Woodhouse, County Waterford (son of Thomas FITZGERALD by Elizabeth PIGOTT of Dysart); issue:
i. Dudley FITZGERALD, of Ballydavis; died 1761; married Anne DELANEY, daughter of Martin DELANEY of Ballyfin; issue.
ii. Colclough FITZGERALD; will proved 1757; married Anna (-?-); she d 1769; issue.
iii. Sibella FITZGERALD.
c. Martha PIGOTT, born Kilfinney, about 1663 (I.G.I., but possibly earlier); probably died before her brother John made his will, February 1716; married William STAMER, of Carnelly, County Clare, Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army; issue:
i. George STAMER; Colonel in the Army; married with issue.
[The last standing remnant of the old castle of Dysart, County Leix, photographed in 2004, sprouting ivy. A circular turret, constructed from rubble limestone, and believed to have been part of external curtain wall fortifications.]
Sir Robert was my gtx9 grandfather.
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2. John PIGOTT; probably born about 1591-92; [Sergeant]-Major in the Army; of Grangebegg and of Dysart; M.P. for Queen's County; active in the Army in the Protestant cause, October 1641; laid down his arms at the Cessation of September 1643; killed in the storm and sack of Dysart, 6 October 1646; married, about 1612, to Martha COLCLOUGH (daughter of Sir Thomas COLCLOUGH, of Tynterne, County Wexford, by his spouse Martha LOFTUS), with issue.See his separate blog on this blog-site.
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3. Alexander PIGOTT; second surviving son, so born about 1593-99; named in the Chancery proceedings, November-December 1620, in which his father, Sir Robert PIGOTT, and his step-mother Dame Thomasin, made a complaint concerning the Rectory manor and Tithes of Godalming, which was defended by Sir Francis and Valentine CASTILLION (brothers of Thomasin's first husband Peter CASTILLION); Alexander is said to have gone to Innishannon, County Cork, but perhaps mistaken for, or conflated with, his nephew of the same name.
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4. Dorothy PIGOTT; born about 1593-98; as Dorothie HOLT, she was named as a joint defendant to a Chancery Bill, entered 27 June 1634, with her husband Michael HOLT and her father Sir Robert PIGOTT, the Plaintiffs being John HOLT and Thomas CHANAW(?) [Chancery Court Bill Books, Findmypast]; as Dorothy PIGGOTT, she was named in her husband's will dated 13 December 1637, and proved P.C.I. [BETHAM's Abstract] 21 February 1637-38, as were their children Edward, Grace, Robert and John and her brother Captain John PIGGOTT; as Mrs Dorothy HOLTE, mentioned in Philip HASLAM's Deposition, dated 11 April 1642, in which he alleged that she, with Mr Edmund SAVAGE and sundry others of the [PIGOTT] family of Disart, were drinking, since the rebellion, at an ale-house called the Grange, in Dysart Parish, where all the inhabitants were known to be rebels; as Mrs HOLT, she was mentioned in Thomas BARRINGTON's Deposition of 11 April 1642, in which he alleged that she kept company and held conversation with Colonel Fergus DONNELL, Captain OWGEN and James FERGUS; Dorothy married, perhaps about 1620, Michael HOULTE, of Aughenehely, Queen's County; he died there in December 1637, and was buried at Dysart Parish Church; they had issue:a. Edward HOULTE, eldest son, possibly born about 1628 (but perhaps earlier, as indicated below); named in his father's will, December 1637; joined English forces engaged in the relief of the besieged Protestants in the Castle of Burrowes, Queen's County, about 1642, when he was shot in the head and killed.
b. Em. HOULTE; named in her father's will, 1637; she was probably the eldest daughter who died from grief at the death of her brother Edward, 1642.
c. Robert HOULTE, perhaps born in or before 1621; named in his father's will, December 1637; probably of Dysart, Gent (and if so, probably of age), when named in the Deposition of Thomas BARRINGTON, of Parke, Queen's County, dated 11 April 1642; probably with his mother in Dublin in 1645; forced by circumstances of the Rebellion to go into England.
d. John HOULTE; named in his father's will, December 1673; living with his widowed mother in Dublin, 1645, under distress.
e. Grace HOULTE; named in her father's will, December 1637.
f. Elizabeth HOULTE; probably died young.
