Page:A catalogue of notable Middle Templars, with brief biographical notices.djvu/284



Admitted 28 November, 1656.

Eldest son of John Winnington of Winnington, Cheshire, born at Worcester 1634. He was called to the Bar 9 Feb. 1659-60, elected Bencher 24 Jan. 1672-3, Reader 1675, and Treasurer the same year. He was Standing Counsel to Prince Rupert, and was knighted in 1672. He had a large practice at the Bar and was created Solicitor-General on 19 Feb. 1674, but was deprived of his office for supporting the Exclusion Bill ot 1678, losing at the dissolution his seat for Windsor. He subsequently sat for Worcester and Tewkesbury in Parliament, and was offered a Judgeship, which he declined. He died 1 May, 1700, and was buried at Stanford, Worcestershire, where there is a monument to his memory. He was the tutor of Lord Somers (q.v.), but was as much famed for riding and field sports as for his law. A letter from him in Warner's Epistolary Curiosities is all he has left behind of a literary nature.

Admitted 2 December, 1714.

Second son of Salwey Winnington of Stanford Court, co. Worcester, and of the Middle Temple, and grandson of Sir (q.v.). He was educated at Westminster and Oxford, where he was commonly called "Penny" Winnington from the supposed meanness of his disposition. He was returned to Parliament in 1725 and became a Lord of the Admiralty in 1730. In 1741 he became a Privy Councillor. He might probably have attained to a much greater position but for his premature death 23 April, 1746. Walpole described him as "one of the first men in England from his parts and his employment, without an equal in public life."

Admitted 10 November, 1590.

Second son of George Winter of Hoddington, Worcester. He was admitted with his elder brother Robert from New Inn. They were of an ancient family of Welsh descent (Gwyntwr), and related to their fellow conspirators, Robert Catesby and Francis Tresham. Thomas was an able man and good linguist, and in his youth had seen service in the Netherlands. His connexion with the Gunpowder Plot and the part he took in it have been the subject of much controversy; but there seems no reason to doubt the facts as detailed in his own Confession, "written with his own hand, 25 Nov. 1605." He took a prominent part in the laying of the mine, and was the last to fly on hearing of its discovery. He was taken prisoner with the other conspirators, not killed, at Holbeach, in Staffordshire, 8 Nov. 1605, and committed to the Tower. He was put upon his trial 27 Jan. following, and condemned and executed on the 31st. His brother suffered the previous day. During all these proceedings he behaved with courage and resolution.

Admitted 12 November, 1761.

Fifth son of John Wolfe of Forenaughts, co. Kildare. He was educated at Dublin University and called to the Irish Bar in 1766. In 1784 he entered the Irish Parliament as member for Coleraine, and subsequently (1798) for Dublin. He was appointed Solicitor-General in 1787, Attorney-General in