THE POETICAL WORKS Of the RIGHT HONOURABLE, WENTWORTH DILLON, EARL of RoscoMMON. GLASGOW: Printed by R. URIE, M DCC XLIX, OF THE Earl of RoS COMMON. ENTORTH DILLON, earl of Rofcommon, was defcended of an antient family in Ireland, and fon of JAMES DILLON, earl of Rofcommon, who had been converted from the Romish communion by archbishop Usher. He was born in Ireland, when that kingdom was under the adminiftration of the earl of Strafford, to whom his lordship's mother (defcended from the Boyntons of Bramiton in Yorkshire) was nearly related; and when he was baptized, the lord lieutenant gave him the furname of his own family, WENTWORTH. He paffed the first years of his infancy in that kingdom, and was educated in the Proteftant religion. The earl of Strafford apprehending, that upon that account his family would be expofed WENTORTH to the most furious effects of religious revenge, at the beginning of the Irish rebellion, fent for him over into England, and placed him at his own feat in Yorkfhire, under the tuition of Dr. Hall, afterwards bishop of Norwich, a prelate of eminent learning and piety. By him he was inftructed in Latin, and, without learning the common rules of grammar, which he could never retain in his memory, he attained to write in that language with claffical elegance and propriety, and with fo much eafe, that he chofe it to correfpond with thofe friends who had learning fufficient to fupport the commerce. When the cloud began to gather over England, and the earl of Strafford was impeached, by the advice of archbishop Usher, he was fent to complete his education at Caen, in Normandy, under the famous Mr. Bochart. After some years he travelled to Rome, where he grew familiar with the most valuable remains of antiquity; applying himself particu larly larly to the knowlege of medals, which he gained in perfection; and spoke Italian with fo much grace and fluency, that he was frequently mistaken there for a native. In the Soon after the restoration, he returned to England, where he was graciously received by king Charles II. and made captain of the band of pensioners; and fome time afterwards, mafter of the horfe to the duchefs of York. gaieties of that age, he was tempted to indulge a violent paffion for gaming, by which he frequently hazarded his life in duels, and exceeded the bounds of a moderate fortune. A difpute with the lord privy feal, about part of his estate, obliging him to revifit his native country, he refigned his poit in the English court; and foon after his arrival in Dublin, the duke of Ormond appointed him captain of the guards. He ftill retained his inclination to gaming, which engaged him in the following adven ture. a 3 As |
