Nicholas St Lawrence, 9th Baron Howth (1555–1606)
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Nicholas St. Lawrence, 9th Baron Howth (c.1550-1607 ) was a leading member of the Anglo-Irish nobility in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Desspite openly admitting his Roman Catholic faith, he enjoyed the trust of Elizabeth 1 and successive Lord Deputies of Ireland, and was even excused for signing a petition against the Penal Laws.
and his first wife Elizabeth Plunket. His date of birth is often given as 1555, but was probably some years earlier: Elrington Ball states that he was well into middle age when his father died, and in 1605 he was described as too old to live long.
His early life cannot have been happy: his father was notorious for cruelty to his wife and children. In 1577 Nicholas' teenage sister Jane died after being beaten by her father and his mother was so ill-treated that the Courts eventually granted her a separation.
According to a well-known legend Granuaile, the celebrated Pirate Queen of Galway in about 1575 arrived unannounced at Howth Castle
for dinner, only to find the gates barred; in retaliation for the discourtesy she took the youthful heir to the title hostage until the family apologised. Elrington Ball argues that the story may be based on fact- but if the heir was a child this would refer to Nicholas' eldest son, not Nicholas himself. In the 1580s he lived mostly at Platten in Meath
where his wife had inherited property from her first husband. He was knighted in 1588 and succeeded his father the following year.
and did not always find it easy to reconcile that with the requirements of Government" especially after it became clear that he was loyal to the old religion. Initial relations with the Lord Deputy of Ireland
, Sir William FitzWilliam
, were friendly and he was appointed guardian of the Pale in the Deputy's absence. Shortly afterwards relations cooled when Nicholas became involved in the long and bitter dispute between the Nugent family, headed by the 6th Baron Delvin, and Sir Robert Dillon (judge)
the Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas
. The Nugent family pursued Dillon relentlessly with charges of corruption for several years until he was eventually cleared in 1593, and Lord Howth was closely associated with the attack. His motives are unclear; Lord Delvin claimed Howth had been injured by the Deputy, but Howth himself proclaimed his trust in him. More likely he was influenced by his second wife's father Sir Nicholas White
, another bitter enemy of Dillon, and this would explain his loss of favour with the crown since White's loyalty was deeply suspect.
Howth was restored to favour and enjoyed friendly relations with the new Deputy, Sir William Russell, whom he entertained at Howth on his arrival in Ireland. The following year he accompanied Russell on his campaign against the O'Byrnes of Wicklow
and the Deputy wrote that Howth deserved some words of thanks from the Queen. In 1598 he was praised highly for being one of the few nobles of the Pale to render useful assistance to Sir Henry Bagenal
in his campaign against Hugh O'Neill, although he later complained of the depredations of Bagenal's soldiers in the Pale.
In 1600 he was again the first to entertain a new Deputy, Charles Blount, 8th Baron Mountjoy, who formed a very high opinion of him and appointed him to act in his absence.
In 1601 he went to London to discuss Irish affairs: the Queen who had already met and been impressed by his eldest son, also formed a high opinion of Howth himself. On his return he was appointed to the Privy Council
.
of Turvey, who while outwardly conforming to the Church of Ireland
, adhered to the older faith. Christopher's son Patrick Barnewall (died 1622)
emerged in the early 1600s as spokesman for the Catholic nobility. Although they had been on bad terms over a lawsuit in the 1590s, he and Howth became close and Howth, like Barnewall, openly admitted his Catholic faith. In December 1605 he was one of the signatories to a petition that the Penal Laws be restrained, rather than extended. This was potentially a dangerous step, and Barnewall was sent to the Tower as a result, but Howth was left in peace. He enjoyed the confidence of yet another Deputy, Sir Arthur Chichester, who was said to openly dispute with him the rival merits of the two faiths. Possibly to forestall any action against Howth, Chichester wrote that he was old and would not live long. This proved to be correct: Howth died in May 1607 and was buried in Howth Abbey.
