THE OLD COUNTESS OF DESMOND.

(Vol. v., pp. 145. 323.)

In your Number of "N. & Q." of April 3rd, there are some curious and interesting remarks by the Knight of Kerry, respecting that wonder for length of days, the old Countess of Desmond, in which he gives the copy of an inscription on an ancient painting, stating that in the year 1614, and in the 140th year of her age, she appeared at the court of King James, to seek relief in consequence of the House of Desmond having been ruined by attainder. That this statement in the inscription is erroneous, can, I think, be proved by the following circumstances, which also seem to me to afford some light on the most obscure parts of the question.

I have at this moment before me a work, which has been for many years in the library of my husband (the Rev. E. A. Bray, the Vicar of this place), and highly prized by us both, namely, a most perfect and beautiful copy of Sir Walter Raleigh's History of the World, published in 1614. I here give the date from the engraved title-page, which is of an allegorical description:

"THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD."
"AT LONDON: PRINTED FOR WALTER BVRRE."
"1614."

In this volume, Chapter V. (of "the first Booke of the first Part"), page 66., "Of the long Lives of the Patriarchs, and some of late memory," after enumerating several celebrated persons who lived to great ages, Raleigh thus speaks of the old Countess:—

"I myself knew the old Countess of Desmond of Inchiquin, in Munster, who lived in the yeare 1589, and many years since, who was married in Edward IV.'s time, and held her joynture from all the Earls of Desmond since then; and that this is true, all noblemen and gentlemen of Munster can witnesse."

From this passage I think it can be shown, that the reader can draw no other inference than that the Countess of Desmond was dead at the time Sir Walter Raleigh wrote it. In his heading to the chapter he speaks of some of "late memory;" and the words "many years since" evidently mean that she lived many years after 1589.[[4]] We do not know at what precise period the above passage was penned; but we learn from Sir Walter's Preface, that he composed this great and admirable work whilst a prisoner in the Tower (from which he was liberated in 1616). In that preface he speaks with deep feeling and regret for the loss of Prince Henry. He says the Prince read part of the work; and that he wrote it "for the service of that inestimable" youth. We know that Henry died in November, 1612. The passage, therefore, about the "old Countess," which occurs in a very early part of the book, there can be no doubt, was written before 1612, and the entire work published in 1614. If, therefore (as I think no one can doubt, from the manner in which it is worded), the old lady was dead when Sir Walter wrote about her, it is not possible she could have visited the court of King James in 1614.

As Raleigh says "I myself knew the old Countess

of Desmond," and plainly declares that she was married in the time of Edward IV., it is most probable that he received this account from herself at all events, when he so strongly appeals to the witness of "all the noblemen and gentlemen of Munster" for the truth of his statement, it is most unlikely he would have written thus merely on common or casual report. The Knight of Kerry says, "There are statements in existence of 1464 being the year of her birth." This is most probably the correct date, which is perfectly consistent with Raleigh's account of her marriage in the reign of Edward IV. It is likely she married very young. There is every probability that Raleigh was well acquainted with the "old Countess" when he was in Ireland, and acted so gallant a part against the rebels in that country. Early in the spring of 1581, upon the Earl of Ormond leaving Ireland, Captain Raleigh (for he was then only such), with Sir William Morgan and another gentleman, received a commission to succeed the Earl for a time in his government in Munster (the old lady's county), and he spent the summer there of that year. It may be further remarked, that the then Earl of Desmond and Sir John Desmond are among the rebels, and that therefore the House of Desmond did suffer by attainder in the reign of Elizabeth;[[5]] and more likely was it that the aged Countess should sue at the Court of Elizabeth for relief, than twenty years after at that of Jas. I.

If she came to England in 1589, Sir Walter Raleigh might have seen her in her pilgrimage to his royal mistress in that year, as in that year (the next after the defeat of the Spanish Armada, in which glorious service he bore a distinguished part), among other honours conferred upon him, was that of being appointed one of the gentlemen of her Majesty's Privy Chamber. In 1614 Raleigh was a prisoner in the Tower; and very improbable is it that, even had she been living at that date and in England, the old Countess would there have paid him a visit, to thank him for his mention of her in his History of the World. And, finally, had she really been alive when he wrote it, he might have referred to the lady herself, as a proof of what he said about her being true, instead of referring to "all the noblemen and gentlemen in Munster."

As the Knight of Kerry has expressed a wish to receive the opinions of your readers who take an interest in the subject, I venture to offer the foregoing remarks, in consequence of having the very valuable copy of Raleigh's great work in our possession, and shall be happy if the few observations I have made may be in any respect acceptable to him or to your readers.

Anna Eliza Bray.

The Vicarage, Tavistock, Devon.

Footnote 4:[(return)]

In his History of the World, Raleigh frequently uses the word since as we use the word after.

See Stow's Annales of England, p. 1217.

In a "Life of Old Parr," Harl. Misc., vol. vii. p. 79., are the following lines about the old Countess, which may perhaps interest some of your readers:

"Sir Walter Raleigh, a most learned knight,

Doth of an Irish Countess (Desmond) write,

Of sevenscore years of age; he with her spake;

The Lord St. Albans doth more mention make,

That she was married in fourth Edward's reign;

Thrice shed her teeth, which three times came again."

At the bottom of the page is a note by Oldys, but it probably contains nothing new to your correspondents who have so diligently investigated this matter. He quotes however some remarks of Archbishop Usher on this subject, which I do not remember to have seen noticed in your pages.

Erica.

The Knight of Kerry, in his very interesting letter, infers that if the old Countess of Desmond was only eight or nine years old at the death of Edward IV., she therefore could not have been married during the reign of that monarch. Was it not, however, a not uncommon custom, at that period, for royal and noble infants to be given in marriage at quite as early an age as eight or nine, whenever it suited the views, political or otherwise, of their parents or guardians?

C. E. D.