Noblesse Européenne - European Nobility » Thomas Powys (1648-1719)

Personal data Thomas Powys 

• He was born in the year 1648 in Snitton.
• Profession: Lawyer, Solicitor General. Of Lilford, Northants..
• He died on April 4, 1719 in Lincoln Inn Field, Royaume-Uni, he was 71 years old.
• He is buried in Thorpe Achard Church, Oundle.
• A child of Thomas Powys and Anne Lyttleton

Household of Thomas Powys

(1) He is married to Sarah Holbech.

NOTE: The Abp of Canterbury may have issued a Licence for theirmarriage on 4th June 1685, for marriage at Mollington.

They got married about 1685.

Child(ren):

1. Thomas Powys  1686-1720 
2. Edward Powys  1690-????
3. Ambrose Powys  1692-1753
4. Anne Powys  ????-1747
5. Sarah Powys   
6. Jane Powys  1692-1782

(2) He is married to Elizabeth Meadows.

NOTE: The Middlesex Faculty Office may have issued a licence on the1st Oct 1698.

They got married about 1702.

Child(ren):

1. Philip Powys  < 1704-< 1704
2. Philip Powys  1704-1779 

Notes about Thomas Powys

NOTE: Martin P-L writes:1648 born at Snitton, second son to THOMAS of HENLEY and ourmost distinguished English ancestor. By his first wife he wasancestor to the Lords of Lilford, by his second wife toourselves.1663 at Shrewsbury school, as were his brothers Littleton andEdward, as well as neighbours such as the Powell, Charlton andBaldwin brothers, and Francis Walter. Other old boys (not exactcontemporaries) who became prominent in the law were Sir Wm.Williams (Solicitor General to Sir Thomas at the trial of theSeven Bishops), Lord Halifax, Sir George Jefferies.1664 matriculated at Queen's college, Oxon.1673 called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn.c. 1685 married Sarah, daughter of Ambrose Holbech, by whom hehad 3 sons, Thomas, Edward, Ambrose and 3 daughters, Sarah, Anneand Jane.1686 made Solicitor General and knighted. According to Burnettthis was because he was a compliant, young aspiring lawyer. Hehad argued in favour of the King's dispensing power, and hadissued warrants - which others had refused to do - authorisingRoman Catholics to hold office as, for example, lawyers orchurchmen.1687 made Treasurer and Bencher of Lincoln's Inn, and promotedto Attorney General.1688 prosecuted the Seven Bishops, among them the Archbishop ofCanterbury. They had refused to comply with an order of theKing, who was trying to re-introduce Roman Catholicism. Theactual charge, however, was a technical one of libel, in thatthe seven had presented a petition to the King which, byquestioning his acts, was alleged to bring his government intoscandal - regardless of the truth or falsity of theirassertions. The defence, equally technical. was a) that it wasnot proved that they were the authors of the petition, b) it wasnot in any case a libel, not being of seditious intent. Thomas,by virtue of his position and the seniority of the defendants,had to lead the prosecution. A verbatim account of it may stillbe read, from which it is clear that - as was said at the time -he made the best of a bad job. He acted his part in the trialas fairly as his post could admit (Burnett). The attorney waspretty moderate, but the solicitor was violent and mightyzealous in prosecution (Luttrell). The bulk of the examiningwas done by the Solicitor General, but Sir Thomas intervened attimes, in a dignified and sensible - not petty - manner. Heargued clearly, and with good sense and humanity. (At one pointin the trial he examined Pepys.)King James was inspecting his troops when sections of them brokeout into cheers, which spread and grew in volume. He asked whatit was about, and was told that the news had just come throughthat the bishops had been acquitted. The trial sealed hisunpopularity, and he was soon sent packing. Sir Thomas wrote tothe Archbishop of Canterbury: It was the most uneasy thing to methat ever inmy life I was concerned in. But there was no help for it: Jameswas replaced by William of Orange (vociferously welcomed byLittleton), and Thomas was out