Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Molyneux, Richard (1593-1636)
MOLYNEUX, Sir RICHARD, Viscount Maryborough (1593–1636), born in 1593, was eldest surviving son of Sir Richard Molyneux of Sefton in Lancashire, and Frances, eldest daughter of Sir Gilbert Gerard [q. v.], master of the rolls. Sir Richard Molyneux (d. 1459) [q. v.] was his ancestor. He succeeded his father as receiver-general of the duchy of Lancaster, and on 22 Dec. 1628 he was advanced to the peerage of Ireland as Viscount Molyneux of Maryborough, in consideration of his distinguished merit and ancient extraction. He died on 8 May 1636, and was buried at Sefton. He married Mary, daughter and coheiress of Sir Thomas Caryll of Bentons in Shipley, Sussex, by whom he had issue: Richard, second viscount Maryborough (see below); Caryll, third viscount; Frances, who died young; Charlotte, who married Sir William Stanley of Hooton in Cheshire; and Mary, who married Sir George Selby of Whitehouse in the diocese of Durham. Shortly after his death his widow married Raphael Tarterean, carver to the queen, and died in 1639, at her house in St. Martin's Lane in the Fields.
Molyneux, Sir Richard, second Viscount Maryborough (1617?-1654?), eldest son of the above, was born about 1617. On 20 June 1642 he attended the commission of array on Preston Moor, and assisted at the seizure of the magazine at Preston. On the outbreak of the civil war he raised two regiments, one of horse and the other of foot, composed chiefly of Roman catholics, for the service of the king, forming part of the Lancashire forces under the command of the Earl of Derby. He was present at the siege of Manchester in September 1642, and on 20 April 1643 was defeated by Captain Ashton at Whalley. After the surprise of Wakefield on 21 May 1643, the Earl of Derby being then with the queen at York, Molyneux was ordered to conduct the Lancashire forces thither. He was defeated on 20 Aug. 1644 by Major-general Sir John Meldrum [q. v.] at Ormskirk, and narrowly escaped capture by hiding in a field of corn. He was at Oxford on 24 June 1646, when the city surrendered to the parliament. On 30 June 1648 a warrant was signed by the committee of Derby House for his arrest, as having, contrary to an ordinance of parliament, approached within twenty miles of London. He was suspected of being concerned in the rising of the royalist gentry at Kingston on 5 July, but four days later an order was issued for his discharge. He joined Charles II on his march to Worcester, and escaped after the battle on 3 Sept. 1651, but died shortly afterwards, probably in 1654. He married the Lady Frances Seymour, eldest daughter of William, marquis of Hertford, but had no issue, and was succeeded by his brother, Caryll Molyneux, third Viscount Maryborough (1621-1699), who played an active part during the civil war on the royalist side. His estate was sequestrated by the Commonwealth, but after the Restoration he lived in great splendour at Croxteth, near Liverpool. In the reign of James II, by whom he was constituted lord-lieutenant and custos rotulorum of the county of Lancaster, and admiral of the Narrow Seas, he was the centre of a number of catholic intrigues, and in 1688 he appeared in arms against William. He was deprived by the revolution of his offices and the greater part of his influence. He was arrested on 17 July 1694, with other catholic gentlemen of Lancashire, on a charge of high treason, was tried by a special commission at Manchester, and acquitted. He died on 2 Feb. 1698-9 (or according to Luttrell 1699-1700), and was buried at Sefton. He had issue by his wife Mary, daughter of Sir Alexander Barlow of Barlow in Lancashire, Richard, who predeceased him; Caryll, who died young; William (1656-1717), fourth viscount Maryborough; Mary, wife of Sir Thomas Preston of Furness; Frances, wife of Sir Neil O'Neill of Killileagh, co. Antrim; Margaret, who married first Jenico, seventh viscount Gormanstown, second Robert Casey, esq., third James Butler of Killveloigher in co. Tipperary; Elizabeth, wife of Edward Widdrington of Horsley, Northumberland; and Anne, wife of William Widdrington of Cheeseburn Grange in the same county.