in their church, whither in 1654 they translated his bones from their original place of interment at Madrid.

A complete list of his works is to be found in Ware.

HENRY CONYNGHAM,

WAS a brave and skilful general, who fell while heroically fighting the battles of his country. He was the second and only surviving son of Sir Albert Conyngham who was slain in the tumults of 1705. In the memorable year of 1688 he held a captaincy in Lord Mountjoy's regiment of foot; and when the unfortunate James desired his army to shift for themselves, Captain Conyngham prevailed on five hundred of his regiment to remain united, and with these offered his services to King William. After the victory at the Boyne, his majesty ordered him to raise a regiment of dragoons, with liberty to nominate his own officers, and his commission beareth date February 1, 1692. He served in Parliament the same year for the borough of Killybeggs, and in 1695 and 1703 for the county of Donegall. On the 1st of January, 1704, he was advanced to the rank of major. general, and ordered to Portugal. He was afterwards made governor of Lerida, and lieutenant-general of the King of Spain's army.

In 1705-6 with a small number of English, he defeated a very large body of French at St. Estevan's on the frontiers of Arragon; but in the action received a severe wound in the belly, which shortly afterwards proved mortal. He married Mary, daughter of Sir John Willyams of Carmarthenshire, Bart., by whom he left three sons and three daughters.

The following letter, containing an account of the death of General Conyngham, and the action in which he was engaged, is so interesting, that we cannot withhold it from our readers.

Extract of a letter from Don F. Manuel Toron, prior of the convent of Dominicans at Lerida, dated 28th February, 1784.

"SIR,

"In consequence of what I have already written to you, concerning inquiries to be made about his excellency Henry Conyngham, general of the combined troops of England and Holland, in the battle of St. Estevan de Litera, in the kingdom of Arragon, against General D'Asfield, commander of the French and Spanish troops; I now acquaint you, that in the war of succession of the year 1706, the latter being in winter quarters with their general in the city of Balbastro, in the aforesaid kingdom, and the former quartered in the town of Tamarite, with their general, Conyngham, these were informed that some parties of French cavalry were reconnoitering the country near the town of de Litera, distant one league from thence, and three from Balbastro; on which notice the commandant of St. Estevan de Litera, immediately acquainted his excellency General Conyngham, on the 25th of January; whereupon he instantly ordered a junction of all the troops from the adjacent villages on that same night, and marched with them, 60 as at day-break of the 26th they had reached St. Estevan de Litera, where they rested after the fatigues of the night; and at seven o'clock that morning an ecclesiastic by chance walking along the neighbouring mountain that overlooks the town, in quest of strayed goats, discovered the troops of D'Asfield, composed of six thousand men, already ranged in order of battle, and in' possession of the heights and road, he returned back and gave notice to General Conyngham. He ordered his troops to be formed in all haste, composed of between three and four thousand men, and disposed matters with such order and coolness, that in a short time he marched out to seek the enemy, whom he met about two hundred paces from the town, commencing an attack the most brisk and obstinate of both sides, at a time when general D'Asfield had already gained an advantageous ground; these advantages, however were balanced by the great skill, valour and comprehension of General Conyngham, who, in the height of the action, mounted on his horse, accompanied by Don Francisco Elias Falces (a gentleman of the town of St. Estevan, who lodged him in his house), gave the most prudent orders, at the same time forming a plan of the field of battle, so as not to cease making the most effectual dispositions towards obtaining the victory. Conyngham being better informed than D'Asfield, not only of the ground, but of the other circumstances of the battle, which from the situation and superior number of the enemy's troops, he dreaded losing (and finding a valley on the left of the enemy's troops unoccupied) it occurred to him to order a Dutch regiment, then covering one of the avenues leading to the town, to come to his reinforcement, and to attack D'Asfield on his flank; who seeing his enemy's army reinforced with a fresh supply of men, presumed it was very considerable, and ordered the retreat to be sounded, without being harrassed in his rear by the English and Dutch forces, more than was necessary to clear the whole field of battle; to the great glory of Conyngham, and disappointment of

D'Asfield, who retired with great haste, crossing with boats the river Cinia, that divided the quarters of both armies. Whilst General Conyng, ham (in company with Don Francisco Elias de Falces) was forming the plan of the field of battle, it is recorded that having one leg over the pommel of the saddle, he felt himself wounded by a shot that grazed his belly; he turned to his friend, exclaiming 'I am wounded;' and finding that the wound was very considerable, he appointed for his successor in the command Don Charles Burton, who also was wounded in the engagement, which lasted upwards of two hours, and was fought with their bayonets. General Conyngham persevered in the command until he gave it up to Burton, notwithstanding his wound; Don Francisco Elias de Falces importuned him to retire, and conveyed him to his house, with special care. To Don Francisco Elias he gave his cane, which to this day they preserve in the house; and a most excellent watch, that they also keep in commemoration of so valiant a personage. The dean of the cathedral of Balbastro, is grandson to Don Francisco Elias, who was always by the side of the aforesaid general, until he was carried to the city of Balagues, in the principality of Catalonia, four leagues distant from St. Estevan, where in about eight days after, he died of his wounds, and was buried in the very walls of Balagues."

