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The catholics of the towns and the quarterage dispute in eighteenth-century Ireland
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 July 2016
Extract
Writers on eighteenth-century Ireland frequently refer to a levy called quarterage, and explain it as a special tax which the corporations exacted from catholic merchants, traders and craftsmen during the period of the penal laws.
George Unwin, in his Gilds and companies of London, speaks of quarterage as a sort of medieval insurance. When the quarterly subscription was 3d. the societies offered 14d. a week to ‘sick or unfortunate members’. The money derived from quarterage was used also in other ways. Provision was sometimes made by guilds for schools. Cesses were levied on them from time to time for the defence of their cities, provision of fire engines, etc., and much money was spent in maintaining a guild-hall, paying salaries of officials and on entertainment.
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References
1 Cornelius Nary, The case of the Roman Catholics of Ireland humbly represented to both houses of parliament in 1724 in relation to a bill now under consideration (appended to Hugh Reily’s Genuine history of Ireland, 1762), pp. 127-8. ‘ Tracts on the popery laws’, in The works and correspondence of the Rt Hon. Edmund Burke (London, 1852), vi. 10. W. T. Wolfe Tone, Life of Theobald Wolfe Tone (Washington, 1826), i. 483. Matthew O’Conor, The history of the Irish catholics, p. 329. T. Wyse, Historical sketch of the late Catholic Association of Ireland, i. 85. Lecky, Ire., ii. 195.
2 Unwin, , Gilds and companies of London, p. 119 Google Scholar
3 In 1682, members of the guild of coopers of London were committed to prison for refusing to pay quarterage. Foster, W., A short history of the worshipful company of coopers of London, p. 52.Google Scholar
4 Steele, , Tudor & Stuart proclam., ii. 103.Google Scholar
5 Letter and report on the Irish corporations, made by the earl of Essex, lord lieutenant of Ireland, to Coventry, 23 Jan. 1774-5 (P.R.O., London), quoted in Peter Gale, An inquiry into the ancient corporate system of Ireland, appendix xxiii. An undated copy of the report is in Essex papers, ed. Osmund Airy, pp. 314-16 (Camden Society, 1890).
6 2 Anne, c. 6.
7 In a letter of 23 Mar. 1686, James II stated that he was informed ‘that there is no law in this kingdom that excludes them [catholics] from being capable of being free of towns or cities’ (Cal. anc. rec. Dublin, v. 389-90). See also Scully, A statement of the penal laws, p. 103.
8 Even in Limerick and Galway the law excluding catholics soon became a dead letter; Lecky, Ire., ii. 343, 345.
9 Cal. anc. rec. Dublin, v- 626-7. This happened in Dublin in 1690 during a strike of butchers and cooks; and again during a bakers’ strike in 1698-99; Webb, Guilds of Dublin, p. 197. In Drogheda in 1725, during a bread scarcity, all persons, whether free or not, were allowed to make and sell bread without paying quarterage (D’Alton, Hist, of Drogheda, i. 184).
10 The catholic franchise was not abolished until 1727, 1 Geo. ii, c. 9.
11 As time went on this changed and frequently persons became guild members first, and freemen afterwards. In 1793, when the corporate franchise was restored to catholics, some few of them were admitted to the Dublin guilds but were refused the freedom of the city- Scully, Statement of the penal laws, p. 106.
12 Lujo Brentano in his History and development of gilds, p. cxxix, says that in England the right of persons to exercise their crafts and sell their manufactures depended upon the freedom of the city- The fullers of Lincoln were an exception : they admitted strangers on paying a tax to the guild. Charles Gross, The gild merchant (1890), p. 49, cites several examples of non-freemen paying tax to the guild merchant. They were called ‘censers’ or ‘tensers’ from the verb ‘tensare’
Marwick, in Edinburgh guilds and crafts, pp. 20O-202, 206, gives an account of how in that city people who were unable to purchase their freedom were permitted to take part in certain ‘low and inconsiderable branches of trade ’under licences which were renewable annually, and which cost from 3 to 10. They were known as ‘ tolerate stallangers’ forobablv from the word ‘stall’).
