Sir Thomas Aylesbury, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Aylesbury, 1st Baronet (1576 – 1657) was an English civil servant, Surveyor of the Navy
from 1628 and jointly Master of the Mint
from 1635, and a patron of mathematical learning.
Aylesbury passed in 1598 to Christ Church, Oxford
, where he took the degrees of B.A. and M.A. in 1602 and 1605 respectively.
On leaving college he was appointed secretary to Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham
, lord high admiral of England. He was continued in the post by George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
, Nottingham's successor (1619), who befriended him actively, procuring for him the additional offices of one of the masters of requests with (19 April 1627) the title of baronet. He was Surveyor for the Navy from 1628 for four years, and naval commissioner inspecting the fleet at Portsmouth
in 1630 with Phineas Pett
.
In 1635 Aylesbury, jointly with Ralph Freeman
, formed a commission exercising the powers of the Master of the Mint. This came about by the exclusion from the position of Robert Harley, in favour of the previous incumbent Randal Cranfield, who then died suddenly.
In 1642 he was, as a steady royalist, stripped of his fortune and places, and on the death of the king retired with his family to Antwerp. He moved in 1652 to Breda
, and there died in 1657 at the age of 81. He had one son, William Aylesbury
, and a daughter, Frances
, who married Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon
, by whom she became the mother of Anne Hyde
, first wife of King James II of England
.
at Cranbourne Chase, adjoining Windsor Great Park
, while others enjoyed his hospitality in London. Besides his support, he also was a pupil or at times a collaborator.
Amongst his dependants were Walter Warner
, who at his request wrote a treatise on coins, coinage and alloys, work also involving Charles Thynne. Another was Thomas Allen
, of Oxford, whom he recommended to Buckingham, and who made him the depositary of his astrological writings.
Thomas Hariot bequeathed to Aylesbury, with Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester
, his papers. Warner gave an account towards the end of his life to John Pell
of how with Hariot they had carried out experiments on Snell's law
at Aylesbury's house. Aylesbury was involved during the 1620s in the publication of Hariot's posthumous Artis Analyticae Praxis, certainly as a financial supporter under a deal worked out with Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland
; the editorial work was carried out by Warner, but Aylesbury may have contributed also.
Many of the papers he had accumulated, with other manuscripts and his library, were either lost during the English Civil War
, or sold when he was abroad. These included the only manuscript of the Ormulum
, which from internal evidence belonged to Aylesbury before it passed to Jan van Vliet
.
Surveyor of the Navy
The Surveyor to the Navy was a civilian officer in the Royal Navy. He was a member of the Navy Board from the inauguration of that body in 1546, and held overall responsibility for the design of British warships, although until 1745 the actual design work for warships built at each Royal Dockyard...
from 1628 and jointly Master of the Mint
Master of the Mint
Master of the Mint was an important office in the governments of Scotland and England, and later Great Britain, between the 16th and 19th centuries. The Master was the highest officer in the Royal Mint. Until 1699, appointment was usually for life. Its holder occasionally sat in the cabinet...
from 1635, and a patron of mathematical learning.
Life
He was born in London in 1576, the second son of William Aylesbury and Anne Poole, his wife. From Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
Aylesbury passed in 1598 to Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church, Oxford
Christ Church or house of Christ, and thus sometimes known as The House), is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, where he took the degrees of B.A. and M.A. in 1602 and 1605 respectively.
On leaving college he was appointed secretary to Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham
Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham
Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham , known as Howard of Effingham, was an English statesman and Lord High Admiral under Elizabeth I and James I...
, lord high admiral of England. He was continued in the post by George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
, Nottingham's successor (1619), who befriended him actively, procuring for him the additional offices of one of the masters of requests with (19 April 1627) the title of baronet. He was Surveyor for the Navy from 1628 for four years, and naval commissioner inspecting the fleet at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
in 1630 with Phineas Pett
Phineas Pett
Phineas Pett was a shipwright and a member of the Pett dynasty.-Family background:Born at "Deptford Strond", he was the second son of Peter Pett of Deptford, his elder brother being named Joseph....
.
In 1635 Aylesbury, jointly with Ralph Freeman
Ralph Freeman (lawyer)
Sir Ralph Freeman was an English civil lawyer, also known as a dramatist and translator. He should not be confused with another Sir Ralph Freeman who was lord mayor of London, and died on 16 March 1634.-Life:...
