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| Lot: 1 |
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| BRONZE AGE IRISH GOLD RING-MONEY, circa 1500-1200 B.C. |
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| Provenance: Spink, London, Mallinson Collection, 5 July 1982; Private collection |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:Penannular ring of circular section with square-cut ends, made of solid gold of high purity. Weight 5.7 grams. Pre Christian Ireland had a very precise set of laws which usually involved a payment by the perpetrator of a crime to the victim or the victim's family. The punishment for default was death. The records of these laws (mostly dating from Christian era documents) state that slaves and cattle were an accepted medium of large exchange. Presumably smaller exchanges were made on a similar basis with tools and ornaments.
There are a number of gold and gold plated rings found in Irish and other Celtic contexts referred to as 'ring money'. The variation in the quality and standard of these pieces does not suggest a fixed denomination but rather that these items were used like hack silver and assayed at every exchange. The gold plated pieces are a problem in this context as they do not seem to be likely to have been made in imitation of solid pieces nor would they have been easy to assay.
Hoards of Irish Celtic gold ornaments often consist of quantities of cloak fasteners suggesting that these items were used as a medium of exchange rather than just for fastening cloaks. But as with the ring money there is no evidence for a fixed series of weights and measures being used in their manufacture.
We are grateful to John Stafford Langan, www.irishcoinage.com, for this note. |
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| Estimate: € 1200-1500 |
Price Realised: € 3000 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 2 |
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| LATE BRONZE AGE IRISH GOLD RING-MONEY, circa 1000 B.C. |
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| Provenance: Spink, London, Mallinson Collection, 5 July 1982; Private collection |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:Penannular ring of circular section, gold of high purity. Weight 5.4 grams. |
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| Estimate: € 1200-1500 |
Price Realised: € 2200 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 3 |
| Johannis Blaeu, (1596-1673) |
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| ATLAS HIBERNIA, 1662 |
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| bound folio containing 6 copperplate engraved maps bound |
| 53 by 34cm., 21 by 13.5in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:Book XIII of Blaeu’s atlas of Western Europe, published in 1662. Contains five maps of Ireland and the provinces, including the overall map of the island titled Hibernia Regnum Vulgo Ireland, which was based on Speed’s map and ranks as one of the most beautiful of the maps of Ireland. Copperplate engraved maps with hand colouring, bound with the original 47 pages of letterpress plus title page. Handsomely presented in half calf over marbled boards; gilt lettered leather titles on spine and upper board; all edges gilt. Light stain to fore-edge of one page of text; else fine. |
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| Estimate: € 18000-22000 |
Price Realised: € 0 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 4 |
| After Samuel Cooper, (1609-1672) |
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| PROFILE PORTRAIT OF OLIVER CROMWELL (1599-1658) |
| inscribed "OLIVER CROMWELL" upper centre |
| oil on canvas laid on sheet iron (oval) |
| 76 by 51cm., 29.7 5 by 20.2 5i |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 – 3 September 1658) was an English military and political leader best known for his involvement in making England into a republican Commonwealth and for his later role as Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland. He was one of the commanders of the New Model Army, which defeated the royalists in the English Civil War. After the execution of King Charles I in 1649, Cromwell dominated the short-lived Commonwealth of England, conquered Ireland and Scotland, and ruled as Lord Protector from 1653 until his death in 1658.
Cromwell landed in Ireland with his army in 1649. Since the Irish Rebellion of 1641, Ireland had been mainly under the control of the Irish Confederate Catholics, who in 1649, signed an alliance with the English Royalist party, which had been defeated in the English Civil War. Cromwell's forces defeated the Confederate and Royalist coalition in Ireland and occupied the country - bringing to an end the Irish Confederate Wars. He passed a very harsh series of Penal laws against Roman Catholics and confiscated almost all of their land. The Parliamentarian reconquest of Ireland was extremely brutal, and it has been alleged that many of the army's actions during the reconquest would today be called war crimes or even genocide. Cromwell is still a hated figure in Ireland. After the Cromwellian conquest the Catholics owned just 8% of the land compared to 70% beforehand and about 15 to 20% of the population were slaughtered. |
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| Estimate: € 3000-4000 |
Price Realised: € 2600 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 5 |
| After Garret Morphey, (circa 18th century) |
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| PORTRAIT OF SAINT OLIVER PLUNKETT |
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| oil on canvas, oval |
| 45 by 37cm., 17.7 5 by 14.5in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:Portraits of the martyred Catholic Archbishop are rare. A number of stipple engravings and mezzotint portraits in the collection of the National Gallery of Ireland are tentatively attributed to Morphey. The only oil portrait in a public collection is dated 1681 and is likewise attributed to Morphey (or a follower of his); this is in the National Portrait Gallery of London.
