Thomas Milles (bailiff) facts for kids

Thomas Milles (born around 1550, died around 1627) was an English government official. He worked in customs and was known for his writings about economics. He strongly supported a system called the staple system, which was important for trade at the time.

Life and Work

Thomas Milles was born in Kent, England, around 1550. His father was Richard Milles from Ashford, Kent. Thomas went to a free school and started working for the government around 1570. For the next 16 years, he often traveled to France, Flanders, and Scotland for his job. People said he was very fast on a mission to Henry IV of France. Because of this, he supposedly received a special addition to his family's coat of arms.

In 1579, he became the bailiff of Sandwich, Kent, a town with a port. He worked for Francis Walsingham, a top government official, as an agent between England and Scotland in 1585. The next year, he went with Thomas Randolph to Edinburgh to help with talks for the Treaty of Berwick.

After this, he got a good job as a "customer" (a customs official) in Sandwich, Kent. This job allowed him to stop foreign agents and their messages. The government used him to uncover secret plots happening at the time. In 1591, he was suggested to go to Brittany to check on the military forces there. After a military trip to Cádiz in 1596, he became a prize commissioner in Plymouth. This meant he helped manage goods captured from enemy ships.

In 1598, he worked as a secretary for Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham, who was in charge of the Cinque Ports. In the same year, he was given the future right to be the keeper of Rochester Castle. When George Gilpin died in 1602, Milles tried to become a councilor in the Low Countries, but he didn't get the job.

Thomas Milles spent the rest of his life defending the staple system. In 1623, he stepped down from his job as bailiff of Sandwich. He passed away around 1627.

Ideas on Economics

Milles's writings about money and trade show how older ideas about economics connected with newer ones. He believed the staple system was good because it allowed trade without high interest rates (called usury back then). He also thought it helped businesses grow and encouraged trade.

He spoke out against the high interest practices of some new businesses. He also argued that the Merchant Adventurers had too much control. He felt their monopoly made London grow too much, while other port towns suffered. He thought it stopped merchants from trading freely and reduced government income.

After working as a customs official in Sandwich for two years, he was convinced the staple system should be brought back. He talked with Thomas Fanshawe, an official from the treasury, and wrote down his ideas. These ideas were shown to Lord Burghley, a powerful government minister.

When his first attempt to influence the government didn't work, he published a book called The Custumers Apology in 1599. Only 50 copies were printed, and they were given to members of the Privy Council (the king's advisors).

When John Wheeler, who worked for the Merchant Adventurers' Company, criticized his book, Milles wrote a reply. He also wrote other books about trade and customs:

• A Caution against Extreamity by Farmers (1606): This book was against the practice of letting private individuals collect customs taxes. The government was not happy about this book.
• The Customers Alphabet and Primer (1608): This book explained his views on customs and trade.
• Acroamata (1608): This book further explained his ideas about trade and money.
• The Mistery of Iniquity (1609): In this book, he compared Christian ideas of fair exchange with what he saw as unfair "usury."
• An Out-Port-Customers Accompt (1610): Here, he explained why he wrote his previous books and how he developed his ideas.

Other Writings

Thomas Milles also published other kinds of books:

• Nobilitas Politica et Civilis (1608): He edited this book, which was based on notes from Robert Glover, adding his own thoughts.
• The Catalogue of Honor (1610): This book was about the noble families of Great Britain. Robert Glover started it, and Milles finished it with help from other important people like Sir Robert Cotton and William Camden.
• The Treasurie of Auncient and Moderne Times (1613–19): This was a collection of stories, readings, and observations translated from other authors.

Family Life

Around 1614, Thomas Milles married Anne Polhill. She was from Otford, Kent, and was the widow of William Nutt. Thomas and Anne had two daughters. Anne was born in 1615, and another daughter was born in 1618 but died young.

His wife Anne passed away in 1624 and was buried in St. George's Church in Canterbury. His daughter Anne inherited his properties, including Norton and Davington. In 1627, she married John Milles, who later became a knight.