Lr<tt /C /L-f* <h 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2014 
 
 https://archive.org/details/loughfeaOOshir_0 
 
Welcome to tfje after plain, 
 (JBngltsf), Snitef), or Irishman ; 
 
 Welcome of f)igf) or lob) degree, 
 Gentle or simple an pe &e ; 
 
 Welcome to tfje lafee toijose store 
 £s fringe* toiti) rusfjes as of pore ; 
 
 OTielcome, an* tafce tfjis book toitlj tjee, 
 a gufoe to toijat tfjere is to see* 
 
 SECOND EDITION. 
 
 London: privately printed, 1869. 
 
LOUGH F E A 
 
 OUGH FEA, the Lake of the 
 Ruflhes, fo called from the 
 margin of rufhes which fringe 
 its fhores, gives name to the 
 manorial refidenceof the Shir- 
 ley Family near the town of Carrickmacrofs, 
 in the Barony of Farney and County of 
 Monaghan. 
 
 The houfe is built on a rifing ground, 
 furrounded by well-wooded hills, in theTown- 
 land of Duehatty, or "The black town," not 
 far from a place of fome antiquity which 
 had been in former times the feat of a 
 gentleman's family, who held their lands 
 
 Farney, the 
 Country of Alder 
 Trees. 
 
 2879 
 
hough Fea 
 
 Walter, Earl of 
 Effex, married 
 Lettice, daugh- 
 ter of Sir Francis 
 Knollys, by Ka- 
 therine, daugh- 
 ter of William, 
 Lord Hunfdon, 
 and Mary Bo- 
 leyn, daughter 
 of Thomas Bo- 
 leyn, Earl of 
 Wiltfhire, fifter 
 of Queen Anne, 
 the mother of 
 Queen Eliza- 
 beth. 
 
 under the Shirley Family, as u Middlemen," 
 a pofition no longer to be found on the 
 Shirley Eftate. 
 
 The building was begun by the late Evelyn 
 John Shirley, Efq. in the year 1825. Its 
 ftyle is Elizabethan, fele&ed as well-fuited to 
 the furrounding fcenery, and to an eftate 
 granted by Queen Elizabeth to Walter Deve- 
 reux, the firft Earl of EfTex, in the year 1576, 
 the Hufband of her Coufin Lettice Knollys. 
 Lough Fea Houfe is ere&ed entirely of 
 j free-ftone found on the Eftate, and fomething 
 after the manner of a College ; on the right 
 is the Great Hall, on the left the Chapel, in 
 front the principal living rooms ; over the 
 entrance porch are the arms of Shirley with 
 the quarterings of Baflet of Drayton, Braofe, 
 Devereux, Plantagenet, and Ferrers, and the 
 date 1838. 
 
Entrance Hall. 
 
 The interior is divided by fcreens with 
 painted glafs reprefenting the Horfeftioe (the 
 badge of the Ferrers Family), and fhields with 
 the arms and quarterings of Shirley and 
 Devereux. 
 
 Here are two large Pictures. 
 
 1 . A Princefs receiving a prefent from Peafants, by 
 
 Ferdinand Bol. 
 
 2. A youthful Prince, and Attendant with Horfes 
 
 and Dogs, by old Cuyp. 
 
 Staircase. 
 
 On the ftaircafe are feveral Pidtures. 
 
 i . Swans difturbed by a dog, by Cradock ; and 
 three fine whole lengths, (2, 3, 4,) by Jer- 
 vis, of the Lady Frances Shirley, Lady Mary 
 Tryon, and Lady Anne Furnefe, three of the 
 daughters of the firft Earl Ferrers. Lady 
 Frances, a celebrated beauty of the Court of 
 George I. and II., is dreffed in the Turkifh 
 coftume introduced into England by Lady 
 Mary Wortley Montagu. 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 Dining Room. 
 
 The ceiling of the Dining Room is orna- 
 mented with the initials E. I. S. and the 
 Horfefhoe badge. Here are the following 
 Portraits : — 
 
 1 . Walter Devereux, firft Earl of Eflex, copied, in 
 
 the year 1858, from the original belonging to 
 Lord Bagot at Blithfield : half length in ar- 
 mour. 
 
 2. Robert Devereux, fecond Earl of EfTex, the un- 
 
 fortunate favourite of Queen Elizabeth, and 
 fon of the firft Earl : whole length in armour, 
 
 by Mir eve I dt. 
 
 On this curious portrait is the following in- 
 fcription : — 
 
 " ROBERT DEVEREUX EARLE OF 
 ESSEX EARLE MARSHALL OF ENGLAND 
 
 AND LORD DEPUTIE OF IRELAND. 
 VISCOUNT HEREFORD BARON FERRERS 
 OF CHARTLEY, LORD BOUCHIER AND 
 LOVAINE : MASTER OF THE HORSE 
 AND GROOME TO QUEEN ELI- 
 ZABETH. KNIGHT OF THE GARTER \ 
 
ONE OF HER MAJESTIES PRIVY COUN- 
 SELL, AND CHANCELLOR OF THE 
 UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE." 
 
 A jewel hangs from his neck reprefenting the 
 Queen encircled by true lover's knots. 
 
 3. Queen Elizabeth, whole length, by Mereveldt, 
 
 with the following legend: " Non sine sole 
 
 IRIS." 
 
 4, 5. Heads of James I. and his Queen, Anne of 
 
 Denmark, by Pourbus. 
 6, 7. William III. and the Earl of Portland, K.G. 
 in ovals after Netfcher. 
 
 Library. 
 
 The ceiling is taken from that of " The 
 Brown Room" at Wifton in Suffex,the ancient 
 feat of the Shirleys of that place. 
 
