Chronicle of the law officers of Ireland/Solicitors General

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Chronicle of the law officers of Ireland
by Constantine J. Smyth

Solicitors General

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1930270Chronicle of the law officers of Ireland — Solicitors GeneralConstantine J. Smyth

SOLICITORS GENERAL.

Thomas Luttrell,—Solicitor General and King's Sergeant,—patent, 9 Sept. 1532.—Pleasure.—Fee, 20 marks.—24 Hen. VIII. f. Roll. 6. Patrick Barnewall, of Fieldstown, after of Gracedieu, S. G. and King's Sergeant,—Luttrell made Chief Justice of the Common Pleas,—patent, 17 Oct. 1534.—Life.—26 Hen. VIII. f. R. 4.

Walter Cowley,—patent, 7 Sept. 1537.—Behaviour.—Fee, £10 Irish.—29 Hen. VIII. f. R. 9.—From the appointment of Mr. Cowley, to the death of Richard Finglas, in 1574, there appear to have been two Solicitors for Ireland subsisting at the same time, the one by the name of Principal or Chief Solicitor (Solicitor Principalis sive Capitalis, aut Solicitatoris regni Hiberniæ,) and the other by the name of General Solicitor, (Solicitoris Generalis alias Solicitatoris regni Hiberniæ.)

Principal Solicitor, John Bathe, of Drumconragh, Co. Dublin, and Athcame,—Cowley surrendered,—patent, 7 Feb. 1546.—Pleasure.—To exercise the office in all things as the Solicitor General of England did.—37 Hen. VIII. f. R. 7.—Continued hy Edward VI.—patent, 15 March, 1547, by the Lord Deputy, which was confirmed by Privy Seal from Westminster, 24 March.—1 Edw. VI. 1^a pars f. R. 3, 11.

Solicitor General, John Bathe,—Barnewall surrendered, being made Master of the Rolls,—patent, 6 Oct. 1550.—Life.—Fee, £10 Irish.—4 Edw. VI. f. R. 26, 31.

Principal Solicitor, Richard Finglas, of Waspelleston,—Bathe made S. G.—patent, 17 Oct. 1550.—Pleasure.—Fee, £10 Irish.—Idem, 31.—He had another patent of the same office, 26 July, 1551.—5 Edw. VI.

Solicitor General, John Bathe,—a new appointment,—patent, 24 July 1551,—which office he lately had of our grant during life, to hold now as he had held it before during our pleasure, and as Patrick Bamewall, of Gracedieu, held it.—5 Edw. VI. f. R. 10.—Continued by Queen Mary,—patent, 12 Feb. 1554.—Pleasure.—Finglas also continued by patent of the same date.—1 Mary, 1¹ pars f. R. 16, 19.

Principal Solicitor and Solicitor General, James Dowdall,—Bathe made Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and Finglas Queen's Sergeant—patent, 20 July, 1554.—Behaviour.—2 Mary, f. R. 1.—To hold as the said Finglas or Bathe held.—Another patent of the same date tested at Lesmollen, is inrolled also on the Roll.—R. 2.

Principal Solicitor, Nicholas Nugent.—Dowdall made a Justice of the Queen's Bench,—patent, 17 April 1565.—Pleasure.—Fee, £10 Irish.—Fiant, 7 Eliz.

Principal Solicitor, John Bathe, of Drumconragh, Co. Dublin,—Nugent appointed 3d Baron,—patent, 20 Oct. 1570.—Fiant, 12 Eliz.

Principal Solicitor, Richard Bellyng,—Bathe made Attorney-General,—patent, Feb. 1574.—Not inrolled.—16 Eliz.

Jesse Smythes,—Bellyng deceased,—patent, 7 July, 1584.—Fiant, 26, and by another patent, 18 Jan. 1585, he was confirmed in the office of Solicitor-General, with a grant of £50 English a year over and above the usual fees belonging to the office, in augmentation of his fee and wages, during pleasure, and that the first year for this new fee should begin and be computed from 1 May, 1585, payable half-yearly.—Fiant, 27 Eliz.