Saint Oliver Plunkett (1629–1681) was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland. He maintained his duties in Ireland in the face of English persecution and was eventually arrested and tried for treason at a kangaroo court after lawful courts had failed to convict him. He was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn on 1 July 1681, and became the last Catholic martyr to die in England. Oliver Plunkett was beatified in 1920 and canonised in 1975, the first Irishman to be made a saint for almost seven hundred years. |
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| Estimate: € 6000-8000 |
Price Realised: € 5400 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 6 |
| Society for the Reformation of Manners, |
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| THE NEW MORALITY - ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOCIETY FOR THE REFORMATION OF MANNERS, 1690 |
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| manuscript, single sheet, framed |
| 41 by 30cm., 16 by 12in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:King William and Queen Mary had only become joint monarchs shortly before this document was written. In 1689 they had displaced Mary's father, King James II. Not everyone agreed with the displacement, but after William's success at the Battle of the Boyne, six months before the date of this document, he was able to turn to such domestic matters as the restoration of law and order. The document is recording the setting up of a group of church wardens and constables as the moral police. |
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| Estimate: € 300-500 |
Price Realised: € 600 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 7 |
| Prostitution in Co. Leitrim, 18th century, |
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| JAMESTOWN ARREST WARRANT, 1708 |
| signed "J. King" |
| autograph manuscript letter, framed |
| 33 by 23cm., 13 by 9in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:At the time of this arrest warrant, Jamestown was a walled town and borough. This document, signed by John King, Sovereign, and addressed to John Miller, Constable, to execute, four named ladies who are all persons of idle fame and repute and are notoriously addicted to whoring and to other idle wicked practices and most commonly on the Sabbath days are charged with these and other offences against public morality. The constable of the Corporation is to apprehend the boddys of these women and to carrie (them) to ye publick house of corrections for the said county. The King family (of planter origin) were prominent local landowners and crown officials. John King who signed the arrest warrant eventually went on to be High Sherriff of Co. Sligo and M.P. for Jamestown, just as his father Gilbert was before him. Attractively framed with a reproduction of Hogarth's famous Gin Alley. |
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| Estimate: € 800-1000 |
Price Realised: € 1300 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 8 |
| Countess of Albany, Louise de Stolberg, wife of Bonnie Prince Charlie, Mistress of the great Italian poet, Alfieri, (1752-1824) |
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| LETTER TO HER IRISH FRIEND, LADY DILLON |
| signed "Louise d'Albany" |
| autograph manuscript letter in French, framed |
| 25 by 20cm., 10 by 8in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:After her separation from the drunken and violent Charles Edward Stuart in 1780, Lady Albany lived in Florence with Alfieri where her receptions were a celebrated feature of the life of the city. This letter, Samedi 23 June [no year], to a member of the Irish aristocracy and Stuart supporter apologizes for being indisposed and states that she cannot receive company (“avoir un Samedi” – “have one of my Saturdays”) that evening but says the “dames de votre nation” can call on her in the afternoon. Attractively framed with reproduction oval portrait of the Countess in colour. |
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| Estimate: € 300-500 |
Price Realised: € 650 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 9 |
| Horace Hone, ARA (1756-1825) |
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| WILLIAM ROBERT, SECOND DUKE OF LEINSTER 1799 and EMILIA OLIVIA, SECOND DUCHESS OF LEINSTER, 1799 |
| each signed "H Hone ARA", inscribed and dated on reverse |
| watercolour on ivory, oval, framed separately |
| 8 by 6cm., 3 by 2.25in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: V & A, South Kensington, 1865, loaned by Rev. W. Lindsay |
| Literature: |
