350:
219:
before she had fully recovered from the first. Even more serious was the evidence that he had beaten his 13-year-old daughter Jane so badly that she died as a result- "some said he gave her forty strokes, some said sixty, on her bare back". His other children also lived in fear of him. Howth in his defence pleaded that his treatment of his wife was nothing out of the ordinary, while Jane had died of a fever, unrelated to the beatings, which he admitted to having administered.
92:
134:, in 1561: Howth persuaded O'Neill to go to London and submit himself to the Queen's mercy, although little good came of this in the long run. Howth himself went to London the following year to discuss Irish affairs with the Queen. By his own account Elizabeth at first treated him with great suspicion, simply because he was an Irishman, but he succeeded in winning her trust. He was confirmed in the title Baron of Howth and later
240:
211:. It is not entirely clear why Castle Chamber, which in theory dealt only with cases of riot and other offences against public order, intervened in a private family law case (although in practice Castle Chamber did hear many private lawsuits). Allegations were also made about his dissolute private life, although these would normally be a matter for the
78:
ten years later: his legal knowledge later made him an effective leader of the opposition to the Crown's Irish policies. It is not known when he was afflicted with blindness, nor whether he went totally blind. By 1556 he had returned to
Ireland and was managing one of the family estates. He succeeded
294:
nobility of whom Howth clearly saw himself as a leader, are the proper rulers of
Ireland in the name of the Crown: to replace them with ignorant and ill-informed English officials will simply leave the Crown at the mercy of the Old Irish, it's real enemies. The Book also contains specific criticism
332:
Elrington Ball calls the eighth Lord Howth the most striking member of his family and the most forceful Irish statesman of the
Elizabethan era. He does not defend his ill-treatment of his wife and daughter, but argues, rather unconvincingly, that the early years of his marriage were happy enough.
218:
The evidence showed that Howth had assaulted his wife so often and so severely that she had fled in fear of her life and taken refuge with her brother. On one occasion he had beaten her so badly that she had been unable to leave her bed for two weeks, and he had given her another severe beating
166:. Howth, despite his previous record of loyalty to the Crown, emerged as one of the leaders of the opposition, and gave grave offence to the Queen as a result. Summoned before the Council, he argued that according to his understanding of the law (and he was of course a qualified
323:
until the St. Lawrence family apologised for their lack of hospitality. To make amends Lord Howth promised that in future his gates would always be open at dinner time and a place would be set at table for unexpected guests, a tradition which later generations maintained.
182:
or the Queen's power to tax her Irish subjects. After a sharp rebuke he was allowed to go free, but it is unlikely that he was ever fully trusted again, and it may be that his later prosecution for domestic cruelty had to some extent political motives behind it.
230:
of the children. While the
Government in imposing these penalties may have intended to rebuke Howth for his opposition to its taxation policy, the verdict also suggests that the Court felt genuine sympathy for Lady Howth and her daughter.
54:. On the other hand, he was notorious for his domestic cruelty: he was imprisoned and fined for severely ill-treating his wife and for causing the death of his teenage daughter through his ill-treatment of her.
222:
Howth was found guilty of both charges, of cruelty to his wife and of causing the death of his daughter. He was sentenced to a brief term of imprisonment and fined heavily; he was ordered to pay
286:, which is a historical source of considerable value. It is partly a celebration of the achievements of the St. Lawrence family and partly a description of historical events such as the
365:. From her testimony at her husband's trial, we know that they had 14 children, but presumably several of them died in infancy, and only 8 of them can be identified with certainty:
315:
only to find the gates barred. Outraged by the discourtesy, she kidnapped Lord Howth's heir, then a young child (this would probably have been the 8th Baron's grandson,
247:
In the 1580s Howth briefly resumed his role as leader of the opposition, and succeeded in temporarily blocking further proposals for tax reform by the Lord Deputy,
43:, and played a leading part in the Government of Ireland in the 1560s, but he later went into opposition and was imprisoned as a result. He was nicknamed the
408:
of Dublin. She outlived him by many years, dying in 1638, and remarried twice. By her second husband John
Barnewall (died 1599), younger son of Sir
110:
were always well positioned to play a major part in Irish politics: Christopher had the additional advantage of enjoying the trust of the
200:
70:. Since he was a younger son without much prospect of inheriting the title, not a great deal is recorded of his early years. He entered
316:
63:
633:
628:
638:
333:
Crawford takes a much more severe view of Howth's faults, arguing that his killing of his daughter Jane was certainly at least
573:
610:
369:
455:
593:
115:
95:
67:
251:. On this occasion he was quickly brought to admit his faults: he was reconciled with Perrot, and sent him a present of a
50:
He was a man of intelligence and some learning, who is believed to have written part of the historical compilation called
465:
290:. The last part deals in detail with Howth's own career and may well have been written by him. It argues that the
270:
to servants but none of his children, except his eldest son, received anything. The reference in the will to his
391:
17:
195:. In the course of the trial there was a good deal of evidence about Howth's cruelty to his wife, and the
66:
and his wife Anne
Bermingham of Baldongan. He was the brother of Edward St Lawrence, 6th Baron Howth and
454:
358:
196:
203:, ordered a further investigation into these allegations, which resulted in a full hearing before the
274:
has led some to suggest that he felt genuine remorse for his ill-treatment of his wife and daughter.
