The County of CATERLOGH.
THE County of Caterlogh, by contraction Carlogh, bounds upon Kilkenny on the east, lying wholly in a manner between these two rivers, the Barrow and the Slane. The soil is fruitful, and well shaded with woods. It contains two towns considerable, & more eminent than the rest, both situate upon the west of the Barrow; the one, Caterlogh, a∣bout which Leonel Duke of Clarence begun to build a wall, and Bellingham, that famous and excellent Lord Deputy of Ireland, built a strong Castle for the de∣fence of it. The other is Leighton, in Latin Lechlinia, where was formerly a Bishop's See, now annex'd to the Bishoprick of Farnes. These towns have both of them their Wards and Constables to govern them. The greatest part of this County belonged by inhe∣ritance to the Howards,* 1.1 Dukes of Norfolk (descended by the Earls of Warren from the eldest daughter of William Marshall Earl of Pembroke;) but King Henry the eight, by Act of Parliament, had all the lands and possessions granted him, either belonging to him and the other Gentry, or to the Monasteries here in Englandb 1.2; because that, by their absence, and neglect of private affairs there, they had endan∣gered the publick interest.
From hence the Barrow runs through the Barony of Ydron,* 1.3 which belonged to the Carews of Devonshire13 1.4, ever since Sir N. Carew, an English Knight, married the daughter of Digo an Irish Baron; which has since our memory been recovered after a long usur∣pation, by Peter Carew.
Upon the river Slane stands Tullo, memorable for Theobald Butler, brother's son to the Earl of Ormond, who was lately honoured with the title of Viscount Tullo by King James. The Cavanaughs* 1.5 are very nu∣merous in these parts (descended from Duvenald, a younger son, or Bastard, as some say, of Dermot the last King of Leinster,) warlike men, and famous for their good horsemanship; and though very poor at this day, yet of as much honour and generosity as their forefathers. Upon the account of some slaugh∣ters, which many years ago they committed upon one another, they live in a state of war at this day. Some of these being trusted by the English to manage their possessions in these parts, about King Edward the se∣cond's time, usurp'd all to themselves, assuming the name of O-More,* 1.6 and taking the Toles and Brens into their confederacy, by which means they dispossess'd the English of all that territory between the Cater∣logh and the Irish-Sea. Among these the river Neor joins the Barrow; and after they have travell'd some miles to∣gether in one stream, they quit their names, and present that, with their waters, to their eldest sister the Swire, which empties it self soon after from a rocky mouth into the sea: where on the left there is a little narrow-neck'd promontory; upon which stands a high tower, built by the merchants of Rosse while they flourished, to direct their vessels into the river-mouth.* 1.7