James Bathe

He was born at Beshellstown, Clonalvy, County Meath to a long-established Anglo-Irish family, the main branch of which was settled at Athcarne Castle, near Duleek: they had also held lands at Rathfeigh since about 1400.

This step aroused the hostility of the increasingly powerful Cowley family: Robert Cowley, the head of the family, warned Cardinal Wolsey that the book was in fact an effort to persuade King Henry VIII that there was no solution to Ireland's problems but the return to power of Kildare, who was then in temporary disgrace.

[4] In addition to his loyal service to Thomas's father, the 9th Earl of Kildare, he was a friend of several of the rebels, and had recently married the daughter of John Burnell of Balgriffin, one of the ringleaders of the rebellion.

[5] He was appointed the Irish Chief Baron in 1540 and held office under each successive Tudor monarch until his death in 1570, being commended for his good service to the Crown,[2] despite some complaints about his slowness in collecting revenue.

[2] Like other landowners of the time he was not always scrupulous in his means of acquisition: in 1551 he and his wife received a royal pardon for "intruding" on lands which should have passed to Edward Barnewall, her son by her first husband.

[4] A woman called Anne Walshe was convicted of stealing a silver candlestick from his Drumcondra home, but later received a pardon for the crime.