178:, and then made a full submission to the Crown, arguing that he had never intended to question the
40:
349:
204:
139:
262:
has an effigy to himself and, rather surprisingly, also to his much-abused first wife. His last
111:
99:
648:
409:
212:
123:
643:
376:
341:, and notes that her mother was forced to flee from home in order to avoid a similar fate.
127:
8:
143:
584:
287:
304:
179:
252:
171:
158:, and the Anglo-Irish nobility over his taxation policies, and especially over the
71:
138:. After Sussex's recall from Ireland, he continued to enjoy the confidence of the
91:
248:
154:
The 1570s were a time of conflict between Sussex's successor as Lord Deputy, Sir
357:
He married firstly in 1546, Elizabeth
Plunket, daughter of Sir John Plunket of
118:. He was made a member of the Privy Council immediately after the accession of
387:
Margaret, who married firstly
William Fitzwilliam and secondly Michael Berford
622:
400:
Jane, who died in 1577, aged only 13, a victim of her father's ill-treatment.
227:
175:
394:
of Turvey (the marriage was annulled in 1579; she evidently did not remarry)
303:
A famous legend, which may have some basis in fact, records that about 1575
334:
312:
208:
155:
404:
He married secondly, after 1579, Cecily Cusack, daughter of Henry Cusack,
600:
291:
119:
107:
75:
460:
263:
530:
A Star
Chamber Court in Ireland -the Court of Castle Chamber 1571–1641
308:
167:
191:
In 1579 Nicholas
Terrell, a servant of Lord Howth, was convicted of
405:
362:
267:
163:
135:
226:
to his wife, who was allowed to live apart from him and was given
320:
223:
192:
36:
353:
Beaulieu House, the home of Howth's first wife Elizabeth Plunket
338:
239:
131:
62:
He was born sometime after 1509, the third of the four sons of
258:
He died on 24 October 1589 and was buried in Howth Abbey; his
361:
and his wife Anne Barnewall, daughter of Robert Barnewall of
80:
509:
507:
259:
83:
in 1558 on the death of his brother Richard without issue.
255:, a bird which has always been a great rarity in Ireland.
504:
162:, the tax for maintaining garrisons in the towns of
146:, who sent him to negotiate with the O'Reilly clan.
311:, the celebrated Pirate Queen of Galway, called at
620:
490:6 Volumes Alexander Thom and Co Dublin 1902–1920
384:Richard, who married a daughter of Francis Corby
469:. Vol. 50. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
381:Leonard (died 1608), who married Anne Eustace
186:
295:of recent Crown policies such as the cess.
126:in 1560. Sussex sent him to negotiate with
524:
522:
456:"St. Lawrence, Christopher (d.1589)"
375:Thomas (died 1600), who was killed at the
317:Christopher St Lawrence, 10th Baron Howth
544:Clavin, Terry "Christopher St Lawrence"
540:
538:
348:
238:
90:
64:Christopher St Lawrence, 5th Baron Howth
35:(died 1589) was an Irish politician and
33:Christopher St Lawrence, 8th Baron Howth
519:
14:
621:
482:
480:
478:
476:
452:
448:
446:
444:
298:
535:
442:
440:
438:
436:
434:
432:
430:
428:
426:
424:
370:Nicholas St Lawrence, 9th Baron Howth
27:Irish politician and peer (died 1589)
277:
174:. He was imprisoned for 5 months in
96:Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex
68:Richard St Lawrence, 7th Baron Howth
473:
24:
421:
74:in 1544 and was practising at the
25:
660:
567:
466:Dictionary of National Biography
634:Politicians from Dublin (city)
629:16th-century Irish politicians
551:
493:
102:, and a key ally of Lord Howth
13:
1:
639:People of Elizabethan Ireland
546:Dictionary of Irish Biography
532:Four Courts Press Dublin 2006
415:
234:
149:
86:
57:
359:Beaulieu House, County Louth
327:
7:
282:He owned a manuscript, the
187:Charges of domestic cruelty
10:
665:
548:Cambridge University Press
207:, the Irish equivalent of
197:Lord Chancellor of Ireland
170:) Sidney's proposals were
607:
598:
590:
583:
500:Dublin Penny Journal 1833
412:, she had a son Patrick.
