Castle Chamber

Castle Chamber. This prerogative court, modelled on the English Star Chamber, reflected an early modern concern for social control as well as the centralizing power of the state. An intention to separate the judicial and administrative functions of the Irish privy council had been mooted as early as 1534 but the court came into operation only in 1571. It sat twice a week during legal term with the lord deputy usually in attendance. Its normal penalties were fines and imprisonment, but pillory, loss of ears, whipping, and land confiscation also occurred.

Although a court of appeal and arbitration, it was essentially a rapid‐action political tribunal. It tried riot and assault cases (affronts to the queen's peace) and also forgery of the lord deputy's signature, conspiracy, and treasonable words. Most significantly, it punished jurors whom the state construed as having perjured themselves by finding the wrong verdict—for instance the jury which in 1582 acquitted Morris FitzGerald for alleged involvement in the Baltinglass rebellion. It also was used against the opponents of cess.

During James I's reign Palesmen complained that Castle Chamber was extending its jurisdiction into spiritual matters when it punished Catholics who disobeyed the mandates and juries who had failed to return names of local recusants. Wentworth used the court against Richard Boyle for impropriating church property, the Galway jury holding up his proposed plantation of Connacht, and Scots settlers refusing the Black Oath. Wentworth's absolutist use of Castle Chamber contributed not only to his own impeachment but also to the court's abolition.

Hiram Morgan