Robert Weston

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For other people named Robert Weston, see Robert Weston (disambiguation).

Robert Weston (1515–1573), was Dean of the Arches and Lord Chancellor of Ireland in the time of Queen Elizabeth.

Weston was the third son of John Weston of Lichfield and his wife Cicely Neville, sister of Ralph Neville, 4th Earl of Westmorland. The Weston family of Gloucestershire, which produced another senior Irish judge William Weston (c.1546-94) were probably reatives. He entered All Souls, Oxford and was elected Fellow in 1536. He studied Civil Law, and attained the degree of BCL on 17 February 1538 and DCL on the 20 July 1556. From 1546 to 1549 he was a principal of Broadgate Hall, and at the same time deputy reader in civil law to the University, under Dr John Story.^[1]

Weston was elected Member of Parliament for Exeter in March 1553 and for Lichfield in 1558 and 1559.^[2]

On 12 January 1559 Weston was created Dean of the Arches and was a commissioner for administering the oaths required of ecclesiastics under to the Act of Uniformity. He was consulted in regard to the Queen's Commission issued on 6 December 1559 for confirming Matthew Parker as Archbishop of Canterbury and was included in a commission issued on 8 November 1564 to inquire into complaints of piratical depredations committed at sea on the subjects of the King of Spain^[3]

The Lord Deputy of Ireland Sir Henry Sidney, requested that Weston be nominated for the post of Lord Chancellor of Ireland in succession to Hugh Curwen Archbishop of Dublin in April 1566. After a year, on 10 June 1567 Queen Elizabeth told Sidney that after good deliberation she had made the "choice for the supply of room of Chancellor by naming thereunnto our trusty well-beloved Doctor Weston, dean of the arches here, a man for his learning and approved integrity thoroughly qualified to receive and possess the same" and "that for some increase of his living whilst he remaineth in our service there she was pleased to give unto him the Deanery of St Patrick's whereof the Bishop of Armagh is now dean and yet to leave it at our order, as we know he will". Weston arrived in Dublin early in August and was sworn into office on 8 August 1567. He and Sir William FitzWiliam the Vice-Treasurer of Ireland were sworn Lord Justices in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin on 14 October. Weston addressed the Irish Parliament when it was summoned on 17 January 1568.^[1]

He was Dean of Wells from 1570 to 1573, but his health was failing and he died in 1573. He was buried in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.

Weston was described as follows^[4]

"A man in his time most godlie, upright, and virtuous, and such a one as that place was not possessed of the like in many currents of years. In his life he was most virtuous and godlie; in matters of council most sound and perfect; in justice most upright and uncorrupted in hospitalitie very bountie and liberal; in manners and conversation most courteous and gentle; faithful to his Prince, firm to his friend, and courteous to all men; and as was his life, so was his death, who a little time before the same called his household, and gave them such godlie instructions as to their callings appertained; then he set his private things in order, and he spent all the time that he had in praiers and exhortations"

Weston married firstly Alice Jenyngs daughter of Richard Jenyngs of Barr, near Lichfield.. They had a son John, and three daughters, notably Alice, who married firstly Hugh Brady, Bishop of Meath, and secondly Sir Geoffrey Fenton, by whom she was the mother of Catherine, who married Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork. He married a second time to Alice Bigges daughter of John Bigges of Isleworth and widow of G Aunsham of Heston. They had no issue.

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 Chapters of Dublin Chapter XXVIII. Life of Lord Chancellor Weston
↑ Browne Willis Notitia parliamentaria, or, An history of the counties, cities, and boroughs in England and Wales: ... The whole extracted from mss. and printed evidences 1750 p66
↑ Calendar State Papers Dom 1547-80, p246
↑ Holinshed's Chronicle, vol. vi. p. 373.

Political offices
Preceded by Archbishop Hugh Curwen	Lord Chancellor of Ireland 1567-1573	Succeeded by Archbishop Adam Loftus (as Lord Keeper)

v t e Deans of Wells

High Medieval	Ivo Richard de Spakeston Alexander Leonius Ralph of Lechlade Peter of Chichester William of Merton John Saracenus Giles of Bridport Edward of Cnoll Thomas Bytton William Burnell Walter Haselshaw

Late Medieval	Henry Husee John Godelee Richard of Bury Wibert of Littleton Walter of London Thomas Fastolf John of Carleton Stephen Penpel John Fordham Thomas Thebaud Henry Beaufort Nicholas Slake Thomas Tuttebury Richard Courtenay Walter Medeford John Stafford John Forest Nicholas Carent William Witham John Gunthorpe

Early modern	William Cosyn Thomas Wynter Richard Woleman Thomas Cromwell William Fitzjames John Goodman William Turner Robert Weston Valentine Dale John Herbert Benjamin Heydon Richard Meredith Ralph Barlow George Warburton Walter Ralegh Robert Creighton Ralph Bathurst William Grahme Matthew Brailsford Isaac Maddox John Harris Samuel Creswicke Lord Francis Seymour

Late modern	George Lukin Hon Henry Ryder Edmund Goodenough Richard Jenkyns George Johnson Edward Plumptre Thomas Jex-Blake Armitage Robinson Richard Malden Frederic Harton Christopher Woodforde Irven Edwards Patrick Mitchell Richard Lewis John Clarke

Persondata
Name	Weston, Robert
Alternative names
Short description	English politician
Date of birth	1515
Place of birth
Date of death	1573
Place of death

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Robert Weston

References

Further reading