Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 12.djvu/420

 Thomas Cooper, bishop of Lincoln, John Parker, archdeacon of Ely, his son John, and Richard Upchare. Cox translated the Acts and St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans for the bishops' Bible, and published ‘Articles to be inquired of … in his Visitations’ in 1573 and 1579. Manuscript tracts and letters on church policy are in the British Museum, and many are printed in Strype's ‘Annals’ and Burnet's ‘History of the Reformation.’ A notebook is in Corpus College library at Cambridge. Portraits are at King's College and Trinity Hall, Cambridge. 

COX, RICHARD (1650–1733), lord chancellor of Ireland, son of Captain Richard Cox and Katherine, his wife, the daughter of Walter Bird of Clonakilty, co. Cork, and widow of Captain Thomas Batten, was born at Bandon on 25 March 1650. Losing both his parents before he was three years of age, he was left to the care of his grandfather and his ‘good unkle, John Birde,’ seneschal of the manor court of Bandon. He was educated at the school at Clonakilty, and after spending ‘three years idely’ he commenced practising as an attorney in the manor courts. Not being satisfied with his position, he realised the little property which had been left him by his grandfather, and came up to London. He was admitted a student at Gray's Inn in September 1671, and was called to the bar on 9 Aug. 1673. Refusing an advantageous offer from Sir Francis Ratcliffe, he returned to Ireland, and on 26 Feb. 1674 married Mary, the daughter of John Bourme, ‘she being,’ as he relates, ‘but 15, and I not full 24 years old; this was the rock I had like to split upon, for though she proved a very good wife, yet being disappointed in her portion, which was ill paid by her mother and by driblets, and from whom I also received some other unkindnesses, I retired into the country and lived at Cloghnikilty for 7 yeares, but very plentifully and pleasantly.’ At length finding it necessary to bestir himself in order to provide for his increasing family, Cox removed to Cork, where he began practising at the bar, and was appointed recorder of Kinsale. On the accession of James II, Cox, who as a zealous protestant had made a public attack upon the catholics while presiding at the Cork quarter sessions, thought it prudent to come to England. He thereupon settled with his family at Bristol, where he ‘fell into good practice,’ and employed his leisure time in writing his ‘Hibernia Anglicana; or the History of Ireland from the Conquest thereof by the English to this Present Time. With an introductory discourse touching the ancient state of that kingdom.’ The first part of this book appeared soon after the revolution in 1689, and the second part in the following year, a second edition appearing in 1692. Upon the arrival of the Prince of Orange, Cox went up to London, and there showed his zeal for the revolution by publishing ‘A Sheet of Aphorisms, proving by a fair deduction the necessity of making the Prince of Orange king, and of sending speedy relief to Ireland.’ A copy of this was presented by him to every member who entered the house on the first day of the convention. He afterwards published a half-sheet entitled ‘A Brief and Modest Representation of the Present State and Condition of Ireland.’ Declining the offer of the post of secretary to the Duke of Schomberg, he accepted that of secretary to Sir Robert Southwell, whom he accompanied to Ireland. He was present at the battle of the Boyne, where the accuracy of his information was of considerable assistance to William. The Declaration of Finglas, which was issued upon the king's arrival at Dublin, was wholly written by Cox, William having refused to alter the draft, for he said that ‘Mr. Cox had exactly hit his own mind.’ On the surrender of Waterford, Cox was made recorder of that city, and not long afterwards, on 15 Sept. 1690, was sworn second justice of the common pleas. After serving on two commissions of oyer and terminer he was appointed military governor of Cork in 1691. With great promptness he raised eight regiments of foot and three of cavalry, and issued a proclamation that all papists were not ‘to be out of their dwellings from nine at night till five in the morning, or to be found two miles from their places of abode, except in a highway to a market town, and on market days, or to keep or conceal arms or ammunition, on pain of being treated as rebels.’ During his governorship, which lasted until the reduction of Limerick, Cox successfully protected a frontier of eighty miles long, and at the same time was able to send assistance to General Ginkel. For these services he was admitted a member of the privy council on 13 April 1692, and was knighted by Lord Sydney, the lord-lieutenant, on 5 Nov. following. In February 1693 he was appointed one of the commissioners of forfeitures. Though far from being prejudiced in favour of the Roman catholics, he insisted that they were in justice entitled to the benefit of the articles of Limerick. These views gave great displeasure to many of the more violent protestants. He was in consequence removed from the council in June 1695, and the com-