Robert Dillon (judge)
Encyclopedia
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
. In 1545 he was appointed King Henry VIII
's Attorney-General for Ireland
, under Queen Mary
he became second Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench for Ireland, and under Queen Elizabeth
he was Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
and Speaker of the Irish House of Commons
. He was appointed as Chief Justice on 3 September 1559.
William Nugent
made complaints that Dillon had abused his position to prosecute members of the Nugent family, and in the summer of 1591 Nugent formally accused Dillon of maladministration of justice. The case was strong. In the view of Roger Wilbraham
, there was little doubt that Dillon had been guilty of crimes dishonourable to a judge, but Wilbraham considered that "It was no policy that such against whom he had done service for her Majesty should be countenanced to wrest anything hardly against him unless it was capital." Dillon was suspended as a judge and commissioners were appointed to try the charges, but obstacles were constantly arising, and in November 1593 Dillon was pronounced innocent on all charges and reinstated.
He married Jenet, the youngest daughter of Edward Barnewall of Crickstown, whose maternal grandfather had been Sir Thomas Plunkett, Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. With her, he had two sons, Sir Lucas Dillon, who in 1567 followed his father as Attorney-General for Ireland and later followed him also as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, and Roger Dillon. Dillon was the grandfather of Sir James Dillon, who was created Earl of Roscommon
, and he was also the ancestor of the poet Wentworth Dillon, 4th Earl of Roscommon
.
Dillon died on 27 July 1597 and was buried at Tara
, County Meath.
Kingdom of Ireland
The Kingdom of Ireland refers to the country of Ireland in the period between the proclamation of Henry VIII as King of Ireland by the Crown of Ireland Act 1542 and the Act of Union in 1800. It replaced the Lordship of Ireland, which had been created in 1171...
, a Speaker of the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
.
Dillon was of Newtown, County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
. In 1545 he was appointed King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's Attorney-General for Ireland
Attorney-General for Ireland
The Attorney-General for Ireland was an Irish and then United Kingdom government office. The holder was senior to the Solicitor-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters...
, under Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
he became second Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench for Ireland, and under Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
he was Chief Justice of the 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...
and Speaker of the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
. He was appointed as Chief Justice on 3 September 1559.
William Nugent
William Nugent
William Nugent was an Irish rebel, brother of Christopher, fourteenth baron of Delvin , and the younger son of Richard Nugent, thirteenth baron Delvin, from whom he inherited the manor and castle of Ross in County Meath.-Life and politics:He first acquired notoriety in December 1573 by his...
made complaints that Dillon had abused his position to prosecute members of the Nugent family, and in the summer of 1591 Nugent formally accused Dillon of maladministration of justice. The case was strong. In the view of Roger Wilbraham
Roger Wilbraham
Sir Roger Wilbraham was a prominent English lawyer who served as Solicitor-General for Ireland under Elizabeth I and held positions at court under James I, including Master of Requests and surveyor of the Court of Wards and Liveries...
, there was little doubt that Dillon had been guilty of crimes dishonourable to a judge, but Wilbraham considered that "It was no policy that such against whom he had done service for her Majesty should be countenanced to wrest anything hardly against him unless it was capital." Dillon was suspended as a judge and commissioners were appointed to try the charges, but obstacles were constantly arising, and in November 1593 Dillon was pronounced innocent on all charges and reinstated.
He married Jenet, the youngest daughter of Edward Barnewall of Crickstown, whose maternal grandfather had been Sir Thomas Plunkett, Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. With her, he had two sons, Sir Lucas Dillon, who in 1567 followed his father as Attorney-General for Ireland and later followed him also as Speaker of the Irish House of Commons, and Roger Dillon. Dillon was the grandfather of Sir James Dillon, who was created Earl of Roscommon
Earl of Roscommon
Earl of Roscommon was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 5 August 1622 for James Dillon, 1st Baron Dillon. He had already been created Baron Dillon on 24 January 1619, also in the Peerage of Ireland. The fourth Earl was a courtier, poet and critic. The titles became dormant on the...
, and he was also the ancestor of the poet Wentworth Dillon, 4th Earl of Roscommon
Wentworth Dillon, 4th Earl of Roscommon
Wentworth Dillon, 4th Earl of Roscommon , was an English poet.-Background and education:Dillon was born in Ireland about 1630...
.
Dillon died on 27 July 1597 and was buried at Tara
Hill of Tara
The Hill of Tara , located near the River Boyne, is an archaeological complex that runs between Navan and Dunshaughlin in County Meath, Leinster, Ireland...
, County Meath.