, in a letter to the earl of Castlehaven, wherein he delivered his opinion, freely in respect to the duke of Ormond and his management in Ireland. The duke expostulated
Soon after the restoration, Mr. Annesley was created
earl of Anglesey; in the preamble of the patent notice is
taken of the signal services rendered by him in the king’s
restoration. He had always a considerable share in the
king’s favour, and was heard with great attention both at
council and in the house of lords. In 1667 he was made
treasurer of the navy; and on the 4th of February 1672,
his majesty in council was pleased to appoint the duke of
Buckingham, the earl of Anglesey, the lord Holies, the
lord Ashley Cooper, and Mr. secretary Trevor, to be a
committee to peruse and revise all the papers and writings
concerning the settlement of Ireland, from the first to the
last; and to make an abstract thereof in writing. Accordingly, on the 12th of June 1672, they made their
report at large, which was the foundation of a commission,
dated the 1st of August 1672, to prince Rupert, the dukes
of Buckingham and Lauderdale, earl of Anglesey, lords
Ashley and Holies, sir John Trevor, and sir Thomas,
Chicheley, to inspect the, settlements of Ireland, and all
proceedings thereunto. In 1673, the earl of Anglesey
had the office of lord privy seal conferred upon him. In
October 1680, his lordship was charged by one Dangerfield in an information delivered upon oath, at the bar of
the house of commons, with endeavouring to stifle evidence concerning the popish plot, and to promote the
belief of a presbyterian one. The uneasiness he received
from tiiis attack, did not hinder him from speaking his
opinion freely of those matters in the house of lords, particularly in regard to the Irish plot. In 1680, the earl of
Castlehaven wrote Memoirs concerning the affairs of Ireland, wherein he was at some pains to represent the general rebellion in livland in the lightest colours possible,
as if it had been at first far from being universal, and at
last rendered so by the measures pursued by such as ought
to have suppressed the insurrection. The earl of Anglesey
having received these memoirs from their author, thought
fit to write some animadversions upon them, in a letter to
the earl of Castlehaven, wherein he delivered his opinion,
freely in respect to the duke of Ormond and his management in Ireland. The duke expostulated with the lord
privy seal on the subject, by letter, to which the earl replied. In 1682, the earl drew up a very particular remonstrance, and presented it to king Charles II. It was very
warm and loyal, yet it was far from being well received.
This memorial was entitled, The account of Arthur earl of
Anglesey, lord privy seal to your most excellent majesty,
of the true state of your majesty’s government and kingdoms, April 27, 1682. In one part whereof he says, “the
fatal cause of all our mischiefs, present or apprehended,
and which may raise a fire, which may burn and consume
xis to the very foundations, is the unhappy perversion of
the duke of York (the next heir to the crown) in one point
of religion; which naturally raises jealousy of the power,
designs, and practices, of the old enemies of our religion
and liberties, and undermines and emasculates the courage
and constancy even of those and their posterity, who have
been as faithful to, and suffered as much for the crown,
as any the most pleased or contented in our impending
miseries can pretend to have done.
” He concludes with
these words: “Though your majesty is in your own person,
above the reach of the law, and sovereign of all your
people, yet the law is your master and instructor how to
govern; and that your subjects assure themselves you will
never attempt the enervating that law by which you are
king, and which you have not only by frequent declarations, but by a solemn oath upon your throne, been
obliged, in a most glorious presence of your people, to
the maintenance of; and that therefore you will look upon
any that shall propose or advise to the contrary, as unfit
persons to be near you; and on those who shall persuade
you it is lawful, as sordid flatterers, and the worst and
most dangerous enemies you and your kingdoms have.
What I set before your majesty, I have written freely,
and like a sworn faithful counsellor; perhaps not like a wise
man, with regard to myself, as they stand: but I have
discharged my duty, and will account it a reward, if your
majesty vouchsafe to read what I durst not but write, and
which I beseech God to give a blessing to.
”
It was not however thought proper to remove him from his high office on this account; but the duke of Ormond was prevailed upon to exhibit a charge against him,
It was not however thought proper to remove him from his high office on this account; but the duke of Ormond was prevailed upon to exhibit a charge against him, on account of his reflections on the earl of Castlehaven’s Memoirs. This produced a sharp contest betwixt these two peers; which ended in the earl of Anglesey’s losing his place of lord privy seal, though his enemies were forced to confess that he was hardly and unjustly treated. After this disgrace, he remained 'pretty much at his country seat at Blechhlgdon in Oxfordshire, where he devoted his time to his studies, and meddled very little with public affairs. However, he got into favour again in the reign of James II. and it is generally believed he would have been appointed lord chancellor of England, if not prevented by his death, which happened April 6, 1686, in the 73d year of his age. He was perfectly versed in the Greek and Roman history, and well acquainted with the spirit and policy of those nations. He had studied the laws of his country with such diligence, as to be esteemed a great lawyer. His writings which are extant, are proofs of his learning and abilities; but the largest and most
oncerning the Wars of Ireland,” 1681, 8vo. 3. “A true account of the whole proceedings between James duke of Ormond, and Arthur earl of Anglesey, before the king and
His lordship published in his life-time the following
pieces: 1. “Truth unveiled, in behalf of the Church of
England; being a vindication of Mr. John Standish’s sermon, preached before the king, and published by his
majesty’s command,
” A
short treatise on the subject of Transubstantiation.
” 2.
“A letter from a person of honour in the country, written
to the earl of Castlehaven; being observations and reflections on his lordship’s memoirs concerning the Wars of
Ireland,
” A true account of the whole
proceedings between James duke of Ormond, and Arthur
earl of Anglesey, before the king and his council, &c.
”
A letter of remarks upon Jovian,
” The Privileges of the House of Lords and Commons, argued and
stated in two conferences between both houses, April
19 and 22, 1671. To which is added, A discourse,
wherein the Rights of the House of Lords are truly asserted; with learned remarks on the seeming arguments
and pretended precedents offered at that time again&t their
lordships.
” 6. “The King’s right of Indulgence in Spiritual matters, with the equity thereof, asserted,
” Memoirs, intermixt with moral, political, and
historical Observations, by way of discourse, in a letter
to sir Peter Pett,
”
a fellow in 1663. After taking both his degrees in arts, he went into orders, became chaplain to the duke of Ormond, chancellor of that university, and was admitted doctor
, son of Mr. Assheton, rector of Middleton in Lancashire, was born in 1641 and being instructed in grammar-learning at a private country-school, was removed to Brazen-Nose college at Oxford, in 1658 and elected a fellow in 1663. After taking both his degrees in arts, he went into orders, became chaplain to the duke of Ormond, chancellor of that university, and was admitted doctor of divinity in January 1673. In the following month he was nominated to the prebend of Knaresburgh, in the church of York and whilst he attended his patron at London, obtained the living of St. Antholin. In 1670, by the duke’s interest with the family of the St. Johns, he was presented to the rectory of Beckenbam, in Kent and was often unanimously chosen proctor for Rochester in convocation.
by him during the greatest part of the time that he was employed ia painting it. He painted, for the duke of Ormond, six pictures of East India birds, after nature, which
, who was also surnamed Monnoyer,
a painter of some note, who resided many years in England, was born at Lisle, in Flanders, in 1635. He was
brought up at Antwerp, where his business was 'history
painting but finding that his genius more strongly inclined him to the painting of flowers, he applied his talents, and in that branch became one of the greatest
masters. When Le Brim had undertaken to paint the
palace of Versailles, he employed Baptist to do the flower
part, in which he displayed great excellence. The duke
of Montague being then ambassador in France, and observing the merit of Baptist’s performances, invited him
over into England, and employed him, in conjunction
with La Fosse and Rousseau, to embellish Montague
house, which is now the British museum and contains
many of the finest productions of Baptist. “His pictures
(says Mr. Pilkington in his Dictionary of Painters) are not
so exquisitely finished as those of Van Huysum, but his
composition and colouring are in a bolder style. His
flowers have generally a remarkable freedom and looseness, as well in the disposition, as in pencilling together
with a tone of colouring, that is lively, admirable, and
nature itself. The disposition of his objects is surp'risingly
elegant and beautiful and in that respect his compositions
are easily known, and as easily distinguished from the
performances of others.
” A celebrated performance of
this artist is a looking-glass preserved in Kensington palace, which he decorated with a garland of flowers, for
queen Mary and it is mentioned as a remarkable circumstance, that her majesty sat by him during the greatest
part of the time that he was employed ia painting it. He
painted, for the duke of Ormond, six pictures of East
India birds, after nature, which were in that nobleman’s
collection at Kilkenny in Ireland, and afterwards came
into the possession “of Mr. Pilkington. He died in Pall
Mall, in the year 1699. There is a print of Baptist, from
a painting of sir Godfrey Kneller, in Mr. Walpole’s
” Anecdotes." He had a son, named Anthony Baptist,
who also painted flowers and, in the style and manner of
his father, had great merit. There was also another
painter known by the name of John Baptist, whose surname was Caspars, and who was commonly called Lely’s
Baptist. He was born at Antwerp, and was a disciple of
Thomas Willebores Boschaert. During the civil war he
came to England, and entered into the service of general
Lambert; but after the restoration he was employed by
sir Peter Lely, to paint the attitudes and draperies of his
portraits. He was engaged in the same business under
Riley and sir Godfrey Kneller. The portrait of Charles
II. in Painters’ Hall, and another of the same prince, with
mathematical instruments, in the hall of St. Bartholomew’s
Hospital, were painted by this Baptist, who died in 1691,
and was buried at St. James’s.
ed, particularly, in the protests against the acts of the attainder against lord Bolingbroke and the duke of Ormond. We have no speech of his recorded, till on Feb. 21,
, earl, an English nobleman of distinguished abilities, was son of sir Benjamin Bathurst of Pauler’s Perry, Northamptonshire, and born in St. James’s square, Westminster, Nov. 16, 1684. His mother was Frances, daughter of sir Allen Apsley, in Sussex, knt. After a grammatical education, he was entered, at the age of fifteen, in Trinity college, Oxford; of which his uncle, dean Bathurst, was president. In 1705, when just of age, he was chosen for Cirencester in Gloucestershire, which borough he represented for two parliaments. He acted, in the great opposition to the duke of Maryborough and the Whigs, under Mr. Harley and Mr. St. John; and, in Dec. 1711, at that memorable period, in which the administration, to obtain a majority in the upper house, introduced twelve new lords in one day, was made a peer. On the accession of George I. when his political friends were in disgrace, and some of them exposed to persecution, he continued firm in his attachment to them: he united, particularly, in the protests against the acts of the attainder against lord Bolingbroke and the duke of Ormond. We have no speech of his recorded, till on Feb. 21, 1718 from which period, for the space of twenty-five years, we find that he took an active and distinguished part in every important matter which came before the upper house; and that he was one of the most eminent opposers of the measures of the court, and particularly of sir Robert Waipole’s administration. For an account of these, however, we refer to history, and especially to the history and proceedings of the house of lords.
, he was appointed vice-chancellor of the university, and continued for the two following years, the duke of Ormond being chancellor. During the execution of this office,
, a distinguished wit, and Latin
poet, was descended of an ancient family, and was born at
Howthorpe, a small hamlet in Northamptonshire, in the parish of Thedingworth, near Market-Harborough in Leicestershire, in 1620. He received the first part of his education at the free-school in Coventry, where his father
seems to have resided in the latter part of his life. His
mother was Elizabeth Villiers, daughter and coheir of Edward Villiers, esq. of the same place. They had issue
thirteen sons, and four daughters. Six of the sons lost
their lives in the service of king Charles I. during the grand
rebellion: the rest, besides one who died young, were
Ralph (of whom we now treat), Villiers, Edward, Moses,
Henry, and Benjamin, father of the late earl Bathurst, the
subject of the preceding article. At Coventry school our
author made so quick a progress in the classics, that at the
age of fourteen he was sent to Oxford, and entered October 10, 1634, in Gloucester hall, now Worcester college;
but was removed in a few days to Trinity college, and probably placed under the immediate tuition of his grandfather Dr. Kettel, then president, in whose lodging he
resided (still known by the name of Kettel-hall), and at
whose table he had his diet, for two years. He was elected
scholar of the house, June 5., 1637, and having taken the
degree of A. B. January 27th following, he was appointed
fellow June 4, 1640. He commenced A. M.April 17, 1641,
and on March 2, 1644, conformably to the statutes of his
college, he was ordained priest by Robert Skinner, bishop
of Oxford, and read some theological lectures in the college hall in 1649. These, which he called “Diatribae
theologicEc, philosophies, et philological,
” are said to discover a spirit of theological research, and an extensive
knowledge of the writings of the most learned divines. He
likewise kept his exercise for the degree of B. D. but did
not take it. The confusion of the times promising little
support or encouragement to the ministerial function, like
his friend, the famous Dr. Willis, he applied himself to
the study of physic, and accumulated the degrees in that
faculty, June 21, 1654. Before this time he had sufficiently recommended himself in his new profession, and
had not been long engaged in it, when he was employed
as physician to the sick and wounded of the navy, which
office he executed with equal diligence and dexterity, to
the full satisfaction of the sea-commanders, and the commissioners of the admiralty. We find him soon after settled at Oxford, and practising physic in concert with his
friend Dr. Willis, with whom he regularly attended Abingdon market every Monday. He likewise cultivated every
branch of philosophical knowledge: he attended the lectures of Peter Sthael, a chymist and rosicrucian, who had
been invited to Oxford by Mr. R. Boyle, and was afterwards operator to the royal society about 1662. About the
same time he had also a share in the foundation of that society; and when it was established, he was elected fellow,
and admitted August 19, 1663. While this society was at
Gresham college in London, a branch of it was continued
at Oxford, and the original society books of this Oxford
department are still preserved there in the Ashmolean Museum, where their assemblies were held. Their latter Oxford meetings were subject to regulations made among
themselves; according to which Dr. Bathurst was elected
president April 23, 1688, having been before nominated
one of the members for drawing up articles, February
29, 1683-4. Nor was he less admired as a classical scholar;
at the university a.cts, in the collections of Oxford verses,
and on every public occasion, when the ingenious were
invited to a rival display of their abilities, he appears to
have been one of the principal and most popular performers. Upon the publication of Hobbes’s treatise of “Human Nature,
” &c. Splendid Shilling
” was a piece of solemn ridicule suited to his
taste. Among his harmless whims, he delighted to surprize the scholars, when walking in the grove at unseasonable hours; on which occasions he frequently carried a
whip in his hand, an instrument of academical correction,
then not entirely laid aside. But this he practised, on account of the pleasure he took in giving so odd an alarm,
rather than from any principle of reproving, or intention
of applying an illiberal punishment. In Latin poetry, Ovid
was his favourite classic. One of his pupils having asked
him what book among all others he chose to recommend
he answered, “Ovid’s Metamorphoses.
” The pupil, in
consequence of this advice, having carefully perused the
Metamorphoses, desired to be informed what other proper
book it wouldbe necessary to read after Ovid, and Dr.
Bathurst advised him to read “Ovid’s Metamorphoses
” a
second time. He had so mean an opinion of his performances in divinity, that in his will he enjoins his executors
entirely to suppress all his papers relating to that subject,
and not to permit them to be perused by any, excepting
a very few such friends as were likely to read them with
candour. We are told, however, that on Sunday, March
20, 1680, he preached before the house of commons at St.
Mary’s, the university church, and gave much satisfaction.
His manner was nearly that of Dr. South, but with more
elegance and felicity of allusion. His Life, written by
Mr. Thomas Warton, is perhaps one of the most correct
of that author’s performances, and contains Dr. Bathurst’s
miscellaneous works, which, though they have great merit
in their particular way, and may be read with much pleasure, are not written in such a taste as entitles them to
imitation. This is acknowledged by Mr. Warton. “His
Latin orations,
” says that ingenious Biographer, “are wonderful specimens of wit and antithesis, which were the delight of his age. They want upon the whole the purity
and simplicity of Tully’s eloquence, but even exceed the
sententious smartness of Seneca, and the surprising turns
of Pliny. They are perpetually spirited, and discover an
uncommon quickness of thought. His manner is concise
and abrupt, but yet perspicuous and easy. His allusions
are delicate, and his observations sensible and animated.
His sentiments of congratulation or indignation are equally
forcible: his compliments are most elegantly turned, and
his satire is most ingeniously severe. These compositions
are extremely agreeable to read, but in the present improwriiient of classical taste, not so proper to be imitated.
They are moreover entertaining, as a picture of the times,
and a history of the state of academical literature. This
smartness does not desert our author even on philosophical
subjects.
” Among Dr. Bathurst’s Oratiuncuhe, his address to the convocation, about forming the barbers of Oxford into a company, is a most admirable specimen of his
humour, and of that facetious invention, with which few
vice-chancellors would have ventured to enforce and
eiiliven such a subject. We doubt, indeed, whether a parallel to this exquisite piece of humour can be found. With
regard to the doctor’s Latin poetry, though his hexameters
have an admirable facility, an harmonious versification,
much terseness and happiness of expression, and a certain
original air, they will be thought, nevertheless, too pointed
and ingenious by the lovers of Virgil’s simple beauties.
The two poems which he hath left in iambics make it to
be wished tiiat he had written more in that measure. “That
pregnant brevity,
” says Mr. Warton, “/which constitutes
the dignity and energy of the iambic, seems to have been
his talent.
