Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 19.djvu/87

  the office of lords justices of Ireland. In 1690 Sir Charles Porter was appointed lord chancellor in succession to Fitton, who 'was attainted; fled to France; and died at St. Germains in November 1698 (, Relation, iv. 586). The husbands of the two coheiresses of the Fitton estates. Lord Mohun and the Duke of Hamilton, killed each other (1712) in the famous duel arising from a dispute as to the partition, 'and Gawsworth itself passed into an unlineal hand by a series of alienations complicated beyond example' (Cheshire, iii. 295).



FITTON, EDWARD, the elder (1527–1579), lord president of Connaught and vice-treasurer of Ireland, was the eldest son of Sir Edward Fitton of Gawsworth, Cheshire, and Mary, daughter and coheiress of Guicciard Harbottle, esq., of Northumberland (, Cheshire, iii. 292). He was knighted by Sir Henry Sidney in 1566 (Cal. Carew MSS. ii. 149), and on the establishment of provincial governments in Connaught and Munster he was in 1569 appointed first lord president of Connaught and Thomond (patent, 1 June 1569; Liber Hiberniæ, ii. 189). Arrived in Ireland on Ascension day he was established in his office by Sir H. Sidney in July. On 15 April 1570 he wrote to Cecil: 'We began our government in this province at Michaelmas, from thence till Christmas we passed smoothly … but after Christmas, taking a journey into Thomond, all fell upside down' (State Papers, Eliz. xxx. 43). Ere long he found himself so closely besieged in Galway by the Earl of Thomond and the sons of the Earl of Clanricarde that Sidney was obliged to send a detachment to extricate him from his position. With their assistance and that of the Earl of Clanricarde, 'and such others as made profession of their loyalty,' he made a dash at Shrule Castle, a place of strategical importance, which he captured. An attack on his camp by the Burkes was successfully averted; but during the conflict he was unhorsed and severely wounded in the face. His conduct was approved by the deputy, who wrote that 'he in all his doings, both formerly since these troubles began, and otherwise in following the same, hath shewed great worthiness, as well in device as in attempt, and of good counsel according to the success and state of things' (ib. xxx. 56). The short period of calm that followed served only as the prelude to a fresh storm. O'Conor Don. whom he held in Athlone Castle as security for the good conduct of his sept, having escaped one night he next morning marched against his castle of Ballintober, which he speedily captured. But the Burkes were up in arms and were vigorously supported by a large body of Scots. Notwithstanding all his exertions he gradually lost ground during 1571–2, and believing that the Earl of Clanricarde was secretly instigating his rebellious sons he arrested him and clapped him in Dublin Castle. His conduct in the matter led to a quarrel with Sir [q. v.], who had succeeded Sidney as deputy. Fitzwilliam complained that Fitton had imprisoned Clanricarde, and refused to reveal the nature of his offence, either to the council or to himself as in duty bound, which, he declared, 'implieth an accusation of me. ' When called upon to explain, Fitton could only say that the proofs of the earl's guilt, though satisfactory to himself, were not likely to weigh much with the council. After six months' imprisonment Clanricarde was allowed to return home, when he endeavoured to signalise his loyalty by hanging his own son, his brother's son, his cousin-german's son, and one of the captains of his own galloglasses, besides fifty of his followers that bore armour and weapons; but he never forgave Fitton the injury he had done him. Meanwhile the lord president, cooped up within Athlone, prayed earnestly that fresh reinforcements might be sent him, or that he might be relieved of his government. In midsummer 1572 the rebels burnt Athlone to the ground, and his position becoming one of extreme peril he was shortly afterwards recalled, and the office of president allowed to sink for the nonce into abeyance.

In October he retired to England, and seems to have spent his time chiefly at Gawsworth. In December he was appointed vice-treasurer and treasurer at wars (queen to Fitzwilliam, Ham, Cal. i. 491). On 25 March 1573 he returned to Dublin in charge of Gerald, fifteenth earl of Desmond, and on 1 April entered upon his duties as treasurer. Shortly afterwards a fresh quarrel broke out between him and Fitzwilliam. It arose out of a brawl between his servant Roden and one Burnell, a friend of Captain Harrington, the lord deputy's nephew. It appears that Roden, having broken Burnell's head with a dagger, was himself a day or two after run through the body by Harrington's servant, Meade. Meade was acquitted by the coroner's jury, but found guilty of manslaughter by the queen's bench. Thereupon the deputy stepped in with a general pardon, which coming into the possession of Fitton he refused to surrender it, and was forthwith