Thomas Colepeper (Royalist) facts for kids
Sir Thomas Colepeper (born 1578, died 1661) was an English politician. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like a part of the government, at different times between 1614 and 1629. He supported the King's side, known as the Royalists, during the English Civil War. He also wrote books about money lending rules.
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Sir Thomas Colepeper's Early Life
Thomas Colepeper was born in 1578. He was the third son of Francis Colepeper, who lived at Hollingbourne Manor in Kent, England. When he was 13, in 1591, he started studying at Hart Hall, Oxford University. His father passed away that same year. Thomas inherited his favorite house, Greenway Court. In 1594, he began studying law at Middle Temple in London.
Political Journey and Royalist Support
In 1614, Thomas Colepeper was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Chippenham. This was during a time known as the Addled Parliament. He was given the title of 'Sir' when he was knighted on September 23, 1619.
Later, in 1628, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Tewkesbury. He served until 1629. At this time, King Charles I decided to rule England without Parliament for eleven years.
Supporting the King During the Civil War
Sir Thomas Colepeper owned a large estate called Hasleton near Northleach, Kent. In 1632, he bought Leeds Castle as a home for his sons. However, he later had disagreements with his oldest son, Sir Cheney, about politics. Because of these differences, he decided not to leave Leeds Castle to him.
During the English Civil War, Sir Thomas worked for the King, managing money. He did not fight in the war himself. After the war, he had to pay a large fine because he had supported the King. His finances were greatly affected by this fine, and he died owing money. He was even briefly put in prison in 1651. He lived quietly on his estates until King Charles II returned to the throne.
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Family Life and Legacy
Sir Thomas Colepeper passed away in 1661. He was buried at Hollingbourne on January 25, 1661. He was laid to rest next to his wife in a special chapel he had built for them.
In 1600, he married Elizabeth Cheney. She was the daughter of John Cheney from Guestling, Sussex. Elizabeth passed away in 1638. They had eleven children together. Their children included Sir Cheney Culpeper and Thomas junior. Thomas junior inherited most of the family's properties after his father's disagreement with Cheney. Their daughter Judith married her cousin, John Colepeper, 1st Baron Colepeper, who was a close advisor to the King.
Writings on Money Lending
In 1623, Sir Thomas Colepeper published a book called Tract against the High Rate of Usury. He had actually presented his ideas to Parliament two years earlier. In his book, he argued that the highest allowed interest rate for lending money should be lowered from 10%. He showed examples from other countries where the limit was 6%.
Because of his work and others, a law was passed in 1624 that reduced the interest rate limit to 8%. Sir Thomas Colepeper's book was printed again in 1641 and in 1668, showing its importance.