| Notes:Horace Hone had been brought to Dublin by Lady Temple when her husband was viceroy of Ireland. She was Baroness Nugent of Carlanstown in her own right in the peerage of Ireland and through her social connections, with the backing of the vice-regal court, she ensured that Hone received ample patronage painting portraits of the leaders of Irish society. Hone painted portraits of Emily, Duchess of Leinster (mother of the 2nd Duke) and Lord Edward FitzGerald (both in private collections, Dublin). In this miniature portrait of the second Duke of Leinster he is shown wearing the sky-blue ribbon and star of the Order of Saint Patrick. The Duke was a founder knight of the order when he was invested in 1783. He had already succeeded his father to the premier dukedom of Ireland in 1773. In 1775 he married Emilia Olivia Usher St George. She was only child and heiress of St George Usher, who had been enobled as Lord St George of Hatley St George, Co. Leitrim, in the peerage of Ireland. She bore the Duke eight children. The Duke of Leinster played a significant part in Irish politics and the Volunteer movement. In 1778 he took command of the Irish Volunteers in Leinster. With Thomas Conolly of Castletown he successfully carried a motion of thanks to the Volunteers to accompany the traditional vote of thanks to the viceroy in parliament. In 1779 he led the Volunteer Corps in College Green which was famously painted by Francis Wheatley (NGI). Portraits of the second Duke were painted and engraved by Joshua Reynolds, Gilbert Stuart and Martin Archer Shee (NGI).
Dr Paul Caffrey, Dublin. |
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| Estimate: € 5000-7000 |
Price Realised: € 5200 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 10 |
| Rt. Hon. Henry Grattan, MP (1746-1821) |
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| ORIGINAL BILL OF EXCHANGE, 13 APRIL 1837 |
| signed "Henry Grattan" lower right; dated upper left |
| pen and ink on paper |
| 11 by 18cm., 4.25 by 7in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:Order to the Right Hon. David Latouche & Brothers to pay twenty-five guineas to a Mr Giles, hand-written and signed by Henry Grattan. Framed with a portrait of Grattan, engraved by R. J. West. |
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| Estimate: € 200-300 |
Price Realised: € 1200 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 11 |
| Rev. Charles Hume, (1768-?) |
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| COPIES OF LETTERS TO VAS. CORRESPONDENTS REGARDING L'ESTRANGE FAMILY PROPERTIES IN CO. OFFALY, 1829 |
| variously signed "Charles Hume" and "Chas. Hume" |
| 15 sheets of autograph manuscript, mostly double-sided |
| 23 by 17cm., 9.25 by 6.75in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:Manuscript letter book of Reverend Charles Hume as executor of his late father-in-law Edmund L'Estrange of Hunstanton, King's County (Offaly), his copies of letters to Charles Atkinson of Woodland, William L'Estrange of Kilcummin, Henry L'Estrange of Moystown, 1793-1847, the latter's uncle Christopher L'Estrange, 1776-1843, all neighbouring proprietors on the River Brosna between Banagher and Ferbane, and to lawyers or agents Daniel Manifold, Henry J. Kennedy, John McCay, with a wealth of information about contemporary practice in farming and letting, annual values and allowances for sown crops etc. In the register of Trinity College Dublin, Charles Hume, born in Middlesex, is described as son of Joseph Hume “Publicanus” (tax-collector). The property is called after the estate in Norfolk held by the L'Estranges since shortly after the Conquest. |
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| Estimate: € 300-500 |
Price Realised: € 800 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 12 |
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| 1796 - Warrant to Raise An Armed Corps Called The Dublin Cavalry and a 1773 Commission signed by King George III |
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| letterpress and manuscript |
| 38 by 24cm., 15 by 9.5in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:This rare document appoints Edwin Saunders to be Captain of the Dublin Cavalry and is signed by Commander (John Jeffreys Pratt, Earl of Camden, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland). Also with this lot is Edward Saunders’ rather tatty 1773 commission as a Cornet in the First Regiment of Horse under major General James Johnston, signed by King George III. |
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| Estimate: € 500-700 |
Price Realised: € 450 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 13 |
| Irish school,, 19th century |
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| WILLIAM THEOBALD WOLFE TONE AND LORD EDWARD FITZGERALD (A PAIR) |
