The Carew Papers At Lambeth Palace Library.
Sir George Carew went to Ireland in 1574 in the service of his cousin, Sir Peter Carew. In 1576 he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of the County of Carlow and Vice-Constable of Leighlin Castle. He successfully repelled the forces of Rory Oge O’More in 1577. He became head of a regiment of Irish infantry, and later of cavalry, in 1579 – 1580. He held various post posts, mostly in Ireland, but in 1592 became Lieutenant General of the Ordnance in England. In 1598, he returned to Ireland as Treasurer at War, and the following year became President of Munster. He retired in 1603, but returned in 1610 to report on the condition of the country, with a view to a resettlement of Ulster; and in 1611 as Commissioner to reform the army and revenue of Ireland.
During his various terms of office in Ireland, he carefully preserved and annotated letters and papers of the period, and also purchased many ancient documents. The papers cover the administration of Ireland and the Settlement of Ulster in the 16th and early 17th centuries.
The Papers of George Carew are to be found as Manuscripts 596 – 638 at Lambeth Palace Library.
The printed Calendar is also available. “Calendar of Carew Papers in the Lambeth Palace Library”. Editor J.S. Brewer and W. Bullen. London, 1867 – 1873 (reprinted).
15 reels
Reference: CAR
Contents
This list has been condensed from the description of the Carew Manuscripts in H.J. Todd’s “A Catalogue of the Archiepiscopal Manuscripts in the Library at Lambeth Palace”; London 1912 (pages 94 to 146). The descriptions in quotation marks are taken directly from Todd.
The full description of each manuscript in Todd has been microfilmed at the beginning of each reel.
| 1 | 596 | An old French metrical fragment describing the first three years of the conquest of Ireland (14th century) |
| 597 | Letters and papers of Sir William Pelham, Lord Justice of Ireland, 1578 – 1850. They are concerned with the government of Ireland during this period | |
| 2 | 598 | The two main items are: Thomas Bray’s “The Conquest of Ireland”, and a description in French of Richard II’s secondary journey to Ireland |
| 599 | Irish genealogy to the time of Henry II. 1617 | |
| 600 | Letters and papers relating to the government in the late 16th and early 17th centuries | |
| 3 | 601 | Correspondence and papers of the Council of Ireland 1533 – 1541; further papers and correspondence from the period 1575 – 1601, including those of Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex |
| 602 | Early records from the time of Edward II to Henry VIII; mainly correspondence and papers of Henry VIII on Irish affairs | |
| 603 | Records of King Henry VIII by many Irish Lords, including a few from earlier reigns. Also various other official papers | |
| 4 | 604 | “Part of Secretary Cecil’s Letters, which were left unburnt, to the Lord President of Munster during his three year government there” (1599 – 1602) |
| 605 | Correspondence and papers of Sir Peter Carew (George Carew’s cousin), in whose service George first went to Ireland in 1574. 1574 – 1579. Also correspondence and papers of George Carew himself. These cover the period 1581 – 1602, together with a few later items | |
| 606 | Records and papers of the Carew family from the time of Edward III. These include the details of Sir Peter Carew’s acquisition of land and titles in Ireland | |
| 5 | 607 | Papers and correspondence relating to the government of Ireland under Henry VIII and also some papers from the period 1608 – 1618 |
| 608 | Early records of English involvement in Irish affairs, from the time of Edward I. Includes copies of proclamations, Acts of Parliament, etc. | |
| 609 | “The Opinion of the Earl of Sussex, Lieutenant General of Ireland, relating to the government of that Kingdom, after the Expulsion of Shane O’Neal; what the yearly Charges might be… sent by the Earl to Her Majesty, 1562” | |
| 610 | “Extracts of Records concerning Ireland… from the time of Richard I, King John, Henry III, etc.”; together with further Records up to the time of Henry VIII | |
| 611 | Records and papers of Henry VIII and Elizabeth in Ireland, many of them official instructions | |
| 6 | 612 | This volume consists mainly of the papers and correspondence of the government of Sir William Russell between 24 June 1594 and 26 May 1597 |