Roger Wilbraham,—Smythes made Chief Justice of Munster,—Privy Seal, Greenwich, 11 Feb.—patent, 19 April, 1586.—Pleasure.—The Queen in her letters thus writes:—"Whereas for the better answering unto us of our revenues and other duties, as also for the furtherance of our services in causes of law within that our realm, we have made especial choice of our well beloved Roger Wilbraham, to be our Solicitor-General in the said realm, a man, as we understand, for his learning and other good parts meet for that room; these are to will and command you to receive him and to see him placed accordingly, giving him not only the best countenance and assistance you can from time to time for the execution of this office, but also Letters Patent of the same under our Great Seal of that realm, together with such fees and commodities incident to this as Smythes lately or any other our Solicitor before him had or ought to have had for the execution thereof." And the Lords of the Council sent the following letter in his behalf. "After our right hearty commendations to your Lordship: Whereas her Majesty hath appointed the bearer hereof, Roger Wilbraham, Esquire, to repair into that realm to hold the place of her Highness's Solicitor General, as shall appear by her own letters addressed unto you in that behalf; forasmuch as the fee appointed for the said place is very mean to answer the charge and countenance that is incident thereto, seeing her Majesty, by reason of other great charges which she other wise is at this present extraordinarily put to, cannot as yet be induced to increase or supply the same out of her own coffers, we have thought good earnestly to pray and require your Lordship to give order that he may have the allowance of our dead payments out of such lands where the same may be most conveniently spared, and to give order that from the treasurer and other her Majesty's officers the same may be answered unto him accordingly, whereof we ourselves require you that there be no default; and so bid you heartily farewell, from Greenwich, 13 Feb. 1585. Postscript, our meaning is, that the said Master Solicitor's entertainment should be made as good as that of the Attorney-General there, either by dead payments or otherwise as bath been ordered for the said Attorney. Your Lordship's losing friends, Jo. Cant., T. Bromley, Can., W. Bnrghley, C. Howard, H. Hunsdon, Cobham, Backhurst, James Croft, Chr. Hatton, Fra. Walsingham. To our very good Lord Sir John Perrott, Knt., Lord Deputy of her Majesty's realm of Ireland."—Fiant, 28 Eliz.

Sir John Davys, Knt, of the Middle Temple,—Wilbraham revoked,—Privy Seal, Woodstock, 18 Sept.—patent, 25 Nov. 1603.—Pleasure.—1 James L 1^a pars f. R. 37.

Robert Jacobe,—Davys made Attorney General,—Privy Seal, 19 April,—patent, 29 May, 1606.—Pleasure.—1 James I. 1^a pars d. R. 3.

Sir Richard Bolton, Knt.,—Jacobe deceased,—Privy Seal, 31 Dec. 1618,—patent, 10 Feb. 1619.—Pleasure.—"Of whose judgment in the laws, and experience in the affairs of Ireland, the King was so well assured as to hold him very fit to be employed in a place of this consequence and trust."—16 James I. 4* pars d. R. 39.—A new appointment, Privy Seal, Newmarket, 26 Feb.—patent, 3 April, 1619.—Plearsure.—l7 James I. 1^a pars d. R. 3.

Edward Bolton,—his father made Attorney-General of the Court of Wards,—Privy Seal, 5 Dec. 1622,—patent, 20 Jan. 1623.—20 James I. 2^a pars d. R. 34.—Continued by Charles I.—Privy Seal, 30 March,—patent, 16 April, 1625.—Pleasure. —1 Charles I 1^a pars f. R. 20.

Sir William Sambach, Knt., second Serjeant,—Bolton appointed Chief Baron,—Privy Seal, 8 June,—patent, 24 June, 1640.—Pleasure.—16 Charles II. 2^a pars d. R. 5.—He lived at Ballyna, in the co. Kildare, and suffered much by the rebellion.

William Ellys.—Under the usurpation, he held this office in 1657.—5^a pars f. R. 36.

Robert Shapcott,—Same,—patent, Hilary term, 1658.—Pleasure.—Mss. of Chr. Rohinson, Esq.