” Dr. Bathurst’s English poetry has that roughness of versification which was, in a great degree, the fault
of the times.
a great age in Leicestershire, in 1700, and at that time enjoyed a pension of lOOl. a-year from the duke of Ormond, in whose family she had resided for some time as
He appears a satirist on women in some of his poems, but he was more influenced by wit than disappointment, and probably only versified the common-place raillery of the times. He married Ursula, daughter and co-heir of Henry Isley of Sundridge in Kent, by whom he had two daughters. One of these, Frances, was living at a great age in Leicestershire, in 1700, and at that time enjoyed a pension of lOOl. a-year from the duke of Ormond, in whose family she had resided for some time as a domestic. She had once in her possession several poems of her father’s writing, which were lost at sea during her voyage from Ireland. Mr. Beaumont died early in March, 1615-16, and was buried on the 9th, at the entrance of St. Benedict’s chapel near the earl of Middlesex’s monument, in the collegiate church of St* Peter, Westminster, without any inscription.
urned home upon the restoration, and was repossessed of his estate by the favour and interest of the duke of Ormond. He died in Dublin in September 1677, and was buried
, was born in 1613, atBelingstown, in the barony of Balrothery in the county of Dublin,
the son of sir Henry Beling, knight, and was educated in
his younger years at a grammar-school in the city of Dublin, but afterwards put under the tuition of some priests of
his own religion, which was Popish, who so well cultivated
his good genius, that they taught him to write in a fluent
and elegant Latin style. Thus grounded in the polite
parts of literature, his father removed him to Lincoln’s Inn,
to study the municipal laws of his country, where he abode
some years, and returned home a very accomplished
gentleman, but it does not appear that he ever made the
law a profession. His natural inclination inclining him to
arms, he early engaged in the rebellion of 1641, and though
but about twenty-eight years old, was then an officer of
considerable rank. He afterwards became a leading member in the supreme council of the confederated Roman
catholics at Kilkenny, to which he was principal secretary, and
was sent ambassador to the pope and other Italian princes in
1645, tocraveaid for the support of their cause. He brought
back with him a fatal present in the person of the nuncio,
John Baptist Rinuccini, archbishop and prince of Fermo;
who was the occasion of reviving the distinctions between
the old Irish of blood, and the old English of Irish birth,
which split that party into factions, prevented all peace
with the marquis of Ormond, and ruined the country he
was sent to save. When Mr. Beling had fathomed the
mischievous schemes of the nuncio and his party, nobody
was more zealous than he in opposing their measures, and
in promoting the peace then in agitation, and submitting
to the king’s authority, which he did with such cordiality,
that he became very acceptable to the marquis of Ormond,
who intrusted him with many negociations. When the
parliament army had subdued the royal army, Mr. Beling
retired to France, where he continued several years. His
account of the transactions of Ireland during the period of
the rebellion, is esteemed by judicious readers more worthy
of credit than any written by the Romish party, yet he is
not free from a partiality to the cause he at first embarked
in. He returned home upon the restoration, and was repossessed of his estate by the favour and interest of the duke
of Ormond. He died in Dublin in September 1677, and
was buried in the church-yard of Malahidert, about five
miles from that city. During his retirement in France, he
wrote in Latin, in two books, “Vindiciarum Catholicorum
Hiberniae,
” under the name of Philopater Irenacus, the first
of which gives a pretty accurate history of Irish affairs, from
1641 to 1649, and the second is a confutation of an epistle
written by Paul King, a Franciscan friar and a nunciotist,
in defence of the Irish rebellion. This book of Mr. Beling’s being answered by John Ponce, a Franciscan friar
also, and a most implacable enemy to the Protestants of
Ireland, in a tract entitled “Belingi Vindiciae eversae,
”
our author made a reply, which he published under the
title of “Annotationes in Johannis Poncii librum, cui titulus, Vindiciae Eversae: accesserunt Belingi Vindiciae,
” Parisiis, Innocentiae suae impetitae per Reverendissimum
Fernensem vindiciae,
” Paris, The Eighth Day,
” which has escaped our searches.
When a student, however, at Lincoln’s Inn, he wrote and
added a sixth book to sir Philip Sidney’s Arcadia, which
was printed with that romance, London, 1633, folio, with
only the initials of his name.
ngaging in a conspiracy to surprise the castle of Dublin, which was defeated by the vigilance of the duke of Ormond; and some of his accomplices were executed. Escaping
, generally known by the appellation
of colonel Blood, was a disbanded officer of Oliver Cromwell’s army, famous for his daring crimes and his good fortune. He was first distinguished by engaging in a conspiracy to surprise the castle of Dublin, which was defeated
by the vigilance of the duke of Ormond; and some of his
accomplices were executed. Escaping to England, he meditated revenge against Ormond and actually seized him
one night in his coach in St. James’s-street, where he might
have finished his purpose if he had not studied refinements
in his vengeance. He bound him on horseback behind one
of his associates, resolving to- hang him at Tyburn, with a
paper pinned to his breast but when they got into the
fields, the duke, in his efforts for liberty, threw himself
and the assassin, to whom he was fastened, to the ground
and while they were struggling in the mire, he was rescued
by his servants; but the authors of this attempt were not
then discovered. A little after, in 1671, Blood formed a
design of carrying off the crown and regalia from the tower;
a design, to which he was prompted, as well by the surprising boldness of the enterprize, as by the views of profit. He was very near succeeding. He had bound and
wounded Edwards, the keeper of the jewel-office, and had
got out of the tower with his prey but was overtaken and
seized, with some of his associates. One of them was
known to have been concerned in the attempt upon Ormond and Blood was immediately concluded to be the
ringleader. When questioned, he frankly avowed the enterprize but refused to discover his accomplices. “The
fear of death (he said) should never induce him either to
deny a guilt or betray a friend.
” All these extraordinary
circumstances made him the general subject of conversation and the king was moved with an idle curiosity to see
and speak with a person so noted for his courage and
his crimes. Blood might now esteem himself secure of
pardon and he wanted not address to improve the opportunity. He told Charles, that he had been engaged with
others, in a design to kill him with a carabine above Battersea, where his majesty often went to bathe that the cause
of this resolution was the severity exercised over the consciences of the godly, in restraining the liberty of their religious assemblies: that when he had taken his stand among
the reeds, full of these bloody resolutions, he found his
heart checked with an awe of majesty; and he not only relented himself, but diverted his associates from their purpose: that he had long ago brought himself to an entire indifference about life, which he now gave for lost; yet he
could not forbear warning the king of the danger which
might attend his execution; that his associates had bound
themselves, by the strictest oaths, to revenge the death of
any of their confederacy; and that no precaution nor power
could secure any one from the effects of their desperate resolutions. Whether these considerations excited fear or
admiration in the king, they confirmed his resolution of
granting a pardon to Blood and what is yet more extraordinary? Charles carried his kindness so far as to grant him
an estate of 500l. a-year. He also showed him great countenance and while old Edwards, who had been wounded,
in defending the crown and regalia, was neglected, this
man, who deserved only to be stared at and detested as a
monster, became a kind of favourite. Blood enjoyed his
pension about ten years, till, being charged with fixing an
imputation of a scandalous nature on the duke of Buckingham, he was thrown into prison, where he died August
24, 1680.
lement, by which he fixed the property, and gave titles to their estates to a whole nation. When the duke of Ormond was declared lord lieutenant, the earl of Orrery went
Soon after this affair, his lordship, with sir Charles
Coote, lately made earl of Montrath, and sir Maurice
Eustace, were constituted lords justices of Ireland, and
commissioned to call and hold a parliament. Some time
before the meeting of the parliament, he drew with his
own hand the famous act of settlement, by which he fixed
the property, and gave titles to their estates to a whole nation. When the duke of Ormond was declared lord lieutenant, the earl of Orrery went into Munster, of which
province he was president. By virtue of this office, he
heard and determined causes in a court called the residency-court; and acquired so great a reputation in his
judicial capacity, that he was offered the seals both by the
king and the duke of York after the fall of lord Clarendon;
but, being very much afflicted with the gout, he declined
a post that required constant attendance. During the first
Dutch war, in which France acted as a confederate with
Holland, he defeated the scheme formed by the duke de
Beaufort, admiral of France, to get possession of the harbour of Kinsale, and took advantage of the fright of the
people, and the alarm of the government, to get a fort
erected under his own directions, which was named Fort
Charles. He promoted a scheme for inquiring into, and
improving the king’s revenue in Ireland; but his majesty
having applied great sums out of the revenue of that kingdom which did not come plainly into account, the inquiry was never begun. Ormond, listening to some malicious insinuations, began to entertain a jealousy of
Orrery, and prevailed with the king to direct him to lay
down his residential court; as a compensation for which,
his majesty made him a present of 8000l. Sir Thomas
Clifford, who had been brought into the ministry in England, apprehensive that he cpuld not carry his ends in
Ireland whilst Orrery continued president of Munster,
procured articles of impeachment of high treason and misdemeanours to be exhibited against him in the English
house of commons; but his lordship being heard in his
place, gave an answer so clear, circumstantial, and ingenuous, that the affair was dropt. The king laboured in
vain to reconcile him to the French alliance, and the reducing of the Dutch. At the desire of the king and the
duke of York, he drew the plan of an act of limitation,
by which the successor would have been disabled from encroaching on civil and religious liberty; but the proposing
thereof being postponed till after the exclusion-bill was
set on foot, the season for making use of it was past. The
iing, to hinder his returning to Ireland, and to keep him
about his person, offered him the place of lord-treasurer;
but the earl of Orrery plainly told his majesty that he was
guided by unsteady counsellors, with whom he could not
act. He died in October 1679, aged fifty-eight; leaving
behind him the character of an able general, statesman,
and writer. He had issue by his lady, two sons and five
daughters. His writings are these: 1. “The Irish colours
displayed; in a reply of an English Protestant to a letter
of an Irish Roman catholic,
” London, An
answer to a scandalous letter lately printed, and subscribed
by Peter Walsh, procurator for the secular and regular
popish priests of Ireland, entitled A letter desiring a just
and merciful regard of the Roman catholics of Ireland,
given about the end of October 1660, to the then marquis,
now duke of Ormond, and the second time lord lieutenant of
that kingdom. By the right honourable the earl of Orrery, &c. being a full discovery of the treachery of the
Irish rebels since the beginning of the rebellion there, necessary to be considered by all adventurers, and other
persons estated in that kingdom,
” Dublin, A poem on his majesty’s happy restoration.
” 4. “A
poem on the death of the celebrated Mr. Abraham CowJey,
” London, The history of Henry V.
a tragedy,
” London, Mustapha, the son
of Soliman the Magnificent, a tragedy,
” London, Ifi67,
fol. and 1668. 7. “The Black Prince, a tragedy,
”
London, Triphon, a tragedy,
” London,
Parthenissa, a romance in three volumes,
” London,
A Dream.
” In this piece
he introduces the genius of France persuading Charles II.
to promote the interest of that kingdom, and act upon
French principles. He afterwards introduces the ghost of
his father, dissuading him from it, answering all the arguments the genius of France had urged, and proving to him
from his own misfortunes and tragical end, that a kind’s
, in which he had any part, or could speak of with certainty. But this has never been published. The duke of Ormond having by his majesty’s command consulted with the
chief treasure, and only real strength, is the affections of
his people. 11. “A treatise upon the Art of War.
” 12.
Poems on the Fasts and Festivals of the Church.“His
posthumous works are: 1.
” Mr. Anthony, a comedy,“1692. 2.
” Guzman, a comedy,“1693. 3.
” Herod the
great, a tragedy,“1694. 4.
” Altemira, a tragedy,“brought upon the stage by Mr. Francis Manning, in 1702,
with a prologue by Henry St. John, esq. afterwards lord
viscount Boiingbroke, and an epilogue by the hon. Charles
Boyle, esq. the late earl of Orrery, who also interspersed
several songs in the work itself. 5.
” State letters," published in 1742, fol. Mr. Morrice the editor, who was his
biographer and chaplain, says that his patron drew up a
very curious account of what was done in the court or
camp, in which he had any part, or could speak of with
certainty. But this has never been published. The duke
of Ormond having by his majesty’s command consulted
with the earl of Orrery upon the propositions to be laid
before the parliament of Ireland in 1677, his lordship delivered to him five sheets of paper containing the most effectual methods of protecting the nation from foreign and
domestic enemies, advancing the Protestant interest, increasing the revenue, and securing private property. But
these, with other papers, were destroyed when lord Orrery’s house was burnt to the ground in 1690, by a party of
king James’s soldiers, with the duke of Berwick at their
head; Lionel, then earl of Orrery, and grandson to our
author, being a minor, and abroad on his travels.
so little of an Œconomist as to be obliged to keep a school at Richmond. He was also chaplain to the duke of Ormond’s troop of horse-guards, as he was to their majesties
, an English divine of good
parts and learning, the son of Nicholas Brady, an officer
in the king’s army in the civil wars of 1641, was born at
Bandon, in the county of Cork, Oct. the 28th, 1659; and
continued in Ireland till he was 12 years of age. Then he
was sent over to England to Westminster-school; and from
thence elected stuJent to Christ-church in Oxford. After
continuing there about four years, he went to Dublin,
where his father resided; at which university he immediately commenced B. A. When he was of due stanuing,
his diploma for the degree of D. D. was, on account of his
uncommon merit, presented to him by that university while
he was in England; and brought over by Dr Pratt, then
senior travelling fellow, afterwards provost of that college.
His first ecclesiastical preferment was to a prebend in the
cathedral of St. Barry, at Cork; to which he was collated
by bishop Wettenhal, whose domestic chaplain he was.
He was a zealous promoter of the revolution, and in consequence of his zeal suffered for it. In 1690, when the
troubles broke out in Ireland, by his interest with king
Tatnes as general, M'Carty, he thrice prevented the burning of the town of Bandon, after three several orders given
by that prince to destroy it. The same year, having been
deputed by the people of Bandon, he went over to England, to petition the parliament for a redress of some grievances they had suffered while king James was in Ireland;
and afterwards quitting his preferments in Ireland, he settled in London; where, being celebrated for his abilities in
the pulpit, he was elected minister of St. Catherine Cree
church, and lecturer of St. Michael’s Wood-street. He
afterwards became minister of Richmond in Surry. and
Stratford upon Avon in Warwickshire, and at length rector
of Clapham in Surry; which last, together with Richmond, he held till his death. His preferments amounted
to 600l. a year, but he was so little of an Œconomist as to
be obliged to keep a school at Richmond. He was also
chaplain to the duke of Ormond’s troop of horse-guards, as
he was to their majesties king William and queen Mary.
He died May 20, 1726, aged 66, leaving behind him the
character of being a person of an agreeable temper, a polite gentleman, an excellent preacher, and a good poet.
He has no high rank, however, among poets, and would
have long ere now been forgotten in that character, if his
name was not so familiar as a translator of the new version
of the “Psalms,
” in conjunction with Mr. Tate, which version was licensed 1696. He translated also the Æneids of
Virgil,“published by subscription in 1726, 4 vols. 8vo,and a tragedy, called
” The Rape, or the Innocent Impos-tors,“neither performances of much character. His prose
works consist of
” Sermons," three volumes of which were
published by himself in 1704, 1706, and 1713, and three
others by his eldest son, who was a clergyman at Tooting,
in Surry, London, 1730, 8vo.
h satisfaction, that, soon after his return to England, he was invited and prevailed on by the first duke of Ormond, to travel in the same capacity with the young earl
, a most ingenious and learned
writer, was born at Croft, in Yorkshire, about the year
1635. His first education was at the free-school of North-Alverton, in that county, from whence he was removed in
June 1651, to Clare-hall in Cambridge, where he had
Dr. Tillotson for his tutor. Dr. Cud worth was at that time
master of Clare-hall, but removed from it to the mastership
of Christ’s college, in 1654; and thither our author followed him. Under his patronage he was chosen fellow in
1657, commenced M. A. in 1658, and became senior
proctor of the university in 1661; but it is uncertain how
long after ward she continued his residence there. He was
afterwards governor to the young earl of Wiltshire, son of
the marquis of Winchester, with whom he travelled abroad ^
and gave such satisfaction, that, soon after his return to
England, he was invited and prevailed on by the first duke
of Ormond, to travel in the same capacity with the young
earl of Ossory, his grace’s grandson and heir-apparent.
These honourable connections introduced him into what
may properly be called the world: in which he afterwards
confirmed the reputation he already had for talents ad
learning, by the publication of his “Telluris theoria sacra,
orbis nostri originem & mutationes generales, quas olim
subiit et subiturus est, complectens.
” This Sacred Theory
of the Earth was originally published in Latin, in 2 vols.
4to, the two first books concerning the deluge, and paradise, 1681; the two last, concerning the burning of the
world, and the new heavens and new earth, in 1689. The
uncommon approbation this work met with, and the particular encouragement of Charles II. who relished its
beauties, induced the author to translate it into English.
Of this translation he published the two first books in 1684,
folio, with an elegant dedication to the king; and the two
last in 1689, with a no less elegant dedication to queen
Mary. “The English edition,
” he tells us, “is the same in
substance with the Latin, though, he confesses, not so
properly a translation, as a new composition upon the
same ground, there being several additional chapters in it,
and several new moulded.
”
On May 19, 1685, he was made master of the Charterhouse, by the interest of the duke of Ormond; and soon after commenced LL. D. At what time he entered
On May 19, 1685, he was made master of the Charterhouse, by the interest of the duke of Ormond; and soon
after commenced LL. D. At what time he entered into
orders is not exactly known; but it is plain that he was a
clergyman at his election to this mastership, from the objection then made against him by some of the bishops who
were governors, namely, “that he generally appeared in
a lay-habit,
” which was over-ruled by his patron the duke
of Ormond, by asserting in his favour, that he had no
living or other ecclesiastical preferment; and that his life
and conversation were in all respects suitable to the clerical character. In the latter end of 1686, Dr. Burnet’s
integrity, prudence, and resolution, were fully tried in
his new station, upon the following occasion: one Andrew
Popham, a Roman Catholic, came to the Charter-house,
with a letter from king James to the governors, requiring
them to choose and admit him the said Andrew Popham a
pensioner thereof, “without tendering any oath or oaths
unto him, or requiring of him any subscription, recognition, or other act or acts, in conformity to the doctrine
and discipline of the church of England as the same is now
established; and notwithstanding any statute, order, or
constitution, of or in the said hospital; with which, says
his majesty, we are graciously disposed to dispense in his
behalf.
