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shallaw-men [Marsellaise] would break ia, cut U3 to mince meat, and throw our bleeding heads upon that table, to stare us in the face." Burke's son, as agent of the Catholic Committee, had committed a breach of privilege in the House, and the sergeant-at-arras was blamed for permit- ting him to escape : " How could the sergeant-at-arms stop him in the rear, while he was catching him in the front ? Did he think the sergeant-at-arms could be, like a bird, in two places at once ?" Opposing a grant for some public works : " What, Mr. Speaker, and so we are to beggar ourselves for the fear of vexing posterity ! Now, I would ask the honour- able gentleman, and this still more honour- able house, why we should put ourselves out of our way to do anything for posterity ; for what has posterity done for us ? (Laughter.) I apprehend gentlemen have entirely mistaken my words. I assure the house that by posterity I do not mean my ancestors, but those who are to come immediately after them." Speaking of the Union, Sir Boyle Roche said : "Gentlemen may tither and tither and tither, and may think it a bad measure ; . . but when the day of judgment comes, then hon- ourable gentlemen will be satisfied at this most excellent Union. Sir, there are no Levitical degrees between nations, and on this occasion I can see neither sin nor shame in marrying our own sister." Sir Boyle Roche died at his residence in Eccles-street, Dublin, 5th June 1807. His brother, " Tiger Roche," was a noted fighting character in Dublin. " '*' '"* '^'
Bioche, James, Colonel, known as " The Swimmer," was of the family of the Lords of Roche and Fermoy. His father lost his estates in the County of Waterf ord in the War of 164.1- S'^f for adhesion to the royal cause, and died in exile in Flanders. James grew up to be a distin- guished soldier, and refusing Tirconnell's solicitations to cast in his lot with James II., entered the Williamite army, attained the rank of colonel, and was attached to the expedition under the command of Kirke, sent for the relief of Londonderry, in June 1689. On the arrival of the fleet in Lough Foyle, the town was found to be completely invested, and Colonel Roche volunteered to carry a despatch, and ar- range signals with the besieged. He was accordingly put ashore, made his way un- observed through the woods, reached the lines of the besiegere, concealed his clothes in a thicket on the banks of the river, took to the water, and was carried up by the tide to the ferry-gate, where he was joyfully received. After one day of 456
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consultation with the besieged, he again committed himself to the river, but on landing found his clothes gone, and the spot occupied by the enemy on the look- out for lum. He was set upon, and his jawbone broken. He plunged again into the water, received three shots, and at the same time was assured of life, liberty, and large rewards if he would surrender. These he spurned, and managed to swim back three weary miles to the city, where he arrived in an exhausted condition. When he woke out of the swoon into which he fell on reaching the landing- place, he found the chamber where he lay occupied by Governor Walker, Baker, and other prominent defenders, in prayer for his recovery. He was thenceforward known as " The Swimmer," and was ap- propriately granted by King William most of the ferries in Ireland. These cannot have been of much value, as small estates in the counties of Waterf ord, Cork, and Meath were added, and a charge of .£3,269 on certain Irish forfeitures, of which sum he is said to have received only i>i,i48. A memorial addressed to Parliament about 1704 fully sets forth his services, s^t
Boche, James, styled by Father Mahony, the " Roscoe of Cork," was born in Limerick in 1 77 1 . After completing his studies at the Catholic College of Saintes, in France, and paying a short visit to Ire- land, he settled in Bordeaux, where he became acquainted with the most distin- guished Girondists. He was in Paris during the horrors of the Revolution, and was arrested in 1 793, but was released on the death of Robespierre. About the year 1 800 he returned to Ireland, and, in part- nership with his brother, opened a banking house in Cork. In 1819 a monetary crisis ruined him as weU as many others ; his property was sold, and his precious library, excepting a few books with which his cre- ditors presented him, was brought to the hammer. After this he resided in Lon- don for some time as a parliamentary agent, and again visited the Continent; but eventually returned to Cork, where he performed the duties of a magistrate and director of the National Bank until his death. He was intimately acquainted with many of the great men of his time, and was especially familiar with everything concerning French history and literature. He contributed largely, over the signature " J. R. of Cork," to the GentlematVs Maga- zine, Notes and Queries, the Dublin Review, and other periodicals. In 1 851 he printed in Cork, for private circulation, a most interesting work, in two volumes, Essays,
