Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 42.djvu/359

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Otway
353
Oudart

lin, on 29 Jan. 1670–1. He was translated to the see of Ossory by patent dated 7 Feb. 1679–80, in spite of the objections raised against him because he had executed a tory in his own house without legal warrant (Hist. MSS. Comm. 6th Rep. App. p. 726; Prendergast, Ireland from the Restoration to the Revolution, pp. 83–4). He received in commendam the archdeaconry of Armagh and a rectory attached to it. In February 1685–6 the Earl of Clarendon advocated his promotion to the see of Cashel (Singer, Hyde Corr. i. 252-3); but his advice was not acted upon.

At the revolution of 1688 Otway adhered to James II, and sat in the House of Lords summoned by that king in 1689. He studiously refrained from praying for William and Mary in his cathedral, and, on complaint being made, directed the clergy of his diocese to act as they thought best. Accordingly, after the battle of the Boyne, William ordered his suspension (21 July 1690). Otway, however, succeeded in laying the blame on the dean and chapter, and the suspension was never enforced; but shortly afterwards he declared that he had seen no sufficient justification for the late revolution, that James II was still lawful king, and no power of pope or people could dethrone him, and, recalling the persecutions he had suffered under Cromwell, professed his readiness, in spite of his advanced age, to undergo the same again. In 1692, however, he sat in William's House of Lords, and was still in possession of his see when he died unmarried on 6 March 1692–3. He was buried in his cathedral church of St. Canice, Kilkenny, near the west door, and over his grave was erected a marble stone with an inscription to his memory.

By his will, dated 8 Dec. 1692, besides his legacy to Christ's College, Cambridge, and numerous other benefactions, he bequeathed 200l. to Trinity College, Dublin, and a like sum to build a library in the churchyard of St. Canice, Kilkenny, of which his own books were to form the nucleus. The library was incorporated during Anne's reign (Addit. MS. 28948, f. 118).

[Ware's Hist. of Ireland, ed. Harris, i. 430–1; Cotton's Fasti, ii. 282, iii. 46, iv. 70; Mant's Church History of Ireland, ii. pp. v–vii; Hist. MSS. Coram. 2nd Rep. App. p. 227, 6th Rep. App. pp. 725, 745, 759, 10th Rep. App. pt. v. p. 228; Addit. MS. 28948, f. 118; Memoirs of Ireland, 1716, pp. 125, 225, &c.; Luttrell's Brief Relation, iii. 58; Singer's Hyde Corresp. i. 252, 253, 257, ii. 48–50; Prendergast's Ireland, 1660–90, pp. 83, 84, 138; Lasceiles's Liber Munerum Hibern.; Graves and Trim's History, Architecture, and Antiquities of St. Canice Kilkenny, pp. 52, 315; O'Phelan's Epitaphs in the Cathedral Church of St. Canice, p. 45.]


OUDART, NICHOLAS (d. 1681), Latin secretary to Charles II, was born at Mechlin in Brabant. It is conjectured by Wood (Fasti, i. 492) that he was the son or nephew of Nicholas Oudart of Brussels, an official of Mechlin who died in 1608. He was brought to England by Sir Henry Wotton, 'who afterwards trusted him with his domestic affairs' (Wood, loc. cit.) He was created M.A. at Oxford on 13 Aug. 1636, and was incorporated at Cambridge in 1638. He afterwards studied medicine and was created M.B. at Oxford on 31 Jan. 1642 (Wood, Fasti, ii. 34). In 1640 he was at the Hague as secretary to Sir William Boswell, ambassador to the States (cf. Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1640–1, p. 93). In 1641 he became assistant secretary to Sir Edward Nicholas [q. v.], secretary of state. In August 1647 he was acting as amanuensis to Charles I (Nicholas Corresp. in Evelyn's Diary, ed. Bray, iv. 183); he attended the king in the conferences with the parliamentary commissioners at Newport, Isle of Wight (Warwick, Memoires, i. 322, ed. 1703), and wrote the king's despatch to Prince Charles (ib. p. 325). A copy of the Εἰκὼν Βασιλική was said to be in the handwriting of Oudart (cf. Nichols, Lit. Anecdotes, i. 525, and see under Gauden, John).

Oudart appears to have remained in Nicholas's service (cf. Nicholas Correspondence, op. cit. iv. 194) till about 1651, when he became secretary to Princess Mary of Orange (Cal. Clarendon Papers, ii. 152, 451, &c.) He held this office till the princess's death in 1661 (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1661–2, pp. 84, 312), and was executor under her will, in which she bears testimony to his abilities and fidelity. Sir Edward Nicholas declared (about 1655) that Oudart's preferments made him 'more conceited than ever,' and that he was 'little esteemed' abroad (ib. 1655, p. 384). After his return to England, Oudart was admitted gentleman of the privy chamber on 18 Nov. 1662 (ib. 1665–6, p. 303), and on 13 July 1666 became Latin secretary to Charles II (ib. p. 530), in succession to Sir Richard Fanshawe, with a salary of 80l. He held this office till his death. From about January 1662–3 he was connected with the wine license office, Westminster (ib. 1663-4, p. 23}, and in 1665 (?) petitioned for a grant of 600l. a year for eight years on account of a loss of 8,000l. incurred through that office (ib. 1665–6, p. 159). In February 1666 a warrant was