Robert Cowley (judge) facts for kids

Robert Cowley (around 1470–1546) was an English judge who worked in Ireland during the 1500s. He held an important job called the Master of the Rolls in Ireland. People mainly remember him today because he might be an ancestor of the famous 1st Duke of Wellington, who defeated Napoleon.

Early Life and Business

Robert Cowley's early life isn't very well known. His family, the Colley/Cowley family, lived in a place called Glaston in England since about 1400. Some stories say he served in the army with a powerful Irish leader, Gerald Mór, the Earl of Kildare.

We know for sure that he started studying law in 1502 at Lincoln's Inn in London. But around 1505, he decided to become a businessman instead. He moved to Dublin, Ireland, with his sons Walter and Robert (Jr.). There, he became a very successful merchant. In 1515, he was made a Bailiff of Dublin, which was an important local official.

Becoming a Judge and Politician

From about 1520, Robert Cowley started to get more involved in Irish politics. He was part of the group that worked with the Earl of Surrey when Surrey was the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. The Lord Lieutenant was like the King's main representative in Ireland.

In 1522, when Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond took over as Lord Lieutenant, Cowley became his legal helper. He also became the Clerk to the Council in 1525. The Council was a group of important advisors to the Lord Lieutenant. After this, the Cowley family was known as strong supporters of the Ormond family.

Robert also tried to gain influence by writing regularly to powerful people in England, like Cardinal Wolsey and later Thomas Cromwell. In 1537, he suggested to Cromwell that "All Irish on this side Shannon to be prosecuted, subdued, and exiled." This meant he wanted strong actions taken against some Irish groups.

He also had disagreements with other important people. For example, James Bathe, who later became a top judge, faced Cowley's opposition early in his career. In 1525, Bathe wrote a book with ideas for improving the Irish government. Cowley made fun of it, saying Bathe knew as little about governing Ireland as Cowley knew about Italy!

Rivalry with Patrick Barnewall

In the 1530s, Robert and his son Walter Cowley had a big rivalry with Patrick Barnewall, who was the Irish Solicitor General. The Solicitor General was a top lawyer for the government. Both Cowley and Barnewall wanted to be influential with Thomas Cromwell.

The Cowleys were very determined to get ahead in their careers. They kept sending letters to Cromwell, trying to make Barnewall look bad. They even claimed Barnewall questioned the King's authority in religious matters, which was a very serious accusation back then.

For a while, it looked like the Cowleys would win. Robert got jobs like Clerk of the Crown and Receiver of Customs for Dublin. Cromwell even praised him for his "long established fidelity and truth." Barnewall even offered to give up his job as Solicitor General for Ireland to Walter Cowley.

However, Cromwell eventually helped them make peace. Barnewall kept his job, and a new position called Principal Solicitor for Ireland was created for Walter. Robert Cowley became the Master of the Rolls in 1539. This was a very important judicial role. He also helped with closing down religious houses and received a priory (a type of monastery) near Dublin as a reward.

Later Years and Challenges

Robert Cowley's influence started to fade after Thomas Cromwell lost power and died in 1540. King Henry VIII didn't trust Cowley. Like many important figures in the Pale (the part of Ireland controlled by the English), Cowley also argued with Sir Anthony St. Leger, the Lord Deputy of Ireland.

He tried to stop James Bathe from becoming more powerful, even pointing out that many of Bathe's friends had been involved in the rebellion led by Silken Thomas. But Cowley's efforts didn't work.

In 1541, Cowley made a mistake: he went to London without official permission. He was quickly accused of sedition (trying to cause people to rebel against the government), put in the Fleet Prison, and lost his job. He was released from prison in 1543 and died in England three years later. His son Walter also lost his job and was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Walter wrote several letters to the King asking for forgiveness.

What People Thought of Him

Robert Cowley was a talented man who rose from a simple background to start one of the most important Anglo-Irish families. However, people at the time, and historians later, didn't think highly of his character. His letters to Cromwell, especially those where he tried to harm Patrick Barnewall's reputation, show him in a negative light. Historians have described both Robert and Walter as "ambitious mischief-makers."

His Family's Legacy

Although Walter Cowley, the Principal Solicitor for Ireland, was sometimes called Robert's brother, he was actually Robert's son. Records show that Walter and Robert Colley came from Glaston in England. Walter's son was a respected soldier named Sir Henry Colley of Carbury Castle in Ireland.

Henry was an ancestor of Richard Colley, who later changed his last name to Wesley. Richard was given the title Baron Mornington and was the grandfather of the famous 1st Duke of Wellington.