Thomas Willis (Clerk of the Crown in Chancery)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Willis was a member of the English
landed gentry
and Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
at the outbreak of the English Civil War
, owing to which he suffered the loss of his position and some of his estates. He appears in the Visitations
of Cambridgeshire
in 1575 and 1619, with reference made to his position and ownership of lands at Ashe, Hampshire
.
The son of another Thomas Willis (or 'Willys'), of Eyhall and Rouses Place in Cambridgeshire, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Hasell of that landed gentry family of Dalemain, near Penrith
, his brother Richard was the father of Thomas
and Richard, who were each raised to the dignity of baronet
, and were thus the ancestors of the two branches of Willys Baronets
. According to the record of the birth of his elder son Thomas (who married Katherine, daughter of John Offley of Madeley
; she subsequently married William Willis, the Colonel of a Regiment of Horse under Charles I; he was her first husband's cousin and the brother of the aforementioned baronets) at Wield
in Southampton on the 16th February 1617, his wife's name was Barbara; their younger son, Valentine, was born in 1632/3.
In 1618, Willis purchased the manor of Ashe in Hampshire
from its previous owner, Andrew Holdip.
On 2 March 1640/41, Willis and his son Thomas were granted by Charles I
the office of Clerk in Chancery, with reversion to his second son Valentine (then eight years old), the latter with power to act during his minority by deputy, to be appointed by his father. Willis was serving in this capacity when war broke out; he remained in London
until August 1643, but was detained by royalist forces while visiting his estate in Hampshire and brought to Oxford
, where he served the King until 1645. During this period, Parliament
required the services of a Clerk in Chancery, and promoted Willis's deputy, John Bolles, to that status.
In 1645, following the King's defeat, Willis returned and submitted to Parliament, petitioning the House of Lords
- and, upon the dissolution of that house on 19 March 1649, the House of Commons
- for financial reimbursement of damages sustained to his estate by Cromwell's forces, as well as funding for cancellation of debts resulting from this damage; he was required to take out mortgages, for which by this time he was liable to pay back, on his property at Ashe. The petition mentions that his annual fee as Clerk of the Crown was £66 13s. 4d.
In April 1654, the war having concluded in 1651, Willis tried to reclaim his position, but having been branded a delinquent by Cromwell, the office of Clerk in Chancery was granted to Nathaniel Taylor in 1655. Willis died the following year. By this time the younger Thomas Willis had also died (on March 2, 1643/4), leaving his brother Valentine, to whom the office of Clerk in Chancery had been granted in reversion in 1640/41, to sue Taylor for possession of the position. After a protracted three-year dispute, Valentine Willis was admitted as Clerk of the Commonwealth in February 1660, and following the Restoration
three months later, he was recognised as Clerk of the Crown.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
landed gentry
Landed gentry
Landed gentry is a traditional British social class, consisting of land owners who could live entirely off rental income. Often they worked only in an administrative capacity looking after the management of their own lands....
and Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
Clerk of the Crown in Chancery
In the Government of the United Kingdom, the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery is a senior civil servant who is the head of the Crown Office. The Crown Office, a section of the Ministry of Justice, has custody of the Great Seal of the Realm, and has certain administrative functions in connection with...
at the outbreak of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, owing to which he suffered the loss of his position and some of his estates. He appears in the Visitations
Heraldic visitation
Heraldic Visitations were tours of inspection undertaken by Kings of Arms in England, Wales and Ireland in order to regulate and register the coats of arms of nobility and gentry and boroughs, and to record pedigrees...
of Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
in 1575 and 1619, with reference made to his position and ownership of lands at Ashe, Hampshire
Ashe, Hampshire
Ashe is a small and quiet village just west of Basingstoke, in Hampshire, England.-Governance:The village is part of the civil parish of Overton, and is part of the Overton, Laverstoke and Steventon ward of Basingstoke and Deane borough council. The borough council is a non-metropolitan district of...
.
The son of another Thomas Willis (or 'Willys'), of Eyhall and Rouses Place in Cambridgeshire, and his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Hasell of that landed gentry family of Dalemain, near Penrith
Penrith, Cumbria
Penrith was an urban district between 1894 and 1974, when it was merged into Eden District.The authority's area was coterminous with the civil parish of Penrith although when the council was abolished Penrith became an unparished area....
, his brother Richard was the father of Thomas
Sir Thomas Willys, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Willys, 1st Baronet of Fen Ditton in Cambridgeshire, was a Member of Parliament for Cambridgeshire and Cambridge...
and Richard, who were each raised to the dignity of baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
, and were thus the ancestors of the two branches of Willys Baronets
Willys Baronets
There have been two baronetcies granted to the Willyses of Fen Ditton, both in the Baronetage of England. The Willys Baronetcy, of Fen Ditton in Cambridgeshire, was first created in the Baronetage of England on 15 December 1641 for Thomas Willys, son and heir of Richard Willys, of Fen Ditton and...
. According to the record of the birth of his elder son Thomas (who married Katherine, daughter of John Offley of Madeley
Madeley Old Manor
Madeley Old Manor was a medieval manor house at Madeley, Staffordshire. It is now a ruin, with only fragments of its walls remaining. The remnants have Grade II listed building status and the site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument....
; she subsequently married William Willis, the Colonel of a Regiment of Horse under Charles I; he was her first husband's cousin and the brother of the aforementioned baronets) at Wield
Wield
Wield is a civil parish in Hampshire, England. It includes two neighbouring villages, Upper Wield and Lower Wield.The parish church, dedicated to St James, is in Upper Wield. It is mainly Norman, and is a Grade I listed building.- External links :*...
in Southampton on the 16th February 1617, his wife's name was Barbara; their younger son, Valentine, was born in 1632/3.
In 1618, Willis purchased the manor of Ashe in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
from its previous owner, Andrew Holdip.
On 2 March 1640/41, Willis and his son Thomas were granted by Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
the office of Clerk in Chancery, with reversion to his second son Valentine (then eight years old), the latter with power to act during his minority by deputy, to be appointed by his father. Willis was serving in this capacity when war broke out; he remained in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
until August 1643, but was detained by royalist forces while visiting his estate in Hampshire and brought to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, where he served the King until 1645. During this period, Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
required the services of a Clerk in Chancery, and promoted Willis's deputy, John Bolles, to that status.
In 1645, following the King's defeat, Willis returned and submitted to Parliament, petitioning the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
- and, upon the dissolution of that house on 19 March 1649, the House of Commons
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
- for financial reimbursement of damages sustained to his estate by Cromwell's forces, as well as funding for cancellation of debts resulting from this damage; he was required to take out mortgages, for which by this time he was liable to pay back, on his property at Ashe. The petition mentions that his annual fee as Clerk of the Crown was £66 13s. 4d.
In April 1654, the war having concluded in 1651, Willis tried to reclaim his position, but having been branded a delinquent by Cromwell, the office of Clerk in Chancery was granted to Nathaniel Taylor in 1655. Willis died the following year. By this time the younger Thomas Willis had also died (on March 2, 1643/4), leaving his brother Valentine, to whom the office of Clerk in Chancery had been granted in reversion in 1640/41, to sue Taylor for possession of the position. After a protracted three-year dispute, Valentine Willis was admitted as Clerk of the Commonwealth in February 1660, and following the Restoration
Restoration (1660)
The term Restoration in reference to the year 1660 refers to the restoration of Charles II to his realms across the British Empire at that time.-England:...
three months later, he was recognised as Clerk of the Crown.