of his job after only one year init. He remained, however, fully employed as a barrister,mostly in civil suits in the House of Lords, eg. the Duke ofNorfolk's divorce petition.1695 & 97 as Lord of the Manor (which manor I do not know) herepaired the bridge at Ludlow and the chapel at Middleton (seeBitterley parish register). [The chapel still stands, anenchanting Norman building. The wooden bridge has beenreplaced.]1701 elected MP for Ludlow, remaining in that position till1713, when he had to stand down on being made a judge. He wasconjointly MP for Truro during some of this period. I have beenunable to discover what, if anything, he achieved as an MP -except that in 1710 he spent £400 buying votes (of 300 electors). The other candidates spent more. For much of this time hisfellow MP for Ludlow was his old schoolmate, Baldwin.1702 Queen's Sergeant (= chief prosecutor for the Crown).c.1702 married Elizabeth Meadows, daughter of Sir PhilipMeadows, of whom more later.1707 with two others, he proposed a bill to beautify andpreserve Lincoln's Inn Fields (Journal of House of Commons,vol.xv, Feb.1)1707-19 Recorder of Ludlow (ie. chief judicial authority - seeOxford Dictionary)1711 bought the manors of Lilford and Wigsthorpe from the Elwes(or Elmes) family, who had built Lilford in 1635. He alsoowned houses at Sion near Isleworth, and in Lincoln's Inn GreatFields, the latter being left to PHILIP.1713 made judge in Queen's Bench. After this, according toThorpe's Lincoln's Inn Men, his arms were emblazoned in the theold hall, opposite his brother's, with the inscription MilesUnus Justicianorum de Banco Reginae 1713. The shield ispreserved in the ancient glass in the new building.1714 On Lord Chancellor Cowper's advice, at the accession ofGeorge 1, he was removed from the Queen's Bench, partly becausehe was said to be still devoted to the Pretender, partly becausehe always voted with his brother on the board. He reverted toKing's Sergeant.Sir Thomas contd.1719 died, at Lincoln's Inn Fields, late of Sergeants Inn. Hewas buried at Lilford. When the church was pulled down, histomb was moved to the nearby Thorpe Archard, nr. Oundle. Theepitaph was composed by Matthew Prior, and I shall let you offwith an extract.He studied, practised and governed the law in such a manner thatnothing equalled his knowledge except his eloquence, nothingexcelled both except his Justice; and whether he was greater, asan advocate or a judge, is the only cause he left undecided.If you want more, the full text is in the Diaries or inCollins's Peerage of England, 1812 edition. If you would likean antidote, written by the same Matthew Prior, tryA Reasonable AfflictionOn his death bed poor Lubin lies;His spouse is in despair.With frequent cries and mutual sighsThey both express their care."A different cause," says Parson Sly,"The same effect may give.Poor Lubin fears that he may die,His wife that he may live."His will is in the PRO, ref. PCC 17 April 1719, Browning 69. Atranscription is in the Powys box at the Genealogists' Library.He left land in Salop, Northants, Middx. and Lincoln's InnFields, plus £20,000 in money, of which £12,000 was for PHILIPto buy land. Because he was only 15 at the time, hisinheritance was put in trust.He left his portrait to his son Thomas. A.P-L has a portrait ofhim, but whether this is a different one I do not know. Itshows him in the dress of a gentleman in the time of William andMary. His seal is in the British Library (CLIII), as is a bookwith his signature in it (of which I made a copy in the firstedition).Bibliography:Dictionary of National BiographyFoss's Judges of EnglandState Trials xii 279Luttrell's Brief RelationsBurnett's Own Time iii 91 & 223Thorpe's Lincoln's Inn MenLincoln's Inn Black BookAlso (though I have not found them)Clarendon Correspondence ii 507Raymond's ReportsFoster's Parliamentary DictionaryRawl. xxi 79

nom prefixe: Sir

niveau d'instruction: Queen's College Oxford

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