Name Patrick White | ||
Sir Patrick White (c.1480-1561) was an Irish politician, landowner and judge, who was notable for his forty-year tenure on the Irish Bench, much of which was spent as second Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland). He founded a dynasty who were Lords of the Manor of Dufferin, County Down, for several generations.
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Career
He was born in Flemington, near Navan in County Meath. Little is known of his family or 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) he served on the Court of Exchequer until his death. He was one of the original lessees of the King's Inns in 1541.
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 one of a handful of men who had the dominant influence on the Privy Council. White is known to have been close to him: he married his younger son Rowland to Rawson's natural daughter Margaret. 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. He also held lands at Rathsallagh in County Wicklow, and extensive holdings in Meath, and became lord of the manor of Dufferin in County Down. He died in 1561, while still serving on the Court of Exchequer.
Family
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 three children: