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1579 he attended the Deputy into Mon- ster against James FitzMaurice and the Spanish garrison of Smerwick, in consider- ation of which services he received a pen- sion and further grants from Government. He died nth September 158 1, "at the house of William Kelly, surgeon, in Dub- lin." ='*

FitzFatrick, Bichard, Lord Gow- ran, a distinguished naval commander, born at Castletown, of same family as pre- ceding. Entering the naval service, he was in May 1687 appointed to a command, and signalized himself in several actions against the French. "William III. granted him an estate in the Queen's County. In February 1691 he drove ashore two French frigates, and captured their convoy of four- teen merchantmen. In the reign of Queen Anne he assisted in the expedition against Cadiz and in the attack on Vigo. On the accession of George I. he was created Baron Gowran, and took his seat in the Irish Par- liament. He died 9th June 1727, leaving two sons, the eldest of whom afterwards became Earl of Upper Ossory. s^ 349

FitzRalph, Bichard, Archbishop of Armagh, one of the moat eminent Irish churchmen of the middle ages, was born at Dundalk about the end of the 13th century, and was educated at Oxford. He com- menced Doctor of Divinity, and became Chancellor of that University in 1333. He was collated Chancellor of the church of Lincoln in 1334, became Archdeacon of Chester in 1336, and was installed Dean of Lichfield in 1337. By Pope Clement VI. he was advanced to the see of Armagh, and was consecrated at Exeter, on 8th July 1347. He espoused the cause of the secular clergy in their contests with the mendicant orders, whose abuses he discerned and ex- posed both by writings and preaching. The heads of the Irish Franciscans and Dominicans cited him to Avignon, where he appeaT-'^d, and in presence of Pope In- nocent VI. undauntedly maintained the conclusions he had arrived at. The exa- mination of the matter was committed to the cardinals, who, after a long contro- versy, decided against him. FitzRalpb was silenced, and the rights of the friars in relation to preaching, confession, and free sepulchre were maintained. Fitz- Ralph died at Avignon, i6th November 1360."^ Ten years afterwards, in 1370, his bones are said to have been translated to Dundalk, by Stephen de Valle, Bishop of Meath. Harris's Ware says: "Because he was an enemy to the mendicants, some have spoken but indifferently of him and his writings, and Bellarmine thinks they ought to be read with caution. Prateolus 204

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and others, although they allow him to have been possessed of great accomplish- ments, yet rank him among the heretics ; but Wadding, though not favourable to his cause, yet clears him of this aspersion, . . and adds that he rather offended by the exuberance of his knowledge than by the perversity of his will." He is said to have translated the Bible into Irish, and by some writers has been ranked amongst the earliest British reformers. Harris's Ware gives an extended list of his writings. Another will be found in N'otesand Queries, 2nd Series, by a writer who, as also the author of a note in Cotton's Fasti, cites authorities to show FitzRalph's claim to be considered a native of Devon."* ^24(2) 339

FitzSimmous, Thomas, an Ameri- can statesman, was born in Ireland in 1 741. He was an eminent merchant of Philadelphia, subscribed large sums for the supply of the army, and during the Revolutionary war commanded a volun- teer company. He was for many years a member of the State Assembly, was a delegate to the old Congress in 1 782-3, and to the Federal Convention in 1787, and was a member of Congress 1789-95. He died in Philadelphia, August 181 1, aged about 70. 37»

FitzSimon, Henry, Rev., was born in Dublin about 1569, of Protestant parents. After matriculating at Oxford, he travelled on the Continent, where he became a Jesuit. On his return to Ire- land he was soon involved in religious disputations, and was committed to Dublin Castle. There, we are told, he expressed a desire for exercising his logical faculties — declaring that, " as he was a prisoner, he was like a bear tied to a stake, and wanted somebody to bate' him." Ussher, then only in his nineteenth year, took up the gauntlet and proved an able adversary. This was in 1599. On gaining his liberty he travelled on the Continent, and then returned to Ireland. " He was a great abetter and encourager of the rebellion in 164 1 ; but when the rebels began to be subdued, he was obliged to fly for shelter into woods and mountains, and to skulk from place to place ; until at last he died miserably on the ist of February 1643." He was the author of several con- troversial works. 339

FitzSimons, Walter, Archbishop of Dublin, who was consecrated in 1484, joined the Earl of Kildare and others in crowning Simnel in 1487 ; but, having made his submission and craved pardon of King Henry VII., he was again received into favour, and was entrusted with many im- portant oflSces. He died at Finglas, 14th