John Bere facts for kids

Sir John Bere (died 1617) was an important Irish politician and judge in the early 1600s. His name was sometimes spelled Beere or Bare. He worked for the King as a lawyer and also served as a part-time judge. From 1613 to 1615, he was a member of the Irish Parliament.

Early Life and Career

Sir John Bere was likely born in Dublin, Ireland. Not much is known about his family. However, another person named Thomas Beere, who was also a lawyer in 1614, might have been related to him.

Becoming the King's Serjeant

In February 1609, Sir John Bere became the King's Serjeant. This was a very important legal job, and he earned £20 each year for it. He also joined the King's Inns, which is a place where lawyers train and work. In 1612, he became one of the people who legally owned the King's Inns building.

Working as a Judge

In the early 1600s, there was a lot more legal work to do. Regular judges found it hard to handle everything. Because of this, the King's Serjeant, like Sir John Bere, was often asked to act as an extra judge.

Travelling for Justice

Sir John Bere worked as an extra judge at least nine times. He was very dedicated to his duties. For example, in 1613, he spent 68 days travelling across the southern part of Ireland to hear cases. In 1615, he went on two more trips, spending a total of 92 days judging cases. This shows how much he worked to help the legal system.

Serving the Crown

Sir John Bere also held other important roles for the King.

Special Commissions

He served as a Commissioner for the Irish Court of Wards in 1610, 1613, and 1615. This court dealt with the King's rights over land and young heirs. In 1611, he was part of a group that looked into the King's ownership of lands in County Wexford. He did a similar job for lands in County Longford and County Leitrim in 1615. Because of all his hard work and service to the King, he was made a knight in 1615.

Role in Parliament

Sir John Bere was a Member of Parliament (MP) in the only Irish Parliament held during the reign of King James I of England. This Parliament met from 1613 to 1615.

Representing Carlow

He was one of two MPs chosen to represent the town of Carlow. The other MP for Carlow was Sir Robert Jacobe, who was also a lawyer working for the King. Even though he was an MP, Sir John Bere could still work as an extra judge. This is different from today, where judges cannot also be politicians. Many judges at the time served in Parliament to support the King.

Becoming a Burgess

In 1613, Carlow received a new special document from the King called a royal charter. This charter created a new town council with twelve members. Sir John Bere became one of these members, known as a burgess, for Carlow. He passed away in 1617.

Images for kids

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  Carlow Town, present day