” On the meeting of the governors, the king’s
letter was read, and the lord chancellor Jefferies moved,
that without any debate they should proceed to vote whether Andrew Popham should be admitted a pensioner of
the hospital, according to the king’s letter. The master,
Dr. Burnet, as the junior, was to vote first, but he told
the governors, that he thought it was his duty to acquaint
their lordships with the state and constitution of that hospital; and, though this was opposed by some, yet, after
a little debate, he proceeded to observe, that to admit a
pensioner into the hospital without his taking the oaths of
allegiance and supremacy, was not only contrary to the
constitution of the ho&pital, but to an express act of parliament for the better establishment thereof. One of the
governors asked what this was to the purpose? The duke
of Ormond replied, that he thought it much to the purpose; for an act of parliament was not so slight a thing as
not to deserve a consideration. After some other discourse, the question was put, whether Popham should be
admitted? and passed in the negative. A second letter
from the king was afterwards sent; to which the governors,
in a letter addressed to his majesty, humbly replied, and
gave their reasons why they could not admit Andrew Popham as a pensioner of the hospital. This not satisfying
king James, he ordered chancellor Jefferies to find out a
way how he might compel their submission, and the master
was particularly threatened to be summoned before the ecclesiastical commissioners. But his subsequent quarrels
with the universities, and the commotions which followed,
prevented any farther proceeding on the part of the king.
This was the first stand made against the dispensing power
of that reign, by any society in England, and was of great
importance to the public, A relation of the Charter-house
proceedings upon this occasion was published by Dr. Burnet in 1689.
After the revolution, he was introduced to court by his
tutor and friend, archbishop Tillotson, and was made
chaplain to the king, and soon after, clerk of the closet.
He was now considered as in the high road to great preferment, and had certainly a fine prospect before him; when
he ruined all by some unadvised strokes of his pen. In
1692 he published “Archæologiæ philosophiæ; sive doctrina antiqua de rerum originibus,
” 4to, with a dedication
to king William, whose character he diws with great
strength of genius and art, and in that beautiful style
which was peculiar to himself. But neither the high rank
and authority of his patron, nor the elegance and learning
displayed throughout the work, could protect the author
from the clamours raised against him for allegorizing in a
very indelicate manner the scripture account of the fall of
Adam and Eve. In consequence of which, as appears
from a Latin letter written by himself to Walters, a bookseller at Amsterdam, dated Sept. 14, 1694, he desires to
have the most offensive parts omitted in the future editions
of that work. He had expressed himself to the same purpose, some time before the date of this letter, in a Latin
epistle, “Ad virum clarissimum circa nuper editum de
Archæologiis Philosophicis libellum;
” where he says, that
he cheerfully wished that any passages which have given
offence to the pious and wise, and particularly the dialogue
between Eve and the Serpent, may be expunged. The
person to whom this letter is addressed, and also a second
afterwards upon the same subject, was generally understood to be archbishop Tillotson. Both the letters are
subjoined to the second edition of “Archæologiæ philosophicæ,
” printed in
, duke of Ormond, an eminent statesman, the son of Thomas Butler, esq.
, duke of Ormond, an eminent statesman, the son of Thomas Butler, esq. a branch of the Ormond family, was born at Newcastle house, in Clerkenwell, 1610. Oh the decease of Thomas, earl, of Ormond, his grandfather Sir Walter Butler, of Kilcash, assumed the title, and his father was styled by courtesy viscount Thurles. After the death of his father, in 1619, who left a widow and seven children in embarrassed circumstances, this title devolved upon him. In 1620 he was sent over to England by his mother, and educated partly at a school at Finchtey, in Middlesex, but king James claiming the wardship of him, he was put under the tuition of. archbishop Abbot, who instilled in him that love for the protestant religion which he afterwards displayed on so many occasions. On the death of king James he was taken home by his grandfather the carl of Ormond; and in 1629 he married his cousin, lady Elizabeth Preston, a match which terminated some disputes that had long been agitated between the families. In 1630 he purchased a troop of horse in Ireland, and two years after succeeded, by the death of his grandfather, to the earldom of Ormond. During the earl of Stratford’s viceroyalty in Ireland, his talents were much noticed by that nobleman, who predicted his future fame. On the commencement of the rebellion in Ireland in 1641, he was appointed lieutenant-generaJ and commander in chief of an army of only 3000 men, but with this inconsiderable force, and a few additional troops raised by himself, he resisted the progress of the rebels, and in 1642 dislodged them from the Naes near Dublin, raised the blockade of Drogheda, and routed them at Kiirush. His exertions, however, being impeded by the jealousies of the lords justices and of the lord lieutenant, the king, that he might act without controui, gave him an independent commission under the great seal, and created him marquis of Ormond. In 1643 he obtained a considerable victory with a very inferior force over the rebels under the command of the Irish general Preston, but for want of suitable encouragement, he was under a necessity of concluding a cessation of hostilities, for which measure he was much blamed in England; though he availed himself of it by sending over troops to the assistance of the king, who was then at war with the parliament. His majesty, however, duly appreciating his services, appointed him lord lieutenant of Ireland, in the room of the earl of Leicester, in the beginning of the year 1644; but in the exercise of this office, he had to contend both with the rebellious spirit of the old Irish, and the machinations of the English parliament, and after maintaining an unsuccessful struggle for three years, he was, in 1647, obliged to sign a treaty with the parliament’s commissioners, and to come over to England, where he waited on 'the king at Hampton-court, and obtained his majesty’s full approbation of all his proceedings; but in the hazardous state of public affairs he thought it most prudent to provide for his own safety by embarking for France.
nd not only recovered his large estates in the county of Tipperary, but was raised to the dignity of duke of Ormond, and officiated as lord high steward of England at
During his short residence in this country, he corresponded with the Irish for the purpose of inducing them to
engage in the royal cause; and having engaged lord Inchiquin to receive him in Munster, he landed at Cork,
after escaping the imminent danger of shipwreck, in 1648,
and on his arrival, adopted measures which were not a little
assisted by the abhorrence which the king’s death excited
through the country; and in consequence of this favourable
impression, the lord lieutenant caused Charles II. to be immediately proclaimed. But Owen O'Neile, instigated by
the pope’s nuncio, and supported by the old Irish, raised
obstacles in his way, which he determined to overcome by
the bold enterprise of attacking the city of Dublin, then
held for the Parliament by governor Jones. This enterprise, however, failed, with very considerable loss on the
part of the marquis; and soon after Cromwell arrived in
Ireland, and having stormed Drogheda, surrendered it to
military execution, thus striking tenor into the Irish, so
that they becoming dissatisfied with the lord lieutenant,
and insisting on his leaving the kingdom, he embarked for
France, in 1650, and joined the exiled family. In order to
retrieve his affairs, the marchioness went over to Ireland, and having in some measure succeeded in exempting
her own estate from forfeiture, she remained in the country, and never saw her husband till after the restoration.
In the mean while the marquis was employed in various
Commissions in behalf of the king; and he rendered
essential service to his cause by rescuing the duke of Gloucester out of the hands of the queen-mother, and preventing her severe treatment from inducing him to embrace the
Catholic religion. He was also instrumental in detaching
the Irish Catholic regiments from the service of France,
one of which he was appointed to command, and in obtaining the surrender of the town of St. Ghilan, near
Brussels, to the Spaniards. In a secret embassy to England for the purpose of inquiring into the actual state of
the royal party, he had some narrow escapes from the spies
of Cromwell; and at length, when Charles II. was restored
to the throne of his ancestors, the Marquis accompanied
him, and not only recovered his large estates in the county
of Tipperary, but was raised to the dignity of duke of
Ormond, and officiated as lord high steward of England at
the king’s coronation. In 1662, he was again appointed
lord lieutenant, and had considerable success in reducing
the country to a state of tranquillity; and he promoted
various very important and lasting -improvements, particularly with respect to the growth of flax and manufacture
of linen. His attachment to earl Clarendon, however, involved him in the odium which pursued that great man;
and notwithstanding the purity of his conduct, he was
deprived of his government by the machinations of the
duke of Buckingham, in 1669; but in the same year he
was elected to the office of chancellor of the university of
Oxford. In 1670 a desperate design was formed ' against
him by colonel Blood, whom he had imprisoned in Ireland
on account of his having engaged in a plot for the surprisal
of D.ublin castle. Blood, being at this time in London,
determined to seize his person, in his return from an entertainment given in the city to the Prince of Orange; and
in the prosecution of his purpose, his accomplices dragged
the duke out of his coach, and placed him behind one of
them who was on horseback, in order to convey him to
Tyburn, and execute him on the pubiic gallows; or, as
others say, to take him out of the kingdom, and compel
him to sign certain papers relating to a forfeited estate of
Blood. The duke by his struggles threw both the man and
himself from the horse, and by seasonable assistance he
was released from the custody of these assassins. This
daring act of violence excited the king’s resentment; but
Blood, for certain reasons, having been taken into favour,
hi* Majesty requested the duke to forgive the insult. To
which message he replied, “that if the king could forgive
Blood for attempting to steal his crown, he might easily
forgive him for an attempt on his life; and that he would
obey his Majesty’s pleasure without inquiring into his reasons.
” For seven years the duke was neither in favour
with the court nor employed by it; but at length, in 1677,
he was surprised by a message announcing the king’s intention to visit him. The object of this visit was to disclose his Majesty’s resolution of appointing him to the
lord lieutenancy of Ireland; and this resolution had been
adopted by the influence of the duke of York, who had
reason to imagine, that the “cabal,
” or court party, proposed to introduce the duke of Monmouth into this high
station in the room of the earl of Essex, who had been removed. In order to counteract this plan, the duke of York
recommended his grace of Ormond to the king, as the most
likely person to engage general confidence, and to unite
discordant parties in both countries. On this the duke consented, and upon his arrival adopted vigorous measures for
disarming the papists and maintaining public tranquillity;
and though he did not escape calumny, the king determined to support him against all attempts for removing him,
and declared with an oath, *' that while the duke of Ormond lived, he should never be put out of that government." He opposed the duke only in the measure of calling a parliament in Ireland for settling affairs, to which
the king would not give his consent. In 1682, when he
came over to England to acquaint the king with the state
of his government, he was advanced to the dignity of an
English dukedom; but, notwithstanding this mark of royal
favour, he had given such offence by his importunity with
respect to an Irish parliament, that immediately on his
return he was apprised of an intention to remove him.
Upon the accession of James, the duke caused him to be
proclaimed, and soon after resigned his office and came
over to England.; Although the duke’s principles did
not suit the projects of the new reign, he was treated
with respect by the king, and received from him the
honour of a visit whilst he was confined to his chamber with the gout. He died at Kingston ^hall, in Dorsetshire, July 21, 1688, in the seventy-eighth year of
his age, and was buried in Westminster-abbey.
s in the senate what the earl of Ossory was in the field. He died July 30, 1680, aged forty-six. The duke of Ormond his father said, “he would not exchange his dead son
, earl of Ossory, son of the former,
was born in the castle of Kilkenny, July 9, 1634. He
distinguished himself by a noble bravery, united to the
greatest gentleness and modesty, which very early excited
the jealousy of Cromwell, who committed him to the
Tower; where, falling ill of a fever, after being confined
near eight months, he was discharged. He afterwards
went over to Flanders, and on the restoration attended the
king to England; and from being appointed colonel of foot
in Ireland, was raised to the rank of lieutenant-general of
the army in that kingdom. On the 14th of September
1666, he was summoned by writ to the English house of
lords, by the title of lord Butler, of Moore-park. The
same year, being at Euston in Suffolk, he happened to
hear the firing of guns at sea, in the famous battle with
the Dutch that began the 1st of June. He instantly prepared to go on board the fleet, where he arrived on the
3d of that month; and had the satisfaction of informing
the duke of ^Ibemarle, that prince Rupert was hastening
to join him. He had his share in the glorious actions of
that and the succeeding day. His reputation was much
increased by his behaviour in the engagement off Southwold Bay. In 1673 he was successively made rear-admiral
of the blue and the red squadrons; and on the 10th of
September, the same year, was appointed admiral of the
whole fleet, during the absence of prince Rupert. In
1677 he commanded the English troops in the service of
the prince of Orange; and at the battle ojf Mons contributed greatly to the retreat of marshal Luxemburg, to
whom Lewis XIV. was indebted for the greatest part of his
military glory. His speech, addressed to the earl of
Shaftesbury, in vindication of his father, was universally
admired: it even confounded that intrepid orator, who
was in the senate what the earl of Ossory was in the field.
He died July 30, 1680, aged forty-six. The duke of Ormond his father said, “he would not exchange his dead
son for any living son in Christendom.
”
e’s prosperity, to be a partaker in his adversity; but first served the campaign, in 1712, under the duke of Ormond. At the accession of George I. on August 1, 1714,
When the duke of Marlborough was disgraced, and went abroad, he resigned all his employments, choosing, as he had a share in his grace’s prosperity, to be a partaker in his adversity; but first served the campaign, in 1712, under the duke of Ormond. At the accession of George I. on August 1, 1714, he was made master of the robes, and colonel of the second regiment of foot-guards; also envoy extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the States General. In 1715, he was appointed governor of the Isle of Wight; and having extinguished the remains of the rebellion in Scotland, he was elected a knight of the thistle in June 1716, and on the 30th of the same month was created a peer by the title of Lord Cadogan, baron of Reading. His lordship soon after was again sent ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to the States of Holland; and arriving at Brussels, on Sept. 15, 1716, signed, at the Hague, the treaty of defensive alliance between Great Britain, France,and the States General. He set out for Utrecht, on Jan. 28, 1716, to wait on the king, expected there that afternoon; who was pleased to command his attending him to Great Britain. And Mr. Leathes, his majesty’s secretary at Brusels, was appointed to reside at the Hague, during his lordship’s absence.
llusion to the bishop of Cambray’s supplement to Homer.” He married the lady Mary, daughter of James duke of Ormond, by whom he had three sons and a daughter.
In the case of sir John Fenwick, though he had a conviction of his guilt, yet he was so averse to any extraordinary judicial proceedings, that he opposed the bill, as
he did likewise another bill for the resumption of the forfeited estates in Ireland. At the accession of queen Anne,
he was confirmed in all his offices. April 1705 he attended her majesty to Cambridge, and was there created
LL. D. In 1706, himself and his son the marquis of
Harrington were in the number of English peers appointed
commissioners for concluding an union with Scotland; this
was the last of his public employments. He died August
18, 1707. His mien and aspect were engaging and commanding: his address and conversation civil and courteous
in the highest degree. He judged right in the supreme
court; and on any important affair his speeches were
smooth and weighty. As a statesman, his whole deportment came up to his noble birth and his eminent stations:
nor did he want any of what the world call accomplishments. He had a great skill in languages; and read the
Roman authors with great attention: Tacitus was his
favourite. He was a true judge of history, a critic in
poetry, and had a fine hand in music. He had an elegant
taste in painting, and all politer arts; and in architecture
in particular, a genius, skill, and experience beyond any
one person of his age; his house at Chatsworth being a
monument of beauty and magnificence that perhaps is not
exceeded by any palace in Europe. His grace’s genius for
poetry shewed itself particularly in two pieces that are published, and are allowed by the critics to be written with
equal spirit, dignity, and delicacy. 1. “An Ode on the
Death of queen Mary.
” 2. “An allusion to the bishop of
Cambray’s supplement to Homer.
” He married the lady
Mary, daughter of James duke of Ormond, by whom he
had three sons and a daughter.
uring the absence of the duke of Marlborough; commander in chief of the forces in Ireland, under the duke of Ormond, March 23, 1704-5; and afterwards one of the lords
He was colonel of the Coldstream, or second regiment of
guards, in 1701; when Steele, who was indebted to his
interest for a captain’s commission in the lord Lucas’s regiment of fusileers, inscribed to him his first work, “The
Christian Hero.
” On the accession of queen Anne, he
was made a lieutenant-general of the forces in Holland.
February 13, 1702-3, he was appointed commander in
chief of the English forces on the continent, during the
absence of the duke of Marlborough; commander in chief
of the forces in Ireland, under the duke of Ormond, March
23, 1704-5; and afterwards one of the lords justices of
that kingdom, to keep him out of the way of action, a circumstance which broke his heart. He died at Dublin,
Jan. 26, 1706-7, and was buried there on the 29th, in the
cathedral of Christ-church. He was a person of eminent
natural parts, well cultivated by study and conversation;
of a free, unreserved temper; and of undaunted bravery
and resolution. As he was a servant to queen Mary when
princess of Orange, and learned the trade of war under her
consort, he was early devoted to them both, and a warm
supporter of the revolution. He was an absolute stranger
to fear; and on all occasions gave distinguishing proofs of
his intrepidity, particularly at the siege of Limerick in
1691, at the memorable attack of the castle of Namur in
1695, and at the siege of Venlo in 1702. Macky says of
him, in 1703: “He hath abundance of wit, but too much
seized with vanity and self-conceit; he is affable, familiar,
and very brave. Few considerable actions happened in
this as well as the last war, in which he was not, and hath
been wounded in all the actions where he served; is esteemed to be a mighty vigilant officer, and for putting the
military orders in execution; he is pretty tall, lusty, wellshaped, and an agreeable companion; hath great revenues,
yet so very expensive, as always to be in debt; towards
fifty years old.
” Swift, in a ms note on the above passage, with his usual laconic cruelty, calls lord Cutts,
“The vainest old fool alive.
” He wrote a poem on the
death of queen Mary; and published in 1687, “Poetical
Exercises, written upon several occasions, and dedicated
to her Royal Highness Mary Princess of Orange; licensed
March 23, 1686-7, Roger L'Estrange.
” It contains, besides the dedication signed “J. Cutts,
” verses to that princess; a poem on Wisdom; another to Mr. Waller on his
commending it; seven more copies of verses (one of them called “La Muse Cavalier,
” which had been ascribed to lord Peterborough, and as such mentioned by Mr. Walpole in the list of that nobleman’s writings), and eleven songs;
the whole composing a very thin volume, which is by no
means so scarce as Mr. Walpole supposes it to be. The
author speaks of having more pieces by him.
rs. His portraits of Addison, queen Anne, prince George of Denmark, the duke of Marlborough, and the duke of Ormond, have been engraved.
