Patrick Segrave (died c.1610) was an Irish judge of the early seventeenth century, who was removed from office for numerous incidents of corruption.[1] Little is known of his mother. He married before 1589 Mary Dillon, daughter of Chief Justice Robert Dillon and his second wife Catherine Sarsfield. In 1589 his father-in-law sent him to London with gifts of hawks and horses for the Privy Council.[3] On his father's death in 1598 Patrick was appointed to his place as a Baron of the Exchequer.[1]
He was charged in 1602 with "diverse causes (cases)" of bribery and corruption, and stood trial before the Court of Castle Chamber, the Irish equivalent of Star Chamber.[4] The Delahide family's lands at Dunshaughlin, County Meath had been forfeited to the Crown for treason. Segrave was accused of conspiring with Richard Read and David Russell to procure a jury to find the title to the land (i.e. award the title) in favour of Read, and of receiving a large bribe in return; he was also charged with attempting to bribe Sir Richard Cooke, the Chancellor of the Exchequer of Ireland.[4] Segrave was found guilty, removed from office by the Lord Deputy of Ireland, fined £1000 and imprisoned at the pleasure of the Crown.[4]
His disgrace was not permanent: in 1607 he was admitted to the King's Inns and became a member of its governing council. He attended meetings of the council until 1610, after which his name disappears from the records.[5] The Patrick Segrave of Killeglan whose estates were forfeited for his part in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 was probably his son or grandson.[6]
He was born at Killegland, now Ashbourne, County Meath, son of Richard Segrave, Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland) who was head of a prominent landowning family.[1]