Robert Dillon, 2nd Earl of Roscommon

For other people named Robert Dillon, see Robert Dillon (disambiguation).

Robert Dillon
Earl of Roscommon
Tenure	1641–1642
Predecessor	James, 1st Earl of Roscommon
Successor	James, 3rd Earl of Roscommon
Born	unknown, estimated 1585
Died	27 August 1642 Dublin
Spouse(s)	1. Margaret Barry 2. Dorothy Hastings 3. Anne Strode
Issue Detail	James, Lucas, David; Henry; Carey
Father	James, 1st Earl of Roscommon
Mother	Eleanor (also called Helen) Barnewall

Robert Dillon, 2nd Earl of Roscommon PC (Ire) (died 1642) was styled Baron Dillon of Kilkenny-West from 1622 to 1641 and succeeded his father only a year before his own death. He supported Strafford, Lord Deputy of Ireland, who appointed him keeper of the great seal. Dillon was in December 1640 for a short while a lord justice of Ireland together with Sir William Parsons.

Family tree

Robert Dillon with two of his three wives, his parents, and other selected relatives.[a] Lucas Dillon c. 1530 – 1593 Chief Baron Jane Bathe David Barry 5th Viscount Buttevant c. 1550 – 1617 James 1st Earl Roscommon d. 1641 Eleanor Barnewall d. 1628 Margaret Barry Robert 2nd Earl d. 1642 Ann Strode James 3rd Earl c. 1605 – 1649 Elizabeth Wentworth Carey 5th Earl 1627–1689 Katherine Werden Wentworth 4th Earl 1637–1685 Robert 6th Earl d. 1715 Margaret Putt Legend XXX Robert Dillon XXX Earls of Roscommon XXX Viscounts Buttevant

Birth and origins

Robert was born in Ireland, the eldest son of James Dillon and his wife Eleanor Barnewall.^[2] His father would in 1622 become the 1st Earl of Roscommon. His family was Old English and descended from Sir Henry Dillon who came to Ireland with Prince John in 1185.^[3] His family held substantial lands in Meath, Westmeath, Longford and Roscommon.

Robert's mother, who was also called Helen instead of Eleanor,^[4] was a daughter of Christopher Barnewall of Turvey House, County Dublin. Like his father's, her family was Old English.

Robert was one of 13 siblings,^[5][6] who are listed on his father's article.

First marriage

In about 1600 Dillon married Margaret Barry. She was the sixth daughter of David de Barry, 5th Viscount Buttevant,^[7][b] His wife's family, the de Barrys, were Old English like his own.

Robert and Margaret had three sons:

1. James (c. 1605 – 1649), succeeded as the 3rd Earl Roscommon^[9]
2. Lucas, died childless^[10]
3. David, died an infant

Second marriage

About 1610, Dillon married secondly Dorothy, a Protestant, the fourth daughter of George Hastings, 4th Earl of Huntingdon, an English noble, widow of Sir James Stewart (died 1609), who was a son of Walter Stewart, 1st Lord Blantyre, a Scottish noble.^[11][12][13]

Robert and Dorothy had a son:

• Henry (died 1640), never married^[14]

Advancements

Dillon had been studying law in London at Gray's Inn and was called to the bar in 1613.^[15] He was knighted on 15 February 1615 by James I at Theobalds House, Hertfordshire.^[16]

Dillon's parents as well as his first wife were Catholics. His eldest son, James, was originally raised as a Catholic. Dillon as well as his son James conformed to the established religion some time before his father's ennoblement. His father, however, remained Catholic.^[17][18]

On 24 January 1620 Dillon's father was raised to the peerage with the title "Baron Dillon of Kilkenny-West", in the Peerage of Ireland^[19] in a ceremony performed by the Lord Deputy Oliver St. John in the presence chamber of Dublin Castle on 25 January.^[20]

On 5 August 1622 Dillon's father was advanced to Earl of Roscommon.^[21] This made the title "Baron Dillon of Kilkenny-West" available as courtesy title for the heir apparent. Dillon, therefore was 1622–1641 styled "Robert Lord Dillon of Kilkenny-West" or "Robert Lord Dillon" fort short.^[22]