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5. Joan PIGOTT; born about 1594-99; married Edmund SAVAGE of Reban, County Kildare; he was named in Thomas BARRINGTON's Deposition of 11 April 1642; also mentioned in William CONNY's Deposition of same date, concerning his procuring of a Mr WILKINSON to write out his examination, 9th April, at Dysart in Mr Edmund SAVAGE's chamber, and during which SAVAGE took umbrage at testimony given against the wife of John MORE of Ballindranas (probably Ballyadams), and tore up the paper and writing.ROBERT PIGOTT'S SECOND MARRIAGE.
Robert married again.
The details are also elusive, but we know that his second wife was not yet a widow in October 1600, when her first husband wrote a dispatch, dated 5 October, from Moyry Pass, or Gap of the North, concerning the relatively inconsequential encounter there between Lord Deputy MOUNTJOY and the Army of the Earl of Tyrone; the apparent sudden truncation of this dispatch suggests that he may have been killed on that day.
This second wife was Thomasine, widow of Captain Peter CASTILLION (1569- about 1600), and daughter of the Irish Auditor, Christopher PEYTON by his first wife Anne PALMER.
Christopher PEYTON, of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, Esq, afterwards of Dublin, made his will (or probate was granted in the P.C.I.) on 12 October 1612, naming his then wife Alice; his daughter Anne the wife of Sir Richard COOKE, Knt, Chief Secretary in Ireland; his grandson Peyton COOKE; his daughter Thomasin the wife of Sir Robert PIGOTT, Knight; Elizabeth the wife of Richard COOKE (???); his daughter Cecily ROKEWOOOD and Edmond ROKEWOOD [BETHAM's Abstract].
There were two known children of Thomasine's first marriage whom she would have brought into Robert's household - a son Peyton CASTILLION, and a daughter Catherine CASTILLION (who was to marry Sir William GILBERT of Kilminchey - and it was their daughter Ann GILBERT who was to marry Robert's grandson and namesake, the heir apparent to Dysart who died a week before his father, Major John, in September 1646).
When Peter CASTILLION died, his widow Thomasin would have become the sole guardian, during his minority, of their only known son Peyton CASTILLION; and presumably therefore the beneficiary, on his behalf, of the annuity arising from the advowson of the Rectory Manor and Tithes of Godalming, the leasehold of which had been granted to Peter's father, John Baptist CASTILLION, by the Dean of Salisbury (Peter VANNES) in 1561, and granted by John (Giovanni) to his son Peter on the occasion of his marriage to Thomasin PEYTON (as recited by Peyton CASTILLION in his P.C.C. will), which occurred in late 1593, some 4 years before Giovanni died (in February 1598).
The National Archives at Kew has indexed a document held in the Surrey History Centre [TNA Ref - C 2/Jas1/P5/17], entitled "PIGGOTT v CASTILLION" - being the pleading of a "Complaint" in the Court of Chancery (Six Clerks Office), for the date range 1603-1625, with the Plaintiffs listed as Sir Robert PIG[G]OTT, Knight, and Dame Thomasin his wife, and the Defendants as Sir Francis CASTILLION, Knight, and Valentine CASTILLON, Esq.
The date of the PIGOTT's complaint, addressed to Francis Lord BACON, the Lord Chancellor of England, was 10 November 1620; it recorded that Thomasin's first marriage took place in the "sixtus tertius" (or 36th) year of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, the settlements being dated on 26 November of that year - probably 1593.
The Defendants' answer further stated that her first husband, Peter CASTILLION, had died about 20 years prior (about 1600), and that she had married Robert PIGOTT thereafter, without stating the date.
Thomasin's only surviving son by her first marriage was Peyton CASTILLION; he should have come of age before 1621 - this action may have been connected with his achieving his majority.
