INQUISITIONS (KILKENNY), TRANSLATION OF, WITH NOTICES OF FAMILIES.-LOCALITIES.- (INQUISITION I.)* THE TIME OF PHILIP AND MARY, KING AND QUEEN. "Kilkenny, Thursday next, after the Feast of "John the Baptist, years 5-6 (1557-8). EWIS BRIAN1 is seized2 in his demesnes as of free tenure of the town of Whiteswall, with its appurtenances by demise of James Le Butler, late Earl of Ormonde and Ossory, for the term of his own (Lewis') life; he holds also the manor of Damagh with its appurtenances by demise of Thomas Le Butler, Earl of Ormonde and Ossory, for the term of 21 years, but the terms commence at the festival of Easter, in the year 2 and 3 of the King's and Queen's reigns. The said Lewis has 2 horses value £13 6s. 8d., 2 other horses, Anglice, called hackneys, value £8, 24 draught horses value [ ]; 26 mares, Anglice, called stud mares, value £34 13s. 4d.; 40 cows, value £40; 300 sheep, value £20; in pigs and bonhams, 60, value £8; in house utensils, value £40; and in grain, viz., wheat, oats, barley, peas and other grain, value 100 marks. (1)-THE BRYAN FAMILY. (Chiefly from a Pedigree kindly supplied to me by Mr. Burtchaell, B.L.) The origin of this name is unknown. Mr. Butchaell, B.L., in a pedigree of the Bryans, published in the Irish Builder, November 15th, 1887, says: "This family was very probably a branch of that of O'Byrne, the name becoming finally anglicised into Bryan. I am inclined to think the family is of English not Irish descent. Lewis Byran, mentioned in the above Inquisition, is also called Leuse Brin, a name of repute in the County of Lancaster in the 14th and 15th centuries. In 'Collin's Peerage of England,' vol. 4, p. 191, London, 1735, mention is made of the marriage of the daughter and heir of Peter de Bryn, of Brynhill, in the County of Lancaster, with William Lord Gerrard, or Fitzgerald, of Bromley, whose son, Sir Peter Gerard, The numbers at the heads of the several divisions of the subject refer to the index numbers in the Inquisition, and to the corresponding portions of the Inquisi. tions which are annotated. D succeeded to the estate of Bryn, and died in 1380. By patent, 4th March, 1588, we find a Thomas Bryn appointed Pursuivant, or Chief Messenger, to attend the 'Heighe Commissioners for Causes Ecclesiastical.' Lewis Brian, of Whiteswall, may have been a close connection of Sir Francis Brian, Lord Justice in the reign of King Edward VI. (1550). He died 15th October, 1568, leaving issue : I. James, his heir, whose wardship, &c., was granted 12 March, 11th Eliz. (1568-69), to Henry Davells, gent. He appears to have died about 1574. II. Barnaby, heir to his brother, whose wardship, &c., was granted to Henry Davells, 16 Aug., 1574. He was living in 1603, as the name of Barnaby Fitz-Lewis, of Whiteswall, gent., is included in a pardon of 9 July, 1st James I. III. John, of whom presently. IV. Gerald Fitz-Lewis Bryan, or Bryn, 1587, 1590. V. Charles Fitz-Lewis Bryan, of "Whites wodd," 1590, 1597. John Bryan, of Kilkenny, generally known as John Fitz Lewis, was a trustee, with others, to receive grants of land to the use of the Earl of Ormonde, in 1604. It would appear that he was originally intended for the Church; as, in 1567, a licence was granted to John Bryan, Vicar of Eyrke, son of Lewis Bryan, of Damagh, gent., to be absent from Ireland for three years for study (20 Feb., 11th Elizabeth). He left, with a dau,, who m. Gerald Fennell, M.D., a prominent member of the Confederated Catholics, 1642-49, two sons: I. James, his heir, of whom presently. II. Lewis, of Kilkenny, living 1621, m. Douglas, dau, of Henry Shee, who had, with two daus.-(1)-m.-St. Leger, and had a son, John St. Leger; and (2) Douglas, m. William Archer, and had a son, Luke Archer, who d. 1679—a son. John, of Kilkenny, rated at 10s, hearth money for Jenkinstown, 1664. According to Burke ("Landed Gentry," 1886), he was younger brother of James Bryan, of Bawnmore, and son of John Bryan, son of Lewis, who died 1568. In that case he would have been uncle to John Bryan, of Whiteswall, whom he calls his cousin in his will (proved 13 November, 1671), "to be interred in the monument of my auncestors at Kilkenny, in Our Blessed Lady's Church there, while he refers to John St. Leger and Luke Archer as his nephews. He m. Anne, dau. and heir of Henry Stanes, of Jenkinstown, by whom, with two daus.