Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 37.djvu/208

 espoused Richard Dyott, commissioner of stamp duties from 1708 to 1710, in which year he was convicted of fraud and sent to Newgate, but soon afterwards pardoned (see, Journal to Stella, letter v.). The son, Philip Meadows (d. 1757), who was a commissioner of excise from 1698 to 1700, was on 2 July 1700 appointed knight-marshal of the king's household, and formally knighted by William III on 23 Dec. 1700 at Hampton Court; he succeeded Stanhope as envoy to Holland in December 1706, was in 1707 despatched on a special mission to the emperor, and during his absence appointed controller of army accounts (Cal. State Papers, Treasury, 1708–14, passim); in November 1708 he presented a memorial to the emperor in favour of the protestants of Silesia, but before his vigorous protest had time to take effect he was succeeded by Lord Raby in August 1709. He subsequently took up his abode at Richmond, and died at Brompton on 5 Dec. 1757, leaving issue by his wife Dorothy, sister of Hugh Boscawen, first viscount Falmouth, three sons and five daughters (Wentworth Papers, p. 98;, Queen Anne, 1735, pp. 338, 395). Of these the third son, Philip (1708–1781), deputy-ranger of Windsor Park, married in 1734 Frances, only daughter of William Pierrepoint, viscount Newark, a niece to Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and was father of Charles, who succeeded to the Kingston estates on the death of the dowager-duchess in 1788, took the name of Pierrepoint, and was on 9 April 1806 created Earl Manvers; and of Sir William Medows [q. v.]

 MEAGER, LEONARD (1624?–1704?), gardener, was for some time in the service of Philip Holmlan of Warkworth, Northamptonshire, who encouraged his experiments in the art of gardening. Although hampered by ‘multiplicity of business together with the want of learning,’ Meager published, among other works which obtained popularity: 1. ‘The English Gardener, or a Sure Guide to Young Planters and Gardeners, in three parts,’ &c., London, 1670, 4to; 9th edit. 1699. Republished as ‘The Compleat English Gardener,’ &c., 10th edit. ‘To which is now added a Supplement [by S. G.],’ London, 1704, 4to; 11th edit. 1710 (?), 4to. 2. ‘The New Art of Gardening; with the Gardener's Almanack,’ &c., London, 1697, 12mo; 2nd edit. corrected, 1732.

 MEAGHER, THOMAS FRANCIS (1823–1867), Irish nationalist, was born in the city of Waterford on 3 Aug. 1823. His father, Thomas Meagher, a retired merchant, represented the city of Waterford in the House of Commons from August 1847 to March 1857, and was mayor of the city. To a branch of the family settled in the seventeenth century in Tipperary belonged or  (1670–1765), who on leaving Ireland served in the French army, and subsequently, in 1739, became chamberlain to Frederick Augustus II, king of Poland and elector of Saxony. In 1740 the king made him colonel of the 1st battalion of foot guards, in 1744 captain proprietor of the Swiss guards, in 1744 major-general in the Polish army, and in 1752 lieutenant-general. When Frederick the Great crossed into Saxony at the opening of the Seven Years' War in 1756, Meagher was despatched by his master to negotiate terms with the invader. He died in Dresden in May 1765 (Choix de Correspondance du Marquis de Valori, ii. 178;, Frederick the Great, iv. 551; Archives of the Royal Saxon War Office, No. 450 I A; information from J. C. O'Meagher, esq.).

Thomas Francis was educated by the jesuit fathers at Clongowes Wood College, Kildare, and subsequently at Stonyhurst College, Lancashire. In 1844 he went to Dublin with the intention of studying for the bar, but soon abandoned law for the political platform. In spite of his boyish appearance and somewhat affected manners, Meagher quickly established his reputation as a powerful orator at the meetings of the Repeal Association. He made a brilliant speech against the peace resolutions in Conciliation Hall on 28 July 1846, refusing to condemn the use of arms as immoral, and hailing the sword as a sacred weapon (, Speeches from the Dock, pp. 140–1). On being interrupted by John O'Connell he left the meeting with O'Brien, Duffy, Mitchel, and others, and seceded from the association. His speech on the occasion led Thackeray subsequently to dub him ‘Meagher of the Sword’—an appellation that adhered to him. He was one of the founders of the Irish Confederation, the first 