The earl of cork and the fall of the earl of Strafford, 1638-41

Historical Journal

Volumn 39, Issue 3, 1996, Pages 619-635

  Little, Patrick ^a  

^a History of Parliament Trust   (United Kingdom)

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EID: 60949416850     PISSN: 0018246X     EISSN: 14695103     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1017/s0018246x00024468     Document Type: Article

References (142)

1. The most important works on Cork are Terence Ranger, 'The career of Richard Boyle, 1st earl of Cork, in Ireland, 1588-1643' (unpublished D.Phil, thesis, University of Oxford, 1959), .
2. Nicholas Canny, The upstart earl: a study of the social and mental world of Richard Boyle, 1st earl of Cork, 1566-1643 (Cambridge, 1982).
3. Michael Perceval-Maxwell's article, 'Protestant faction, the impeachment of Strafford and the origins of the Irish Civil War', Canadian Journal of History, XVII (1982), 235-55 considers Cork as part of the parliamentary opposition to Strafford in Ireland, a theme developed by the same author in The outbreak of the Irish rebellion of 1641 (Dublin, 1994).
4. This is the interpretation adopted by historians in examining the fall of Strafford, as in Hugh Kearney, Strafford in Ireland 1633-41, A study in absolutism (2nd edn, Cambridge, 1989), .
5. and C. V. Wedgwood, Thomas Wentworth, first earl of Strafford (1593-1641): a revaluation (London, 1961).
6. historians of Charles I in England have followed a similar line, recent examples including Conrad Russell, Thefall of the British monarchies, 1637-42 (Oxford, 1991), pp. 381-2.
7. and Kevin Sharpe, The personal rule of Charles I (Yale, 1992), p. 943.
8. C.R.Mayes, 'The early Stuarts and the Irish peerage', English Historical Review, LXXIII (1958), 242-3;.
9. Canny, 'The early Stuarts and the Irish peerage', LXXIII (1958)Upstart earl, pp. 46-69;.
10. for disputes with Wentworth in the 1630s see Ranger, LXXIII (1958) 'Cork', pp. 290-336.
11. Sheffield Central Library, Wentworth Woodhouse Muniments (W.W.M.), Strafford MSS 16 (171) (10 June [1638]).
12. W.W.M., Strafford MSS 7, fo. 150V.
13. Chatsworth House, Derbyshire (C.H.), Cork letterbook, 11, 302 (30 Nov. 1638).
14. C.H., Cork letterbook, 11, 304.
15. C.H., Cork letterbook, 11, 304.
16. W.W.M., Strafford MSS 7, fo. 157V: Laud to Wentworth, 21 Nov. 1638;.
17. Historical manuscripts commission, Couper MSS (H.M.C., Coaper MSS), II, 205: Sir John Coke to Wentworth, 31 Dec. 1638.
18. C.H., Cork letterbook, II 324-5 (2 Jan. 1639).
19. Cork had already told Laud of his hopes of recovering Youghal: Cork letterbook, II ibid. p. 307 (10 Dec. 1638).
20. Ranger, 'Cork', pp. 294-318.
21. Wedgwood, Strafford, pp. 21, 24, 32, 43-4.
22. Wedgwood, Strafford, Ibid. p. 183;.
23. for the 1635-6 Youghal compromise see P.J. S. Little, 'Family and faction: The Irish nobility and the English court, 1632-42' Strafford (M.Litt. thesis, Trinity College, Dublin, 1992), pp. 36-55.
24. W.W.M., Strafford MSS 7, fos. 17IV-172r: Laud to Wentworth, 27 Feb. 1639.
25. see also C.H., Cork letterbook, 11, 341: Laud to Cork, 4 Mar. 1639.
26. For Crosby see Aidan Clarke, 'Sir Piers Crosby, 1590-1646: Wentworth's "tawney ribbon'", Irish Historical Studies, XXVI, 102 (1988), 142-60;.
27. for Loftus see Kearney, Strafford in Ireland, pp. 72-3.
28. A. B. Grosart (ed.), The Lismore papers, (1st series), viz. autobiographical notes and diaries of Sir Richard Boyle, 1st and great earl of Cork (5 vols., London, 1886), v, 78-9: Cork's diary, 12 Mar. 1639.
29. Public Record Office, London (P.R.O.) SO 1/3, fo. 126v: Charles I to Wentworth, 6 Mar. 1639.
30. C.H., Cork letterbook, 11, 383 (13Sept. 1639).
31. see also Cork letterbook, 11, ibid. p. 385: Cork to Walley, 13Sept. 1639.
32. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 116-17: Cork's diary, 26 Nov. 1639.
33. for Cork's antipathy to Loftus earlier in the decade see Kearney, Strafford in Ireland, pp. 10-12, 1639, .
34. and for his apparent approval of Wentworth's attack on Loftus in 1639 see C.H., Cork letterbook, 11, 397: Cork to Sir William Parsons, 4 Nov. 1639.
35. T. D. Whitaker (ed.), The life and original correspondence of Sir George Radcliffe (London, 1810), p. 190: Wentworth to Radcliffe, 10 Dec. 1639;.
36. C.H., Lismore MSS 19, no. 94: William Perkins to Cork, 15 Jan. 1639.
37. ibid. 20, no. 99: Cork to Lord Ranelagh, 23 Aug. 1639.
38. CH. Cork letterbook, 11, 387: Cork to Joshua Boyle, 25 Sept. 1639.
39. The bishopric of Cloyne had regained its independence from the diocese of Cork and Rosse only in 1638, and in his order to appoint George Synge as the new bishop, Charles I had stipulated that every effort should be made to recover church properties (including Youghal) from the earl of Cork and others: P.R.O., SO 1/3, fo. 87r: Charles I to Wentworth, 21 June 1638.
40. for Cloyne's later interest in Youghal, see C.H., Lismore MSS 20, no. 68: John Walley to Cork, 20 June 1639.
41. ibid. no. 110: Sir William Parsons to Cork, 10 Sept. 1639.
42. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 119-20: Cork's diary, 31 Dec. 1639.
43. P.R.O., SO 3/12, fo. 69v; securing the Clifford jointure was another reason for the re-grant: P.R.O., SO 1/3, fos. 158v-160r: Charles I to Strafford, 24 Jan. 1640.
44. Cork bribed Strafford's agent in London, William Raylton, and others, to hasten the paperwork surrounding the grant in the new year of 1640 (Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 126: Cork's diary, 18 Feb. 1640).
45. C.H., Lismore MSS 20, no. 154: Sir William Parsons to Cork, 8 Mar. 1640.
46. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 119-20: Cork's diary, 31 Dec. 1639.
47. Bodleian Library (Bodl.), MS Carte 1, fos. 173r-4v, or British Library (B.L.), Add. MS 19832, fo. 47r-v: Cork to Ormond, 16 Mar. 1640.
48. for Ormond's reply see Bodl., MS Carte 1, fos. I75r-6v, or B.L., Add. MS 19832, fo. 4gr-v (23 Apr. 1640).
49. Perceval-Maxwell, 'Protestant faction', pp. 245-6;.
50. Ranger, 'Cork', pp. 372, 374n.
51. Calendar of state papers, domestic series, 1633-40 (C.S.P.D., 1639-40), pp. 320-1, 436: Richard Cave to Sir Thomas Roe 10 Jan. 1640, 7 Feb. 1640.
52. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 121: Cork's diary, 12 Jan. 1640.
53. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, p. 129: Cork's diary, 5 Mar. 1640.
54. C.H., Cork letterbook, 11, 413: Cork to Joshua Boyle, 20 Feb. 1640.
55. Cork letterbook, 11, ibid. p. 418: Cork to Sir Philip Mainwaring, 17 Mar. 1640.
56. Cork letterbook, 11, ibid. p. 419: Cork to Joshua Boyle, 17 Mar. 1640.
57. C.H., Lismore MSS 20, no. 158: Cork to Strafford, 16 Mar. 1640; in the same letter, Cork also says he had discussed Connaught with Strafford in London.
58. Perceval-Maxwell, Irish rebellion, p. 69;.
59. C.H., Cork letterbook, 11, 420: Cork to Joshua Boyle, 17 Mar. 1640;.
60. Journals of the Irish house of lords (L.J.I.), 1, 420, 1640 passim.
61. C.H., Lismore MSS 21, no. 41: William Perkins to Cork, 25 Aug. 1640.
62. L.J.I. 1, 127, 143.
63. Ranger, 'Cork', pp. 366-7;.
64. Russell, Fall of the British monarchies, p. 447;.
65. Cork's financial disagreement with Lord Goring over the marriage settlement of their children had been resolved by the end of 1638: C.H., Russell, Cork letterbook, 11, 309: Cork to Lord Goring, 10 Dec. 1638.
66. C.H., Cork letterbook, 11, 301-3: Cork to John Walley, 30 Nov. 1638;.
67. B.L., Add. MS 19832, fo. 46r: Lord Goring to Cork, 3 Dec. 1638.
68. ibid. fo. 46V: Sir Thomas Stafford to Cork, 3 Dec. 1638.
69. Canny, Upstart earl, p. 57;.
70. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), v, 112: Cork's diary, 24 Oct. 1639;.
71. for the personal role of the royal family before the wedding see M. A. E. Green (ed.), Letters of Queen Henrietta Maria (London, 1857), pp. 26-7: Henrietta Maria to Cork, 28 Aug. 1639;.
72. and B.L., Add. MS 19832, fo. 48v: Charles I to Cork, 4 Sept. 1639.
73. Canny, Upstart earl, p. 57.
74. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 119: Cork's diary, 26 Dec. 1639; the marquess of Hamilton and Lord Kinalmeaky had married sisters.
75. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, Ibid. 115, 117: Cork's diary, 17 Nov. 1639, 12 Dec. 1639.
76. C.S.P.D., 1640, p. 364: Northumberland to Conway, 30 June 1640; Cork's delight is evident: 'fibr which addicon of honnor, god make me everlastingly thanckfull to my god and to my Kinge': Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), v, 144: Cork's diary, 28 June 1640.
77. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), v, Ibid. 148: Cork's diary, 6 July 1640;.
78. the £1, 000 was paid during the following month: Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), v, ibid. I59: Cork's diary, 17 Sept. 1640.
79. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), v, Ibid. 144: Cork's diary, 28 June 1640;.
80. Cork was in Dorset from 8 July to 4 Oct. 1640 (Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), v, ibid. 149: Cork's diary, 8 July 1640), .
81. and his absence from the privy council at this time cannot be used as evidence of his political views: cf. Perceval-Maxwell, Irish rebellion, p. 94.
82. A. B. Grosart (ed.), The Lismore papers (2nd series), viz. selections from the private and public correspondence of Sir Richard Boyle, 1st and great earl of Cork (5 vols., London, 1887-8), IV, 144-9: Lord Kinalmeaky to Cork, 9 Oct. 1640.
83. C.H., Lismore MSS 21, no. 59: Lettice Goring to Cork, 13 Oct. 1640;.
84. ibid. no. 65: Sir Thomas Stafford to Cork, 13 Oct. 1640.
85. cf. Canny, Upstart earl, p. 76.
86. Canny, Upstart earl, p. 61.
87. Ranger, 'Cork', p. 369;.
88. for the Sherborne visit see Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 104-5: Cork's diary, 28 Aug. 1639;.
89. Cork's visit was premeditated, not accidental: C.H., Lismore MSS 20, no. 98: Lord Esmond to Cork, 21 Aug. 1639.
90. Canny, Upstart earl, p. 55.
91. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), v, 168-9, 174, 177: Cork's diary, 27 Jan., 30 Apr., 9 May 1641.
92. For the family connections of the Howards see G. E. Cockayne (ed.), The complete peerage, s.v.; Howard of Escrick and Bedford were both signatories of the petition of the twelve peers in 1640: Russell, Fall of the British monarchies, p. 150.
93. Russell, Fall of the British monarchies, pp. 237-73.
94. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), v, 58: Cork's diary, 15 Aug. 1638.
95. Ranger, 'Cork', p. 370.
96. the Esmond association underlines Cork's diffidence when dealing with Strafford's enemies in 1640: proposals for a match between Esmond's nephew and heir and Cork's grand-daughter, Lettice Digby, were only entertained 'now that his lop. hath cleared all things with the Lord Lieftenant': Sherborne Castle, Digby MSS, FAM/C/I: Cork to Lady Offaly, 1 Mar. 1640.
97. Ranger, 'Cork', pp. 369-71.
98. Parsons was a trustee of the Youghal lands, and Cork offered to find his son a seat in the English Short Parliament of 1640 (C.H., Cork letterbook, 11, 324-5, 404; Lismore MSS 20, no. 110: Sir William Parsons to Cork, 10 Sept. 1639).
99. Ranelagh's son was married to Cork's daughter, and both were frequent guests at Stalbridge (Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 59, 92-3, 102, 104: Cork's diary, 10 Sept. 1638, 18 May, 17 Aug. and 28 Aug. 1639), .
