Patrick White (judge)

Sir Patrick White (c.1480-1561) was an Irish politician and judge, notable for his forty-year tenure on the Irish Bench, much of which was spent as Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland).^[1]

He was born in Flemington, near Navan in County Meath. Little is known of his early career. He was appointed Baron of the Exchequer in 1521, and apart from a short period on the Court of King's Bench (Ireland) served on the Court of Exchequer until his death.^[2] He was one of the original lessees of the King's Inns in 1541.^[3]

He became a member of the Privy Council of Ireland in 1533, and was knighted. John Rawson, the last Prior of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem at Kilmainham, and later Viscount Clontarf, had by then been for many years the dominant influence on the Privy Council, and White is known to have been close to him, marrying his son to Rawson's natural daughter.^[4] Like most of his fellow judges he was enriched by the Dissolution of the Monasteries; he obtained lands at Clontarf which had belonged to the Order of St John (which was dissolved in 1541), possibly at Rawson's suggestion.^[5] He also held lands at Rathsallagh in County Wicklow. He died in 1561, while still in office on the Court of Exchequer.^[6]

He married twice: little is known of his first wife. His second wife was Alison St Lawrence, daughter of Nicholas St Lawrence, 4th Baron Howth, and widow of John Netterville. He had at least two children:

• Rowland, who married Catherine Rawson, natural daughter of Viscount Clontarf
• Margaret, who married Walter Forster, alderman of Dublin, and had issue.^[7]

References