The Gentleman's Magazine of August 1781 recorded the funeral of the first Ellisha Mathew, wife of Francis Mathew, first Earl of Landaff, thus (p. 342):
Deaths: In the county of Tipperary in Ireland, Mrs Mathew; whose funeral exceeded any thing of the kind ever seen in that kingdom. Besides the different corps of Mr Mathew’s volunteers, who came upwards of 20 miles to meet the body, and to pay the last honour so justly due to to the respected wife of their esteemed commander, all the nobility and gentry of the county and its neighbourhood seemed to vie with each other in their expressions of sorrow. The aged, the young, and infant tears were shed for the death of this beauteous, worthy and accomplished woman. Nor was this tribute more than justly due to so much virtue and exalted merit. One hundred and fifty mourning coaches, fifty-four of which were drawn by six horses, with a great number of servants, were sent by them to join the funeral procession; and when it arrived within a few miles of the place of interment, every thing was arranged in melancholy state and funeral order. His Grace the Archbishop of Cashel dressed in his full pontificals, with his mitre on his head, accompanied by a long train of his diocesan clergy, appeared, and joined the solemn march, as did also the Titular or Popish Archbishop, with his clergy, together with the greatest tenantry in Ireland; one hundred and twenty domestics dressed in black, and a numerous train of old men and women in deep mourning, pensioners, who were cloathed and fed by the humane hand of this charitable woman; and almost all the inhabitants of the country round. The place of interment of that antient and respectable family is in the centre of Thomas-town Park (the greatest and most princely demesne in this kingdom), embowered in a wood in the cemetery of a ruined monastery; to this there is no road; but the peasantry of the place, unsolicited, and of their own free motion, since the death of their much-loved and lamented mistress, gravelled a road through the park, of some miles in length to it, and over the sacred spot, where her remains were to be deposited, erected with pious hands a rude though handsome mausoleum. The procession, with extended near five miles, being arrived here, his Grace the Archbishop performed the funeral service, whose distress was so visible, and whose feelings were so nicely expressed, with the circumstances of the place, the number, and the unfeigned sorrow of those who assisted, added and awful dignity to this grand and mournful scene. Eight noblemen bore the pall on this occasion. The family dissentions, which for a century have divided the great people of the country, seemed to be buried with the body, and is an happy presage of succeeding days of peace and harmony.
