Sir William Parsons, 1st Baronet of Bellamont
Sir William Parsons, 1st Baronet of Bellamont PC (Ire) (c. 1570 – 1650), was one of the Lord Justices of Ireland from 1640 to 1643. He served as Surveyor General of Ireland and an undertaker in several plantations and was known as a "land-hunter" expropriating land from owners whose titles were found defective.
William Parsons | |
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Baronet of Bellamont | |
Successor | Sir William Parsons, 2nd Baronet |
Born | c. 1570 |
Died | 1650 |
Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Lany |
Issue
Richard & others | |
Father | James Parsons |
Mother | Catherine Fenton |
Birth and origins
William was born in England about 1570, the eldest son of James Parsons (1545–1570) and Catherine Fenton (1548–1570). His father was the second son of Thomas Parsons of Diseworth, Leicestershire. William's mother was a sister of Sir Geoffrey Fenton, the Principal Secretary of State in Ireland to Elizabeth I.[1] Both his parents' families were English.
He had two younger brothers:[2]
- Lawrence; and
- Fenton.
Early life
Parsons settled in Ireland about 1590, near the close of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.[3] He became a commissioner of plantations and obtained very considerable territorial grants from the Crown. In 1602, Parsons became Surveyor General of Ireland;[4][5] In 1610 he obtained a pension of £30 (English) per annum for life. In 1611, he was joined with his younger brother Laurence in the supervisorship of the crown lands, with a fee of £60 per annum for life. His proposal that a Court of Wards be established in Ireland was accepted and he became its first master.
He sat in the Irish House of Commons of the Parliament of 1613–1615, the only Irish Parliament of James I, as one of the two members for Newcastle Borough, County Dublin.[6] This was one of the 39 new boroughs the king created for this parliament in an effort to ensure a Protestant majority.[7]
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Marriage and children
About 1615[lower-alpha 1] William Parsons married his cousin Elizabeth, eldest daughter of John Lany, an Alderman of Dublin,[9] and niece of his maternal uncle Sir Geoffrey Fenton.[10] This marriage made him a cousin of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork, the dominant Anglo-Irish magnate of his time, to whom he was close.
William and Elizabeth had 12 children; five sons:
- Richard (living 1639), MP for Wicklow Borough,[8] married Lettice Loftus, eldest daughter of Sir Adam Loftus of Rathfarnham, vice-treasurer of the Exchequer, and predeceased his father;[11][12]
- John, married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Walsingham Cooke, of Tomduffe, County Wexford;[13]
- Francis (died 1668) of Garrydice, County Leitrim, married Sarah Faircloath, and left children;[14]
- James, died unmarried;[15] and
- William, died unmarried.[16]
—and seven daughters:
- Catherine, married Sir James Barry, created 1st Baron Barry of Santry;[17]
- Margaret, married Thomas Stockdale of Bilton Park, County York;[18]
- Elizabeth, married Sir William Ussher, of Grange Castle, county Wicklow, grandson of Sir William Ussher, clerk of the Council;[19]
- Jane, married Sir John Hoey, Knight of Dunganstown, County Wicklow;[20]
- Mary, married Arthur Hill of Hillsborough, County Down;[21]
- Anne, married Sir Paul Davys, Secretary of State (Ireland);[22] and
- Judith, married Thomas Whyte of Redhills, County Cavan.[23]
Later life
In 1620, personally presenting to King James I surveys of escheated estates, in his capacity of surveyor-general, Parsons received the honour of knighthood, and was created 1st Baronet Parson on 10 November 1620.[24] In 1623 Sir William, as he was now, was sworn a member of the Privy Council of Ireland.
On 12 January 1632 Thomas Wentworth, 1st Viscount Wentworth (later Earl of Strafford) was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland.[25] During the years 1633–40, when Strafford was all-powerful in Ireland, Parsons prudently offered him no open opposition, but he came increasingly to dislike and distrust "that strange man ... a mischief to so many".
Sir William was notorious as a "land-hunter", who acquired lands previously held by Irish clans by dubious legal means. He has been particularly censured by historians for the seizure of the former O'Byrne lands in County Wicklow, although it has also been argued that his behaviour was no worse than that of his partner in the transaction, Thomas Wentworth, who proceeded to swindle Parsons out of his share.
