Roger Mainwaring (judge)

Roger Mainwaring (died 1590) was an English-born judge and Crown servant in Ireland of the reign of Elizabeth I. [1]

Nantwich, Cheshire, where Roger's branch of the Mainwaring family lived for several generations

He was the son of John Mainwaring and Margery Brooke, daughter of Robert Brooke, and grandson of Oliver Mainwaring. He was born at Nantwich in Cheshire, where he owned "a mansion house" and other considerable property, and where he retired in later life.[1]The Mainwaring family had been settled in Nantwich for generations. They were distantly related to the Mainwarings of Peover Hall, whose most distinguished member was the statesman Sir Philip Mainwaring (1589-1661). Philip, like Roger, spent most of his career in Ireland. Sir Roger Wilbraham, Solicitor-General for Ireland, a fellow Nantwich man, was a cousin of Roger's second wife through his mother Elizabeth Maisterson. Roger's mother Margery reached a considerable age, and was still alive when he made his last will.[2]

Roger came to Ireland in 1569 in the entourage of Sir Edward Fitton, the elder, his future father-in-law, who had been appointed Lord President of Connaught.[1]He purchased substantial lands in County Dublin and County Meath, most of which he bequeathed to his widow Margaret for her life.[2]He lived for a time at Ferns Castle, County Wexford, which belonged to his second wife's family. [2]

Ferns Castle, County Wexford, home of Roger's father-in-law, Sir Thomas Maisterson

Roger became Chief Remembrancer of the Exchequer of Ireland in 1575, and third Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland) in 1578.[1]In 1576 he was one of numerous highly-placed Irish officials appointed by the Queen to a commission to "make an inquisition in several counties for concealed lands of monasteries and attainted persons". [3]He was superseded as Remembrancer in 1583, and since he had returned to Nantwich by 1585, presumably he stepped down as a judge at the same time. [1]He was clearly seen as something of an expert on the Irish finances, as he was summoned back to Ireland from his retirement in 1585 to assist the Chief Auditor of Ireland in dealing with the Exchequer receipts.[1]

He was married twice: firstly in 1571 to one of the daughters of Sir Edward Fitton and Ann Warburton, and secondly before 1577 to Margaret Maisterson, daughter of Sir Thomas Maisterson of Nantwich and Ferns, head of the leading family of Nantwich, and a leading figure in the South of Ireland, where he became Seneschal of County Wexford, and his wife Catherine (or Cecily) de Clere of County Kilkenny.[2]According to his last will, which was admitted to probate on 1 May 1590, he had five children, three sons and two daughters, by his second marriage. His eldest son Richard (born at his grandfather's home, Ferns Castle, County Wexford, in 1577), succeeded to most of his father's estates, although the "chief mansion house" at Nantwich, as well as the Irish lands, was left to Roger's widow Margaret for her life. He died early in 1590. His widow was still alive in 1608.[1]