A Star Chamber Court in Ireland: The Court of Castle Chamber, 1571-1641

Jon Crawford follows his Anglicizing the government of Ireland (1993) with this meticulous and comprehensive account of the workings of the tribunal that was the exact equivalent of its English counterpart - Star Chamber. The varying fortunes of the court under successive Irish chief governors from Henry Sidney down to Thomas Wentworth are examined in detail, the political context in all instances being carefully explained and shrewdly analysed. The volume is enhanced by a transcript of the surviving entry book. Further appendices treat of manuscript sources in Trinity College Dublin, not previously published, which help to fill in the lacunae in coverage of the court’s activities after 1620. This is a major contribution to our understanding of governance in Ireland under Elizabeth I and her two successors.