It is not clear which role Sir Williams played in the Parliament of 1634–1635, the first of Charles I. According to Bagwell (1909) he was one of the two members for Armagh County.[26] but the list compiled in 1878 states that Sir Faithful Fortescue, Knt, and Sir George Radcliffe, Knt, sat for Armagh County in that parliament.[27]
He sat in the Irish House of Commons of the Parliament of 1639–1649, the second parliament of Charles I, as one of the two members for Wicklow County,[28] while his son Richard sat for Wicklow Borough.[8]
In December 1640 Sir William was appointed Lord Justice with Robert Dillon, the future 2nd Earl of Roscommon.[29][lower-alpha 2] However Dillon was soon removed as he was considered to have been too close to Strafford.[31] On 10 February 1641 Sir William was resworn with Sir John Borlase, Master-General of the Ordnance.[32]
The King appointed Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1641 but Lord Leicester never went to Ireland and left the administration of the country to the Lord Justices. He resigned in 1643.[33]
Strafford was executed on 12 May 1641.[34] His downfall ruined those members of the Irish administration who had been close to him, but Parsons, who had quarrelled with Strafford over the O'Byrne land deal, was clearly identified as one of his enemies, and Strafford's fall strengthened his position in the short term.
When the Irish Rebellion of 1641 broke out, Sir William had to cope with it virtually single-handed, since his colleague Borlase was incompetent. His management of the crisis has been much criticised, in particular his habit of dealing with the English Parliament directly without informing King Charles I. His enemies accused him of inflaming, or even provoking the Rebellion, as a pretext for a second and more thorough conquest of Ireland. Certainly he argued that the Rebellion must be crushed ruthlessly, and rejected all attempts at compromise.
He continued in the government until April 1642, when Charles I replaced him with Sir Henry Tichborne. In 1643 Sir William was charged with treason, and committed to prison, together with Adam Loftus, 1st Viscount Loftus and others. He was quickly released, but complained bitterly of this "poor reward" for his "zealous and painful toil on behalf of the Crown". He continued to live in Dublin until 1648 when he retired to England.
Death, succession, and timeline
Sir William died in January or February 1650 at Westminster, London, and was buried in St Margaret's, Westminster.[35][36] As his eldest son, Richard had predeceased him, he was succeeded by his grandson William as the 2nd Baronet Parsons.[37] The 2nd Baronet married first Catherine, eldest daughter of Arthur Jones, 2nd Viscount Ranelagh, and then Katherine Jones, Viscountess Ranelagh, née Boyle.
Timeline | ||
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As his birth date is uncertain, so are all his ages. | ||
Age | Date | Event |
0 | 1570, about | Born.[1] |
20 | 1590, about | Settled in Ireland.[3] |
32 | 1602, 26 Dec | Succeeded his uncle Geoffrey Fenton as Surveyor General of Ireland.[5] |
33 | 1603, 24 Mar | Accession of King James I, replacing Queen Elizabeth I.[38] |
43 | 1613, 22 Apr | Returned MP for Newcastle Borough.[6] |
45 | 1615, estimate | Married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of John Lany, an alderman of Dublin.[9][lower-alpha 1] |
50 | 1620, 10 Nov | Created 1st Baronet of Bellamont.[24] |
55 | 1625, 27 Mar | Accession of King Charles I, replacing King James I.[39] |
62 | 1632, 12 Jan | Thomas Wentworth appointed Lord Deputy for Ireland.[25] |
69 | 1639, 10 Mar | Returned MP for Wicklow County.[28] |
70 | 1640, Dec | Appointed Lord Justice with Robert Dillon.[29] |
71 | 1641, 12 May | Strafford beheaded.[34] |
80 | 1650, early in | Died in London.[35] |
Notes
- Dunlop 1895, p. 419, left column: "PARSONS, SIR WILLIAM (1570?–1650), lord justice of Ireland, the eldest son of James Parsons, second son of Thomas Parsons of Disworth Grange, Leicestershire, and Catherine Fenton, sister of Sir Geoffrey Fenton was born apparently about 1570."
- Chisholm 1911, p. 744, right column, line 44: "Sir William Parsons had two brothers, Sir Lawrence and Sir Fenton Parsons."
