to the last—and died 21st July 1688, aged 77. A few hours before his departure, he remarked to his servant: "This day four years was a very melancholy day to me—it was the most melancholy I ever passed in my life—it was the day I lost my dear wife." By his own desire his remains were deposited in Westminster Abbey. The following notes upon his personal and mental qualities are extracted from Carte: "The Duke in his person was of a fair complexion, … a lively and ingenuous look, and a countenance that expressed a greatness of mind, and was yet full of sweetness and modesty. He was somewhat taller than what is deemed the middle size, well shaped and limbed as any man of his time, of active and clever strength, not corpulent, yet always preserving a good embonpoint. He had a noble air and mien: had he been dressed like a ploughman, he would have still appeared a man of quality; and the manner of his address was natural, easy, graceful, and engaging … His dress was plain, but very elegant and neat, nobody wore his clothes better, but he still suited them to the weather … The cheerfulness of his temper, the liveliness of his conversation, the ready flow and pleasant turn of his wit, and the care he always took to adapt himself to the King's manner and humour, rendered him very agreeable to that prince; … but King James II. seemed always to stand in awe of him … The Ministers about Court cannot be supposed to have much affection to a person whom they could not but consider as their rival in power, … and who would never enter into any of their cabals, … Conscious of … integrity, and depending on the remembrance of his services, he despised all the little arts that are used about courts to get into power … He detested making a low court to any of the King's mistresses; and yet he was not averse to the keeping of measures with them, when it might be useful to the public service, the great end by which he regulated his own conduct in public affairs." He had a wonderful memory; was an early riser, fond of field sports, and regular and temperate in his habits. Bishop Burnet thus writes of him: "A man every way fitted for a court: of a graceful appearance, a lively wit, and a cheerful temper; a man of great expense, decent even in his vices; for he always kept up the form of religion. He had gone through many transactions in Ireland with more fidelity than success … He was firm to the Protestant religion, and so far firm to the laws, that he always gave good advices; but when bad ones were followed, he was not for complaining too much of them." The Duke of Ormond had by his lady, eight sons and two daughters: (1) Thomas, born 1632, died before he was a year old. (2) Thomas, Earl of Ossory, born 9th July 1634; died 1680. (3) James, born 1635, died before he was a year old. (4) James, born 24th March 1636; died 17th April 1645; buried in Christ Church, Dublin, (5) Richard, Earl of Arran, born 15th July 1639; died 1685. (6) Elizabeth, born 29th June 1640; married to the Earl of Chesterfield. (7) Walter, born 6th September 1641; died March 1643; buried in Christ Church, Dublin. (8) John, Baron Aughrim, Viscount Clonmore, Earl of Gowran, born 1643; died without issue in 1677. (9) James, born 1645; killed, when an infant, by falling out of a carriage in the Phoenix Park. (10) Mary, born 1646; married William Lord Cavendish, afterwards Earl and Duke of Devonshire. It will be seen that the Duke outlived all his sons. Even after the destruction of a mass of his papers by a fire in Dublin Castle, in 1683, sufficient remained to furnish Carte with materials for his voluminous and invaluable history of the Duke's life. 62* 93 175 271
Butler, Thomas, Earl of Ossory, son of preceding, was born in Kilkenny Castle, 9th July 1634. In 1647 he quitted Ireland with his father, and passed on eventually to France, where he perfected himself in the accomplishments necessary to a youth of his expectations. In 1653 he accompanied his mother to Ireland. In March 1655, being in London, he was lodged in the Tower; whence he was, after a short imprisonment, released on account of ill health, and permitted to retire to the Continent—"not daring," as his biographer says, "to come near the King as long as Cromwell lived, for fear it should be a pretence for taking away from the Duchess the tenancy of her own estate." In November 1659, he married Emelia Beverweert, daughter of a leading Dutch statesman, a natural son of the Prince of Orange. After the Restoration he was appointed to several commands in the army, and was in 1665 made Lieutenant-General in Ireland. Next year he was sworn on the English Privy Council, and took his seat in Parliament as Lord Butler of Moor-Park. In 1672, visiting the court of France as envoy extraordinary, he was pressed by Louis to enter his service, and at parting was presented with a valuable jewel. In 1673, as Admiral of the Blue, he distinguished himself in an engagement with Van Tromp; and the same year planned a descent on Helvoetsluys, which Charles II. would not permit him to
