Sir John Alan, or Alen ( c.1500-1561 ) was a leading statesman in Ireland in the mid -sixteenth century. he held the offices of Master of the Rolls in Ireland , Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ireland and Lord Chancellor of Ireland.
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He was born at Cotteshall in Norfolk, son of Thomas Alen. The Alens were a numerous family and five of his brothers settled in Ireland. John Alen, Archbishop of Dublin, murdered in the Silken Thomas rebellion, was a close relative, probably a first cousin.[1]
Alen studied law at Grays Inn and entered the service of Cardinal Wolsey who sent him to Ireland in 1528 to promote the Cardinal's authority as legate and to act as secretary to his cousin the Archbishop, with whom he may have quarreled.[2] Neither Wolsey's downfall nor the retirement of the Archbishop from the Lord Chancellorship harmed his career : he became clerk to the Irish Parliament , Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ireland ( which he held for life ) and in 1533 Master of the Rolls in Ireland.
In 1533 Alen and Sir Gerald Aylmer, with whom he was always closely associated, presented a petition to the Crown about the misgovernment of Ireland by the Earl of Kildare and his son " Silken Thomas ". Just before the outbreak of Silken Thomas' rebellion Alen and his brothers sent an urgent letter to London urging Thomas's arrest.[3] While the murder of their cousin the Archbishop was the most notorious act of the rebellion neither Alen nor his brothers seem to have suffered. Though by his own admission" not a soldier" he played a part in suppressing the rebellion.[4]
In 1539 Alen was appointed head of the Commission for the suppression of the religious houses in Ireland with instructions to receive voluntary resignations and surrenders and provide for the payment of pensions, but to " apprehend and punish " all who maintained the authority of the Pope. Alen had already received his reward : St. Wolstan's, near Celbridge, County Kildare, had ben suppressed in 1536 and granted to Alen . The Alens remained at St. Wolstan's for two centuries.
In 1538, on the death of Lord Trimleston, Alen became Lord Keeper and subsequently Chancellor. Even his enemies acknowledged that he was a hardworking and conscientious judge.However he quarreled with the Lord Deputy, Sir Anthony St. Leger, who wrote to London complaining of Alen's conduct. Alen was summoned before the English Privy Council and accused of corruption and promoting discord. Alen strongly defended himself, saying he was the " cleanest-handed Chancellor in the memory of man ";[5] however the charges were considered to be proved and he was removed from office. Whether he was guilty of corruption or simply the victim of St. Leger's enmity it is difficult to say. He was deprived of his pension; yet a year later the Council ordered the restoration of all his property.[6]
In 1548 Alen regained the Chancellorship; but on St. Leger's return to power in 1550 felt it best to retire, despite assurances of the King's goodwill. Given the enmity between them , O'Flanagan[7] praises Alen's magnanimous conduct towards St. Leger : when George Browne, Archbishop of Dublin, charged St. Leger with treasonable words , he gave Alen as his source. Alen however refused to repeat St. Leger's words on the grounds that they had been spoken in confidence.
In 1553 on the death of Edward VI his sister Mary I reappointed Alen to her Irish council. Her letter to the Council is a tribute to the high regard in which he was held : it praises him for his " trusty functions " under Henry VIII and Edward, and his " long experience and travail in public affairs "[8]. On a more personal note it refers to his age and infimity and urges that he not be required to undertake any long journeys .Despite the reference to his age and infirmity Ball[9] notes that the was elected to the Irish House of Commons for Kinsale in 1559.
Alen died at St. Wolstan's in 1561 and was buried at Donoghcomper Church; a memorial was erected to him and an Alen family vault was later added.His heir John Alen is variously described as his son or his nephew. This John was the grandfather of Sir Thomas Alen, created a baronet in 1621 in recognition of the services to the Crown of his relative the Archbishop.[10]
Alen is closely associated with the foundation of the King's Inns in 1541. It was Patrick Barnewall (Solicitor General) ,a future Master of the Rolls, who first wrote to Thomas Cromwell in 1538 urging that the former Blackfriars become a ' House of Chancery ".[11] However the lease for 21 years granted by the King in 1541 has Alen at the head of the list of lessees; and in 1542 his name is on the petition to the King urging the grant of the property to the lessees in perpetuity.[12]
O'Flanagan[13] praises him as an honest and honourable man, notes the high opinion of him held by three successive English monarchs and that he was capable of magnanimous behaviour even to bitter opponents. Ball[14] admits his good qualities, but adds that he was quarrelsome and undiplomatic, and not free from the suspicion of corruption.