Sir Richard Reynell, 1st Baronet

Arms of Reynell: Argent, masonry sable a chief indented of the second^[1]

Sir Richard Reynell, 1st Baronet (1626 – 18 October 1699), was an English-born judge who had a distinguished career in Ireland and held office as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench in Ireland. He was the first of the Reynell baronets of Laleham.

Background and early career

He was born in Devonshire, second son of Sir Richard Reynell of East Ogwell and his wife (and cousin) Mary Reynell. The Reynells were an ancient family, who were descended from Sir Richard Reynell, a prominent Crown servant who lived in Somerset in the time of Richard I.

Richard entered Middle Temple in 1642 and was called to the Bar in 1653. He decided to pursue a legal career in Ireland and was admitted to the King's Inn in 1658. He built up a large practice and was noted for his willingness to take Roman Catholic clients, which was to cause him some trouble later. He was elected to the Irish House of Commons as member for Athboy in 1661. He acted as a judge of assize and was made Second Sergeant and knighted in 1673. He enjoyed the particular friendship of Arthur Capel, 1st Earl of Essex, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Early career

On Essex's recommendation Reynell was made a judge of the Court of King's Bench (Ireland) in 1674. Essex praised him as one of the two best judges in Ireland.^[2] On the return of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde to power in 1677, Essex recommended Reynell to him as one of the few Irish judges who was a man of learning, and neither too old nor too ill to perform his duties effectively.^[3] Ormonde agreed: and as John Bysse, the Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer was in failing health, the Duke proposed that Reynell should replace him. However the anti-Catholic hysteria engendered by the Popish Plot was then at its height and Reynell's tolerant attitude to Catholics told against him; nor, despite his aristocratic background did he have much influence at Whitehall. When Bysse died Charles II chose Henry Hene to replace him. Reynell was however made a baronet (which was not a common honour for an Irish judge at the time) in 1678, and a member of the Privy Council of Ireland in 1682.

Despite his alleged Catholic sympathies, he was unacceptable to King James II and was dismissed from the Bench in 1686; some said that the true reason was that his wealth and independence of mind had earned him the enmity of the new Lord Deputy, Tyrconnell. He returned to England and was elected to Parliament as member for Ashburton in 1690. He was active on several committees, especially those which dealt with Irish affairs.

Lord Chief Justice

In 1691 ^[4] he received his long overdue promotion as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. While his legal ability was not in dispute, he had made numerous enemies: in politics he was a Tory at a time when the Whigs were all-triumphant, and in 1693 he was openly accused of being a Jacobite. There was also the old charge that he was excessively tolerant of Catholics, and hysterical accusations that he was involved in a conspiracy to kill William III. Reynell spoke in the House of Commons in his own defence with great eloquence, and influential friends of his like Edward Seymour defended his integrity with vigour, pointing to the absurdity of the idea that Reynell would plot to kill the King to whom he owed his office. Reynell was completely vindicated (although it is said that he never attended the Commons again).

More plausible claims were made that he was in failing physical and mental health: by 1695 he was rumoured to be on the point of death (in fact he had four more years to live) and past minding any business.^[5] He was dismissed from the Bench the same year, apparently on the ground of his mental incapacity, and died in London in 1699. He was given something close to a State funeral: an impressive procession passed through London, and brought his body back to Devonshire.

Family

Reynell married Hester Beckett, daughter of Randall Beckett of Dublin, in a ceremony at the King's Inn in 1660. They had two sons: the elder, Richard, succeeded as second baronet. While the couple were travelling in France in 1682 Hester died at Abbeville; Reynell brought her body home to Devonshire for burial.

Reputation

Reynell's professional success owed something to his upper-class background: unlike most Irish judges at that time, he could deal with men like Essex and Ormonde as a social equal. On the other hand, his legal ability was acknowledged even by his critics, though there appears to have been a falling off of his mental powers in his later years. Ball calls him one of the most remarkable Irish judges of the era.

References