, formed a commission exercising the powers of the Master of the Mint. This came about by the exclusion from the position of Robert Harley, in favour of the previous incumbent Randal Cranfield, who then died suddenly.
In 1642 he was, as a steady royalist, stripped of his fortune and places, and on the death of the king retired with his family to Antwerp. He moved in 1652 to Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
, and there died in 1657 at the age of 81. He had one son, William Aylesbury
William Aylesbury
William Aylesbury , was an English translator from the Italian.Aylesbury, although a supporter of Charles I, obtained an office under the Commonwealth, was the son of Sir Thomas Aylesbury; in 1628 he became a gentleman commoner at Christ Church, Oxford, and took his bachelor's degree in 1631, at...
, and a daughter, Frances
Frances Hyde, Countess of Clarendon
Frances Hyde, Countess of Clarendon - , was an English peeress and the mother-in-law of James II of England and grandmother of Queen Mary II and Queen Anne....
, who married Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon was an English historian and statesman, and grandfather of two English monarchs, Mary II and Queen Anne.-Early life:...
, by whom she became the mother of Anne Hyde
Anne Hyde
Anne Hyde was the first wife of James, Duke of York , and the mother of two monarchs, Mary II of England and Scotland and Anne of Great Britain....
, first wife of King James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
.
Patronage and scholarly interests
He supported scholars with pensions, or maintained them at his country seat, Cranbourne LodgeCranbourne Lodge
Cranbourne Lodge was a keeper's lodge for the royal hunting grounds of Cranbourne Chase, once adjoining but now part of Windsor Great Park in the English county of Berkshire...
at Cranbourne Chase, adjoining Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park
Windsor Great Park is a large deer park of , to the south of the town of Windsor on the border of Berkshire and Surrey in England. The park was, for many centuries, the private hunting ground of Windsor Castle and dates primarily from the mid-13th century...
, while others enjoyed his hospitality in London. Besides his support, he also was a pupil or at times a collaborator.
Amongst his dependants were Walter Warner
Walter Warner
Walter Warner was an English mathematician and scientist.-Life:He was born in Leicestershire and educated at Merton College, Oxford, graduating B.A. in 1578....
, who at his request wrote a treatise on coins, coinage and alloys, work also involving Charles Thynne. Another was Thomas Allen
Thomas Allen (mathematician)
Thomas Allen was an English mathematician and astrologer.-Life:He was admitted scholar of Trinity College, Oxford, in 1561; and graduated as M.A. in 1567...
, of Oxford, whom he recommended to Buckingham, and who made him the depositary of his astrological writings.
Thomas Hariot bequeathed to Aylesbury, with Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester
Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester , second son of Sir Henry Sidney, was a statesman of Elizabethan and Jacobean England. He was also a patron of the arts and an interesting poet...
, his papers. Warner gave an account towards the end of his life to John Pell
John Pell
-Early life:He was born at Southwick in Sussex. He was educated at Steyning Grammar School, and entered Trinity College, Cambridge, at the age of thirteen. During his university career he became an accomplished linguist, and even before he took his B.A. degree corresponded with Henry Briggs and...
of how with Hariot they had carried out experiments on Snell's law
Snell's law
In optics and physics, Snell's law is a formula used to describe the relationship between the angles of incidence and refraction, when referring to light or other waves passing through a boundary between two different isotropic media, such as water and glass...
at Aylesbury's house. Aylesbury was involved during the 1620s in the publication of Hariot's posthumous Artis Analyticae Praxis, certainly as a financial supporter under a deal worked out with Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland KG was an English aristocrat. He was a grandee and one of the wealthiest peers of the court of Elizabeth I. Under James I, Henry was a long-term prisoner in the Tower of London. He is known for the circles he moved in as well as for his own achievements...
; the editorial work was carried out by Warner, but Aylesbury may have contributed also.
Many of the papers he had accumulated, with other manuscripts and his library, were either lost during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, or sold when he was abroad. These included the only manuscript of the Ormulum
Ormulum
The Ormulum or Orrmulum is a twelfth-century work of biblical exegesis, written by a monk named Orm and consisting of just under 19,000 lines of early Middle English verse...
, which from internal evidence belonged to Aylesbury before it passed to Jan van Vliet
Jan van Vliet
Jan van Vliet , also known as Janus Ulitius, was one of the 17th century pioneers of Germanic philology....
.