BOYLE, ROGER, Earl of Orrery, younger brother of the former, and the fifth son of Richard, styled the Great Earl of Cork, was born in April 1621, and, by the credit of his father with the lord-deputy Falkland, was raised to the dignity and title of Baron Broghill when only seven years of age. He was educated at the college of Dublin, where he soon distinguished himself as an early and promising genius. He afterwards made the tour of France and Italy, and on his return assisted his father in opposing the rebellious Irish. Upon the execution of the king, he retired to Marston in Somersetshire, and buried himself in the privacy of a close retirement; but being at length ashamed to remain a tame spectator of what was passing around him, he resolved to attempt something in favour of the king; and under the pretence of going to the Spa for the recovery of his health, he determined to cross the seas and apply himself to King Charles II. for a commission to raise what forces he could in Ireland, in order to restore his majesty, and recover his own estate. For this purpose he prevailed on the Earl of Warwick to procure a license for his going to the Spa, and having raised a considerable sum of money, came up to London to prosecute his voyage. But he had not been long in town when he received a message from Cromwell, who was then general of the parliament's forces, intimating that he intended to wait upon him. The Lord Broghill was surprised at this message, having never had the least acquaintance with Cromwell; and desired the gentleman who brought it to let the general know that he would wait upon his excellency. But while he was waiting the return of the messenger, Cromwell entered the room, and after an exchange of civilities, told him in a few words that the committee of state were apprised of his design of going over and applying to Charles Stuart for a commission to raise forces in Ireland, and that they were determined to make an example of him, if he himself had not diverted them from that resolution. The Lord Broghill interrupted him by assuring him that the intelligence which the committee had received was false, and that he neither was in a capacity nor had any inclination to raise disturbances in Ireland; but Cromwell, instead of making any reply, drew some papers out of his pocket, being the copies of several letters which the Lord Broghill had sent to those persons in whom he most confided, and put them into his hands. Lord Broghill, upon the perusal of these papers, finding it to no purpose to dissemble any longer, asked his excellency's pardon for what he had said; returned him his humble thanks for his protection against the committee; and entreated his direction how to behave in such a delicate conjuncture. Cromwell told him, that though, till this time, he had been a stranger to his person, he was not so to his merit and character; he had heard how gallantly his lordship had behaved in the Irish wars; and therefore, since he was named lord-lieutenant of Ireland, and the reducing of that kingdom had now become his province, he had obtained leave of the committee to offer his lordship the command of a general officer if he would serve in that war; adding, that he should have no oaths or engagements imposed upon him, nor
be obliged to draw his sword against any but the Irish rebels.
Lord Broghill was infinitely surprised at so generous and unexpected an offer. He saw himself at liberty, by all the rules of honour, to serve against the rebellious Irish, whose barbarities were equally detested by the royal party and by the parliament. He desired, however, some time to consider of what had been proposed to him. But Cromwell briskly told him, that he must come to some resolution that very instant; that he himself was about to return to the committee, who were still sitting; and that if his lordship rejected their offer, they had determined to send him to the Tower. Upon this Lord Broghill, finding that his liberty and life were in the utmost danger, gave his word and honour that he would faithfully serve against the Irish rebels; upon which Cromwell once more assured him, that the conditions which he had made with him should be punctually observed, and then ordered him to repair to Bristol; adding, that he himself would soon follow him into Ireland. Lord Broghill, therefore, went over into that country, where, by his conduct and intrepidity, he performed many important services, and fully justified the opinion which Cromwell had conceived of him. By his own interest he raised a gallant troop of horse, which was soon increased to a regiment of 1500 men; and these he led into the field against the Irish rebels. He was speedily joined by Cromwell, who placed the highest confidence in his new ally, and found him of the greatest consequence to the interest of the commonwealth.
