Robert Cusack (judge)

Robert Cusack (c.1516-1570) was an Irish judge of the sixteenth century, who held office as Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland) and was strongly recommended for the position of Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. His career was cut short by his premature death.

He came from a prominent Anglo-Irish landowning family of the Pale. Although the legitimacy of his own birth was in doubt this does not seemed to have harmed his career.

He was born at Cussington, County Meath, the eldest son of Sir Thomas Cusack, later Lord Chancellor of Ireland, and his first wife Joan Hussey. His parents' marriage was unhappy and in 1537 it was annulled; Robert's father in later years denied that there had ever been a valid marriage between himself and Joan, and always spoke of his second wife Maud Darcy as his first "lawful" wife. On the other hand, Thomas acknowledged his paternity of Robert and his other children by Joan, and he seems to have treated them generously enough. In the 1550s Robert was living at Lismullen Abbey, which his father had acquired on the Dissolution of the Monasteries, and later he lived at the older family home at Cussington. The John Cusack who died in 1629 and was described as owner of Cussington was probably Robert's son.

He was admitted to the Inner Temple in 1552-3 and later acted as Master of the Revels there. He was called to the Bar, and returned to Ireland to practice law. He became second Baron of the Irish Exchequer in 1561. In 1566 he was appointed one of three members of the Council for the Government of Munster, but was accused of showing too much favour to Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond. He sat on several Royal Commissions in the 1560s, to survey lands, determine disputed land titles, and to negotiate with the O'Reilly clan. In 1567 with the other senior judges he was named as one of the lessees of King's Inn. He had several wardships, including that of his niece Mary Wise.

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