History of the Cosbys in Ireland
The Cosby family is of Saxon origin and trace their lineage back to the Saxon Kings of England, Pepin le Gros, Charlemagne, Rollo the Dane and William the Conqueror, the Kings of France, the Kings of Spain, and through the ancient Irish and Scottish Kings to Baoth, the great-grandson of Noah and on to Adam. (See Genesis, Chapters V, X, and XI; O'Hart's "Irish Pedigrees"; "Genealogical Chart of the Royal Houses of Europe," by Frederick L. Hartland; "Genealogies of the Sovereigns of the World," by William Betham; "Royal Descent of the Seymours," published in the "Journal of American History," Vol. V, page 585; "Burke's Peerage," 1904, page 1439, and "Burke's Landed Gentry," Volume I, page 266. They are also descended from twelve of the Sureties of the Magna Charta, wrested from King John of England (1199-1216) on the field of Runnemede-namely, William d'Albini, Roger Bigod, Hugh Bigod, Richard de Clare, Gilbert de Clare, John de Lacie, William de Lanvellei, William de Malet, Saher de Quincey, Robert de Ros, Geoffrey de Say, and Robert de Vere. The family possessed the lordship of Cossibey, County Leicester, England, previous to the Norman conquest (1066). It became settled in Ireland during the reign of Queen Mary (1553-1558). 1
Francis Cosby (or Cosbie) became the patriarch of the family in Ireland. He was a man famed for personal courage as well as civil and military talents. When young he served in the wars of King Henry VIII in the Low Countries and was not undistinguished. His abandonment of his native soil arose from the downfall of Sir Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford and first Duke of Somerset, the Lord Protector of England, who had fallen into disfavor and was afterwards beheaded. 1
After the disgrace and execution of the Duke of Somerset, in 1552, his immediate connections were excluded from and deprived of all hope of preferment. Francis Cosby with his two surviving sons by Mary Seymour, and with his second wife, Elizabeth Palmer, here in the land of his adoption (Ireland) soon found the opportunity of establishing a reputation which he had despaired of effecting in the land of his birth (England). He became an active member of the Pale against the inroads of the Irish, his vigilance, zeal, and success attracting the attention of the Government. He was appointed by Queen Mary, under Her Majesty's sign manual, dated February 14, 1558, General of the Kern, a position of great trust and importance in those times. 1
In 1559 he represented the borough of Thomaston in Parliament, when he was constituted by Queen Elizabeth as Sheriff of the County of Kildare, being denominated in his patent, dated January 24, in the first year of Her Majesty's reign, "of Even" now "Minster Even", which place he held under an old grant from the Crown, and was invested at the same time with the extaordinary and unenviable privilege of exercising martial law under his own authority solely, and of dealing out punishments, even the most penal, as he should deem meet. 1
O'Hart, in his "Irish Pedigrees," states that "after Leix had been formed into a county the following seven families were the chief English settlers during the reigns of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth and were called the seven tribes, namely, Cosby, Harrington, Bowen, Rush, Harpole, Hitherington, and Hovedon." 1
Given Stradbally Abbey, Irish castle, Queens Co. Ireland, 1558. 1
General Francis Cosby fell in the battle of Glenmalure, at the head of the Kern which he valiantly led to the charge although then 70 years of age (1580). 1
From Polly's Family Biographies - General Francis Cosbie *** information provided by Charles Demastus, Demastus@aol.com, Sept. 1997
Killed in the battle with the O'Moores, Queen Co., Ireland. Alexander Cosby, Esq., of Stradbally Abbey, appears to have been engaged most of his time in clan warfare with the O'Moores, the hereditary princes of Leix. Camden, in his "Life of Queen Elizabeth," recites that he was once taken by Rory Oge O'Moore near Leighlin, and that he was rescued by Harpole when bound to a tree, but not before being badly wounded by Rory Oge's knife. The feud with the O'Moores endured in all its lawless violence until it came to an issue in 1596, when Anthony O'Moore, the chief of the clan bearing his name, demanded a passage over Stradbally bridge and made preparations to force it, but the demand, being deemed by Cosby to be a challenge, was promptly denied. The attempt being made by the O'Moores, on the 19th of May, 1596, the Lord of Stradbally, at the head of his Kernand accompanied by his eldest son and heir, Francis Cosby, engaged in combat on the bridge, the contest being witnessed from a window in the abbey by Dorcas Sydney and her daughter-in-law Ellen. Francis Cosby had married about a year before, Ellen Harpole, daughter of Thomas Harpole, Esq., of Thurle, and had a son, William Cosby, but nine weeks old. In the conflict Alexander Cosby received a mortal wound which instantly turned the tide of battle. Francis Cosby, fearing that he would be entirely abandoned, went over the bridge in the hope of making good his retreat to the abbey, but the instant that he cleared the battlements he was mortally wounded and fell dead into the river.1
These scenes, one would suppose, would have appalled the now widowed ladies who witnessed them, yet it is recorded that Ellen Harpole, with cool presence of mind, cautioned her mother-in-law to retain her recollection how the elder Cosby fell before his son, her husband, who had thus inherited the estates for a few minutes, entitling her to her thirds of dowry. It is not stated how the ladies escaped, but the infant, William Cosby, was carried off and preserved by his nurse. O'Moore, pursuing his victory, took possession of the abbey and, after sacking it of its valuables, consigned it to flames.1
Richard Cosby succeeded to the estates and became captain of the Kern and was eager to avenge the deaths of his father and brother. He challenged the O'Moores to a pitched battle and the contending clans met once more (1606) in the Glyn of Aggrabily under the Rock of Dunnamace, when a most bloody conflict ensued, terminating in the triumph of Cosby and the total defeat of his foes who were never afterwards able to defeat him. Capt. Richard Cosby received so many wounds in action that he could not be moved to Stradbally and was carried to Dysert House, then the seat of Sir Robert Pigot. His daughter, Elizabeth Pigot, nursed him with so much kindness and so much care that he asked her hand in marriage and she became his wife soon after his re-establishment at Stradbally.1
In order to repair the fortunes of the family occasioned by the loss of family records at the time of the burning of Stradbally Abbey, Richard Cosby obtained under commission of King James for the remedy of defective titles, a new title of the same import of the old one, which is still extant.1
Richard Cosby and Elizabeth Pigot left children, some of whose descendants still are living in Ireland. Governor William Cosby, of New York, and Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, was descended from Richard Cosby and Elizabeth Pigot.1
From Pollys Family Biographies - Alexander Cosby *** information provided by Charles Demastus, Demastus@aol.com, Sept. 1997
To add to this history, or to make comments, please contact the above or me, Bob Cozby at coz@calpha.com
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