Boyle, RICHARD

Boyle, RICHARD, the founder of the house of Cork and Orrery, and fitly styled the Great Earl of Cork, was born 13th October 1566, at Canterbury, of a good but not wealthy family, originally from Herefordshire. After having studied at Cambridge and the Middle Temple, he went over to Ireland with a few pounds in his pocket to hew his way to fortune. His energy, prudence, and signal capacity for government received their reward. He married at Limerick, Joan, daughter and co-heiress of William Ansley, at whose premature death he became possessed of £500 a year in lands. He purchased estates and improved them, for £1000 buying 12,000 acres of fertile land in Cork, Waterford, and Tipperary; he promoted the immigration of English Protestants, and triumphed over the envy of his enemies, making good his cause with Queen Elizabeth, and winning her favour. Cromwell is said to have remarked regarding his improved estates, that had there been one like him in every province rebellion would have been impossible. He profited by the introduction of manufactures and mechanical arts, reaping, it is said, from his ironworks £100,000. He built bridges, founded harbours and towns, and thirteen strong castles for their defence. About 4000 persons found employment on his vast plantations. For his services in connection with English rule in the south of Ireland honours flowed in upon him; he was knighted in 1603; and in 1620 he became Viscount Dungarvan and Earl of Cork. In 1631 he was made lord high-treasurer, an office which remained hereditary in his family. On the appointment of Wentworth, afterwards Earl of Strafford, as lord-deputy, he suffered to the extent of £40,000 by charges preferred against him by the latter. In his old age the Munster rebels compelled him to gird on armour, and turn his castle into a fortress. He soon raised a little army of his servants and tenants, and with an auxiliary force commanded by his four sons (and paid, when his money was spent, out of his plate-chest), the noble old earl took castles, smote the rebels, and quenched rebellion in his borders. He died 15th September 1643, and was buried at Youghal.