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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Lovely sketched Irish heraldry by #17c historian, Sir James Ware, incl. coat of arms of Ireland with an argent issuing from triple towered tower. However, the three antique crowns is Munster and the armed hand is Connacht. That featuring a (red) stag walking is actually that of the MacCarthy Mór

Sketch of Irish coat of arms of Ireland with an argent issuing from triple towered tower by Sir James Ware. He mistakes Leinster for Munster, and Munster for Connacht, however. The three antique crowns is Munster and the armed hand is Connacht. Also, the kings of Cork featuring a stag walking is actually that of the MacCarthy Mór

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

A well used bible but love detailed imagery. This Lutheran Bible (Nuremberg, 1747) was brought to Moncton, New Brunswick #Canada, by Heinrich Stief in 1766. Effectively a new edition at the time but no doubt used for German settler community and possibly a tool to convert the natives #bookhistory

Lutheran Bible (Nuremberg, 1747). Brought to Moncton, New Brunswick, by Heinrich Stief in 1766

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

It’s the annual Tudor and Stuart Ireland conference this week with its usual fabulous array of papers and speakers. Of particular note is session 3 on #earlymodern Irish women. Details and registration here: tudorstuartireland.com/2026-confere...

Programme of Tudor and Stuart Ireland conference day 1

Programme of Tudor and Stuart Ireland conference day 2

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Earlier this week I was informed that “The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Early Modern Women's Writing” is now published. It's a phenomenal effort by the editors but selling at a phenomenal price too. I've published some stuff in it so if any one doesn't have access happy to share my work #earlymodern

Feature-length article on early modern female book ownership (c. 1500-1700)

Biographical entry on seventeenth-century French novelist Madame de La Fayette

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

The #manuscript copy of Sir James Ware's Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland 1169-1272. He'd never published this meticulous #earlymodern work, though his annals for the Tudor period were printed in 1664 #bookhistory. Given this glorious penmanship by a #17thc scribe, why would you publish it?

Sir James Ware's manuscript copy of the annals of the kingdom of Ireland from the first coming of the English under King Henry II to the end of the reign of Henry III. This work would never be published.

The opening chapter of Ware's annals of the kingdom of Ireland which relays the coming of the Normans following the invitation of Diarmait Mac Murchada, king of Leinster, in 1169.

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

Always fascinated by the way contemporary #earlymodern scholars engaged with other works of interest. Here is one knowledgeable #17thc reader inserting a bio of Philip Pinson (archbishop of Tuam for three days!) whom the author omitted: Ware's catalogue of the archbishops of Cashel and Tuam (1626)

Contemporary 17th century reader inserting a short biography of Philip Pinson of Tuam in Sir James Ware's 'Catalogue of the Archbishops of Cashel & Tuam'. The author omitted Pinson from the list of archbishops, although the prelate only held the post for three days!

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 04/02/2026

The very striking late #medieval Tholsel in Carlingford, Co. Louth. This fifteenth-century construction brought visitors into the main street but its designs were as much defensive as they were for collecting tax. A handy reminder to those who had other ideas…

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

Beauty amid the bleakness: the recent cold snap showing the #18thc Castletown estate in all its glory #Kildare. Once the home of William Conolly, speaker of the Irish House of Commons (1715-29), now a fabulous public accessible wonderland

Picture of eighteen-century estate at Castletown, Kildare

Image of a stark yet striking tree on the Castletown estate. Winter beauty

Looking out on the Castletown estate with frost and fog evident in the fields

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 13/11/2025

The standing remains of the largely #16thc castle of Dunluce #Antrim. Home to the MacDonnells from the 1550s it boasts some of the most spectacular scenes in Ireland. Despite the Baltic temperatures 🥶 this was one day well spent #earlymodern

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 10/11/2025

It appears everybody is 'ill satisfied' in January 1637, at least in the eyes of the second viscount Conway anyway. Something tells me he's not entirely the life of the party #earlymodern

Letter from Edward, Lord Conway, to Sir Thomas Wentworth (lord deputy of Ireland) reporting how notable figures in England are all 'ill satisfied'