Third marriage

Some time between 1622 and 1627 Dillon married thirdly Anne, daughter of Sir William Strode of Stoke sub Hamdon, Somerset, and widow of Henry Folliott, 1st Baron Folliott,^[23][24] who had died in 1622.^[25]

With Anne he had:

• Carey (1627–1689), became the 5th Earl Roscommon^[26]

Later life

Dillon was appointed a privy concillor in 1627.^[27] Dillon's mother died in 1628.^[28]

During the Irish Parliament of 1634–1635 Dillon was elected on 5 July 1634 as one of the two MPs for Trim Borough.^[29] On 14 July 1634, his father took his seat in the Irish House of Lords.^[30]

On 26 May 1638 Dillon was appointed one of the keepers of the great seal.^[22][31]

Lord Deputy Christopher Wandesford died on 3 December 1640.^[32] On 15 December Charles I appointed Lord Dillon (i.e. Lord Dillon of Kilkenny-West) together with Sir William Parsons Lords Justices of Ireland,^[33] but Dillon was considered to have been too closely associated with Strafford and was replaced on 30 December.^[34][35][36] John Borlase was appointed as his successor on 31 December 1640.^[37]

During the Irish Parliament of 1640–1649 Dillon was on 13 March 1640 again elected as one of the two MPs for Trim Borough.^[38] While he sat in the Commons, his father again sat in the Lords.

His father died in March 1641^[39] and Dillon succeeded as the 2nd Earl of Roscommon.^[40] He took up his seat at the Irish House of Lords on 1 August 1641.^[41] His seat in the Commons was filled by James Whyte.

Death and timeline

Lord Roscommon, as he was finally now, died on 27 August 1642 in Oxmantown, a quarter of Dublin's Northside.^[42][43] He was succeeded by his eldest son James as the 3rd Earl of Roscommon.

Timeline
Age	Date	Event
0	1585, estimate	Born.[c]
17–18	1603, 24 Mar	Accession of King James I, succeeding Queen Elizabeth I[44]
18–19	1604	Sister Jane married Christopher Dillon of Ballylaghan, the heir apparent of Theobald Dillon, 1st Viscount Dillon.[45]
19–20	1605, about	Birth of his eldest son, James.[9]
24–25	1610, about	Married 2ndly to Dorothy Stewart, née Hastings[12]
34–35	1620, 24 Jan	Father created Baron of Kilkenny-West.[19]
36–37	1622, 5 Aug	Father elevated to Earl of Roscommon.[21] He was styled Baron Dillon of Kilkenny-West.
39–40	1625, 27 Mar	Accession of King Charles I, succeeding King James I[46]
42–43	1628, 11 Oct	Mother died.[28]
46–47	1632, 12 Jan	Thomas Wentworth, later Earl of Strafford, appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland[47]
48–49	1634, 14 Jul	Father took his seat in the Irish House of Lords.[30]
52–53	1638, 26 May	Appointed one of the Lord Keepers of the seal.[22]
54–55	1640, 15 Dec	Appointed as Lord Justice of Ireland together with William Parsons.[35][33]
55	1640, 31 Dec	Replaced by John Borlase as lord justice.[37][37]
55–56	1641, Mar	Succeeded his father as the 2nd Earl of Roscommon.[39]
55–56	1641, 12 May	Strafford beheaded[48]
55–56	1641, 1 Aug	Took his seat at the Irish House of Lords[41]
55–56	1642, 27 Aug	Died in Oxmantown, Dublin.[42]

Notes and references

Notes

1. This family tree is partly derived from the Roscommon pedigree in Cokayne.^[1] Also see the list of children in the text.
2. Cokayne (1895) in error states that Margaret was a sister of David Barry, 1st Earl of Barrymore.^[8]
3. The estimate of 1685 for his birth is based on his eldest son's birth 'about 1605'^[9] assuming that he was 20 at the time.

