In 1660 Charles II was restored to the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland, but his hold on power was precarious. In particular, Ireland was fundamentally unstable – Catholics formed the majority of the population in a country where Protestantism was the established religion, a state of affairs unique in Europe. It was through the law that the restored Stuart monarchy governed its subjects and its colonial dependencies, and this book examines how Catholics engaged with and experienced English common law primarily through the eyes of Catholic clerics and Gaelic poets. It also examines how Catholics engaged with the Courts and the particular challenges they faced as lawyers. The book draws on an extensive body of primary source materials, including Irish-language poetry and little-used archival material relating to elite Catholic families.
Table of Content
Introduction: the centrality of law
1 Accommodating the law: Oliver Plunkett and John Brenan
2 Challenging the law: clerical critics
3 Rejecting English law: Irish poetry
4 Using the law: Catholics and the Court of Claims
5 Working within the law: Catholics and the legal profession
Conclusion: the Catholic threat neutralised
Select Bibliography
Index
About the author
Paul Smith studies law and the legal profession in Early Modern Ireland
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