Thomas Scott (of Scot's Hall)
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Scott of Scot's Hall
in Kent
, was an English Member of Parliament
(MP).
He was the eldest son of Sir Reginald Scott, a member of one of the leading families in the county, and quickly became prominent in public affairs. He was knighted in 1571, served as MP for Kent
in the parliaments of 1571 and 1586-7, and was High Sheriff
in 1576. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant, a commissioner for draining and improving Romney Marsh
, and was in charge of the improvement of Dover
harbour.
In Parliament, Scott seems to have been a consistent scourge of the Roman Catholics
. In his first Parliament, he was appointed to a joint committee with the House of Lords
to confer with the Royal lawyers on how to deal with Mary, Queen of Scots. On 15 May 1572, in the debate following the committee's report to the Commons, he regaled the House with his conclusion, that the Scots Queen was not the root of the mischief: "Rather, as a good physician before prescribing medicine, he would seek out the causes. Papistry was the principal." The second cause was the uncertainty of the succession, and the medicine he prescribed was threefold - taking away Mary's title to the succession, establishing an alternative heir and, as these two alone would be insufficient, cutting off the heads of the Scots Queen and the Duke of Alva. Scott's drastic advice was echoed by many others in the debate, but was not adopted by the government.
In February 1587, Scott was warning Parliament of the danger from Spain. (His second son, John
, was serving with the army in the Netherlands
, and was soon to win a knighthood for his services. ) He told the Commons that in his view there was "more danger by advancing Papists into place of trust and government than by anything", advice which no doubt went down well with the mood of the day, but also considered the dangers of invasion, drawing from the resistance to Julius Caesar
the lesson that the enemy should be countered at sea or fought while landing on the beaches. His attack on the Catholics caught the imagination of the Puritan
members, and he was forthwith appointed to the head of a small committee "to search certain houses in Westminster suspected of receiving and harbouring of Jesuits
, seminaries or of seditious and Popish books and trumperies of superstition." But he did not neglect his own advice on more practical military defences: at the time of the Spanish Armada
the following year, he was appointed head of the defensive force assembled to meet any invasion in Kent, and equipped four thousand men at his own expense within a day of receiving his orders.
The esteem in which he was held was demonstrated after his death in 1594 by an offer from the parish of Ashford
to bury him in the parish church free of charge, although his heirs declined the offer and he was buried at Brabourne
. He married three times. His second son, Sir John Scott
, was also MP for Kent and an early investor in the Colony of Virginia.
Scot's Hall
Scott's Hall was a country house in Smeeth, between Ashford and Folkestone in southeast England. It was the property of a gentry family, the Scotts. The first known resident was Sir John Scott Esq. b...
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, was an English Member of Parliament
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,...
(MP).
He was the eldest son of Sir Reginald Scott, a member of one of the leading families in the county, and quickly became prominent in public affairs. He was knighted in 1571, served as MP for Kent
Kent (UK Parliament constituency)
Kent was a parliamentary constituency covering the county of Kent in southeast England. It returned two "knights of the shire" to the House of Commons by the bloc vote system from the year 1290...
in the parliaments of 1571 and 1586-7, and was High Sheriff
High Sheriff of Kent
The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
in 1576. He was also a Deputy Lieutenant, a commissioner for draining and improving Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh
Romney Marsh is a sparsely populated wetland area in the counties of Kent and East Sussex in the south-east of England. It covers about 100 mi ² .-Quotations:*“As Egypt was the gift of the Nile, this level tract .....
, and was in charge of the improvement of Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
harbour.
In Parliament, Scott seems to have been a consistent scourge of the Roman Catholics
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. In his first Parliament, he was appointed to a joint committee with the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
to confer with the Royal lawyers on how to deal with Mary, Queen of Scots. On 15 May 1572, in the debate following the committee's report to the Commons, he regaled the House with his conclusion, that the Scots Queen was not the root of the mischief: "Rather, as a good physician before prescribing medicine, he would seek out the causes. Papistry was the principal." The second cause was the uncertainty of the succession, and the medicine he prescribed was threefold - taking away Mary's title to the succession, establishing an alternative heir and, as these two alone would be insufficient, cutting off the heads of the Scots Queen and the Duke of Alva. Scott's drastic advice was echoed by many others in the debate, but was not adopted by the government.
In February 1587, Scott was warning Parliament of the danger from Spain. (His second son, John
John Scott (of Scot's Hall)
Sir John Scott , of Scot's Hall in Kent, was an English soldier, Member of Parliament and an early investor in the Colony of Virginia. The second son of Sir Thomas Scott, he served as captain of a band of lancers in the English army in the Netherlands, and in 1588 was knighted for his services...
, was serving with the army in the Netherlands
Dutch Revolt
The Dutch Revolt or the Revolt of the Netherlands This article adopts 1568 as the starting date of the war, as this was the year of the first battles between armies. However, since there is a long period of Protestant vs...
, and was soon to win a knighthood for his services. ) He told the Commons that in his view there was "more danger by advancing Papists into place of trust and government than by anything", advice which no doubt went down well with the mood of the day, but also considered the dangers of invasion, drawing from the resistance to Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
the lesson that the enemy should be countered at sea or fought while landing on the beaches. His attack on the Catholics caught the imagination of the Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
members, and he was forthwith appointed to the head of a small committee "to search certain houses in Westminster suspected of receiving and harbouring of Jesuits
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
, seminaries or of seditious and Popish books and trumperies of superstition." But he did not neglect his own advice on more practical military defences: at the time of the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
the following year, he was appointed head of the defensive force assembled to meet any invasion in Kent, and equipped four thousand men at his own expense within a day of receiving his orders.
The esteem in which he was held was demonstrated after his death in 1594 by an offer from the parish of Ashford
Ashford, Kent
Ashford is a town in the borough of Ashford in Kent, England. In 2005 it was voted the fourth best place to live in the United Kingdom. It lies on the Great Stour river, the M20 motorway, and the South Eastern Main Line and High Speed 1 railways. Its agricultural market is one of the most...
to bury him in the parish church free of charge, although his heirs declined the offer and he was buried at Brabourne
Brabourne
Brabourne is a village and civil parish in the Ashford district of Kent, England. The village centre is just under five miles east of Ashford town centre.The centre of the modern village of Brabourne is the Five Bells pub, which overlooks the village green...
. He married three times. His second son, Sir John Scott
John Scott (of Scot's Hall)
Sir John Scott , of Scot's Hall in Kent, was an English soldier, Member of Parliament and an early investor in the Colony of Virginia. The second son of Sir Thomas Scott, he served as captain of a band of lancers in the English army in the Netherlands, and in 1588 was knighted for his services...
, was also MP for Kent and an early investor in the Colony of Virginia.