Thomas Shirley (died 1612) facts for kids
Sir Thomas Shirley (born around 1542 – died October 1612) was an important English official and politician. He lived at Wiston in Sussex. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) and worked for the government. People say he was the one who first suggested creating the special title of baronet.
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Sir Thomas Shirley's Family Life
Thomas Shirley was the oldest of three children. His parents were William Sherley (who lived from about 1498 to 1551) and Mary Isley. His mother, Mary, was the daughter of Thomas Isley from Sundridge, Kent.
Sir Thomas Shirley's Career and Challenges
Becoming a Knight and Building Wiston House
Sir Thomas Shirley became a knight in 1573. That same year, he started rebuilding his family home, Wiston House. He turned it into a very large country house. Today, Wiston House is used as a special conference center by the government. He also served as the High Sheriff of Surrey and Sussex in 1576.
Money Troubles and Government Work
Soon after, Sir Thomas faced big money problems. These problems eventually used up his family's wealth. In 1586, Queen Elizabeth I chose Sir Thomas to be the Treasurer-at-War. This meant he handled money for the English soldiers fighting in the Netherlands during the Dutch Revolt. He was allowed to invest some of the money he managed, which was common then. However, he handled the funds poorly. He ended up owing a huge amount of money to the Queen. Because of these debts, his estate, including Wiston House, was taken by the government in 1602. Even so, he continued to live at Wiston until he passed away in October 1612.
Parliament and a Famous Case
Sir Thomas was elected to Parliament as an MP for Sussex in 1584. He represented the area for many years. Later, he was an MP for Steyning in 1601 and 1604. He controlled this area, meaning he could mostly choose who became MP there.
In 1604, his debts became very serious. He tried to use a special rule called "parliamentary privilege." This rule usually protects MPs from being arrested while Parliament is meeting. However, he was arrested by a goldsmith he owed money to and was put in the Fleet Prison.
The House of Commons of England tried to get him released many times. They sent orders called Habeas Corpus. But the person in charge of the Fleet Prison would not let him go. He was worried he would be responsible for Shirley's debts or blamed for letting him "escape."
The House of Commons then had the prison warden put in the Tower of London. They also sent their sergeant-at-arms, carrying a special mace, to the prison to free Sir Thomas. But the warden's wife was just as stubborn! The sergeant-at-arms had to report that he failed.
The Commons then made sure the warden was put in a very uncomfortable dungeon in the Tower, called the Little Ease. It was only about 1.2 meters (4 feet) square. This finally convinced the warden to release Sir Thomas. The warden also had to apologize to the House of Commons on his knees. Sir Thomas then went back to his seat as an MP.
After this event, Parliament passed a new law. This law confirmed that MPs had freedom from arrest. But it also made sure that people owed money could get it back once the MP was no longer in Parliament. This case, known as Sir Thomas Shirley's Case, was important for centuries. It helped settle the rule about MPs being free from arrest.
Sir Thomas Shirley had three sons who became famous adventurers: Thomas, Anthony, and Robert.
Sir Thomas Shirley's Marriage and Children
Around 1559, Sir Thomas Shirley married Anne Kempe (who lived from about 1542 to 1623). Anne was the daughter of Sir Thomas Kempe from Wye, Kent. Sir Thomas and Anne had twelve children together. Sadly, three of their children died when they were babies.
Sir Thomas was survived by three sons and six daughters:
- Sir Thomas Shirley (1564–1633/4)
- Sir Anthony Shirley (1565–1636?)
- Robert Shirley (c. 1581 – 1628)
- Cecily (or Margaret?) Shirley
- Mary Shirley
- Anne Shirley
- Elizabeth Shirley (died 1630)
- Kathryn Shirley
- Jane Shirley
