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I Sir Richard Boyle, Knt. lord Boyle, baron of Youghall, viſcount Dungarvan, earl of Corke, lord high treaſurer of Ireland, one of his majeſty's honourable privy council, and one of the two lords juſtices for the government of this kingdom, do commend theſe true remembrances to poſterity this 23d day of June, anno Domini 1632, having lived in this kingdom of Ireland full forty-four years, and ſo long after as it ſhall pleaſe almighty God.

My father, Mr. Roger Boyle, was born in Herefordſhire. My mother Joan Naylor, daughter to Robert Naylor of Canterbury in the county of Kent, Eſq; was born the 15th of October in the 21ſt year of king Henry VIII. and my ſaid father and mother were married in Canterbury the 16th of October in the 8th year of queen Elizabeth. My father died at Preſton near Feverſham in Kent the 24th of March 1576. My mother never married again, but lived ten years a widow, and then departed this life at Feverſham aforeſaid, the 20th of March 1586. And they both are buried in one grave in the upper end of the chancel of the pariſh church of Preſton; in memory of which my deceaſed and worthy parents, I, their ſecond ſon, have in anno Domini 1629 erected a fair alabaſter tomb over the place where they were buried, with an iron gate before it for the better preſervation thereof.

Sir Richard Boyle, now earl of Corke, the ſecond ſon of Roger Boyle, Eſq; was born in the city of Canterbury, as I find it written by my father's own hand, the 3d of October 1566.

After the deceaſe of my father and mother, I being the ſecond ſon of a younger brother, having been a ſcholar in Bennet college Cambridge, and a ſtudent in the Middle Temple, London, finding my means unable to ſupport me to ſtudy the laws in the inns of court, put myſelf into the ſervice of Sir Richard Manwood, Knt. lord chie baron of her majeſty's court of Exchequer, whom I ſerved as one of his clerks; and perceiving, that the employment would not raiſe a fortune, I reſolved to travel into foreign kingdoms, and to gain learning, and knowledge, and experience abroad in the world. And it pleaſed the Almighty by his divine providence to take me, I may ſay juſtly, as it were, by the hand, and lead me into Ireland, where I happily arrived at Dublin on the Midſummer-Eve, the 23d day of June, 1588. I was married at Limerick to Mrs. Joan Apſley one of the two daughters and coheirs of William Apſley, Eſq; the 6th of November 1595, who brought me in 500 l. lands per year, which I ſtill enjoy, it being the beginning and foundation of my fortune; and ſhe died at Moyallo the 14th of December 1599, in travel of her firſt child, who was born a dead ſon, and both of them buried together in Buttavant church.

When firſt I arrived at Dublin in Ireland, the 23d of June 1588, all my wealth then was twenty-ſeven pounds three ſhillings in money, and two tokens, which my mother had given me, viz. a diamond ring, which I have ever ſince and ſtill do wear, and a bracelet of gold worth about ten pounds; a taffety doublet cut with and upon taffety, a pair of black velvet breeches laced, a new Milan fuſtian ſuit laced and cut upon taffety, two cloaks, competent linen and neceſſaries, with my rapier and dagger. And ſince, the bleſſing of God, whoſe heavenly providence guided me hither, hath enriched my weak eſtate in beginning with ſuch a fortune, as I need not envy any of my neighbours, and added no care or burthen of my conſcience thereunto. And the 23d of June 1632, I have ſerved my God, queen Elizabeth, king James, and king Charles, full forty-four years, and ſo long after, as it ſhall pleaſe God to enable me.