James Macartney (died 1727) facts for kids

James Macartney (born around 1651 or 1653, died 1727) was an important Irish lawyer, judge, and politician. He is mostly remembered for leading a famous court case in 1711. This case, known as the Islandmagee witch trial, was likely the very last trial of its kind in Ireland.

Early Life and Career

James Macartney was the oldest son of George Macartney. His father worked as a surveyor in Belfast. James began studying law in London in 1671 at a place called Middle Temple. He then continued his law studies in Ireland at the King's Inn in 1677.

He became a member of the Irish House of Commons, which was like the parliament for Ireland at the time. He represented Belfast from 1692 to 1693 and again from 1695 to 1699. In 1701, he was made a judge in an important court called the Court of King's Bench.

Changes in His Judicial Role

In 1711, James Macartney was removed from his judge position. This happened because of his political beliefs at the time. However, he was reappointed as a judge in 1714. That same year, he moved to another court called the Court of Common Pleas.

The Islandmagee Case

Historians often talk about James Macartney's role in the Islandmagee trials of 1711. These trials were the last of their kind to happen in Ireland. In this case, eight women were accused of using magic against a young woman named Mary Dunbar.

Another judge, Mr Justice Upton, believed the women were innocent. He said they lived good lives and went to church regularly. He encouraged the jury to find them not guilty. However, Judge Macartney urged the jury to find the women guilty, which they did.

Even though the accusations were serious, the sentence Macartney gave was not as harsh as it could have been. The women were sentenced to one year in prison and had to appear in the pillory four times. This was considered a relatively mild punishment for such accusations at the time.

Later Life and Family

Despite some criticism about his actions in the Islandmagee trials, James Macartney was considered for a higher judge position twice. He was thought of as a possible Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas, but he did not get the role.

He retired from being a judge in 1726. James Macartney passed away in London the following year, in 1727.

He was married twice. His second wife was Alice Cuffe. They had a son named James Macartney junior. Some of their family members became well-known, including the poet Frances Greville and her daughter, Frances Anne Crewe.

Mrs Crewe, a famous person in politics, was the judge's great-granddaughter.