| 613 | Early records of Ireland from Edward I to Henry VI, and records and letters of the time of Elizabeth. At the end is “a Book of the Plantation of Ulster” | |
| 614 | Papers, records and correspondence in the time of Elizabeth | |
| 7 | 615 | Carew’s official correspondence and papers as Lord President of Munster, 1599 – 1602 |
| 8 | 616 | A few early records to the time of Henry VIII, followed by papers mainly relating to the condition of Ireland in the late 16th Century |
| 617 | Papers, correspondence and records mostly between 1594 and 1602 | |
| 618 | “A Book of Letters and Warrants, most of them concerning Sir G. Carew, when he was Master of the Ordnance in the Kingdom of Ireland.” 1586 – 1591 | |
| 619 | Papers and correspondence of the English government in Ireland between 1580 – 1619 | |
| 9 | 620 | Correspondence between Carew as Lord President of Munster and the Lords of the Council in England, 1599 – 1602 |
| 621 | Papers, records and correspondence relating to various aspects of Irish affairs during the reign of Queen Elizabeth | |
| 622 | The Works of Giraldus Cambrensis, in four parts: “Topographiem hibernei” “Dei mirabilibus hibernei” “Dei incolis hibernei” “Dei ex pugnatione hibernei” | |
| 10 | 623 | The Book of Howth Part One: The genealogy and early history of Ireland Part Two: “An Old Book of the Conquest of Ireland (by the English)…”; “Sir John Plunket’s Book relating to Ireland”; “A confused Collection relating to Ireland”; followed by various other early histories and records relating to Ireland |
| 624 | “Copies of all the (Correspondence between) the Lord Deputy and Council of Ireland and the Lord President of Munster”. 1599 – 1602 | |
| 625 | The wages of the army in Ireland for half a year, 1588A series of maps and details of the land owned by various Irish Lords and ChurchesDetails of the King’s ownership of the County of Longford, the County of Leitrim, and various other Irish territories”A project for the plantation of the above named Counties, and what number of acres each containeth””A Book of the Arms of several Noblemen and Gentlemen of Ireland” | |
| 11 | 626 | “A Book of Pedigrees, wherein most of the Descents either of the mere Irish, or of the English families in Ireland, are mentioned”. In Lord Burghley’s handwriting |
| 627 | Details of the names and possessions of those involved in the Rebellion of 1584 | |
| 12 | 628 | Papers and correspondence relating to the government of Ireland during the reign of Elizabeth up to 1679 |
| 629 | The papers and records of Carew’s return to Ireland in 1611 as Commissioner to reform the Army and revenue. Includes his reports and recommendations | |
| 13 | 630 | Plantation of Ulster. Papers and records relating to the “Division and Plantation of the escheated lands in six Counties in the Province of Ulster”. 1609 – 1680 |
| 631 | Part One: “…the Division-of the Escheated Lands, which fell to the Crown by the attainder of Gerald Fitz-Gerald, Earl of Desmond and his associates, among the English Undertakers… February 10th 1586” Part Two: “…Articles and Agreements indented between Her Majesty’s Commissioners and the Lords and Gentlemen of Munster, touching a Composition on annual rent in lieu of a Cesse and all other charges, agreed upon in 1592” | |
| 632 | Early records of Ireland; papers and correspondence during the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth | |
| 14 | 633 | A book by John Yonge, servant to James Butler, Earl of Ormond, written in the time of King Henry V. Subject covered: the education and government of kings; Prudence; Justice; Fortitude; the King of England’s title to the Kingdom of Ireland; Temperance; various other subjects |
| 634 | Plantation of Ulster. “A survey of the estate of the plantation of the County of Londonderry taken in 1624 by Sir Thomas Phillips, …being particular draughts of all the buildings, lands, etc. belonging thereunto” | |
| 635 | Various papers and records covering Irish affairs from the 12th to the end of the 16th Centuries. Includes lists of Baronets, officers of the Courts, army officers, etc., and also Irish family and genealogical history | |
| 15 | 636 | A Catalogue of the Carew Manuscripts, which shows some of the Manuscripts are not at Lambeth |
| 637 | A further Manuscript Catalogue | |
| 638 | A further Manuscript Catalogue |