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The earl of Cork and the fall of the earl of Strafford, 1638–41*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

Patrick Little
Patrick Little
Affiliation:
History of Parliament Trust
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Abstract

This article questions the assumption that the earl of Cork was at the forefront of the attack on the earl of Strafford in England. It is argued that, before the opening of the Long Parliament, Cork had much to gain by securing Strafford's favour because of his continuing need to secure his Irish estates and his increasing social ambitions within the English court. The earl's decision to stand as witness against the lord lieutenant in 1641 was made with great reluctance, and the trial itself was fraught with unexpected dangers for Cork as well as Strafford. Throughout the crisis of 1638–41, the earl of Cork was motivated by political and financial concerns, not by a single-minded hatred of the earl of Strafford.

Type
Articles
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 39 , Issue 3 , September 1996 , pp. 619 - 635
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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References

1 The most important works on Cork are Terence, Ranger, ‘The career of Richard Boyle, 1st earl of Cork, in Ireland, 1588–1643’ (unpublished D.Phil, thesis, University of Oxford, 1959)Google Scholar, and Nicholas, Canny, The upstart earl: a study of the social and mental world of Richard Boyle, 1st earl of Cork, 1566–1643 (Cambridge, 1982)Google Scholar; Perceval-Maxwell's, Michael article, ‘Protestant faction, the impeachment of Strafford and the origins of the Irish Civil War’, Canadian Journal of History, XVII (1982), 235–55CrossRefGoogle Scholar considers Cork as part of the parliamentary opposition to Strafford in Ireland, a theme developed by the same author in The outbreak of the Irish rebellion of 1641 (Dublin, 1994).Google Scholar

2 This is the interpretation adopted by historians in examining the fall of Strafford, as in Hugh, Kearney, Strafford in Ireland 1633–41, A study in absolutism (2nd edn, Cambridge, 1989)Google Scholar, and Wedgwood, C. V., Thomas Wentwortk, first earl of Strafford (1593–1641): a revaluation (London, 1961)Google Scholar; historians of Charles I in England have followed a similar line, recent examples including Conrad Russell, , The fall of the British monarchies, 1637–42 (Oxford, 1991), pp. 381–2Google Scholar, and Kevin, Sharpe, The personal rule of Charles I (Yale, 1992), p. 943.Google Scholar

3 Mayes, C. R., ‘The early Stuarts and the Irish peerage’, English Historical Review, LXXIII (1958), 242–3CrossRefGoogle Scholar; Canny, , Upstart earl, pp. 46–69Google Scholar; for disputes with Wentworth in the 1630s see Ranger, , ‘Cork’, pp. 290–336.Google Scholar

4 Sheffield Central Library, Wentworth Woodhouse Muniments (W.W.M.), Stratford MSS 16 (171) (10 June [1638]).

5 W.W.M., Strafford MSS 7, fo. 150V.

6 Chatsworth House, Derbyshire (C.H.), Cork letterbook, II, 302 (30 Nov. 1638).

7 C.H., Cork letterbook, II, 304.

8 C.H., Cork letterbook, II, 304.

9 W.W.M., Strafford MSS 7, fo. 157V: Laud to Wentworth, 21 Nov. 1638; Historical manuscripts commission, Cowper MSS (H.M.C., Cowper MSS), II, 205: Sir John Coke to Wentworth, 31 Dec. 1638.

10 C.H., Cork letterbook, II, 324–5 (2 Jan. 1639); Cork had already told Laud of his hopes of recovering Youghal: ibid. p. 307 (10 Dec. 1638).

11 Ranger, , ‘Cork’, pp. 294–318.Google Scholar

12 Wedgwood, , Strafford, pp. 21, 24, 32, 43–4.Google Scholar

13 Ibid. p. 183; for the 1635–6 Youghal compromise see Little, P. J. S., ‘Family and faction: the Irish nobility and the English court, 1632–42’ (M.Litt. thesis, Trinity College, Dublin, 1992), pp. 36–55.Google Scholar

14 W.W.M., Strafford MSS 7, fos. 17IV–172r: Laud to Wentworth, 27 Feb. 1639; see also C.H., Cork letterbook, II, 341: Laud to Cork, 4 Mar. 1639.

15 For Crosby see Clarke, Aidan, ‘Sir Piers Crosby, 1590–1646: Wentworth's “tawney ribbon”’, Irish Historical Studies, XXVI, 102 (1988), 142–60CrossRefGoogle Scholar; for Loftus see Kearney, , Strafford in Ireland, pp. 72–3.Google Scholar

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17 C.H., Cork letterbook, II, 383 (13 Sept. 1639); see also ibid. p. 385: Cork to Walley, 13 Sept. 1639.

18 Grosart, , Lismore papers (Ist ser.), V, 116–17Google Scholar: Cork's diary, 26 Nov. 1639; for Cork's antipathy to Loftus earlier in the decade see Kearney, , Strafford in Ireland, pp. 10–12Google Scholar, and for his apparent approval of Wentworth's attack on Loftus in 1639 see C.H., Cork letterbook, n, 397: Cork to Sir William Parsons, 4 Nov. 1639.

