Nicholas de Snyterby

He was a close relative, possibly a nephew, of Thomas de Snyterby, who came to Ireland in an official capacity in 1285 and served on the Court of Common Pleas 1295–1307.

[3] Although an Attorney-General for Ireland, Richard Manning, had recently been appointed,[3] (and is generally thought to have been the first to hold the office) the Serjeants-at-law (there were usually two of them at this point)[3] remained for several centuries afterwards the senior legal advisers to the Crown, and pleaded in the Royal Courts on behalf of the King.

[1] The office of royal steward turned out to be a mixed blessing as Epworth was soon accused of corruption and imprisoned, although he was eventually exonerated.

Nicholas was superseded as Baron in 1343,[7] but in the same year he sat as an extra judge to hear the pleas with John Morice, the Deputy Justiciar of Ireland, and was paid 10 marks for his good services.

[1] In 1352, no doubt conscious of his advancing years, he was given permission to name his own confessor, who had the power to grant him remission of his sins, if he was truly penitent, on his deathbed.