John Plunket

Sir John Plunket (1582) was an Irish politician and judge of the Tudor era who held the office of Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. He was also a member of the Privy Council of Ireland and was regarded by three successive English monarchs as a valued servant of the Crown. He was noted for his integrity, but was criticised for remaining in office when old age and illness had made him unfit for his judicial duties. He was also notable as the fifth of the six husbands of Jenet Sarsfield. Background and early career He was the second son of Christopher Plunket of Dunsoghly Castle, Finglas, and his wife Catherine Bermingham. His grandfathers, Thomas Plunket and Philip Bermingham, had presided respectively over the Court of Common Pleas and the Court of King's Bench. His precise date of birth is unknown but Elrington Ball believed that he was at least 85 when he died. He joined the Inner Temple and was Master of Revels there in 1518. He entered the service of Richard Delahide, Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas, who had married his sister Jenet; Delahide arranged for him to be appointed a clerk in the Court of Common Pleas. He inherited Dunsoghly sometime before 1547. Political career In the reign of King Edward VI, he was described as the right-hand man of the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Sir Edward Bellingham, whom he served as Comptroller of the Household; his job included such mundane tasks as providing beds and beer for the Deputy's entourage. He is also said to have enjoyed the confidence of the Lord Protector, the Duke of Somerset. Under Mary I he became a member of the Privy Council and sat on several legal commissions; he is said to have enjoyed the Queen's personal goodwill. Mary's regard for Plunket was shared by Elizabeth I who as soon as she succeeded her sister as Queen appointed him her Lord Chief Justice.