, a painter, was born at Stockholm in 1656, and came to London at an early age, being introduced into this country by an English merchant, but he afterwards travelled to Paris, and resided there some time. He then visited Italy, where he painted, amongst others, the portrait of queen Christina of Sweden. In 1688 he returned to England, where he acquired very considerable reputation as a portrait painter, and was no contemptible rival of sir Godfrey Kneller, with whom he lived in habits of friendship. He died in London in 1743 at the advanced age of 87 years. His portraits of Addison, queen Anne, prince George of Denmark, the duke of Marlborough, and the duke of Ormond, have been engraved.
ative country, he resigned his post in the English court; and, soon after his arrival at Dublin, the duke of Ormond appointed him to be captain of the guards. Mrs. Catharine
Soon after the restoration, he returned to England,*
where he was graciously received by Charles II. and made
captain of the band of pensioners. In the gaieties of that
age, he was tempted to indulge a violent passion for
gaming; by which he frequently hazarded his life in duels,
and exceeded the bounds of a moderate fortune. A
dispute with the lord privy seal, about part of his estate,
obliging him to revisit his native country, he resigned his
post in the English court; and, soon after his arrival at
Dublin, the duke of Ormond appointed him to be captain
of the guards. Mrs. Catharine Phillips, in a letter to sir
Charles Cotterel, Dublin, Oct. 19, 1662, styles him “a
very ingenious person, of excellent natural parts, and certainly the most hopeful young nobleman in Ireland.
” However, he still retained the same fatal affection for gaming;
and, this engaging him in adventures, he was near being
assassinated one night by three ruffians, who attacked him
in the dark; but defended himself with so much resolution, that he dispatched one of them, while a gentleman
coming up, disarmed another; and the third secured himself by flight. This generous assistant w r as a disbanded
officer, of a good family and fair reputation, but whose
circumstances were such, that he wanted even cloaths to
appear decently at the castle. Lord Roscommon, on this
occasion, presenting him to the duke of Ormond, obtained
his grace’s leave to resign to him his post of captain of the
guards: which for about three years the gentleman enjoyed; and upon his death the duke returned the commission to his generous benefactor.
e of Julius Csesar and the Romans to the end of the reign of king James the First,” dedicated to the duke of Ormond; by whom, he informs us in the dedication, he was
In 1707, when he was become prebendary of Lincoln,
and chaplain to the bishop of that diocese, he published,
in one volume folio, “The History of England: from the
first entrance of Julius Csesar and the Romans to the end
of the reign of king James the First,
” dedicated to the
duke of Ormond; by whom, he informs us in the dedication, he was excited to engage in the undertaking. In
his preface, he gives some account of the materials and
authors from which his work was collected. He particularly enumerates the Roman, Saxon, English, and monkish
historians together with Hall, Grafton, Polydore Vergil,
Holinshed, Stow, Speed, Baker, Brady, and Tyrrell and,
among the writers of particular lives and reigns, he mentions Barnes, Howard, Goodwin, Camden, Bacon, Herbert,
and Habington. “From all these several writers,
” says
be, “and many others, I have collected and formed this
present history; always taking the liberty either to copy
or to imitate any parts of them, if I found them really conducing to the usefulness or the ornament of my work.
And, from all these, I have compiled an history as full,
comprehensive, and complete, as I could bring into the
compass of the proposed size and bigness. And, that
nothing might be wanting, I have all the way enriched
it with the best and wisest sayings of great men, that
I could find in larger volumes, and likewise with such
short moral reflections, and such proper characters of
men, as might give life as well as add instruction tothe
history.
”
heir nation, with some Italians, who built there a fort, but were soon after cut off to a man by the duke of Ormond. On the other hand, the English, under the conduct
Elizabeth had scarcely been proclaimed queen, when Philip, king of Spain, the widower of Mary, who still hoped, by means of Elizabeth, to obtain over England that dominion of which he had failed in espousing Mary, immediately dispatched orders from the Low Countries to the duke of Feria, his ambassador at London, to make her proposals of marriage, and he offered to procure from Rome a dispensation for that purpose. This, however, she rejected, although in a polite manner. Philip appears to have secretly resented the rejection, and some years after, the coolness between the two sovereigns became more visible, and some petty hostilities aided to bring their mutual dislike to a crisis. The Spaniards, on their part, had sent into Ireland a body of 70,0 of their nation, with some Italians, who built there a fort, but were soon after cut off to a man by the duke of Ormond. On the other hand, the English, under the conduct of sir Francis Drake, attacked the Spaniards in their settlements in South America. Amidst such hostilities, the queen began to look out for an alkance that might support her against so dangerous an adversary. The duke of Anjou, a powerful prince, had long made pretensions to the queen and though he was younger by twenty- five years, he took the resolution to prefer his suit in person, and paid her a private visit at Greenwich. It appears that though his figure was not very advantageous, his address was so pleasing, that the queen ordered her minister to fix the terms of the contract and a day was appointed for the solemnization of their nuptials but as the time approached, Elizabeth became more and more irresolute, and at length declared against changing her condition. Capricious as this conduct may have appeared, it is certain that her principal cou 1 tiers were hostile to a match which threatened to endanger the kingdom and the established religion.
ns of Mr. Boyse, the generous interference of Thomas Medlicote, esq. the humane interposition of the duke of Ormond, and the favourable report of the lord chancellor
After about ten weeks’ absence, though Mr. Emlyn received discouraging accounts of the rage that prevailed
against him in Dublin, he thought it necessary to return,
to his family. Finding that both his opinions and his person lay under a great odium among many who knew little
of the subject in dispute, he wrote his “Humble Inquiry
into the Scripture account of Jesus Christ: or, a short argument concerning his Deity and Glory, according to the
Gospel.
” A few days after this work was prinjted, our
author intended to return to England; but some zealous
dissenters, getting notice of his design, resolved to have
him prosecuted. Two of them, one of whom was a presbyterian, and the other a baptist-church officer, were for
presenting Mr. Emlyn; but, upon reflection, this method
was judged to be too slow, and too uncertain in its operation. Mr. Caleb Thomas, therefore, the latter of the two
dissenters, immediately obtained a special warrant from
the lord chief justice (sir Richard Pyne) to seize our author
and his books. Our author, with part of the impression of
his work, being thus seized, was carried before the lord
chief justice, who at first refused bail, but afterwards said
that it might be allowed with the attorney-general’s consent; which being obtained, two sufficient persons were
bound in a recognizance of eight hundred pounds for Mr.
Emlyn’s appearance. This was in Hilary term, February
1703, at the end of which he was bound over to Easter
term, when the grand jury found the bill, wherein he was
indicted of blasphemy. To such a charge he chose to
traverse. The indictment was altered three times before
it was finally settled, which occasioned the trial to be deferred till June 14, 1703. On that day, Mr. Emlyn was
informed, by an eminent gentleman of the long robe, sir
Richard Levins, afterwards lord chief justice of the common pleas, that he would not be permitted to speak freely,
but that it was designed to run him down like a wolf, without law or game; and he was soon convinced that this was
not a groundless assertion. The indictment was for writing and publishing a book, wherein he had blasphemously
and maliciously asserted, that Jesus Christ was not equal
to God the father, to whom he was subject; and this with
a seditious intention. As Mr. Emlyn knew that it would
be difficult to convict him of being the author of the work,
he did not think himself bound to be his own accuser, and
the prosecutor not being able to produce sufficient evidence of the fact, at length sent for Mr. Boyse. This gentleman, being examined as to what Mr. K.mlyn had preached
of the matters contained in the book, acknowledged that
he had said nothing of tlu-tn in the pulpit directly, but only
some things that gave ground of suspicion. Mr. Boyse
being farther asked, what our author had said in private
conference with the ministers, answered, “that what he
had declared there was judged by his brethren to be near
to Arianism.
” Though this only proved the agreement of
the book with Mr. Emlyn’s sentiment, it yet had a great
effect upon the minds of the jury, and tended more than
any other consideration to produce a verdict against him.
The queen’s counsel, having thus only presumption to
allege, contended,that strong presumption was as good as
evidence; which doctrine was seconded by the lord chief
justice, who repeated it to the jury, who brought him in
guilty, without considering the contents of the book
whether blasphemy or not, confining themselves, as it
would appear, to the fact of publishing: for which some of
them afterwards expressed their concern. The verdict
being pronounced, the passing of the sentence was deferred to June 16, being the last day of the term. In the
mean time Mr. Emlyn was committed to the common jail.
During this interval, Mr. Boyse shewed great concern for
our author, and used all his interest to prevent the rigorous
sentence for which the attorney-general (Robert Kochford, esq.) had moved, viz. the pillory. It being thought proper
that Mr. Emlyn should write to the lord chief justice, he
accordingly did so; but with what effect we are not told.
When he appeared to have judgment given against him, it
was moved by one of the queen’s counsel (Mr. Brodrick)
that he should retract: but to this our author could not
consent. The lord chief justice, therefore, proceeded to
pass sentence on him; which was, that he should suffer a
year’s imprisonment, pay a thousand pounds fine to the
queen, and lie in prison till paid; and that he should find
security for good behaviour during life. The pillory, he
was told, was the punishment due; but, on account of his
being a man of letters, it was not inflicted. Then, with a
paper on his breast, he was led round the four courts to
l>e exposed. After judgment had been passed, Mr. Emlyn
was committed to the sheriffs of Dublin, and was a close
prisoner, for something more than a quarter of a year, in
the house of the under-sheriff. On the 6th of October he
was hastily hurried away to the common jail, where he lay
among the prisoners in a close room filled with six beds,
for about five or six weeks; and then, by an habeas corpus, he was upon his petition removed into the Marshalsea
for his health. Having here greater conveniences, he
wrote, in 1704, a tract, entitled “General Remarks on Mr.
Boyse’s Vindication of the true Deity of our blessed Saviour.
” In the Marshalsea our author remained till July
21, 1705, during the whole of which time his former acquaintances were estranged from him, and all offices of
friendship or.civility in a manner ceased; especially among
persons of a superior rank. A few, indeed, of the plainer
tradesmen belonging to his late congregation were more
compassionate; but not one of the dissenting ministers of
Dublin, Mr. Boyse excepted, paid him any visit or attention. At length, through the zealous and repeated solicitations of Mr. Boyse, the generous interference of Thomas Medlicote, esq. the humane interposition of the duke
of Ormond, and the favourable report of the lord chancellor
(sir Richard Cox, to whom a petition of Mr. Emlyn had been preferred), and whose report was, that such exorbitant fines were against law, the fine was reduced to seventy
pounds, and it was accordingly paid into her majesty’s
exchequer. Twenty pounds more were paid, by way of
composition, to Dr. Narcissus March, archbishop of Armagh, who, as queen’s almoner, had a claim of one shilling a pound upon the whole fine. During Mr. Emlyn’s
confinement in the Marshalsea, he regularly preached
there. He had hired a pretty large room to himself; whither, on the Sundays, some of the imprisoned debtors resorted; and from without doors there came several of the
lower sort of his former people and usual hearers.
Soon after his release Mr. Emlyn returned to London,
where a small congregation was found for him, consisting
of a few friends, to whom he preached once every Sunday.
This he did without salary or stipend; although, in consequence of his wife’s jointure having devolved to her children, his fortune was reduced to a narrow income. The
liberty of preaching which our author enjoyed, gave great
offence to several persons, and especially to Mr. Charles
Leslie, the famous nonjuror, and Mr. Francis Higgins,
the rector of Balruddery, in the county of Dublin. Complaint was made upon the subject to Dr. Teniaon, archbishop of Canterbury, who was not inclined to molest him.
Nevertheless, in the representation of the lower house of
convocation to the queen in 1711, it was asserted, that
weekly sermons were preached in defence of the Unitarian
principles, an assertion which Mr. Emlyn thought proper
to deny in a paper containing some observations upon it.
After a few years, his congregation was dissolved by the
death of the principal persons who had attended upon his
ministry, and he retired into silent obscurity, but not
into idleness; for the greater part of his life was diligently
spent in endeavouring to support, by various works, the
principles he had embraced, and the cause for which he
had suffered. The first performance published by him,
after his release from prison, was “A Letter to the Rev.
Dr. Willis, 'dean of Lincoln; being some friendly remarks
on his sermon before the honourable house of commons,
Nov. 5, 1705.
” The intention of this letter was to shew
that the punishment even of papists for religion was not
warranted by the Jewish laws; and that Christians had
been more cruel persecutors than Jews. In 1706 Mr.
Emlyn published what his party considered as one of his
most elaborate productions, “A Vindication of the worship
of the Lord Jesus Christ, on Unitarian principles. In anMver to what is said, on that head, by Mr. Joseph Boyse,
in his Vindication of
” the Deity of Jesus Christ. To which
is annexed, an answer to Dr. Walerland on the same head.“Two publications came from our author in 1707, the first
of which was entitled
” The supreme Deity of God the
Father demonstrated. In answer to Dr. Sherlock’s arguments fur the supreme Divinity of Jesus Christ, or whatever can be urged against the supremacy of the first person of the Holy Trinity.“The other was
” A brief Vindication of the Bishop of Gloucester’s (Dr. Fowler)
Discourses concerning the descent of the man Christ Jesus
from Heaven, from Dr. Sherlock the dean of St. Paul’s
charge of heresy. With a confutation of his new notion in
his late book of The Scripture proofs of our Saviour’s divinity.“In 1708 Mr. Emlyn printed three tracts, all of
them directed against Mr. Leslie. The titles of them are
as follow: 1. Remarks on Mr. Charles Leslie’s first Dialogue on the Socinian controversy. 2. A Vindication of
the Remarks on Mr. Charles Leslie’s first Dialogue on
the Socinian controversy. 3. An Examination of Mr.
Leslie’s last Dialogue relating to the satisfaction of Jesus
Christ. Together with some remarks on Dr. Stillingfleet’s True reasons of Christ’s Sufferings. In the year
1710 he published
” The previous question to the several
questions about valid and invalid Baptism, Lay-baptism,
&c. considered viz. whether there be any necessity
(upon the principles of Mr. Wall’s History of infant baptism) for the continual use of baptism among the posterity
of baptised Christians.“But this hypothesis, though supported with ingenuity and learning, has not obtained many
converts. Our author did not again appear from the press
till 1715, when he published
” A full Inquiry into the
original authority of that text, 1 John v. 7. There are three
that bear record in heaven, &c. containing an account
of Dr. Mill’s evidence, from antiquity, for and against its
being genuine; with an examination of his judgment
thereupon.“This piece was addressed to Dr. William
Wake, lord archbishop of Canterbury, president, to the
bishops of the same province, his grace’s suffragans, and
to the clergy of the lower house of convocation, then assembled. The disputed text found an advocate in Mr.
Martin, pastor of the French church at the Hague, who
published a critical dissertation on the subject, in opposition to Mr. Emlyn’s Inquiry. In 1718 our author again
considered the question, in
” An Answer to Mr. Martin’s
critical dissertation on 1 John v. 7; shewing the insufficiency of his proofs, and the errors of his suppositions,
by which he attempts to establish the authority of that text
from supposed manuscripts." Mr. Martin having published an examination of this answer, Mr. Emlyn printed
a reply to it in 1720, which produced a third tract upon
the subject by Mr. Martin, and there the controversy
ended; nor, we believe, was it revived in a separate form,
until within these few years by Mr. archdeacon Travis and
professor Person.
his arrival, he paid his compliments to the foreign ministers, and the new ministry, especially the duke of Ormond, whose friendship he courted for the good of the common
In 1712, after having treated with the States General upon the proposals of peace then made by the court of France, he came over to England, to try if it were possible to engage our court to go on with the war, for it met with great obstructions here: but was surprised to find, the day before his arrival, which was on Jan. 5, that his good friend the duke of Marlborough was turned out of all his places. However, he concealed his uneasiness, and made a visit to the lord president of the council, and to the lord treasurer; and having had an audience of the queen, the day after his arrival, he paid his compliments to the foreign ministers, and the new ministry, especially the duke of Ormond, whose friendship he courted for the good of the common cause. But, above all, he did not neglect his fast friend and companion in military labours, the discarded general; but passed his time chiefly with him. He was entertained by most of the nobility, and magnificently feasted in the city of London by those merchants who had formerly contributed to the Silesian loan. But the courtiers, though they caressed him for his own worth, were not forward to bring his negotiations to an happy issue; nor did the queen, though she used him civilly, treat him with that distinction which was due to his high merit. She made him a present of a sword set with diamonds, worth about 5000l. which he wore on her birth-day; and had the honour at night to lead her to and from the opera performed on this occasion at court. After he had been told that his master’s affairs should be treated of at Utrecht, he had his audience of leave March the 13th, and the 17th set out to open the campaign in Flanders, where he experienced both good and ill fortune at Quesnoy and Landrecy.
noured with the degree of doctor of the civil law; at the same time this honour was conferred on the duke of Ormond, their chancellor, and on the earl of Chesterfield.
and cultivated minds to cherish an affectionate remembrance of the academies where they first pursued their studies, Mr. Evelyn gave a noble testimony of his high respect for his alma mater, Oxford, by using his utmost interest with the lord Henry Howard, in order to prevail upon him to bestow the Arundeliao marbles, then in the garden of Arundel-house in the Strand, upon the university, in which he happily succeeded, and obtained the thanks of that learned body, delivered by Dr. Barlow, and other delegates specially appointed for the purpose. Nor was this the last favour conferred by lord Arundel, at the request of Mr. Evelyn, whom he honoured with his closest friendship, after he arrived at the title of Duke of Norfolk. Of this interest Mr. Evtlyn made no other advantage than giving a right direction to the natural generosity of that excellent person, whence flowed some particular marks of kindness to the royal society, which were very gratefully accepted; and something farther would have been procured, if the duke’s sudden and unexpected death had not frustrated the schemes formed by our author for the service of that learned society, to which, from its very foundation, he was attached with unabated zeal. Mr. Evelyn spent his time, at this juncture, in a manner as pleasing as he could wish. He had great credit at court, and great reputation in the world; was one of the commissioners for rebuilding St. Paul’s, attended the meetings of the royal society with great regularity, undertook readily whatever tasks were assigned him to support that reputation, which, from their first institution, they had acquired, and which, by degrees, triumphed over that envy which it raised. He was punctual in the discharge of his office as a commissioner of the sick and wounded; and when he had leisure retired to his seat at Sayes-court, where the improvement of his garden was his favourite ambition. Yet in the midst of his employments, both public and private, and notwithstanding the continual pains that he bestowed in augmenting and improving the books he hud already published, he found leisure sufficient to undertake fresli labours oi the same kind, without any diminution of the high character he had obtained by his former writings. He made a journey to Oxford in the summer of 1669, where, on the 15th of July, at the opening of the theatre, he was honoured with the degree of doctor of the civil law; at the same time this honour was conferred on the duke of Ormond, their chancellor, and on the earl of Chesterfield. After king Charles II. had tried, with very little effect, to promote trade, according to the advice of persons engaged in it, he thought proper to constitute a particular board for that purpo.se, in Sept. 1672, and named several persons of great rank to be members of that council, and amongst them Mr. Evelyn, who had previously (Feb. 1671) been nominated one of the council of foreign plantations. These preferments were so welcome to a person of his disinterested temper and true public spirit, that he thought he could not express his gratitude better than by digesting, in a short and plain discourse, the chief heads of the history of trade and navigation, dedicated to the king, which was very graciously received, and is allowed to contain as much matter in as small a compass as any that was ever written uprm the topic. Notwithstanding these late auditions to his employments, when the royal society found it requisite to demand the assistance of some of its principal members, and to exact from them the tribute of certain dissertations upon weighty and philosophical subjects, he produced his share with his usual vigour and promptitude, as appears by their TVmisactions. We have now named all the preferments ronferred on him in that reign; and though they were none of them very considerable in respect of profit, yet he was jo easy in his own circumstances, so good an oeconomist, and so true a patriot, that while he daily saw fresh improvements made in every county throughout the kingdom, and the commerce of the nation continually extended, he thought himself amply recompensed, and never failed to express his sentiments in that respect with great cordiality. The severe winter of 1683 gave some interruption to his domestic enjoyments, the frost committing dreadful depredations in his fine gardens at Sayes-court, of which he sent a full and very curious account to the royal society in the beginning of the succeeding spring. After the accession of king James, we find him, in December 1685, appointed with the lord viscount Tiviot of the kingdom of Scotland, and colonel Robert Philips, one of the commissioners for executing the great office of lord privy-seal, in the absence of Henry earl of Clarendon, lord lieutenant of Ireland, which he held till March 11, 1686, when the king was pleased to make Henry baron Arundel of Wardour lord privy seal. While in this office he refused to put the seal to Dr. Obadiah Walker’s licence to print popish books. On May 5, 1695, he was appointed treasurer of Greenwich hospital, and although now much advanced in years, continued his literary labours, with his accustomed zeal, at his leisure hours.
mised sir Richard that he should be one of the secretaries of state (at the Restotion), and both the duke of Ormond and lord chancellor Clarendon were witnesses of it;
Upon his majesty’s restoration he expected to be appointed secretary of state, from a promise wfoich had formerly been made him of that office; but to his great disappointment, it was, at the instance of the duke of Albemarle, given to sir William Morrice, which circumstance
lady Fanshawe states thus: “The king promised sir Richard
that he should be one of the secretaries of state (at the Restotion), and both the duke of Ormond and lord chancellor
Clarendon were witnesses of it; yet that false man made
the king break his word for his own accommodation, and
placed Mr. Morrice, a poor country gentleman of about
200l. a year, a fierce presbyterian, and one who never saw
the king’s face; but still promises were made of the reversion to sir Richard.
”
d amendments, was published by himself, with his portrait before them, in 1682, and dedicated to the duke of Ormond. The first poem in this collection is, “On the Death
, an English poet, was born in
Aldersgate-street, London, about 1633; and educated at
Winchester school. He went from thence to New college, in Oxford; but leaving the university without a degree, he removed to the Inner Temple, where in due time
he became a barrister. Jt does not appear that he ever
followed the profession of the law; but, having a turn for
the fine arts, he indulged his inclination, and made some
proficiency, both as a poet and a painter. He speaks of
himself as a painter, in a poem called “The Review,
” and
it appears from thence, that he drew in miniature. The
third edition of his poems, with additions and amendments, was published by himself, with his portrait before
them, in 1682, and dedicated to the duke of Ormond.
The first poem in this collection is, “On the Death of the
right honourable Thomas earl of Ossory,
” and had been
published separately the year before. Soon after, it was
read by the duke of Ormond his father, who was so extremely pleased with it, that he sent Flatman a mourning
ring, with a diamond in it worth 100l. He published also
in 1685, two Pindaric odes; one on the death of prince
Rupert, the other on the death of Charles II.
In 1711 Dr. Freind was elected a member of the royal society, and the same year attended the duke of Ormond into Flanders, as his physician. He resided mostly
In 1711 Dr. Freind was elected a member of the royal
society, and the same year attended the duke of Ormond
into Flanders, as his physician. He resided mostly after
his return, at London, and gave himself up wholly to the
cares of his profession*. In 1716 he was chosen a fellow
of the college of physicians, and the same year published
the first and third books of “Hippocrates de morbis popularibus,
” to which he added, a “Commentary upon Fevers/* divided into nine short dissertations. This very
learned work was indecently attacked by Dr. Woodward,
professor of physic in Gresham college, in his
” State of
Physic and of Diseases, with an enquiry into the causes of
the late increase of them, but more particularly of the
Small-pox, &c. 1718,“8vo and here was laid the foundation of a dispute, which was carried on with great acrimony and violence on both sides. Parties were formed
under these leaders, and several pamphlets were written.
Freind supported his opinion *' concerning the advantage
of purging in the second fever of the confluent kind of
small-pox
” (for it was on this single point that the dispute chiefly turned) in a Latin letter addressed to Dr. Mead
in 1719, and since printed among his works. He was
likewise supposed to be the author of a pamphlet, entitled
* A Letter to the learned Dr. Woodward, by Dr. By field,"
in 1719, in which Woodward is rallied with great spirit
and address; for Freind made no serious answer to Woodward’s book, but contented himself with ridiculing his antagonist under the name of a celebrated empyric. In 1717
eat master. The cause of his being so totally unknown was, his being brought into Ireland by the old duke of Ormond, and retained in his service. And as Ireland was at
, an able artist, although little known, was born in 1619, and instructed by Vandyck; and his works are a sufficient proof of the signal improvement he received from the precepts and example of that great master. The cause of his being so totally unknown was, his being brought into Ireland by the old duke of Ormond, and retained in his service. And as Ireland was at that time in a very unsettled condition, the merit and the memory of this master would have been entirely unnoticed, if some of his performances, which still subsist, had not preserved him from oblivion. There are at this time in Ireland many portraits, painted by him, of noblemen and persons of fortune, which are very little inferior to Vandyck, either for expression, colouring, or dignity; and several of his’copies after Vandyck, which were in the Ormond collection at Kilkenny, were sold for original paintings of Vandyck. Mr. Gandy died in 1689.
ame mistakes were committed, and the same disappointment ensued: with this difference only, that the duke of Ormond had an opportunity to take his revenge at Vigo, and
Upon the accession of queen Anne, he stood as fair in
the general esteem as any man of his years, now about
thirty-five. He had always entertained the greatest veneration for the queen, and he made his court to her in the
politest manner in Urganda’s prophecy, spoken by way of
epilogue at the first representation of the “British Enchanters,
” where he introduced a scene representing the queen,
and the several triumphs of her reign. He entered heartily
into the measures for carrying on the war against France;
and, with a view to excite a proper spirit in the nation, he
translated the second “Olynthian
” of Demosthenes, in
that spirit entered his protest with them against the bills for attainting lord Bolingbroke and the duke of Ormond, in 1715. He even entered deeply into the scheme for
His lordship still continued steady to his former connections, and in that spirit entered his protest with them against the bills for attainting lord Bolingbroke and the duke of Ormond, in 1715. He even entered deeply into the scheme for raising an insurrection in the West of England, and was at the head of it, if we may believe lord Bolingbroke, who represents him possessed now with the same political fire and frenzy for the*Pretender as he had shewn in his youth for the father. In consequence, however, of being suspected, he was apprehended September 26, 1715, and committed prisoner to the Tower of London, where he continued until February 8, 1716-17, when he was released without any form of trial or acquittal. However sensible he might be at this time of the mistake in his conduct, which had deprived him of his liberty, yet he was far from running into the other extreme. He seems, indeed, to be one of those tories, who are said to have been driven by the violent persecutions against that party into jacobitism, and who returned to their former principles as soon as that violence ceased. Hence we find him, in 1719, as warm as ever in defence of those principles, the first time of his speaking in the house of lords, in the debates about repealing the act against occasional conformity.
colonel of the royal regiment of foot-guards called the fuzileers, and served in Flanders under the duke of Ormond. In October, 1714, his lordship was appointed gentleman
, earl of Orkney, a brave officer, was the fifth son of William earl of Selkirk, and very early embraced the profession of arms. In March 1689-90 he was made a colonel, and distinguished himself with particular bravery at the battle of the Boyne, under king William, July 1, 1690; and those of Aghrim, July 12, 1691; of Steinkirk, Aug. 3, 1692, and of Lauden, July 19, 1693. Nor did he appear to less advantage at the sieges of Athlone, Limerick, and Namur. His eminent services in Ireland and Flanders through the whole course of the war, recommended him so highly to the favour of William III. that on Jan. 10, 1695-6, he was advanced to the dignity of a peer of Scotland, by the title of earl of Orkney. His lady, likewise, whom he married in 1695, and who was the daughter of sir Edward Villiers, knight-marshal, and a special favourite with the king, received a grant under the great seal of Ireland, of almost all the private estates of the abdicated king James, of very considerable value. Upon the accession of queen Anne, the earl of Orkney was promoted to the rank of majorgeneral March 9, 1701-2, to that of lieutenant-general Jan. 1, 1703-4, and in February following was made knight of the thistle. In 1704 his lordship was at the battle of Blenheim, which was crowned with so important a victory in favour of the allies; and he made prisoners of war a body of 1300 French officers and 12,000 common soldiers, who had been posted in the village of Blenheim. In July 1705, he was detached with 1200 men to march before the main body of the army, and to observe the march of a great detachment of the enemy, which marshal Villars had sent off to the Netherlands, as soon as he found the march of the allies was directed thither; and his lordship used such expedition, that he seasonably reinforced the Dutch, and prevented marshal Villeroy’s taking the citadel of Liege, about which his troops were then formed. The next month his lordship marched with fourteen battalionsof foot, and twenty-four squadrons of horse, to support the passage over the Dyle, which was immediately effected. In July 1706, he assisted at the siege of Menin; and on Feb. 12, 1706-7, was elected one of the sixteen peers for Scotland, to sit in the first parliament of Great Britain after the union. The same year he again served under the duke of Marlborough in Flanders; being in the latter end of May detached with seven battalions of foot from Meldart to the pass of Louvain, in order to preserve the communication with it, and on that side of Flanders; which his lordship did, and abode there during the time of the allied army’s encamping at Meldart. When they decamped on Aug. 1, to Nivelle, within two leagues of the French army, and a battle was expected, the earl, with twelve battalions of foot, and thirty squadrons of horse and dragoons, and all the grenadiers of the army, advanced a little out of the front of it, and lay all night within cannon-shot of the enemy; and the next morning charged their rear in their retreat for above a league and a half, and killed, disabled, and caused to desert, above 4000 of them. In the beginning of September following his lordship was again detached with another considerable body of troops to Turquony, under a pretence of foraging by the Scheld, but really with the design of drawing the enemy thither from Tournay to battle, and getting between them and the city. In November 1708, the earl commanded the van of the army at the passing of the Scheld; and in June the year following, assisted at the siege of Tournay, and took St. Amand and St. Martin’s Sconce; and on Aug. 20, was detached from the camp at Orchies towards St. Guilliampass, on the river Heine, towards the northward of Moms, in order to attack and take it, for the better passage of the army to Mons; and on the 30th of that month, was present at the battle of Malplaquet. In 1710 he was sworn of the privy-council; and made general of foot in Flanders, and in 1712 colonel of the royal regiment of foot-guards called the fuzileers, and served in Flanders under the duke of Ormond. In October, 1714, his lordship was appointed gentleman extraordinary of the bed-chamber to king George I. and on Dec. 17 following, governor of Virginia. He was likewise afterwards constable, governor and captain of Edinburgh castle, lord-lieutenant of the county of Clydesdale, and field-marshal. He died in London, at his house in Albemarle-street, Jan, 29, 1736-7.
the conclusion of the peace between the Confederacy and France; written at the time of his grace the duke of Ormond’s entrance into Dublin.” “The design of this poem,”
, another son of the bishop of Londonderry, who deviated likewise from his father’s character, was born January 1, 1675. Like his elder brother,
his poetry turned principally on’subjects of love; like him
too, his prospects in lite appear to have terminated unfortunately. He published, in 1693, “The Triumphs of
Peace, or the Glories of Nassau; a Pindaric poem occasioned by the conclusion of the peace between the Confederacy and France; written at the time of his grace the
duke of Ormond’s entrance into Dublin.
” “The design
of this poem,
” the author says in his preface, “begins,
after the method of Pindar, to one great man, and rises to
another; first touches the duke, then celebrates the actions of the king, and so returns to the praises of the duke
again.
” In the same year he published “The Victory of
Death; or the Fall of Beauty; a visionary Pindaric poem,
occasioned by the ever to-be-deplored death of the right
honourable the lady Cutts,
” 8vo. But the principal performance of J. Hopkins was “Amasia, or the works of the
Muses, a collection of Poems,
” To the memory of Amasia,
” whom he
addresses throughout these volumes in the character of
Sylvius. There is a vein of seriousness, if not of poetry,
runs through the whole performance. Many of Ovid’s stories are very decently imitated “most of them,
” he says,
“have been very well performed by my brother, and published some years since mine were written in another
kingdom before I knew of his.
” In one of his dedications
he tells the lady Olympia Robartes, “Your ladyship’s
father, the late earl of Radnor, when governor of Ireland,
was the kind patron to mine: he raised him to the first
steps by which v he afterwards ascended to the dignities he
bore; to those, which rendered his labours more conspicuous, and set in a more advantageous light those living
merits, which now make his memory beloved. These, and
yet greater temporal honours, your family heaped on him,
by making even me in some sort related and allied to you,
by his inter-marriage with your sister the lady Araminta.
How imprudent a vanity is it in me to boast a father so
meritorious! how may 1 be ashamed to prove myself his son,
by poetry, the only qualification he so much excelled in,
but yet esteemed no excellence. I bring but a bad proof
of birth, laying my claim in that only thing he would not
own. These are, however, madam, but the products of
immature years; and riper age, may, I hope, bring forth
more solid works.
” We have never seen any other of his
writings: nor hare been able to collect any farther particulars of his life: but there is a portrait of him, under his
poetical name of Sylvius.
ars was elected a fellow. He took orders in 1675, and in 1678 was appointed domestic chaplain to the duke of Ormond, at that time lord lieutenant of Ireland, and went
, an English prelate, memorable for the firm and patriotic stand which he made against the tyranny and bigotry of James II. was the son of John Hough, a citizen of London, descended from the Houghs of Leighton in Cheshire, and iof Margaret, the daughter of John Byrche of Leacroft in the county of Stafford, esq. He was born in Middlesex, April 12, 1651; and, after having received his education either at Birmingham or Walsall in Staffordshire, was entered of Magdalen college, Oxford, Nov. 12, 1669, and in a few years was elected a fellow. He took orders in 1675, and in 1678 was appointed domestic chaplain to the duke of Ormond, at that time lord lieutenant of Ireland, and went over with him to that country; but he returned soon after, and in 1685 was made a prebendary of Worcester. He was also presented to the rectory of Tempsford in Bedfordshire, in the gift of the crown. From these circumstances, it should seem that he must have been considered as a man of talents and merit, before he acted the conspicuous part he did in October 1687.
tblflowing month in behalf of the fellows, both by themselves, the bishop of Winchester, and by the duke of Ormond, chancellor of the university: notwithstanding which,
He was accordingly presented next day, April 16, to the
visitor, Dr. Mews, bishop of Winchester, and was the same
day sworn in president of the college. He returned next
day, and was solemnly installed in the chapel. Many applications were made to the king during this and the tblflowing month in behalf of the fellows, both by themselves,
the bishop of Winchester, and by the duke of Ormond,
chancellor of the university: notwithstanding which, they
were cited to appear at Whitehall, in June following, before
his majesty’s commissioners for ecclesiastical causes, who
decreed that the election of Mr. Hough, who had now
taken his doctor’s degree, was void, and that he be removed
from his office of president. Still as Farmer’s moral character was too strong to get over, another mandate was sent
to the fellows on August 27, to admit Dr. Samuel Parker
president, who was at that time bishop of Oxford, and a
Roman Catholic. But this was declined, on the ground
of the office heing full, and being directly contrary to
their statutes and the oath they had taken, although the
king went to Oxford in September in order to enforce his
mandate, attended by lord Sunderland and others. Among
these was the celebrated William Penn the quaker, whose
influence with his brethren, and the dissenters in general,
James II. made use of to promote his own designs in favour
of popery, under the colour of a. general toleration and
suspension of the penal laws against all sectaries, as well
as against the Roman catholics. Perm’s interference in the
present business, however, does not appear to havebeen
improper. He even allowed, after making himself acquainted with the circumstances of the case, that the
“fe^ows could not yield obedience without a breach of
their oaths, and that such mandates were a force on conscience, and not agreeable to the king’s other gracious
indulgencies.
