Sir Richard Reade (1511–1576) was an English-born judge in sixteenth-century

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, who held the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

Background and early career

He was born at

Nether Wallop Nether Wallop is a village and civil parish in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England. It is located approximately northwest of Stockbridge, and approximately southwest of Andover. Nether Wallop is the easternmost of the three villages ...

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English cities on its south coast, Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire ...

, second son of Richard Reade (died 1555), Lord of the Manor of Wallop, and his wife Margaret. He was educated at

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of ...

and New College, Oxford, where he became a fellow in 1528. He took the degrees of Bachelor of Civil Law at Oxford in 1537 and

Doctor of Civil Law Doctor of Civil Law (DCL; la, Legis Civilis Doctor or Juris Civilis Doctor) is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws (LLD) degrees. At Oxford, the degree is a higher ...

at the same university in 1540.Gregg, p. 253 He quickly acquired a reputation as "a man of learning and experience". He was made a Master of Chancery and undertook a crucial trade mission to

Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...

.Ball, F. Elrington. ''The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921''. London: John Murray, 1926 He was knighted in 1544.

Lord Chancellor of Ireland and later life

In 1546 Sir

John Alan Sir John Alan (also spelt Alen or Alleyn; c. 1500 – 1561) was a leading English-born statesman in sixteenth century Ireland. He was a member of the Irish House of Commons, and held the offices of Master of the Rolls in Ireland, Chancellor of the ...

, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, was removed from office on a charge of corruption, and Reade was sent to Ireland to replace him. He was granted a house in the precincts of St. Patrick's Cathedral, and the manor of Moyglare near

Maynooth Maynooth (; ga, Maigh Nuad) is a university town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to Maynooth University (part of the National University of Ireland and also known as the National University of Ireland, Maynooth) and St Patrick's ...

, County Kildare. In 1548 Alan was reinstated as chancellor. Reade returned to England, where he became Master of Requests. He later purchased the manors of

Redbourn Redbourn is a village and civil parish in Hertfordshire, England, lying on Watling Street, from Harpenden, from St Albans and from Hemel Hempstead. The civil parish had a population of 5,113 according to the 2011 Census. The three tiers of ...

near St. Albans and Tangley near

Andover Andover may refer to: Places Australia *Andover, Tasmania Canada * Andover Parish, New Brunswick * Perth-Andover, New Brunswick United Kingdom * Andover, Hampshire, England ** RAF Andover, a former Royal Air Force station United States * Andove ...

Death and family

He died on 11 July 1576 and was buried at St Mary's Church, Redbourn. He left legacies to Winchester College and for the upkeep of the parish of Redbourn. The manor of Redbourn itself was inherited by his eldest son Innocent, who also inherited the older family estate at Nether Wallop. His second son John died at the age of nineteen, while his third son Andrew became a substantial landowner in Hampshire, acquiring the manors of Linkenholt and

Faccombe Faccombe is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. The village lies on the Hampshire- Berkshire border and is situated on the North Downs. Its nearest Hampshire town is Andover, approximately away although Newbury in Berkshire is cl ...

. Richard's wife was Anne Tregonwell, daughter of the prominent jurist Sir

John Tregonwell Sir John Tregonwell (died 1565) was an Cornish jurist, a principal agent of Henry VIII and Thomas Cromwell in the Dissolution of the Monasteries. He served as Judge of the High Court of Admiralty from 1524 to 1536.C.S. Gilbert, ''An Historical ...

Milton Abbas Milton Abbas is a village and civil parish in Dorset, England, lying around southwest of Blandford Forum. In the 2011 Census the civil parish had a population of 755. This planned community was built after the old Town was demolished in the 1 ...

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset. Covering an area of , ...

, and his first wife Elizabeth Newce. In addition to the above-mentioned sons, they had a daughter, Anne, who married a Mr. Wilgosse.

Character

Ball praises Reade as a man of great learning, though O'FlanaganO'Flanagan, J. Roderick. ''Lives of the Lord Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of Ireland''. London, 1870 adds that little judicial business was transacted in the Lord Chancellor's Court during his tenure of that office.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reade, Richard 1575 deaths 1511 births Lord chancellors of Ireland People from Test Valley Alumni of New College, Oxford People educated at Winchester College Burials in Hertfordshire People from Redbourn