Michael Boyle (the younger)
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Michael Boyle, the younger (1609?–1702), archbishop of Armagh
, eldest son of Richard Boyle
, Archbishop of Tuam
, and nephew of the elder Michael
, was born about 1609.
Boyle was apparently educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he proceeded M.A., and on 4 November 1637 was incorporated M.A. of Oxford. In 1637 he obtained a rectory in the diocese of Cloyne
, received the degree of D.D., became dean of Cloyne in 1640. During the war in Ireland
acted as chaplain-general to the English army in Munster.
In 1650 the Protestant royalists in Ireland employed Boyle, in conjunction with Sir Robert Sterling and Colonel John Daniel, to negotiate on their behalf with Oliver Cromwell
. The Marquess of Ormonde
resented the conduct of Boyle in conveying Cromwell's passport to him, which he rejected.
At the Restoration, Boyle became privy councillor in Ireland, and was appointed Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
. In addition to the episcopal revenues, he continued to receive for a time the profits of six parishes in his diocese, on the ground of being unable to find clergymen for them. For Boyle's services in England in connection with the Act for the Settlement of Ireland, the House of Lords at Dublin ordered a special memorial of thanks to be entered in their journals in 1662. Boyle was translated to the see of Dublin in 1663, and appointed chancellor of Ireland in 1665.Though the appointment of a cleric as Lord Chancellor had previously been common enough Boyle was the last such appointment and it appears he was offered the position only because no professional lawyer of standing could be found to take it.
In the county of Wicklow Boyle established a town, to which he gave the name of Blessington, and at his own expense erected there a church, which he supplied with plate and bells. In connection with this town he in 1673 obtained the title of Viscount Blessington
for his eldest son, Murragh. In 1675 Boyle was promoted from the see of Dublin to that of Armagh.
On the accession of James II
, Boyle was continued in office as lord chancellor, and appointed for the third time as lord justice in Ireland, in conjunction with the Earl of Granard
, and held that post until Henry, Earl of Clarendon
, arrived as lord-lieutenant in December 1685.
In Boyle's latter years his faculties are stated to have been much impaired :" his memory gone, deaf and almost blind, a mere wreck of the past."; after about 1683 he was unable to personally perform the functions of his office. He died in Dublin on 10 December 1702, in his ninety-third year, and was interred in St. Patrick's Cathedral
there. Little of the wealth accumulated by Boyle was devoted to religious or charitable uses. Letters and papers of Boyle are extant in the Ormonde archives at Kilkenny Castle
and in the Bodleian Library
. Portraits of Archbishop Boyle were engraved by Loggan and others.
Archbishop of Armagh (Church of Ireland)
The Anglican Archbishop of Armagh is the ecclesiastical head of the Church of Ireland, the metropolitan of the Province of Armagh and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Armagh....
, eldest son of Richard Boyle
Richard Boyle (archbishop)
Richard Boyle , Archbishop of Tuam, was the elder brother of Michael Boyle the elder, bishop of Waterford, and the second son of Michael Boyle, merchant, of London, and Jane, daughter and co-heir to William Peacock....
, Archbishop of Tuam
Archbishop of Tuam
The Archbishop of Tuam is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Tuam in County Galway, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1839, and is still in use by the Roman Catholic Church.-History:...
, and nephew of the elder Michael
Michael Boyle (the elder)
Michael Boyle DD , was Bishop of Waterford and Lismore.-Biography:Boyle was born in London about 1580, was son of Michael Boyle, and brother of Richard Boyle, Archbishop of Tuam. Michael Boyle entered Merchant Taylors' School, London, in 1587, and proceeded to St. John's College, Oxford, in 1593....
, was born about 1609.
Boyle was apparently educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he proceeded M.A., and on 4 November 1637 was incorporated M.A. of Oxford. In 1637 he obtained a rectory in the diocese of Cloyne
Cloyne
Cloyne is a small town to the south-east of the town of Midleton in eastern County Cork, Province of Munster, Ireland. It is also a see city of the Anglican Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, while also giving its name to a Roman Catholic diocese...
, received the degree of D.D., became dean of Cloyne in 1640. During the war in Ireland
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
acted as chaplain-general to the English army in Munster.
In 1650 the Protestant royalists in Ireland employed Boyle, in conjunction with Sir Robert Sterling and Colonel John Daniel, to negotiate on their behalf with Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
. The Marquess of Ormonde
James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde PC was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the second of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom. He was the friend of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, who appointeed him commander of the Cavalier forces in Ireland. From 1641 to 1647, he...
resented the conduct of Boyle in conveying Cromwell's passport to him, which he rejected.
At the Restoration, Boyle became privy councillor in Ireland, and was appointed Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross is the Church of Ireland Ordinary of the united Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross in the Province of Dublin....
. In addition to the episcopal revenues, he continued to receive for a time the profits of six parishes in his diocese, on the ground of being unable to find clergymen for them. For Boyle's services in England in connection with the Act for the Settlement of Ireland, the House of Lords at Dublin ordered a special memorial of thanks to be entered in their journals in 1662. Boyle was translated to the see of Dublin in 1663, and appointed chancellor of Ireland in 1665.Though the appointment of a cleric as Lord Chancellor had previously been common enough Boyle was the last such appointment and it appears he was offered the position only because no professional lawyer of standing could be found to take it.
In the county of Wicklow Boyle established a town, to which he gave the name of Blessington, and at his own expense erected there a church, which he supplied with plate and bells. In connection with this town he in 1673 obtained the title of Viscount Blessington
Viscount Blessington
Viscount Blesington, in the County of Wicklow, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 23 August 1673 for Murrough Boyle. He was the son of Michael Boyle, Archbishop of Armagh, eldest son of Richard Boyle, Archbishop of Tuam. He was created Baron Boyle, in the County of Wicklow, at...
for his eldest son, Murragh. In 1675 Boyle was promoted from the see of Dublin to that of Armagh.
On the accession of James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
, Boyle was continued in office as lord chancellor, and appointed for the third time as lord justice in Ireland, in conjunction with the Earl of Granard
Arthur Forbes, 1st Earl of Granard
-Early life:He was the eldest son of Sir Arthur Forbes of Corse in Aberdeenshire; who went to Ireland in 1620 with the Master of Forbes's regiment, of which he was lieutenant-colonel, and was granted large estates in Leitrim and Longford by James I. His mother was Jane, daughter of Sir Robert...
, and held that post until Henry, Earl of Clarendon
Henry Hyde, 2nd Earl of Clarendon
Henry Hyde 2nd Earl of Clarendon PC was an English aristocrat and politician. He held high office at the beginning of the reign of James II of England, who had married his sister.-Early life:...
, arrived as lord-lieutenant in December 1685.
In Boyle's latter years his faculties are stated to have been much impaired :" his memory gone, deaf and almost blind, a mere wreck of the past."; after about 1683 he was unable to personally perform the functions of his office. He died in Dublin on 10 December 1702, in his ninety-third year, and was interred in St. Patrick's Cathedral
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin
Saint Patrick's Cathedral , or more formally, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St Patrick is a cathedral of the Church of Ireland in Dublin, Ireland which was founded in 1191. The Church has designated it as The National Cathedral of Ireland...
there. Little of the wealth accumulated by Boyle was devoted to religious or charitable uses. Letters and papers of Boyle are extant in the Ormonde archives at Kilkenny Castle
Kilkenny Castle
Kilkenny Castle is a castle in Kilkenny, Ireland built in 1195 by William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways...
and in the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
. Portraits of Archbishop Boyle were engraved by Loggan and others.