 Above the fire-place is a curious Flemifh 
 carving, reprefenting the Paflion of our 
 Blefled Saviour, of the latter part of the fif- 
 teenth century. 
 
 Here are Portraits of the late and prefent 
 Mr. Shirley ; the former a copy, by Mr. 
 
 Who were a 
 younger branch 
 of the Shirleys 
 or'Eatington. 
 
8 
 
 Lough Fea, 
 
 Mornewick, of the original Picture at Eating- 
 ton, painted by the elder Pickerfgill in 1822, 
 and the latter by Mr. Catterfon Smith, exe- 
 cuted in 1868. 
 
 In this Room is preferved a curious and 
 valuable colle&ion of books, relating to the 
 hiftory and antiquities of Ireland, colle&ed 
 by the prefent Mr. Shirley. 
 
 Formerly in 
 Lord Onflow's 
 coiledion. 
 
 South Room. 
 The chimney-piece is made from the 
 marble and alabafter found on the eftate. 
 Pictures : — 
 
 1. Charles I. in armour, by old Stone, a fine whole 
 
 length. 
 
 2. The Railing of Lazarus, by Langetti. 
 
 3. 4. Two Battle pieces, by Borgognone. 
 
 5. Robert Shirley, Lord Ferrers of Chartley, after- 
 wards Earl Ferrers and Vifcount Tamworth, 
 painted in the Robes which he wore at the 
 Coronation of James II. in 1685, and given to 
 Mr. Shirley by the Dowager Duchefs of 
 Sforza in 1868. It was formerly at Ratcliffe 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 9 
 
 Hall, in Leicefterfhire, and is afcribed to 
 Kneller. 
 
 Withdrawing Room. 
 
 The windows bear the royal cipher of 
 Queen Elizabeth and that of her favourite the 
 Earl of EfTex. The cornice is ornamented 
 with the Rofe of England and the knot which 
 was the badge of the Bouchiers, Earls of 
 EfTex, ancestors of the Devereux's. There 
 are the following among other Pi&ures : — 
 
 1,2. Two Landfcapes, a coaft fcene with mips, and 
 a ftorm and fhipwreck, by Brooking. 
 
 3. An Archery Party, by Tenters. 
 
 4. Spanifh Peafants gambling and fmoking, by 
 
 Velafquez. 
 
 5. A Wood fcene with Gypfies, by Morland. 
 
 6. A Portrait of the Admirable Crichton, by Abra- 
 
 ham Jan/fens, (oval,) painted in 1604. 
 
 7. A curious Pidture, faid to reprefent Charles II. 
 
 in a coach on the more of Scheveling, by 
 Vander Poel. 
 
 8. A fmall Landfcape with oriental figures and 
 
 horfes, by Adrian Vandervelde. 
 
 
 P) 
 
IO 
 
 Lough Fea. 
 
 
 The Great Hall 
 Is conneded with the Drawing Room by a 
 confervatory, it is feventy-five feet in length 
 by thirty-three, its height is alfo thirty-three 
 feet. In the fpandrils of the door of entrance 
 is the date 1841. There are two chimney- 
 pieces of free-ftone, on one of them is the 
 motto of the good Bifhop Hacket, " Serve 
 God and be cheerful." Above the panelling 
 which furrounds the room, and which bears 
 the fhields of Shirley and Devereux alter- 
 nately, are the following whole length Por- 
 traits : — 
 
 1 . A Flemifh General in armour, by Vander Hel/l, 
 
 a fine picture, infcribed with the date 1645. 
 
 2. Charles I. on horfeback, (Spanifh School.) 
 
 3. Sir Robert Needham, father of the firft Vifcount 
 
 Kilmorey, by C. Jan/fens. 
 
 4. Oliver Cromwell in armour, by Walker. 
 
 5. General Fleetwood in armour, by Walker. 
 
 6. A Dutch Gentleman, by My tens. 
 
 7. Prince Rupert in the Robes of the Garter, by 
 
 Sir Peter Lely. 
 
Lough Fea 
 
 8. James I. on horfeback. [School of Van Dyck.) 
 
 9. James, Duke of York, afterwards James II. in 
 
 the Robes of the Garter, by Sir Peter Lely. 
 10. William III. in Coronation Robes, by Sir God- I 
 frey Kneller. 
 
 In the gallery which flanks the Great Hall 
 are thefe Pi&ures : — 
 
 1 . Marfhal Turenne fleeping in the fnow, by C. Le 
 
 Beb. 
 
 [This incident, related in the Life of 
 Turenne, happened in 1673, in the Cam- 
 paign againft the Ele&or of Brandenburgh.] 
 
 2. George Villiers, fecond Duke of Buckingham, 
 
 in the Robes of the Garter. [School of Sir 
 Peter Lely.) This and the portraits of Prince 
 Rupert, and James, Duke of York, were 
 formerly in the collection of pictures of Knights 
 of the Garter belonging to the Duke of St. 
 Albans at Windfor ; they afterwards defcended 
 by family connexion to Mr. Drummond of 
 Stanmore, near London, at whofe fale they 
 were purchafed by the late Mr. Shirley. 
 
 3. Queen Anne in robes, by Sir Godfrey Kneller. 
 
 4. Children with dogs, in a Landfcape, by Hoeffins. 
 
I 2 
 
 Lough Fea. 
 
 
 The windows are ornamented with coats of 
 arms in illuftration of the hiftory of the 
 Barony of Farney ; that at the north- weft 
 corner at the upper end of the Hall bears the 
 arms of the firft proprietors of the Barony 
 after the conqueft of Ireland by Henry II. 
 
 1. Argent, two bars, a canton conjoined, azure* 
 
 "Richard Pipard, Lord of Farney, a.d. 
 "97" 
 
 2. Party per pale, azure and or, a fefs, counter- 
 
 changed. 
 
 " Walter de Cufack, Lord of Farney, a. d. 
 
 '317" 
 
 3. Argent, three piles, wavy, gules. 
 
 " Roger Gernon, Lord of Farney, a. d. 
 
 I 37 I - 
 
 4. Argent, an oftrich, fable, in its mouth a horfe- 
 
 (hoe, or. 
 
 "Ardgall McMahon, Lord of Oriel, ob. 
 a. d. 1415." 
 
 5. Azure, a fifh, naiant, argent, on a chief wavy of 
 
 the fecond, a dexter hand, couped, gules. 
 " Shane O'Neil, Lord of Ulfter, ob. 1567." 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 13 
 
 6. Argent, a fefs, gules, in chief three torteaux's. 
 
 " Walter, Earl of Eflex, Lord of Farney, 
 a. d. 1576." 
 
 The adjoining window (Lows the defcent 
 of the Barony of Farney to the families of 
 Thynne and Shirley. 
 
 1 . Quarterly 1 and 4, or, fix fleurs-de-lis, azure, on 
 
 a pile, gules, three lions of England, 2 and 3, 
 gules, a pair of wings conjoined, or, impaling 
 Devereux. 
 
 " Sir W. Seymour, Bart, wedded the Lady 
 Frances Devereux, anno. 161 6." 
 
 2. Paly of fix, or, and azure, a quarter, ermine, im- 
 
 paling Devereux. 
 
 " Sir Henry Shirley, Bart, wedded the 
 Lady Dorothy Devereux, anno. 1615." 
 
 3. Quarterly 1 and 4, barry of ten, or, and fable, 2 
 
 and 3, argent, a lion rampant, gules. 
 
 " Tho. Thynne, Lord Vifcount Weymouth, 
 ob. 1714." 
 
 4. Shirley quartering Devereux. 
 
 "Robert Shirley, Earl Ferrers, ob. 17 1 7." 
 
 5. Barry of fix, gules, femee of crofles patee, or ; and 
 
 ermine, a quarter of the fecond. 
 
1+ 
 
 Fea. 
 
 " John Hadzar, Farmer of Maghernecloy, 
 1641." 
 
 6. Or, an inefcutcheon, fable, within an orle of 
 martlets of the fecond. 
 
 " Brownlow, farmer of Maghernecloy, 1 6 9 2 . " 
 
 The two laft coats refer to " Hadzar's Fee 
 Farm of Maghernecloy," held by the Brown- 
 low Family from the heirs of the Earl of 
 Effex. :f| 
 
 The above fhields are placed within wreaths 
 alternately vert and purpure,fet with the Rofe 
 of England and the Shamrock of Ireland. 
 
 The two windows at the fouth end of the 
 Hall bear the arms of the noblemen and 
 gentlemen who accompanied Walter, Earl of 
 Effex, in his firft attempt againft the rebels of 
 Ulfter, in 1573. 
 
 1 . Argent, a fefs, gules, in chief three torteaux's. 
 
 " Walter Devereux, Earl of ElTex, ob. 1 576." 
 
 2. Or, a pile engrailed, fable. 
 
 " Sir Edward Waterhoufe, Knight, ob. 1 59 1 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 o 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 3- 
 
 Gules, a chevron between 3 crofles bottonnee 
 
 
 
 or. 
 
 " Robert Rich, Lord Rich, of Leize, ob. 
 
 
 
 ic8i," 
 
 
 4- 
 
 Azure, femee of crofs-crofllets, three cinquefoils, 
 
 
 
 argent. 
 
 
 
 " John Darcy, Lord Darcy, ob. 1 C87." 
 
 
 5- 
 
 Quarterly, 1 and 4, argent, 2 and 3, gules, a fret, 
 
 
 
 or, over all a fefs, azure. 
 
 
 
 " William and John Norreys, fons of Henry, 
 
 
 
 Lord Norreys. " 
 
 
 6. 
 
 Argent, on a bend, fable, three rofes of the field. 
 
 
 
 " Michael and John Carey, fons of Henry, 
 
 
 
 Lord Hunfdon." 
 
 
 7- 
 
 Or, a gryphon fegreant, fable. 
 
 
 
 " William Morgan, of Penycoid, Efq. 
 
 
 8. 
 
 Argent, a chevron engrailed, gules, between three 
 
 
 
 boars' heads couped, fable. 
 
 
 
 "Francis Agard, Efq." 
 
 He died in 1 5 78. 
 
 9« 
 
 Argent, a crofs engrailed between four water- 
 
 
 
 bougets, fable. 
 
 
 
 " Ralph Bouchier." 
 
 
 10. 
 
 Azure, femee of crofs-crofllets, a crofs, moline 
 
 
 
 voided, or. 
 
 
 
 66 Henry Knollys." 
 
 
 1 1. 
 
 Or, three lions palfant, fable. 
 
 
 
 " Sir Peter Carew, ob. 1 575 
 
 
i6 
 
 Lough Fea. 
 
 
 12. Gules, a chevron ermine, between ten crofles 
 patee, argent. 
 
 " Sir Edward Berkeley." 
 
 Thefe fhields are placed within wreaths 
 bearing the Red and White Rofe of England, 
 furmounted by the Shamrock of Ireland, the 
 Horfeflhoe badge of Ferrers, (the Earl of Effex 
 being Lord Ferrers of Chartley), and the 
 letters S. X. 
 
