works have been most largely drawn upon by subsequent authors, was born in Castlestreet, Dublin, 26th November 1594. [His father, Sir James Ware, came to Ireland in 1588, in the train of Sir William Fitz William, Lord-Deputy. Amongst other appointments, he secured a patent for the lucrative post of Auditor-General of Ireland, which, with the interval of a few years during the Commonwealth, continued in his family for three generations. He was knighted by James I., and in the Parliament of 1613 sat as member for Mallow. "Having lived a very strict and truly religious life, he died suddenly (which was his constant wish for many years before) as he was walking home through Fishamble-street to his house in Castle-street, in 1632." The family mansion of the Wares stood in Castle-street, on the ground now occupied by Hoey's-court and the Castle steps.] Young James Ware was carefully educated by his father, entered Trinity College in 1610, remained there six years, took out his M.A. degree, and then resumed his home studies. His literary and antiquarian tastes were fostered by friendships with Dr. Ussher, then Bishop of Meath, and Daniel Molyneux, "a very curious antiquary, between whom the similitude of their studies had cemented a strict friendship." " At an early age," says Harris, " his father, thinking it convenient he should marry, procured him a match to both their satisfactions. It was Mary, the daughter of Jacob Newman of the City of Dublin, Esq. But this alteration in his condition did not in the least take him off from his beloved studies. He had begun to gather manuscripts, and make collections from the libraries of Irish antiquaries and genealogists, and from the registries and cartularies of cathedrals and monasteries, in which he spared no expense. … When he had gleaned all he could for his purpose at home, he resolved to take a journey to England, not doubting but he should reap a plentiful harvest by consulting the libraries both publick and private there." This tour, made in 1626, was the first of his many visits to England. It would be a mistake to suppose that Ware's life was devoted entirely to literature. He was knighted in 1629 by the Lords-Justices. His father was still living; so that there were two knights of the same name and surname residing together in one house at the same time, "they always living together." On his father's death, three years afterwards, he succeeded to the office of Auditor-General, which necessarily occupied a good deal of his time. At this period he was writing some of his most valuable works. We are told by Harris of his attachment to the Earl of Strafford during his government of Ireland. He was returned member for Dublin University to the Irish Parliament of March 1639. He closely attended to the business of the Council upon the breaking out of the Irish war in October 1641, and became one of the sureties for the loans advanced by private individuals to the Government. He advocated the cessation of arms with the Irish in 1643, and was one of the council of seventeen appointed to assist the Marquis of Ormond in negotiating the treaty with them. He was also one of the deputation sent over by Ormond to Charles I. [at Oxford, "to inform his Majesty of the posture of affairs in Ireland." Sir James spent all his spare time in the libraries at Oxford, where "he was complimented with the honorary degree of Doctor of Civil Law, and highly caressed by most of the considerable men at Oxford." The vessel in which he and his brother commissioners, Lord Edward Brabazon and Sir Henry Tichborne, were returning to Ireland, was captured by the Parliamentarians, and he suffered imprisonment for ten months in the Tower of London. On an exchange of prisoners of importance, he was permitted to return to Dublin, where he lived undisturbed until June 1647, when, on the surrender of the place to the Parliament, he consented to be sent to England as one of the hostages for the due performance of the engagements entered into by Ormond. The agreement being fully executed, he was licensed to return to Dublin, where he lived some time in a private condition, having been deprived of his employment of Auditor-General. Subsequently, Michael Jones, Governor of Dublin, objected to the presence of such a leading loyalist, and in April 1649, with his eldest son and one servant, Ware retired to France, where he resided two years, between St. Malo, Caen, and Paris. "The frequent conversations he had with the famous Bochart [in Paris] delighted him extremely; in whose company he could have been contented to have spent the residue of his life." In 1651 he was permitted to pass over to England, and ultimately to return home, where he resumed his antiquarian studies. After the Restoration he was re-instated in all his offices, and was again unanimously elected member for the University of Dublin. He was appointed on more than one commission in connexion with the settlement of the kingdom after the war; yet he is said to have refused both a
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