Elias de Asshebournham

Despite frequent allegations of corruption, and a reputation for violence, for many years he retained the confidence of the English Crown, although he also suffered periods of imprisonment.

[2] In 1312 he received a royal pardon for unspecified offences which he had committed in Northamptonshire: these were probably connected with a long-standing feud with the neighbouring FitzWarin family, whose lands and manors he was accused of burning and despoiling.

It is known that the English Crown had concerns about the poor quality of the Irish-born judges, so that Louth, as an Englishman, should have had the advantage in the contest; but Elias, a royal servant of long standing, also had influence at Court[6] and was ultimately confirmed in office in 1338.

He was appointed constable of Arklow Castle, but subsequently quarrelled with Edward III, who, despite Elias's long service to the Crown, had become disillusioned with his greed and corruption.

[7] There seems to have been a proposal to send him to England to face trial there, to which he strongly objected, arguing forcefully that if the offences he was charged with had been committed in Ireland, as they clearly had, then only an Irish jury was competent to try him.