Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 57.djvu/114

 and he was saved only by a timely mutiny of the garrison of Cork, who rose on the night of 16 Oct. and drove the Irish out of the town. Townsend received special praise from Cromwell in a letter to the speaker, William Lenthall [q. v.], as an ‘active instrument for the return of both Cork and Youghal to their obedience’ (, Works, 1882, xv. 213). Weary of political and military intrigue, he retired from service shortly after, and before 1654 settled at Castletownshend, near West Carbery, co. Cork. At the Restoration he escaped the forfeitures which overtook many of the Cromwellian soldiers, and had his lands confirmed to him by royal patents in 1666, 1668, and 1680. His good fortune was perhaps owing to a connection with Clarendon through his wife. Townsend sat in the Irish parliament of 1661 as member for Baltimore. In 1666 the apprehension of a French invasion caused the lord lieutenant, Roger Boyle, first earl of Orrery [q. v.], to form the English in Ireland into companies of militia. Townsend was appointed a captain of foot, and in 1671 was appointed high sheriff of the county (, State Letters, 1742, p. 170).

The accession of James II ushered in a time of anxiety for the protestants of southern Ireland. Many took refuge in the north or crossed the Channel to England. Townsend, however, stood his ground, and organised the protestant defence in the county of Cork. On 18 Oct. 1685 he was appointed ‘sovereign’ or mayor of Clonakilty, in spite of the efforts of James to prevent the election of protestants. In November 1690 Townsend's mansion house of Castletownshend was unsuccessfully besieged by five hundred Irish under Colonel Driscoll, but a little later it was compelled to surrender to MacFineen O'Driscoll. In compensation for his sacrifices and services Townsend received from government a grant of 40,000l.

Townsend died in the latter part of 1692, and was buried in the graveyard of Castlehaven. He was twice married: first, to Hildegardis Hyde, who was not improbably related to Lord Clarendon; and secondly, to Mary, whose parentage is unknown. He had issue by both marriages, leaving seven sons and four daughters. The eldest surviving son, Bryan, who served with the English army at the battle of the Boyne, was ancestor of the family of Townshend of Castletownshend.

[Richard and Dorothea Townshend's Account of Richard Townesend, 1892; Murphy's Cromwell in Ireland, 1883, pp. 196, 197, 398; Prendergast's Cromwellian Settlement in Ireland, 1870, p. 192.]  TOWNSEND, RICHARD (1821–1884), mathematician, born at Baltimore, co. Cork, on 3 April 1821, was the eldest son of Thomas Townsend (d. 1848) of Smithville, a commodore in the royal navy, by his wife Helena, daughter of John Freke of Baltimore, deputy governor of co. Cork. Richard was educated at local schools at Castletownsend and Skibbereen. He proceeded to Trinity College, Dublin, in October 1837, graduating B.A. in 1842 and M.A. in 1852. Distinguishing himself in mathematics, he was elected a fellow in May 1845, and in October 1847 he succeeded to a college tutorship. On 7 June 1866 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society, and on 25 June 1870 he was appointed professor of natural philosophy at Dublin, after acting as assistant from October 1862. Between 1863 and 1865 he published ‘Chapters on the Modern Geometry of the Point, Line, and Circle’ (Dublin, 8vo), which contained the substance of lectures given by him in Dublin University, and was a treatise of great importance in the history of pure geometry. While Townsend ranked among the most distinguished mathematicians of his day, his most valuable work was probably accomplished as a teacher, a capacity in which he was unrivalled. To him is owing no small part of the modern mathematical reputation of Trinity College. He showed singular kindness to his pupils, and ‘counted thousands of personal friends throughout the world who had passed officially through his hands.’ After the disestablishment of the Irish church, by an appeal to former students he raised about 2,500l. to endow his native parish.

Townsend died on 16 Oct. 1884 at his house, 54 Upper Leeson Street, Dublin, and was buried at Mount Jerome cemetery. He married his first cousin, Mary Jane Barret, who died on 28 Aug. 1881. He left no issue. A mathematical exhibition was founded in his memory at Trinity College, Dublin.

Besides his book on geometry, he wrote numerous mathematical articles to the ‘Cambridge and Dublin Mathematical Journal.’

[Richard and Dorothea Townshend's Account of Richard Townesend, 1892, p. 218; Athenæum, 1884, ii. 532; Irish Times, 21 Oct. 1884; Times, 18 Oct. 1884; Biograph, 1881, vi. 164–7; Calendar of Dublin University; Catalogue of Graduates of Dublin University.]  TOWNSEND, WILLIAM CHARLES (1803–1850), historical and legal writer, born in 1803, was the second son of William Townsend of Walton, Lancashire. He matriculated from Queen's College, Oxford, on 4 July 1820, graduating B.A. in 1824 and M.A. in 1827, and on 25 Nov. 1828 he