Thomas de Dent
Thomas de Dent (died after 1361) was an English born cleric and judge who held high office in Ireland.
He was born at Dent, Cumbria.[1] He took holy orders. He is first heard of as the defendant in a lawsuit for trespass at Ingleton, North Yorkshire.[1]
He came to Ireland as King's Attorney (the office which was later called Serjeant-at-law) in 1331 and in 1334 he was appointed a justice of the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland).[2] He was transferred to the Court of King's Bench (Ireland) in 1337. He became Lord Chief Justice of Ireland in 1341, as part of a widespread reform of the Irish judiciary, and was Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas 1344–58.[2] He was granted a lease of the royal manor of Esker, near Lucan in County Dublin in 1351:[1] Esker was often leased out to royal servants who were in high favour with the Crown. He is last heard of in 1361, when he was visiting England.[3] He may have been in some financial distress in his last years, judging by his petition to the English Parliament asking for compensation in 1358, shortly after he left office.[4]
References
Notes
Sources
- Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921 London John Murray 1926
- Hart, A. R. History of the King's Serjeant-at-law in Ireland Dublin Four Courts Press 2000
- Smyth, Constantine Joseph Chronicle of the Law Officers of Ireland Henry Butterworth London 1839