 The twelve fhields fimilarly ornamented, on 
 the two windows at the north end of the 
 Hall, illuftrate the expedition of Robert Deve- 
 reux, fecond Earl of Effex, againft Tyrone ; 
 and give the arms of fome of the principal 
 perfonages who accompanied him at his cele- 
 brated interview with that chieftain at the Ford 
 of Aclint on the borders of Farney, in 1599. 
 
 1 Argent, a fefs, gules, in chief three torteaux's. 
 
 " Robert Devereux, Earl of Eflex, ob. 1600." 
 
 2. Azure, a crofs, or, between four hawks, argent. 
 
 66 i—fpnrv WYiothpflpv T^arl of Sonthamnton 
 ob. 1624. " 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 *7 
 
 3. Argent, a crofs, engrailed, gules, between four 
 
 water-bougets, fable. 
 
 " Sir George Bouchier, Knight, ob. 1605." 
 
 4. Gules, two fwords in faltier, argent, hilts and 
 
 pomels, or, between four rofes of the fecond. 
 
 " Sir Chriftopher St. Laurence, Knight, ob. 
 1619." 
 
 5. Azure, fretty argent, a chief, or. 
 
 " SirWarham St. Ledger, Knight, ob. 1600." 
 
 6. Argent, on a bend, gules, cotifed, fable, three 
 
 pair of wings conjoined of the firft. 
 
 " Sir Edward Wingfield, Knight, ob. 1633." 
 
 7. Gules, a chevron between three mullets, or. 
 
 "Sir Henry Danvers, Knight, ob. 1643. " 
 
 8. Barry of fix, or and azure. 
 
 " Sir William Conftable, Knight, ob. 1654." 
 
 9. Argent, a faltier engrailed, fable, a martlet for 
 
 difference. 
 
 "Sir Henry Wotton, Knight, ob. 1639." 
 
 10. Cheeky, or and azure, on a canton, gules, a lion 
 
 rampant, argent. 
 
 "Sir William Warren, Knight." 
 
 11. Gules, three cinquefoils, argent. 
 
 " Sir Oliver Lambert, Knight, ob. 1618." 
 
 _ O 11 C A. 
 
 12. bable, a tret, argent. 
 
 "Sir John Harington, Knight, ob. 161 2." 
 
 
 c 
 
i8 
 
 l 
 
 Lough Fea. 
 
 Etindon, now 
 Eatington, in 
 Warwick, fhire, 
 ftill the feat of 
 the family in 
 England. 
 
 The great bay window in the centre of the 
 Hall contains the Pedigree of the Shirley 
 Family, with the following arms and infcrip- 
 tions ; the wreaths within which the fhields 
 are placed, bear the Red and White Rofe of 
 England, alternately with the Horfefhoe of 
 Ferrers. 
 
 1 . Paly of fix, or and fable. (Shirley ancient.) 
 
 " Safualo, Lord of Etindon, before the 
 Norman Conqueft, anno 1066, had ilfue 
 Fulcher." 
 
 2. Paly of fix, or and azure, a quarter, ermine. 
 
 (Shirley modern.) 
 
 " Sewallis de Syrle, anno 1 192, fon of Ful- 
 cher, wedded Maud Ridel, and had ifliie, 
 Henry." 
 
 3. Shirley, ancient, impaling, azure, three bars 
 
 gemelles and a chief, or. 
 
 " Sir Sewal de Etindon, fon of Henry, 
 wedded Ifabel Meyfnil, living anno 1231." 
 
 4. Shirley, modern, impaling, argent, on a chevron, 
 
 fable, an annulet, or. 
 
 011 j diiicb uc oiiiricy, luii ui ocwd.1, wcuucu 
 Agnes Walton, living anno 1278." 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 i9 
 
 5. Shirley, ancient, impaling, gules, a chevron, 
 
 argent, between three garbs, or. 
 
 " Sir Ralph Shirley, fon of James, wedded 
 Margaret Walderfhef, ob. anno 1327." 
 
 6. Shirley, impaling, or, three piles, gules, and a 
 
 quarter, ermine. 
 
 " Sir Thomas Shirley, fon of Ralph, wedded 
 Ifabel Ballet, dead anno 1363." 
 
 7. Shirley, impaling, azure, femee of crofs-crofflets, 
 
 or, a lion rampant of the fecond, crowned, 
 gules. 
 
 " Sir Hugh Shirley, fon of Thomas, wedded 
 Beatrix Braofe, ob. anno 1403." 
 
 8. Shirley, impaling, or, three piles, gules, on a 
 
 quarter, ermine, a gryphon fegreant, fable. 
 
 " Sir Ralph Shirley, fon of Hugh, w r edded 
 Joan Baffet of Brailesford, ob. anno, 1443." 
 
 9. Shirley, impaling, vair, argent and fable, a quar- 
 
 ter, gules. 
 
 " Ralph Shirley, fon of Ralph, wedded 
 Margaret Staunton, ob. anno 1466." 
 10. Shirley, impaling, or, two bars, gules, the upper 
 one charged with two water-bougets, the lower 
 with one water-bouget, argent. 
 
 " John Shirley, fon of Ralph, wedded 
 Elianor Willoughby, ob. anno 1485." 
 
20 
 
 Lough Fea. 
 
 11. Shirley, impaling, argent, a chevron between 
 
 three garbs, gules. 
 
 " Sir Ralph Shirley, fon of John, wedded 
 Joan Sheffield, ob. anno 1 5 17." 
 
 12. Shirley, impaling, azure, three ftirrups with 
 
 their leathers, or. 
 
