robbed at home, misrepresented everywhere’ (Hist. MSS. Comm. 11th Rep. App. vii. 56). In the same letter he describes various hardships he had suffered in gaol, where he alleged he was shut up ‘solus save for the vermin and a mouse which I taught to come for food.’ On 13 July 1789, the eve of the fall of the Bastille, he either headed the captives in forcing their way out of La Force, or, as is more probable, was liberated by the mob, for several of his fellow prisoners made formal declarations that they had been set free against their will (Archives Nationales, Paris, Y 13454). After presenting himself at the British embassy, Massereene took refuge in the precincts of the Temple, a privileged spot for debtors; but, finding himself in no danger of rearrest, he proceeded to Calais. There he is said to have narrowly escaped detention, but he took the packet for Dover, where, the first passenger to land, he kissed the ground, exclaiming ‘God bless this land of liberty!’ He was accompanied by Marie Anne Barcier, described as daughter of the governor of the prison, whom he is said to have already married, and whom he formally wedded at St. Peter's, Cornhill, 19 Aug. 1789. He afterwards repaired to Ireland. His wife, celebrated for her beauty, died at Blackheath in 1800, aged 38, and he subsequently married Elizabeth Lane (d. 1838). He died at his seat in Antrim, without issue, on 28 Feb. 1805, and was succeeded by his brother Henry as eighth viscount Massereene, the earldom becoming extinct. The latter, who died on 12 June 1811, was succeeded as ninth viscount by his brother Chichester, whose daughter Harriet, suo jure viscountess Massereene, married Thomas Foster, second viscount Ferrard, and was mother of
John Skeffington Foster Skeffington, tenth Viscount Massereene (1812–1863). Born in Dublin on 30 Nov. 1812, he was educated at Eton, and matriculated from Christ Church, Oxford, on 25 Nov. 1830. He succeeded his mother as Viscount Massereene in 1831, and his father as Viscount Ferrard in 1834, at the same time assuming Skeffington as an additional surname. He was created K.P. on 3 July 1851, and died at Antrim Castle on 28 April 1863. On 1 Aug. 1835 he married Olivia, fourth daughter of Henry Deane Grady of Stillorgan Castle, co. Dublin, and left four sons and four daughters. He was the author of: 1. ‘O'Sullivan, the Bandit Chief: a romantic poem,’ Dublin, 1844, 4to. 2. ‘Church Melodies,’ London, 1847, 8vo. 3. ‘A Metrical Version of the Psalms,’ Dublin, 1865, 8vo. 4. ‘The Love of God: a poem,’ London, 1868, 8vo.
[Gent. Mag. 1789, 1800, and 1805 (inaccurate in details of imprisonment); Annual Register, 1805; Lodge's Peerage, ed. Archdall, ii. 388; G. E. C.'s Peerage, s. v. ‘Massereene;’ Rutledge's Quinzaine Anglaise; Burke's Peerage; Alger's Englishmen in the French Revolution; Berryer's Souvenirs; Mém. de Richard-Lenoir; and for the tenth viscount see O'Donoghue's Poets of Ireland, p. 231; Gent. Mag. 1863, i. 806; Stapylton's Eton School Lists, p. 138; Foster's Alumni Oxon.]
SKEFFINGTON, Sir JOHN, second Viscount Massereene (d. 1695), was the eldest son of Sir Richard Skeffington, fourth baronet, of Fisherwick, near Lichfield, by Anne Newdigate (1608–1637). In 1647 he succeeded his father as fifth baronet. In or before 1660 he married Mary, only daughter and heiress of Sir John Clotworthy, first viscount Massereene [q. v.] He was elected M.P. for co. Antrim in 1661. By the death of his father-in-law in 1665, Skeffington became Viscount Massereene. He succeeded to a great Irish estate in his wife's right, and the lately created honour devolved upon him by special remainder. By the act of explanation (1665) he was made a commissioner to receive and administer funds contributed for the defence of their interests by officers serving after 5 June 1649. In 1666 he became custos rotulorum of co. Londonderry, and a commissioner of revenue in 1673. In 1674 he was made a freeman of Belfast (Young, Town Book of Belfast, p. 278). In 1677 he was released from the quit rents imposed by the acts of settlement and explanation upon his estate, and this seems to have been done with the help of his friend the lord-lieutenant, Essex (Essex Letters, 20 March 1674–5). In 1680 Massereene was made captain of Lough Neagh, with command of all boats built or to be built thereon, and a salary of 6s. 8d. a day for himself, with lesser rates of pay for subordinate officers. He was bound to build and maintain a gunboat. This grant, an enlargement of one formerly enjoyed by his father-in-law, was in consideration of his ‘great charges to fortify the town and castle of Antrim, making them much more considerable for the security of those parts.’ He was a conspicuous defender of the protestant interest in Ulster, and particularly anxious to prevent Roman catholics from enlisting in the army or militia (Carte, Ormonde, vol. ii. app. p. 120; Rawdon Papers, pp. 267–73). Recruiting was within his special province as governor of co. Londonderry.
James II and Tyrconnel substituted an Irish army for a protestant militia, but Massereene was nevertheless reappointed to his