13 Charters and documents of the Dublin corporation of cutlers, painters, stainers and stationers, or guild of St Luke the evangelist, transcribed for J. T. Gilbert, 1868, p. 19 (Gilbert MSS, Dublin Corporation Libraries, Pearse St., Dublin), hereafter cited as ‘ St Luke Guild MS’ The originals are deposited with Messrs H. Sibthorpe and Son, 33 Molesworth St., but are not easily available.
14 Cal. anc. rec. Dublin, v. 84.
15 Ibid., v. 131.
16 In the guild of St Luke in 1670 a quarter-brother paid 5s. quarterage, and gave a bond of £10 that he would pay his quarterage and obey the guild laws. A freeman paid an admission fee of £4 and Is. quarterage, and gave a bond of £20 (St Luke Guild MS, pp. 19-20).
In the felt-makers’ company in 1672 free brothers paid a quarterage of 4s. a year, while quarter-brothers paid 5s. a quarter. (H. F. Berry, 1 The records of the felt-makers’ company of Dublin ’, in R.S.A.IJn., series 6, i. 30-1 (1911).)
17 Cal. anc. rec. Dublin, v. 189. It is stated that the repeal of the order of 1675 had encouraged ‘many persons to avoid the freedom of the city and become shopkeepers and quarter-brothers, to the scandal of the city government and the decrease of its revenue’
18 Ibid., v 426;
19 Ibid., v 509; vi. 7-8
20 Council book of Cork, ed. Caulfield, pp. 214-5, 239-40.
21 ‘Romans’ may possibly be the same as ‘quarter-brothers ’ though the term is not used in this guild until 1705. The guild brethren paid their quarterage fairly well, though the amount is not stated. Instead an X is placed opposite the name to indicate each quarterly payment. ‘Foreigners’ exceeded the Romans’ considerably in numbers, and usually paid a higher quarterage (from 2s. 6d. to 10s.). In 1701 out of fourteen ‘ Romans ‘ only three paid their quarterage in full and a note is placed opposite two of the names saying that they have not paid ‘since the break of the Boyne’ (T.C.D., MS 1447).
22 St Luke Guild MS, p. 51.
23 In a petition to parliament in 1766, the non-freemen of Dublin complain that these quarterage exactions ‘have no limit but the discretion of those who impose them ’ (Commons’ jn. Ire., 14 Feb. 1766).
24 In 1671 Samuel Clarridge was admitted an unsworn member of the guild of merchants in Dublin, on payment of a fine of £5, and an annual payment of 10s. (Webb, Guilds of Dublin, p. 147). He was a Quaker and not a catholic as Webb suggests; see Isabel Grubb, Quakers in Ireland, p. 51, and Cal. anc. rec. Dublin, v. p. xlvii.
25 In 1695 the mayor of Cork fixed the quarterage payable by the ’ poor protestant’ bakers of Cork, who complained to him of the manner in which the guild of bakers abused their privileges (Council book of Cork, p. 246).
26 Ibid., pp. 214-5.
27 Ibid., p. 260.
28 Wyse, Catholic Association, i. 85, says that quarterage was some times called intrusion, but this is incorrect.
29 Commons’ jn. Ire., 13 May 1768.
30 James C. MdWalter, A history of the worshipful company of apothecaries of the city of Dublin, p. 24.
31 Council book of Cork, p. 266. An effort was being made in Cork as late as 1706 to enforce this rule in the society of coopers (ibid., pp. 319-20).
32 Book of quarterages and entry of foreigners; records of the corporation of barber-surgeons.
33 In 1697 the quarter-brothers of the corporation of butchers in Dublin petitioned against the master of the corporation for preventing them from following their trade (Commons’ jn. Ire., 9 Aug. 1697).
In the same year the quarter-brothers of the corporation of coopers petitioned against their corporation for restraining them in the matter of taking apprentices (Commons’ jn. Ire., 23 Nov. 1697).
In November of that year one Ignatius Fraine, merchant, petitioned parliament stating that he had been arrested by the corporation of butchers for having slaughtered cattle, and for having ‘employed butchers about same ’. The master and wardens were arrested as a result (Commons’ jn. Ire., 23, 24, 26, 27 Nov. 1697; 1 Dec. 1698).
34 Records of the corporation of barber-surgeons. These bonds are bound in a leather cover on which is written ‘ Bond from a quarter brother to the master’ There are 58 bonds signed, sealed and witnessed. Of these, 26 were entered into in 1705, and none are dated later than April 1733. Quarterage in those years varied from 2s. 6d. to 6s. a quarter, by far the majority paying 2s. 6d.