Citations

1. Cokayne 1895, p. 414.
2. Burke 1832b, p. 366, right column, line 42. "His lordship [James, 1st earl] m. [married] Elinor, daughter of Sir Christopher Barnewall, knt, of Turvey .."
3. Webb 1878, p. 149, line 7. "... [Sir Henry Dillon] came to Ireland in 1185 as secretary to Prince John ..."
4. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 1. "He [James D. 1st Earl] m. Helen, 2d da. of Sir Christopher Barnewall of Turvey, co. Dublin, by Marion da. of Patrick Challis, otherwise Serle, of Shallon, co. Meath."
5. Debrett 1828, p. 647, line 23. "... d. 1641, leaving issue 7 sons;"
6. Burke 1832b, p. 366, right column, line 43. "... and had (with 6 daughters) .."
7. Burke 1883, p. 25, left column, line 50. "Margaret, m. [married] to Robert, Earl of Roscommon."
8. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 11. "He m. firstly Margaret, sister of David, 1st Earl of Barrymore [sic], da. of David (Barry), Viscount Buttevant [I. [Ireland] ] by his first wife Ellen, da. of David (Roche) ..."
9. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 19. "[James] s. [son] and h. [heir] by his 1st wife, b. [born] about 1605;"
10. Burke 1832b, p. 367, left column, line 30. "His Lordship [the 2nd Earl] m. [married] first Margaret, daughter of David Earl of Barrymore, by whom he had James, Lord Dillon, and another son Lucas who d.s.p. [died without issue]"
11. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 13. "He m. [married] secondly, soon after 1609 Dorothy widow of James Stuart, K.B., Master of Blantyre, da. [daughter] of George (Hastings), 4th Earl of Huntingdon, by Dorothy, da. of Sir John Fort."
12. Clavin 2009, paragraph 5. "He married secondly (c.1610) Dorothy, daughter of the 4th earl of Huntingdon and widow of Sir George Wharton;"
13. Paul 1905, pp. 83–84. "She [Dorothy Hastings] afterwards married, about 1609, as his second wife, Robert Dillon, 2nd Earl of Roscommon."
14. Burke 1832b, p. 367, left column, line 33. "The Earl m. [married] secondly Lady Dorothy Hastings, youngest daughter of George, fourth Earl of Huntingdon and widow of Sir James Steuart, by whom he had Henry, who d. unmarried;"
15. Clavin 2009, paragraph 1, 2nd sentence. "He graduated from Gray's Inn in 1613;"
16. Shaw 1906, p. 75, line 10. "1614-5, Feb. 15. Robert Dillon McCarty (by the king at Theobalds)."
17. Clavin 2009, paragraph 1, 4th sentence. "By 1619 he had converted to protestantism; his conformity set him apart from most of his relatives, and the motivations behind his conversion are open to interpretation. It was largely because his heir was a protestant that Sir James was created Lord Kilkenny West in 1619 and earl of Roscommon in 1622."
18. Cokayne 1895, p. 411. "He had (v.p.) [while his father was alive] conformed to the established religion ..."]
19. Cokayne 1895, p. 410, line 21. "... was cr. [created] 24 Jan. 1619/20 Lord Dillon, Baron of Kilkenny-West [I. [Ireland]]."
20. Lodge 1789, p. 158, line 5. "... the ceremony thereof was performed by the L. D. St John in the Presence-Chamber on the 25 ..."
21. Cokayne 1895, p. 410, line 22. "... being subsequently cr. 5 Aug. 1622 Earl of Roscommon [I. [Ireland]]."
22. Smyth 1839, p. 221. "14 Car. I.—1638 May 26 Robert Lord Dillon, Sir Adam Loftus, Christopher Wandesforde, and Sir Philip Mainwaring, Lord Keepers"
23. Burke 1883, p. 219, right column, line 4. "His lordship m. [married] Anne, dau. [daughter] of Sir William Strode, of Stoke-under-Hampden, in Somersetshire, and by her (who m. 2ndly Robert, Earl of Roscommon) ..."
24. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 15. "He m. [married] thirdly Anne, Dow. Baroness Folliett [I. [Ireland]], da. [daughter] of sir William Strode, of Stoke under Hampdon, co. Somerset."
25. Burke 1883, p. 219, right column, lin 34. "His lordship d. [died] 10 November 1622, and was s. [succeeded] by his son, Thomas Folliott, 2nd Lord Folliott, governor of Londonderry ..."
26. Burke 1832b, p. 367, left column, line 37. "... and, thirdly, Anne, daughter of Sir William Stroud, and widow of Lord Folliot, by whom he had a son, Carey, who succeeded as fifth earl."
27. McGrath 1997, p. 142. "... becoming a privy councillor in 1627 ..."
28. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 3a. "She [Eleanor or Helen] d. 11 Oct. 1628."
29. House of Commons 1878, p. 628. "1634 / 3 July / Robert Lord Dillon, Baron of Kilkenny West. / Moymet / ditto. [Trim Borough]"
30. Cokayne 1895, p. 410, line 23. "He took his seat 14 July 1634."
31. Clavin 2009, paragraph 2. "... keeper of the great seal (1638–9) ..."
32. Mahaffy 1901, p. 247, line 31. "3 Dec. Dublin / Same [Rawdon] to Same [Lord Conway and Killiltagh] / The Lord Deputy died this morning."
33. Mahaffy 1901, p. 247, line 41. "15 Dec. Westminster / [Copy of] The King to the Privy Council of Ireland / ... We appoint Lord Dillon and Sir William Parsons ... to be Justices here ..."
34. Mahaffy 1901, p. 248, line 12. "30  Dec. Westminster / Same to Same / ... Appointing Sir Borlase, Kt. instead of Lord Dillon to be Justice ..."
35. Warner 1768, p. 4. "... [Charles I] appointed Lord Dillon and Sir W. Parsons Lord Justices of that kingdom, but finding the former not agreeable to the committee and the English Parliament because of his intimacy and alliance with the Earl of Strafford, his Majesty imprudently cancelled the commission ..."
36. Bagwell 1909, p. 312. "As soon as Wandesford's death was known Robert Lord Dillon and Sir William Parsons were appointed Lords Justices."
37. Clavin 2004, p. 662. "[Borlase] was made a lord justice of Ireland along with Sir William Parsons on 31 December 1640."
38. House of Commons 1878, p. 628, below. "1634 / 13 March / Robert Lord Dillon, Baron of Kilkenny West. / Moymet / ditto. [Trim Borough]"
39. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 3b. "He d. March 1641."
40. Burke 1832b, p. 367, left column, line . "James, first Earl of Roscommon, was s. [succeeded] by his eldest son, Robert, second earl ..."
41. House of Lords 1779, p. 179, left column. "The Earl of Roscommon brought in by the Earl of Kildare and Earl of Ormond."
42. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 17. "He d. [died] at Oxmantown, 27 Aug. 1642, and was bur. [buried] 7 Sep. in St Patricks, Dublin."
43. Burke 1832b, p. 367, left column, line 40. "His lordship d. [died] 7th September 1642 and was succeeded by his eldest son, James, third earl"
44. Fryde et al. 1986, p. 44, line 1. "James I ... acc. 24 Mar. 1603 ..."
45. Burke 1832a, p. 367, left column, line 9. "Christopher (Sir), of Bealalahin, in the county of Mayo, who m. in 1604, Lady Jane Dillon, eldest daughter of James, first Earl of Roscommon, and dying before his father, left seven sons and five daughters."
46. Fryde et al. 1986, p. 44, line 16. "Charles I. ... acc. 27 Mar. 1625 ..."
47. Asch 2004, p. 146, right column, line 23. "Wentworth was appointed lord deputy on 12 January 1632 ..."
48. Burke 1883, p. 577, left column, line 3: "He [Strafford] suffered death with characteristic firmness on Tower Hill, 12 May 1641."

