Adam's Country House Collections 12th & 13th October 2020

170 Country House Collections 533 ANTHONY LEE (FL.1735-1767) AFTER THOMAS POOLEY A Portrait of John Bysse, Lord Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer, Full Length Oil on canvas, 200 x 125cm Inscribed verso: ‘The Copy of L.d Chief Baron Bysse (Grandfather to Rob.t L.d Vis.t Molesworth)/now made 1746 from an Original of Tho. Pooley Esq.r 1678’ Provenance: Collection of the Peck Family, Prehen House, Derry € 8,000 - 12,000 John Bysse was a well-educated and well-connected lawyer who became the Lord Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer under Charles II. Bysse’s father passed away when he was a child, and guardianship was granted to Sir Francis Annesley, Lord Mountnorris until he became of age and inherited his father’s estate. As part of the estate, Bysse inherited a considerable amount of land including Preston’s Inns in Dublin where he resided and where Dublin City Hall stands today. Educated at Trinity College Dublin he was admitted as a member of King’s Inns in 1632. He became an eminent lawyer and ran a large legal practice while holding a number of distinguished positions throughout his career including Recorder of Dublin (a position he held for 25 years), Justice of Assize in Munster and Ulster (respectively); and like his father and grandfather before him, Bysse was an official of the Exchequer. He was also a member of parliament, elected to the House of Common in 1634 as MP for Charlemount and re-elected in 1640 as MP for Dublin city. Henry Cromwell (son of Oliver) assisted him in fending off attempts to exclude him from gaining a parliamentary position from Dublin. Henry Cromwell also recommended Bysse for the position of Puisne Judge in 1695. At the Restoration in 1660 Bysse was appointed Chief Baron of the Exchequer. With the support of his friend, the Duke of Ormond, who saved him from dismissal on more than one occasion, he retained this position for the remainder of his life. He is depicted in the official Baron of the Exchequer robes in this portrait.