Henley (1928) Ch. 8 ("The Poet's Descendents") states that "it
seems probable that" Elizabeth Boyle lived in Renny Castle with her second
husband, Roger Seckerstone, by Aug. 20th, 1600. The title deeds to
Kilcolman were in possession of EB.
In 1603, however, Sylvanus sued to the Chancellor of Ireland
[Archbishop Loftus] to win possession of Kilcolman for himself, stating
that the lands had since come into the possession of Seckerstone and his
mother, "'which they unjustly detayneth; which evidences forasmuch as your
petitioner [Sylvanus] can have no accion at comon lawe, he not knowing
theire dates and certainty, he is dryven to sue in consideracion byfore
your Honourable Lordship, and avoweth that the said Roger Seckerstone, his
mouthers now husband unjustly detayneth the said evidences, to your
petitioners damage of one hundred pounds, where in he prays remedy."
[Henley wrongly calls Sylvanus 8 years old; Judson notes that
Sylvanus probably came of age in 1602-3 and this caused his suit. States
Judson, *Life*, p. 169: "Since Seckerstone may have been chiefly
responsible for Sylvanus' grievance, we should perhaps refrain from
allowing this affair to influence our judgement of Elizabeth."]
Henley notes "the petition must have been successful, for in the
List of names of Undertakers of Munster resident in England, at the end of
1603, 'the heir of Edmund Spenser' appears."
Sylvanus was back in court again, in 1605-6, and detained, for not
paying "heriot and relief" upon the death of his father, as the "heir" to
the estate was meant to do. This is not surprising since the planters were
continually bilking the govt. (and each other and their Old English/Irish
neighbors) at every opportunity. He paid up eventually. Still later
Sylvanus was sued by his Doneraile neighbors for part of Kilcolman, etc.
--TH
>Terry is mostly right. Someone else, probably Machabyas Chylde but not
>Elizabeth Boyle, was the mother of the first two kids, Sylvanus and
>Katherine. Elizabeth Boyle was the mother of Peregrine. If I remember
>right there was later bad blood--a lawsuit? between Elizabeth and
>Sylvanus. Does anyone remember? Bill Oram
>
>>>> [log in to unmask] 04/24/01 04:08PM >>>
>Dear all,
>
>I am coming in on a finished conversation here (my computer
>steadfastly refuses to let me send to the Spenser list), but isn't it
>Machabyas Childe who (probably) married Spenser early on and is
>(probably) the mother of Sylvanus and Peregrine? So Elizabeth Boyle
>would not be the mother of his 3 children (if there were as many as
>three; is the 3rd that mysterious babe who went down with Kilcolman?).
>Terry
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