35 Webb, Guilds of Dublin, pp. 243-5, gives an example of this in 1760, when the whole guild of barber-surgeons supported a quarter- brother named Gaynor, who was taking action against his journeymen. The same guild held a meeting of masters, wardens, brethren and quarter- brothers to discuss steps to be taken against combinations of journeymen (Records of the corporation of barber-surgeons : Minute book, 10 Oct. 1757).
36 Documents of the guild of tailors of Dublin, 1296-1753, transcribed in 1867 for J- T. Gilbert, pp. 92-3 (Gilbert MSS, Dublin Corporation Libraries, Pearse St., Dublin, hereafter cited as Tailors’ Guild MS).
37 On 18 July 1748, it was decreed in the Dublin guild of barber- surgeons that no brother should be allowed to take part in any guild entertainment until he should pay his quarterage (Minute book of the corporation of barber-surgeons). In February 1767, when the quarterage dispute was at its height, free brothers in the Dublin guild of St Luke oaid an annual Quarterage of AS. A.d. (St Luke Guild MS. D. 58).
38 In 1733 the guild of merchants in Dublin urged that hawkers’ goods be confiscated, as these people injured ‘shopkeepers who regularly paid their quarterage’, but in 1773 the same guild states that ‘almost the only emoluments which they possessed arose from a quarterage paid by non-freemen’ (Charters and documents of the guild of the Holy Trinity or Merchant Guild of Dublin, 1438-1824, transcribed in 1867 for J. T. Gilbert, ii. 197, 242 (Gilbert MSS, Dublin Corporation Libraries, Pearse St., Dublin, hereafter cited as ‘Trinity Guild MS’ ).
39 In Youghal as early as 1717 only non-freemen paid quarterage (Council book of Youghal, p. 412). A petition from Clonmel to parliament makes it clear that in that town only quarter-brothers paid quarter age (Commons’ jn. Ire., 10 Feb. 1774).
40 Figures have already been given for some of the Dublin guilds, which show that 6^. a quarter was the highest figure demanded. In Youghal ‘ papists were admitted to follow their trade … on their paying a small sum quarterly not exceeding three shillings nor less than one shilling’ (Commons’ jn. Ire., 5 Feb. 1766). In Clonmel quarterage did not exceed 3^. and could be as low as 6d. a quarter (Commons’ jn. Ire., 10 Feb. 1774).
41 ‘The constant recurrence of degradation’, he writes, ‘lowered them in their own estimation, and rendered them crouching and pusillanimous. Sorrow and dejection were stamped on their foreheads; their timid gait and cautious reserve marked their abject condition. They did not dare to look a protestant in the face, they avoided the side of the street he walked, just as the slave evades the stern countenance of the master’ (The history of the Irish catholics, pp. 329-30).
42 Apart from Dublin and Cork, many other towns passed by-laws against the catholics. Clonmel excluded them in 1713 (W. P. Burke, History of Clonmel, p. 145). Cavan imposed the oath of abjuration on all freemen in 1704 (T. S. Smith, History of Cavan, p. 23). Ryland, History of Waterford, p. 91, states that the protestant tradesmen in Waterford banded themselves into groups called ‘ hammermen \ and paraded the town at assize time demanding quarterage from Roman Catholic tradesmen. When these refused to pay they had their doors and windows nailed up. (In Youghal the company of hammermen included goldsmiths, blacksmiths, carpenters, joiners, shipwrights and others who used hammers, R.S.A.IJn., series 6, vii. 48.)
43 A. E. Murray, A history of the commercial and financial relations between England and Ireland from the period of the restoration (1903), pp. 91-2.
Cornelius Nary, Case of the Roman Catholics (1724) writes: ‘It is well known that the Roman Catholic merchants carry on more than half the trade of the kingdom, and pay more custom and duty for imported goods than all the protestants in it ’.
In 1709 Cork council decided to petition parliament to restrain papists from carrying on foreign trade, which, if not prevented, they would ‘ingross to themselves to the unspeakable prejudice of the protestant merchants and traders ’ (Council book of Cork, p. 335).
