Thomas Tresham I
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Tresham was a leading Catholic politician
during the middle of the Tudor dynasty
in England.
The eldest son of John Tresham of Rushton, Northamptonshire, and Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Harrington, of Hornby, Lancashire, he married Mary Parr, youngest daughter and co-heir of William Parr, 1st Baron Parr of Horton. They had five children:
He married as his second wife Lettice, widow of Sir Robert Lee, who predeceased him without issue.
Tresham was knighted by 1524. He was chosen High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
in 1524, 1539, 1548, and 1555/1556 and returned as a member of parliament
for the same county
in 1541 and twice in 1554. In 1530 he served on a Royal Commission
inquiring into Cardinal Wolsey's possessions; in 1537 he served on another to inquire into the Lincolnshire rebellion.
In 1539 he was one of those appointed to receive Queen Anne of Cleves
at Calais
. In 1540 he had licence to impark the Lyveden estate in the Aldwinkle St Peter's parish, where the "New Bield
" erected by his grandson Thomas Tresham II
still stands.
In the same year, although his main estates were in Northamptonshire, it was noted that he had a house with twenty-nine household servants at Wolfeton in Charminster
, Dorset
.
In 1544 he supplied men for the king's army in France, and a little later was one of the commissioners to collect the "benevolence" for the defense of the realm. In 1546 he was appointed assessor to the "Contribution Commission", and was summoned to Court to meet the French ambassador. In 1549 he assisted in suppressing Kett's Rebellion
, and received £272, 19.6 for his services.
On 18 July 1553 he proclaimed Queen Mary
at Northampton
and accompanied her on her entry into London. He was one of those appointed on 3 August 1553, "to staye the assemblies in Royston and other places of Cambridgeshire". That year he was also MP for Lancaster
.
He was named Grand Prior of England in the Order of Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem
by Royal Charter dated 2 April 1557, it was not till 30 November that the order was reestablished in England with four knights under him, and he was solemnly invested. In the meantime Sir Richard Shelley had been made turcopolier at Malta
. The order was endowed by the queen with lands to the yearly value of £1436. He sat in the House of Lords in January, 1557-8, and sent his proxy to the first parliament of Queen Elizabeth
. He was buried at Rushton with great pomp on 16 March 1559.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
during the middle of the Tudor dynasty
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
in England.
The eldest son of John Tresham of Rushton, Northamptonshire, and Elizabeth, daughter of Sir James Harrington, of Hornby, Lancashire, he married Mary Parr, youngest daughter and co-heir of William Parr, 1st Baron Parr of Horton. They had five children:
- George (died before 28 November 1557)
- William
- Isabel
- Mary
- John
He married as his second wife Lettice, widow of Sir Robert Lee, who predeceased him without issue.
Tresham was knighted by 1524. He was chosen High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of Northamptonshire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
in 1524, 1539, 1548, and 1555/1556 and returned as a member of parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the same county
Northamptonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
The county constituency of Northamptonshire, in the East Midlands of England was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832 and was represented in...
in 1541 and twice in 1554. In 1530 he served on a Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
inquiring into Cardinal Wolsey's possessions; in 1537 he served on another to inquire into the Lincolnshire rebellion.
In 1539 he was one of those appointed to receive Queen Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves was a German noblewoman and the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England and as such she was Queen of England from 6 January 1540 to 9 July 1540. The marriage was never consummated, and she was not crowned queen consort...
at Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
. In 1540 he had licence to impark the Lyveden estate in the Aldwinkle St Peter's parish, where the "New Bield
Lyveden New Bield
Lyveden New Bield is an unfinished summer house in the parish of Aldwinkle St Peter in the county of Northamptonshire, England.-Construction:...
" erected by his grandson Thomas Tresham II
Thomas Tresham II
Sir Thomas Tresham was a Catholic recusant politician at the end of the Tudor dynasty and the start of the Stuart dynasty in England....
still stands.
In the same year, although his main estates were in Northamptonshire, it was noted that he had a house with twenty-nine household servants at Wolfeton in Charminster
Charminster
Charminster is a village in west Dorset, England, situated on the River Cerne and A352 road one mile north of Dorchester. The village has a population of 1,940 . The village has a small church of St. Mary. These two things give the village its name, Cerneminster , which eventually evolved into...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
.
In 1544 he supplied men for the king's army in France, and a little later was one of the commissioners to collect the "benevolence" for the defense of the realm. In 1546 he was appointed assessor to the "Contribution Commission", and was summoned to Court to meet the French ambassador. In 1549 he assisted in suppressing Kett's Rebellion
Kett's Rebellion
Kett's Rebellion was a revolt in Norfolk, England during the reign of Edward VI. The rebellion was in response to the enclosure of land. It began in July 1549 but was eventually crushed by forces loyal to the English crown....
, and received £272, 19.6 for his services.
On 18 July 1553 he proclaimed Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
at Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
and accompanied her on her entry into London. He was one of those appointed on 3 August 1553, "to staye the assemblies in Royston and other places of Cambridgeshire". That year he was also MP for Lancaster
Lancaster (UK Parliament constituency)
Lancaster was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1867, centred on the historic city of Lancaster in north-west England...
.
He was named Grand Prior of England in the Order of Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
by Royal Charter dated 2 April 1557, it was not till 30 November that the order was reestablished in England with four knights under him, and he was solemnly invested. In the meantime Sir Richard Shelley had been made turcopolier at Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. The order was endowed by the queen with lands to the yearly value of £1436. He sat in the House of Lords in January, 1557-8, and sent his proxy to the first parliament of Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
. He was buried at Rushton with great pomp on 16 March 1559.