Sources

• Asch, Ronald G. (2004). "Wentworth, Thomas, first earl of Strafford (1593–1641)". In Matthew, Colin; Harrison, Brian (eds.). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 56. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 142–157. ISBN 0-19-861408-X.
• Bagwell, Richard (1909). Ireland under the Stuarts and under the Interregnum. Vol. I. London: Longmans, Green, and Co. OCLC 458582656. – 1603 to 1642
• Burke, John (1832a). A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire. Vol. I (4th ed.). London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley. OCLC 39018719. – Abdy to Hutchinson (for Dillon)
• Burke, John (1832b). A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire. Vol. II (4th ed.). London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley. OCLC 39018719. – Ibbetson to Zouche (for Roscommon)
• Burke, Bernard (1883). A Genealogical History of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire (New ed.). London: Harrison. OCLC 499232768. (for Strafford and Folliott)
• Clavin, Terry (2004). "Borlase, Sir John". In Matthew, Henry Colin Gray.; Harrison, Brian (eds.). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 6. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 662. ISBN 0-19-861356-3.
• Clavin, Terry (October 2009). McGuire, James; Quinn, James (eds.). "Dillon, Robert". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
• Cokayne, George Edward (1895). Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, or Dormant. Vol. VI (1st ed.). London: George Bell and Sons. OCLC 1180818801. – N to R (for Roscommon)
• House of Commons (1878). Return. Members of Parliament – Part II. Parliaments of Great Britain, 1705–1796. Parliaments of the United Kingdom, 1801–1874. Parliaments and Conventions of the Estates of Scotland, 1357–1707. Parliaments of Ireland, 1599–1800. London: His/Her Majesty's Stationery Office. OCLC 13112546.
• Debrett, John (1828). Peerage of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. II (17th ed.). London: F. C. and J. Rivington. OCLC 54499602. – Scotland and Ireland
• Fryde, Edmund Boleslaw; Greenway, D. E.; Porter, S.; Roy, I., eds. (1986). Handbook of British Chronology. Royal Historical Society Guides and Handbooks, No. 2 (3rd ed.). London: Offices of the Royal Historical Society. ISBN 0-86193-106-8. – (for timeline)
• House of Lords (1779). Journals of the House of Lords (PDF). Vol. I. Dublin: William Sleater. OCLC 35009219. Retrieved 17 January 2022. – 1634 to 1699
• Lodge, John (1789). Archdall, Mervyn (ed.). The Peerage of Ireland or, A Genealogical History of the Present Nobility of that Kingdom. Vol. IV. Dublin: James Moore. OCLC 264906028. – Viscounts (for Dillon)
• Mahaffy, Robert Pentland, ed. (1901). Calendar of the State Papers Relating to Ireland of the Reign of Charles I. 1633–1647. Preserved in the Public Record Office. London: His/Her Majesty's Stationery Office Office.
• McGrath, Brid (1997). "Robert Dillon, Trim". A Biographical Dictionary of the Membership of the Irish House of Commons 1640 to 1641 (PhD). Vol. 1. Dublin: Trinity College. pp. 141–142. hdl:2262/77206. – Parliaments & Biographies (PDF downloadable from given URL)
• Paul, Sir James Balfour (1905). The Scots Peerage, Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland. Vol. II. Edinburgh: David Douglas. OCLC 505064285. – Banff to Cranstoun (for Blantyre)
• Shaw, William A. (1906). The Knights of England. Vol. II. London: Sherratt & Hughes. – Knights bachelors & Index
• Smyth, Constantine (1839). Chronicle of the Law Officers of Ireland. London: Henry Butterworth. OCLC 1018312937.
• Warner, Ferdinand (1768). History of the Rebellion and Civil-War in Ireland. Vol. I. Dublin: James William. OCLC 82770539. – 1641 to 1643
• Webb, Alfred (1878). "Dillon, Theobald, Viscount". Compendium of Irish Biography. Dublin: M. H. Gill & Son. p. 149. OCLC 122693688.

Political offices
Vacant Title last held by Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork	Lord Justice of Ireland 15 to 31 Dec 1640 With: Sir William Parsons	Succeeded by Sir Henry Tichborne Sir John Borlase
Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by James Dillon	Earl of Roscommon 1641–1642	Succeeded by James Dillon