- Burke 1949, p. 1725, left column, line 14: "Sir WILLIAM PARSONS, 1st Bt, ancestor of the extinct Earls of Rosse, settled in Ireland ca. 1590, with his brother, Sir Laurence Parsons, ancestor of the later Earls."
- Chisholm 1911, p. 744, right column, line 35: "... William Parsons became surveyor-general in 1602 ..."
- Dunlop 1895, p. 419, right column, line 11: "... found employment as assistent to his uncle Sir Geoffrey Fenton, surveyor general, and eventually, on 26 Dec. 1602, succeeded to his office."
- House of Commons 1878, p. 615: "1613 / 22 April. / William Parsons, esq. (bart.) / Bellamont / Newcastle Borough"
- Bagwell 1909, p. 109: "James created thirty-nine new boroughs expressly for parliamentary purposes ..."
- House of Commons 1878, p. 639b: "1639 21 Feb. Richard Parsons, esq. – Wicklow Borough"
- Dunlop 1895, p. 420, right column: "Sir William Parsons married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of John Lany, elderman of Dublin, by whom he had several children."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, left column, line 39: "Sir William m. Elizabeth, eldest dau. of Mr Alderman John Lany of Dublin, and niece of Sir Geoffrey Fenton ..."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, left column, line 44: "RICHARD, M.P., 1639 for the town of Wicklow, m. Lettice, eldest dau. of Sir Adam Loftus of Rathfarnham ..."
- Cokayne 1895, p. 425, line 41: "... Richard PARSONS (living 1639 but d. v.p.), who was s. and h. ap. of SIR WILLIAM PARSONS, 1st Bart. ..."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, left column, line 53: "John, m. Elizabeth, dau. of Sir Walsingham Cooke, of Tomduffe, co. Wexford ..."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, left column, line 77: "Francis, of Garrydice, co. Leitrim, m. Sarah, dau. of Mr Faircloath ..."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, right column, line 4: "James, d. unm."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, right column, line 5: "William, d. unm."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, right column, line 6: "Catherine, m. Sir James Barry, created Lord Santry."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, right column, line 7: "Margaret, m. Thomas Stockdale, Esq., of Bilton Park, co. York."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, right column, line 9: "Elizabeth, m. Sir William Ussher, of the castle of Grange, co. Wicklow, grandson of Sir William Ussher, clerk of the Council."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, right column, line 12: "Jane, m. to Sir John Hoey, Knt. of Dunganstown, co. Wicklow."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, right column, line 14: "Mary, m. to Arthur Hill, Esq., of Hillsborough, co. Down. ..."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, right column, line 15: "Anne, m. to Sir Paul Davis, secretary of state in Ireland."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, right column, line 16: "Judith, m. to Thomas Whyte, Esq., of Redhills, co. Cavan."
- Cokayne 1900, p. 226, line 12: "... was by patent dat. at Dublin, 10 Nov 1620 (Privy Seal dat. at Westm. 10 Oct previous) cr. a Bart. ..."
- Asch 2004, p. 146: "Wentworth was appointed lord deputy on 12 January 1632 ..."
- Bagwell 1909, p. 214: "Sir William Parsons sat for the county, and Sir George Radcliffe for the city of Armagh ..."
- House of Commons 1878, p. 606: "1634 / 14 July. / Sir Faithful Fortescue, knt. / Dromiskyn, Louth / ditto [ARMAGH County] // Sir George Radcliffe, knt. / Oventhorpe, Yorkshire /"
- House of Commons 1878, p. 639a: "1639 / 10 Mar. / Sir William Parsons, knt. and bart. / Bellamont, Dublin / Wicklow County"
- Dunlop 1895, p. 420, left column, line 42: "... on the death of the vice-deputy, Sir Christopher Wandesford, on 3 Dec. 1640, he and Robert, lord Dillon of Kilkenny West, were appointed lords justices of the kingdom."
- Burke 1866, p. 419, left column, line 35: "... was nominated lord deputy with Lord Dillon in 1640 ..."
- Warner 1768, p. 4: "... [Charles I] appointed Lord DILLON and Sir W. PARSONS Lord Justices of that kingdom, but finding the former not agreeable to the committee and the English Parliament because of his intimacy and alliance with the Earl of STRAFFORD, his Majesty imprudently cancelled the commission and put SR John BORLASE, master of the ordnance in the room of Lord DILLON."