19 Whitaker, T. D. (ed.), The life and original correspondence of Sir George Raddiffe (London, 1810), p. 190Google Scholar: Wentworth to Radcliffe, 10 Dec. 1639; C.H., Lismore MSS 19, no. 94: William Perkins to Cork, 15 Jan. 1639; ibid. 20, no. 99: Cork to Lord Ranelagh, 23 Aug. 1639; C.H. Cork letterbook, II, 387: Cork to Joshua Boyle, 25 Sept. 1639.

20 The bishopric of Cloyne had regained its independence from the diocese of Cork and Rosse only in 1638, and in his order to appoint George Synge as the new bishop, Charles I had stipulated that every effort should be made to recover church properties (including Youghal) from the earl of Cork and others: P.R.O., SO 1/3, fo. 87r: Charles I to Wentworth, 21 June 1638; for Cloyne's later interest in Youghal, see C.H., Lismore MSS 20, no. 68: John Walley to Cork, 20 June 1639; ibid. no. 110: Sir William Parsons to Cork, 10 Sept. 1639.

21 Grosart, , Lismore papers (Ist ser.), V, 119–20Google Scholar: Cork's diary, 31 Dec. 1639.

22 P.R.O., SO 3/12, fo. 69V; securing the Clifford jointure was another reason for the re-grant: P.R.O., SO 1/3, fos. 158V–160r: Charles I to Strafford, 24 Jan. 1640; Cork bribed Strafford's agent in London, William Raylton, and others, to hasten the paperwork surrounding the grant in the new year of 1640 (Grosart, , Lismore papers (Ist ser.), V, 126Google Scholar: Cork's diary, 18 Feb. 1640).

23 C.H., Lismore MSS 20, no. 154: Sir William Parsons to Cork, 8 Mar. 1640.

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27 Calendar of state papers, domestic series, 1639–40 (C.S.P.D., 1639–40), pp. 320–1, 436Google Scholar: Richard Cave to Sir Thomas Roe 10 Jan. 1640, 7 Feb. 1640.

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29 Ibid. p. 129: Cork's diary, 5 Mar. 1640.

30 C.H., Cork letterbook, II, 413: Cork to Joshua Boyle, 20 Feb. 1640; ibid. p. 418: Cork to Sir Philip Mainwaring, 17 Mar. 1640; ibid. p. 419: Cork to Joshua Boyle, 17 Mar. 1640.

31 C.H., Lismore MSS 20, no. 158: Cork to Strafford, 16 Mar. 1640; in the same letter, Cork also says he had discussed Connaught with Strafford in London.

32 Perceval-Maxwell, , Irish rebellion, p. 69Google Scholar; C.H., Cork letterbook, II, 420: Cork to Joshua Boyle, 17 Mar. 1640; Journals of the Irish house of lords (L.J.I.), I, passim.Google Scholar

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34 Ranger, , ‘Cork’, pp. 366–7Google Scholar; Russell, , Fall of the British monarchies, p. 447Google Scholar; Cork's financial disagreement with Lord Goring over the marriage settlement of their children had been resolved by the end of 1638: C.H., Cork letterbook, n, 309: Cork to Lord Goring, 10 Dec. 1638.

35 C.H., Cork letterbook, II, 301–3: Cork to John Walley, 30 Nov. 1638; B.L., Add. MS 19832, fo. 46r: Lord Goring to Cork, 3 Dec. 1638; ibid. fo. 46V: Sir Thomas Stafford to Cork, 3 Dec. 1638.

36 Canny, , Upstart earl, p. 57Google Scholar; Grosart, , Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 112Google Scholar: Cork's diary, 24 Oct. 1639; for the personal role of the royal family before the wedding see Green, M. A. E. (ed.), Letters of Queen Henrietta Maria (London, 1857), pp. 26–7Google Scholar: Henrietta Maria to Cork, 28 Aug. 1639; and B.L., Add. MS 19832, fo. 48V: Charles I to Cork, 4 Sept. 1639.

37 Canny, , Upstart earl, p. 57Google Scholar; Grosart, , Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 119Google Scholar: Cork's diary, 26 Dec. 1639; the marquess of Hamilton and Lord Kinalmeaky had married sisters.

38 Ibid. 115, 117: Cork's diary, 17 Nov. 1639, 12 Dec. 1639.

39 C.S.P.D., 1640, p. 364: Northumberland to Conway, 30 June 1640; Cork's delight is evident: ‘ffor which addicon of honnor, god make me everlastingly thanckfull to my god and to my Kinge’: Grosart, , Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 144Google Scholar: Cork's diary, 28 June 1640.

40 Ibid. 148: Cork's diary, 6 July 1640; the £ 1,000 was paid during the following month: ibid. 159: Cork's diary, 17 Sept. 1640.

