Richard White

Richard White (died 1367) was an Irish judge who held office as Lord Chief Justice of Ireland; he is remembered mainly for his complaints to the English Crown about the corruption and inefficiency of his judicial colleagues.

Early life

He was born at Clongill, near Navan in County Meath; the White family owned Clongill Castle until the seventeenth century. He was not, as far as is known, related to Richard (or Robert) White, who was appointed Prior of the Order of Knights Hospitaller at Kilmainham in 1384. Like all Irish barristers of the time he studied law in England and was living there in 1352, when he was given a licence to import corn into Ireland.

He returned to Ireland in 1354. In 1359 he was appointed King's Serjeant in Ireland; as was the common practice at the time, the appointment was for a limited period and covered a part of Ireland only. He became Lord Chief Justice in November 1363. White was in England from April to July 1364; Nicholas Lumbard acted as Lord Chief Justice in his place. (though he was later reinstated) and White himself was appointed to a new commission to inquire into the state of the Irish administration, whose other members included the Earl of Kildare, and John Hussey, Baron Galtrim. White seems to have enjoyed the personal favour of King Edward III, who gave him a licence to acquire land to the value of £20, although as a rule it was strictly forbidden for Irish officials to buy property. Significantly, the King ordered that White and his colleagues should not be "troubled" at home for their mission to England, which suggests that they were afraid of reprisals from Burley and his allies.

Last years and descendants

In 1365 he was entrusted with the task of keeping the peace in Munster. He died in 1367. The Richard Whyte who was living at Clogell (Clongill) in 1541 was probably his descendant, as was Patrick White, listed as one of "the gentlemen of East Meath" in 1598. Christopher White, who married Jane Netterville early in the following century, was probably Patrick's son.