John Bysse
Encyclopedia
John Bysse was a member of the Parliament of Ireland
during the 1630s and 1640s, was excluded from office during the Interregnum and was one of the leading Irish judges after the restoration
of the monarchy.
of Dublin.
Bysse was admitted a member of the King's Inns in 1632. He was elected to the Irish House of Commons
as member for Charlemont
in 1634 and became Recorder of Dublin
in the same year. He was re-elected to the Commons in 1640.
At the outbreak of Irish Rebellion of 1641
John Bysse, along with his younger brother Robert (who was Recorder of Drogheda
) were among the leaders of the Protestants in Parliament.
During the Commonwealth he remained Recorder of Dublin, but he was twice recommended for appointment to the Bench and was elected to Parliament but excluded. At the Restoration was appointed Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer and held the office until his death. He is buried in St. Audoen's Church
, Dublin.
Bysse became a substantial landowner, inheriting Preston's Inn, on the site of the present City Hall, Dublin
where he built a substantial mansion, (demolished in the 1760s); and Brackenstown near Swords
; later he was granted part of the freehold of Philipstown (now Daingean
).
for 25 years and had sat in two Parliaments; he was hard-working and conscientious and popular with all political factions. In religion he seems to have been tolerant for the time, causing a stir in 1665 when he acted as mourner at he funeral of a non-conformist minister.
Despite Bysse's virtues, within a few years serious complaints were being made of slowness, incompetence and even senility. These complaints were taken seriously and in 1669 and 1671 he was threatened with removal. He was fortunate in enjoying the friendship of the Lord Lieutenant
, James, Duke of Ormonde
, to whom loyalty was a cardinal virtue. Ormonde strongly defended Bysse; admitting he was slow in giving judgement but arguing that his integrity and capacity for hard work compensated for this; and denied any fall-off in Bysse's mental abilities. These arguments were presumably successful since he was not removed.
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...
during the 1630s and 1640s, was excluded from office during the Interregnum and was one of the leading Irish judges after the restoration
Restoration (Ireland)
The Restoration of the monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
of the monarchy.
Biography
Bysse was born around 1602, to Christopher Bysse (dead by 1615), an official of the Exchequer (as was his grandfather), and Margaret Forster, daughter of John Forster, an aldermanAlderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
of Dublin.
Bysse was admitted a member of the King's Inns in 1632. He was elected to 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...
as member for Charlemont
Charlemont
Charlemont is a small village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. It had a population of 150 people in the 2001 Census. It is situated within the Armagh City and District Council area...
in 1634 and became Recorder of Dublin
Recorder of Dublin
The Recorder of Dublin was a judicial position in Dublin, Ireland. The first to hold the position was James Stanihurst, speaker of the Irish parliament, in 1564 and the last was Sir Thomas O'Shaughnessy. The Recordership was abolished in 1924....
in the same year. He was re-elected to the Commons in 1640.
At the outbreak of Irish Rebellion of 1641
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
John Bysse, along with his younger brother Robert (who was Recorder of Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
) were among the leaders of the Protestants in Parliament.
During the Commonwealth he remained Recorder of Dublin, but he was twice recommended for appointment to the Bench and was elected to Parliament but excluded. At the Restoration was appointed Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer and held the office until his death. He is buried in St. Audoen's Church
St. Audoen's Church
St. Audoen's Church is the church of the parish of St. Audoen in the Church of Ireland, located south of the River Liffey at Cornmarket in Dublin, Ireland. This was close to the centre of the medieval city. The parish is in the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough. St. Audoen's is the oldest parish...
, Dublin.
Bysse became a substantial landowner, inheriting Preston's Inn, on the site of the present City Hall, Dublin
City Hall, Dublin
The City Hall, Dublin , originally the Royal Exchange, is a civic building in Dublin, Ireland. It was built between 1769 and 1779 to the designs of architect Thomas Cooley and is a notable example of 18th-century architecture in the city.-Overview:...
where he built a substantial mansion, (demolished in the 1760s); and Brackenstown near Swords
Swords
A sword is a cutting/thrusting weapon made of metal. Sword or swords may also refer to:* Swords, County Dublin, Ireland* Suit of swords, a suit in Latin-suited playing cards and Tarot decks* SWORDS, a ground-based military robot...
; later he was granted part of the freehold of Philipstown (now Daingean
Daingean
Daingean , formerly Philipstown, is a small town in east County Offaly, Ireland. It is situated midway between the towns of Tullamore and Edenderry on the R402 regional road. The town or townland of Daingean has a population of 777 while the District Electoral Division has a total population of...
).
Personality and reputation
Elrington Ball remarks flippantly that Bysse had a kind of hereditary claim on the Exchequer as both his father and grandfather had been officials there. In fact the author makes it clear that Bysse was eminently qualified to be Chief Baron: he had been Recorder of DublinRecorder of Dublin
The Recorder of Dublin was a judicial position in Dublin, Ireland. The first to hold the position was James Stanihurst, speaker of the Irish parliament, in 1564 and the last was Sir Thomas O'Shaughnessy. The Recordership was abolished in 1924....
for 25 years and had sat in two Parliaments; he was hard-working and conscientious and popular with all political factions. In religion he seems to have been tolerant for the time, causing a stir in 1665 when he acted as mourner at he funeral of a non-conformist minister.
Despite Bysse's virtues, within a few years serious complaints were being made of slowness, incompetence and even senility. These complaints were taken seriously and in 1669 and 1671 he was threatened with removal. He was fortunate in enjoying the friendship of the Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, James, Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde PC was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the second of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom. He was the friend of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, who appointeed him commander of the Cavalier forces in Ireland. From 1641 to 1647, he...
, to whom loyalty was a cardinal virtue. Ormonde strongly defended Bysse; admitting he was slow in giving judgement but arguing that his integrity and capacity for hard work compensated for this; and denied any fall-off in Bysse's mental abilities. These arguments were presumably successful since he was not removed.
Family
John Bysse married Margaret Edgeworth (died 1676) daughter of Francis Edgeworth and widow of John King. They had two surviving daughters:- Judith, who married Robert Molesworth, and was mother of RobertRobert Molesworth, 1st Viscount MolesworthRobert Molesworth, 1st Viscount Molesworth PC came of an old Northamptonshire family. He married Letitia Coote, daughter of Richard Coote, 1st Lord Coote of Coloony and Mary St. George.His father Robert Robert Molesworth, 1st Viscount Molesworth PC (7 September 1656 – 22 May 1725) came of an old...
, the 1st Viscount MolesworthViscount MolesworthViscount Molesworth, of Swords in the County of Dublin, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1716 for Robert Molesworth. He was made Baron Philipstown, of Swords in the County of Dublin, at the same time, also in the Peerage of Ireland...
, - Catherine who married the politician Sir Richard Bulkeley, 2nd BaronetSir Richard Bulkeley, 2nd BaronetSir Richard Bulkeley, 2nd Baronet FRS was an Irish politician and baronet.He was the elder son of Sir Richard Bulkeley, 1st Baronet and his first wife Catherine Bysse, daughter of John Bysse, sometime Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer...
.