”
nion respecting the prince’s removal into France, is warmly expressed in the following letter to the duke of Ormond:
Hyde withdrew to the king at York, having first obtained the great seal to be sent thither on May 20, 1642: and, upon his arrival, was admitted into the greatest confidence, though he was not under any official character in the court for some months. But, towards the latter end of the year, upon the promotion of sir John Colepepper to be master of th,e rolls, he succeeded him in the chancellorship of the exchequer, and the same year was knighted, and made a privy-counsellor. With these characters he sat in the parliament assembled at Oxford, Jan. 1643; and, in 1644, was one of the king’s commissioners at the treaty of Uxbridge. Not long after, the king sending the prince of Wales into the West, to have the superintendency of the affairs there, sir Edward Hyde was appointed to attend his highness, and to be of his council; where he entered, by his majesty’s command, into a correspondence with the marquis of Ormond, then lord-lieutenant of Ireland. Upon the declension of the king’s cause, he with the lords Capel and Colepepper sailed from Pendennis castle in Cornwall to Scilly, and thence to Jersey, where he arrived in March 1645; but being greatly disgusted at the prince’s removal thence the following year to France, he obtained leave to stay in that island. His opinion respecting the prince’s removal into France, is warmly expressed in the following letter to the duke of Ormond:
he private reasons that induced the king to abandon the chancellor were expressed in a letter to the duke of Ormond, then in Ireland; which the king wrote to that nobleman
In August 1667, he was removed from his post of chancellor, and in November following was impeached by the
house of commons of high treason, and other crimes and
misdemeanors; upon which, in the beginning of December,
he retired to France, and on the 19th, an act of banishment
was passed against him. Echard observes, how often “it
has been admired, that the king should not only consent to
discard, but soon after banish a friend, who had been as
honest and faithful to him a* the best, and perhaps more
useful and serviceable than any he had ever employed;
which surely could never have been brought to bear without innumerable enviers and enemies.
” But to conceive
how these were raised, we need only remember, that during
the height of his grandeur, which continued two years
after the Restoration without any rivalship, as well as the
rest of his ministry, he manifested an inflexible steadiness
to the constitution of the church of England, in equal
opposition to the Papists on one side, and the Dissenters
on the other; so that none of these could ever be reconciled to him or his proceedings. Yet at first he seemed so
forward to effect a coalition of all parties, that the cavaliers
and strict churchmen thought themselves much neglected;
and many of them upon that account, though unjustly,
entertained insuperable prejudices against him, and joined
with the greatest of his enemies. But the circumstances
which were supposed to weaken his interest with, and at
length make him disagreeable to the king, were rather of
a personal nature, and such as concerned the king and
him only. It is allowed on all hands, that the chancellor
was not without the pride of conscious virtue; so that his
personal behaviour was accompanied with a sort of gravity
and haughtiness, which struck a very unpleasing awe into
a court filled with licentious persons of both sexes. He
often took the liberty to give reproofs to these persons of
mirth and gallantry; and sometimes thought it his duty to
advise the king himself in such a manner that they took
advantage of him, and as he passed in court, would often
say to his majesty, “There goes your schoolmaster.
” The
chief of these was the duke of Buckingham, who had a
surprising talent of ridicule and buffoonery; and that he
might make way for lord Clarendon’s ruin, by bringing
him first into contempt, he often acted and mimicked him
in the presence of the king, walking in a stately manner
with a pair of bellows before him for the purse, and colonel
Titus carrying a fire-shovel on his shoulder for the mace;
with which sort of farce and banter, the king, says Echard,
was too much delighted and captivated. These, with some
more serious of the Popish party, assisted by the solicitations of the ladies of pleasure, made such impressions
upon the king, that he at last gave way, and became willing, and even pleased, to part both from his person and
services. It was also believed, that the king had some
private resentments against him, for checking of those
who were too forward in loading the crown with prerogative and revenue; and particularly we are told, that he
had counteracted the king in a grand design which he had,
to be divorced from the queen, under pretence “that she
had been pre-engaged to another person, or that she was
incapable of bearing children.
” The person designed to
supply her place was Mrs. Stuart, a beautiful young lady,
who was related to the king, and had some office under the
queen. The chancellor, to prevent this, sent for the duke
of Richmond, who was of the same name; and seeming
to be sorry that a person of his worth and relation to his
majesty should receive no marks of his favour, advised him
to marry this lady, as the most likely means to advance
himself. The young nobleman, liking the person, followed
his advice, made immediate application to the lady,
who was ignorant of the king’s intentions, and in a few
days married her. The king, thus disappointed, and
soon after informed how the match was brought about,
banished the duke and his new duchess from court, reserving his resentment against the chancellor to a more convenient opportunity. Be this as it will, the private reasons
that induced the king to abandon the chancellor were expressed in a letter to the duke of Ormond, then in Ireland;
which the king wrote to that nobleman for his satisfaction,
knowing him to be the chancellor’s friend. Echard observes, that this letter was never published, nor would a
copy of it be granted; but that he had been told the
substance of it more than once by those who had read it;
and the principal reason there given by the king was,
“The chancellor’s intolerable temper.
”
r. Jenkin had an elder and a younger brother, Henry and John. John was a judge in Ireland, under the duke of Ormond. Henry, elder brother of the master, was vicar of
Dr. Jenkin had an elder and a younger brother, Henry and John. John was a judge in Ireland, under the duke of Ormond. Henry, elder brother of the master, was vicar of Tilney, in Norfolk, and rector of South Rungton cum Wellington, where he died in 1732.
interest of the duke of Lyria, he obtained a commission in the Irish brigades, then commanded by the duke of Ormond. He afterwards accompanied the duke of Lyria, when
, field-marshal in the king of Prussia’s
service, was born in 1696, and was the younger son of
William Keith, earl marshal of Scotland. He had his
grammar-learning under Thomas Ruddiman, author of the
“Rudiments;
” his academical, under bishop Keith and
William IMeston, in the college of Aberdeen. He was designed by his friends for the profession of the law; but the
bent of his genius inclined him to arms, with which they
wisely complied. His first military services were employed
while a youth of eighteen, in the rebellion of 1715. In
this unhappy contest, through the instigation of the
counless his mother, who was a Roman catholic, he joined the
Pretender’s party, and was at the battle of Sheriffmuir, in
which he was wounded, yet able to make his escape to
France. Here he applied to those branches of education,
which are necessary to accomplish a soldier. He studied
mathematics under M. de Maupertuis; and made such
proficiency, that he was, by his recommendation, admitted
a fellow of the royal academy of sciences at Paris. He
afterwards travelled through Italy, Switzerland, and Portugal; with uncommon curiosity examined the several productions in architecture, painting, and sculpture; and surveyed the different fields where famous battles had been
fought. In 1717, he had an opportunity of forming an acquaintance with Peter, czar of Muscovy, at Paris, who invited him to enter into the Russian service. This offer he
declined, because the emperor was at that time at war
with the king of Sweden, whose character Keith held in
great veneration. He then left Paris, and went to Madrid;
where, by the interest of the duke of Lyria, he obtained a
commission in the Irish brigades, then commanded by the
duke of Ormond. He afterwards accompanied the duke of
Lyria, when he was sent ambassador extraordinary to Russia, and was recommended by him to the service of the
czarina, who promoted him to the rank of lieutenant-general, and invested him with the order of the black eagle.
, and acted as a master of requests. He was soliciting the earl of Arran to speak to his brother the duke of Ormond, to get a chaplain’s place established in the garrison
"Dr. Swift came into the coffee-house, and had a bow from every body but me, who, I confess, could not but despise him. When I came to the an ti- chamber to wait before prayers, Dr. Swift was the principal man of talk and business, and acted as a master of requests. He was soliciting the earl of Arran to speak to his brother the duke of Ormond, to get a chaplain’s place established in the garrison of Hull for Mr. Fiddes, a clergyman in that neighbourhood, who had lately been in gaol, and published sermons to pay fees. He was promising Mr. Thorold to undertake with my lord treasurer, that, according to his petition, he should obtain a salary of 200l. per annum, as minister of the English church at Rotterdam. Then he stopt F. Gwynne, esq. going in with his red bag to the queen, and told him aloud he had somewhat to say to him from my lord treasurer. He talked with the son of Dr. Davenant to be sent abroad, and took out his pocket-book and wrote down several things, as memoranda, to do for him. He turned to the fire, and took out his gold watch, and, telling the time of the day, complained it was very late. A gentleman said, ‘ he was too fast.’ * How can I help it,‘ says the doctor, ’ if the courtiers give me a watch that won‘t go right’ Then he instructed a young nobleman, that the best poet in England was Mr. Pope (a papist), who had begun a translation of Homer into English verse for which ‘ he must have ’em all subscribe' for, says he, the author shall not begin to print till I have a thousand guineas for him. Lord Treasurer, after leaving the queen, came through the room beckoning Dr. Swift to follow him: both went off just before prayers. 11 Nov. 3. I see and hear a great deal to confirm a doubt, that the pretender’s interest is much at the bottom of some
July 9, 1701. Proceeding on the law line, he took his doctor’s degree in 1715; was secretary to the duke of Ormond and the earl of Arran, when chancellors of the university;
, son of the rev. Peregrine King,
was born at Stepney, in Mfddlesex, in 1685; and, after
a school-education at Salisbury, was entered of Baliol-college, Oxford, July 9, 1701. Proceeding on the law line,
he took his doctor’s degree in 1715; was secretary to the
duke of Ormond and the earl of Arran, when chancellors
of the university; and was made principal of St. Maryhall, in 1718. When he was candidate for the university,
in 1722, he resigned his office of secretary; but his other
preferment he enjoyed (and it was all he did enjoy) to the
time of his death. Dr. Clarke, who opposed him, carried
his election; and, after this disappointment, 1727, he went
over to Ireland. With what design he went thither is to
us unknown; but his enemies say, it was for the purposes
of intrigue, and to expose himself to sale. But he says
himself, and there are no facts alleged to disprove it, “At
no time of my life, either in England or Ireland, either
from the present or any former government, have I asked,
or endeavoured by any means to obtain, a place, pension,
or employment, of any kind. 1 could assign many reasons
for my conduct; but one answer I have always ready: I
inherited a patrimony, which I found sufficient to supply
all my wants, and to leave me at liberty to pursue those
liberal studies, which afforded me the most solid pleasures
in my youth, and are the delight and enjoyment of my old
age. Besides, I always conceived a secret horror of a state
of servility and dependence: and I never yet saw a placeman or a courtier, whether in a higher or lower class,
whether a priest or a layman, who was his own master.
”
During his stay in Ireland, he is said to have written an
epic poem, called “The Toast,
” bearing the name of
Scheffer, a Laplander, as its author, and of Peregrine
O' Donald, esq. as its translator; which was a political
satire, and was printed and given away to friends, but never
sold. Dr. Warton says that the countess of Newburgh was
aimed at in this satire.
eri Rev. jbatris Joan. (Bramhall) archiepiscopi Armacbani,” ibid. 1663, 4to. 6. “The Speech of James duke of Ormond, made in a parliament at Dublin, Sept. 17, 1662, translated
His learning, indeed, and his industry appear very evident by his many writings. Besides the ^thiopic New
Testament which he translated into Latin, at the request of
Usher and Selden, for the Polyglot, and which procured
him from Walton the character of “vir doctissimus, tain
generis prosapia, quam linguaruoi orientalium scientia,
nobilis,
” he published, 1. “Logica Armeniaca in Latinam
traducta,
” Dublin, Introductio in totam
Aristotelis Philosophiam,
” ibid. 1657, 12mo. 3. “The
Proceedings observed in order to, and in the consecration
of, the twelve Bishops in St. Patrick’s Church in Dublin,
Jan. 27, 1660,
” Lond. Liber Psalmorum
Davidis ex Armeniaco idiotnate in Latinum traductus,
”
Dublin, Oratio funebris habita post
exuvias nuperi Rev. jbatris Joan. (Bramhall) archiepiscopi
Armacbani,
” ibid. The Speech of James
duke of Ormond, made in a parliament at Dublin, Sept.
17, 1662, translated into the Italian,
” ibid. Reductio litium de libero arbitrio, proedestinatione, et
reprobatione ad arbitrium boni viri,
” ibid. A, Book demonstrating that it was inconsistent with the
English government, that the Irish rebels should be admitted to their former condition with impunity, by topics
drawn from principles of law, policy, and conscience,
”
published under the name of Philo-Britannicus. 9. “Lettera esortatoria di mettere opera a fare sincera penitenza
mandata alia signora F. M. L. P. &c.
” The Vindication of an injured lady,
F. M. Lucretia Plunket, one of the ladies of the privy
chamber to the queen mother of England,
” Lond. Case of Ware and Shirley,
” a gentleman who married an heiress against her
will. 12. “A Speech delivered at the Visitation held in
the diocese of Clogher, se.de vacant e, Sept. 27, 1671,
”
Dublin, The first marriage of Katherine
Fitzgerald (now lady Decies), &c. asserted,
” Lond. Sponsa nondum uxor,
” Lond.
Several Chapters of Dionysius Syrus’s
Comment on St. John the Evangelist, concerning the Life
and Death of our Saviour,
” Dublin, 4 to. 15. “The
Commentary on the Four Evangelists, by Dionysius Syrus, out
of the Syriac tongue.
” 16. “Commentary on St. Paul’s
Epistles, by Moses Bar-Cepha, out of the Syriac.
” 17.
“Exposition of Dionysius Syrus, on St. Mark,
” Dublin,
History of the Eastern and Western Churches, by Gregory Maphrino, translated into Latin from the Syriac.
”
19. “Commentary on the general Epistles, and Acts of
the Apostles, by Gregory Maphrino.
” 20 “Praxis cultusdivini juxta ritus primoevorum Christianorum,
” containing various ancient liturgies, &c. Dublin, 1693, 4to. 21.
“A clear and learned Explication of the History of our
Blessed Saviour, taken out of above thirty Greek, Syriac,
and other oriental authors, by way of Catena, by Dionysius Syrus, translated into English,
” Dublin,
hancellor Hyde, earl of Clarendon. In 1673, he was appointed principal of Alban-hall, Oxford, by the duke of Ormond, chancellor of that university; and executed the duties
, an exemplary Irish prelate, was
descended from a Saxon family, formerly seated in Kent,
whence his great-grandfather removed; and was born at
Hannington, in Wiltshire, Dec. 20, 1638. He received
the first rudiments of learning in his native place; and
being there well fitted for the university, was admitted of
Magdalen-hall, in Oxford, in 1654. He became B. A. in
1657, master in 16 60, bachelor of divinity in 1667, and doctor
in 1671. In the mean time he was made fellow of Exetercollege, in 1658; afterwards chaplain to Dr. Seth Ward,
bishop of Exeter, and then to chancellor Hyde, earl of
Clarendon. In 1673, he was appointed principal of
Alban-hall, Oxford, by the duke of Ormond, chancellor
of that university; and executed the duties of his office
with such zeal and judgment, that, according to Wood,
“he made it flourish more than it had done many years
before, or hath since his departure.
” In 1678 he was removed by the interest of Dr. John Fell, together with that
of the duke of Ormond, then lord-lieutenant of Ireland,
to the dignity of provost of Dublin-college. He was
promoted to the bishopric of Leighlin and Ferns in 1683,
translated to the archbishopric of Cashell in 1690, thence
to Dublin in 1699, and then to Armagh in 1703. After
having lived with honour and reputation to himself, and
benefit to mankind in general, he died Nov. 2, 1713, aged
seventy-five, and was buried in a vault in St. Patrick’s
church-yard.
y means of this society became more known, recommended him, in 1684, to the notice and favour of the duke of Ormond, then lord lieutenant of Ireland; by whose influence
Thus accomplished, hfc returned to Ireland in June 1678,
and shortly after married Lucy, daughter of sir William
Domvile, the king’s attorney-general. Being master of an
easy fortune, he continued to indulge himself in prosecuting
such branches of moral and experimental philosophy as
were most agreeable to his fancy; and astronomy having
the greatest share, he began, about 1681, a literary correspondence with Flamsteed, the king’s astronomer, which
he kept up for several years. In 1683, he formed a design
of erecting a philosophical society at Dublin, in imitation
of the royal society at London; and, by the countenance
and encouragement of sir William Petty, who accepted
the office of president, they began a weekly meeting that
year, when our author was appointed their first secretary.
The reputation of his parts and learning, which by means
of this society became more known, recommended him, in
1684, to the notice and favour of the duke of Ormond,
then lord lieutenant of Ireland; by whose influence he
was appointed that year, jointly with sir William Robinson,
surveyor-general of his majesty’s buildings and works, and
chief engineer. In 1685, he was chosen fellow of the
royal society at London; and that year, for the sake of
improving himself in the art of engineering, he procured an
appointment from the Irish government, to view the most
considerable fortresses in Flanders. Accordingly he travelled
through that country and Holland, and some part of Germany and France; and carrying with him letters of recommendation from Flamsteed to Cassini, he was introduced to
him, and other eminent astronomers, in the several places
through which he passed.
Soon after his return from abroad, he printed at Dublin,
in 1686, his “Sciothericum telescopium,
” containing a description of the structure and use of a telescopic dial invented by him: another edition of which was published at
London in 1700, 4to. On the publication of sir Isaac
Newton’s “Principia
” the following year,
o keep out Popery, &c.” printed at the end of “A true Account of the whole Proceedings betwixt James Duke of Ormond and Arthur Earl of Anglesey,” 1683. 13. “Vindication
10. “Letter to Anne Duchess oF York, some few months
before her death,
” written, Ad Viruni
Janum Ulitium Epistolae dute de Invocatione Sanctorum;
”
written A
Letter to the Earl of Anglesey, concerning the Means to
keep out Popery, &c.
” printed at the end of “A true
Account of the whole Proceedings betwixt James Duke of
Ormond and Arthur Earl of Anglesey,
” Vindication of himself from Mr. Baxter’s injurious Reflexions,
”
&c. An Epitaph for James I.
1625
” which was printed at the end of “Spotswood’s
History of the Church of Scotland
” and is said to have
been the author of, 15. “A Character of King Charles II.
