Page:Biographia Hibernica volume 2.djvu/93

 DIGBY. 89 him, and amongst the rest came Dr. Johnson. Derrick dropt in casually towards the close of the evening, and beholding the doctor, walked up pompously towards him, stretching out his hand, and exclaiming, “Brother author, give us your hand;” when the doctor (who had put on his good behaviour for the day) burst into an immoderate laugh, in which he was joined by the whole company, and Derrick became the object of their ridicule and contempt. LETTICE DIGBY, .* A female endowed with true heroism and decision of character, was descended from the ancient and renowned family of the Fitzgeralds of Kildare. She was created Baroness of Offaley for life; and, on her marriage with Lord Digby, of Coleshill, in the county of Longford, brought into that family the barony, lordship, manor, and territory of Geashill, in the King's County, with the monastery of Killeigh, the rectory and prebend of Geashill, and a l l the hereditaments within the said barony, which were the in heritance o f her grandfather, Gerald, Earl o f Kildare, the same being confirmed t o her and her heirs, by the award o f King James I ., bearing date 11th July, 1619. After which, some persons (under pretence o f some conceal ments, o r o f nice and strict defects o r omissions i n the patents granted t o her ancestors,) endeavouring t o defeat her o f divers parcels o f the said barony, and t o pass patent secretly for the same, the king was pleased (by privy seal from Greenwich, 26th June, 1620,) for prevention thereof, and t o the end, that a s much a s i n his majesty lay, h e might settle o n her and her heirs, a good and indefeasible estate o f a l l the said barony, lordship, manor, and territory o f Geashill, and o f the said monastery, the advowson, &c. o f a l l the lands whatsoever, a s well spiritual a s temporal, which were i n the possession o f Elizabeth, Countess o f Kildare, a s grantee, lessee, o r committee o f the lands o f Gerald, now Earl o f Kildare, a t the time o f making the said award, o r which were reputed the inheritance o f any