Jesse Smythes facts for kids

Jesse Smythes was an important English judge and colonist who lived a long time ago, during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. He worked in Ireland and helped the Queen's government. He was known for being very strict, especially with the native Irish people.

Who Was Jesse Smythes?

Jesse Smythes (who also sometimes went by Jessua) was an English judge and colonist. He lived in the 1500s and died in 1594. He held important jobs in Ireland, like being the top lawyer for the Queen (called the Solicitor General for Ireland) and a main judge in a part of Ireland called Munster (called the Chief Justice of Munster).

He was very involved in a big plan called the Plantation of Munster. This plan was about bringing English settlers to live on lands in Ireland. Smythes was known for being very tough on the native Irish people. His views were even stricter than many other English colonists at that time.

Early Career in Ireland

We don't know much about Jesse Smythes's early life or family. He first became well-known in 1584 when he was made the Solicitor-General for Ireland. He was probably the first Englishman to have this job. Queen Elizabeth I herself wanted him to have the role. She felt that her Irish legal officers weren't doing a good enough job. She believed that Englishmen would serve her better.

Smythes also became the Chief Justice of Munster. He seemed to be a hardworking official. He wrote letters describing problems with legal cases in the Queen's court and how he was trying to fix them.

A Look at His Judicial Work

In 1586, we get an interesting look at Smythes's work as a judge. This happened in a special court called the Court of Castle Chamber. This court was like a powerful court in England called the Star Chamber.

Two brothers, Patrick and Edmund Flatsbury, were accused of causing a wrongful death. The evidence against them seemed very strong. However, the jury, which was supposed to decide if they were guilty, said they were innocent. Smythes believed the jury had broken their promise to give a true verdict. He took the jurors to court for lying under oath. He said they had set a "dangerous example" for other juries. The jurors were found guilty and had to pay a fine. The fine was small because they were not wealthy.

Role in the Plantation of Munster

Jesse Smythes stopped being the Solicitor General in 1586. This might have been because he was becoming more involved in the Plantation of Munster. He continued to be the Chief Justice of Munster until he died.

He was given a lot of land in Munster. He brought about 600 English families to live on these lands. Smythes was known for being extremely strict with the original Irish people living there. He refused to have any Irish tenants on his lands. He even boasted that no "mere Irish" lived near his property. He once said he would "set fire to the nest" rather than let any Irish people stay on his land.

Smythes believed that if Irish people were to stay on their lands, they had to accept English law. He greatly respected English common law. He even compared bringing common law to Ireland to Moses giving God's laws to his people. Another legal officer, Richard Becon, shared similar, though less extreme, ideas in a book he wrote.

Dealing with Land Claims

In 1588, Smythes was part of a special group of judges. This group was led by a very important English judge named Sir Edmund Anderson. Their job was to handle many lawsuits about lands that had been taken from the Earl of Desmond.

The judges were told to usually decide in favor of the Queen's government. So, most of the time, the results were already known. Out of 82 Irish people who claimed land, only one was partly successful. They were just given permission to take their case to court.

His Death

The English government learned that Jesse Smythes had died in January 1594. After his death, William Saxey took over his job as Chief Justice of Munster.