BRABAZON. 197 rapidity. That many of his lines are incorrect will not therefore excite surprise, especially when we consider that he wrote for immediate relief, and not for fame, and that when one piece had produced him a benefaction, he gene- rally dismissed it from his mind, and began another, about which he had no other care than that it might answer the same pürpose. WILLIAM BRABAZON THE first Earl of Meath, was the eldest son of Sir Edward Brabazon, Lord Ardee, and was born in 1679. He was knighted during the life of his father, and succeeded to his honours and estates on his decease in 1625. He was soon after appointed custos rotulorum of the county of Dublin, and ir 1627 created Earl of Meath, bis majesty, Charles I., as the chancery rolls express it, " esteeming it a prin- eipal strength and ornament to bis royal estate in his several kingdoms, to have the same attended on by persons dignified with titles of honour, and being careful to confer the same upon such whose virtues do deserve it, made choice of his lordship, to advance him to a more eminent degree of honour, by making him an earl of his realm of Ireland, having received very good testimony of his vir- tues and merits, and of the long continuance of his ances- tors in the service of the crown there, as counsellor and officer of state, and of his and their constancy in the pro- fession of true religion." And, " also, in regard of his many good abilities, and of his great experience in the affairs of Ireland, ordered him forthwith to be sworn of his privy council." During the troubles in Ireland which commenced in 1641, he suffered much from the damages and destruction committed by the insurgents on his estates, and his house at Kilrothery, together with his gardens, &c. were de- stroyed in cutting trenches for the defence of the city of Dublin. In 1644, he was deputed by the Marquis of