By his second wife Mary White, daughter of Sir Nicholas White, Master of the Rolls in Ireland
he had six further children:
Early life
He was the eldest surviving son of Christopher St Lawrence, 8th Baron Howth (d. 1589)Christopher St Lawrence, 8th Baron Howth (d. 1589)
Christopher St Lawrence, 8th Baron Howth was a member of the Privy Council, and played a leading part in the Irish Government of the 1560s but later went into opposition and was imprisoned as a result. He was nick-named " the blind lord ". He was a man of some culture and may have partly written...
and his first wife Elizabeth Plunket. His date of birth is often given as 1555, but was probably some years earlier: Elrington Ball states that he was well into middle age when his father died, and in 1605 he was described as too old to live long.
His early life cannot have been happy: his father was notorious for cruelty to his wife and children. In 1577 Nicholas' teenage sister Jane died after being beaten by her father and his mother was so ill-treated that the Courts eventually granted her a separation.
According to a well-known legend Granuaile, the celebrated Pirate Queen of Galway in about 1575 arrived unannounced at Howth Castle
Howth Castle
Howth Castle lies close to the village of Howth, Fingal County in Ireland. It is the ancestral home of the line of the St Lawrence family that died out in 1909. From 1425 to 1767 the title had been Lord Howth, holding the area since the Norman invasion of 1180. It is now held by their heirs, the...
for dinner, only to find the gates barred; in retaliation for the discourtesy she took the youthful heir to the title hostage until the family apologised. Elrington Ball argues that the story may be based on fact- but if the heir was a child this would refer to Nicholas' eldest son, not Nicholas himself. In the 1580s he lived mostly at Platten in Meath
Meath
Meath may refer to:*County Meath, Republic of Ireland**Kingdom of Mide, medieval precursor of the county**Meath , in UK and Irish parliaments**Meath GAA, including the intercounty football and hurling teams**Diocese of Meath...
where his wife had inherited property from her first husband. He was knighted in 1588 and succeeded his father the following year.
Political career
In Elrington Ball's view " he was devoted to the interests of the PaleThe Pale
The Pale or the English Pale , was the part of Ireland that was directly under the control of the English government in the late Middle Ages. It had reduced by the late 15th century to an area along the east coast stretching from Dalkey, south of Dublin, to the garrison town of Dundalk...
and did not always find it easy to reconcile that with the requirements of Government" especially after it became clear that he was loyal to the old religion. Initial relations with the Lord Deputy of Ireland
Lord Deputy of Ireland
The Lord Deputy was the King's representative and head of the Irish executive under English rule, during the Lordship of Ireland and later the Kingdom of Ireland...
, Sir William FitzWilliam
William Fitzwilliam
William FitzWilliam may refer to:*William FitzWilliam, 1st Earl of Southampton , English courtier*William FitzWilliam , Lord Deputy of Ireland...
, were friendly and he was appointed guardian of the Pale in the Deputy's absence. Shortly afterwards relations cooled when Nicholas became involved in the long and bitter dispute between the Nugent family, headed by the 6th Baron Delvin, and Sir Robert Dillon (judge)
Robert Dillon (judge)
Sir Robert Dillon was a lawyer, judge and politician in the 16th century Kingdom of Ireland, a Speaker of the Irish House of Commons.Dillon was of Newtown, County Meath...
the Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas
Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas
The Chief Justice of the Common Pleas for Ireland was the senior judge of the Court of Common Pleas ,known in its early stage as the Common Bench or simply Bench, one of the senior courts of common law in Ireland. It was a mirror of the Court of Common Pleas in England...
. The Nugent family pursued Dillon relentlessly with charges of corruption for several years until he was eventually cleared in 1593, and Lord Howth was closely associated with the attack. His motives are unclear; Lord Delvin claimed Howth had been injured by the Deputy, but Howth himself proclaimed his trust in him. More likely he was influenced by his second wife's father Sir Nicholas White
Nicholas White
Sir Nicholas White was an Irish lawyer and government official during the reign of Elizabeth I.-Background and early career:...
, another bitter enemy of Dillon, and this would explain his loss of favour with the crown since White's loyalty was deeply suspect.