1660
” in one sheet, 4to.
which was determined in favour of Quin, on his relating that Bowen sometimes drank the health of the duke of Ormond, and sometimes refused it at the same time asking
Soon after he quitted Drury-lane, an unfortunate transaction took place, which threatened to interrupt, if not entirely to stop his theatrical pursuits. This was an unlucky
rencounter between him and Mr. Bowen, which ended
fatally to the latter. From the evidence given at the trial
it appeared, that on the 17th of April, 1718, about four
or five o'clock in the afternoon, Mr. Bowen and Mr. Quin
met aecidentlly at the Fleece-tavern in Cornhill. They
drank together in a friendly manner, and jested with each
other for some time, until at length the conversation turned
upon their performances on the stage. Bowen said, that
Quin had acted Tamerlane in a loose sort of a manner;
and Quin, in reply, observed, that his opponent had no
occasion to value himself on his performance, since Mr.
Johnson, who had but seldom acted it, represented Jacomo,
in “The Libertine,
” as well as he who had acted it often.
These observations, probably, irritated them both, and
the conversation changed, but to another subject not better calculated to produce good humour the honesty of
each party. In the course of the altercation, Bowen
asserted, that he was as honest a man as any in the world,
which occasioned a story about his political tenets to be
introduced by Quin and both parties being warm, a
wager was laid on the subject, which was determined in
favour of Quin, on his relating that Bowen sometimes
drank the health of the duke of Ormond, and sometimes
refused it at the same time asking the referee how he
could be as honest a man as any in the world, who acted
upon two different principles. The gentleman who acted
as umpire then told Mr. Bowen, that if he insisted upon his
claim to be as honest a man as any in the world, he must
give it against him. Here the dispute seemed to have
ended, nothing in the rest of the conversation indicating
any remains of resentment in either party. Soon afterwards, however, Mr. Bowen arose, threw down some money
for his reckoning, and left the company. In about a quarter of an hour Mr. Quin was called out by a porter sent by
Bowen, and both Quin and Bowen went together, first to
the Swan tavern, and then to the Pope’s-head tavern, where
a rencounter took place, and Bowen received a wound, of
which he died on the 20th of April following. In the
course of the evidence it was sworn, that Bowen, after he
had received the wound, declared that he had had justice
done him, that there had been nothing but fair play, and
that if he died, he freely forgave his antagonist. On this
evidence Quin was, on the 10th of July, found guilty of
manslaughter only, and soon after returned to his employment on the stage*.
s and his master’s designs. Captain Baxter upon this repaired to London, and complained of it to the duke of Ormond. His father was at that time steward to the duke’s
Mr. Robertson had, in 1723, married Elizabeth, daughter of major William Baxter, who, in his younger years,
had been an officer in Ireland in the armies of king Charles
II. and James 11.; but was cashiered by the earl of Tyrconnel, James’s lord-lieutenant of Ireland, as a person not
to be depended upon in carrying on his and his master’s
designs. Captain Baxter upon this repaired to London,
and complained of it to the duke of Ormond. His father
was at that time steward to the duke’s estate. His grace,
who was then joined with other English noblemen in a correspondence with the prince of Orange, recommended
him to that prince, who immediately gave him a company
in his own forces. In this station he returned to England
with the prince at the revolution, and acted his part vigorously in bringing about that great event. While the captain was in Holland, he wrote that remarkable letter to Dr.
Burnet, afterwards bishop of Salisbury, which is inserted
in the bishop’s life at the end of the “History of his own
Times.
” By this lady, who was extremely beautiful in
her person, but much more so in her mind, Mr. Robertson
had one and twenty children. There is a little poem written by him eight years after their marriage, and inscribed
to her, upon her needle-work, inserted in the Gent. Mag.
1736. In 1743, Mr. Robertson obtained the bishop’s leave
to nominate a curate at Ravilly, and to reside for some
time in Dublin, for the education of his children. Here
he was immediately invited to the cure of St. Luke’s
parish; aud in this he continued five years, and then
returned to Ravilly in 1748, the town air not agreeing
with him. While he was in the cure of St. Luke’s, he,
together with Mr. Kane Percival, then curate of St. Michan’s, formed a scheme to raise a fund for the support
of widows and children of clergymen of the diocese of
Dublin, which hath since produced very happy effects.
In 1758 he lost his wife. In 1759 Dr. Richard Robinson
was translated from the see of Killala to that of Ferns;
and, in his visitation that year, he took Mr. Robertson
aside, and told him, that the primate, Dr. Stone (who had been bishop of Ferns, and had kept up a correspondence with Mr. Robertson), had recommended him to his care
and protection, and that he might therefore expect every
thing in his power. Accordingly, the first benefice that
became vacant in his lordship’s presentation was offered td
him, and he thankfully accepted it. But, before he could
be collated to it, he had the “Free and Candid Disquisitions
” put into his hands, which he had never seen before.
This inspired him with such doubts as made him defer his
attendance on the good bishop. His lordship wrote to
him again to come immediately for institution. Upon this,
Mr. Robertson wrote him the letter which is at the end of
a little book that he published some years after, entitled,
“An Attempt to explain the words of Reason, Substance,
Person, Creeds, Orthodoxy, Catholic Church, Subscription, and Index Expurgatorius;
” in which letter Mr. Robertson returned his lordship the most grateful thanks for
his kindness, but informed him that he could not comply
with the terms required by law to qualify him for such preferment. However, Mr. Robertson continued at Ravilly
performing his duty only, thenceforward, he omitted the
Athanasian creed, &c. This gave o(Ferice and, therefore, he thought it the honestest course to resign all his benefices together, which he did in 1764; and, in 1766, he published his book by way of apology to his friends for what he had done; and soon after left Ireland, and returned to London. In 1767, Mr. Robertson presented one of his books to his old Alma Mater the university of Glasgow, and received in return a most obliging letter, with the degree of D. D. In 1768 the mastership of the freegrammar school at Wolverhampton in Staffordshire becoming vacant, the company of Merchant-Tailors, the patrons, unanimously conferred it on him. In 1772 he was chosen one of the committee to carry on the business of the
society of clergymen, &c. in framing and presenting the
famous petition to the House of Commons of Great Britain,
praying to be relieved from the obligation of subscribing
assent and consent to the thirty-nine articles, and all and
every thing contained in the book of common-prayer.
After this he lived several years at Wolverhampton, performing the duties of his office, in the greatest harmony
with all sorts of people there; and died, of the gout in
his stomach, at Wolverhampton, May 20, 1783, in the 79th
year of his age; and was buried in the churchyard of the
new church there.
ion, was genteel. His father, who was a counsellor at law, and private secretary to James, the first duke of Ormond, sent his son, then very young, to London, where he
, the first of a class of writers
called the British Essayists, which is peculiar to this
country, was born at Dublin in 1671. Mis family, of
English extraction, was genteel. His father, who was a
counsellor at law, and private secretary to James, the first
duke of Ormond, sent his son, then very young, to London, where he was placed in the Charter-house by the
duke, who was one of the governors of that seminary.
From thence he was removed to Merton college, Oxford,
and admitted a postmaster in 1691. In 1695 he wrote a
poem on the funeral of queen Mary, entitled the “Procession.
” His inclination leading him to the army, he rode
for some time privately in the guards. He became an
author first, as he tells us himself, when an ensign of the
guards, a way of life exposed to much irregularity; and,
emg thoroughly convinced of many things, of which he
often repented, and which he more often repeated, he
wrote for his own private use a little book called “The
Christian Hero,
” with a design principally to fix upon his
own mind a strong impression of virtue and religion, in
opposition to a stronger propensity towards unwarrantable
pleasures. This secret admonition was too weak; and
therefore, in 1701, he printed the book with his name, in
hopes that a standing testimony against himself, and the
eyes of the world upon him in a new light, might curb his
desires, and make him ashamed of understanding and
seeming to feel what was virtuous, and yet of living so
contrary a life. This, he tells us, had no other effect, but
that, from being thought a good companion, he was soou
reckoned a disagreeable fellow. One or two of his acquaintance thought fit to misuse him, and try their valour
upon him; and every body, he knew, measured the least
levity in his words or actions with the character of “The
Christian Hero.
” Thus he found himself slighted, instead
of being encouraged, for his declarations as to religion; so
that he thought it incumbent upon him to enliven his character. For this purpose he wrote the comedy, called
u The Funeral, or Grief a- la- Mode,“which was acted in
1702; and as nothing at that time made a man more a
favourite with the public than a successful play, this, with
some other particulars enlarged upon to -advantage, obtained the notice of the king; and his name, to be proTided for, was, he says, in the last table-book ever worn
by the glorious and immortal William the Third.
He had before this obtained a captain’s commission in
lord Lucas’s regiment of fusileers, by the interest of lord
Cutts, to whom he had dedicated his
” Christian Hero,“and who likewise appointed him his secretary. His next
appearance as a writer, as he himself informs us, was in the
office of Gazetteer; where he worked faithfully, according
to order, without ever erring, he says, against the rule
observed by all ministries, to keep that paper very innocent and very insipid. He received this appointment in
consequence of being introduced by Addison to the acquaintance of the earls of Halifax and Sunderland. With
Addison he had become acquainted at the Charter-house.
His next productions were comedies;
” The Tender Husband“being acted in 1703, and
” The Lying Lover“in 1704. In 1709 he began
” The Taller;“the first
number of which was published April 12, 1709, and the
last Jan. 2, 1711. This paper greatly increased his reputation and interest; and he was soon after made one of the
commissioners of the Stamp-office. Upon laying down
” The Tatler,“he b'egan, in concert with Addison,
” The
Spectator,“which began to be published March 1, 1711
after that,
” The Guardian,“the first paper of which
came out March 12, 1713; and then,
” The Englishman,“the first number of which appeared Oct. 6, the same year.
Besides these works, he wrote several political pieces,
which were afterwards collected, and published under the
title of
” Political Writings," 1715, 12mo. Oneofthes6
will require to be mentioned particularly, because it was
attended with remarkable consequences relating to himself.
and Adam, were attornies. Godwin having married a relation of the old marchioness of Ormond, the old duke of Ormond made him attorney-general in the palatinate of Tipperary
, an illustrious English wit, and justly celebrated also for his political knowledge, was descended from a very ancient family, and born Nov. 30, 1667. His grandfather, Mr. Thomas Swift, was vicar of Goodrich in Herefordshire, and married Mrs. Elizabeth Dryden, aunt of Dryden the poet; by whom he had six sons, Godwin, Thomas, Dryden, William, Jonathan, and Adam. Thomas was bred at Oxford, but died young; Godwin was a barrister of Gray’s-inn; and William, Dryden, Jonathan, and Adam, were attornies. Godwin having married a relation of the old marchioness of Ormond, the old duke of Ormond made him attorney-general in the palatinate of Tipperary in Ireland. Ireland was at this time almost without lawyers, the rebellion having converted men of all conditions into soldiers. Godwin, therefore, determined to attempt the acquisition of a fortune in that kingdom, and the same motive induced his four brothers tO'go with him. Jonathan, at the age of about twenty-three, and before he went to Ireland, married Mrs. Abigail Erick, a gentlewoman of Leicestershire; and about two years after left her a widow with one child, a daughter, and pregnant with another, having no means of subsistence but an annuity of 20l. which her husband had purchased for her in England, immediately after his marriage. In this distress she was taken into the family of Godwin, her husband’s eldest brother; and there, about seven months after his death, delivered of a son, whom she called Jonathan, in remembrance of his father, and who was afterwards the celebrated dean of St. Patrick’s.
e at Cork, he was chosen proctor for the chapter, in the convocation called in 1703. Soon after, the duke of Ormond, then lord-lieutenant of Ireland, gave him the crown’s
, a pious and learned archbishop of Tuam in Ireland, was the second son of Edward, bishop of Cork, &c. and was born April the 6th, 1659, at Inishonaner, of which parish his father was then vicar. He was educated at the grammar school at Cork, and thence admitted a commoner at Christchurch, Oxford, where he tooTt the degree of B. A. but on his father’s death returned to Ireland, and finished his studies in the university of Drabiin. His first preferment was two small parishes in the di-ocese of Meath, both together of about the yearly value of 100l. These he exchanged for the vicarage of Christchurch in the city of Cork, of the same value, but one of the most painful and laborious cures in Ireland. This he served for above twenty years, mostly without any assistant; preached twice every Sunday, catechised, and discharged all the other duties of his function. Some ecclesiastical preferments, tenable with his great cure, were given him at different times by the bishops of Cork and Cloyne, which at last increased his income to near 400l. per annum. In this situation an offer was made him by government;,' in 1699, of the deanery of Derry; but, although this uras a dignity, and double in value to all that he had, yet he; declined it from a motive of filial piety. He would not; separate himself from an aged mother, who either could not, or was unwilling, to be removed. Remaining therefore at Cork, he was chosen proctor for the chapter, in the convocation called in 1703. Soon after, the duke of Ormond, then lord-lieutenant of Ireland, gave him the crown’s title to the deanery of St. Patrick’s, in Dublin. But the chapter disputed this title, and claimed a right of election in themselves; and to assert this right, they chose Dr. John Sterne, then chancellor of the cathedral, their dean. The title of the crown being thus thought defective, and, after a full discussion of the point, found to be so,Dr. King, archbishop of Dublin, proposed an accommodation, which took place, and in consequence Dr. Sterne continued dean, and the archbishop gave the chancellorship to Mr. Synge.
t from that parliament to the king, and took this opportunity of waiting on the lord lieutenant, the duke of Ormond, then at London, and seems at the same time to have
His travels extended to France, Holland, Flanders, and Germany; during which he acquired a facility in speaking and reading those modern languages, which then formed a necessary accomplishment in a statesman. In 1654, on his return, he married the above-mentioned Mrs. Osborn, and passed his time for some years with his father and family in Ireland, improving himself in the study of history and philosophy, and cautiously avoiding any employment during the usurpation. At the restoration, in 1660, he was chosen a member of the convention in Ireland, and first distinguished himself by opposing the poll-bill, a very unpopular ministerial measure; which he did with so much independence of spirit, as to furnish a presage of his future character. In the succeeding parliament, in 1661, he was chosen, with his father, for the county of Carlow, where he distinguished himself by voting and speaking indifferently, as he approved or disapproved their measures, without joining any party. In 1662 he was chosen one of the commissioners to be sent from that parliament to the king, and took this opportunity of waiting on the lord lieutenant, the duke of Ormond, then at London, and seems at the same time to have now formed the design of quitting Ireland altogether, and residing in England. It was necessary, however, to return to Ireland, where on a second interview with the duke of Ormond, then at Dublin, the duke made extraordinary professions of respect for him, complaining, with polite irony, that he was the only man in Ireland who had never asked him any thing: and when he found him bent on going to England, insisted on giving him letters of recommendation to Clarendon, the lord chancellor, and to Arlington, secretary of state.
illiam Templew^s nev.er forgetful of this obligation he constantly kept np a Correspondence with the duke of Ormond, and afterwards zealously defended him against the
This recommendation was effectual with both these statesmen, as well as with the king, although he was not immediately employed. Sir William Templew^s nev.er forgetful of this obligation he constantly kept np a Correspondence with the duke of Ormond, and afterwards zealously defended him against the attempt of the earl of Essex to displace him from the government of Ireland. In the mean time, during his interviews with lord Arling‘ton, who seems to have had his promotion at heart, he took occasion to hint to his lordship, that if his majesty thought him worthy of any employment abroad, he should be happy to accept it; but begged leave to object to the northern climates, to which he had a great aversion. Lord Arlington expressed his regret at this, because the place of envoy at Sweden was the only one then vacant. In 1665, however, about the commencement of the first Dutch, war, lord Arlington communicated to him that his majesty wanted to send a person abroad upon an affair of great importance, and advised him to accept the offer, whether in all respects agreeable or not, as it would prove an introduction to his majesty’s service, This business was a secret commission to the bishop of Munster, for the purpose of concluding a treaty between the king and him, by which the bishop should be obliged, upon receiving a certain sum of money, to join his majesty immediately in the war with Holland. Sir William made no scruple to accept this commission, which he executed with speed and success, and in the most private manner, without any train or official character. In July he began his journey to Qoesvelt, and not long after it was known publicly, that he had in a very few days concluded and signed the treaty there, in which his perfect knowledge in Latin, which he had retained, was of no little advantage to him, the bishop. conversing in no other language. After signing the treaty, he went to Brussels, saw the first payment made, and received the news that the bishop was in the fielfl, by which this negotiation began first to be discovered;, but no person suspected ’the part he had in it; and he continued privately at Brussels till it was whispered to the marquis Castel-Rodrigo the governor, that he came upon some particular errand (-which he was then at liberty to own). The governor immediately sent to desire his acquaintance, and that he might see him in private, to which he easily consented. Soon after a commission was sent him to be resident at Brussels, a situation which he had long contemplated with pleasure, and his commission was accompanied with a baronet’s patent. Sir William now sent for his family (April 1666); but, before their arrival, was again ordered to Munster, to prevent the bishop’s concluding peace with the Dutch, which he threatened to do, in consequence of some remissness in the payments from England, and actually signed it at Cleve the very night sir William Temple arrived at Munster. On. this he returned to Brussels; and before he had been there a year, peace with the Dutch was concluded at Breda. Two months after this event, his sister, who resided with him at Brussels, having an inclination to see Holland, he went thither with her incognito, and while at the Hague, became acquainted with the celebrated Pensionary De Witt.
wer to Priestcraft,” 1710; 34. “Verses on Harley’s being stabbed by Guiscard,” 1711—35. “Poem to the duke of Ormond,” 1711—36. “Character of a certain Whig,” 1711—37.
As his numerous publications form a sort of diary of his
employments, we shall give a chronological list of them,
which seems to have been drawn up with great care,
omitting only some of his occasional sermons, as we believe they were afterwards collected. His earliest production was, 1. “Fraus nummi Anglicani,
” in the “Musae
Anglicanse,
” A poem on Badminton -house,
Gloucestershire.
