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Nicolson, William, Archbishop of Cashel, was born in Cumberland in 1655, was in 1 702 consecrated Bishop of Derry, and in 1 726 advanced to the archbishopric of Cashel, and died of apoplexy, 15th Feb- ruary 1727, He deserves notice as author of the Irish Historical Library, printed in Dublin in 1724, containing a valuable list of authors and records in print and manu- script on subjects relating to the history of Ireland. Cotton styles him " a zealous antiquary and a learned historian and philologist." Harris's Ware says : " He fell into many errors in this work, for want of sufficient acquaintance with the Irish manuscripts and language. But notwithstanding that, much thanks are due to him for the extraordinary pains he took to inform himself about the ma- terials which may be had for improving Irish history." O'Curry speaks of his "valuable Irish Historical Library." '**

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Nolan, Uichael, Judge of a Welsh circuit, a distinguished Irish lawyer, was bom the middle of the 18th century. He was the author of a Treatise on the Irish Poor Laws (2 vols. 1805) and other im- portant law books, a list of which is given by Allibone. He died in 1827. '* "^^

Norris, or TSorveja, Sir Johu, Pre- sident of Munster (grandson of Sir Henry Norris, executed for alleged crimi- nality with Queen Anne Boleyn), was born the middle of the i6th century. He distinguished himself in the Low Countries, in 1 575 served under Lord Essex in Ireland, and on 22nd July carried out the massacre on Eathlin Island [see Mac- DoNNELL, SoRLET Boy]. According to Mr. Froude, some 200 of a garrison, and 400 women and children were slain on this occasion — " chiefly mothers and their little ones, . . hidden in the caves about the shore. There was no remorse, not even the faintest shadow of perception that the occasion called for it. They were hunted out as if they had been seals or otters, all destroyed." (Froude's Englaind, vol. xi. p. 185.) He was appointed President of Munster in June 1584. In 1589 he was joint commander with Drake in an expe- dition against Spain. In February 1595 he lauded a force of some 2,000 veteran troops to oppose O'Neill and the confede- rate chieftains of the north. He and his brother Sir Thomas were wounded in an eflFort to revictual Armagh the same sum- mer. Next year he headed a great hosting against O'Neill, O'Donnell, and the north- ern chieftains, and placed garrisons at Cong, Galway, Athenry, Kilconnell, Ballinasloe, Eoscommon, Tulsk, and Boyle. He was

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knighted in Christ Church, Dublin, in April 1597. In the same year, according to the Four Masters, he " was deprived of his office by the new Lord-Justice, who had last arrived in Ireland, and went to Mimster, where he remained with his bro- ther. Sir Thomas Norris, who had been previously [Vice] President under him of Munster for the period of twelve years." Fynes Moryson says that the ill success of the war in Ireland and the jealousy of the Earl of Essex on account of some old transactions in Brittany, " brake his brave and formerly undaunted heart, for -wdthout sickenes or any publike signe of griefe, he suddenly died in the embrace of his deere brother Sir Thomas Norreys." Consider- able differences had latterly existed be- tween him and Lord Deputy Russell as to the proper policy to be pursued towards the native chieftains — Sir John favouring conciliation, and Eussell desiring a "rigor- ous prosecution of the rebels." Probably on account of his cruelty at Eathlin, he was believed by the Irish to have sold him- self to the Devil, who carried him off un- expectedly. 0' Sullivan Beare concludes that O'Neill had often defeated, not only Norris, " peritissimum Anglorum imperato- rem, omni pugnandi apparatu superiorem, sed ipsum eiiam diabolum qui illi ex pacto f uisse opitulatus creditur vicerit." '^ ^4 69 140 247

Norris, Sir Thomas, President of Munster, younger brother of preceding, also distinguished himself in the wars of Ireland. He figures on several occasions in the Annals of the Four Masters and in Fynes Moryson's Itinerary. In 1588 he accompanied Sir Eichard Bingham in an expedition against Connaught ; in 1 595 he and his brother John were wounded in a skirmish near Athlone ; and in Sep- tember 1597, he was appointed President of Munster in Sir John's place, having been already Vice-President thereof for some years. He was mortally wounded in a conflict with the Burkes near Kilmal- lock in the summer of 1599 ; and died six weeks afterwards at Maola, near Kilmal- lock. The death of "a noble young knight, Sir Henry Norris," probably his elder brother, in a battle at Finneterstown, near Adare, about the same time, is noted by the annalists. Sir Thomas was ancestor of the present Sir Denham Norreys, Bart. 54 69 134 247

Norris, Sir John, Admiral, a dis- tinguished British naval officer, was born in Ireland about the year 1674. In July 1690 he was appointed to command the Pelican, on account of gallant behaviour as Lieutenant at the engagement off Beachy 361