Arnold Boate, originally called de Boot (1606–1653) was a Dutch physician, writer and Hebraist who spent much of his life abroad, and lived for several years in Dublin.
There he married Margaret Dongan, a judge's daughter, whom he portrayed lovingly in his book The Character of a Truly Virtuous and Pious Woman.
[1] He was the brother of Gerard Boate, author of The Natural History of Ireland, for which Arnold supplied much of the material.
His first book, co-written with Francis Taylor and entitled Examen Praefationis Morini in Biblia Graeca de Textus Ebraici et Graeci authoritate was published in Leiden in 1630.
[3] His marriage, which was a love match, to Margaret Dongan, daughter of Thomas Dongan, judge of the Court of King's Bench (Ireland) and his first wife Grace Palmer, [1] strengthened his ties with the Irish Protestant ruling class, although his father-in-law, according to Elrington Ball, was not much respected, partly because he was known to be a Roman Catholic who conformed to the Protestant faith only for the purpose of his career.
Gerard's most famous work The Natural History of Ireland was written, at Hartlib's suggestion, from material collected by Arnold.
Arnold was devoted to his wife, and shortly after her death he published a remarkable tribute, The Character of a Truly Virtuous and Pious Woman as it has been acted by Mistress Margaret Dongan, which was dedicated to Thomas Sydserf, Bishop of Galloway.