DENIS COOROBEE,

AN experienced farmer and an agriculturist, to whose experimental labours Ireland is indebted for the propagation of that most useful article to the human species, the black potatoe.

Of the personal history of the present sketch, we know nothing, except that he was fortunate enough to have been married no less than seven times; and when joined in "Hymen's bands," to the last..object of his amative flame, he (wonderful to relate) had attained his ninetyfourth year. By his various wives he was blessed with forty-eight children, two hundred and thirty-six grand children, nine hundred and forty-four great grand-children, and twenty-five great great grand-children. He died at Gloves near Athunry, after a short illness, on the 22nd of November, 1804, at the advanced age of one hundred and seventeen. He retained his faculties to the last; and until two days preceding his decease, he never remembered to have had any complaint or sickness whatever, with the exception of the tooth-ache. Three weeks before

his death, he walked from his home to Galway and back the same day, which is a distance of twenty-six miles. He could to the last read the smallest print, without the assistance of glasses (which he never accustomed himself to), with as much ease as a boy of sixteen. He was looked upon by the most intelligent statistics of Ireland, as possessing the brightest genius for agricultural improve

ment.

THOMAS COOTE,

Of Coote Hill, in the county of Cavan, is eminently entitled to a place amongst the Worthies of Ireland, for his patriotic exertions in improving and encouraging the linen manufacture, the source of so much wealth and prosperity to his country. At the Revolution, the value of the annual export of linen did not exceed 6000l.; but he had the happiness to live to see it exceed a hundred times that sum.

This gentleman was brought up to the bar, and was admitted counsellor at law in all his Majesty's courts in Ireland in 1684. In April 1693, he was made one of the justices in the court of King's Bench. In 1733 he took his seat in Parliament, as member for the county of Monaghan. He died April 24, 1741, at Coote Hill, and was there buried.

SIR CHARLES COOTE,

AFTERWARDS created Earl of Mountrath, was the eldest son of Sir Charles Coote, who was made a baronet in 1621. The unhappy commotions of the period in which he existed, gave full employment to the military and political talents which he so eminently possessed. In January 1642, he was besieged in Castle Coote by twelve hundred men, under Con O'Rourke, and defended himself so gallantly therein, that his enemies soon found it advisable to withdraw themselves. Not long after he defeated

Hugh O'Conor, son of O'Conor of Ballintober, titular prince of Connaught, and on 2nd March, in the same year, he took Con O'Rourke and most of his associates prisoners, as they were engaged in an expedition for the purpose of plundering Roscommon. Soon after this he sallied out with his garrison from Castle Coote, and falling upon a party in their camp at Creggs, gave them a total defeat, taking all their baggage and provisions. He continued to pay the necessary attention towards supplying his garrison with all the needful comforts of life, and for this purpose seized on a valuable booty at Ballynasloe, and struck such terror into the neighbouring country, that he and his men could supply themselves with provisions and drink in abundance. Nor was he unmindful of others; for in Easter-week he relieved Athlone, by throwing into it a valuable store of provisions and other necessaries. On the 16th of February, 1643, he and his brother Richard were appointed by a commission to the office of collector and receiver-general of the King's composition money, rent, and arrears in Connaught, and in the county of Clare. About the beginning of 1644, he was one of the agents sent over by his party to Charles, at Oxford, with a view to negociate for peace; and thereby put a stop to the miseries of civil war. In this he, unhappily, did not succeed; and the work of destruction continuing, he speedily distinguished himself by his bravery and enterprise. In 1646 he drove off to a distance the forces which, in a manner, kept Dublin besieged. In May 1647, he defeated his enemies, killing several thousands, and had from time to time skirmishes with them, in which many of their leaders were taken. In the October following, he joined his forces with Colonel Jones and Colonel Monk, and took several castles, and marching into the enemy's country, he burned a great store of corn, and brought off a valuable booty. For this and other atchievements, the Parliament voted their thanks to him, and sent him a letter expressive of their approbation. In 1649 he had to encounter great difficulties, being besieged