Hugh Inge

Hugh Inge or Ynge (died 1528) was an English born judge and prelate in sixteenth century Ireland who held the offices of Bishop of Meath, Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

He was born at Shepton Mallet in Somerset. His parents are said to have destined him for the Church from an early age.^[1] He was educated at Winchester College and became a fellow of New College, Oxford in 1484 and a doctor of divinity in 1511. After traveling on the Continent he became attached to the household of the Bishop of Bath and Wells and went with him to Rome in 1504. He came to the notice of Thomas Wolsey, and later admitted that he owed Wolsey everything he enjoyed.^[2]

In 1512, through Wolsey's influence, he was made Bishop of Meath. There may have been a later estrangement, since in 1514 he wrote to Wolsey imploring him not to cast him away.^[3] In fact Inge followed the same career path as William Rokeby, and succeeded him both as Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. He was a popular and respected figure in Ireland and enjoyed the friendship of Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare, the dominant Irish political figure

In 1528 the fifth and most severe epidemic of sweating sickness swept through England and Ireland and Inge was among its victims: he died on 3 August and was buried in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin^[4]

O'Flanagan^[5] praises him as a judge noted for honesty, good sense and justice; though his recorded judgements are few, they carried great weight.

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