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effort of the Sugan Earl of Desmond, in 1598, to repossess himself of the estates of his forefathers. Early in October, upon the breaking out of hostilities, Kilcolman was attacked and set on fire. Spenser, his wife, and family with difficulty escaped, leaving behind an infant, who probably perished in the flames. He died in poverty in London, three months after- wards, i6th January 1599, aged 46. His widow, who married again before 1603, was granted a small estate by the Government. It has been difficult to trace the history of the poet's sons, Sylvanus and Pere- grine, who remained in or returned to Ireland. Edmund, the eldest son of Syl- vanus, is understood to have died unmar- ried ; while Hugoline, Peregrine's son, suffered outlawry and loss of property for joining the Irish side in the Wars of 1 64 1 -'5 2 and i689-'9i. It was contended by Sir William Betham that Spenser left two other children, Lawrence and Kathe- rine ; but diligent search has failed to establish anything concerning them, or to trace his descendants beyond the second generation. 309

Spratt, James, inventor of the "homo- graph," a commander in the Royal Navy, was born at Harold's Cross, near Dublin, 3rd May 1 77 1. He entered the navy in 1796, and in 1805 was a master' s-mate at the battle of Trafalgar, where he distin- guished himself on board the Defiance, 74, and was consequently promoted to the rank of lieutenant. He served with credit in many parts of the world, saving the lives of fellow-seamen upon several occasions. He received a small pension in 181 7 ; and in 1838 was gazetted a retired commander. In 1809 he was presented with a silver medal by the Society of Arts for his invention of the " homograph," or mode of signalling by a handkerchief, the groundwork of the semaphore now in universal use on railway lines in this coun- try. Commander Spratt was living in 1849. '"

Spratt, John, D.D., a philanthropist, was born in 1797, in Dublin, where he re- ceived his early education. At eighteen he was sent to a Carmelite College in Spain, at which he remained four years, and entered the Carmelite order, of which he became Provincial in Ireland. He was the prime mover in the foundation of many Catholic buildings and institutions in Dublin. The Carmelite Church in Whitefriar-street, the St. Peter's Orphanage, the St. Joseph's Night Eefuge, the Catholic Asylum for the Female Blind, were amongst his most useful foundations. He was one of the first to join Father Mathew in his crusade

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against intemperance ; and to the cause of total abstinence he devoted his most un- tiring energies for many years, working almost daily in conjunction with his friend James Haughton. Together they held Sunday evening meetings ; and was on all occasions ready to administer the total abstinence pledge. In 187 1, four months before his death, he consulted two eminent physicians respecting symptoms of gan- grene in the toe, the result of languid circu- lation. The doctors prescribed alcohol. He reflected for a moment, and said : " I have spent my life in denouncing the use of alcohol, and it is better that I should now die than live a little longer by its help." He was struck down suddenly by heart disease while administering the pledge in Whitefriar-street Church, 27th May, 1 871, aged 74, and was buried at Glasnevin. -33

Stanyhnrst, Bichard, Rev., an emi- nent author, was born in Dublin about 1545. [His father, James Stany hurst, author of Pias Orationes, and other works, was Recorder of Dublin and Speaker of the Irish House of Commons. He died in 1573.] Richard was educated at Oxford; studied law at Lincoln's Inn ; returned to Ireland, married, and became a Catholic ; removed to the Continent, where he lost his wife ; and subsequently took orders, and became chaplain to the Archduke Albert of Austria. He died at Brussels in 161 8. He was the author of several theological treatises, and translated the first four books of Virgil's -lEneid into heroic verse ; but the work with which his name is chiefly connected is his De Rebus in Hibernia Gestis, which, with an appendix out of Cambrensis, and some annotations, he published at Antwerp in 1584. It has been several times reprinted. Keating says the book abounds in errors, not to say malicious misrepresentations, but that he lived to repent the injustice thus done to the character of his country- men, and when he entered into orders promised to recant publicly. The trans- lation of Virgil has been generally con- demned. His brother Walter is mentioned in Harris's Ware as the translator of a Latin work ; and his son William, born in Belgium, who, like himself, became a Jesuit, wrote some works in Latin, enume- rated by the same authority. Richard Stanyhurst was uncle of Archbishop Ussher. '^ 339

Statinton, Sir George Leonard, Bart., an Indian administrator, was born at Cargin, Coimty of Gal way, 19th April 1737. In consequence of ill-health, he was, at sixteen, sent to Montpelier, France, 487