| each with contemporary inscribed labels on reverse |
| watercolour on ivory, pair of oval miniatures in matching eb |
| 8 by 6cm., 3 by 2.5in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:The former is based on an engraving reproduced in Madden’s history of the United Irishmen (1846). The second portrait is based on the watercolour of 1797 by Horace Hone ARA (1856-1798), now in the National Portrait Gallery, London (NPG 5704). Hone’s portrait is in turn thought to be based on one by Hugh Douglas Hamilton RHA (1739-1808), now in the National Gallery of Ireland (NGI 195). Portraits of Wolfe Tone are particularly scarce. |
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| Estimate: € 2000-3000 |
Price Realised: € 0 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 14 |
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| 1796-98 United Irishman's Oath |
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| manuscript |
| 20 by 18cm., 8 by 7in. |
| Provenance: Archibald Hamilton Rowan; C. Hayes; William J. Hayes; Private Collection |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:Believed to be an original unsigned oath of the United Irishman. With annotation of C. Hayes who acquired it from Rowan on 14 May 1832, the date of “the Great Meeting for Reform”. Scarce. |
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| Estimate: € 500-700 |
Price Realised: € 1600 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 15 |
| 1792-1803 Rebellion In Ireland, |
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| An Important Collection Of Original Letters With First Hand Descriptions of Preparations, Fighting, and the Aftermath |
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| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:A range of ten entire letters and one wrapper with transcriptions in some cases.
The collection includes the following entire letters:
1792 (9 December) S. Stawell, Kilbrittain, Co. Cork, to Eustace Stawell , Hamilton’s Row, Dublin. The writer refers to an address by the Society of United Irishmen: “ I should hope that the intention of the authors went no further than to bring about an equal representation of the people in Parliament, including the Roman Catholics…but if the Society… mean to abolish Royalty I should ….set my face against such a measure”. He goes on “As I find an armed force in this place necessary for perfect security against future mobs I beg you will buy twenty three new good firelocks same calibre as those of the regimts. of foot with bayonets” and gives further details of the weapons he wants to furnish his tenants with against “a banditto”.
1793 (7 December) Lord Fingall at Cashel to Robert Cadell, Balbriggan, regarding movements of troops
1795 (17 May) Lt. William McKenna, 96th Regt., Monaghan, to Major Kirkman, Waterford, concerning recruits and their pay
1797 (16 August) Robert Sinclair, Edinburgh to Colonel Thomas Balfour, North Lowland Fencibles Regiment, Monaghan, concerning his estates
1797 (26 April) B Williamson, an army officer, Cashel to James Horne, Edinburgh, referring to the regiment’s move to Cork and “In the North of this Country the people are very restless”
1797 (28 December) Patrick Campbell to Major Nairne, 3 Battalion, 4th Fencibles Regiment, Blaire’s Camp, Near Hillsborough
1797 (20 December) Reverend T. Lovell, Blackheath, Coleraine, to Robert Agnew, Monmouth, in which he rejoices in the political calm of the North due to “the vigour of Government and the activity of the excellent agents which were selected to execute her orders. But for them every Proprietor and every agent….had been murdered” especially as “several Gentlemen detected United Irishmen among their servants, who acted as spies and were to divide the spoil”. This calm is contrasted with the South “ where the evil spirit [of republicanism] has taken its flight” and so on.
1798 (17 March) H. Glascock, Dublin, to Messr. Bleasdale & Alexander, London regarding his account: “In these times & in the present alarming situation of this country I do think of Clients ought to be glad I have settled this business”
1798 (16 June) JM Johnston to The Earl of Moira, London, with graphic description of the Battle of Ballynahinch (which took place in Lord Moira’s demesne): “General Nugent came with a large force, drove the Rebels from the Windmill Hill….the troops cannonaded them until dark and about three am recommenced the attack until about seven in the morning when the Rebels gave way and fled….leaving about three hundred dead” and much other interesting detail. A postscript reads “Munro who was Commander of the Rebels at S.Field and Ballynahinch was executed in this town this Day.”
