Peter Metge

Peter Metge (c. 1740 – 1809) was an Irish politician and judge; he was a colourful character noted for his fondness for dueling.

Biography

He was born at Athlumney, County Meath, second son of Peter Metge and Anne Lyons.^[1] He was a graduate of the University of Dublin, where he took his degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1763. He married Sophia Crofton, daughter of Sir Marcus Crofton of Mote, County Roscommon, but had no children; Sophia died in 1777. After his retirement from the Bench he lived mainly in Bath.

Career

He entered the Middle Temple in 1762 and was called to the Irish Bar in 1769. He sat in the Irish House of Commons as member for Ardee in 1776 and subsequently for Ratoath in 1783. He became Third Serjeant in 1782 and was briefly Admiralty Judge. At the end of 1783 he became a Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland).^[2] He retired in 1801 and died in 1809.

Character

Elrington Ball describes Metge as a "fire-eater",^[3] quarrelsome and hot tempered with a fondness for dueling. The number of duels he fought was not in itself remarkable, but he was unusual in fighting his own brother-in-law.^[4] The statesman Edward Cooke had a very poor opinion of Metge as a judge (as he did of most Irish judges): "as insolent as he is ignorant".^[5] On the other hand Lord Charlemont is said to have thought highly of him.^[6]

References