QUEENES COUNTIE.
[ C]ABove Caterlogh, toward the North-west there spreadeth out a little country full of woods and bogs,* 1.1 named in Irish Lease, and QUEENES Countie in English: which Queene Mary ordained to be a Countie, by Commission given unto Thomas Ratcliffe Earle of Sussex, then Lord Deputie, who reduced it into the tearmes of civill order and governement: whence it is that the chiefe towne thereof is called Mary-Burgh:* 1.2 where certaine garrison souldiers with their Seneschall keep ward, and have much adoe to defend themselves against the O-Mores (who beare themselves as the ancient Lords thereof) against Mac-Gilpatric, the O-Dempsies, and others, a mischievous and tumultuous kind of people, who daily practise and plot all they can to annoy the English, and to shake off [ D] the yoke of lawes. For to subdue this wilde and hostile part of the countrey, at the first entrie of the English thither, Meilere was sent: For whom Hugh Lacie gover∣nour of Ireland erected one Castle at Tahmelio, like as a second at Obowy, a third likewise upon the river Barrow, and a fourth at Norrach. But among the rest, he for∣tified Donemaws,* 1.3 an ancient Castle standing in the most plentifull part of the terri∣torie, which came hereditarily unto the Breoses Lords of Brecknocke, by Eua the younger daughter of William Mareschall Earle of Pembroch, and what way as Bar∣row, which rising out of Slew Blomey hills Westward, runneth solitarie alone amongst the woods,* 1.4 he visiteth that ancient RHEBA, mentioned by Ptolomee, which keeping the name still intire is called at this day Rheban: but insteed of a citie it is altogether, [ E] as one saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, A citie citilesse, or, The remaines of that which was a citie; even a few little cottages with a fortresse. Notwithstanding it giveth the title of a Baronet unto that Nobleman Nicholas of Saint Michael, the Lord thereof, who is commonly called the Baronet of Rheban.* 1.5