Thomas Legh (lawyer) facts for kids

Sir Thomas Leigh (who lived from about 1511 to 1545) was an English lawyer and a diplomat. He played an important part in King Henry VIII's plan to close down many monasteries in England.

About Sir Thomas Leigh

Thomas Leigh was the younger son of John Leigh, who was the lord of the manor in Frizington, Cumberland. He was also a cousin of Bishop Rowland Leigh. Both of them came from the old and important Leigh family of West Hall, High Legh, in Cheshire.

Thomas Leigh went to school at Eton College. Later, he studied at King's College, Cambridge, where he earned degrees in law in 1527 and 1531. He officially became a lawyer on October 7, 1531.

Early Diplomatic Work

In December 1532, Thomas Leigh was sent as an ambassador to the King of Denmark. He was called back from Denmark in March 1533. After that, his cousin, the bishop, hired him.

In 1533, he was involved in King Henry VIII's divorce case. In the same year, he also looked into Rievaulx Abbey, which led to the abbot (the head of the monastery) stepping down. In early 1534, he went on another trip to the Low Countries, passing through Antwerp and Lübeck. He returned to England in April, went to Hamburg in May, and came back again that summer.

Role in Closing Monasteries

In June 1535, Richard Layton suggested that Leigh and he should visit the religious houses in the north of England. However, Leigh first went with Sir John Price. In July 1535, they visited many places, including Worcester, Malvern, Lacock Abbey, Bruton Abbey, Wilton, and Reading.

Leigh was known for his grand style. He always traveled with fourteen men in special uniforms and his brother, all of whom needed to be paid. Sir John Price thought Leigh was too harsh with the monks. Leigh also suggested that the bishops' power should be paused during these visits.

At Cambridge University, Leigh made some changes. He asked for the university's important documents and a list of its properties to be sent to London. He also tried to help calm arguments among different groups and set up a new lecture in divinity.

Thomas Goodrich, who was the Bishop of Ely, approved of what Leigh was doing. Leigh continued his visits to places like Bury, Westacre, Norwich, and Ipswich. In December 1535, he met Richard Layton in Lichfield, and they continued their visits to the northern parts of England together.

Later Life and Achievements

Thomas Leigh was given control of Sherburn Hospital in Durham in September 1535. He also gained ownership of the church in Birmingham in March 1536. Calder Abbey in Cumberland was given to him in 1539, and Nostell Priory in Yorkshire was given to him in 1539–40.

In 1536, he helped with the trial of Anne Boleyn, who was King Henry VIII's second wife.

During a rebellion called the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536, Leigh was not very popular. He was busy helping to deliver money to the soldiers. After the rebellion ended, he was involved in dealing with the people who had rebelled. He got married in 1536.

In early 1537, he became a master in chancery, which is a type of legal official. From 1538 to 1540, he continued to be involved in closing down religious houses. In 1543, Leigh went to Canterbury to investigate a plot against Thomas Cranmer, who was an important religious leader.

He was made a knight by the Earl of Hertford in Leith on May 11, 1544, likely during a trip to Scotland.

Thomas Leigh was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Hindon in 1536 and for Wilton in 1545. He passed away on November 25, 1545. He was buried at St. Leonard's, Shoreditch, in London, where a special tomb was built in his memory.

Family Life

Sir Thomas Leigh's wife was named Dame Joanna (her maiden name was Cotton). After he died, she married Sir Thomas Chaloner. She passed away on January 11, 1557.

Thomas and Joanna had one child, a daughter named Catherine Leigh. Catherine married James Blount, who was the 6th Baron Mountjoy. They had children, including Charles Blount, who later became the 1st Earl of Devonshire.