Thomas Drury (1551–1603) facts for kids

Thomas Drury (born May 8, 1551 – died August 26, 1603) was a man who worked for the British government as a messenger and informer. He is mainly remembered for being involved in serious accusations made against the famous playwright Christopher Marlowe in May 1593. Marlowe, who was only 29 years old and a big influence on William Shakespeare, died just a few weeks after these accusations were made.

Early Life and Family

Thomas Drury was born in Hawstead, Suffolk. His father was Robert Drury, and his mother was Audrey Rich. Audrey's father, Richard Rich, was a well-known figure who had been a Lord Chancellor, a very important government official.

Thomas was one of four brothers. When he was six years old, his father passed away. His grandfather, Sir William Drury, made sure that Thomas and two of his brothers would inherit some property in Lincolnshire when they turned 21. His oldest brother, William, inherited more, including a property in London called Drury House, which gave its name to Drury Lane.

In 1564, Thomas went to Cambridge to study at Caius College. He was a "gentleman pensioner," meaning he paid for his studies. There is no record that he finished his degree.

Life After College

During the 1570s, Thomas Drury might have worked for Sir Nicholas Bacon, who held a high position called Lord Keeper. This means he might have met Bacon's sons, including Francis, who later became a very famous thinker.

One of the first clear records of Thomas Drury after college shows him involved in a financial disagreement. In 1580, he was part of a situation where a loan of £100 was due to be repaid to him. If it wasn't paid on time, a much larger amount of £300 would be owed. Lord Burgh, who owed the money, complained about Drury's actions.

Time in Prison and Abroad

Thomas Drury spent some time in Fleet Prison starting in June 1585, though the exact reason is not known.

Later, in 1587, it seems he worked as a secretary for Sir Edward Stafford, who was the English Ambassador in Paris. This suggests Drury was involved in government work overseas.

In May 1591, a warrant was issued for Drury's arrest, and his home was searched for "matters of state," meaning things related to the government. He was taken to the Marshalsea prison and stayed there for about 15 months to 2 years. He had been reported by someone he knew, Richard Cholmeley.

While in prison in November 1592, Lord Buckhurst visited Drury. Buckhurst suggested that if Drury was released and allowed to travel, he might be able to help the government. We don't know exactly when or why he was released, but by May 1593, Drury was indeed doing some work for Lord Keeper Puckering, another important government official.

Involvement with Christopher Marlowe

In April and May 1593, some strong messages were posted around London, especially one on May 5 called the "Dutch Church libel." This message was written in a style similar to Christopher Marlowe's plays and even signed with the name of one of his characters, Tamburlaine. The Lord Mayor offered a reward for information, and the government allowed the use of torture to find out who was responsible.

Thomas Drury was sent to find Richard Baines, who was thought to know about the messages. As a result, the playwright Thomas Kyd was arrested. In Kyd's room, officials found writings that were considered "heretical," meaning they went against accepted religious beliefs. Kyd claimed these writings belonged to Marlowe, who he said had shared a room with him. Under questioning, Kyd made many accusations about Marlowe's beliefs.

Around the same time, Drury was preparing his own list of accusations, called "Remembrances," against Richard Cholmeley (the person who had reported Drury earlier). These accusations included claims that Cholmeley and his group wanted to turn people into "Atheists" (people who don't believe in God) and even create their own king after the Queen died. Cholmeley seemed to look up to Marlowe as a leader for these ideas.

Drury also claimed that he was responsible for bringing "the notablest and vilest articles of atheism" to the attention of the Lord Keeper and Lord Buckhurst. Many people believe this refers to the "Baines Note," a famous list of accusations against Marlowe made by Richard Baines. This means Drury was claiming he encouraged Baines to write it and then delivered it to the government.

It seems there was a plan between Drury and Baines to cause trouble for both Marlowe and Cholmeley. In less than a month, Marlowe died, and Cholmeley was sent to prison and never heard from again. Drury was disappointed that he didn't get paid for his efforts, as he mentioned in a letter he wrote in August 1593.

Later Life

The accusations Drury made against Richard Cholmeley also included some negative things Cholmeley had supposedly said about Lord Hunsdon, an important official. Unfortunately, Lord Hunsdon thought these were Drury's own opinions, and Drury ended up in prison again. However, he wrote a letter to Sir Robert Cecil, another powerful figure, who helped him get released.

In 1595, Drury was in France, carrying important letters back to the court. He received a payment of £16, which suggested he was doing more than just delivering simple messages.

However, Drury returned to less reputable activities. Around 1599, his own nephew called him "that degenerate rogue Tom Drury." Even after his death, a high-ranking lawyer named Sir Edward Coke described him as "a man of mean condition and notoriously evil character." One of his last known actions was helping a woman give false evidence in court.

Thomas Drury died from the plague in 1603 in his rooms at the Swan Inn in Southwark.