CHARLES II (1630-1685), king of England, Scotland and Ireland. Letters patent, granting lands in the Barony of Ballybritt, County Offaly, to Warner Westenra merchant, Dublin, 25 August 1666.

CHARLES II (1630-1685), king of England, Scotland and Ireland. Letters patent, granting lands in the Barony of Ballybritt, County Offaly, to Warner Westenra merchant, Dublin, 25 August 1666.

In English. On vellum, two conjoined membranes, 580 x 700mm, hand-coloured engraved initial letter portrait of Charles II (c.180 x c.150mm) and decorative upper border featuring the royal arms and other devices, first line with illuminated engraved ornamental capitals, silk cords (lacking Great Seal of Ireland).

Decorative letters patent issued by Charles II granting lands in Ballybritt to a naturalised Dutch merchant. The grant is issued on the advice of James, Duke of Ormond, Lieutenant General and Governor General of Ireland, Sir Edward Smith, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas in Ireland, Sir Edward Dering, Sir Allen Brodrick, Surveyor General of Ireland, Sir Winston Churchill and Edward Cooke, commissioners for putting into execution the ‘Acts of Parliament lately made in our said Kingdom of Ireland one Intitled An Act for for the better execution of his Maiesties gracious Declaration for the settlement of his kingdom of Ireland & satisfaction of the severall Interest of Adventureres Souldiers & other his Subiect there’. The Westenra family came originally from Holland: Warner Westenra (d.1676) – described in the present document as a merchant – was the first to settle in Ireland and was made a free denizen of the country by act of Parliament in 1662. He was an ancestor of Warner Westenra, 2nd Baron Rossmore (1765-1842).