Henry Blayney, 2nd Lord Blayney
Born ~1602/5
at Castleblayney (Ireland)
Baron from 11 Feb 1630 [43]
Killed 5 Jun 1646 at the battle of Benburb, Tyrone.
See Ancestry.
In January 1623 he married the Right Honourable Jane MOORE, (daughter of Gerald [Garret] MOORE, 1st Viscount Drogheda and Mary COLLY and sister of Sir James MOORE who married Henry's sister Jane BLAYNEY) and had six sons and five daughters! (see [Descendancy]).
Was knighted in his father's life-time (27Mar1626) and became Baron in 1626 and took his seat in the Irish House of Lords 14July1634. He was a commissioned captain of the 97th Foot and kept a little fort at Monaghan.
On 23Oct1641 his castle was attacked by Irish "rebels" under Hugh (Mac-Patrick) MacMahon (and/or Sir Patrick MacMahon [471] [707]) but he escaped to Dublin to raise the alarm [18] [471] [473] His wife and children however, were captured and suffered, particularly from being moved constantly while regularly threatened with death. Infant Penelope died after being carried on the captors' pikes. Eventually they were released in exchange for nuns and an officer captured at Drogheda by Lady Blayney's brother [55].
In 1641, Armagh was taken by Sir Phelim O'Nial, who was forced to evacuate, then it was garrisoned by the Earl of Tyrconnel, who was in turn then "surprised and disarmed" by locals. Lord Blayney then took possession of the town and immediately proclaimed for the King (Charles I), but was also "compelled to evacuate it, and retreat with his forces to Londonderry, at that period the last refuge of the Protestants." [263].
Lord Henry Blayney is killed fighting Owen O'Neill at the Battle of Benburb, co Tyrone in 1646, which was a disaster for the Protestant settlers (Planters). No other Irish victory had ever resulted in so complete an annihilation of their enemy. The only Protestant honour earned on that field was by Henry Blayney and his regiment. His reputation and conduct in that battle has been universally praised and from by both sides:
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- "And with their pritan mantles, steel morion, and jack
And with him fierce Blayney and Conway had come
.............
Few foemen escaped on that well-stricken day;
O'er hillock and moorland by thousands they lay;
Fierce Blayney had fallen where he charged by the fen—
'Twasa comfort he slept by the side of his men!"
["The Battle of Benburb" [468] (Joyce and Makem)] - "The Scottish army was immediately thrown into confusion; the cavalry was at once broken, and, casting the foot into disorder, the rout soon became complete. An English cavalry regiment, commanded by Lord Blayney, was almost entirely cut to pieces." [467]
- "Sir Henry, second Lord Blayney, lost his life at the fatal battle of Benburg [sic], in the county of Tyrone, at the head of his men..." [484] [485]
- "The English regiment commanded by Lord Blaney maintained their ground till he and most of his men were cut off." [469] [472]
- "Lord Blaney's regiment first met the brunt of the Irish onset, and, after a stubborn resistance, was cut to pieces" [475]
- "The British field-pieces were all captured, and Lord Blayney, their commander, who refused quarter, was killed, gallantly defending them to the last." [471]
- "The gallant Lord Blaney, at the head of an English regiment, made a noble defence. He fell combating with the most undaunted resolution, and his men maintained their ground till they were hewn to pieces, fighting around their beloved commander" [474] [476]
- "Three thousand Scotch and English there are lying freshly slain,
And Blaney at his regiment's head will never charge again!" [470] [473] - "Next day Neill ordered my Lord Blaney's and captain Hamilton's corps to be interred in Benborbe church with the proper ceremonies." [472] and "O'Neill conveyed his prisoners to a place of security, and buried the bodies of Blaney and Hamilton with military honours"
On 8 December 1665 a Petition to the Duke of Ormond, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was granted resulting in a pension of £100 being paid out of the Irish Exchequer to the Lady Jane Blayney, widow. [324]
Lieutenant-General John BURGOYNE b.Feb1723; d.04Aug1792
(Legal parents were Captain John Burgoyne of Bedfordshire
and Anna Maria Burnestone of London)
British general and playwright (The Heiress 1786)
Lieutenant-colonel in the Foot Guards 1758; introduced light
cavalry into the British Army. Known as "Gentleman Johnny".
Captured Fort Ticonderoga in American War of Independence
(6Jul1777) but lost the Battle of Saratoga (17Oct1777)
surrendering 5,800 British troops to General Horatio Gates,
the turning point of war.
Subsequently made commander-in-chief in Ireland and a
privy councillor.
Buried with wife & dau in Westminster Abbey.
+ Lady Charlotte Stanley, youngest daughter of the Earl of Derby
Eloped then m.14Apr1751
6 Charlotte Elizabeth d.1764
+(mistress) Susan Caulfield (actress, opera singer)
6 Four children (Maria, Caroline, John FOX and Edward (b.1786)
6 
Very Rev Dr Thomas BLADEN D.D., Dean of Ardfert (Kent)
b~1610; m?1646; d.Jul1695
3 Nathaniel BLADEN
2 Jane BLAYNEY d.28Jan1681 (suddenly); bur. near broth Richard in
St Martin's Church.
+ Col. John GORGES Esq, of Somerset-house (Soraerseate, Derry),
Governor of Londonderry, M.P. for Derry, Donegal & Tyrone 1659
b~1621; d.Oct1680; (his 2nd marriage, 1st to Edith SYMES)
3 Henry GORGES of Coleraine (b 1667, d 1696, Colonel)
+(1)Alice (Alicia) COLLEY (dau of Dudley COLLEY of Castle Carberry)
4 Jane GORGES d.unm
+(2)Jane COOTE (dau of Hon. Richard COOTE of Tullaghmain)
4 Henry GORGES
+ Elizabeth GORGES (b 1717, d 1814)
5 Ralph GORE of Barrow Mount
3 Elizabeth GORGES
+ Frederick HAMILTON ESq of Somerset
3 Amy GORGES
+ Henry LOFTUS-HALL Esq (Wexford) who subsequently remarried
3 Penelope GORGES
+ Lieutenant James GALLAND
4 John GALLAND (Officer of Foot)
4 Richard GALLAND
4 Penelope GALLAND
2 Penelope BLAYNEY (d.1641 as infant from captors' mistreatment)