-Mary m. Walter Lawles, of Talbot's Inch, High Sheriff of Co. Kilkenny, 169; and Frances; and two younger sons-he left a son :— James, of Jenkinstown, a student of Lincoln's Inn, appointed an Alderman of Kilkenny by James II.'s Charter, 1687; M.P. for that city in 1689; m. Rose, younger dau, of Edward Rothe (one of the four Commissioners who negotiated the surrender of Kilkenny to Cromwell in 1650), and sister of Lieut.-General Michael Rothe, K.C. St. L., Colonel of Rothe's Regiment in the Irish Brigade in the French service. His will, dated 9 February, 1708, was proved 14 April, 1714. He left two sons: 1. Peter, or Pierse, of Jenkinstown, of whom hereafter as representative of the family. 2. Henry. 1. Catherine died in Kilkenny, April, 1770. James Fitz-John Bryan, of Whiteswall, d. 24 April, 1629 (will, 17 April, 1629, proved 24 April, 1630). By inquisition taken at Kilkenny, 21 June, 1630, he was found to have been seized of Whiteswall, Rathough, Rathbane, and Philipstown, held of the king by knight service; and of a moiety of Bawnericken, or Rathricken; and to have enfeoffed John Butler and Patrick Shea of the premises to certain uses, 30 January, 1621. He m. Eleanor, dau. of Piers Butler, of Callan, Co. Kilkenny, and had five sons and four daus : I. John, his heir. II. Edmund III. Patrick (a barrister), d. 4 June, 1663, bur. in St. Audoen's on 7 June (see Irish Builder, 1 January, 1887), m. dau. of (James) Dryland, of Kilberaghan, Co. Kilkenny, and had issue: 1. Pierse, of Shule, Queen's County, and Luddenham Hurst, Kent, M.P. for Maryboro' 1689, d. 1712 (will, 31 Aug., 1711, proved 5 June, 1712) m. (1st) Ellinor, widow of Alexander Barrington, of Cullenagh, and dau, of Francis Crosby, of Stradbally, Queen's County, who had three sons and one dau. He m. (2ndly), 1693, Bridget, widow of Sir Robert Hartpole, of Shrule, and dau, of Sir William Domvile, but by her had no issue. The children of the 1st marriage were: (1) Dryland, d. young. (2) Francis, d. young. (3) James, heir to his father. (1) Theodosia, m. Richard Warren, of Carlow, who d. 1 February, 1733. 2 James, of Nash, Kent, d. 1699. IV. Piers. V. Thomas. 1. Catherine. 2. Mary, m. Edward Loftus (3rd son of Sir Thomas Loftus, of Killyan). 3. Jane. 4. Margaret. John Bryan, of Bawnmore and Whites wall, was of full age and un married at the death of his father. He was a captain in the army of the Confederates. In the civil war of 1641, the Castle of Castlecomber was beseiged by Walter Butler, of Paulstown, at the head of the O'Brennan's and " many gentlemen of the old Anglo-Norman blood of Kilkenny." The garrison of the castle sustained a seige of eighteen weeks, according to the deposition of one Ffenton, sworn at Dublin, March 15, 1652, and finally surrendered to the assailants under the command of Captain Bryan, of Whiteswall; Captain Edward Brennan and Captain Purcell. On this occasion the O'Brennan's protected Sir Christopher Wandesford's wife and children, having conducted them safe to the English garrison at Ballinakill.—(Trans. Kilk. Archælog. Society, vol. 1, p. 243). On the reduction of Ireland by Cromwell, his estate in the County Kilkenny, comprising 3,736 acres, was sequestered, and he himself ordered to transplant to Connaught. At the Restoration he returned, and was apparently residing at Whiteswall in 1664, when he was rated at 6s. hearth-money. He died 1673-4; left by his will "to be buried in the chappell or chauncell of the parish church of of Eirke, which was built by my auncestors "(wil! 1 Dec., 1673, proved 24 January following). He m. (1st) in October, 1634, Jane, dau. of Sir Thomas Loftus, of Killyan, Co. Meath, by Ellen, dau. of Robert Hartpole, of Shrule, of Queen's County, and by her had four sons and two daus. — I. James, his heir. 11. Thomas, of Ardragoole, Queen's County, and Maynebeg, County Kilkenny, (will 6 May, 1698, proved 4 September, 1700); left by his will "to be buried in the church of Irke;" m. Elizabeth Archdeacon, and had four sons-Edmund, Richard, John and James. III. Edmund. IV. John, 1. Ellen m. Pierse, 2nd Viscount Ikerrin (ancestor of the Earl of Carrick). 