344:
130:, the effective ruler of
39:. He was a member of the
41:Privy Council of Ireland
453:Dunlop, Robert (1897).
205:Court of Castle Chamber
140:Lord Justice of Ireland
561:London 1789 Vol.3 p.49
390:Mary, who married Sir
354:
244:
112:Lord Deputy of Ireland
103:
100:Lord Deputy of Ireland
410:Christopher Barnewall
352:
242:
213:ecclesiastical courts
122:and sat in her first
94:
611:Nicholas St Lawrence
514:Dublin Penny Journal
377:Battle of Moyry Pass
594:Richard St Lawrence
299:Legend of Granuaile
272:many and grave sins
144:Sir Nicholas Arnold
585:Peerage of Ireland
559:Peerage of Ireland
486:Ball F. Elrington
355:
288:Battle of Knockdoe
245:
116:the Earl of Sussex
104:
617:
616:
608:Succeeded by
575:The Book of Howth
528:Crawford, Jon G.
488:History of Dublin
392:Patrick Barnewall
278:The Book of Howth
180:Royal Prerogative
52:The Book of Howth
16:(Redirected from
656:
591:Preceded by
581:
580:
562:
555:
549:
542:
533:
526:
517:
511:
502:
497:
491:
484:
471:
470:
458:
450:
172:unconstitutional
124:Irish Parliament
21:
664:
663:
659:
658:
657:
655:
654:
653:
619:
618:
613:
604:
596:
570:
565:
556:
552:
543:
536:
527:
520:
512:
505:
498:
494:
485:
474:
451:
422:
418:
347:
337:, and possibly
330:
319:) and held him
301:
280:
249:Sir John Perrot
237:
189:
152:
108:Barons of Howth
89:
60:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
662:
652:
651:
646:
641:
636:
631:
615:
614:
609:
606:
597:
592:
588:
587:
579:
578:
569:
568:External links
566:
564:
563:
550:
534:
518:
503:
492:
472:
419:
417:
414:
402:
401:
398:
395:
388:
385:
382:
379:
373:
346:
343:
329:
326:
305:Grace O'Malley
300:
297:
279:
276:
266:made generous
236:
233:
201:William Gerard
188:
185:
151:
148:
88:
85:
59:
56:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
661:
650:
647:
645:
642:
640:
637:
635:
632:
630:
627:
626:
624:
612:
603:
602:
595:
589:
586:
582:
577:
576:
572:
571:
560:
554:
547:
541:
539:
531:
525:
523:
515:
510:
508:
501:
496:
489:
483:
481:
479:
477:
468:
467:
462:
457:
449:
447:
445:
443:
441:
439:
437:
435:
433:
431:
429:
427:
425:
420:
413:
411:
407:
399:
396:
393:
389:
386:
383:
380:
378:
374:
372:(c.1550–1607)
371:
368:
367:
366:
364:
360:
351:
342:
340:
336:
325:
322:
318:
314:
310:
306:
296:
293:
289:
285:
284:Book of Howth
275:
273:
269:
265:
261:
256:
254:
250:
241:
232:
229:
225:
220:
216:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
184:
181:
177:
176:Dublin Castle
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
147:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
128:Shane O'Neill
125:
121:
117:
113:
109:
101:
97:
93:
84:
82:
77:
73:
72:Lincoln's Inn
69:
65:
55:
53:
48:
46:
42:
38:
34:
30:
19:
18:Book of Howth
649:Barons Howth
599:
574:
558:
557:Lodge, John
553:
545:
529:
513:
499:
495:
487:
464:
403:
356:
335:manslaughter
331:
313:Howth Castle
302:
283:
281:
271:
257:
246:
243:Howth Castle
221:
217:
209:Star Chamber
190:
159:
156:Henry Sidney
153:
105:
61:
51:
49:
44:
32:
31:
29:
644:1589 deaths
601:Baron Howth
461:Lee, Sidney
292:Anglo-Irish
120:Elizabeth I
76:English bar
623:Categories
605:1558–1589
416:References
235:Last years
150:Opposition
87:Politician
58:Early life
45:Blind Lord
397:Elizabeth
328:Character
309:Granuaile
168:barrister
406:alderman
363:Drimnagh
268:bequests
164:the Pale
136:knighted
463:(ed.).
321:hostage
253:goshawk
228:custody
224:alimony
193:perjury
79:to the
345:Family
339:murder
199:, Sir
132:Ulster
81:barony
459:. In
307:, or
516:1833
264:will
260:tomb
160:cess
106:The
37:peer
625::
537:^
521:^
506:^
475:^
423:^
215:.
142:,
114:,
98:,
47:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
