Celebrated Trials Connected With the Aristocracy in the Relations of Private Life

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1849. Excerpt: ... THE TRIAL OF THE EARL OF KINGSTON FOR SHOOTING COLONEL FITZGERALD. This singularly romantic affair has been so perfectly narrated in a recent very able and amusing work, "The Revelations of Ireland in the Past Generation," by D. Owen Madden, Esq., that we cannot do better than extract the story as the author has there given it. Mr. Madden writes thus:--The house of King, as may be seen by any one who consults the Peerage, is very widely connected. Its members had at various periods made fortunate marriages, and towards the end of the last century the family occupied a very high place in English as well as Irish aristocratic society. The first Earl of Kingston 1768 resided at Mitchelstown, close to the towering Galtees, dwelling upon the demesne-lands obtained by his ancestor, on marriage with the daughter of Sir William Fenton. The eldest son of the first earl was Robert, Viscount Kingsborough, who was born in 1754. He represented the county of Cork in parliament. In 1769, he married Caroline, only daughter and heiress of Richard Fitzgerald, of Mount Ophaly, in Ki'.dare. Miss Fitzgerald was cousin to Lord Kingsborough, her mother being daughter and heiress of James Baron Kingston. By their marriage the family estates were re-united. It will be observed, that the age of the noble bridegroom was fifteen, and the bride was some years younger. Lady Kingsborough had a brother, who died without legitimate issue. He left, however, an illegitimate son, Henry Gerald Fitzgerald, who was reared up by Lady Kingsborough with the greatest kindness. She brought him up with her own family. Young Fitzgerald was handsome and distinguished in appearance, tall in stature, and endowed with courage and vigour. His passions were strong, and his temper arrogant and haughty. He w...