Richard Poer , of Corroghmore, co Waterford, Sheriff of co. Waterford, Ireland for more than twenty years. Regarding this powerful Anglo-Irish chieftain, an erroneous record exists, and one which should, I think, be placed in its proper light. It has been said (and apparently on good authority, and as if founded upon existing documents) that this Sir Richard le Poer was created Lord le Poer, Baron of Coroghmore, by Henry VI. in 1452. This statement has crept into the Annuary of the R.H.A.A.I. at page 181, and is found also in the “Peerage, by Sir B. Burke, under the title Waterford (where the very palpable mistake occurs of placing this Richard as the son and heir of Nicholas Poer, Baron of Donoyle, by Writ of Summons, whereas he was in reality his great-grandson, and that through his grand-mother Elenour). As a matter founded upon fact and indubitable records, no peerage was created in 1452 for any person bearing the name Poer. Lynch, in his work on Feudal Dignities,says, that no member of the Poer family was summoned among the barons from the fourteenth century until the year 1535, ... “Whereas, Richard Power is Sheriff of the County Waterford, and has been so for more than twenty years past, and he, out of his insatiate malice, as an enemy to God, and a rebel to the king, has by himself and people, and other rebels, made assault on the mayor, bailiffs, and commons of Waterford, both by sea and land, murdering and slaying divers of their citizens, and spoiling and robbing them of their goods, and has put many of them to fine and ransom, and not only the citizens, but also foreigners resorting to the city for trade, as English, French, Spaniards, Portugals, Britains, and Flemings, to the utter destruction of the said city; and as in all the countries round about the said city there live no lords, gentlemen, nor commons, arrayed in English habit, nor submitting to the king's obedience, nor governed by his laws, but only the wicked and damnable law called Brehon law, contrary to divers statutes made against Brehon law; and as about the said city there is no rule or government, but murder and spoiling, robbery, and an universal rebellion; therefore it is enacted that the mayor and common council of Waterford for the time being shall from henceforth have the full election of a sheriff of the County of Waterford for ever annually, and that said Richard Power shall be entirely divested of the said office. The Irish Builder This Richard was Lord of the manor. His grandson of the same first name - Richard, was raised to the peerage.
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