44 Records of the corporation of barber-surgeons, minute book, 28 Feb. 1714: ‘quarter brothers and foreigners will be fined one shilling every time they fail to pay their quarterage ’
45 Council book of Cork, p. 283 : Ordered ‘ that the power granted the corporation by charter for seizing all goods sold by non-freemen, and disposing of them for the use of the corporation, be put into execution ’ (1700).
46 Apart from an act which limited catholics to two apprentices except in the linen trade (8 Anne, c. 3), and an act which excluded them from the gunsmiths’ and ironmongery trades (7 William c. 5), the statute law did not impose any other disabilities on the catholic commercial classes. The guild of St Loy of Dublin, on behalf of the gunsmiths, petitioned parliament in 1711, complaining that papists deceitfully make guns and pistols; so this law was evidently disregarded at an early date. Commons’ jn. Ire,, 6 Nov. 1711.
47 Council book of Cork, p. 393.
48 Ibid., p. 430.
49 Ibid, p. 506. It was decided in the council that the mayor and aldermen should be defended at the expense of the corporation from any ‘vexatious suit or trouble’ brought against them by persons who refused to pay their quarterage
50 McWalter, , Apothecaries of Dublin, pp. 11–12.Google Scholar
51 Council book of Cork, pp. 684, 687-90.
52 Ibid., pp. 697, 702, 708, 711.
53 Council book of Cork, pp. 712-3, 716-9.
54 Linehan, , History of Limerick, p. 347.Google Scholar
55 Burke, W. P., History of Clonmel, p. 146.Google Scholar Both Linehan and Burke give the name of the catholic plaintiff incorrectly as Mahoney-Names of eight non-freemen, who were involved in quarterage suits with the mayor, are given in the Council book of Cork, but the name Mahoney is not among them. The name of the mayor was Swete, and not Streete as given by Burke.
56 Council book of Cork, pp. 734-5.
57 Ibid., pp. 746, 768-9.
58 Council book of Cork, p. 798.
59 Ibid., pp. 768-9, 781.
60 Commons’ jn. Ire., 25 Jan. 1766.
61 Ibid., 31 Jan. 1766.
62 Ibid., 3 Feb. 1766. This petition cost the corporation of Dublin £178. CaL anc. rec. Dublin, xi. 339.
63 Commons’ jn. Ire., 5 Feb. 1766.
64 Ibid., 10 Feb. 1766.
65 Ibid., 15 Feb. 1766.
66 Commons’ ]n. Ire., 5 Feb. 1766. The Freeman’s Journal, 23 Nov 1765, has a note from Youghal hoping that the other corporations of Munster will follow their example, and present petitions. ‘ This is no time \ it states, * to give the papists any encouragement’
67 In Cork several ‘ popish tradesmen’ had been involved in each lawsuit. Council book of Cork, pp. 712-3, 716-9, 746, 768-9. The petitions from the corporations of Cork, Dublin, Youghal, Limerick and New Ross refer to ‘ combinations’ forming against quarterage. If protestant non-freemen were involved in these disputes, the fact does not emerge from the evidence available.
68 Founded in Dublin in 1760 by Dr John Curry, Thomas Wyse and some Dublin merchants. Since 1763, however, it had almost ceased to function. See Wyse, Historical sketch of the late Catholic Association of Ireland, i. 67-89; O’Conor, Matthew, A history of the Irish catholics, pp. 260–300.Google Scholar
69 Commons’ jn. Ire.
70 Ibid.
71 Ibid., 26 Feb. 1766.
72 Ibid., 28 Feb. 1766.
73 Ibid., 25 Jan. 1766.
74 Ibid., 3 Nov. 1767. The other cities and towns were included later. Ibid., 9 Mar. 1768.
75 Ibid., 2O Feb. 1768. This petition was almost certainly drawn up by the Catholic Committee, as it differs very slightly from the petitions presented by the committee in the years from 1772 to 1778.
76 Ibid., 9 Mar. 1768.
77 Trinity Guild MS, ii. 230.
78 History of the Irish catholics, pp. 329-30. O’Conor writes that the lord lieutenant was so impressed with their arguments that ‘he ordered the bill to be quashed’
79 Dublin Mercury, 23 Jan. 1768. ‘Viscount Taaffe waited on their majesties in St. James’s, being just returned from Germany ’
80 Matthew O’Conor, MS continuation of the history of the Irish catholics (in the possession of the Rev. Charles O’Conor Don, SJ.).
