Thomas Trevor (1586-1656)
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Trevor was an English lawyer, judge and Member of Parliament
, most notable for having delivered the judgment against John Hampden
in the Ship Money
case.
He was the fifth and youngest son of John Trevor of Trevalyn, Denbighshire, and the younger brother of Richard Trevor
, John Trevor and Sackville Trevor
. He was admitted to membership of Inner Temple
at an unusually early age and was called to the bar in 1603. He was elected MP for Tregony, Cornwall
in 1601, Harwich
in 1604 (part year only) and Newport, Cornwall
in 1614 . In 1619 he was knighted and appointed solicitor to Prince Charles
; the following year, he was a reader of his inn, and he sat as MP for Saltash
in the Parliaments of 1621 and 1624-5, and for East Looe
in that of 1625. On the accession of the Prince to throne as Charles I in 1625, Trevor was advanced to the degree of serjeant-at-law
, and shortly afterwards was appointed a judge of the Court of Exchequer
. In that capacity he became a member of the Commission to exercise ecclesiastical jurisdiction in 1633.
In 1637, Trevor was one of the twelve judges who collectively gave an opinion that the Crown could legitimately collect Ship Money
, and the following year gave judgment in court to the same effect in Hampden's case. As a consequence, in 1641 Parliament began proceedings to impeach him, together with other judges who had supported ship money. Nevertheless, on the outbreak of the Civil War
he was one of the few judges who remained in London
and recognised the authority of Parliament. At the conclusion of the impeachment in 1643, he was found guilty, fined and sentenced to be imprisoned at the pleasure of the House of Lords, but he was released immediately and resumed his seat on the bench. At Michaelmas 1643, when the King
sent a writ demanding the attendance of him and another judge (Edmund Reeve) on the court at Oxford
, they refused and had the messengers arrested: one was later executed as a spy. Despite this, Trevor was opposed to the King's execution, and refused the commission that was offered to him by the new government. He then retired completely from public life until his death.
Sir Thomas was married twice, to Prudence Boteler and then to Frances Blennerhasset. His only son, by his first marriage, was Sir Thomas Trevor
(c. 1612-1676), created a baronet in 1641.
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, most notable for having delivered the judgment against John Hampden
John Hampden
John Hampden was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643)...
in the Ship Money
Ship money
Ship money refers to a tax that Charles I of England tried to levy without the consent of Parliament. This tax, which was only applied to coastal towns during a time of war, was intended to offset the cost of defending that part of the coast, and could be paid in actual ships or the equivalent value...
case.
He was the fifth and youngest son of John Trevor of Trevalyn, Denbighshire, and the younger brother of Richard Trevor
Richard Trevor (politician)
Sir Richard Trevor was a Welsh landowner, soldier and politician.He was the eldest son of John Trevor of Trevalyn Hall, Denbighshire. He was the elder brother of Sir John Trevor, Sir Thomas Trevor and Sir Sackville Trevor...
, John Trevor and Sackville Trevor
Sackville Trevor
Sir Sackville Trevor was a Welsh sea captain and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1625.Sackville Trevor was son of John Trevor of Trevalyn, Denbighshire, and the brother of Sir Richard Trevor, Sir John Trevor and Sit Thomas Trevor. He served with distinction under Admiral Howard of...
. He was admitted to membership of Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
at an unusually early age and was called to the bar in 1603. He was elected MP for Tregony, Cornwall
Tregony (UK Parliament constituency)
Tregony was a rotten borough in Cornwall which was represented in the Model Parliament of 1295, and returned two Members of Parliament to the English and later British Parliament continuously from 1562 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act....
in 1601, Harwich
Harwich (UK Parliament constituency)
Harwich was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Until its abolition for the 2010 general election it elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
in 1604 (part year only) and Newport, Cornwall
Newport (Cornwall) (UK Parliament constituency)
Newport was a rotten borough situated in Cornwall. It is now within the town of Launceston, which was itself also a parliamentary borough at the same period...
in 1614 . In 1619 he was knighted and appointed solicitor to Prince Charles
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
; the following year, he was a reader of his inn, and he sat as MP for Saltash
Saltash (UK Parliament constituency)
Saltash, sometimes called Essa, was a "rotten borough" in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1552 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
in the Parliaments of 1621 and 1624-5, and for East Looe
East Looe (UK Parliament constituency)
East Looe was a parliamentary borough represented in the House of Commons of England from 1571 to 1707, in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1797 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 until its abolition in 1832. It elected two Members of Parliament ...
in that of 1625. On the accession of the Prince to throne as Charles I in 1625, Trevor was advanced to the degree of serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
, and shortly afterwards was appointed a judge of the Court of Exchequer
Exchequer of pleas
The Exchequer of Pleas or Court of Exchequer was a court that followed equity, a set of legal principles based on natural law, and common law, in England and Wales. Originally part of the curia regis, or King's Council, the Exchequer of Pleas split from the curia during the 1190s, to sit as an...
. In that capacity he became a member of the Commission to exercise ecclesiastical jurisdiction in 1633.
In 1637, Trevor was one of the twelve judges who collectively gave an opinion that the Crown could legitimately collect Ship Money
Ship money
Ship money refers to a tax that Charles I of England tried to levy without the consent of Parliament. This tax, which was only applied to coastal towns during a time of war, was intended to offset the cost of defending that part of the coast, and could be paid in actual ships or the equivalent value...
, and the following year gave judgment in court to the same effect in Hampden's case. As a consequence, in 1641 Parliament began proceedings to impeach him, together with other judges who had supported ship money. Nevertheless, on the outbreak of the Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
he was one of the few judges who remained in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and recognised the authority of Parliament. At the conclusion of the impeachment in 1643, he was found guilty, fined and sentenced to be imprisoned at the pleasure of the House of Lords, but he was released immediately and resumed his seat on the bench. At Michaelmas 1643, when the King
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
sent a writ demanding the attendance of him and another judge (Edmund Reeve) on the court at Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, they refused and had the messengers arrested: one was later executed as a spy. Despite this, Trevor was opposed to the King's execution, and refused the commission that was offered to him by the new government. He then retired completely from public life until his death.
Sir Thomas was married twice, to Prudence Boteler and then to Frances Blennerhasset. His only son, by his first marriage, was Sir Thomas Trevor
Sir Thomas Trevor, 1st Baronet
Sir Thomas Trevor, 1st Baronet was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons of England variously between 1640 and 1648.Trevor was the son of Sir Thomas Trevor of Trevalyn Denbighs, Lord Baron of the Exchequer...
(c. 1612-1676), created a baronet in 1641.