2. Catherine. He m. (2ndly) in October, 1660, Ursula, dau. of Walter Walsh, of Castlehoel, M.P. for County Kilkenny, 1639, by Lady Magdalen Sheffield, grand-dau. of Edmund, 3rd Lord Sheffield and 1st Earl of Mulgrave, K.G., and by her had three sons and two daus. :— I. Walter, attainted 1691, of Akipp, Queen's County. II. Lewis. III. Francis. 1. Elizabeth, d. 13 June, 1736, m. (1st) Oliver Grace, of Shanganagh, Queen's County; M.P. for Ballinakill, 1689; Chief Remembrancer of the Exchequer (ancestor of Sir Percy Raymond Grace, Bart.); 2ndly, Edmund, 6th Viscount Mountgarret. 2. Mary, d. unm., bur. at St. Audoen's, 5th May, 1682. Ursula (called Aurelia in St. Audoen's Register), widow of John Bryan, m., 2ndly, 1676, Edmund Blanchville, of B'anchvillestown, Co. Kilkenny, and by him had three daus. :-(1) Margaret; (2) Anne, m. Walter Keally, M.D., M.P. for Gowran, 1689 (d. 1718), and had a dau. Mariana; (3) Grace. James Bryan, of Bawnmore, was restored to his father's estate in 1660, and appointed a J.P. for the County Kilkenny, in 1664. He had a commission for assessing the supply in the County Kilkenny, 1695. He died in 1696, having m. Elizabeth, dau. of Sir Popham Southcote, of Boneytreney, Devonshire, by whom he had : I. John, d. s. p. II. James, d. young. III. Henry, d. young. V. Pierse, of whom presently. 1. Jane. 2. Ellen. 3. Elizabeth. 4. Margaret. Pierse Bryan, of Bawnmore, d. 1720; a commissioner for supply County Kilkenny, 1697; m. 1st., 1692, Jane, dau, of Abraham Yarner (by Mary, dau. of Sir John Temple, M.P.), by whom he had an only surviving son, James. He m. 2ndly Isabella (d. 1725), widow of Lemuel (Wagstaff) Stubber, and dau, of Thomas Prior, but by her had no issue. He was succeeded by his son. James Bryan, of Bawnmore, High Sheriff of County of Kilkenny, 1732, d. s. p., 5th October, 1740, when the representation of the family developed upon his kinsman. Pierse Bryan, of Jenkinstown (son of James Bryan, M.P. for Kilkenny, 1689, and Rose Rothe), m. Jane, dan, of Lieut.-Col. George Aylmer, of Lyons, County Kildare, by Mary, eldest daughter of Right Hon. Sir Valentine Browne, Bart., 1st Viscount Kenmare, and had four sons and three daus. (His will dated 11 Aug., 1753, was proved 20 Feb., 1777). I. James, his heir. II. George, b. 1720, m. Catherine Xaveria (d, July, 1779) only child of Henry Byrne, of Oporto, by Catherine, dan. of James Eustace, of Yeomanstown, County Kildare (see Irish Builder, 15 April, 1887), and had two sons: 1. Eustace, d. 8. p. 2. George, who succeeded his uncle. III. Aylmer, a major-general in the French service. IV. Pierse. 1. Alice; 2. Rose; 3. Mary. James Bryan, of Jenkinstown, b. 1719, d. unm., August, 1805, and was succeeded by his nephew. George Bryan, better known by the name of Major Bryan, deserves a more than passing remark. He was born in Devonshire Square, London, in 1770. Though born an Englishman he avowed before a public assembly in 1811 that his father, "a mere Irishman to be sure," never let slip an opportunity of impressing purely Irish principles upon his mind. The penal laws sent him abroad for education. At the age of fourteen he went to Liege, and from thence to Strasburg, accompanied by his uncle, a brigadier-general in the French service, and his brother, who died at Metz, in 1786. In 1787 he returned from Caen to England, and subsequently passed over to Munich and Vienna. In the spring of 1792 he went to Paris, and was witness of those scenes at the Tuileries which only a mob maddened and infuriated by the teachings of a Marat, Danton, and Robespierre could act in all their |