Page:A catalogue of notable Middle Templars, with brief biographical notices.djvu/159

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Knollys — Kyrle.
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died 25 May, 1632. At his death the Earldom was claimed by his younger brother, above referred to; but doubts as to his legitimacy gave rise to the celebrated "Banbury Case," and to the conflict thereupon between the House of Peers and the Courts of Law. (See Summary of the Case in Burke's Extinct Peerage.)


KNOWLES, RICHARD BRINSLEY.
Journalist.
1820—1882.

Admitted 14 November, 1839.

Eldest son of James Sheridan Knowles of Alfred Place, Bedford Square. He was born at Glasgow on 17 Jan. 1820. Previous to his entry at the Temple he held an appointment at Somerset House. Though called to the Bar on 26 May, 1843, his tastes were entirely literary, and in 1845 he produced at the Haymarket Theatre the Comedy of The Maiden Aunt. He then took up journalism, and contributed to the Standard and Morning Post.

He also edited the London Review and other Magazines, and wrote a Lite of his relative, James Sheridan Knowles (1872). He died in London 28 Jan. 1882.


KYD, STEWART.
Legal Writer.
d. 1811.

Admitted 15 June, 1782.

Eldest son of Harie Kyd of Arbroath, co. Angus, where he was born. He was called to the Bar 22 June, 1787; but, becoming influenced by French Revolutionary principles, took up politics, and became a friend of Thomas Hardy, Horne Tooke, and other Radical leaders, and along with them was indicted at the bar of the Old Bailey for High Treason in 1794, but was acquitted. As an advocate he defended Thomas Williams for publishing Tom Paine's Age of Reason (1797). He died in the Temple 26 Jan. 1811.

He was the author of treatises on Bills of Exchange (1790); on Awards (1791); on the Law of Corporations (1793-4), and he produced a continuation of Comyn's Digest (1792).


KYRLE, JOHN.
The "Man of Ross."
1637—1724.

Admitted 7 May, 1657.

Son and heir of Walter Kyrle of Ross, Herefordshire (who was also a member of the Inn, admitted 21 Feb. 1617-8, and called to the Bar 1628). John was born at Dymock, Gloucestershire, 22 May, 1637. He was educated at Gloucester Grammar School and at Balliol College, Oxford. Retiring to Ross in 1660, he lived a life of extreme simplicity, devoting his surplus means to the benefit of the town and its poorer inhabitants. Many monuments of his benevolence survive, but the "causeway," referred to by Pope as his work, in his celebrated lines, was in existence long before his time, as well as the church. To the latter, however, he contributed a gallery and pulpit, and by his contributions to its reconstruction, 1721, may be said to have "taught its Heaven-directed spire to rise." In 1683 he was chosen Sheriff of the county. He died 7 Nov. 1724, and was buried in the chancel of Ross Church, where there is now a marble tablet and a bust to his memory, though he lay there many years without monument.