Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 29, 1918.djvu/301

 Folklore and History in Ireland. 291

animosity in those days between members of the rival churches.

However this may be, the charter granted to Killmallock in 1482 sets forth that : " The King considering the many losses, hazards, burnings and other grievances which the town of Killmahalloke and his hege inhabitants thereof had sustained from his Irish enemies and English rebels . . . for the better government and defence of the town . . . grants a license to the Burgesses and their successors yearly to elect from among themselves, on the Monday after the 29th September, with the consent of twelve of the better and chief Burgesses, or the major part of them, one of the Burgesses to be Sovereign." Dingle, again, " for the faithful services of the inhabitants, done from time to time to the King and his progenitors" was made a "free town and borough corporate with a sovereign elected yearly on St. James's day, to enter on his office the Michaelmas following. To have a sword and mace carried before him . . . with a liberty of two English miles, round the parish church."

From their beginning the towns were built and organised for purposes of defence. According to the " Statuts of Kilkenny " it was ruled " That the Burrow Towns be made sure and fast and the Customs yerely be well bestowed upon the Walls and Ditches of the said towns on their proper costs, six Days in the month of March any yere from henseforward to repaire and make fast their Walls and Ditches." Not a few towns won their charters by giving mihtary aid beyond their own vicinage to the Lords Deputy — for all maintained their trained forces. Dun- garvan citizens — the town was incorporated about 1463 — obtained a charter " for their fidelity to the crown during the Rebellion in Queen Elizabeth's time." The town's privileges were renewed in the charter that " changed the government of the Portreive into that of a sovereign, Recorder, and twelve Brethren, who were to be yearly