Richard West (Lord Chancellor of Ireland)
Encyclopedia
Richard West was an 18th-century lawyer and politician.
He represented Grampound
and Bodmin
in the English Parliament and was Lord Chancellor of Ireland
from 1725 to 1726, succeeding Alan Brodrick, 1st Viscount Midleton
.
in 1717. In Parliament he made his reputation as one of the managers of the impeachment of the Earl of Macclesfield
in 1725, in a speech which was described as " masterly". Shortly afterwards he went to Ireland as Lord Chancellor.
As Lord Chancellor he gained a reputation for exceptional severity in enforcement of the Penal Laws, encouraging discovery of secret trusts by Protestant trustees in favour of Catholics. In the case of Leymore v Bourke he appeared to extend the Penal Laws to cover not only actual but " constructive " Papists, the latter including Protestants who married Roman Catholics.
Despite his severity against Roman Catholics, West was noted for charm and intelligence and his early death was much mourned :Hugh Boulter
, the Archbishop of Armagh
, wrote :" his death is much lamented here by all...I am very much troubled by this loss, as well as I am heartily concerned for the terrible blow it is to his family".
; as its author sadly admitted it was not a popular success. He was more successful as a pamphleteer, his best known works being A Discourse concerning Treasons and Bills of Attainder ( 1716 ) and An Inquiry into the Origins and Manner of Creating Peers (1719 ).
, Bishop of Salisbury
. Of their children, the most notable was Richard West junior (died 1742) who before his early death had made something of a name as a poet. He is still remembered for his friendship with Thomas Gray
, celebrated in Gray's Sonnet on the death of Richard West. In November 1726 West became ill, but since he was still only about thirty-five and seemed to respond to treatment his case was not thought serious; on 3 December however he unexpectedly died. His early death left his family in severe financial difficulty, especially as his father, who outlived him by a few months left no will and according to their legal advice West's widow and children had no claim to his estate. KIng George I
was persuaded to grant them a pension, which George II
continued.
He represented Grampound
Grampound (UK Parliament constituency)
Grampound in Cornwall, was a borough constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1821. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.-History:Grampound's...
and Bodmin
Bodmin (UK Parliament constituency)
Bodmin was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall from 1295 until 1983. Initially, it was a parliamentary borough, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of England and later the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until the 1868 general...
in the English Parliament and was 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:...
from 1725 to 1726, succeeding Alan Brodrick, 1st Viscount Midleton
Alan Brodrick, 1st Viscount Midleton
Alan Brodrick, 1st Viscount Midleton PC was an Irish lawyer and politician.-Background:He was the second son of Sir St John Brodrick of Ballyannan, near Midleton in County Cork, by his wife Alice , daughter of Laurence Clayton of Mallow, County Cork and sister of Colonel Randall Clayton M.P., of...
.
Career
West was called to the Bar in 1714 and became one of its leaders in a remarkably short time; he was made King's Counsel and a Bencher of the Inner TempleInner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1717. In Parliament he made his reputation as one of the managers of the impeachment of the Earl of Macclesfield
Earl of Macclesfield
Earl of Macclesfield is a title that has been created twice. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1679 in favour of the soldier and politician Charles Gerard, 1st Baron Gerard...
in 1725, in a speech which was described as " masterly". Shortly afterwards he went to Ireland as Lord Chancellor.
As Lord Chancellor he gained a reputation for exceptional severity in enforcement of the Penal Laws, encouraging discovery of secret trusts by Protestant trustees in favour of Catholics. In the case of Leymore v Bourke he appeared to extend the Penal Laws to cover not only actual but " constructive " Papists, the latter including Protestants who married Roman Catholics.
Despite his severity against Roman Catholics, West was noted for charm and intelligence and his early death was much mourned :Hugh Boulter
Hugh Boulter
Hugh Boulter was the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, the Primate of All Ireland, from 1724 until his death. He also served as the chaplain to George I from 1719.-Background and education:...
, the Archbishop of Armagh
Archbishop of Armagh
The Archbishop of Armagh is the title of the presiding ecclesiastical figure of each of the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland in the region around Armagh in Northern Ireland...
, wrote :" his death is much lamented here by all...I am very much troubled by this loss, as well as I am heartily concerned for the terrible blow it is to his family".
West as author
West was most unusual in a senior judge in having a play produced while in office: Hecuba, a translation of a French tragedy, was produced at the Drury Lane TheatreTheatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. The building faces Catherine Street and backs onto Drury Lane. The building standing today is the most recent in a line of four theatres at the same location dating back to 1663,...
; as its author sadly admitted it was not a popular success. He was more successful as a pamphleteer, his best known works being A Discourse concerning Treasons and Bills of Attainder ( 1716 ) and An Inquiry into the Origins and Manner of Creating Peers (1719 ).
Family
West married Elizabeth Burnet, second daughter of Gilbert BurnetGilbert Burnet
Gilbert Burnet was a Scottish theologian and historian, and Bishop of Salisbury. He was fluent in Dutch, French, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Burnet was respected as a cleric, a preacher, and an academic, as well as a writer and historian...
, Bishop of Salisbury
Bishop of Salisbury
The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset...
. Of their children, the most notable was Richard West junior (died 1742) who before his early death had made something of a name as a poet. He is still remembered for his friendship with Thomas Gray
Thomas Gray
Thomas Gray was a poet, letter-writer, classical scholar and professor at Cambridge University.-Early life and education:...
, celebrated in Gray's Sonnet on the death of Richard West. In November 1726 West became ill, but since he was still only about thirty-five and seemed to respond to treatment his case was not thought serious; on 3 December however he unexpectedly died. His early death left his family in severe financial difficulty, especially as his father, who outlived him by a few months left no will and according to their legal advice West's widow and children had no claim to his estate. KIng George I
George I
George I may refer to:* Patriarch George I of Constantinople * George I of Georgia * George I of Russia, * George I of Bulgaria * George I of Halych George I may refer to:* Patriarch George I of Constantinople (d. 686)* George I of Georgia (1014–1027)* George I of Russia, (c. 1099–1157)* George I...
was persuaded to grant them a pension, which George II
George II
George II may refer to:* George II of Abkhazia * George II of Georgia * Yuri II of Vladimir or George II * George II of Bulgaria * George II of Kakheti * George II of Imereti...
continued.