Dent, Thomas
(fl.
His elevation to the position of chief justice has to be seen against the general clear-out of officials from the administration occasioned by the appointment of Ralph de Ufford (qv) as justiciar, and the ordinance of 1341 in which the king stated he would be better served in Ireland by English ministers who had landed interests in England, rather than Anglo-Irish officials. In September 1347 he was assigned to investigate the activities of Hugh de Burgh as treasurer of the Irish exchequer, and in 1350 was placed on a commission of oyer and terminer concerning the misdeeds of all crown ministers below the rank of justiciar and chancellor over the preceding twenty-three years. In April 1351 he was granted custody of the valuable manor of Esker in Co. Dublin. Before leaving office on 15 December 1359 he sent a petition to the king (1357/8) complaining that his fees had not been paid for some time and highlighting the shortfall in revenues in the Irish exchequer. He returned to England in December 1361 and seems to have retired from the king's service shortly afterwards.