was still continued a Privy Counsellor; and not long after, in the commission granted for the settlement of Georgia in America, he was appointed the first of the trustees, and president of the same commission, in which he conducted himself with great zeal and application for the interest of that colony. In the first Parliament of the same reign, he was returned member for Harwich in Essex; and upon the death of the Earl of Oxford, was made recorder of the same borough. Lord Oxford had succeeded to this place by the impeachment and flight of the late Lord Bollingbroke. And having steadily persevered in loyalty and duty to the crown, his Majesty, taking into consideration these his merits to himself, as well as his zeal to promote the interest of his country, both in this and the New World (as it is expressed in the preamble to his letters patent); and also in regard to the greatness and antiquity of his extraction, he was, upon the 5th of August 1733, advanced to the dignity of an Earl, by the style and title of Earl of Egmont, the above-mentioned ancient seat of the family. John, now Earl of Egmont, his only son, was member of parliament for the borough of Dingle in Kerry, being chosen at the age of twenty, and was permitted to maintain his seat, notwithstanding that defect of qualification: which place has been exercised for six descents in this family,

family, excepting one, which happened during the short time that Sir John Percival, grandfather to the present Earl, enjoyed his estate, which was the reign of late king James, when there was no Parliament called in this kingdom. On the 31st of December 1741, the present Earl, when Lord Viscount Percival, was elected a representative in Parliament for the city of Westminster, being attended by 6000 voters of all denominations to the hall where the election was made; and his Lordship was unanimously chosen by the concurring voices of all present, notwithstanding a violent opposition threatened by the opposite party. His Lordship is now representative for Weobley in Herefordshire, and gentleman of the bedchamber to his Royal Highness the Prince.

SIR HENRY SIDNEY.

IF we were to select the pages of French and English history, in which the counsels and military exploits of the different branches of the Sidney family are recorded, perhaps they would form the most interesting passages in the annals of the two countries. Sir William, the founder of this race in England, came over from Anjou with that gallant monarch, Henry II. who well knew how to appreciate the merit of so brave a

man;

man; nor was he willing that France should solely boast so rare a subject; he was determined that his native country should at least divide the honour. Sir Henry, the subject of this sketch, was the eldest son of Sir William Sidney, steward and chamberlain to Henry VIII. He was born in 1529. Henry VIII. was his godfather; a mark of very high honour. He was knighted by Edward VI. and, in the twenty-second year of his age, was sent ambassador to France.

It was soon found that he was not invested with this important office, merely on account of his youth, nor yet the beauty of his form, which were undoubtedly powerful recommendations in a court at that time the most brilliant in Europe. The satisfactory manner in which he executed his mission, and the dignity with which he maintained his rank, evinced, that his talents even surpassed the hopes of those that formed the brightest predictions of maturer years; and fully justified the choice of his sovereign on that occasion. On his return, he was appointed Vice-treasurer. In the reign of Philip and Mary, he was appointed Lord Justice of Ireland, an office of great trust and dignity. Queen Elizabeth, duly sensible of his meritorious services, invested him with the Order of the Garter, and appointed him Lord Deputy of Ireland. This office, however honourable and lucrative, might rather be

called

called a service of danger, that required a union of talents, rarely found in the greatest favourite of nature. Such was the distracted state of Ireland in those days, that when the flames of civil war seemed to be extinguished in one part, they burst forth with redoubled fury in another: so that it even required the most skilful hand to pour oil into the wound, and to bind it up with balmy fingers. He was received by one party with open arms, whilst those who had smarted under the extortions of his predecessors, looked up to his justice; - and even those, who had forfeited all claim to that virtue, reposed on his clemency. The sword of justice, says St. Augustine, ought to be tempered in the tears of mercy; and his conduct proved, that if he had not read this sentence in the good old father, it was written in his heart. Severity was only resorted to in the most desperate cases when it was absolutely necessary that a limb should be lopped off to save the body.

The following extract is taken from Sir James Ware, who, it is acknowledged, observed a due measure of praise and blame throughout his history, composed in the midst of expiring factions.

"Sir Henry Sidney landed at Skyrries on the 12th of September 1575, from whence he went to Tredagh, where he was sworn on the 18th;

VOL. I.

the

the plague then raging in Dublin. But upon advice, that Surleboy had, immediately after his landing, assaulted Knockfergus, in which encounter Captain Baker, and above forty men, were slain. Nevertheless the prey was rescued; and the Scots repelled by the valour of the defendants. Sir Henry Sidney marched with 600 horse and foot, and speedily brought Surleboy to terms of agreement and submission, as also Mac Mahon, O'Donnell, and the chief of the Mac Guires; and soon after Turlogh Lynouth himfelf came and submitted, and was permitted to return home.

"This being performed, the Lord Deputy marched into Leinster, where he found the county of Kildare almost ruined, as was also the barony of Carbery, by the O'Mores, and the King and Queen's counties, by the O‘Con

but Rory Oge, the principal amongst them, was persuaded, by the Earl of Ormond, to come to Kilkenny, and submit himself to the Lord Deputy, which he accordingly performed.

"At Kilkenny, the Lord Deputy heard of Sir Peter Carew's death, which he much lamented; and honoured his funeral at Waterford with his presence.

"During the Lord Deputy's stay at Waterford, he was nobly entertained by the major and aldermen, for which he returned them thanks,

after