'"A lanterne to looke ... into their very hartes": The Palesmen's Petitions during the Nine Years' War'

Abstract

The Nine Years’ War affected the daily lives and functioning of individuals and communities throughout Ireland, yet no detailed consideration has been offered on how the inhabitants of the English Pale responded to the pressures of this war. While official correspondence sheds certain light on the consequences of this conflict, equally, if not more, important is how the Palesmen perceived the war’s impact on their own community and their relationship with the English crown. The best evidence for this is found in the individual and corporate petitions submitted by Palesmen during this period. These carefully worded documents offer exceptional insight into the social and political attitudes of the Palesmen, yet they have escaped thorough investigation thus far. Constituting the first detailed analysis of the Palesmen’s wartime petitions and treatises, this chapter will explore how the inhabitants of the Pale expressed their political loyalty, their grievances, and their rights as crown subjects