Moft Eminent Perfons

IN EVERY NATION;

PARTICULARLY THE BRITISH AND IRISH;
From the Earlieft Accounts of Time to the prefent Period.

WHEREIN

Their remarkable ACTIONS and SUFFERINGS,
Their VIRTUES, PARTS, and LEARNING,

ARE ACCURATELY DISPLAYED.

With a CATALOGUE of their LITERARY PRODUCTIONS.

A NEW EDITION, IN FIFTEEN VOLUMES,

GREATLY ENLARGED AND IMPROved.

VOL. III.

LONDON:

Printed for G. G. and J. ROBINSON, J. JOHNSON, J. NICHOLS, J. SEWELL,
H. L. GARDNER, F. and C. RIVINGTON, W. OTRIDGE and SoN,
G. NICOL, E. NEWBERY, HOOKHAM and CARPENTER,

R. FAULDER, W. CHAPMAN and SoN, J. DEIGHTON,

D. WALKER, J. ANDERSON, T. PAYNE, J. LOWNDES,

P. MACQUEEN, J. WALKER, T. EGERTON, T.

CADELL jun. and W. DAVIES, R. EDWARDS,
VERNOR and Hoop, J. NUNN, MURRAY
and HIGHLEY, T. N. LONGMAN, LEE

and HURST, and J.WHITE.

OYLE (RICHARD) [4], diffinguished by the title of the great

BOYLE of Corke, was the youngest fon of Mr. Roger Boyle of

Herefordihire, by Joan, daughter of Robert Naylor of Canterbury, and born in the city of Canterbury 1566. He was inftructed in grammar learning by a clergyman of Kent; and after having been a scholar in Bennet college, Cambridge, where he was remarkable for early rifing, indefatigable ftudy, and great temperance, became ftudent in the Middle Temple [B]. He loft his father when he was but ten years old, and his mother at the expiration of other ten years; and being unable to fupport himself in the profecution of his ftudies, he entered into the fervice of fir Richard Manwood, chief baron of the exchequer, as one of his clerks: but perceiving that this employment would not raise a fortune, he refolved to travel, and landed at Dublin in June 1588, with fewer pounds in his pocket than he afterwards acquired thoufands a-year [c]. He was then about two-and-twenty, had a graceful perfon, and all the accomplishments for a young man to fucceed in a country which was a fcene of fo much action. Accordingly he made himself very

ufeful to fome of the principal perfons employed in the government, by penning for them memorials, cafes, and answers; and thereby acquired a perfect knowledge of the kingdom and the ftate of public affairs, of which he knew well how to avail him felf [D]. In 1595 he married at Limeric, Joan, the daughter and coheiress of William Anfley of Pulborough, in Suffex, efq. who had fallen in love with him. This lady died 1599, in labour of her first child (who was born a dead fon) leaving her husband an estate of 500l. a year in lands, which was the beginning of his fortunes. Some time after, fir Henry Wallop of Nares, fir Robert Gardiner, chief juftice of the king's bench, fir Robert Dillam, chief juftice of the common pleas, and fir Richard Bingham, chief commiflioner of Connaught, envious at certain purchases he had made in the province, reprefented to queen Elizabeth that he was in the pay of the king of Spain (who had at that time fome thoughts of invading Ireland; by whom he had been furnished with money to buy feveral large eftates; and that he was ftrongly fufpected to be a roman catholic in his heart, with many other malicious fuggeftions equally groundless. Mr. Boyle, having private notice of this, determined to come over to England to justify himself: but before he could take fhipping, the general rebellion in Munfter broke out; all his lands were wafted, fo that he had not one, peny of certain revenue left. In this diftrefs he betook himself to his former chamber in the Middle Temple, intending to renew his ftudies in the law till the rebellion should be fuppreffed. When the earl of Effex was nominated lord-deputy of Ireland, Mr. Boyle being recommended to him by Mr. Anthony Bacon, was received by his lordship very graciously; and fir Henry Wallop, treasurer of Ireland, knowing that Mr. Boyle had in his cuftody feveral papers which could detect his roguish manner of paffing his accounts, refolved utterly to deprefs him, and for that end renewed his former complaints against him to the queen. By her majefty's fpecial directions, Mr. Boyle was fuddenly taken up, and com mitted clofe prifoner to the Gatehoufe: all his papers were feized and fearched; and although nothing appeared to his prejudice, yet his confinement lafted till two months after his new patron the earl of Effex was gone to Ireland. At length, with much difficulty, he obtained the favour of the queen to be prefent at his examination; and having fully anfwered whatever was alleged against him, he gave a fhort account of his own behaviour fince he firft fettled in Ireland, and concluded with laying open to the queen and her council the conduct of his chief enemy fir Henry Wallop. Upon which her majefty broke out [D] Hiftorical Reflections by R. Vowil, p. 191. Budgell's Memoirs of the Boyles, P. 4. True Remembrances.