Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/498

 494 ROCHE. it on him. In 1772, he was chosen one of the committee to carry on the business of the society of clergymen, &c. in framing and presenting the famous petition to the House of Commons of Great Britain, praying to be relieved from the obligation of subscribing assent and consent to the thirty-nine articles, and a l l and every thing contained i n the book o f common prayer. After this h e lived several years a t Wolverhampton, where h e was greatly respected b y a l l ranks o f people. He died, o f the gout i n his stomach, a t that place, May 20, 1788, i n the seventy-ninth year o f his age; and was buried i n the church-yard o f the new church there. REv. GERARD ROBINSON, A clency MAN o f the Romish church, fully deserving the epithet “Worthy,” was a native o f Ireland, and was educated a t Salamanca. During his long residence i n London h e was attached t o the chapel o f the Spanish embassy, where h e officiated a s one o f the chaplains. He was eminent for exemplary piety and boundless charity. His donations t o the poor, upon whom, we are told, “he constantly bestowed almost the whole o f his income,” were marked b y this peculiar and truly christian cha racteristic, that i n relieving the distressed, h e made n o distinction o f religion o r country. He died i n George-street, Manchester-square, o n the 14th o f April 1799, i n the seventieth year o f his age, and forty-sixth o f his ministry. SIR BOYLE ROCHE, BART. Was descended from a n ancient and respectable family, said t o b e a junior branch o f the baronial house o f Roche, Wiscount Fermoy. He entered the military service o f his country very early i n life, and distinguished himself emi nently i n America, during that war, which terminated about the commencement o f his late majesty's reign, and