Sir John Temple, Knt.,—Sambach deceased,—patent, Westminster, 10 July, 1660.—Pleasure.—In another Privy Seal, dated 3 Dec. 1660, the King recites the aforesaid patent of the 10 July during pleasure, and directs a patent to pass during behaviour; this new patent is dated 1 Feb. 1661,—13 Charles II. 3^a pars f. R. 29.—Continued by James II.—Privy Seal, 19 Feb,—patent, 4 March, 1685.—Pleasure.—1 James II. 3^a pars f. R. 2.

Sir Theobald Butler, Knt., 3d Serjeant,—after the abdication,—patent, 25 July, 1689.—Pleasure.—5 James II 2^a pars f. R. 23.

Sir Richard Levinge, Bart.,—Butler removed,—Privy Seal, Kensington, 3 Nov.—patent, 29 Dec. 1690.—Pleasure.—2 William and Mary, 1^a pars d. R. 15.

Alan Brodrick,—Levinge resigned,—Privy Seal, 10 May,—patent, 6 June, 1695.—Pleasure.—7 William III. 1^a pars d. R. 21.—Continued by Queen Anne,—Privy Seal, 18 May,—patent, 4 June, 1702.—Pleasure.—1 Anne 2^a pars d. R. 3.

Sir Richard Levinge, Bart.—Brodrick resigned,—Privy Seal, 4 April,—patent, 15 April, 1704.—Pleasure.—3 Anne, 5^a pars d. R. 39.

John Foster, Recorder of Dublin,—Levinge resigned,—patent, 8 Sept. 1709.—Pleasure.—8 Anne, 1^a p. d. R. 61.

William Whitshed,—Foster appointed Attorney General,—Privy Seal, 24 Dec. 1709,—patent, 5 Jan. 1710.—Pleasure.—8 Anne, 1^a pars d. R. 69.

Francis Bernard,—Whitshed resigned, he died 26 August, 1727, æt. 51,—Privy Seal, 4 June,—patent, 3 July, 1711.—Pleasure.—10 Anne, 1^a pars d. R. 3.

John Rogerson,—Bernard resigned,—Privy Seal, 8 Nov.—patent, 3 Dec. 1714.—Pleasure.—1 George I. 2^a pars d. R. 50.

Thomas Marlay,—Rogerson, Attorney-General,—Privy Seal, 13 Oct.—patent, 26 Dec. 1720.—Pleasure.—7 George I. 1^a pars f. R. 35.

Robert Joceyln,—Marlay appointed Attorney-General,—Privy Seal, 5 April,—patent, 4 May, 1727.—Pleasure.—13 George I. 3^a pars d. R. 18.—Continued by George II.—Privy Seal, Kensington, 31 July,—patent, 28 Oct. 1727.—Pleasure.—1 George II. 2^a pars d. R. 22.

John Bowes,—Joceyln appointed At.-Gen.—Privy Seal, Windsor, 29 Sept.—patent, 23 Oct. 1730.—Pleasure.—4 George II. 1^a pars f. R. 27.

St. George Caulfield,—Bowes, At.-Gen.—Privy Seal, Kensington, 24 Sept.—patent, 6 Oct. 1739.—Pleasure.—13 George II. l^a parsd. R. 41.

Warden Flood,—Caulfield appointed At.-Gen.—Privy Seal, 24 Dec. 1741,—patent, 15 Jan. 1742.—Pleasure.—15 George II. 2^a pars f. R. 10.

Philip Tisdall,—Flood; At.-Gen.—Privy Seal, 27 August,—patent, 2 Oct. 1751.—Pleasure.—25 George II. 2^a pars f. R. 7.

John Gore,—Tisdall, At.-Gen.—Privy Seal, 31 July,—patent, 27 August, 1760.—Pleasure.—34 George II. sola pars d. R. 14.

1761. John Gore,—continued,—Privy Seal, 19 Jan.—patent, 6 Feb.—Pleasure.—Inr. 7 Feb.—1 George III. 1^a p. m. 16 f. R. 1.

1764. Marcus Patterson,—Gore appointed Chief Justice K. B.—Privy Seal, 29 August,—patent, 24 Sept.—Pleasure.—Inr. 25 Sept.—4 George III. 2^a p. m. 30 d. R. 12.

