Called the Noble Earl, and by the Irish. the Chaste.
Constable of Dublin Castle 1349. Chief Governor of Ireland.

JAMES 2nd Earl of Ormonde, called The Noble Earl, on account of being great-grandson of EDWARD I. In 1359, 1364, and 1376, his Lordship was apptd. Lord Justice of Ireland; he m. Elizabeth (who m. 2ndly, Sir Robert Herford), dau. of Sir John Darey, Kt., of Platten, co. Meath. Lord Justice of Ireland. The Earl d. 18 Oct. 1382, and was s. by his elder son,

He received the liberties of Tipperary, and the prisage of wines.45

The Butlers received favours from king Henry II because they were near relations (nephews) of St Thomas a Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was murdered by some followers of Henry. At this time Henry was doing penance for that murder, and heaped favours on the relatives of the Archbishop. The Butlers were descended from the sister of Thomas a Becket. After his murder the family were translated to Ireland by King Henry. The Butlers became very numerous and powerful in Ireland, and obtained extensive possessions in Tipperary, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wicklow and Carlow, Queen's County, Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Limerick and Galway. In the reign of Edward III, Tipperary was formed into the County Palatine of Ormond. A Palatinate meant the grant of semi-royal privileges to the Butlers. The reason semi-royal powers were given to the Butlers was because James, the second Earl of Ormond, was great-grandson of Edward I by his mother. This is also the reason why the royal arms of England and France are placed on the dexter side of the Butler coat of arms.45

James was 7 years old at his father's death. The king granted his wardship to the Earl of Desmond. Desmond got into trouble with the Lord Justice d'Ufford; he was forced to surrender on bail on the recognisances of the Earl of Ulster, the Earl of Ormond, and 24 knights. But d'Ufford being a severe man, Desmond did not appear. The bails were estreated with the exception of the Earl of Ormond who was a minor and a ward of Desmond, the Earl of Ulster and two others. In consequence of Desmond, who was the ruler of a Palatinate in Kerry, using his power to resist the royal authority, King Edward III, by Letters Patent, granted to Sir John Darcy, Lord Justice, in consideration of his good services and the sum of £1,000 the marriage of James le Botiller, Earl of Ormond, now in his minority. He also granted him the custody of all the lands of the late Earl of Ormond held in capite during the minority of his son. The result was that young James married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Darcy, who had no fortune, but who is described as being a very wise and honorable lady. This James was called James the Chaste, because of his modesty (his father was called James the Stammerer) and also called the Noble Earl on account of his descent from King Edward. The king bestowed several manors on James because of their relationship, amongst others the manors of Dunboyne, and Granagh in Kilkenny, which had been forfeited because of the treason of Eustace le Poer for which he was hanged.45

Edward III suppressed the palatinates in Ireland, but he restored the Palatinate of Ormond to James because of their consanguinity he also renewed the prisage of wines to James. In the time of the second Earl of Ormond the O'Kennedy of that day united his forces with those of his Connacht neighbours and attacked the English settlers. He razed to the ground the town of Nenagh and all the houses and castles in the country round. He drove out all the settlers who had been established there since the year 1200. The second Earl of Ormond saw his garrison cooped up in Nenagh, while his cantreds and manors and castles were in the hands of the O'Kennedy and his Connacht neighbours. This was too much for the proud Earl--he divided his enemies and sought the aid of his royal cousin. In the year 1348 he fought a decisive battle with O'Kennedy. Daniel O'Kennedy, the Milesian Lord of Ormond, was defeated, but he fought bravely, as he was taken prisoner in the battle. The English in their usual style treated him as a rebel and hanged him. 45

James did great service against the Irish in Ulster, Leinster and Munster. He slew at Teagstoffin in Co Kilkenny 600 of McMurrough's men in 1362. As Lord Justice he kept the country in as good order as those dangerous times would admit. He died on 18 Oct 1382 in his castle of Knocktopher, near which he had founded a House of Carmelite Friars, and was buried at Knocktopher Friary. He left an only son James, who succeeded him as 3rd Earl of Ormond.45

The second Earl, who was called James Balbh, Dumb James, seems to have remained at Nenagh, because it was his son, the 3rd Earl, who built Gowran Castle soon after his father's death in 1382.45