Sir Richard FitzEustace (c.1380–1445) was an Irish statesman who twice held the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

Family background

He was born about 1380 in Coghlanstown, County Kildare. His father was Sir Maurice FitzEustace,

High Sheriff of Kildare The High Sheriff of Kildare was the British Crown's judicial representative in County Kildare, Ireland from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Kildare County Sheriff. T ...

in 1386; his mother was Joan, widow of Sir James Delahyde, who sat as one of the two

knights of the shire Knight of the shire ( la, milites comitatus) was the formal title for a member of parliament (MP) representing a county constituency in the British House of Commons, from its origins in the medieval Parliament of England until the Redistribution ...

for

County Meath County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the ...

in the Irish House of Commons in the Parliament of 1370. Another branch of the Eustace or FitzEustace family later acquired the titles

Baron Portlester Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...

and

Viscount Baltinglass Viscount Baltinglass, in the County of Wicklow, was a title created three times in the Peerage of Ireland. The first came on 29 June 1541 in favour of Thomas Eustace, 1st Baron Kilcullen. He had already been created Baron Kilcullen, in the County ...

Career

He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1408, and

and Constable of

Ballymore Eustace Ballymore Eustace () is a small town situated in County Kildare in Ireland, although until 1836 it lay within an exclave (a detached "pocket") of County Dublin. It lies close to the border with County Wicklow. The town's name, which is frequ ...

in 1414. He was Member of the

Irish House of Commons The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords. The membership of the House of Commons was directly elected, but on a highly restrictive fran ...

for County Kildare in the

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

of 1429, and on at least two occasions was entrusted with the task of maintaining good relations with the English Crown, having the title "Messenger to the King". He was knighted before 1421. He held the manor of Newcastle Lyons,

Saggart Saggart ( ga, Teach Sagard) is a village in South Dublin, Ireland, south west of Dublin city. It lies between the N7 (Naas Road), Rathcoole, Citywest and Tallaght. It is one of the fastest-growing settlements in Ireland, showing a populat ...

and Esker, all in

County Dublin "Action to match our speech" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Dublin.svg , map_alt = map showing County Dublin as a small area of darker green on the east coast within the lighter green background of ...

; after his death, these passed to the Portlester branch of the family. He was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland in 1426 but held office for only three months; however he appears to have acted as Deputy Lord Chancellor for the next ten years, may briefly have held office again in 1436, and was reappointed in 1442. He served as Commissioner for the Muster in the same year. In 1426 he petitioned the Council for recompense for his great labours on behalf of the King. In particular, he pleaded that his expenses on Crown service had prevented him from building a fortified house ("fortalice") in the Border country to preserve the peace.''Patent Roll 5 Henry VI'' He was a member of the Privy Council of Ireland, and in his last years seems to have been regarded as very much a dependable "elder statesman". He was present at least two important Council meetings: the first was in August 1442, where charges were laid against

Richard Wogan Richard Wogan (died after 1453) was an Irish judge and cleric who held the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland, and also served as a soldier. He was born in County Kildare, a member of the Wogan family of Rathcoffey Castle, which produced se ...

, the Lord Chancellor. In consequence, Wogan was deemed to have vacated office and FitzEustace was reappointed Chancellor in his place.''Patent Roll 20 Henry VI'' He attended the Council again in July 1444, where serious accusations were made against Giles Thorndon, the Lord Treasurer of Ireland. He died in 1445.

Family

Around 1417, he married Katherine Preston, widow of William Lawless, and of Christopher Holywood of Artane, son of Sir

Robert de Holywood Robert de Holywood (died 1384) was an Irish judge and landowner who held the office of Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. He was the ancestor of the Holywood family of Artane Castle, and of the St. Lawrence family, Earls of Howth. He was a substa ...

.''Patent Roll 9 Henry V'' Since Katherine, being a

widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has died. Terminology The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word can so ...

, was a Royal ward, Richard was obliged to obtain a royal pardon for marrying her without the Crown's consent; at the same time he was forgiven certain debts due to the

Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

. In 1421 they were awarded custody of two-thirds of the lands of Katherine's second husband Christopher Holywood, during the minority of her son Robert Holywood, who came of age in 1422. Sir

Robert FitzEustace Sir Robert FitzEustace (c.1420–1486) was an Irish landowner and politician of the fifteenth century. He was born at Coghlanstown, County Kildare, son of Sir Richard FitzEustace, who served briefly as Lord Chancellor of Ireland, and Katherine ...

, son of Richard and Katherine, was High Sheriff of Kildare in his turn, and may also have served briefly as Lord Chancellor.O'Flanagan ''Lives of the Chancellors''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richard Fitzeustace Year of birth uncertain 1445 deaths People from County Kildare Lord chancellors of Ireland High Sheriffs of Kildare Members of the Privy Council of Ireland