Richard Bolton (lawyer) facts for kids

Sir Richard Bolton was an important English lawyer and judge who lived from 1570 to 1648. He played a big role in Irish politics during the 1630s and 1640s.

Sir Richard Bolton's Life

Early Life and Career

Richard Bolton was born around 1570 in Fenton, Staffordshire, England. His father was John Bolton. Richard started his career as a lawyer in England. He later moved to Ireland in the early 1600s.

In 1604, he became the temporary Recorder of Dublin, a key legal position for the city. He was officially confirmed in this role in 1605. The same year, he also became an Alderman of Dublin Corporation, which meant he was an important member of the city's government.

Rising in Irish Politics

In 1613, Richard Bolton was elected to the Irish Parliament, representing Dublin City. This was a big step in his political career. He resigned from his Recorder of Dublin role that same year.

He received a special honor, a knighthood, in 1618 from Sir Oliver St John, who was the King's representative in Ireland. Later in 1618, Bolton was appointed Solicitor-General for Ireland. This meant he was a top legal advisor to the government.

By 1622, he became the Attorney-General for the Court of Wards in Dublin. In 1625, he was appointed Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer, a very important judge.

Lord Chancellor and Political Challenges

In December 1639, Sir Richard Bolton reached the highest point in his legal career when he was made Lord Chancellor of Ireland. As Chancellor, he was in charge of the Irish Parliament, which started in Dublin in March 1640.

Bolton was a close advisor to Thomas Wentworth, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, who was the King's main representative. They worked together to strengthen the King's power.

However, things changed when Wentworth lost power in late 1640. In February 1641, some members of the Irish Parliament tried to accuse Bolton and other officials of serious crimes. This process is called an impeachment. Bolton, as the chairman of the House of Lords, had to receive the accusations against himself! The Parliament decided he was not fit to continue as Chancellor. Another judge, Sir William Ryves, took over his role in the House of Lords temporarily.

Return to Power and Later Years

The political situation in Ireland changed again with the Irish Rebellion of 1641. Because of this, the impeachment process against Bolton and his friends was stopped. It seems the accusations were partly a way to stop them from helping Wentworth.

In June 1642, the Parliament made a rule that only members who took a special oath could be part of the House of Commons. This led to many Catholic members leaving, including those who had been against Bolton. On the same day, the Parliament decided to drop all accusations against Bolton. The next day, he was given back his job as Lord Chancellor.

Sir Richard Bolton was very involved in talks to stop the fighting between England and the Irish in 1643. In 1644, he helped the Lord-Lieutenant, Ormonde, negotiate a peace treaty with the Irish. He was one of the officials who signed the announcement of a peace treaty between King Charles I and his Catholic subjects in Ireland in 1646.

Sir Richard Bolton passed away in November 1648. People who knew him described him as an honest and capable person who was very loyal to the King.

Sir Richard Bolton's Writings

Legal Publications

Sir Richard Bolton was also an author of legal books. In 1621, he published a collection of laws passed in Irish parliaments. He dedicated this book to Sir Oliver St. John, who had been his supporter. An updated version with more laws was published in 1635.

In 1638, Bolton published a book called A Justice of Peace for Ireland. This book was a guide for local officials. A second edition of this book came out in 1683. In the first edition, Bolton wrote about how peaceful Ireland was at the time, which sadly changed soon after.

The "Declaration" Debate

For a while, people thought Bolton wrote a short book in 1643 called A Declaration setting forth how and by what means the laws and statutes of England from time to time came to be of force in Ireland. This book discussed how English laws applied in Ireland.

However, Sir Samuel Mayart, another judge who worked with Bolton, wrote an "Answer" to this book. Mayart argued that the Irish Parliament had always been under the English Parliament.

Sir Richard Bolton's Family

Wives and Children

Sir Richard Bolton had two wives. His first wife was Frances Walter. They had two sons who survived, Edward and John, and several daughters. One daughter, Mary, married Patrick Nangle. Another daughter, Anne, married Arthur Hill, who was an important political figure. Frances passed away around 1642.

In 1646, Richard married his second wife, Margaret Barnewall. Margaret was a wealthy widow who owned a lot of land. This marriage was helpful for Richard. However, it is said that Richard faced many difficulties during the political troubles of the 1640s and was quite poor in his last years.

Margaret, Lady Bolton, was still alive in 1663. She asked the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland for the money her late husband was owed for his work. She explained that she was struggling financially and had to rely on "the charity of Christian friends." It seems she had lost her own lands during the troubles.

Son Edward's Career

Sir Richard Bolton's son, Edward Bolton, followed in his father's footsteps. Edward became Solicitor-General for Ireland in 1622, just like his father. He also became Chief Baron in 1640.

After King Charles I died, Edward Bolton was reappointed Chief Baron by King Charles II. However, the new government removed him from that job. Still, they hired him in 1651 to help manage justice in Ireland. Edward Bolton died in the last year of the Commonwealth period.