1798 (17 June) Captain Kenneth McCaskill, Trim, Co. Meath to Charles Stewart, Writer to the Signet, Edinburgh, refers to “the infernal & infatuated explosion in this country…our regiment tho much detached escaped to a man….after having some fatigue hunting these deluded wretches into bogs…we were ordered back to cover this County and Gaol overflowing with prisoners who we Dáily glean at by hanging or shooting”. He goes on “they meet death & torture with indifference & without making any confession, all ties is totally dissolved but that to their oath of United Men and to this, tho strange, these unprincipled beings, will die martyrs”
1798 (20 June) Captain GR Crouch, Lisburn, to Lt Colonel Lee, 16th Regt., 2nd Dragoons, Guildford: “I have been witness to scenes of bloodshed that farr surpass anything we have seen on ye Continent”
1798 (6 August) Charles Broderick, Bishop of Kilmore, at Dublin to Charles Townshend, London, referring to Lord Cornwallis and pardoned traitors, and, prophetically he states that though Cornwallis’s measures have tranquilised the country “do not expect that you will ever secure the affection of the people of Ireland (I mean the multitude) to British Government, in any shape that has ever yet been tried”.
1798 (16 August) “V.S”, an army officer, Lisburn to Lt. Colonel Lee, Windsor, with comments on the rebellion, executions, his failure to court martial two members of the Lisburn militia for “popping pistols at my head” , “Bagnell Harvey is executed” etc.
1798 (October 30) wrapper only signed by Viscount Castlereagh to “Sir Geo: J:Hill Bt”
1799 (26 January) from a tenant in Waterford to his landlady, Mrs Pomonson in Berwick, complaining of the high rent charged when he took on the farm when the country was in a “tranquil state” and adds that his difficulties have been increased by plots to kill him due to his “prosecuting to conviction six persons who were keeping up the Spirit of Rebellion”
1803 (4 February) W. Welland, Cahirmane, Midleton, to Viscount Midleleton in London, including “13 men hanged in the neighbourhood of Clonmell and Tipperary….which has tranquillised the Country in some measure”
1803 (7 September) from Cornet Sam Dudley, “Dublin Barracks”, to Colonel Harries, Loyal Hampshire Volunteers, London, including references to rebels, who “are Dáily executed” and “as much inclined to rebellion as in the year 1798”
1804 (22 August) Lt Berry, 78th Light Dragoons stationed at Limerick writing to his mother in Bristol, that he will soon be leaving to be encamped near Cork…that we may be near the Coast in case the French should make any attempt on us…probably by Bantry Bay” |
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| Estimate: € 6000-8000 |
Price Realised: € 16500 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 16 |
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| 1798 (June 20) Battle of Ballynahinch - Eyewitness's Letter; A Graphic Account Of The Mayhem |
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| manuscript, 4 pages |
| 30 by 18cm., 12 by 7in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:“the insurgents was routed”
In this letter James Larkin gives his brother Charles a graphic account of his experiences, the imprisonment of himself, and the murder of their father in bed, during the Battle of Ballynahinch, which had taken place a week earlier: “ the town of Ballynahinch is greatly demolished and burnt to ashes. The battle commenced at about seven o’clock in the afternoon of the 12th and was finished at six o’clock on the 13th June morning, the insurgents was routed.”