81 Commons’ jn. Ire., 7 May 1768. This address states that the heads of a bill was ‘ unexpectedly interrupted in its passage to the throne ’
82 Ibid., 12 May 1768.
83 Ibid., 13 May 1768.
84 Ibid., 7 May 1768. This address expresses concern at ‘the fatal and unexpected stroke the bill has met with in the course of its progress ’
85 Ibid., 13 May 1768.
86 Records of the corporation of barber-surgeons. Minute book, 25 Oct. 1769.
87 Commons’ jn. Ire., 24 Dec. 1771.
88 Archiv. Hib.j ix. 6. The minute book of the Catholic Committee is preserved in the National Library of Ireland. It has been printed in full in Archiv. Hib. ix.
89 Commons’ jn. Ire., 28 Feb. 1772.
90 Archiv. Hib., ix. 4. The sum of £247 had been collected by the Catholic Committee to oppose this measure and £113 was expended between 26 Jan. and 18 April 1772. Ibid., p. 6.
91 Commons’ jn. Ire., 18 Mar. 1772. The Dublin city council solicited the aid of the privy council to have this bill passed. Cal. dnc. rec. Dublin, xii. 178.
92 Public Journal, 16 Mar. 1772. As early as 1714 it was presented by a grand jury at Kinsale that the guilds ‘ spend the [quarterage] money idly’. Anal. Hib.t no. 15, p. 183.
93 Archiv. Hib., ix. 3, 7, 9, 12, 13, 15.
94 Ibid., pp. 3-5, 22-3.
95 In 1773 the non-freemen of Drogheda also received the financial support of the Catholic Committee in a lawsuit. Archiv. Hib.y ix. 3, 4, 13, 17, 22.
96 Dublin Gazette, 15 July 1773.
97 Archiv. Hib., ix. 7.
98 Commons’ jn. IretJ 30 Nov. 1773.
99 Archiv. Hib., ix. 12-13.
100 Ibid., ix. 13.
101 This petition is reproduced in full in Archiv. Hib., ix. I4-I5- See also Commons’ jn. Ire., 13 Dec. 1773.
102 Commons’ jn. Ire., 26 Jan. 1774.
103 Ibid., 8 Feb. 1774.
104 Ibid., 29 Jan. 1774.
105 Ibid., 10 Feb. 1774.
106 Hibernian Journal, 11 Feb. 1774.
107 Commons’ jn. Ire., 23 Feb. 1774.
108 Hibernian Journal, 28 Feb. 1774. This paper gives the substance of the bill as follows :—
| Intrusion | Quarterage | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| £ | s | s | |
| Non-freemen having not more than three apprentices | 0 | 6 | 4 per year |
| Non-freemen having more than three apprentices | 0 | 8 | 4 „ „ |
| Non-freemen working for himself | 0 | 2 | 1 „ „ |
| Freemen having not more than three apprentices | 0 | 10 | 4 „ „ |
| Freemen having more than three apprentices | 1 | 0 | 6 „ „ |
| Freemen working for himself | 0 | 4 | 2 „ „ |
109 Faulkner’s Dublin Journal, 17 Mar. 1774.
110 Freeman’s Journal, 15 Feb. 1774. The committee’s opposition to the quarterage bill had cost them the sum of £103 is. 6d. This covered cost of printing the petitions, fees to Hogan (the agent), for himself and for feeing counsel, fees to the clerk of the house of commons and a small ’ compliment’ amounting to £19 is. yd., to the clerks of the privy council (Archiv. Hib.j ix. 26).
111 Commons’ jn. Ire.
112 Archiv. Hib., ix. 28.
113 Freeman’s Journal, 17 Feb. 1776.
114 Commons’ jn. Ire., 28 Feb. 1778.
115 Archiv. Hib., ix. 28-30.
116 Hibernian Journal, 27-30 Oct. 1775.
117 Writing to North, 20 Dec. 1772, George III says: ‘ The extract from Mr Lee’s letter to Mr Robinson shows the common council of Dublin to be of the same metal as that of London, and I trust will have as little weight on the minds of the Irish at large as guild-hall patriots have on the sentiments of this island ‘ Correspondence of George III, ed. Fortescue, ii. 418).
118 St Luke Guild MS, pp. 96, 100, 106. The ‘ secret influence’ referred to is very probably the crown.