 " Francis Shirley, fon of Ralph, wedded 
 Dorothy GifFord, ob. anno 1571." 
 
 13. Shirley, impaling, argent, three wolves pa(fant 
 
 in pale, fable, langued gules. 
 
 " John Shirley, fon of Francis, wedded Jane 
 Lovett, ob. anno 1570." 
 
 1 4. Shirley, impaling, gules, a chevron between ten 
 
 croifes, patee, argent. 
 
 " Sir George Shirley, fon of John, wedded 
 Frances Berkeley, ob. anno 1622." 
 
 15. Shirley, impaling, argent, a fefs gule6, in chief 
 
 three torteaux's. 
 
 " Sir Henry Shirley, fon of George, wedded 
 Dorothy Devereux, ob. anno 1633/' 
 
 16. Shirley, impaling, ermine, on a chief, gules, 
 
 three bezants. 
 
 " Sir Robert Shirley, fon of Henry, wedded 
 Katherine Okeover, ob. anno 1656." 
 
 17. Shirley, impaling, argent, a chevron between 
 
 three gryphons, fable, a crefcent for difference, 
 gules. 
 
Lough Fea 
 
 " Robert Shirley, Earl Ferrers, fon of Robert, 
 wedded Selina Finch, ob. anno 17 17." 
 
 18. Shirley, impaling, vert, a fefs, or, charged with 
 
 three rofes, gules, feeded proper, between three 
 horfes, argent. 
 
 " George Shirley, fon of Robert, wedded 
 Mary Sturt, ob. anno 1787." 
 
 19. Shirley, impaling, argent, three mullets, fable, 
 
 pierced of the field. 
 
 " Evelyn Shirley, fon of George, wedded 
 Phillis Wollafton, ob. anno 1810." 
 
 20. Shirley, impaling, quarterly, ermine and gules. 
 
 " Evelyn John Shirley, fon of Evelyn, 
 wedded Eliza Stanhope, now living, anno 
 
 1843." 
 
 21. Shirley, impaling, gules, a fefs, and in chief two 
 
 pelicans, or, vulning themfelves, proper. 
 
 " Evelyn Philip Shirley, fon of Evelyn John, 
 wedded Clara Lechmere, now living, anno 
 1843." 
 
 Among the Irifli antiquities preferved in 
 this Hall may be mentioned a very large 
 caldron, or veflel, made of fix plates of beaten 
 bronze, riveted together with pins, and orna- 
 mented with fharp points of the fame metal, 
 
22 
 
 Lough Fea. 
 
 
 fixty inches in circumference at the wideft 
 part, by eleven and a half in height,which was 
 difcovered twelve feet below the furface of 
 the Bog of Lifdromturk in the Barony of 
 Farney, in the year 1834. Here alfo may 
 be feen the ftandards of the Farney yeomanry 
 of 1798. 
 
 The Chapel. 
 
 In the fpandrils of the arch which leads to 
 the Chapel is the motto, " SDmne tionum " — 
 " Dei Donum/' and above, the coat of Shirley 
 quartering Devereux, and the date 1 840. 
 
 In the veftibule is a curious piece of Flemifh 
 carving of fifteenth century work, reprefent- 
 ing the "Wife men of the Eaft," travelling to 
 Bethlehem at the birth of our Lord. Above 
 the altar is the head of our Saviour, admirably 
 carved and fupported by cherubs, the floor 
 beneath is in alternate fquares of black bog 
 oak and common oak : the defk of the pulpit 
 is fupported by an angel well carved in oak. 
 
JLouqh Fea. 
 
 23 
 
 On the upper part of the eaft window appears 
 thefe words, "<85loria in ercelCte Deo," and the 
 facred monogram "I.H.S." and u mercg." 
 The weft window contains : — 
 
 1. The Arms of Queen Elizabeth. 
 
 2. Thofe of Walter Devereux, Earl of Eflex, K. G. 
 
 and Lettice Knollys, his wife (afterwards 
 Countefs of Leicefter.) 
 
 3. Of Robert Devereux, fecond Earl of Eflex, 
 
 K. G. the favourite of Elizabeth, and Frances 
 Walfingham his wife. 
 
 4. Of King James I. 
 
 5. Of Robert Devereux, third Earl of E flex, K. G. 
 
 and Frances Howard his wife. 
 
 6. Of Sir Henry Shirley, Baronet, and Lady Doro- 
 
 thy Devereux his wife, After of the laft Earl of 
 Eflex. 
 
 7. Of Sir Robert Shirley, Baronet, and Katherine 
 
 Okeover his wife. 
 
 8. Of Robert Shirley, firft Earl Ferrers, and Selina 
 
 Finch his Countefs. 
 
 Above is the motto, " ©mne bonum Dei 
 Oonum," and thefe dates, 1576, when the 
 Eftate was granted by Queen Elizabeth, and 
 
2 4 
 
 Lough Fea. 
 
 
 1624, when it was confirmed by King 
 James I. On a brafs plate on the northern 
 fide of this Chapel is the following infcrip- 
 tion : — 
 
 " 5!n ttje tiault of bte ancettorg at 3lotoer (Catfngton, in 
 tlje Count? of ftfllarftiicfe, ace internet) tlje remains* of (Ebelpn 
 3|obn &^fclep, (£fq* (fon of (Ebelpn, grandfon of (George, and 
 peat grandfon of l&obert »>btrtep, firff (Earl ifecrcc^) for 
 manp pears* Ifcmgftt of tlje »>^tre for tfje counties of Sl^ona^ 
 tan anli aaiartoicfc, lotjo departed tbte life in tljig l^oufe of 
 ^ouglj JFea, tofjicb tje built from tlje foundations among: tlje 
 toood£ Vof)tcl) be planted, on tlje la(t Dap of 2December, 
 ^dccclbi, tit tlje Wj; pear of Ijte age. ^Ijece alfo lietlj tlje 
 bodp of (Elija bte toidoto, onlp daughter of 3rtljur ^tanljope, 
 (Efq. tol)0 departed tlji'0 life on tlje xxx. dap of japril, mdecclijc. 
 in tlje tcjrito pear of fjer age. 
 
