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The LIFE of the honourable Robert Boyle.

ix

poſterity to inherit my lands; adviſing me to make choice of Sir Geoffry Fenton's daughter; and that if I could affect her, he would treat with her parents to have the match between us; wherein he prevailed ſo far, as the 9th of March 1602, I was, in his lordſhip's preſence, contracted to her in her father's houſe at Dublin^[1].

The 25th of July, 1603, I was married to my ſecond wife, Mrs. Catharine Fenton, the only daughter of Sir Geoffry Fenton, principal ſecretary of ſtate, and privy counſellor in Ireland, with whom I never demanded any marriage portion, neither promiſe of any, it not being in my conſideration; yet her father, after my marriage, gave me one thouſand pounds in gold with her. But that gift of his daughter unto me I muſt ever thankfully acknowledge as the crown of all my bleſſings; for ſhe was a moſt religious, virtuous, loving, and obedient wife unto me all the days of her life, and the happy mother of all my hopeful children, whom with their poſterity I beſeech God to bleſs.

The 10th of July, 1620, my eldeſt brother, Dr. John Boyle, lord biſhop of Corke and Roſs, departed this life at Biſbop's-Court near Corke; and on the 12th of that month was buried in my new tomb, erected in the chapel, which I re-edified at Youghall. After whoſe death I obtained thoſe biſhoprics from his majeſty for my uncle Michael Boyle's ſon, Richard Boyle, for whom I formerly obtained the deanery of Waterford, who now ſucceeds my brother in thoſe biſhoprics.

I Richard, earl of Corke, was knighted by Sir George Carew, lord deputy of Ireland, at St. Mary's abbey, near Dublin, the 25th of July 1603, being St. James's day, and the very day that I was married to my ſecond wife, Mrs. Catharine Fenton, I was ſworn a privy counſellor to King James for the province of Munſter at the council table at Dublin by the lord Chicheſter, then lord deputy of Ireland, the 12th of March, 1606, with commandment from the lord deputy and council to Henry Dunkard, then lord preſident of Munſter, to admit me into that council; who, upon former direction from this ſtate, had refuſed either to ſwear or admit me a counſellor of that province.

↑ Dr. Anthony Walker, in p. 45, 46, of his funeral ſermon on Mary, counteſs dowager of Warwick, daughter to the earl of Corke, relates a very remarkable ſtory, concerning this marriage, which he had from that lady's own mouth, and is as follows:

Mr. Boyle, after earl of Corke, who was then a widower, came one morning to wait upon Sir Geoffry Fenton, at that time a great officer of ſtate in the kingdom of Ireland; who being engaged in buſineſs, and not knowing who it was who deſired to ſpeak with him, a while delayed him acceſs, which time he ſpent pleaſantly with his young daughter in her nurſe's arms. But when Sir Geoffry came and ſaw whom he had made ſtay ſomewhat long, he civilly excuſed it. But Mr. Boyle replied, he had been very well entertained, and ſpent his time much to his ſatisfaction in courting his daughter, if he might obtain the honour to be accepted for his ſon-in-law. At which Sir Geoffry ſmiling, to hear one, who had been formerly married, move for a wife carried in arms, and under two years old, aſked him, if he would ſtay for her? To which he frankly anſwered him, he would; and Sir Geoffry as generouſly promiſed him, he ſhould then have his full conſent. And they both kept their words honourably; and by this virtuous lady he had thirteen children.

Mr. Evelyn, in a letter to Dr. William Wotton, dated at Wotton in Surrey, Sept. 10th, 1703, mentions likewiſe this ſtory in the following terms;

that Mr. Boyle coming to adviſe with Sir Geoffry Fenton, now knighted, finding him engaged with another client, and ſeeing a pretty child in the nurſe's arms, entertained himſelf with them, till Sir Geoffry came to him, making his excuſe for cauſing him to wait ſo long. Mr. Boyle pleaſantly told him, he had been courting a young lady for his wife. And ſo it fortuned, that ſixteen years after, Mr. Boyle made his addreſſes in good earneſt, and married the young lady.

Both theſe accounts are attended with great difficulties, eſpecially that of Dr. Walker which is abſolutely irreconcilable with the earl of Corke's own narrative, from which it appears, that his firſt lady died on the 25th of July, 1603; ſo that it is impoſſible, that while he was a widower, he ſhould enter into any engagements for the latter, while ſhe was in her nurſe's arms, and under two years old, ſince there was only an interval of three years and eight months between the death of his firſt wife and his marriage with the ſecond.

[1] Dr. Anthony Walker, in p. 45, 46, of his funeral ſermon on Mary, counteſs dowager of Warwick, daughter to the earl of Corke, relates a very remarkable ſtory, concerning this marriage, which he had from that lady's own mouth, and is as follows:

Mr. Boyle, after earl of Corke, who was then a widower, came one morning to wait upon Sir Geoffry Fenton, at that time a great officer of ſtate in the kingdom of Ireland; who being engaged in buſineſs, and not knowing who it was who deſired to ſpeak with him, a while delayed him acceſs, which time he ſpent pleaſantly with his young daughter in her nurſe's arms. But when Sir Geoffry came and ſaw whom he had made ſtay ſomewhat long, he civilly excuſed it. But Mr. Boyle replied, he had been very well entertained, and ſpent his time much to his ſatisfaction in courting his daughter, if he might obtain the honour to be accepted for his ſon-in-law. At which Sir Geoffry ſmiling, to hear one, who had been formerly married, move for a wife carried in arms, and under two years old, aſked him, if he would ſtay for her? To which he frankly anſwered him, he would; and Sir Geoffry as generouſly promiſed him, he ſhould then have his full conſent. And they both kept their words honourably; and by this virtuous lady he had thirteen children.

Mr. Evelyn, in a letter to Dr. William Wotton, dated at Wotton in Surrey, Sept. 10th, 1703, mentions likewiſe this ſtory in the following terms;

that Mr. Boyle coming to adviſe with Sir Geoffry Fenton, now knighted, finding him engaged with another client, and ſeeing a pretty child in the nurſe's arms, entertained himſelf with them, till Sir Geoffry came to him, making his excuſe for cauſing him to wait ſo long. Mr. Boyle pleaſantly told him, he had been courting a young lady for his wife. And ſo it fortuned, that ſixteen years after, Mr. Boyle made his addreſſes in good earneſt, and married the young lady.

Both theſe accounts are attended with great difficulties, eſpecially that of Dr. Walker which is abſolutely irreconcilable with the earl of Corke's own narrative, from which it appears, that his firſt lady died on the 25th of July, 1603; ſo that it is impoſſible, that while he was a widower, he ſhould enter into any engagements for the latter, while ſhe was in her nurſe's arms, and under two years old, ſince there was only an interval of three years and eight months between the death of his firſt wife and his marriage with the ſecond.

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