Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 52.djvu/31

Sheil  year he acted as counsel for John O'Connell [q. v.], and delivered perhaps the most brilliant of his forensic speeches. To the provincial, or, as it was nicknamed, the ‘Godless’ Colleges Bill of 1845 he gave a qualified support, but expressed regret that Trinity College had not rather reaped the benefit in the foundation of new professorships and fellowships to which catholics as well as protestants might be admitted.

In the following autumn (1845) the precarious state of his son's health induced Sheil to try the effect of a winter's residence in Madeira. But the change proved unavailing, and, after his son's death, he resided there till the news of the expected collapse of Peel's administration a few months later recalled him to England in time to take part in the critical discussion on the Irish Arms Bill. On the accession of Lord John Russell to power in 1846 he was appointed master of the mint. The post hardly realised his expectations, and the consciousness of utter helplessness in face of the crisis of famine through which Ireland was passing caused him to take a less prominent part than formerly in parliamentary affairs. In Ireland, where his silence was attributed to the indifference engendered by office, he was described in words which he himself had applied to repeal as ‘a splendid phantom.’ His re-election for Dungarvan at the general election in 1849 was opposed by tories and repealers alike, and he was returned with a greatly diminished majority. Even in his capacity as master of the mint he did not escape criticism, and the omission of the legend ‘Defensatrix Fidei Dei Gratia’ on the florin issued in 1849 was sharply commented on by the press and in parliament. He accepted the responsibility for the omission, but disclaimed having been actuated by sectarian motives. Towards the close of the session, however, he accepted the post offered him of minister at the court of Tuscany, and, having paid a farewell visit to Ireland in November, he arrived at Florence about the middle of January 1851. On Sunday, 25 May, he was seized by gout in its most aggravated form, and succumbed after an hour's suffering. His body was removed to Ireland on board a British warship, and interred at Long Orchard, co. Tipperary.

[Torrens McCullagh's Memoirs of Richard Lalor Sheil, 1855, with engraved portrait (the only faithful likeness extant) from a bust by C. Moore, M.R.I.A.; O'Keeffe's Life and Times of O'Connell; Fitzpatrick's Correspondence of Daniel O'Connell; Parl. Debates 1831–50 passim; Wills's Irish Nation; Webb's Compendium of Irish Biography.]

 SHEILS, ROBERT (d. 1750), Dr. Johnson's amanuensis. [See ]

 SHEILDS or SHIELDS, ALEXANDER (1660?–1700), Scottish covenanter, son of James Shields or Sheilds, was born at Haughhead, parish of Earlston, Berwickshire, about 1660. He entered at Edinburgh University at a very early age, and graduated M.A. on 7 April 1675, writing his surname ‘Sheils.’ He later wrote it ‘Sheilds;’ it is usually printed ‘Shields.’ He began the study of divinity under Lawrence Charteris [q. v.], but his aversion to prelacy led him, with others, to migrate in 1679 to Holland. He studied theology at Utrecht, entering in 1680 as ‘Sheill.’ Returning to Scotland, he thence made his way to London, where he is said to have acted as amanuensis to John Owen, D.D. [q. v.] On the persuasion of Nicholas Blaikie, minister of the Scottish church at Founders' Hall, Lothbury, he was licensed as preacher by Scottish presbyterians in London, declining as a covenanter the oath of allegiance. Strict measures being taken shortly after (1684) for the enforcement of the oath, Sheilds was so zealous in proclaiming its sinfulness that his licensers threatened to withdraw their license. He appears to have bound himself by the ‘Apologetical Declaration’ issued by James Renwick [q. v.] in November 1684.

On Sunday, 11 Jan. 1685, he was apprehended, with seven others [see, (1700–1769)], by the city marshal at a conventicle in Embroiderers' Hall, Gutter Lane, Cheapside, and brought before the lord mayor, who took bail for his appearance at the Guildhall on the 14th. He attended on that day, but being out of court when his name was called, his bail was forfeited. Duly appearing on the 20th, he declined to give any general account of his opinions, and was committed (by his own account, decoyed) to Newgate till the next quarter sessions (23 Feb.) King Charles II died in the interval. Without trial in England, Sheilds and his friends were remitted to Scotland on 5 March, arriving at Leith by the yacht Kitchen on 13 March. Sheilds was examined by the Scottish privy council on 14 March, and by the lords justices on 23 and 25 March, but persisted in ‘declining direct answers.’ At length, on 26 March, under threat of torture, he was drawn to what he calls a ‘fatal fall.’ He signed a paper renouncing all previous engagements ‘in so far as they declare war against the king.’ This was accepted as satisfactory, but he was still detained in prison. A letter to his friend John Balfour of Kinloch, expressing regret for his 