1770. Godfrey Lill,—Patterson appointed Chief Justice C. P.—Privy Seal, 18 June,—patent, 4 July, 1—Pleasure.—Inr. 6 July.—10 George III. 2^a p. m. d. R. 26.

1774. John Scott,—Lill appointed a Justice C. P.—Privy Seal, 13 July,—patent, 15 Dec.— Pleasure.—Inr. 16 Dec. 1774.—15 George III. 1^a p. m. 49, 50 f. R. 36.

1777. Robert Hellen,—Scott, At.-Gen.—Privy Seal, 18 Oct.—patent, 2 Nov.—Pleasure.—Inr. S Nov.—18 George III. 2^a p. m. 19, 20 f. R. 52.

1779. Hugh Cableton,—Hellen appointed a Justice C. P.—Privy Seal, 7 April,—patent, 4 May.—Pleasure.—Inr. 4 May, 1779.—19 George III. 2^a p. m. 8, 10 d. R. 56.

1787. Arthur Wolfe,—Carleton advanced to be Chief Justice of the Common Pleas,—Privy Seal, 1 May,—patent, 10 May. — Pleasure.—Inr. 11 May, 1787.—27 George III. 2^a p. m. 32, 34 f. R. 95.

1789. John Toler,—Wolfe appointed At.-Gen.—Privy Seal, 16 July,—patent, 12 August—Pleasure.—Inr. 26 August.—29 George III. 6^a p. m. 17, 18 d. R. 105.

1798. John Stewart,—John Toler At.-Gen.—Privy Seal, 26 June,—patent, 16 July.—Pleasure.—Inr. 20 July 1798.— 38 George III. 5^a p. 8 pag. R. 160.

1800. William Smith,—Stewart At.-Gen.—Privy Seal, 6 Dec.—patent, 23 Dec.—Pleasure—K. L. 41, 2^a p. 142 pag. R. 175.

1802. James McClelland,—Smith appointed a Baron of the Exchequer,—Privy Seal, 17 Dec. 1801.—patent, 9 Jan.—Pleasure.—Inr. 12 Jan. 1802.—42 George III. 3^a p. 18 pag. R. 188.

1803. William Conyngham Plunket,—McClelland appointed a Baron of the Exchequer,—Privy Seal, 22 Oct.—patent, 5 Nov. — Pleasure.—Inr. 8 Nov.—44 George III. 2^a p. 45 pag. R. 193.

1805. Charles Kendal Bushe,—Plunket appointed At.-Gen.—Privy Seal, 15 Oct.—patent, 24 Oct.—Pleasure.—Inr. 26 Oct. — 45 George III. 2^a p. .51 pag. R. 199.

1822. Henry Joy,—Bushe, Chief Justice of the King's Bench,—King's Letter, Carlton House, 20 Feb.—patent, 1 March. — (K. L. Book, Irish Department Office, Westminster.)

1827. John Dogherty,—Joy, At.-Gen.—patent, 18 June.—8 Geo. IV.

1830. Philip Cecil Crampton,—Dogherty, Chief Justice C. P.—patent, Dec. 23.—1 William IV.

1834. Michael O'Loghlen,—Crampton, Just. K. B.—patent, 21 Oct—5 William IV.

1835. Edward Pennepather,—O'Loghlen resigned,—patent, Jan. 27.—5 William IV.

1835. Michael O'Loghlen,—Pennefather resigned,—patent, April 29.—5 William IV.

1836. John Richards,—O'Loghlen At.-Gen.—patent, Sept. 21.—6 William IV.

1836. Stephen Woulfe,—Richards At.-Gen.—patent, Nov. 10.—7 William IV.

1837. Maziere Brady,—Woulfe At.-Gen.—patent, Feb. 3.—7 William IV.

1839. David R. Pigot,—Brady At.-Gen.—patent, 11 Feb.—2 Victoria.