Sir Valentine Browne, Knight
Encyclopedia
Sir Valentine Browne, of Crofts, Lincolnshire
, (later of Ross Castle
, Killarney
) was an English politician.
. He was appointed Surveyor General of Ireland
in 1559 by Queen Elizabeth I of England, later being appointed Auditor General
.
Browne was elected an MP
for Berwick-on-Tweed in 1571, Thetford
in 1572 and for Berwick again in 1586 as well as a member of the Privy Council
during Queen Elizabeth's reign.
In July of 1584, the English government commissioned a survey
of the lands of Munster
, following the Desmond Rebellions
. Sir Valentine Browne was appointed this task which was to facilitate the plantation of Munster.
In a letter dated 10 October 1584 sent to Lord Burleigh
, he stated that "the work was so difficult as to have extended over three years." This knight then wrote from Askeaton
that he had "travailed hard in superintending the survey, passing through bogs and woods, scaling mountains, and crossing many bridgeless rivers and dangerous waters," waters in which he lost some of his horses, and was twice nearly lost himself; that his son had broken his arm, and that "the service was so severe that many of the men had fallen sick." He described the towns and villages as ruined, and that but one of thirty people was left alive. Desmond's lands, thus void of inhabitants, were, however, "replenished with wood, rivers, and fishings". Sir Valentine's companion, Henry Wallop
, expressed more optimism for English prospects in the region.
Browne’s survey resulted in the rebel lands being divided into 35 lots; he himself was granted 6500 acres (26.3 km²) of land in County Kerry
alone, in addition to earlier grants in Hospital, County Limerick
. He erected a castle nearby, which was called Kenmare Castle and in 1585 was MP for Sligo in the Irish Parliament.
He is the ancestor of the Earls of Kenmare
. The sons of his second marriage (to Thomasine, daughter of Robert Bacon} became landed proprietors in Munster whilst the son of his first marriage (to Alice or Elizabeth, the daughter of Robert Alexander) became High Sheriff of Lincolnshire
in 1593. His son Sir Nicholas married Sheila, a daughter of The O'Sullivan Beare, a clan with lands in West Cork. However, unlike most of the English settlers since the Reformation
, the Brownes soon reverted to the Catholic
faith, and though they can hardly be said to have become Gaelicised they were at least sufficiently identified with the old Gaelic
aristocracy
to be coupled with the great Irish families in a 17th-century Irish poem eulogising the old order. On 28 June 1588 he purchased the family's vast estates, including the Lakes of Killarney
, from the estate of Donald Maccarty, 1st Earl of Clancare.
He died in 1589 and was buried in St. Katherine’s church, Dublin, on 19 Feb 1589.
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, (later of Ross Castle
Ross Castle
Ross Castle is the ancestral home of the O'Donoghue clan though it is better known for its association with the Brownes of Killarney who owned it until recently...
, Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
) was an English politician.
Life
Valentine Browne was the son of Sir Valentine Browne of Croft, Lincolnshire and may have been educated at Trinity College, CambridgeTrinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. He was appointed Surveyor General of Ireland
Surveyor General of Ireland
The office of Surveyor General of Ireland was an appointed office under the Dublin Castle administration of Ireland in the 17th and 18th centuries. The Surveyor General was typically responsible for the surveying, design and construction of civic works, and was often involved in overseeing the...
in 1559 by Queen Elizabeth I of England, later being appointed Auditor General
Auditor General
- Auditor General of National Audit Offices :*Auditor General of the Australian National Audit Office*Auditor General of Canada*Auditor General of China*Auditor General of Pakistan*Auditor General for Scotland*Auditor-General...
.
Browne was elected an MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Berwick-on-Tweed in 1571, Thetford
Thetford (UK Parliament constituency)
Thetford was a constituency of the British House of Commons. It elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote system of election until it was disenfranchised in 1868...
in 1572 and for Berwick again in 1586 as well as a member of the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
during Queen Elizabeth's reign.