 " ^Ijeir eldett fon (Ebelpn $ljilip fe^irlep, erected tljte 
 tumble memorial of W undping; lobe, #nno 2Domini 
 9£d tttlxtb" 
 
 In the cloifter adjoining to the chapel are 
 two curious boats carved out of folid oak 
 found in the neighbouring lakes. 
 
 The gardens are laid out in the formal ftyle 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 with terraces, ftraight walks, and yew hedges, 
 Here is a fine fpecimen of araucaria imbricata^ 
 planted in 1843, an< ^ man y other interefting 
 and rare trees and Ihrubs ; here alfo is a large 
 vafe admirably carved in free-ftone by a native 
 artift. Folding gates, elaborately executed in 
 iron, divide the garden from the vifta, alfo laid 
 out in terraces, and cut through the " Home 
 wood ; " this leads to the Chafe, flocked with 
 fallow deer in 1858, a pidturefque and wild 
 diftrift of rocky limeftone pafture, and fo 
 called from " the right of chafe," which was 
 granted together with many other excep- 
 tional privileges by Queen Elizabeth to 
 Walter Devereux, Earl of Effex, in the year 
 1576. On the higheft ground of the vifta is 
 the monumental crofs of native dove-coloured 
 marble, ere&ed to the memory of the late Mr. 
 Shirley by the tenantry of the Farney Eftate ; 
 it is twenty-feven feet in height, and bears 
 the following infcription at the bafe : — 
 
 D 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 <c TO THE GLORY OF GOD, 
 AND THE MEMORY OF EVELYN JOHN SHIRLEY, ESQ^ 
 WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE AT LOUGH FEA HOUSE 
 ON THE 3IST OF DECEMBER, 1856, 
 THIS CROSS, 
 THE EMBLEM OF OUR SALVATION, 
 IS ERECTED BY THE VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTION 
 OF THE TENANTRY OF THE SHIRLEY ESTATE, 
 IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF 
 A KIND-HEARTED LANDLORD, 
 WHO, DURING A PERIOD OF NEARLY 50 YEARS, 
 DID MUCH TO IMPROVE THE CONDITION OF HIS TENANTRY, 
 AND BY HIS RESIDENCE AMONGST THEM 
 HAS BEQUEATHED TO HIS DESCENDANTS 
 THE PRACTICAL LESSON, 
 THAT PROPERTY HAS ITS DUTIES 
 AS WELL AS ITS RIGHTS." 
 
LOUGH FEA. 
 
 1 870. 
 
 London : privately printed, 
 1870. 
 
LOUGH FEA. 
 
 i. 
 
 URROUNDED by low fwelling hills, a 
 cryftal lake ferene, 
 'Midft mofs-grown rocks and alder woods, 1 
 and fring'd with rufhes green, 2 
 No figns of man once vifible, no buildings raifed on 
 
 high, 
 
 No roads or fences angular prove habitation nigh, 
 Yet man was there ; and forrays wild, oft hurl'd deftrucl:ion 
 fore, 
 
 On rival clans and rival chiefs, upon that peaceful 
 more : 
 
 The Irifh records prove the fact, few other facts they 
 tell, 
 
 Than rapine, murder, violence, which annually befell. 
 
hough Fea. 
 
 ii. 
 
 Above the lake there yet remains fure figns of ftruggles paft, 
 Crowning each hill and vantage ground, high forts, the which 
 mall laft 
 
 As long as earth itfelf — till Doomfday's awful term, 
 So ftrong thofe earthen citadels, fo deeply fix'd and firm ! 
 The tell-tale peat, the drainer's work, full oft difclofe the time 
 When neighbours fought continually, revenge was thought 
 no crime ; 
 
 Stone implements are oft turn'd up, the Bronze and Iron age, 
 More recent, but of ancient date, all proofs of deadly rage. 
 
 III. 
 
 j Then Farney's chiefs in Crannoges 3 lived, fcorning both lis 4 
 and hill, 
 
 Secure thofe faftnefTes were thought from internecine ill ; 
 Like favages of modern times, but ftill fome trace is found 
 Of ancient art of various kinds, long buried under ground, 
 Cauldrons of graceful fhape of bronze, fpear-heads of rare 
 defign, 
 
 A multitude of ornaments, of gold, both pure and fine ; 
 Of later date the Holy Crofs, mixed with thefe relics old, 
 Atteft the great antiquity of Erin's Chriftian fold. 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 IV. 
 
 Since Patrick taught the faith of Chrift fo many years have fled, 
 That fome there are who doubt he came, Cf a myth" is fome- 
 times faid ; 
 
 But Farney's pride is cc Donaghmoyne," 5 that very name the teft, 
 That there the church was built by him, he blefs'd that place 
 of reft ; 
 
 Nor hath the pure Word preach'd by him its ancient fpirit loft, 
 Though forely buffeted awhile, 'tween rival factions tofs'd, 
 To Patrick ftill the Church can point, to him her orders trace, 
 And through the Saint to the true Rock, the only font of grace. 
 
 V. 
 