100. and Arthur Jones was a trustee of Broghill's marriage settlement in 1641 (Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, ibid. 168: Cork's diary, 27 Jan. 1641).
101. C.H., Lismore MSS 21, no. 75.
102. Journals of the house of lords (L.J.) IV, 116b.
103. W. D. Knowler (ed.), The earl of Strafforde's letters and despatches (2 vols., Dublin, 1739), II, 415: Strafford to Sir Adam Loftus, 4 Feb. 1641.
104. Whitaker, Correspondence of Sir George Radcliffe, p. 232.
105. M.Jansson (ed.), Two diaries of the Long Parliament (London, 1984), pp. 28-9 (Diary of William Drake, 25 Mar. 1641).
106. John Rushworth (ed.), Historical collections (8 vols., London, 1721), VIII, 158 (25 Mar. 1641).
107. See also John Nalson (ed.), An impartial collection of the great affairs of state (2 vols., London, 1683), II, 55-6.
108. Apart from Youghal, Cork's impropriations in Tipperary came under scrutiny: H.M.C., House of Lords MSS, 4th report, appx, 56: Cork's petition, 4 Mar. 1641.
109. B.L., Harl. MSS 164, fo. 143a.
110. ibid. 162, fo. 362a: diary of Sir Simonds d'Ewes, 23 and 26 Mar. 1641.
111. see also Ranger, 'Cork', pp. 325-36.
112. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), v, 170: Cork's diary, 24 Feb. 1641.
113. H.M.C., De Lisle and Dudley MSS, VI, 387: Sir John Temple to the earl of Leicester, 25 Feb. 1641.
114. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 170-1: Cork's diary, 24 Feb. 1641, with addition for 29 Feb. 1641, and 1 Mar. 1641.
115. C.H., Lismore MSS 21, no. 92*: notes for Cork's defence, ?March 1641.
116. H.M.C., 4th report, appx, 56.
117. L.J. IV, 176a.
118. B.L., Harl. MSS 6424 (diary of a bishop, 1641), fo. 43V.
119. Cf. Ranger, 'Cork', pp. 376-9.
120. Ranger, 'Cork' Ibid. pp. 378-9.
121. W. Notestein (ed.), The journal of Sir Simonds d'Ewes, from the beginning of the Long Parliament to the opening of the trial of the earl of Strafford (Yale, 1923), p. 410 (26 Feb. 1641).
122. J. H. Hexter, The reign of King Pym (Cambridge, Mass., 1941), pp. 44-7.
123. Grosart, Lismore papas (1st ser.), v, 170-1: Cork's diary, 1 Mar. 1641.
124. Rushworth, Historical collections, VIII, 228.
125. Conrad Russell, Fall of the British monarchies, pp. 258-60, 265-7, 291-3.
126. for the Army Plot see Conrad Russell, ' The First Army Plot of 1641', Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, 5th series, XXXVIII (1988), 85-106.
127. B.L., Add. MS 11, 308 (Historical tracts, temp. James I and Charles I), fo. 84V: examination of George Goring.
128. Dungarvan was owed arrears from this war: C.S.P.D., 1640-1, p. 470: Sir William Uvedale to Matthew Bradley, 23 Feb. 1641.
129. Kinalmeaky was in the army with the earl of Denbigh in 1640: Grosart, Lismore papers (2nd ser.), IV, 144-9: Kinalmeaky to Cork, 9 Oct. 1640.
130. Broghill commanded a troop of 100 hone: Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 133-4: Cork's diary 6 Apr. 1640.
131. Kathleen M. Lynch, Roger Boyle, first earl of Orrery (University of Tennessee, Knox- .de, 1965), p. 26.
132. H.M.C., Egmont MSS, 1, i, 107-8: Percivalle to Barry, 29 Dec. 1638.
133. ibid. 108: John Barry to Percivalle, 19 Jan. 1639.
134. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 121: Cork's diary, 20 Jan. 1640.
135. H.M.C., Egmont MSS, 1, i, 115: Percivalle to Cork, 1 Apr. 1640.
136. Russell, Fall of the British monarchies, p. 269.
137. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 176: Cork's diary.
138. Bodl., MS Carte i, fo. 345r.
139. L.J. IV, 197b-198a.
140. H.M.C. Egmont MSS, 1, i, 128: Edmond Percivalle to Sir Philip Percivalle, 1 Mar. 1641.
141. State papers collected by Eduard, earl of Clarendon (3 vols., Oxford, 1773), II, 135-6.
142. Grosart, Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 165 (Cork's diary).