In July of 1584, the English government commissioned a survey
Commissioned survey
A commissioned survey is a kind of archaeological and social survey performed in return for money or goods.Typically, they were conducted in the pre colonial Era, as part of Age of European Enlightenment to study territories before colonization...
of the lands of Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
, following the Desmond Rebellions
Desmond Rebellions
The Desmond Rebellions occurred in 1569-1573 and 1579-1583 in the Irish province of Munster.They were rebellions by the Earl of Desmond – head of the FitzGerald dynasty in Munster – and his followers, the Geraldines and their allies against the threat of the extension of Elizabethan English...
. Sir Valentine Browne was appointed this task which was to facilitate the plantation of Munster.
In a letter dated 10 October 1584 sent to Lord Burleigh
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , KG was an English statesman, the chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign, twice Secretary of State and Lord High Treasurer from 1572...
, he stated that "the work was so difficult as to have extended over three years." This knight then wrote from Askeaton
Askeaton
Askeaton is a town in County Limerick, Ireland. Located on the N69, the town is built on the banks of the River Deel some 3 km upstream from the estuary of the River Shannon. There is also a secondary school in Askeaton...
that he had "travailed hard in superintending the survey, passing through bogs and woods, scaling mountains, and crossing many bridgeless rivers and dangerous waters," waters in which he lost some of his horses, and was twice nearly lost himself; that his son had broken his arm, and that "the service was so severe that many of the men had fallen sick." He described the towns and villages as ruined, and that but one of thirty people was left alive. Desmond's lands, thus void of inhabitants, were, however, "replenished with wood, rivers, and fishings". Sir Valentine's companion, Henry Wallop
Henry Wallop
Sir Henry Wallop was an English statesman.He was the eldest son of Sir Oliver Wallop of Farleigh Wallop in Hampshire. Having inherited the estates of his father and of his uncle, Sir John Wallop, he was knighted in 1569 and was chosen member of parliament for Southampton in 1572...
, expressed more optimism for English prospects in the region.
Browne’s survey resulted in the rebel lands being divided into 35 lots; he himself was granted 6500 acres (26.3 km²) of land in County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
alone, in addition to earlier grants in Hospital, County Limerick
Hospital, County Limerick
Hospital is a town in east County Limerick, Ireland. The town itself has a population of 1206 people as of the 2006 census but within a 2 km radius that number more than doubles.-Name:...
. He erected a castle nearby, which was called Kenmare Castle and in 1585 was MP for Sligo in the Irish Parliament.
He is the ancestor of the Earls of Kenmare
Earl of Kenmare
The title of Earl of Kenmare was created in the Peerage of Ireland in 1801. It became extinct upon the death of the 7th Earl in 1952.All of the Earls bore the subsidiary titles of Viscount Castlerosse , Viscount Kenmare , and Baron Castlerosse in the Peerage of Ireland...
. The sons of his second marriage (to Thomasine, daughter of Robert Bacon} became landed proprietors in Munster whilst the son of his first marriage (to Alice or Elizabeth, the daughter of Robert Alexander) became High Sheriff of Lincolnshire
High Sheriff of Lincolnshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Lincolnshire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred...
in 1593. His son Sir Nicholas married Sheila, a daughter of The O'Sullivan Beare, a clan with lands in West Cork. However, unlike most of the English settlers since the Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, the Brownes soon reverted to the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
faith, and though they can hardly be said to have become Gaelicised they were at least sufficiently identified with the old Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
aristocracy
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
to be coupled with the great Irish families in a 17th-century Irish poem eulogising the old order. On 28 June 1588 he purchased the family's vast estates, including the Lakes of Killarney
Lakes of Killarney
The Lakes of Killarney are a renowned scenic attraction located near Killarney, County Kerry, in Ireland. They consist of three lakes - Lough Leane, Muckross Lake and Upper Lake.Lough Leane is the largest of the three lakes...
, from the estate of Donald Maccarty, 1st Earl of Clancare.
He died in 1589 and was buried in St. Katherine’s church, Dublin, on 19 Feb 1589.