 But wild the ftate of Farney's bounds, c< The Northern Gap" 
 'tis call'd, 
 
 When England in fecond Henry's days the facred ifle 
 enthrall'd ; 
 
 The footmarks, fince of hiftory, are fix'd on furer bafe, 
 But ftill the internecine wars the native tribes difgrace ; 
 And not the native tribes alone, for Farney's wealth was fpent, 
 'Twixt Englifti men and Irifh fepts, a full fore punifhment ; 
 To ftill thefe feuds, and firmer fix England's imperial fway ; 
 The caftle of Donaghmoyne was built, — a ruin at this day. 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 VI. 
 
 'Twas built by Richard Pipard, Lord Baron of Atherdee, 
 Againft the right he laid thofe {tones on lands of Clogher's fee, 6 
 The bifhop when he heard the news, forthwith denounced 
 the deed, 
 
 Malgre the thunders of the church, the baron took no heed ; 
 In facred guife the bifhop then, the baron to appal, 
 Laid himfelf down among the men who built the caftle wall ; 
 None dared to touch, although the work no further could 
 proceed, 
 
 Till Pipard's froward heart at laft his own fad fate decreed. 
 
 VII. 
 
 Upon the Bifhop's facred head, he laid his daring hand, 
 And drew him forth from out the fofs, none could or would 
 withftand ; 
 
 But mark the end — for leprofy the wretched Baron fmote, 
 No fooner had he gain'd the bank, from out the caftle moat, 
 None of his line or lineage broad Farney's lands poffefs'd, 
 And ftill that ancient caftle is the Biftiop's-hold confefs'd 
 [A warning this to thofe who now, dare rob the Church's right, 
 Cromwell or Gladftone be they calPd, or quaker plain John 
 Bright]. 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 VIII. 
 
 It boots not now, nor is there fpace, the ample lifts to write, 
 Of thofe who on this border land kept up a conftant fight, 
 For Farney was a royal feoffe, expofed to every blow, 
 Of thofe call'd " Irifh enemies," 7 an ever numerous foe. 
 So ages pafs'd, and ftill the fame fad ftory muft be faid, 
 Of broken peace, of broken vows, of blood and treafure 
 med, 
 
 Nor could fair England hold her own, her power began to 
 wane, 
 
 The Saxon, in the middle age, could fcarce be faid to reign ! 
 
 IX. 
 
 Mac Mahon's fept, and then O'NeiPs, ruled Farney's frontier 
 wood, 
 
 Till Leonard Gray at Bellahoe 8 the northern chiefs withftood, 
 A tranfient peace the recompenfe, but foon O'Neil renews 
 His treafon to his fovereign Prince in Farney and the Fewes, 
 Hence treafon's fate — for Shane O'Neil, 9 his life a forfeit paid, 
 A fitting end for thofe who thus on blood and rapine trade ; 
 The royal crown of England then, regain'd its fovereign fway, 
 Henceforth let Celt with Saxon vie, who beft that crown 
 obey. 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 X. 
 
 Elizabeth, the virgin Queen, then reign'd fupreme indeed, 
 None dared to enter Farney then, none dared its rents to heed, 
 Till up rofe Walter Devereux, 10 the Earl of ErTex hight, 
 Coufin to the maiden Queen, of the noble order Knight, 
 And boldly afk'd for Farney's lands, in lieu of labours done, 
 Good fervice in the field, I trow, and barren honour won ; 
 fC Give me," he faid, <c fair Farney's bounds, few tenants 
 there are left, 
 
 But what there are mail cheriuYd be, my c rules' 11 mail give 
 them reft." 
 
 XI. 
 
 His humble fuit accorded is, a horfe the annual fee, 12 
 In memory of this royal gift, and badge of fovereignty, 
 Nor have his heirs his word forgot, cc The Irifh race to ferve," 
 Nor will they, an they have the power, from that old promife 
 fwerve, 
 
 For juftice, which was long unknown, now lights on every head, 
 True liberty at length hath dawn'd, and peace its blefling died ; 
 Still there were days of violence, ere thefe good days were 
 come, 
 
 A caftle free and peaceable, ere each could call his home. 
 
Lough Fea. 
 
 9 
 
 XII. 
 
 Let hiftory and its records tell of Efiex's northern raid, 
 And how at Bally- Annagh-Clint, 13 a hollow peace was made ; 
 Then Farney faw its Englifh lord not long before his fall, 
 On Tower Hill, " mad enterprife," as fome his treafon call. 
 His children foon reftored in blood, the third Earl 14 wifely 
 went 
 
 To view fair Farney and his lands, on ufeful actions bent ; 
 Improvement hence begins to date, and folk woke up to 
 prove 
 
 How bleft the fruit of induftry, of peace and mutual love ! 
 
 XIII. 
 
 Too fhort thofe days of peaceful nefs, too foon good times 
 were paft, 
 
 The hopef ul paths of induftry too foon were overcaft ! 
 Throughout the realm of Ireland, in every part remote, 
 And Rome the movement joining, the Celt the Saxon 
 fmote ; 
 
 Nor was our Farney blamelefs. But retribution flow, 
 And Cromwell's curfe refiftlefs, dealt yet an equal blow. 
 At this fad time of anarchy, in 'midft of focial ftrife, 
 Without a fon and childlefs, Lord EfTex loft his life. 15 
 
 
IO 
 
 Lough Fea. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 Hence Farney's lands divided. That noble lord 16 who flood 
 True to his martyr'd fovereign's grave, by many call'd " the 
 good," 
 
 To one fair part fucceeded, another equal fhare 
 Fell to Sir Robert Shirley's right, with Hertford's lord 
 co-heir. 
 
