portions; as in Leinster, the
Cavanaghs of the blood of M'Morough, sometime king of the same; in South
Munster, the M'Carties, of the blood of the Carties, sometime kings of
Cork; in the other portions of Munster, west of the river Shannon
(Clare), where O'Brien is, which was never conquered in obedience to the
king's laws, O'Brien and his blood have continued there still, which
O'Brien gave tribute to King Henry Fitz-Empress, and to his heirs, by
the space of one hundred years. In Connaught was left under tribute
certain of the blood of O'Connor, sometime king of the same; certain of
the Kellies, and others. In Ulster were left certain of the Neales, of
the blood of the O'Neale. In Meath were left certain of the blood of
O'Melaghlin, sometime king of the same; and divers others of Irish
nations.--Baron Finglas's _Breviate_. Harris, p. 83.

[281] Thomond seems to have been an exception.

[282] See Finglas's _Breviate_. 23 Hen. VI. cap. 9: _Irish Statute
Book_. 28 Hen. VIII. cap. 3: Ibid. It seems in many cases to have been
the result of accident, Irish lands descending to heiresses who married
into English families. In other instances, forfeited estates were
granted by the crown to English favourites. The receiving rents,
however, even though by unwilling absentees, was treated as a crime by
Henry VIII.; and English noblemen, to whom estates in Ireland had
fallen, either by marriage or descent, on which they were unable to
reside, were expected to grant such estates to other persons who were
able to reside upon them, and willing. The wording of the Act of
Absentees, passed in 1536, is very remarkable. "Forasmuch as it is
notorious and manifest that this the king's land of Ireland, heretofore
being inhabited, and in due obedience and subjection unto the king's
most noble progenitors, hath principally grown unto ruin, dissolution,
rebellion, and decay, by occasion that great dominions, lands, and
possessions within the same, as well by the king's grants as by course
of inheritance and otherwise have descended to noblemen of the realm of
England, who having the same, demouring within the said realm of England
... taking the profits of their said lands and possessions for a season,
without provision making for any defence or keeping thereof in good
order ... in their absence, and by their negligence have suffered the
wild Irishrie, being mortal and natural enemies to the Kings of England,
to enter and hold the same without