Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 41.djvu/133

 in a Collection of Extracts from their own Authors,’ 1839. 5. ‘A Pastor's Legacy: or Instructions for Confirmation,’ 1851. 

NORRIS, ISAAC (1671–1735), mayor of Philadelphia, was born in London on 21 July 1671. His father, Thomas Norris, emigrated to Jamaica in 1678. In 1690 Isaac was sent to Philadelphia to arrange for the settlement of the family there, but on his return to Jamaica found that they had all perished in the great earthquake at Port Royal. He then went back to Philadelphia, entered into business, and became one of the wealthiest proprietors in the province. During a visit to England in 1706 he assisted William Penn in his difficulties. On his return in 1708 he was elected to the governor's council. He sat in the assembly for many years, was speaker of the house in 1712, justice for Philadelphia county in 1717, and, on the establishment of the high court of chancery, became a master to hear cases with the lieutenant-governor. In 1724 he was elected mayor of Philadelphia, and in 1731 was unanimously chosen justice of the supreme court, but declined the office. It is recorded of him that ‘although a strict quaker, he lived in great luxury for that age, and drove a four-horse coach, on which was emblazoned a coat of arms.’ He owned the ‘slate-roofed house’ in which Penn resided during his second visit to Pennsylvania. His house on Fair Hill, ‘one of the handsomest buildings of the day,’ was burnt by the British during the revolution. For many years Norris was one of the chief representatives of the proprietaries, and by the will of Penn he was named a trustee of the province of Pennsylvania. He died in Philadelphia on 4 June 1735. In 1694 he married Mary, daughter of Thomas Lloyd, governor of Pennsylvania. Their son, Isaac Norris (1701–1766), was a prominent statesman in America. 

NORRIS, JOHN (1547?–1597), military commander, second son of Henry Norris, baron Norris of Rycote [q. v.], was born about 1547. This date agrees with the statement of his servant, Daniel Gyles, as given in the contemporary tract entitled ‘A Memorable Service of Norris in Ireland’ (, Netherlands, 1602, p. 154). Lord Willoughby, who was born on 12 Oct. 1555, stated less probably that Norris was of the same age as himself (, Life of Willoughby, p. 187); while the epitaph on Norris's tomb in Yattendon Church suggests the impossible date 1529 as the year of his birth. Norris is said to have spent some time in youth at a university; but a soldier's life attracted him as a youth, and he received his first military training in 1571, when he served as a volunteer under Admiral Coligny in the civil wars in France. In 1573 he joined, as captain of a company, the army of English volunteers which was enlisted by Walter Devereux, first earl of Essex [q. v.], in his attempt to colonise Ulster. In the tedious struggle with the native Irish and their Scottish allies Norris displayed much military skill. Almost the last incident in Essex's disastrous enterprise was the despatch of Norris, at the head of 1150 men, from Carrickfergus to the island of Rathlin, with directions to drive thence the Macdonnells who had taken refuge there. Norris's little army was transported in three frigates, of one of which Francis Drake was commander. The islanders fled before him to the castle; but after four days' siege (22 to 26 July 1575) Norris effected an entrance, and massacred the men, women, and children within its walls. Such rigorous procedure was approved by the English government; but the easy victory failed to stem Essex's misfortunes. A useless fort was erected on the island, and Norris evacuated it. Within three months he and his troops were recalled to Dublin and the colonisation of Ulster for the time abandoned. But Norris had then reached the conclusion, which in later years he often pressed upon his superiors, that ‘Ireland was not to be brought to obedience but by force,’ and that on large permanent garrisons England alone could depend for the maintenance of her supremacy (cf., Ireland under the Tudors, iii. 131).

In July 1577 Norris crossed to the Low Countries at the head of another army of English volunteers (, p. 27). Fighting in behalf of the States-General in the revolt against their Spanish rulers, Norris found himself opposed to a far more serious enemy than any he had encountered hitherto; but he proved himself equal to the situation. On 1 Aug. 1578 the Dutch army, with which he was serving, was attacked at Rymenant by the Spanish commander, Don John of Austria. The Dutch troops broke at the first onset of the Spanish. But Norris, with three thousand English soldiers, stood his ground; and after a fierce engagement, in