William Gerard

Sir William Gerard (1518–1581) was an Elizabethan statesman, who had a distinguished record of government service in England, Wales and Ireland. He sat in the House of Commons for Chester for many years, and was Vice-President of the Council of Wales and the Marches.

He was Lord Chancellor of Ireland for five years. Historians have praised his energetic efforts to reform the Irish legal system, although they differ as to his effectiveness in this task. Despite the fact that he was not a clergyman, he was appointed Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin in 1573, although he admitted to having an "uneasy conscience" about his right to enjoy the office.

He was born at Ince in Lancashire, son of Gilbert Gerard and Elizabeth Davison, daughter of an alderman of Chester, a city with which William was to have a long association, and where he died. Sir Gilbert Gerard, the English Master of the Rolls, was his cousin, and is said to have advanced William's career.

William entered Gray's Inn in 1543, was called to the Bar in 1546, and became an Ancient of Gray's Inn in 1552. Elrington Ball argues that his legal qualifications were insufficient for the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland, but in fact William had acquired considerable legal experience prior to that appointment. He was made Attorney General for Wales in 1554, Recorder of Chester in 1556, a justice in Wales in 1559 and vice-justice of Chester in 1561.

Starting in 1555 Gerard sat in six consecutive parliaments as a member for Chester — the last two of Queen Mary's reign, her 4th (1555) and 5th (1558) and the first four of Queen Elizabeth's reign, 1st (1559), 2nd (1563), 3rd (1571) and 4th (1572).

...
Wikipedia