A rare eyewitness account posted within days of the events. |
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| Estimate: € 1500-2000 |
Price Realised: € 6700 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 17 |
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| 1798 AN EXTREMELY RARE LETTER FROM A FRENCH SOLDIER CAPTURED DURING THE INVASION AT KILLALA, CO.MAYO |
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| manuscript |
| 30 by 18cm., 12 by 7in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:Letter from Joseph Séugér, cannonier, of the 11th Land Artillery Brigade, Napoleonic Forces, captured during the abortive French invasion of August 1798 under General Humbert, and incarcerated at Liverpool. Written from “Liverpool le premier fructidor au 7me de la Republique Francaise” (French revolutionary calendar, equivalent to 18 August 1799) and addressed to the Minister of Marine Forces in Paris. The letter chronicles the writer's battle history, to his falling ill, and his corps' embarking with “Bonaparte” for the campaign in Egypt without him, whereupon he was obliged to join the 5th Marine Artillery Brigade at Rochefort. He then describes how he went with the 5th on the “Expedition d'Irlande” where he was made prisoner. Letter carried free under reciprocal arrangement for prisoners of war. Contents censored by the British with the rare crowned oval TRANSPORT OFFICE / PRISONERS OF WAR on flap to validate POW mail. Little documentary material of French origin has survived from this famous invasion making this piece extremely desirable. |
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| Estimate: € 1500-2000 |
Price Realised: € 2800 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 18 |
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| 1798 CENTENARY COMMEMORATION, 1898 |
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| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:A small range of items including Cashel Centenary Memorial Club Committee Members ribbon and Rosette, a shaped card “Lord Edward 98” and a coloured certificate of membership (blank) of The Wolfe Tone and Ninety Eight Memorial Association. Rare. (3 items). |
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| Estimate: € 800-1000 |
Price Realised: € 750 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
| Lot: 19 |
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| 1803 Commission of William Sullivan in the Bandon Union Infantry |
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| letterpress and manuscript |
| 38 by 24cm., 15 by 9.5in. |
| Provenance: |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:Commission signed by Lord Lieutenant Hardwicke, appointing Sullivan as Fourth Lieutenant under the command of G. Kingston. With a metal tunic button inscribed COUNTY CORK YEOMANRY/39. Scarce. |
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| Estimate: € 300-500 |
Price Realised: € 350 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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| Lot: 20 |
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| 1803 ROBERT EMMETT'S SPEECH FROM THE DOCK - A CONTEMPORANEOUS HANDWRITTEN TRANSCRIPT |
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| Manuscript, 2pp |
| 36 by 23cm., 14 by 9in. |
| Provenance: Collection of Samuel Mathews (1806-1875) a Dublin solicitor;
his son-in-law, William J. Hayes, solicitor;
thence by descent to present owner |
| Exhibited: |
| Literature: |
| Notes:Judging by the handwriting, the paper and the style this document was produced by a professional scrivener who was either employed by the court or at least was present in the court. The text here differs from the accepted printed texts in several places, but has a ring of authenticity to it.
Robert Emmet was a member of the United Irishmen. In 1803 he led an ill-fated rebellion in Dublin, after which he went on the run, but was later arrested. He was tried for high treason in Dublin, found guilty and hanged in Thomas Street, Dublin.
This version of his speech begins thus: “My Lord as why sentence of death should not be pronounced against me according to law I have nothing to say, but why my Character shouts not to be relieved from the imputations and Calumnies thrown out against it I have much to say” instead of “What have I to say why sentence of death should not be pronounced on me according to law? . I have nothing to say that can alter your predetermination, nor that it will become me to say with any view to the mitigation of that sentence which you are here to pronounce, and I must abide by. But I have that to say which interests me more than life, and which you have labored (as was necessarily your office in the present circumstances of this oppressed country) to destroy. I have much to say why my reputation should be rescued from the load of false accusation and calumny which has been heaped upon it.”
This manuscript ends thus: “I have but one request to make at my departure from this world, Iis [sic] the Charity of its silence, Lit [sic] no man write my Epitaph, for as no man who knows my motives darr [sic] now vindicate them, Lit [sic] not prejudice or ignorance asperse [sic] them, Let them and me repose in obscurity and peace and my Tomb remains uninscribed untill other times and other men can do justice to my memory, when my Country takes her place among those of the Earth, then and only then Can my Epitaph be written, I am done.”
A unique manuscript of great significance, in relation to one of the most important orations in Irish history. |
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| Estimate: € 3000-5000 |
Price Realised: € 5600 |
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| Date of Sale: 5 April 2008 |
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