 Henceforth advancing flowly, with not unequal tread, 
 The eaft and weft of Farney 17 in peaceful paths were led : 
 But feldom did the landlords come fair Farney to review, 
 Yet cherifh'd they the Celtic race, ftill to Earl Walter true. 
 
 XV. 
 
 But time, which worketh wonders, in Farney change hath 
 made, 
 
 The hoftile fepts are quiet now, no more the frequent raid ; 
 Contefts there are of different kinds — who beft fhall guide the 
 plough, 
 
 Who beft can cultivate the fields and give us cc corn enow." 
 Inftead of acts of violence, the rival Celts now try 
 Their prowefs on a nobler field, in wholefome rivalry, 
 God's gifts to man, how beft increafe thofe tokens of His love, 
 Such labours are of real worth, a wifer age they prove. 
 
Louvh Fea. 
 
 XVI. 
 
 And frill Lough Fea remains the fame, frill fringed with reeds 
 her more, 
 
 Her alder wooded banks and rocks are as they were of yore ; 
 But on the hills a ftately houfe and noble hall is feen, — 
 'Twas built by one 18 who own'd thefe lands, who loved that 
 lake ferene, 
 
 Who, firft of all his family, by refidence declared 
 He knew his duties and his rights, his tenants' interests fhared. 
 Long may his memory flourifh ! long may that crofs 19 endure ! — 
 The grateful tenants' offering for kindnefs true and pure. 
 
NOTES. 
 
 I, 2. 
 
 \LDER woods — Rujbes green. Lough Fea means the lake of 
 the rufhes, from the rufhes which ftill grow round its mores. 
 Farney, the name of the barony in the county cf Monaghan, 
 I m which Lough Fea is fituated, means the country or plain of 
 
 the alder trees, which grow naturally in many parts of the barony. 
 
 3. Crannoges. — Houfes built generally on artificial iflands on the inland 
 lakes, where the Irifh chiefs lived in the north of Ireland during the middle 
 ages. 
 
 4. Lis. — An earthen fort, as oppofed to Cajhlen, a fort of ftone. 
 
 5. Donaghmoyne. — The Dominica or Church of Moyne. Every church 
 whofe name begins with Donagh is fuppofed to have been confecrated by 
 St. Patrick. 
 
 6. Clogher' s See. — The Cattle of Donaghmoyne was built by Richard 
 Pipard, Baron of Atherdee, or Ardee, about the year 1200, as appears by 
 an ancient tranfcript of the Regitter of Clogher, in the Britifh Mufeum (Add. 
 MSS. 4789, p. 109), on the lands of the See of Clogher, and under the 
 circumftances detailed in the text. 
 
 7. Irifh enemies. — The pure Irifh or Celts were fo called by the Englifh. 
 
 8. Bellahoe — The battle of Bellahoe, on the borders of Farney, was fought 
 on the 2nd of December, 1539, between Lord Leonard Gray and the 
 northern chieftains. 
 
 9. Shane O'Neil was killed in 1567, the Ad of Parliament for his attainder 
 was patted in 1569. 
 
Notes. 
 
 10. Walter Devereux, Earl of EJfex, obtained a grant of the territory or 
 dominion of Farney, dated the 9th of May, 1576; the letter in which he 
 afked the Queen to give him " the little country of Farney," and promifed to 
 cherifh the inhabitants, is dated the 3rd of June, 1575. 
 
 11. Rules. — The rule or cuftom of the eftate is an expreflion well 
 known in the north of Ireland. The " Rules " of the Earl of Eflex have 
 been remembered in Farney even within the prefent century. 
 
 iz. A horfe the annual fee. — The dominion of Farney was held as of the 
 Caftle of Dublin, by the rent of a horfe or twenty marks Irifh in free foccage. 
 
 1 3. Annagh-elint, on the borders of Farney on the Lagan ; this was the lite 
 of the celebrated interview between Robert Devereux, fecond Earl of Eflex, 
 and Hugh Earl of Tyrone, on the 6th of September, 1599. 
 
 1 4. The third earl. — Robert Devereux, Third Earl of Eflex, vifited Ireland 
 in the latter part of the reign of James L, when he built the caftle at Carrick- 
 macrofs, called Eflex Caftle. 
 
 15. Robert Devereux, third Earl of Eflex, died, f. p. September 14, 1646. • 
 
 16. That noble lord. — William Seymour, Marquis of Hertford, and after- 
 wards Duke of Somerfet. 
 
 17. The eajl and weft of Farney. — The eaftern moiety of the Barony of 
 Farney belongs to the Marquis of Bath in right of the Duchefs of Somerfet, 
 the eldeft daughter of Robert fecond Earl of Eflex. The weftern is the 
 property of Evelyn Philip Shirley, Efq., the reprefentative of the younger 
 daughter, the Lady Dorothy Shirley. 
 
 18. Built by one.— By the late Evelyn John Shirley, Efq., between 1826 
 and 1 841 . 
 
 19. That crofs. — The crofs erected to the memory of the late Evelyn John 
 Shirley, Efq., by his Irifh tenantry. He died December 31, 1856. 
 
CHISWICK PRESS : — PRINTED BY WHITTINGHAM AND WILKINS, 
 TOOKS COURT , CHANCERY LANE. 
 
4 
 
Boston College Library 
 
 Chestnut Hill 67, Mass. 
 
 Books may be kept for two weeks unless a 
 shorter time is specified. 
 
 Two cents a day is charged for each 2-week book 
 kept overtime; 25 cents a day for each overnight 
 book. 
 
 If you cannot find what you want, inquire at the 
 delivery desk for assisstance. 
 
 ^5-46