William Meade (judge)
William Meade (died after 1611) was an Irish lawyer and
Early life
The Meade family, who were originally called Meagh or Miagh, had by the late sixteenth century become extremely influential in the city of
William is first heard of in
Presumably, William was able to convince the
Rebellion
On the Queen's death in March 1603, succession in England passed smoothly and peacefully to her cousin
The agitation was at its strongest in Cork, where it was led by Meade and the
The Lord President of Munster, Sir George Carew, on being informed of the riot, sent troops to Cork to restore order: he had a personal interest in suppressing the disturbance since his own wife, fearing for her safety, had barricaded herself in Shandon Castle.[9] A majority of the Cork city fathers were now opposed to any further resistance, and in defiance of Meade's orders, they prudently opened the gates.[10] Meade and Sarsfield along with other ringleaders, including Lieutenant Christopher Morrogh, were arrested.[11]
Aftermath
In early May 1603 the Lord Deputy,
In hindsight, it was said that Mountjoy might as well have pardoned Meade along with Sarsfield and Fagan, since the Crown was well aware of his great popularity in Cork.[15] Also, experience had taught them that whereas an English jury could be trusted to return a guilty verdict in a treason trial, an acquittal was a very real possibility in Ireland. The suggestion was made that he be tried in England, but eventually, it was decided to try him at Youghal, presumably in the hope that he might be less well known and less popular there than in Cork city.[16]
Trial
These hopes were illusory, although Mountjoy empanelled an impressively strong Bench to try Meade. It was headed by Carew himself, assisted by several senior judges, including
Meade, who pleaded not guilty and insisted that he had never disputed the new King's authority, challenged all jurors of English birth - the jury, in the end, comprised nine
Fynes Moryson, secretary to the Lord Deputy of Ireland, later wrote drily that no one who knew anything about Ireland believed that any Irish jury would condemn Meade.[17] Nor did they do so, maintaining that they knew that "he had not intended treason in his heart". For presuming to bring in this verdict in open defiance of the Government's clearly expressed wishes, they felt the full weight of official anger. They were prosecuted in the Court of Castle Chamber, heavily fined, and ordered to stand outside Cork Courthouse holding placards proclaiming their offence.[18]
Later life
Meade, who was "not one to press his luck",
References
- ^ MacLysaght, Edward The Surnames of Ireland Irish University Press 1973 p.211
- ^ Kenny, Colum King's Inns and the Kingdom of Ireland Dublin Irish Academic Press 1992 pp.51–2
- ^ Kenny p.51
- ^ Gibson, Rev. C. B. History of Cork London 1861 Vol. 2 p.10
- ^ Their hopes may have been based on the widespread belief that before he succeeded to the English throne James I in 1601 or 1602 had promised to repeal the Penal Laws in England if not Ireland. Although James denied it, the consensus among historians is that some kind of promise was made- see Antonia Fraser The Gunpowder Plot- Treason and Faith in 1605 Weidenfeld & Nicolson London 1996 pp.37–8
- ^ Windele, J. History of the City of Cork and its environs, Gougane Barra, Glengarriff and Killarney Revised edition Messrs Bolster Cork 1846 pp.7-8
- ^ Pawlisch, Hans, ed. Sir John Davies and the Conquest of Ireland Cambridge University Press 1985 p.104
- ^ Crawford, Jon G. A Star Chamber Court in Ireland-the Court of Castle Chamber 1571–1641 Four Courts Press 2005 p.287
- ^ A Brief Relation of the Late Rebellion in the City of Cork Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts preserved in the Library of Lambeth Palace ed. J.S. Brewer and W.Bullen 6 Vols. 1867-1873 Vol. V Document 5.
- ^ Windele p.8
- ^ Pawlisch p. 104
- ^ Windele p.8
- ^ Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts
- ^ Harrison, G.B. A Jacobean Journal, being a record of the things most talked about in the years 1603-1606 London Butler and Tanner 1941
- ^ Harrison Jacobean Journal
- ^ Crawford p.287
- ^ Pawlisch p.104
- ^ Crawford p.162
- ^ Pawlisch p.104
- ^ Gibson p.17
- ^ Crawford p.287