Richard Freeman (Irish judge)

Richard Freeman (1646–1710) was an English-born judge who held the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

Family

He was born in Gloucestershire, eldest son of John Freeman and his wife Anne Croft; he was educated at Christ Church, Oxford and called to the Bar in 1674. He married firstly Elizabeth, one of the many daughters of the leading politician and barrister Sir Anthony Keck, and his wife Mary Thorne: Elizabeth died in childbirth in 1699. He married secondly in 1702 Anne Marshal of Durham, who outlived him by many years. His first marriage was a very advantageous one, since his father-in-law Sir Anthony Keck was a very rich man. However Freeman's children may have found the Keck inheritance something of a mixed blessing, as it led after his death to much acrimony and litigation.

By his first marriage he had one daughter, Mary, who married Walter Edwards; by his second marriage he had one son, Richard junior, and one daughter, Anne. All three were living in 1727.^[1]

Career

After 30 years practice at the Bar Freeman finally secured judicial office through his friendship with John Somers, the former Lord Chancellor, who had a high opinion of his abilities. In 1706 he became Lord Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer and within a year was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland, in which capacity he also acted as Speaker of the Irish House of Lords. He is listed as one of the trustees of the King's Inns in 1706.^[2]

In 1710 Freeman was suddenly afflicted with what was described as "a disorder of the brain" which was said to have deprived him entirely of his reason. Certainly he was unable to continue in office, and he died shortly after resigning from the Chancellorship. He died intestate, and disputes over his estate led to litigation between his two families, which went on till 1727.^[3]

Character

According to Elrington Ball,^[4] Freeman was a fine lawyer who gained general respect in Ireland, being noted for good humour and charity as well as legal ability. His early death, following on the tragic collapse of his mental powers, was genuinely mourned; a pamphleteer eulogised his brief tenure as Chancellor as "a golden age".

References