Nicholas St Lawrence, 11th Baron Howth
Encyclopedia
Nicholas St Lawrence, 11th Baron Howth (1597-1643 ) was an Anglo-Irish nobleman of the seventeenth century. The Lord of Howth for over a century had played a crucial role in Irish politics; but Nicholas unlike his predecessors, preferred a private life. During the English Civil War
, however, his loyalty to the Crown caused him to forfeit much of his estate, and the troubles of the time are said to have hastened his death.
and Elizabeth Wentworth. His childhood is unlikely to have been happy: his parents' marriage was notoriously troubled and they separated when he was still a small boy. Nicholas and his mother were never close: in her last will she graciously forgave him for the great grief he had caused her over a lawsuit.
killed James Prendergast in a dispute over an inheritance and Lord Howth was one of the judges who found him guilty of manslaughter.In 1629 he joined with his fellow peers in protesting against the level of taxation and in 1630 petitioned for the summoning of Parliament. When the Earl of Strafford
did summon the Irish Parliament in 1634 Howth played a prominent part in its proceedings, sitting on two key committees.
as a safe refuge: Lord Howth played a key role in transmitting Ormond's dispatches to England However Howth's property suffered greatly: he was deprived of the substantial rents of his lands in Tyrone
and Monaghan
and he complained that his estate was "altogether wasted and burned". Under the strain his health gave way and he died in December 1643.
. Though not a love marriage (Jane was a considerable heiress) the marriage was happy though Jane is said to have disliked living in Ireland.They had 7 children:
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, however, his loyalty to the Crown caused him to forfeit much of his estate, and the troubles of the time are said to have hastened his death.
Early life
He was the elder son of Christopher St Lawrence, 10th Baron HowthChristopher St Lawrence, 10th Baron Howth
Christopher 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...
and Elizabeth Wentworth. His childhood is unlikely to have been happy: his parents' marriage was notoriously troubled and they separated when he was still a small boy. Nicholas and his mother were never close: in her last will she graciously forgave him for the great grief he had caused her over a lawsuit.
Later life
He succeeded to the title at 22, by which time he was a married man with children, and by his own wish led " an uneventful and domestic life". In time he did play some role in politics. In 1625 he announced his willingness to make a " free gift " to the King, and was on the committee to raise a subsidy for the maintenance of troops. In 1627 Baron DunboyneBaron Dunboyne
The Barony of Dunboyne was created by patent in the Peerage of Ireland in 1541. The barons are alternately numbered from the early 14th century by numbers ten greater than the number dating to the patent...
killed James Prendergast in a dispute over an inheritance and Lord Howth was one of the judges who found him guilty of manslaughter.In 1629 he joined with his fellow peers in protesting against the level of taxation and in 1630 petitioned for the summoning of Parliament. When the Earl of Strafford
Earl of Strafford
Earl of Strafford is a title that has been created three times in English and British history.The first creation was in the Peerage of England in 1640 for Thomas Wentworth, 1st Baron Wentworth, the close advisor of King Charles I...
did summon the Irish Parliament in 1634 Howth played a prominent part in its proceedings, sitting on two key committees.
Civil war and death
In 1641 , at the outbreak of rebellion, Howth joined with the other leading men of the Pale in waiting on the Lords Justices to assure them of their loyalty to the Crown, and to complain of their defenceless state. In the early part of the Civil War the Earl of Ormond seems to have relied on Lord Howth and regarded Howth CastleHowth 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...
as a safe refuge: Lord Howth played a key role in transmitting Ormond's dispatches to England However Howth's property suffered greatly: he was deprived of the substantial rents of his lands in Tyrone
Tyrone
The name Tyrone can refer to:*County Tyrone, a county in Northern Ireland, roughly corresponding to the ancient kingdom of Tír Eogain*An Earl of Tyrone*A small steam train which runs between Bushmills and the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland-Places:...
and Monaghan
Monaghan
Monaghan is the county town of County Monaghan in Ireland. Its population at the 2006 census stood at 7,811 . The town is located on the main road, the N2 road, from Dublin north to both Derry and Letterkenny.-Toponym:...
and he complained that his estate was "altogether wasted and burned". Under the strain his health gave way and he died in December 1643.
Family
When just 18, he married Jane Montgomery, daughter of George Montgomery, Bishop of DerryBishop of Derry
The Bishop of Derry is an episcopal title which takes its name after the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bishopric.-History:...
. Though not a love marriage (Jane was a considerable heiress) the marriage was happy though Jane is said to have disliked living in Ireland.They had 7 children:
- Adam and Nicholas, who died young
- William St Lawrence, 12th Baron HowthWilliam St Lawrence, 12th Baron HowthWilliam St Lawrence, 12th Baron Howth was an Irish nobleman of the Restoration period. He was an intelligent and popular man who would no doubt have played an influential role in Irish politics but for his premature death....
- Susanna, who married a cousin, Michael St Lawrence
- Frances, who married Sir James Montgomery
- Elizabeth and Margaret who died unmarried