Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 58.djvu/91

 probably printed from some Cavan manuscript, of the Plearaca na Ruarcach, of which Swift wrote an English version, and of Carolan's poem, ‘Mas tinn no slan atharlaigheas fein,’ and these are probably the first printed editions of the poems. They were replaced in the second edition by the hymn of St. Fiacc of Sletty, from Colgan's text (‘Trias Thaumaturga’). The ‘Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis,’ 1770–1804, in six volumes, ‘Vindication of the History of Ireland,’ 1786, ‘Ancient History of Ireland proved from the Sanskrit Books,’ have the same defects. Their facts are never trustworthy and their theories are invariably extravagant. Vallancey may be regarded as the founder of a school of writers who theorise on Irish history, language, and literature, without having read the original chronicles, acquired the language, or studied the literature, and who have had some influence in retarding real studies, but have added nothing to knowledge. His last work, ‘Prospectus of a Dictionary of the Language of the Aire Coti, or Ancient Irish,’ appeared in 1802, and can only be compared to the writings of La Tour d'Auvergne on Breton. It dwells upon the likeness of Irish to Egyptian, Persian, and Hindustani. He was secretary to the Society of Antiquaries of Ireland in 1773, and in 1784 was elected F.R.S. He designed the plans of the Queen's Bridge in Dublin, and prepared a scheme for the defence of Dublin in 1798. He died in Dublin on 8 Aug. 1812. His portrait is in the Royal Irish Academy.

Besides the works mentioned, Vallancey was the author of two translations from the French:
 * 1) ‘Essay on Fortification,’ Dublin, 1757, 8vo.
 * 2) ‘The Field Engineer,’ by the Chevalier de Clairac, Dublin, 1760, 8vo.



VALLANS, WILLIAM (fl. 1578–1590), poet, son of John Vallans, was born near Ware in Hertfordshire, and afterwards carried on business as a salter. He was a friend of Camden and other antiquaries, and himself took an interest in antiquarian matters. In 1590 he published a poem in unrhymed hexameters entitled ‘A Tale of Two Swannes,’ printed by Roger Ward for John Sheldrake (London, 4to). In the poem he announced his intention of leaving England, and likened his farewell verses to the swan's dying song. The poem is devoted to a description of the situation and antiquities of several towns in Hertfordshire, and mention is made of many seats in the county belonging to the queen and nobility. Vallans probably carried out his intention of leaving England soon after. His poem is one of the earliest examples of the employment of blank verse in English literature outside the drama, and he was perhaps induced to attempt this form of metre by his admiration for [q. v.], from whose translation of Thomas Watson's Latin ‘Odes’ he quotes. His book is extremely rare. It was reprinted by (1678–1735) [q. v.] in 1711 in the fifth volume of his edition of Leland's ‘Itinerary’ from a copy in the possession of (1681–1725) [q. v.] Another poem by ‘William Vallans, salter,’ is preserved in the Harleian manuscripts (No. 367, f. 129). It complains of the injustice of suffering John Stowe to go unrewarded after compiling his ‘Survey of London.’ Vallans had some commendatory verses prefixed to ‘Whartons Dreame,’ published in 1578; and Hearne assigns to him the authorship of ‘The Honourable Prentice; or thys Tayler is a Man; shewed in the Life and Death of Sir John Hawkewood,’ by W. V., London, 1615 4to, 1616 4to (Bodleian Library).



VALOGNES or VALONIIS, PHILIP (d. 1215), styled a baron and lord of Panmure, came of a family which took its name from Valognes in the Cotentin. Peter de Valognes, given in the peerages as Philip's grandfather, is said to have accompanied William I to England, to have received from him ‘fifty-seven lordships in the counties of Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hertford, Cambridge, and Lincoln,’ and to have been high sheriff of Essex in 1087 (, Peerage, ed. Wood, ii. 348; cf., Norfolk, passim). His son Robert left, by his wife Agnes, six sons, of whom Robert was father of two daughters: Gunnor, who married [q. v.], and Isabella, who married, third earl of Essex [q. v.] Another son, Geoffrey, was lord of the manor of Burton in Yorkshire, and died in 1190.

Philip was the fifth son, and is said to have migrated to Scotland towards the end of the reign of [q. v.], who died in 1165. He is said to have been a constant attendant on Malcolm's successor, William the Lion, and on 8 Dec. 1174, when William purchased his release from Henry II by acknowledging his feudal suzerainty and the superiority of the English church, Philip de Valognes was one of the hostages given into Henry's custody (Cal. Doc. relating to 