19:
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and his Dutch-born second wife Mary Scott (Maria
Schotte); rumours that she was unfaithful to him seem to have no basis. They had two children, Richard junior, and Molly, who married John Williams. Richard West junior (1716- 1742) before his early death had made something of a name as a
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In
November 1726 West became ill "with a great cold and fever", but since he was still only about thirty-five, and seemed to be responding well to treatment, his case was not thought to be serious; on 3 December however he unexpectedly died. Rumours that he was
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Mrs West's reputation also suffered from rumours, almost certainly false, that she was having an affair with her husband's secretary John
Williams, later her son-in-law, and even wilder rumours that they had poisoned him. King
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mother Mary Scott had been a great heiress, and her father the Bishop in his own will had provided generously for all his children. Her husband on the other hand left "just enough to clear his debts in both countries".
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and according to the legal advice they received West's widow and children had no claim to his estate. What had become of the widow's own money is unclear, but it should certainly have been enough to live on: her
195:. As even its author sadly admitted it was not a popular success, closing after only three performances, two of them to empty houses. He was more successful as a pamphleteer, his best-known works being
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in 1725: his speech for the prosecution was described as "masterly". Shortly afterwards he went to
Ireland as Lord Chancellor, although it was said that he would have preferred to be
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175:, wrote that "his death is much lamented here by all.... I am very much troubled by this loss, as well as I am heartily concerned for the terrible blow it is to his family".
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Despite his severity against Roman
Catholics, West was noted for charm and intelligence, and his early death was much mourned: his old friend
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His early death left his family in severe financial difficulty, especially as his father, who outlived him by a few months, left no
61:, son of Richard West senior, a merchant (who outlived him). His sister married another merchant John Glover, and was the mother of
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129:. It is believed that his friend Archbishop Hugh Boulter, who had recently been translated to the
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continued. Despite the pension she fell on hard times and spent her last years as a dependent of
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As Lord
Chancellor he gained a reputation for exceptional severity in the enforcement of the
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245:, whether by his wife or by a political enemy, are without foundation. He is buried in
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West was most unusual among judges in having a play produced while he was in office:
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he appeared to extend the operation of the Penal Laws to cover not only actual but
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at a by-election in 1721. At the 1722 general election he was returned as MP for
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in 1714 and became one of its leaders in a remarkably short time; he was made
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The Lives of the Lord
Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal in Ireland
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Papists, the latter category including
Protestants who married
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is said to have been something of a favourite of his uncle.
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397:"West, Richard (c. 1691–1726), lord chancellor of Ireland"
306:"West, Richard (c. 1691–1726), lord chancellor of Ireland"
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Members of the
Parliament of Great Britain for Grampound
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An
Inquiry into the Origins and Manner of Creating Peers
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A Discourse concerning Treasons and Bills of Attainder
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Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for Bodmin
406:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004.
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315:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004.
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224:: he is still remembered for his friendship with
29:(c. 1691 – 3 December 1726) was an English
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152:trustees in favour of Catholics. In the case of
275:was persuaded to grant her a pension, which
211:West married Elizabeth Burnet, daughter of
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590:Members of the Privy Council of Ireland
403:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
312:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
115:Thomas Parker, 1st Earl of Macclesfield
105:, he made his reputation as one of the
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144:to discover secret (i.e. collusive)
47:Alan Brodrick, 1st Viscount Midleton
230:Sonnet on the death of Richard West
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41:from 1721 to 1726. He served as
368:The Judges in Ireland 1221–1921
247:St. Ann's Church, Dawson Street
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187:, his translation of a French
45:from 1725 to 1726, succeeding
37:and politician who sat in the
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356:Lives of the Lord Chancellors
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420:UK public library membership
329:UK public library membership
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89:in 1717. He was returned as
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585:Lord chancellors of Ireland
430:Parliament of Great Britain
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537:Lord Chancellor of Ireland
43:Lord Chancellor of Ireland
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492:Member of Parliament for
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449:Member of Parliament for
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370:John Murray London 1926
341:O'Flanagan J. Roderick
228:, celebrated in Gray's
468:Marquess of Hartington
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321:10.1093/ref:odnb/29094
191:, was produced at the
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580:British MPs 1722–1727
575:British MPs 1715–1722
530:The Viscount Midleton
381:The Judges in Ireland
345:2 volumes London 1870
85:and a Bencher of the
65:the poet. The future
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173:Archbishop of Armagh
91:Member of Parliament
366:Ball, F. Elrington
217:Bishop of Salisbury
522:Political offices
285:Dean of Gloucester
193:Drury Lane Theatre
127:Recorder of London
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22:A portrait of West
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544:Succeeded by
508:Succeeded by
498:1722–1726
465:Succeeded by
455:1721–1722
443:Sir Charles Cooke
418:(Subscription or
327:(Subscription or
79:called to the Bar
57:West was born in
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527:Preceded by
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436:Preceded by
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121:on charges of
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63:Richard Glover
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87:Inner Temple
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27:Richard West
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570:1726 deaths
354:O'Flanagan
226:Thomas Gray
111:impeachment
559:Categories
541:1725–1726
422:required.)
331:required.)
291:References
249:, Dublin.
150:Protestant
138:Penal Laws
123:corruption
53:Background
35:playwright
482:John Legh
451:Grampound
277:George II
253:Aftermath
142:informers
101:. In the
95:Grampound
77:West was
33:, judge,
31:barrister
273:George I
243:poisoned
203:(1719).
107:managers
189:tragedy
109:of the
500:With:
494:Bodmin
457:With:
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283:, the
207:Family
185:Hecuba
171:, the
146:trusts
117:, the
99:Bodmin
73:Career
59:London
379:Ball
264:Dutch
236:Death
259:will
222:poet
93:for
67:poet
408:doi
317:doi
148:by
113:of
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