Howth was restored to favour and enjoyed friendly relations with the new Deputy, Sir William Russell, whom he entertained at Howth on his arrival in Ireland. The following year he accompanied Russell on his campaign against the O'Byrnes of Wicklow
Wicklow
Wicklow) is the county town of County Wicklow in Ireland. Located south of Dublin on the east coast of the island, it has a population of 10,070 according to the 2006 census. The town is situated to the east of the N11 route between Dublin and Wexford. Wicklow is also connected to the rail...
and the Deputy wrote that Howth deserved some words of thanks from the Queen. In 1598 he was praised highly for being one of the few nobles of the Pale to render useful assistance to Sir Henry Bagenal
Henry Bagenal
Sir Henry Bagenal was marshal of the army in Ireland during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.-Life:He was the eldest son of Nicholas Bagenal and Eleanor Griffith, daughter of Sir Edward Griffith of Penrhyn...
in his campaign against Hugh O'Neill, although he later complained of the depredations of Bagenal's soldiers in the Pale.
In 1600 he was again the first to entertain a new Deputy, Charles Blount, 8th Baron Mountjoy, who formed a very high opinion of him and appointed him to act in his absence.
In 1601 he went to London to discuss Irish affairs: the Queen who had already met and been impressed by his eldest son, also formed a high opinion of Howth himself. On his return he was appointed to the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
.
Religious conflict
Howth's first wife was a daughter of Sir Christopher BarnewallChristopher Barnewall
Sir Christopher Barnewall was a leading Anglo-Irish statesman of the Pale in the 1560s and 1570s,and was effective Leader of the Opposition in the Irish House of Commons in the Parliament of 1568-71...
of Turvey, who while outwardly conforming to the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
, adhered to the older faith. Christopher's son Patrick Barnewall (died 1622)
Patrick Barnewall (died 1622)
Sir Patrick Barnewall or Barnwall , was the eldest son of Sir Christopher Barnewall of Turvey, Gracedieu, and Fieldston, son of Sir Patrick Barnewall , who in 1534 was made serjeant-at-law and solicitor-general, and in 1550 master of the rolls.Sir Christopher was sheriff of Dublin in 1560, and is...
emerged in the early 1600s as spokesman for the Catholic nobility. Although they had been on bad terms over a lawsuit in the 1590s, he and Howth became close and Howth, like Barnewall, openly admitted his Catholic faith. In December 1605 he was one of the signatories to a petition that the Penal Laws be restrained, rather than extended. This was potentially a dangerous step, and Barnewall was sent to the Tower as a result, but Howth was left in peace. He enjoyed the confidence of yet another Deputy, Sir Arthur Chichester, who was said to openly dispute with him the rival merits of the two faiths. Possibly to forestall any action against Howth, Chichester wrote that he was old and would not live long. This proved to be correct: Howth died in May 1607 and was buried in Howth Abbey.
Family
By his first wife Margaret, daughter of Sir Christophe Barnewall, he had three children:- Christopher St Lawrence, 10th Baron HowthChristopher St Lawrence, 10th Baron HowthChristopher St Lawrence, 10th Baron Howth was an Anglo-Irish statesman and soldier of the late Elizabethan and Jacobean era. His personal charm made him a favourite of successive monarchs and he was also a soldier of some repute who fought with Essex and Mountjoy...
- Thomas
- Mary, who married William Eustace of CastlemartinCastlemartinCastlemartin may refer to:*Castlemartin House and Estate, County Kildare, Ireland*Castlemartin, Pembrokeshire, a village in Wales*Castlemartin , a former administrative unit in Wales named after the village...
.
By his second wife Mary White, daughter of Sir Nicholas White, Master of the Rolls in Ireland
Master of the Rolls in Ireland
The office of Master of the Rolls in Ireland originated in the office of the keeper of the Rolls in the Irish Chancery and became an office granted by letters patent in 1333. It was abolished in 1924....
he had six further children:
- Richard
- Almeric
- Edward
- Margaret, who married firstly Viscount GormanstonViscount GormanstonViscount Gormanston is a title in the Peerage of Ireland held by the head of the Preston family. It was created in 1478. The holder is the senior Viscount of Ireland, as well as the bearer of the oldest vicomital title in either Britain or Ireland. The Preston family descends from Sir Robert...
and secondly the 1st Earl of WestmeathEarl of WestmeathEarl of Westmeath is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1621 for Richard Nugent, Baron Delvin. During the Tudor era the loyalty of the Nugent family was often in question, and Richard's father, the sixth baron, died in prison while awaiting trial for treason... - Eleanor
- Alison, who married Thomas Luttrell.