John Alan
Encyclopedia
Sir John Alan, or Alen 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
.
, 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.
and to act as secretary to his cousin the Archbishop, with whom he may have quarreled. 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.
, County Kildare
, had ben suppressed in 1536 and granted to Alen . The Alens remained at St. Wolstan's for two centuries.
, 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 "; 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.
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 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.
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 ". 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 notes that the was elected to the Irish House of Commons
for Kinsale
in 1559.
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 ". 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.
Master of the Rolls in Ireland
The office of Master of the Rolls in Ireland originated in the office of the keeper of the Rolls in the Irish Chancery and became an office granted by letters patent in 1333. It was abolished in 1924....
, Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ireland and Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
.
Family
He was born at Cotteshall in NorfolkNorfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, son of Thomas Alen. The Alens were a numerous family and five of his brothers settled in Ireland. John Alen
John Alen
John Alen was an English canon lawyer, Archbishop of Dublin, and Chancellor of Ireland.-Life:He was born in Cotteshall, Norfolk.The Alans were a numerous clan and six of his cousins settled in Ireland including his namesake John, who was Lord Chancellor in his turn...
, Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Dublin
The Archbishop of Dublin may refer to:* Archbishop of Dublin – an article which lists of pre- and post-Reformation archbishops.* Archbishop of Dublin – the title of the senior cleric who presides over the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin....
, murdered in the Silken Thomas rebellion, was a close relative, probably a first cousin.
Early career
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 legateLegate
Legate may refer to:*Legatus, a general officer of the ancient Roman army drawn from among the senatorial class*Papal legate, a messenger from the Holy See*Legate, a rank in the Cardassian military in the fictional Star Trek universe...
and to act as secretary to his cousin the Archbishop, with whom he may have quarreled. 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.
Silken Thomas
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. 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.Dissolution of the Monasteries
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 CelbridgeCelbridge
Celbridge is a town and townland on the River Liffey in County Kildare, Ireland. It is west of Dublin. As a town within the Dublin Metropolitan Area and the Greater Dublin Area, it is located at the intersection of the R403 and R405 regional roads....
, County Kildare
Kildare
-External links:*******...
, had ben suppressed in 1536 and granted to Alen . The Alens remained at St. Wolstan's for two centuries.
Lord Chancellor, removal and return
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. LegerAnthony St Leger (Lord Deputy of Ireland)
Sir Anthony St Leger was Lord Deputy of Ireland during the Tudor period.The eldest son of Ralph St Leger, a gentleman of Kent and Elizabeth Haut. He was educated abroad and at the University of Cambridge. He quickly gained the favour of King Henry VIII, and in 1537 was appointed president of a...
, who wrote to London complaining of Alen's conduct. Alen was summoned before the English Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
and accused of corruption and promoting discord. Alen strongly defended himself, saying he was the " cleanest-handed Chancellor in the memory of man "; 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.
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 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.
Last years
In 1553 on the death of Edward VI his sister Mary IMary I
Mary I or Maria I may refer to:*Maria, Queen of Sicily *Mary, Queen of Hungary *Mary I of England , often called "Bloody Mary"*Mary, Queen of Scots *Mary I of Portugal...
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 ". 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 notes that the was elected to the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
for Kinsale
Kinsale
Kinsale is a town in County Cork, Ireland. Located some 25 km south of Cork City on the coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon and has a population of 2,257 which increases substantially during the summer months when the tourist season is at its peak and...
in 1559.
Death and descendants
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.KIng's Inns
Alen is closely associated with the foundation of the King's InnsKing's Inns
The Honorable Society of King's Inns , is the institution which controls the entry of barristers-at-law into the justice system of Ireland...
in 1541. It was Patrick Barnewall (Solicitor General)
Patrick Barnewall (Solicitor General)
Patrick Barnewall was a leading figure in the Irish Government in the 1530s and 1540s, due largely to his close links with Thomas Cromwell. He held the offices of Solicitor General for Ireland and Master of the Rolls in Ireland. Today he is remembered mainly for his role in founding the King's Inns...
,a future Master of the Rolls, who first wrote to Thomas Cromwell in 1538 urging that the former Blackfriars become a ' House of Chancery ". 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.