The "decision" mentioned both Peyton CASTILLION, and Alexander PIGOTT, Sir Robert's second surviving son.
There was a further record of litigation, in the same court, on the same subject, for Sir Robert PIGOTT vs Richard CASTILLION, with a date 21 June 1638.
Details of Thomasin's death, as for both of her husbands, remain obscure - however, she is said to have survived her first husband by over 50 years, as recorded in the will of her son, Peyton CASTILLION.
But despite this fact, nowhere in this period, up to the 1650's, does her name appear in the published record.
A Thomazine PIGGOT, late of Payhembury, Widow, made a bequest of £20 to the poor of the parish of Payhembury, County Devon, before 1661, she being "late of that parish" [see The National Archives web-site, for County Devon holdings, Payhembury Millenium Book, pp.150-151 - a further TNA Ref 2974 A-1/FF 2, dated 1662, appointed new trustees to manage the bequest, Thomazine being recorded as deceased] - she may, however, have instead been the widow of Francis PIGGOTT of Payhembury (his petition dated 3 December 1651; also mentioned in 1655).
Robert and Thomasin had further issue:
6. Thomas PIGOTT; born about 1605-10, the eldest son of the second marriage; granted Corbally alias Corolly, Queen's Co, by Patent dated 6 December 1639; appears to have inherited Capard, same County, on his father's death, about 1642; named in the 11 April 1642 Deposition of Thomas ROBINS, as "Thomas PIGGOTT, late of Capard in the Parish of Rosenallis, Queen's County," having been visiting, with his brother Arthur PIGGOTT, at the house of John MORE at Ballydavis, Queen's County, when they were physically threatened by Colonel Francis Haywood O'DONNELL, and that they afterwards returned to Dysart; of Capard and Cloncannon, "Census" of 1659; named in the marriage settlements of his son Robert, 1679; died intestate, 1685, administration granted on 30 August 1686; married, possibly to a Miss LOFTUS; her Funeral Entry Indexed 1681, as "...spouse of Mr PIGOTT..." [Genealogical Office, Dublin - actual entry not found]; issue:
a. Robert PIGOTT; of Capard and Corbally; died 1706, s.p.; married by Settlements dated 26 February 1676 (and cited in later Deeds), Margaret SOUTHWELL, daughter of Sir Thomas SOUTHWELL, of Castle Matras, County Limerick; she died in 1717, having married secondly, Thomas FITZGERALD, of County Limerick.
b. Chidley PIGOTT; of Capard and Corbally; named in brother Robert's Marriage Settlements, 1676; he died at Chetwynd, County Salop, in January 1719, and was buried in the Chetwynd parish churchyard on 23 January; unmarried and s.p.
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7. William PIGOTT , second son; Captain in the Earl of Kildare's Regiment, 1641; Captain in Sir Charles COOTE's Regiment, garrisoned at Athy, 1642]; Lieut-Col Wm PIGGOTT "...to have 200 pounds, part of his arrears, and a pass for Munster whither he is to be employed," Council of State, Day's Proceedings, 28 April 1649 [Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, 1649-1660, Ed M.A.E. GREEN, London, 1875, page 112]; Council of State, Derby House, 2 May 1649, to the Generals at Sea - "Lieut Col Wm PIGOT, Major KNIGHT, and Mrs FOULKES, were appointed to go into Munster to do some special service there, and that they might not be suspected, they were to get their passage by a ship going thither, but which has laid by her voyage. They will endeavour to hire a ship, but in case they cannot, we desire you to assist them. One of them has an order to ship 20 bags of hops, as a colour for their trade, and they have passes from hence" [C.S.P., Domestic Series, 1649-1660, 1875, page 121]; named as one of the "Principal actors in the Revolte of Corke" (with Col Richard TOWNSHEND, Col William WARDEN Col RYVES , Captain John BRODERICK and John HODDER), and said to have been one of "...the four spyes sent over by CROMWELL to send him intelligence" (with Captain Robert GOOKIN, Col Richard TOWNSHEND and Captain John BRODERICK) [see Dr CAULFIELD's "Contributions to the Gentleman's Magazine," published in the Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society, Volume X, 2nd Series, 1904, page 48].William was of Kilfinney, County Limerick, Barrister; he was High Sheriff of County Limerick, 1655, 1656, 1663; a Commissioner for Poll Money Ordinance for County Limerick, 1659; held lands in County Limerick, Civil Survey of 1654-56, including 450 acres in the parish of Kilfinney, 75 acres and more in the parish of Rathkeale, and another 400 acres in the parishes of Dundonnell, Cloinshire and Clonecah; he died on 25 Feb 1667, and was buried at St Werburgh's Church of Ireland, Dublin; his will, dated 1666, was proved 15 Feb 1668 [probably in BETHAM's Abstracts].