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

In good news (well, for a small minority) I’ve been given permission to return to Bluesky. In better news for #earlymodern folk, it’s a timely return as I’ve got proofs for my latest #bookhistory work on female book ownership 1500-1700 #HerBook

Proofs of new chapter coming out on Female Book Ownership 1500-1700

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

Always fascinated by #17thc historians and how they structured and took notes of their research. Here's an example of the Irish historian, Sir James Ware, trawling through the Register of St Werburgh's in #Chester and listing archdeacons who served in Irish dioceses in the #medieval period

Sir James Ware's notes from The Register of St Werburgh's in Chester in which he creates a list archdeacons who served in Irish dioceses in the medieval period

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

A manuscript copy of Edmund Campion’s #16thc ‘Two bokes of the Histories of Ireland’. The many names on the title page provide a fascinating insight into its popularity and how widely circulated Campion’s work was before Sir James Ware published it in 1633 #bookhistory

A manuscript copy of Edmund Campion’s Two bokes of the Histories of Ireland with evidence of numerous names of contemporary readers

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 02/06/2025

Nicely corrected defective page of Sir James Ware's De Praesulibus Lageniae (Dublin, 1628) in, what appears to be, #17thc hand #bookhistory

Possible contemporary effort to correct a page in one of the episcopal biographies of Ware's work on the bishops of Leinster.

Reverse side of the same biography. Again, the hand suggests this was a book owner from the 17th century who tried to correct the page

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

28 April 1630: Richard Boyle, first earl of Cork, learns from his agent in London #otd that William Laud was appointed chancellor of University of Oxford: "I hear that by the university the election is questioned, which (if is should be) more like to breed some heart burning in the court."

Portrait of the Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud (a somewhat controversial figure in his day...)

The recently published Letterbox of Richard Boyle, first earl of Cork, by the Irish Manuscripts Commission

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 25/04/2025

Well, Istanbul, it’s been a brilliant week. A bit shaky in the middle but what a brilliant place to visit

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Such a pleasure to be at last night’s launch of the Letterbook of Richard Boyle, 1st earl of Cork (1629-34) edited by @bridmcgrath.bsky.social, Dave Edwards and the late Aidan Clarke. As always beautifully produced by the amazing Irish Manuscripts Commission

The Letterbook of Richard Boyle, first earl of Cork (1629-34)

Bríd McGrath noting the crucial contribution of the late Aidan Clarke and thanking the wonderful duo of John McCafferty and Cathy Hayes who are key to the IMC’s success

Prof John Morrill launching the Letterbook of Richard Boyle, first earl of Cork

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

The Confession of #StPatrick, transcribed by the renowned #earlymodern scholar Archbishop James Ussher for his former student, Sir James Ware. Ware published this transcript with a critical analysis of all works allegedly attributed to Patrick in 1656 - the same year of Ussher's death #bookhistory

A manuscript transcription of St Patrick's Confession by an ageing James Ussher. This would be subsequently published by his former student, Sir James Ware, in 1656.

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 17/03/2025

Given it's St Patrick's Day, your timely reminder that it was the historian, Sir James Ware (1594-1666), who was the first to print St Patrick's Confession in his work: S. Patricio, qui Hibernos ad fidem Christi convertit, adscripta opuscula (London, 1656) (image EEBO)

Sir James Ware, S. Patricio, qui Hibernos ad fidem Christi convertit, adscripta opuscula (London, 1656). This work critically assessed all the main works that were associated with St Patrick. Through extensive research, and determined to set the record straight, Ware noted that almost all were not actually by St Patrick

Ware's transcription of St Patrick's Confession, which was printed for the first time in 1656

Portrait of the noted Irish historian, Sir James Ware (1594-1666)

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 01/03/2025

Delighted and excited to hear that my #bookhistory chapter, which discusses the important role the Irish Protestant community played in preserving crucial #medieval #manuscripts in #17thc, is now published. And look at that cover 🤩

