Robert Rochfort

Robert Rochfort (9 December 1652 – 10 October 1727) was a leading Irish lawyer, politician and judge of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. He held office as Attorney General for Ireland, Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer, and Speaker of the Irish House of Commons.

He was the second son of Lieutenant-Colonel James (nick-named "Prime-Iron ") Rochfort (d. 1652), a Cromwellian soldier, and his wife Thomasina Pigot. Robert was born posthumously: his father, who had fatally wounded one Major Turner in a duel, was court-martialled and executed a few months before his birth. Robert married Hannah Handcock, with whom he had two sons, George and John. The Rochfort family is recorded in Ireland from 1243, and acquired substantial lands in Meath, Westmeath and Kildare. Robert was descended from Sir Milo de Rochfort (died after 1309 ).

Rochfort initially pursued a successful legal career in Ireland before going on to attain high government office. In 1680 he was appointed Recorder of Derry, a post which he held until 1707.

Between 1692 and 1707, Rochfort represented Westmeath in the Irish House of Commons. He supported the 'whiggish' elements in the House at this time in their claim to possess the 'sole right' to legislate for Ireland. This was both a challenge to Poynings' Law and the Irish executive, leading to a constitutional crisis, resolved by a compromise in the parliamentary session of 1695. Rochfort was, nonetheless, appointed Attorney-General in 1694 with the help of the Whig Lord Justice, Lord Capell. With the executive's support, he was elected Speaker of the Irish House of Commons the same year. He remained in this position until 1699.

...
Wikipedia