41 Ibid. 144: Cork's diary, 28 June 1640; Cork was in Dorset from 8 July to 4 Oct. 1640 (ibid. 149: Cork's diary, 8 July 1640), and his absence from the privy council at this time cannot be used as evidence of his political views: cf. Perceval-Maxwell, , Irish rebellion, p. 94.Google Scholar

42 Grosart, A. B. (ed.), The Lismore papers (2nd series), viz. selections from the private and public correspondence of Sir Richard Boyle, 1st and great earl of Cork (5 vols., London, 1887–1888), IV, 144–9Google Scholar: Lord Kinalmeaky to Cork, 9 Oct. 1640.

43 C.H., Lismore MSS 21, no. 59: Lettice Goring to Cork, 13 Oct. 1640; ibid. no. 65: Sir Thomas Stafford to Cork, 13 Oct. 1640; cf. Canny, , Upstart earl, p. 76.Google Scholar

44 Canny, , Upstart earl, p. 61.Google Scholar

45 Ranger, , ‘Cork’, p. 369Google Scholar; for the Sherborne visit see Grosart, , Lismore papers (1st ser.), v, 104–5Google Scholar: Cork's diary, 28 Aug. 1639; Cork's visit was premeditated, not accidental: C.H., Lismore MSS 20, no. 98: Lord Esmond to Cork, 21 Aug. 1639.

46 Canny, , Upstart earl, p. 55.Google Scholar

47 Grosart, , Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 168–9, 174, 177Google Scholar: Cork's diary, 27 Jan., 30 Apr., 9 May 1641. For the family connections of the Howards see G. E. Cockayne (ed.), The complete peerage, s.v.; Howard of Escrick and Bedford were both signatories of the petition of the twelve peers in 1640: Russell, , Fall of the British monarchies, p. 150.Google Scholar

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49 Grosart, , Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 58Google Scholar: Cork's diary, 15 Aug. 1638; Ranger, , ‘Cork’, p. 370Google Scholar; the Esmond association underlines Cork's diffidence when dealing with Strafford's enemies in 1640: proposals for a match between Esmond's nephew and heir and Cork's grand-daughter, Lettice Digby, were only entertained ‘now that his lop. hath cleared all things with the Lord Lieftenant’: Sherbornc Castle, Digby MSS, FAM/C/I: Cork to Lady Offaly, 1 Mar. 1640.

50 Ranger, , ‘Cork’, pp. 369–71Google Scholar; Parsons was a trustee of the Youghal lands, and Cork offered to find his son a seat in the English Short Parliament of 1640 (C.H., Cork letterbook, 11, 324–5, 404; Lismore MSS 20, no. no: Sir William Parsons to Cork, 10 Sept. 1639); Ranelagh's son was married to Cork's daughter, and both were frequent guests at Stalbridge (Grosart, , Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 59, 92–3, 102, 104Google Scholar: Cork's diary, 10 Sept. 1638, 18 May, 17 Aug. and 28 Aug. 1639), and Arthur Jones was a trustee of Broghill's marriage settlement in 1641 (ibid. 168: Cork's diary, 27 Jan. 1641).

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52 Journals of the house of lords (L.J.) IV, 116b.Google Scholar

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57 H.M.C., De Lisle and Dudley MSS, VI, 387Google Scholar: Sir John Temple to the earl of Leicester, 25 Feb. 1641.

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59 C.H., Lismore MSS 21, no. 92*: notes for Cork's defence, ?March 1641.

60 H.M.C., 4th report, appx, 56.

61 L.J. IV, 176a.

62 B.L., Harl. MSS 6424 (diary of a bishop, 1641), fo. 43V.

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67 Grosart, , Lismore papers (1st ser.), V, 170–1Google Scholar: Cork's diary, 1 Mar. 1641.

68 Rushworth, , Historical collections, VIII, 228.Google Scholar

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71 Dungarvan was owed arrears from this war: C.S.P.D., 1640–1, p. 470: Sir William Uvedale to Matthew Bradley, 23 Feb. 1641; Kinalmeaky was in the army with the earl of Denbigh in 1640: Grosart, , Lismore papers (2nd ser.), IV, 144–9Google Scholar: Kinalmeaky to Cork, 9 Oct. 1640; Broghill commanded a troop of 100 horse: Grosart, , Lismore papers (1st ser.), v, 133–4Google Scholar: Cork's diary 6 Apr. 1640.

72 Lynch, Kathleen M., Roger Boyle, fast earl of Orrery (University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1965), p. 26.Google Scholar

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74 Russell, , Fall of the British monarchies, p. 269.Google Scholar

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76 Bodl., MS Carte 1, fo. 345r.

77 L.J. IV, 197b–198a.

78 H.M.C. Egmont MSS, 1, i, 128: Edmond Percivalle to Sir Philip Percivalle, 1 Mar. 1641.

79 State papers collected by Edward, earl of Clarendon (3 vols., Oxford, 1773), II, 135–6.Google Scholar

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