Lawrence Parsons

Sir Lawrence Parsons (died 1628) was an English-born barrister, judge and politician in seventeenth-century Ireland, who enjoyed a highly successful career, despite frequent accusations of corruption and neglect of official duty. His success owed much to the patronage of his uncle Sir Geoffrey Fenton, of his cousin by marriage Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork, and of the prime Royal favourite, the Duke of Buckingham. He was the ancestor of the Earl of Rosse of the second creation. He rebuilt Birr Castle, which is still the Parsons family home. Early career He was born in Leicestershire, a younger son of James Parsons and Catherine Fenton, daughter of Henry Fenton of Sturton le Steeple and his wife Cicely Beaumont of Coleorton Hall, and sister of Sir Geoffrey Fenton and the navigator Edward Fenton. With two of his brothers, of whom the more eminent was Sir William Parsons, 1st Baronet of Bellamont, he came to Ireland in the entourage of his uncle Sir Geoffrey, who was Secretary of State for Ireland from 1581 to 1603. Lawrence was appointed clerk to the Council of Munster in 1605, and escheator and receiver of the province of Munster, jointly with his brother William. They were also made jointly Surveyor General of the Irish Crown lands. Both became wealthy through their acquisition of Government offices and through the practice of "land-grabbing", which was common among English officials in Ireland at this time.