A MEMORIAL of some reasons why the King's composition rent in Conaght has not been...

First.--There is a clause in every indenture of composition in Conaght, that such quarters of lands as are found waste (that is, to use the phrase of the country), such lands as bear neither horn or corn shall, during the time of their so remaining, be discharged from payment of composition. These wastes are sometimes more and sometimes less, and with civility and peaceful state of the country begin to be inhabited and manured, and yet there are many quarters in the country kept still waste, and not unlikely returned more than they be indeed, by the cunning handling of the collectors.

There are also a great number of pretended freedoms claimed by several warrants, some of them by the Lo. Deputy and Council, and some by the Governors and Council of Conaght. For the examination and allowance, whereof there is now a commission issued. In the meantime they take the benefit of their pretended grants, which are said to amount to above 100 quarters.

The Earl of Ormond claims freedom for all his lands, not only in Conaght but in all Ireland, by virtue of a letter of the eleventh year of the late Queen, long before the composition was made, and yet refuses to pay the composition amounting to 80 quarters.

The Earl of Clanricard has a late grant of freedom of 80 quarters allowed to him in lieu of his creation money.

Sir Hugh O'Connor Dun and Donell O'Conor Sligoe claim to be free from payment of composition, because each of them pays 100l. rent into the Exchequer. Those two amount almost to 300 quarters.

O'Rourke and Sir William Taafe claim freedom from the composition, having an increase of rent laid upon them, and expressly discharged of the composition by their patents which amount to 130 quarters.

There are divers leaseholders from the King, some of lands anciently belonging to the Crown, some of the lands of St. John of Jerusalem, and some of abbey lands, who claim to be free by reason of their reservations of rents in the Exchequer, whereof the judges are to deliver their opinions, amounting in all to above 100 quarters.

All these claimed freedoms standing yet undecided, very few of them answer the composition which, together with the wastes, are the occasion of the uncertainty of that revenue, and have hitherto kept down that receipt.

Some reasonable supply it is to be hoped will be had from many concealed quarters which were not found at the time of the taking of the inquisitions.

Endorsed by Carew: Per Sir 01. St. John, 1611.