Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 56.djvu/164

  1895–7; Rymer's Fœdera, Record and original edits.; Ordinances of the Privy Council, ed. Nicolas; Walsingham's Historia Anglicana, Annales Ricardi II (with Trokelowe), Knighton, the Eulogium Historiarum, and Roll of King's Council in Ireland, 1392–3 (in Rolls Series); Chronique de la Traison et Mort de Richard II, ed. Engl. Hist. Soc.; Chron. of the Monk of Evesham, ed. Hearne; Adam of Usk, ed. Maunde Thompson; Froissart, ed. Luce and Kervyn de Lettenhove; Chronique du Religieux de St. Denys, ed. Bellaguet; Dugdale's Baronage; Sandford's Genealogical History of the Kings of England, ed. 1677; Gough's History of Pleshy; Newcourt's Repertorium Ecclesiasticum Parochiale Londinense, ii. 469 (for his college); G. E. C[okayne]'s Complete Peerage; Doyle's Official Baronage; Wallon's Richard II; other authorities in the text.]  THOMAS, (1388?–1421), second son of Henry IV, by his first wife, Mary de Bohun, was born in London before 30 Sept. 1388. On the whole it seems most likely that Henry of Monmouth was born in August 1387, and Thomas not quite a year later (but see, iii. 324, where the autumn of 1387 is preferred as the date of Thomas's birth). There are various trifling notices of Thomas as a child in the accounts of the duchy of Lancaster (ib. iii. 324–6). On his father's accession to the throne he was made seneschal of England on 5 Oct., and on the following Sunday (12 Oct.) was one of the knights created in preparation for the coronation next day. Liberal grants of land were made for his support in his office in November, but this appointment was of course only nominal, the actual duties being discharged by Thomas Percy, earl of Worcester, who after a year's time was himself made seneschal, as the prince was too young to discharge the office (Annales Henrici Quarti, pp. 287, 337). Thomas was with his father at Windsor at Christmas 1399, and was removed in haste to London on the report of the plot to seize the king and his sons. In the summer of 1401 he was made lieutenant of Ireland, Sir Thomas Erpingham and Sir Hugh Waterton being named his wardens. He crossed over in November, reaching Dublin on the 13th. A council met at Christmas, and took Thomas for a journey down the coast to reassert his authority. The difficulties of the English government in Ireland were great, and the boy lieutenant added naturally to the cares of his guardians. On 20 Aug. 1402 the archbishop of Dublin reported that Thomas had not a penny in the world, and was shut up at Naas with his council and a small retinue, who dared not leave him for fear harm might befall (Royal Letters, p. 67). Eventually, on 1 Sept. 1403, it was decided that Thomas should come home, though nominally he remained lieutenant of Ireland, which was ruled by his deputy. In the autumn of 1404 he was with his brother Henry in South Wales, and took part in the attempted relief of Coyty Castle, Glamorganshire, in November. On 20 Feb. 1405 he was given command of the fleet (Fœdera, viii. 388) which assembled at Sandwich, and on 22 May crossed to Sluys, where the English burnt some vessels in the harbour, but failed in an attack on the town. Thomas had a narrow escape in a fight with some Genoese caracks off Cadsand, and, after ravaging the coast of Normandy, the fleet returned to England by July (Annales Henrici Quarti, p. 401;, ii. 106–5). On 1 March 1406 Thomas was confirmed in his appointment as lieutenant of Ireland for twelve years (, Proc. Privy Council, i. 315–18). He did not, however, go to Ireland, but was present at the parliament in June, when the succession to the throne was regulated. In July he went to Lynn to witness the departure of his sister Philippa for Denmark, and in August accompanied his father on a progress through Lincolnshire. At the close of the year he was made captain of Guines, where he probably served through the greater part of 1407.

On 8 March 1408, being then in London, Thomas agreed to accept a reduced payment for his office in Ireland. The affairs of that country required his presence, and in May it was arranged that he should cross over. He sailed accordingly on 2 Aug., and, landing at Carlingford, proceeded to Dublin. His first act was to arrest the Earl of Kildare and his sons, and in the autumn he made a raid into Leinster, in the course of which he was wounded at Kilmainham. In January 1409 he held a parliament at Kilkenny, but in March was recalled to England by the news of his father's illness (, iii. 166–9). The government was now passing into the hands of the Prince of Wales, who was supported by the Beauforts. Thomas quarrelled with Henry Beaufort over the money due to him on his marriage with the widow of his uncle, John Beaufort, earl of Somerset (Chron. Giles, pp. 61–2). This quarrel brought Thomas into opposition to his brother, whose policy rested on the support of the Beauforts. However, little is heard of Thomas during 1410 and 1411, except for some notices of his riotous conduct at London, where in June 1410 he and his brother John were involved in a fray with the men of the town at Eastcheap; in the following year the ‘Lord Thomas men’ were again concerned in a great debate in Bridge Street (Chron. Lond.