Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 05.djvu/131

 ability at the assizes during the critical period of 1847-8. He delivered the charge in the prosecution of Smith O'Brien and his confederates, who were convicted of high treason, Referring to this charge. Lord Brougham said: 'I never in the course of my experience read a more able and satisfaction argument m every respect than that of Chief-justice Blackburne' (House of Lords' Cases, ii. 496). Blackburne also delivered an important charge to the grand jury at Monaghan in 1861, in connection with the outbreak of Ribbonism.

When Lord Derby came into office in February 1862, Blackburne was made chancellor of Ireland, but he resigned the post on the formation of a coalition government under Lord Aberdeen in December of the same year.

In 1852, at the wish of the government, Blackburne became one of the commissioners of national education, but he retired from it in the following year along with Archbishop Whately and Lord Greene. In 1864 Blackburne, when examined at great length before a committee of the House of Lords as to the circumstances which led to his retirement, stated that he joined the board under the conviction that it would afford a large amount of religious, combined with secular, instruction, but that a substantial part of the religious instruction had been subtracted from the course (Report of the Select Committee of the House of Lords, &c.)

In 1866 Blackburne was appointed by Lord Palmerston lord justice of appeal in Ireland. Two years later he was invited by Lord Derby again to become lord chancellor, but he declined on account of his advanced age and failing health. On the accession to power of Lord Derby in 1806 he consented, however, to accent the appointment, but being warmly attacked he was ultimately induced to resign. In May 1867 Blackburne declined Lord Derby's offer of a baronetcy. He died on 17 Sept. 1867, in the eighty-fifth year of his age. Blackburne was for some years vice-chancellor of Dublin University.

In private character Blackburne was generous and urbane. As a lawyer he possessed extraordinary power of mental concentration, wide experience, and profound acquaintance with every branch of law and equity. He had a dignified and courteous manner, a style nervous, terse, and perspicuous, a distinct and melodious voice, and a fluent delivery. His mind was clear to the last.

 BLACKBURNE, JOHN (1690–1786), botanist, of Orford, near Warrington, maintained an extensive garden, including very many exotic species. A catalogue was published by his gardener, Adam Neal, at Warrington, in 1779.

[Gent. Mag. lvii. 204.]

 BLACKBURNE, LANCELOT (1668–1743), archbishop of York, was the son of Richard Blackburne of London, whom the archbishop claimed to have been connected with the Blackburnes of Marricke Abbey, and after being educated at Westminster School matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, on 20 Oct. 1676, aged 17. At the close of 1081, shortly after his ordination, he went to the West Indies, the sum of 20l. appearing in the record of 'Moneys paid for Secret Services' (Camden Soc. 1861) to have been paid 'to Launcelott Blackburne, clerk, bounty for his transportation to Antego.' On 28 Jan. 1083 he proceeded M. A., and having attached himself to Bishop Trelawny on his appointment to the see of Exeter, received considerable preferment in that diocese. He became a prebendary in June 1691 and sub-dean in. January 1695. Among the correspondence of John Ellis in the British Museum, 'Additional MSS.' 28880-88, occur several letters from Blackburne, and among them (28880, f. 169) is one requesting the influence of Ellis on behalf of his appointment to the duchy rectory of Culstock in Cornwall (29 May 1696). This preferment Blackburne obtained, and during his tenure of it he built the old rectory house. A letter from Blackburne to Bishop Trelawny, describing the evidence given in a trial at Exeter for witchcraft in September 1696, was print and in 'Notes and Queries,' 1st series, xi. 498-9 (1866), and reprinted in the 'Western Antiquary,' iii. 226-7 (1884). Rumours injurious to his reputation were freely circulated during his lifetime, and in 1702 they forced him to resign his sub-deanery. In July 1704, however, he was reinstated, and from that time his rise was rapid. He became the dean of Exeter on 3 Nov. 1706, archdeacon of Cornwall in January 1716, and bishop of Exeter in January 1717. This preferment he retained until 1724, and it is stated that he desired to hold it in commendam with the deanery of St. Paul's, but that he was prevailed upon to accept the archbishopric of York, a piece of preferment which, according to scandal, was bestowed upon him for having united George I in marriage with his mistress, the Duchess of Munster. Two ballads, printed in 1730, represented him as contending with Hoadly and Gibson for the primacy of Canterbury, but that prize was 