William married on 26 May 1649, Anne DOWDALL, widow of John SOUTHWELL, and the elder daughter and co-heiress of Sir John DOWDALL of Kilfinney Castle; she had a Pass (Officers of Customs) from the Council of State and Admiralty Committee, dated 21 June 1649, to "...Anne, wife of Lt Col PIGGOTT, with two servants and necessaries, to Munster" [C.S.P., Dom Ser, 1649-1660, 1857, page 572]; issue:
a. John PIGOTT, born about 1650; of Kilfinney, County Limerick; admitted Middle Temple, 20 August 1670; J.P. for County Limerick, February 1674; called to the Bar, May 1687; of the City of Dublin, 1713; died 8 May 1717, and buried St Paul's Dublin (M.I.); will dated 18 February 1716, proved P.C.C., 2 August 1717, and P.C.I., 7 January 1718; married firstly, Gertrude, daughter of Thomas SOUTHWELL, 1st Baronet of Castle Matras, County Limerick, by Elizabeth STARKEY; Gertrude died at Kilfinney, 28 May 1683, and was buried in Ballinakill Church, near Kilfinney (M.I. - badly shattered when I visited in 2004, but 85% fragments able to be re-assembled), with four of her children; issue:
i. William PIGOTT, eldest son; admitted Middle Temple, 1700; died v.p., before February 1716; married Jane BROOKES (daughter of Sir John BROOKES, Baronet, of York and London, by Mary WALLER, daughter of Hardess WALLER); issue - John PIGOTT; named in grandfather's will, as his heir, February
1716; died 1718, s.p,; and William; named in grandfather's will, 1716; died 1718, s.p.
ii. John PIGOTT; died s.p., and buried at Ballinakill Church, near Kilfinney (M.I.).
iii. Robert PIGOTT; ditto.
iv. Richard PIGOTT; ditto.
v. Anne PIGOTT; ditto.
vi. Southwell PIGOTT; eldest surviving son; named in his father's will, February 1716, as Captain in the Army; succeeded his nephew to Capard, 1718; probably built the present Capard House, said to have been built in 1742; advertised Capard "...to be let, furnished or unfurnished, with a large demesne" in July 1747, then living in Dawson Street, Dublin, and it appears that he later went to to live in Bathford, Somerset; his will, dated at Bathford on 18 May 1751, with a codicil dated 20 February 1755, was proved P.C.C., London, 13 March 1756; he married Henrietta Wynanda Van Der GRAAF, with issue - including three sons named in Southwell's will, as John PIGOTT the eldest, Colclough PIGOTT the second, and Dowdall PIGOTT the third.
vii. Elizabeth PIGOTT, eldest surviving daughter; a widow when named in her father's will, February 1716; died Dublin, 12 September 1732; married, by License dated 9 January 1695, Richard WARBURTON, of Garryhinch, King's County, M.P. for Portarlington; issue - five sons and three daughters, including Gertrude, wife of George CARDEN, Judith the wife of Emanuel PIGOTT of Chetwynd, Cork, and Jane the wife of Emanuel's son George PIGOTT of Cork.
viii. Jane PIGOTT, youngest daughter; named in her father's will, February 1716; died before 1729; married, as his first wife, Sir Henry PIERS, of Tristernagh, County Westmeath; he died (of an overdose of opium), 14 March 1733, having married secondly, the daughter of Lord Santry; issue.
