Records show that Walter Cowley (born about 1489 & died 1548) moved to Ireland with his father Robert about 1505-06 as Judges & merchants from Rutlandshire.
[3] Both the Cowleys sought to blacken Barnewall's name, accusing him in particular of questioning the King's authority, a very serious matter given the ruthless fashion in which Henry VIII dealt with dissent.
[4] Odd though this arrangement may seem, it probably helped to alleviate the burden of work for the two senior Law Officers, and continued for many years after Walter's removal.
[5] The Rebellion of Silken Thomas must have seemed an excellent opportunity to block Bathe's advancement, since his father-in-law John Burnell was one of the principal rebels.
[7] In an effort to conciliate James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond, who had regained much of his family's former influence, St Leger gave him command of the Irish forces in the war against Scotland in 1544.
[9] In a further blunder, Walter and Lord Chancellor Alan drew up a book of articles, accusing St Leger of widespread maladministration.
Walter was deprived of office and imprisoned in the Tower of London;[10] the State papers preserve an abject letter he wrote to the King pleading for clemency and saying that he had acted out of genuine fear for Ormond's life.
His wife's name was Lady Catherine "Anne" Cusack: he had two sons of whom the elder, Sir Henry Colley of Carbury Castle (died 1584), was a distinguished soldier and a direct ancestor of Richard Wesley, 1st Baron Mornington.
[13] He should not perhaps be blamed for the abject tone of his letter to Henry VIII from the Tower of London pleading for mercy, since he may well have feared for his life at the time he wrote it.