QƲEENS-COƲNTY.
TOwards the north-west, above Caterlogh, lies a woody, boggy tract call'd in Irish the Lease,* 1.1 in English the Queens-County; which Queen Mary, by her Minister, Thomas Ratcliff, Earl of Sussex, and Lord Deputy at that time, first re∣duced into a County. Hence the chief town is call'd Mary-Burgh,* 1.2 defended by a garison under the com∣mand of a Seneschal, who with much ado keeps off the O-mores, pretending to be Lords of it; as also the Mac-Gilpatricks, the O-Dempsies, and others; a mis∣chievous and unquiet sort of people, who are daily conspiring against the English, and endeavouring to free themselves from their laws. At the first coming of the English into these parts, Meilere was sent hither to subdue this wild and hostile part of the country. Hugh Lacy, Lord Deputy, built a castle at Tahmelio for him; as also another at Obowy, a third upon the river Barrow, and a fourth at Norrach. Among o∣thers also, he fortified Donemaws,* 1.3 an ancient castle, situate in the most fruitful part of this territory, which fell to the Breoses, Lords of Brecknock, by Eva the youngest daughter of William Mareshall Earl of Pem∣brook; Where also the Barrow, rising out of Slew-Blomey-hills westward, after a solitary course through the woods, sees the old city Rheba,* 1.4 a name it sti••l preserves entire in its present one Rheban; though in∣stead of a city, 'tis now only the reliques of one, consisting of some few cottages and a fort. How∣ever it gives the title of Baronet to that noble Gentle∣man N. of S. Michael, commonly called the Baronet of Rheban.* 1.5