Irish judge
Richard Delahide (died 1540) was an Irish judge of the sixteenth century, who held the offices of Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas and Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. His career was seriously damaged by the Rebellion of Silken Thomas, in which several members of his family played a leading part, and he was fortunate to escape permanent disgrace. was the son of Richard's cousin Walter. James' parents and his brother John were also said to be involved in the rebellion. Their cousin Christopher, the one convinced opponent of the Kildare faction in the Delahide family, died or was removed from office in 1535. James and John Delahide were attainted for treason, although James's son Lawrence recovered part of the family lands, including Moyglare. Their mother died in prison ;ref ;O'Hart, John "Pedigrees of Ireland" 5th Edition 1892 Volume 2 ;/ref ;
In 1534 Richard was removed from office both as Chief Justice and Chancellor of the Exchequer. However, no more drastic action was taken against him, and in time the Crown seems to have accepted that he was personally loyal enough.
Later career.
Judging by his letters to Thomas Cromwell, Delahide seemed less concerned at the risk of being condemned to death for treason (he probably knew that there was little danger of this) than with his loss of public office. Elrington Ball quotes his abject letter to Cromwell in 1534 in which Delahide denied that he had ever slandered Cromwell: "in good faith I never spoke nor thought to speak any such thoughts...I know it well ye be of our Sovereign Lord's Privy Council and as high in his favour as any man". He greatly resented the loss of the office of Chancellor of the Exchequer to Thomas Cusack but grudgingly conceded: "I would have been contented that he should have enjoyed the same accordingly though it had rightfully been mine own". Delahide's main concern was to be restored to the office of Chief Justice: he wrote that "there is labours made for mine office of Justiceship wherein I have truly to the best of my little power served the King's Grace by the space of 20 years trusting that there shall be no good cause proved why his Grace should (re)move me from the same".
Delahide's pleas were partly successful: although he was not restored to the office of Chief Justice, in 1537 he was made Chief Baron, and held that office until his death in 1540. By 1538 he was sufficiently restored to favour to receive a lease of some of the forfeited Kildare estates.
Personal life.
He married Jenet Plunket, daughter of Christopher Plunkett and granddaughter of his predecessor as Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas, Sir Thomas Plunket; they had at least one son, George, who obtained livery of his father's land in 1542. Richard lived partly at Loughshinny in north County Dublin, and partly at the Castle of the Ward. His widow and son were still living at the Ward in 1542, but it later came into possession of Lord Howth.
References.
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