BURGHCLERE, Lady. The Life of James First Duke of Ormonde 1610-1688. With portraits and illustrations.

In two volumes. London: Murray, 1912. pp. (1) xv, 534, (2) vii, 458. Reddish brown cloth, title and arms of the Dukes of Ormond in gilt on upper cover, title in gilt on spine. Some minor spotting to edges. Top edge gilt. Some spotting to foredge. A very good set in rare dust jackets. Scarce.

James Butler, 12th Earl and 1st Duke of Ormond, known as the 'Great Earl' was born at Clerkenwell, London, in 1610, in the house of his grandfather, Sir John Poyntz. Shortly after his birth, his parents returned to Ireland; he was brought by his nurse when three years of age, and for the rest of his life remembered being carried through Bristol on that occasion to take the ship for Ireland. He succeeded to the earldom in 1633. A royalist, he raised a troop of horse for the king.
James was six times Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He was one of the most distinguished Irish statesmen and soldiers of his day, a supporter of English rule who was nevertheless a conciliator. He arranged a cease fire with the Irish rebels in 1643, and offered a treaty in 1646 which granted religious tolerance to Catholics. In all those troublesome times he fought for the king in the senate and the field until 1650, when he retired to France. He played an important role in the restoration of Charles II and was afterwards created Marquis and Duke by him. He retired to Dorset and died there in 1688.

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