Records of the Pringles of the Scottish Border, by Alex Pringle

Chapter 37

IRELAND

AT the beginning of 1609 the English Government printed and circularised a sort of prospectus whereby settlers in Ireland might be induced to offer themselves. English and Scottish undertakers were invited for tracts of 1000, 1500, and 2000 acres, paying rents to the Crown at 6s. 8d. per 60 acres, but rent free for the first two years. The undertakers were to build castles and. bawns or courtyards within two years (after- expanded), to have access to the royal forests for materials, and to keep, train, and arm men for their defence. They were to provide English or Scottish tenants only, and were tied to five years personal residence. The servitors, generally men with some military experience, were allowed to have Irish tenants, in which case they were to pay per acres, they established British tenants this was reduced to £5 6s. 8d. The native Irish-the third class of grantees-paid rents twice as large as the undertakers. The Scots were perhaps fewer than the English, but they came with more followers, and their inclination to marry Irish girls had to be reproved and punished. There was a tendency in high quarters to provide for young Scottish gentlemen.

In 1618 Pynnar found that in the six counties there were 1974 British families, that many of the English tenants did not yet plough the land, and that there might be starvation but for the Scottish tenants who tilled a great deal. Four years the undertakers had led to hundreds of British families £8 1000 but when later he found that non-fulfilment of the conditions of giving up the idea of settling, and going away (Bagwell's Ireland, 1909).

This introduces us to the first Pringles in Ireland. On 28th November 1617 William Pringle of Colligarrie, a Scotsman by birth or descent, was naturalised in Ireland; also James Ferry. On 3rd March 1618 the Privy Council of Scotland. sent " ane missive to the Deputie of Yreland in favouris of Williame Pringle,'' William had settled on the Manor of Moyenner, :Clogher, Tyrone, consisting of 1000 acres, granted to Sir Gerrard Lowther. Pynnar in his Survey of 1618 says, " This is let to a Mr Pringle who dwells on the land. What tenants there are he refused to show them to me. He brought a list of 20, but what lands they hold it does not show. I passed over the land, and saw divers ploughing.'' William Pringle of Colligarrie (a part of the estate) was son of William of Torwoodlee and Alison Heriot. In 1609 he married Helen, daughter of John Baxter in Restalrig, Edinburgh) promising to invest her tocher of 500 merks and £1000 of his own in land or annual rent for them twain or the longer liver. William was dead by 25th October 1631, on which date his son (lawful) William was present along with James of Buckholm at the sasine of young James Renton of Billie in the lands of Lamberton, Berwickshire (Milne-Home MSS.).

In 1622 Thomas Pringle gets a lease for 11 years of part of Magheryentrim, an estate of 1000 acres in Armagh belonging to John Hamilton (Inquisitiones, Armagh (4) Charles 1.).

In 1677 Henry Pringle of Cloghrum, Co. Down, died. He had a son William; as also had his brother Thomas.

Caledon, Co. Tyrone

In 1691 John Pringle of Lyme Park appears signing the church records of Caledon. In 1702 he was a J.P. He was agent to John Hamilton, proprietor of the Caledon estate, who died in 1713, as was also his son John to Margaret Hamilton his daughter and heiress, and to the Earl of Orrery who in 1731 married her; the estate then being worth £2000 a year. This John died in 1741, leaving estate worth about £7000. By his wife Sarah he had issue:-

Rev. Robert of Madencourt, student T.C.D., marr. a daughter of Rev. W. Emery, rector of Killeshandra. He had issue ::-

(1) John, of Lyme Park, 1772 Ensign 51st Foot, 1778 Lieutenant, 1794 Captain Coy. of Tyrone. In 1793 High Sheriff of Armagh) 1798-1802 on Armagh Grand Jury. Granted by Ulster King of Arms a Coat of Arms. Marr. a daughter of Rev. George Bannerman. Died in 1824. Issue : John, Henry, Marion, Frances Elizabeth.

(2) William.

(3) Robert, 1770 Ensign 14th Foot, 1771 51st Foot, 1776 Lieutenant, 1793 Major, 1795 Lieut.-Colonel.

(4) Dorothy.

Henry, Major-General (see the Army). Issue:-

(1) William-Henry, Major-General, G.C.B. (see the Army). Issue : John Henry, Colonel (see the Army), Ann- Elizabeth.

(2) Caroline, marr. in 1797 Robert son of Sir Richard St George, Bart.

(3) Elizabeth.

William, died unmarried in 1799, left his brother Major-General Henry his Caledon property, also certain freeholds and leaseholds in Armagh in liferent, then to descend to his nephew John of Lyme Park, his brother Robert's son; to the said John £800; to William, Lieut.-Col. Robert, and Dorothy, the said Robert's other children, £300 each ; and to his nephew Major- General William-Henry the estate of Cornacrew, Armagh, and, failing his heirs, to the said John.

-7. John, Boyle, died 1771, Ann died 1779, Sarah.

Ballinahone, Co. Monaghan

1. Alexander, died 1719, issue: Samuel and George, Helen, Sophia, and Marjorie.

2. Samuel, of Ballinahone, 1691-1777, issue: Alexander, William, and Mary.

3. Alexander, of Ballinahone, 1728-1794, issue: Alexander, Olivia, and Margaret.

4. Alexander, of Killinaul, 1763-1818, issue: Alexander, John, James, and 4 daughters.

5. John, 1801-71, issue: Robert, Alexander, Henry, James, and John. Three sons had issue respectively:

(1) Alexander, issue: Dr John, M.D., Withington Road, Manchester.

(2) Henry, of Clonboy, Clones, died 30th July 1921, leaving estate of £77,000. He had issue:-

(a) James-Alexander, born 1874, Solicitor 1900, Barrister 1912, M.P., for Fermanagh and Tyrone 1924.

(b) Harold, M.D., F.R.C.P.I., Professor of Physiology at Trinity College, Dublin.

(3) John had issue: Seton-Sidney, M.B., F.R.C.S.I., born 1879, educated at Campbell College, Belfast, and Trinity College, Dublin, Surgeon to several Hospitals, Lecturer on Surgery and Pathology at Trinity College, Member of Council of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland, and contributor to medical journals (Genealogy of the Irish Pringles, by a member).

Tuam, Galway

In 1719 Ludovick or Lewis Pringle of Tuam, Ireland, was served heir to James, the 6th and last Pringle of Buckholm, who died in 1714, and to Janet Pringle, widow of James Gelly, who died in 1718, his cousins germen. Ludovick had a 3-life lease of Rinkippen, Tuam, and certain leaseholds in Co. Mayo. He died in 1731, leaving a son John, and 3 grand-daughters, Elizabeth, Mary, and Rebecca, Crery. Ludovick was apparently a grandson of James Pringle of Torwoodlee and his wife Janet daughter of Sir Lewis Craig.