” Verses on the death of the
duke of Gloucester,
” Oxon. On the deaths of
king William, prince George, and queen Anne,
” Verses on baron Spanheim,
” Miscellany
verses,
” in vol. VI. of Dry den’s Miscellany, 1709; 7.
“Odes on the Oxford Act,
” Preservative
against unsettled notions,
” vol. I. Sermon
” against bishop Hoadly, from
John xviii. 36, 1717; 10. “Virgil translated into blank
verse,
” Prelectiones Poeticae,
1718, 3 vols. 8vo 12.
” Treatise on Popery truly stated
and briefly confuted,“1727; 13.
” Answer to England’s
conversion,“1727; 14.
” Sermons on Righteousness overmuch, four in one,“Ecclesiastes vii. 16, ‘Be not righteous
over-much, neither m.-.’ke thyself over-wise; why shouldst
thou destroy thyself;' 15.
” Sermon at Oxford Assizes,“‘ But it is good to be zealously affected always. in a good
thing,’ 1739; 16.
” Answer to the Seven Pamphlets against
the said Sermon,“1740; 17.
” Reply to Mr. Law’s answer
to Righteousness over-much,“1740; 18.
” Miltoni Paradisus Amissus, 2 vols.; 19. “Concio ad Clerum Londinensem Sion Coll. Matt. x. Coram. 16,
” Sermons,
No. III. from Matt. xvi. 22, 23, ‘Now all this was done,’
&c. Malachi iii. 1, ‘ Behold I will send my messenger/
&c. and from Matt. xvi. 27, 28, * For the Son of Man shall
come in the glory of the Father,’ &c. prefixed to Explanatory Notes on the first of the Four Gospels,
” 1747 21.
“Continuation of Explanatory Notes on the Four Gospels,
” finished and published by Mr. Trapp, his son, Sermons on Moral and Practical subjects,
” 2 vols.
8vo, published by Mr. Trapp, and printed at Reading, in
1752, His Sermons at Lady Moyer’s Lecture were published in 1731, 8vo. Besides the above he published, without his name, 23. “A Prologue to the University of Oxford,
” Abramule,
” a Tragedy, An
ordinary Journey no Progress,
” in defence of Dr. Sacheverell, The true genuine Whig and Tory Address,
” in answer to a Libel of Dr. B. Hoadly, in Vol. I. Nos. 8, 9, 26, 33, 45, 46, 48, 50,
1711; Vol. II. Nos. 6, 12, 26, 27, 37,45, 5O, 1712; Vol.
III. Nos. 1, 2, 5, 13, 20, 21, 26, 29, 34, 1713; 28. The
Age of Riddles,
” 1710; 29. “Character and principles of
the present set of Whigs,
” Most Faults^on one
Side,
” against a sly Whig pamphlet, entitled, * Faults on
both Sides,' 1710; 31. “Verses on Garth’s Verses to Godolphin,
” Votes without Doors, occasioned by
Votes within Doors,
” Preface to an Answer to
Priestcraft,
” Verses on Harley’s being stabbed
by Guiscard,
” Poem to the duke of Ormond,
”
Character of a certain Whig,
” Her
Majesty’s prerogative in Ireland,
” Peace,
” a
poem, A short answer to the bishop of Bangor’s great book against the Committee,
” The
Case of the Rector of St. Andrew, Holborn,
” Several Pieces in the Grub-street Journal,
” viz. upon
Impudence, upon Henley’s Grammars, Answering, and not
answering, Books, 1726; 42. “On Budgel’s Philosopher’s
Prayer,
” Prologue and Epilogue for Mr.Hemmings’s Scholars at Thistleworth,
” Grubstreet verses, Bowman,
” Anacreon translated
into Elegiacs,
” Four last Things,
” a poem,
Bribery and Perjury;
” 48. “Letter about the
Quakers Tithe Bill,
”
sition for intrigue and machination was not lessened; for, having conceived a resentment against the duke of Ormond, because he had acted with some severity against him
, duke of Buckingham, and a very
distinguished personage in the reign of Charles II. was the
son of the preceding, by his wife lady Catherine Manners,
and was born at Wallingford-house, in the parish of St.
Martin in the Fields, January 30, 1627, which being but
the year before the fatal catastrophe of his father’s death,
the young duke was left a perfect infant, a circumstance
which is frequently prejudicial to the morals of men born
to high rank and affluence. The early parts of his education he received from various domestic tutors; after which
he was sent to the university of Cambridge, where having
completed a course of studies, he, with his brother lord
Francis, went abroad, under the care of one Mr. Aylesbury. Upon his return, which was not till after the breaking-out of the rebellion, the king being at Oxford, his
grace repaired thither, was presented to his majesty, and
entered of Christ-church college. Upon the decline of
the king’s cause, he attended prince Charles into Scotland,
and was with him at the battle of Worcester in 1651; after
which, making his escape beyond sea, he again joined
him, and was soon after, as a reward for his attachment,
made knight of the Garter. Desirous, however, of retrieving his affairs, he came privately to England, and in
1657 married Mary, the daughter and sole heiress of Thomas lord Fairfax, through whose interest he recovered the
greatest part of the estate he had lost, and the assurance
of succeeding to an accumulation of wealth in the right of
his wife. We do not find, however, that this step lost him
the royal favour; for, after- the restoration, at which time
he is said to have possessed an estate of 20,000l. per annum,
he was made one of the lords of the bed-chamber, called
to the privy -council, and appointed lord-lieutenant of
Yorkshire, and master of the horse. All these high offices,
however, he lost again in 1666; for, having been refused
the post of president of the North, he became disaffected
to the king, and it was discovered that he had carried on a
secret correspondence by letters and other transactions
with one Dr. Heydon (a man of no kind of consequence, but a useful tool), tending to raise mutinies among his majesty’s forces, particularly in the navy, to stir up seditioa
among the people, and even to engage persons in a conspiracy for the seizing the Tower of London. Nay, to
sucii base lengths had he proceeded, as even to have given
money to villains to put on jackets, and, personating seamen, to go about the country begging, and exclaiming for
want of pay, while the people oppressed with taxes were
cheated of their money by the great officers of the crown.
Matters were ripe for execution, and an insurrection, at
the head of which the duke was openly to have appeared,
on the very eve of breaking-out, when it was discovered by
means of some agents whom Heydon had employed to
carry letters to the duke. The detection of this affair so
exasperated the king, who knew Buckingham to be capable f the blackest designs, that he immediately ordered
him to be seized; but the duke finding means, having defended his house for some time by force, to make his
escape, his majesty struck him out of all. his commissions,
and issued out a proclamation, requiring his surrender by
a certain day. This storm, however, did not long hang
over his head; for, on his making an humble submission,
king Charles, who was far from being of an implacable
temper, took him again into favour, and the very next
year restored him both to the privy-council and bed-chamber. But the duke’s disposition for intrigue and machination was not lessened; for, having conceived a resentment
against the duke of Ormond, because he had acted with
some severity against him in the last-mentioned affair, he,
in 1670, was supposed to be concerned in an attempt
made on that nobleman’s life, by the same Blood who afterwards endeavoured to steal the crown. Their design was
to have conveyed the duke to Tyburn, and there have
hanged him; and so far did they proceed towards the putting it in execution, that Blood and his son had actuallyforced the duke out of his coach in St. James’s-street, and
carried him away beyond Devonshire-house, Piccadilly,
before he was rescued from them. That there must hare
been the strongest reasons for suspecting the duke of Buckingham of having been a party in this villainous project, is
apparent from a story Mr. Carte relates from the best authority, in his “Life of the duke of Ormond,
” of the public
resentment and open menaces thrown out to the duke on
the occasion, by the earl of Ossory, the duke of Onnond’s
son, even in the presence of the king himself. But as
Charies II. was more sensible of injuries done to himself
than others, it does not appear that this transaction hurt
the duke’s interest at court; for in 1671 he was installed
chancellor of the university of Cambridge, and sent ambassador to France, where he was very nobly entertained
by Lewis XIV. and presented by that monarch at his departure with a sword and belt set with jewels, to the value
of forty thousand pistoles; and the next year he was employed in a second embassy to that king at Utrecht. However, in June 1674, he resigned the chancellorship of
Cambridge, and about the same time became a zealous
partizan and favourer of the nonconformists. On February
16, 1676, his grace, with the earls of- Salisbury and
Shaftesbury, and lord Wharton, were committed to the
Tower, by order of the House of Lords, for a contempt,
in refusing to retract the purport of a speech which the
duke had made concerning a dissolution of the parliament;
but upon a petition to the king, he was discharged thence
in May following. In 1680, having sold Wallingfordhouse in the Strand, he purchased a house at Dowgate,
and resided there, joining with the earl of Shaftesbury in
all the violences of opposition. About the time of king
Charles’s death, his health became affected, and he went
into the country to his own manor of Helmisley, in Yorkshire, where he generally passed his time in hunting and
entertaining his friends. This he continued until a fortnight before his death, an event which happened at a tenant’s house, at Kirkby Moorside, April 16, 1688, after
three days illness, of an ague and fever, arising from a
cold which he caught by sitting on the ground after foxhunting. The day before his death, he sent to his old servant Mr. Brian Fairfax, to provide him a bed at his own
house, at Bishophill, in Yorkshire; but the next morning
the same man returned with the news that his life was despaired of. Mr. Fairfax came; the duke knew him, looked
earnestly at him, but could not speak. Mr. Fairfax asked
a gentleman there present, a justice of peace, and a worthy discreet man in the neighbourhood, what he had said
or done before he became speechless: who told him, that
some questions had been asked him about his estate, to
which he gave no answer. This occasioned another
question to be proposed, if he would have a Popish priest;
but he replied with great vehemence, No, no! repeating the words, he would have nothing to do with them.
The same gentleman then askod him again, if he would
have the minister sent for; and he calmly said, “Yes, pray
seud for him.
” The minister accordingly came, and did
the office enjoined by the church, the duke devoutly attending it, and received the sacrament. In about an hour
his management, articles of impeachment were read against the earl of Oxford, lord Bolingbroke, the duke of Ormond, and the earl of Stratford. The eminent service he
He was now elected member for Castle-Rising, and sat
for that borough in the two short parliaments which were
assembled in the last two years of the reign of king William, and soon became an active member for the whig
party. In 1702 he was chosen member of parliament for
King’s- Lynn, and represented that borough in several succeeding parliaments. In 1705 he was nominated one of
the council to prince George of Denmark, as lord high
admiral of England; in 1708 he was appointed secretary
at war; and, in 1709, treasurer of the navy. In 1710 he
was one of the managers of the trial of Sacheverel, but
when the whig-ministry was dismissed he was removed
from all his posts, and held no place afterwards during
queen Anne’s reign. In 1711 he was voted by the House
of Commons guilty of a high breach of trust and notorious
corruption in his office of secretary at war; and it was resolved that he should be committed to the Tower, and ex- pelled the House. Upon a candid review of this affair,
there does not appear sufficient proof to justify the severity
used towards him; and perhaps his attachment to the Marlborough ministry, and his great influence in the House,
owing to his popular eloquence, were the true causes of
his censure and imprisonment, as they had been before of
his advancement. All the whigs, however, on this occasion, considered him as a kind of martyr in their cause.
The borough of Lynn re-elected him in 1714, and, though,
the House declared the election void, yet they persisted
in the choice, and he took a decided part against the
queen’s tory-ministry. In the well-known debate relating
to Steele for publishing the “Crisis,
” he greatly distinguished himself in behalf of liberty, and added to the popularity he had before acquired. The schism-bill likewise
soon after gave him a fine opportunity of exerting his eloquence, and of appearing in the character of the champion
of civil and religious liberty. On the death of the queen
a revolution of politics took place, and the whig-party prevailed both at court and in the senate. Walpole had before recoinmended himself to the house of Hanover, by
his zeal for its cause when the Commons considered the
state of the nation with regard to the protestant succession: and he had now the honour to procure the assurance
of the House to the new king (which attended the address of condolence and congratulation), “That the Commons
would make good all parliamentary funds.
” It is therefore
not surprising that his promotion soon took place after the
king’s arrival; and that in a few days he was appointed receiver and paymaster general of all the guards and garrisons, and of all other the land forces in Gveat Britain,
paymaster of the royal hospital at Chelsea, and likewise a
privy counsellor. On the opening of a new parliament, a
committee of secrecy vtfas chosen to inquire into the conduct of the late ministry, of which Walpole was appointed
chairman; and, hy his management, articles of impeachment were read against the earl of Oxford, lord Bolingbroke, the duke of Ormond, and the earl of Stratford. The
eminent service he was thought to have done the nation,
and the crown, by the vigorous prosecution of those ministers who were deemed the chief instruments of the peace,
was soon rewarded by the extraordinary promotions of first
commissioner of the treasury, and chancellor and undertreasurer of the exchequer,
a general act of the whole body. But this assembly broke up without coming to any decision, and the duke of Ormond, then lord lieutenant, considered it necessary to
, an Irish catholic of great learning liberality, was born at Moortown, in the county of Kildare, irr the early part of the seventeenth century. He was a friar of the Franciscan order, and was professor of divinity at Louvain, where he probably was educated. Returning to Ireland, he went to Kilkenny at the time the pope’s nuncio was there, but was not of his party. On the contrary, he made many endeavours to persuade the Ifish Roman catholics to the same loyal sentiments as he himself held; and after the restoration of Charles II. when he was procurator of the Romish clergy of Ireland, he persuaded many of them to subscribe a recognition or remonstrance, not only of their loyalty to the king, but of their disclaiming the pope’s supremacy in temporals. This drew upon him the resentment of many of his brethren, and particularly of the court of Rome. Such hopes, however, were entertained of this important change in the sentiment! of the Irish catholics, that in 1666 the court thought proper to permit their clergy to meet openly in synod at Dublin, in order, as was expected, to authorize the above remonstrance by a general act of the whole body. But this assembly broke up without coming to any decision, and the duke of Ormond, then lord lieutenant, considered it necessary to proceed against those who refused to give any security for their allegiance. But when, in 1670, lord Berkeley succeeded him, by some secret orders or intrigues of the popishly-affected party in England, Walsh, and those who had signed the remonstrance, were so persecuted as to be obliged to leave the country. Walsh came to London, and by the interest of the duke of Ormond, got an annuity of lOOl. for life. He had lived on terms of intimacy with the duke for nearly forty years, and had never touched much on the subject of religion until the reign of James II. when he made some overtures to gain the duke over to popery; but desisted when he found his arguments had no effect. Dodwell took some pains, although in vain, to convert Walsh, hoping, that as they had cast him out of the communion of the church of Rome, he might be persuaded to embrace that of the church of England. Walsh died in September 1687, and was buried in St. Dun* stan’s in the West.
rsity of Dublin. He was very instrumental in the parliamentary grant of 30,000l. to the marquis, now duke, of Ormond, who distinguished him in a very particular manner.
On the restoration, he was, by special order from his
majesty, repla ed in his office of auditor-general, and a
parliament beiug summoned in May 1661, he was unanimously elected representative oPthe university of Dublin.
He was very instrumental in the parliamentary grant of
30,000l. to the marquis, now duke, of Ormond, who distinguished him in a very particular manner. By his grace’s
interest, he was made one of the fourcommissioners of
appeal in causes of the excise, and new impost raised by
the statute of 14th and 15th Charles II. with a salary of
150l. He was also appointed one of the commissioners for
the execution of the king’s declaration for the settlement
of the kingdom, and for the satisfaction of the several interests of adventurers, soldiers, and others, and was, by the
king’s instructions, made of the quorum in this commission,
without whose presence and concurrence no act could be
done in execution of the declaration. His majesty, in
consideration of his faithful services for a great number of
years, and perhaps not forgetting a handsome sum of
money which he had sent him in his exile, was graciously
pleased to offer to create him a viscount of the kingdom of
Ireland, but this he refused, and likewise a baronetcy. At
his request, however, the king granted him two blank
baronet’s patents, which he filled up and disposed of to
two friends, whose posterity, Harris says, “to this day
enjoy the honours,
” but he does not mention their names.
1710, but in Oct. following, delivered up his commission of lord lieutenant, which was given to the duke of Ormond.
In 1706, he was appointed one of the commissioners for
the union with Scotland; which being concluded, he was
one of the most zealous advocates for passing the bill enacting it; and in December the same year, he was created
earl of Wharton in the county of Westmorland. Upon
the meeting of the parliament in Oct. 1707, the earl supported the petition of the merchants against the conduct
of the admiralty, which produced an address to the queen
on that subject. In the latter end of 1708, his lordship was
appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland, where he arrived April
2, 1709, and opened a session of parliament there, with a
speech reminding them of the inequality with respect to
numbers, between the protestants and papists of that kingdom, and of the necessity of considering, whether any new
bills were wanting to inforce or explain those good laws
already in being, for preventing the growth of popery
and of inculcating and preserving a good understanding
amongst all protestants there. He shewed likewise his tenderness for the dissenters, in the speech which he made to
both Houses at the close of the session Aug. 30, in which
he told them, that he did not question, but that they understood too well the true interest of the protestant religion in
that kingdom, not to endeavour to make all such protestants
as easy as they could, who were willing to. contribute what
they could to defend the whole against the common enemy;
and that it was not the law then past to “prevent the
growth of popery,
” nor any other law that the wit of man
could frame, which would secure them from popery, while
they continued divided among themselves; it being demonstrable, that, unless there be a firm friendship and
confidence amongst the protestants of Ireland, it was impossible for them either to be happy, or to be safe. And
he concluded with declaring to them the queen’s fixed resolution, that as her majesty would always maintain and
support the church, as by law established, so it was her
royal will and intention, that dissenters should not be persecuted or molested in the exercise of their religion. His
lordship’s conduct was such, as lord lieutenant of Ireland,
that the Irish House of Peers, in their address to the queen,
returned their thanks to her majesty for sending a person
of “so great wisdom and experience
” to be their chief governor. His lordship returned thither on May 7. 1710, but
in Oct. following, delivered up his commission of lord lieutenant, which was given to the duke of Ormond.