John possibly married secondly, at St Dunstan-in-the-West, London, 4 October 1686, Elizabeth CREW (? perhaps instead CAREW); John married again, possibly thirdly, at St James's, Westminster, 27 June 1696, Margaret, widow of Robert LEIGH of Rosegarland, County Wexford, and daughter of Sir Caesar COLCLOUGH, 2nd Bart of Tinterne, County Wexford; no further issue.
b. Elizabeth PIGOTT, born at Kilfinney; named as "...only sister" in John PIGOTT's will, February 1716; married Alexander FITZGERALD, of Woodhouse, County Waterford (son of Thomas FITZGERALD by Elizabeth PIGOTT of Dysart); issue:
i. Dudley FITZGERALD, of Ballydavis; died 1761; married Anne DELANEY, daughter of Martin DELANEY of Ballyfin; issue.
ii. Colclough FITZGERALD; will proved 1757; married Anna (-?-); she d 1769; issue.
iii. Sibella FITZGERALD.
c. Martha PIGOTT, born Kilfinney, about 1663 (I.G.I., but possibly earlier); probably died before her brother John made his will, February 1716; married William STAMER, of Carnelly, County Clare, Lieutenant-Colonel in the Army; issue:
i. George STAMER; Colonel in the Army; married with issue.
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8. Arthur PIGOTT; named in his father's will, 1641, "...being unprovided for" [probably in Sir William BETHAM's abstracts]; mentioned in several 1641 Depositions, as being at Dysart, April 1642; present at the storm and sack of Dysart, 6 October 1646; probably the Arthur PIGGOT named in Quaker Congregation Records for Queen's County, dated 1674, named as "...tithemonger" and under orders of Charles DUN, Impropriator, and George CLAPHAM, priest of Mountmellick, when Richard JACKSON had grain confiscated for non-payment of tithes - and again in 1679 when he was "...called churchwarden of the parish of Rosenallis" in the record of confiscations from Godfrey CANTRILL, as punishment for non-payment of a levy for building a lobby for the worship-house [images on findmypast.co.uk].
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9. Robert PIGOTT; also named in his father's will, 1641, ditto.
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10. Thomasine PIGOTT; she was married firstly to Argentine HULL, of County Cork, with issue; as Thomazin HULL al's PIGOTT, the Widow and Relict, she was granted Administration of his effects, 2 December 1638 [BETHAM's Abstract]; she was named as Mrs HULL in one of the 1641 Depositions, then living at Dysart, April 1642; she was married secondly, before March 1648, to Primeiron ROCHFORT (he was shot by order of Court-Martial in Dublin, 1652); they were both subjects of an additional Administration of her father's will, P.C.C., 8 March 1647[-48?]; with further issue; she married thirdly, her third cousin, George PEYTON of Streamstown, County Westmeath.
[The last standing remnant of the old castle of Dysart, County Leix, photographed in 2004, sprouting ivy. A circular turret, constructed from rubble limestone, and believed to have been part of external curtain wall fortifications.]
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Sir Robert was my gtx9 grandfather.
You would seem to have done an enormous amount of research for which I feel am compelled to applaud you for and shout a hearty BRAVO! F.W. Harris
ReplyDeleteHello Chris, I tested with family tree dna and found I match a good number of Pigotts, Picketts, and Rutlands. We are all haplogroup E, I'm wondering if you yourself have tested your Y DNA. I had been able to trace my Fullerton line to Antrim Co, in Ulster, but have been stuck there. One of the Pickett's suggested I look through your work to see if I could find a connection between Fullerton and Pigott, and sure enough you mention a Sir James Fullerton passing lands to a Sir Robert Fullerton. I'm glad to see there is a historical reference of these two names coming into contact with one another, but I'm still left wondering whether my line began with a Fullerton or a Pigott...
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