When Cromwell became Protector, he sent for Lord Broghill occasionally to take his advice. And we are told, that the latter, not long after his coming to England, formed a project for engaging Cromwell to restore the old constitution. The basis of the scheme was to be a match between the king, Charles II., and the Protector's daughter. As his lordship maintained a secret correspondence with the exiled monarch and his friends, it was imagined that he was beforehand pretty sure that Charles was not averse to the scheme, or he would not have ventured to propose it seriously to Cromwell, who at first seemed to think it not unfeasible. But the Protector soon changed his mind, and told Broghill that he thought his project impracticable: "For," said he, "Charles can never forgive me the death of his father." In fine, the business came to nothing, although his lordship had engaged Cromwell's wife and daughter in the scheme; but he never durst let the Protector know that he had previously treated with Charles about it.
On the death of the Protector, Lord Broghill continued attached to his son Richard, till, seeing that the honesty and good-nature of that worthy man would infallibly render him a prey to his enemies, he did not think it advisable to sink with a man whom he could not save. The dark clouds of anarchy seemed now to be gathering over the British island. Lord Broghill saw the storm preparing, and deemed it prudent to retire to his command in Ireland, where, shortly after, things took a turn extremely favourable to the design of the king's restoration. In this great event Lord Broghill was not a little instrumental; and, in consideration of his eminent services, Charles created him Earl of Orrery by letters-patent bearing date the 5th September 1660. He was soon after made one of the lords justices of Ireland; and his conduct, whilst at the head of affairs in that kingdom, was such as to add greatly to the general esteem in which his character was previously held.
His lordship's active and toilsome course of life at length brought on disease and infirmity; but notwithstanding these, on the king's desiring to see his lordship, he went over to England in 1665. He found the court
in some disorder, and his majesty on the point of removing the great Earl of Clarendon, lord high chancellor; and there also existed a misunderstanding between the royal brothers. Lord Orrery undertook to reconcile the king with the Duke of York; and this he effected by prevailing on the latter to ask his majesty's pardon for some steps which he had taken in support of the Lord Chancellor.
On his return to Ireland Lord Orrery found himself called to a new scene of action. The Dutch war was then at its height; and the French, in confederacy with the Hollanders, were endeavouring to stir up the ashes of rebellion in Ireland. The Duke de Beaufort, admiral of France, had formed a scheme for a descent upon Ireland; but this was rendered abortive by the extraordinary diligence, military skill, and prudent measures of Lord Orrery.
In midst of all his labours, a dispute, founded on mutual jealousy, arose betwixt him and his old friend the Duke of Ormond, then lord lieutenant; but the bad effects of it were soon felt by both disputants, who resorted to England to defend their respective interests and pretensions, and were attacked by secret enemies, who suggested many things to their prejudice. This quarrel, though of a private beginning, became at last of a public nature; and producing, first, an attempt to frame an impeachment against the Duke of Ormond, occasioned in the end, by way of revenge, an actual impeachment against the Earl of Orrery. But the latter defended himself so well against the charge of high crimes, and even of treason itself, that the prosecution came to nothing. He nevertheless lost his public employments; but retaining the king's favour, he still came frequently to court, and sometimes to council. After this revolution in his affairs, he made several voyages to and from Ireland, was often consulted by his majesty on affairs of the utmost consequence, and, on all occasions, gave his opinion and advice with the freedom of an honest plain-dealing man and a sincere friend.
In 1678, being attacked more cruelly than ever by his old enemy, the gout, he made his last voyage to England for medical advice. But his disorder was beyond the power of medicine; and having, in his last illness, given the strongest proofs of Christian patience, manly courage, and rational fortitude, he breathed his last on the 16th of October 1679, in the fifty-ninth year of his age. His lordship wrote, 1. A work entitled The Art of War; 2. Parthenissa, a romance, in one volume folio; 3. Several poems; 4. Dramatic pieces, in two volumes; 5. State tracts, in one volume folio; and some other pieces. Mr Walpole, speaking of this nobleman, says, he never made a bad figure but as a poet. As a soldier, his bravery was distinguished, his stratagems were remarkable; as a statesman, it is sufficient to say that he possessed the confidence of Cromwell; as a man he was grateful, and would have supported the son of his friend; but, like Cicero and Richelieu, he could not be content without being a poet, though ill qualified to shine in this character, and though his poetical writings were flat and trivial.