- Dunlop 1895, p. 420, left column: "... a fresh commission issued to Parsons and Sir John Borlase, who were accordingly sworn lord justices on 10 February 1641."
- Cokayne 1893, p. 49: "Chief Governor of Ireland as Lord Lieut, and General of the army there 1641–43."
- Burke 1866, p. 577, left column, line 3: "He [Strafford] suffered death with characteristic firmness on Tower Hill, 12 May, 1641."
- Dunlop 1895, p. 420, right column, line 36: "Dying early in 1650, he was buried in St. Margaret's, Westminster, on 2 March."
- Cokayne 1900, p. 226, line 19: "He d. at Westm. and was bur. at St. Margaret's there 2 March 1649/50."
- Cokayne 1895, p. 425, line 37: "... which William was s. and h. of Richard PARSONS (living 1639 but d. v.p.), who was s. and h. ap. of SIR WILLIAM PARSONS, 1st Bart. ..."
- Smyth 1839, p. xiii, line 17: "James I. . [Accession] 24 March 1603"
- Smyth 1839, p. xiii, line 18: "Charles I. . [Accession] 27 March, 1625"
References
- Asch, Ronald G. (2004), "Wentworth, Thomas, first earl of Strafford (1593–1641)", in Matthew, Colin; Harrison, Brian (eds.), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 56, New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 142–157, ISBN 0-19-861408-X
- Bagwell, Richard (1909), Ireland under the Stuarts and under the Interregnum, 1, London: Longmans, Green, and Co. – 1603 to 1642
- Burke, Bernard (1866), A Genealogical History of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire (New ed.), London: Harrison (for Earl of Rosse and for Wentworth)
- Burke, Bernard (1949), A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire (99th ed.), London: Burke's Peerage Ltd.
- Cokayne, George Edward (1895), The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant, 6 (1st ed.), London: George Bell and Sons – N to R
- Cokayne, George Edward (1900), Complete Baronetage, 1 (1st ed.), Exeter: William Pollard & Co – 1611 to 1625
- Cokayne, George Edward (1893), Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, or Dormant, 5 (1st ed.), London: George Bell and Sons – L to M (for Earl of Leicester)
- Dunlop, Robert (1895), "Parsons, Sir William (1570? – 1650)", in Lee, Sidney (ed.), Dictionary of National Biography, 43, London: Smith Elder & Co, pp. dictionaryofnati43stepuoft/page/419/ 419–421 – Owens to Passelewe
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Rosse, Earl of", Encyclopaedia Britannica, 20 (11th ed.), New York: The Encyclopaedia Britannica Company, pp. 744–745
- House of Commons (1878), Return. Members of Parliament – Part II. Parliaments of Great Britain, 1705–1796. Parliaments of the United Kingdom, 1801–1874. Parliaments and Conventions of the Estates of Scotland, 1357–1707. Parliaments of Ireland, 1599–1800., London: H. M. Stationery Office (for the subject and his son Richard as MPs)
- Smyth, Constantine (1839), Chronicle of the Law Officers of Ireland, London: Henry Butterworth (for Table of reigns)
- Warner, Ferdinand (1768), History of the Rebellion and Civil-War in Ireland, 1, Dublin: James William – From the Rebellion to the Cessation
Parliament of Ireland | ||
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New constituency | Member of Parliament for Newcastle Borough 1613–1615 With: William Rolles |
Succeeded by Sir John Dongan, Bt. Patrick Sherlock |
Baronetage of Ireland | ||
New title | Baronet (of Bellamont) 1620–1650 |
Succeeded by William Parsons |
Parliament of Ireland | ||
Preceded by Sir Robert Talbot, 2nd Baronet Bryan Byrne |
Member of Parliament for Wicklow County 1639–1649 With: Sir William Ussher |
Succeeded by Folliott Wingfield Abraham Yarner |
Political offices | ||
Vacant Title last held by Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork |
Lord Justice of Ireland 1640–1642 With: Robert Dillon, 1st Baron Kilkenny-West to 1641 Sir John Borlase from 1641 |
Succeeded by Sir Henry Tichborne Sir John Borlase |