Richard Bolton
Encyclopedia
Sir Richard Bolton was an English lawyer, an important figure in the politics of Ireland in the 1630s and 1640s.
, Staffordshire, and born about 1570. He practised for a time as a barrister in England, which he left for Ireland with the object, it has been alleged, of avoiding the results of a censure passed on him by the court of Star-chamber. At the end of 1604 he obtained employment as temporary Recorder of Dublin
, and was confirmed in the post in 1605.
Through government influence he was elected in 1613, in opposition to the Roman Catholic candidate, one of the representatives of the city of Dublin in the parliament of which Sir John Davies
became the speaker. He resigned the recordership of Dublin in the same year.
Bolton received a knighthood in 1618 from Sir Oliver St John
, lord-deputy of Ireland. At the end of 1618 Bolton was appointed solicitor-general for Ireland
. Bolton became attorney-general to the Court of Wards at Dublin in 1622, and was appointed Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer in 1625.
In December 1639 Bolton was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland
. As Chancellor, Bolton presided in the Irish parliament commenced at Dublin in March 1640. Bolton was regarded as a chief adviser of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
in his attempts to introduce arbitrary government. The Irish Privy Council was dominated by four of Strafford's allies: Sir George Radcliffe, James Butler, Earl of Ormonde
, Robert Dillon who was a connection by marriage, and Bolton. On 11 February 1641 the House of Lords acquitted him from a charge of having endeavoured to prevent the continuance of the existing parliament. In a letter dated 11 February 1641 Bolton transmitted to the committee of the house attending the king in England a schedule of grievances of Ireland voted by the lords at Dublin on the same day.
Strafford's fall from power began late in 1640. On 27 February 1641 a committee was appointed by the House of Commons in Ireland to draw up charges against Bolton, Radcliffe, John Bramhall
the bishop of Derry
, and Sir Gerard Lowther the chief justice of the common pleas, to impeach them of high treason
. The Chancellor, as chairman of the house, had to receive the articles against himself. The house after some further debate declared that the Lord Chancellor was not fit to execute that place. Sir William Ryves, justice of the king's bench, appointed by letters patent speaker of the House of Lords in Ireland, during pleasure, in the absence of the Chancellor, entered office on 11 May 1641.
The complexion of matters was changed by the Irish Rebellion of 1641
, and eventually the impeachment proceedings were dropped; they had at least in part been tactical, in order to prevent Strafford's allies being called as witnesses. Bolton, as member of the privy council at Dublin, signed the despatch of 25 October 1641, announcing to Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester
, Strafford's successor as Lord-Lieutenant but then in England, the hostile movements in Ireland. By a resolution of 21 June 1642, that no members should sit or vote until they had taken the oath of supremacy
, the House of Commons excluded the Roman Catholic representatives, among whom were those who had been most active in the proceedings against Bolton and his associates. On the same day Bolton and Lowther petitioned the house, and it was unanimously resolved to proceed no further upon the articles of accusation against them. On the following day Bolton was restored by the lords to his place as Chancellor, and on 2 August 1642 resumed his position in their house
Bolton was actively engaged in negotiations connected with the cessation of hostilities between England and the Irish in 1643. In 1644 Bolton was a principal counsellor of the lord-lieutenant, Ormonde, in negotiating with the Irish confederation concerning peace. His name appears first amongst those of the privy council who signed the proclamation issued at Dublin on 30 July 1646 announcing the conclusion of a treaty of peace between Charles I and his Roman Catholic subjects in Ireland. He joined in the statement on the condition of Ireland of 19 February 1647 submitted by Ormonde to Charles I. Sir Richard Bolton died in November 1648.
Bolton was erroneously supposed to have been the author of a brief treatise entitled A Declaration setting forth how and by what means the laws and statutes of England from time to time came to be of force in Ireland.
was by Charles II reappointed chief baron. From that office he was removed by the parliamentarian government, which, however, employed him in 1651 as commissioner for the administration of justice in Ireland.
Life
He was son of John Bolton, of FentonFenton
- England :* Fenton, Cumbria* Fenton, South Kesteven, Lincolnshire* Fenton, West Lindsey, Lincolnshire* Fenton, Northumberland* Fenton, Nottinghamshire* Fenton, Staffordshire - United States :* Fenton, Iowa* Fenton, Louisiana...
, Staffordshire, and born about 1570. He practised for a time as a barrister in England, which he left for Ireland with the object, it has been alleged, of avoiding the results of a censure passed on him by the court of Star-chamber. At the end of 1604 he obtained employment as temporary 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....
, and was confirmed in the post in 1605.
Through government influence he was elected in 1613, in opposition to the Roman Catholic candidate, one of the representatives of the city of Dublin in the parliament of which Sir John Davies
John Davies (poet)
Sir John Davies was an English poet and lawyer, who became attorney general in Ireland and formulated many of the legal principles that underpinned the British Empire.-Early life:...
became the speaker. He resigned the recordership of Dublin in the same year.
Bolton received a knighthood in 1618 from Sir Oliver St John
Oliver St John, 1st Viscount Grandison
Sir Oliver St John, 1st Viscount Grandison was an English soldier who became Lord Deputy of Ireland.-Early years:He was the second son of Nicholas St John of Lydiard Park in Wiltshire and Purley Park in Berkshire, by his wife Elizabeth , daughter of Sir Richard Blount of Mapledurham House in...