New publication with Four Courts Press: The Church of Ireland under the Stuarts, edited by Patrick Little, which discusses the religious, political, and cultural contribution of the church in seventeenth-century Ireland

My chapter 'Preserving the past: history, manuscripts and belonging, c 1600-41' which discusses the role of the Irish Protestant community in preserving crucial medieval manuscripts and how this forces us to re-evaluate our understanding of the settler society

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

So many readers! The hugely popular #manuscript copy of Edmund Campion’s Historie of Ireland (1571). It was used as a source in Holinshed’s The historie of Irelande (1577), but was given its rightful place in Irish scholarship by Sir James Ware who published it (with Hamner & Spenser) in 1633

The title page of a manuscript copy of The Historie of Ireland (1571) by the Jesuit Edmund Campion. A hugely influential work in early modern Irish scholarship

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

Reading an old #herbook piece by Charles Elton on Christina of Sweden’s library. As engaging as the reference-less assessment was, my lasting impression are those eye catching artistic flourishes. Publishers should bring them back

Beautiful artistic flourishes in the introduction of Charles Elton’s essay on Christina of Sweden and her books

Creative artists designs to denote the end of the essay

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 04/01/2025

Earl of Cork's advice to son on his future wife: 'carry yourself towards her with all Fairness, decency and respect, till you have gained her love and heart, and made both your hearts one, always remembering that you do not marry only to please yourself, but to please your wife as well as yourself'

Portrait of Richard Boyle, first earl of Cork

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

The beautiful Oughterard, Co. Kildare #Ireland. Site of a monastery founded by St Bríga (not the St Bridget) in #6thc but later burned by Viking king of Dublin, Sitric. It’s best known as the resting place of Arthur #Guinness, who founded the Guinness Brewery at St. James's Gate in 1759

Sun setting behind the round tower at Oughterard in Co. Kildare, Ireland

Mausoleum of Arthur Guinness (d. 1803), founder of the Guinness Brewery in Dublin

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 17/12/2024

Lovely to get hands on my latest article. ✅ interested in treason? ✅ interested in politics of religion? ✅ interested in manipulating #17thc law? Well I’ve got your #earlymodern needs covered!

Article: The interrogation of Gerald Keating: trouble, tension and treason

Front page: The interrogation of Gerald Keating: trouble, tension and treason

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 01/12/2024

Really interesting #bookhistory example of an #earlymodern reader’s engagement with his book. Here the owner (likely a Catholic) corrects a #15thc biographical entry and adds a missing archbishop in James Ware’s #17thc Catalogue of the Archbishops of Cashel & Tuam (1626)

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

Proofs! Coming your way in 2025 for the #earlymodern and #bookhistory crew. My latest work on the role of the Irish Protestant community in preserving crucial #medieval #manuscripts and how this forces us to re-evaluate our understanding of the settler society in #17thc Ireland

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 26/10/2024

You guys should visit the fabulous Boyle monument in St Patrick’s Cathedral. Plenty of acknowledgment of the female line. @clodaghtait.bsky.social has written quite a lot on this and other Boyle tombs at Youghal and Kent

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 07/03/2024

Revisions done! My latest work: Preserving the past: history, manuscripts and belonging, is one step closer to publication #earlymodern #bookhistory #c17 #skystorians

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 15/12/2023

Was delighted to be at the launch of the Oxford History of British & Irish Catholicism @molimuseum.bsky.social marking the phenomenal achievement of my influential teacher, supervisor, mentor & friend of 20 years Prof John McCafferty and the equally brilliant & fun Dr James Kelly

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 25/11/2023

I see your portrait of the duke of Buckingham and raise you Thomas Lee, English army captain during the Tudor conquest of Ireland. Look at THOSE legs!

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Mark Empey @memps2.bsky.social · 21/11/2023

“This book is MINE and God is my witness!” Looks like Thomas Powers had some ownership issues! Or perhaps someone kept stealing his copy of Sir James Ware’s Antiquities of Ireland… #17c #bookhistory #earlymodern

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