for corruption, and the Earl of Cork is said to have paid a thousand pounds to secure the place for Lowther. As Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, assumed complete control of the Irish administration Lowther, despite the increasing hostility between Strafford and the Earl of Cork, became one of Strafford's chief assistants, and largely broke his ties with Lord Cork. Downfall of Lord Chancellor Loftus During the protracted struggle for political supremacy between Strafford and Adam Loftus, 1st Viscount Loftus, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, Lowther and his fellow Chief Justices, as members of the Privy Council of Ireland, gave their full support to Strafford, and Loftus was removed from office and imprisoned. On being released Loftus went to London to appeal to King Charles I for his reinstatement. Lowther accompanied Strafford there to argue the opposing case, which he did with such skill that Strafford said: I shall be beholden to you as long as I live. Civil War The attainder and execution of Strafford in May 1641 led to Lowther, recognised as one of his staunchest adherents, along with the Lord Chancellor Sir Richard Bolton, being impeached by the Irish Parliament; Strafford in his last days is said to have interceded for them with the King. Lowther was soon acquitted of treason and released from custody, and thereafter he played a careful double game in politics. He was restored to the Council, and attended the King at Oxford in connection with the negotiations with the Confederates in 1644, although his noted antipathy to the Confederates limited his usefulness. In 1646, he was sent to London to negotiate with Parliament for the relief of Dublin and soon afterwards he abandoned the Royalist cause. In 1647 he assured Parliament of his loyalty and acted as receiver of delinquents' estates. He returned to Ireland in 1651 and acted as president of the High Court of Justice 1652-54; at the trial for treason of the Confederate leader Sir Phelim O'Neill it was noted that he referred to Charles II simply as "Charles Stuart". In 1655, on account of his long experience, he was made Chief Justice of the Lower Bench (in effect the same office he had previously held) and a Commissioner of the Great Seal, and was much in favour with Henry Cromwell. Death At the Restoration, those judges who had served under the Commonwealth