, lord-deputy of Ireland. At the end of 1618 Bolton was appointed solicitor-general for Ireland
Solicitor-General for Ireland
The Solicitor-General for Ireland was the holder of an Irish and then United Kingdom government office. The holder was a deputy to the Attorney-General for Ireland, and advised the Crown on Irish legal matters. At least one holder of the office, Patrick Barnewall played a significant role in...
. Bolton became attorney-general to the Court of Wards at Dublin in 1622, and was appointed Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer in 1625.
In December 1639 Bolton was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
. As Chancellor, Bolton presided in the Irish parliament commenced at Dublin in March 1640. Bolton was regarded as a chief adviser of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford was an English statesman and a major figure in the period leading up to the English Civil War. He served in Parliament and was a supporter of King Charles I. From 1632 to 1639 he instituted a harsh rule as Lord Deputy of Ireland...
in his attempts to introduce arbitrary government. The Irish Privy Council was dominated by four of Strafford's allies: Sir George Radcliffe, James Butler, Earl 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...
, Robert Dillon who was a connection by marriage, and Bolton. On 11 February 1641 the House of Lords acquitted him from a charge of having endeavoured to prevent the continuance of the existing parliament. In a letter dated 11 February 1641 Bolton transmitted to the committee of the house attending the king in England a schedule of grievances of Ireland voted by the lords at Dublin on the same day.
Strafford's fall from power began late in 1640. On 27 February 1641 a committee was appointed by the House of Commons in Ireland to draw up charges against Bolton, Radcliffe, John Bramhall
John Bramhall
John Bramhall was an Archbishop of Armagh, and an Anglican theologian and apologist. He was a noted controversialist who doggedly defended the English Church from both Puritan and Roman Catholic accusations, as well as the materialism of Thomas Hobbes.-Early life:Bramhall was born in Pontefract,...
the bishop of Derry
Bishop 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:...
, and Sir Gerard Lowther the chief justice of the common pleas, to impeach them of high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
. The Chancellor, as chairman of the house, had to receive the articles against himself. The house after some further debate declared that the Lord Chancellor was not fit to execute that place. Sir William Ryves, justice of the king's bench, appointed by letters patent speaker of the House of Lords in Ireland, during pleasure, in the absence of the Chancellor, entered office on 11 May 1641.
The complexion of matters was changed by the 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...
, and eventually the impeachment proceedings were dropped; they had at least in part been tactical, in order to prevent Strafford's allies being called as witnesses. Bolton, as member of the privy council at Dublin, signed the despatch of 25 October 1641, announcing to Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester
Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester
Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester was an English aristocrat and diplomat.-Life:He was the son of Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester, and his first wife, Barbara Gamage...
, Strafford's successor as Lord-Lieutenant but then in England, the hostile movements in Ireland. By a resolution of 21 June 1642, that no members should sit or vote until they had taken the oath of supremacy
Oath of Supremacy
The Oath of Supremacy, originally imposed by King Henry VIII of England through the Act of Supremacy 1534, but repealed by his daughter, Queen Mary I of England and reinstated under Mary's sister, Queen Elizabeth I of England under the Act of Supremacy 1559, provided for any person taking public or...
, the House of Commons excluded the Roman Catholic representatives, among whom were those who had been most active in the proceedings against Bolton and his associates. On the same day Bolton and Lowther petitioned the house, and it was unanimously resolved to proceed no further upon the articles of accusation against them. On the following day Bolton was restored by the lords to his place as Chancellor, and on 2 August 1642 resumed his position in their house
Bolton was actively engaged in negotiations connected with the cessation of hostilities between England and the Irish in 1643. In 1644 Bolton was a principal counsellor of the lord-lieutenant, Ormonde, in negotiating with the Irish confederation concerning peace. His name appears first amongst those of the privy council who signed the proclamation issued at Dublin on 30 July 1646 announcing the conclusion of a treaty of peace between Charles I and his Roman Catholic subjects in Ireland. He joined in the statement on the condition of Ireland of 19 February 1647 submitted by Ormonde to Charles I. Sir Richard Bolton died in November 1648.
Works
In 1621 Bolton published at Dublin, in a folio volume, a selection of statutes passed in parliaments held in Ireland. Bolton dedicated this work to his benefactor, Lord-deputy Sir Oliver St. John,.An addition containing statutes of the tenth and eleventh year of Charles I was published in 1635. Bolton published in 1638, at Dublin A Justice of the Peace for Ireland. A second edition of was published at Dublin in 1683.Bolton was erroneously supposed to have been the author of a brief treatise entitled A Declaration setting forth how and by what means the laws and statutes of England from time to time came to be of force in Ireland.
Family
By his first wife, Frances, daughter of Richard Walter of Stafford, he left one son, Edward, and several daughters. His second wife was Margaret, daughter of Sir Patrick Barnewall. Bolton's son Edward succeeded him as solicitor-general in Ireland in 1622, and as chief baron in 1640. On the death of Charles I, Edward BoltonEdward Bolton
Edward Bolton was an English-born judge who served for many years as Solicitor General for Ireland before succeeding his father Sir Richard Bolton as Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer....
was by Charles II reappointed chief baron. From that office he was removed by the parliamentarian government, which, however, employed him in 1651 as commissioner for the administration of justice in Ireland.