SCROPE, Thomas (c.1561-1609)

Scrope was probably descended from Robert Scrope, who held property in northern Lincolnshire and the East Riding in 1166 and was son of Richard Scrope and Agnes, daughter of the prominent Norman baron, Richard de Clare. Robert’s son, Simon, married a north Yorkshire heiress and so acquired land in the manor of Wensley, where the family subsequently settled.21 B. Vale, ‘Scropes of Bolton and of Masham, c.1300-c.1450’ (York. Univ. Ph.D. thesis, 1987), 13, 16; CP, xi. 532.

It was the brothers, Henry, and Geoffrey Scrope (most likely Simon’s great-grandsons) who, in the early decades of the fourteenth century, brought the family to national prominence. Both served as lord chief justice of King’s Bench and both accumulated large estates which became the foundations of noble dynasties; Geoffrey’s son Henry^† was summoned to Parliament in 1350 as Lord Scrope (of Masham), and Henry’s son Richard^† (c.1327-1403) was summoned in 1371 as Lord ‘Lescrop’. The latter built Bolton Castle in Wensley, which became the principal seat of his branch of the family, and served as lord treasurer, warden of the west march and lord chancellor. His eldest son, William^†, a favourite of Richard II, was created earl of Wiltshire in 1397, but was executed two years later, in the lifetime of his father. Consequently it was William’s brother Roger^† who inherited the barony belonging to the Bolton branch of the family. Roger acquired the manor of Langar in Nottinghamshire, which became an alternative family home.22 Vale, 22, 29, 89, 123; CP, xi. 540, 561, 572; Sainty, Judges, 6-7; Oxford DNB, xlix. 560-1, 567-8. Thomas Scrope, the subject of this biography, was Roger’s direct descendant and was summoned to Parliament from 1593 as ‘Scrope de Bolton, according to the official record of the issue of writs, although the suffix was by then unnecessary as the Masham line had died out in 1517.23 CP, xi. 540; C218/1/14, 17, 18.

Like the 1st Lord Scrope, Thomas’ father, Henry Scrope^†, 9th Lord Scrope, was warden of the west march, as well as constable of Carlisle Castle, and as such he took charge of Mary, queen of Scots after her arrival in Carlisle in 1568. Although his wife conveyed messages to Mary from her brother, Thomas Howard^†, 4th duke of Norfolk, his loyalty to Elizabeth I was never questioned and he was subsequently made a knight of the Garter.24 Oxford DNB online sub Scrope, Henry, 9th Baron Scrope of Bolton (Oct. 2009). Scrope himself undoubtedly owed his election to the Commons for Cumberland in the 1580s to his father’s position as warden. He was evidently at Carlisle when his father died there in June 1592, as he immediately took charge of the castle, but was not formally appointed constable and warden of the west march until the following March.25 CSP Dom. Addenda 1580-1625, p. 341.

Scrope inherited lands worth £1,454 a year plus £244 in reversion; his wife’s jointure was worth a further £300 a year, and he received £425 annually from the profits of leases of crown lands.26 Ibid. 332-3. His official salary for both his offices totalled 700 marks a year, much of which was consumed by expenses.27 CPR 1592-3 ed. C. Leighton (L. and I. Soc. cclxxxii), 82, 130; Mems. of Robert Carey ed. F.H. Mares, 22.

Scrope enjoyed significant advantages in the Elizabethan period. His wife was a cousin of the queen, whom she served at court, and he himself enjoyed sufficient favour to be made a knight of the Garter in 1599.28 HMC Hatfield, xviii. 444. Moreover, he was an honest and conscientious royal servant. Nevertheless, his service on the Scottish border attracted widespread criticism, much of which was self-interested and needs to be treated with caution. Possibly the fairest contemporary assessment of him was made in 1597 by Tobie Matthew^*, bishop of Durham (later archbishop of York), who described him as ‘of deep wit, of a noble and liberal inclination, but so secret and sole in his intentions, as some do hold him over-jealous’.29 R.T. Spence, ‘Pacification of the Cumberland Borders, 1593-1628’, NH, xiii. 69; CBP, ii. 323.

Scrope’s advocacy of severe measures in response to the disorders of the border clans clashed with the more concilatory approach advocated by the Privy Council. Morever, until at least 1598, the Scottish king, James VI, was not inclined to restrain raiding by his own subjects. Relations between Scrope and his opposite numbers in Scotland improved thereafter, but as late December 1602 James complained that Scrope had made frequent incursions into Scotland, stirring up disorder. However, the queen remained satisfied with his performance, as his requests to resign were refused. Consequently, he was still in office when Elizabeth died in March 1603.30 Spence, 65, 67-9, 86, 90; HP Commons, 1558-1603, iii. 360; CSP Scot. 1597-1603, p. 1087.

Scrope was apparently in London soon after the death of the queen in March 1603, as his name appears on the proclamation announcing the accession of James I dated 24 Mar. 1603. However, it seems likely that he did not actually arrive in the capital until after that date, as his name was omitted from the earliest versions of this document.31 Stuart Royal Proclamations I: Jas. I ed. J.F. Larkin and P.L. Hughes, 3-4; Reg. PC Scot, vi. 549; ‘News-Letters from Sir Edmund Moundeford’ ed. C.R. Manning, Norf. Arch. v. 56. He must have quickly returned to the north as he met the new monarch at Widdrington in Northumberland in early April. Having previously assured James of his support, this meeting was amicable, Scrope reporting that ‘the king uses me in good sort’. James, however, refused to grant Scrope permission to visit his Nottinghamshire home, as a fresh wave of disorder beset the west march. In despair, Scrope asked Secretary of State Sir Robert Cecil^* (later 1st earl of Salisbury) for permission ‘to be quitted of the place [i.e. his wardenship]’, with the result that, before the end of the month, he was told he might leave. The following month, however, his wife, sent to Berwick to greet Anne of Denmark, failed to secure office in the new queen’s household. In June Scrope was replaced in his border offices by George Clifford^*, 3rd earl of Cumberland.32 HMC Hatfield, xv. 20, 46-7, 50-1; H.M. Payne, ‘Aristocratic Women and the Jacobean Court, 1603-25’ (London Univ. Ph.D. thesis, 2001), 24, 31; SO3/2, pp. 30-1.

As Cumberland did not travel to the border until the following October, Scrope temporarily remained in the north, being excused attendance at the delayed Garter feast. However, the vigorous prosecution of disorders by Cumberland’s deputy may have enabled him to leave for his estates before the autumn.33 Spence, 98; SP15/35/26. It seems likely that he retired to Langar, as after 1603 he evidently ceased to regard Bolton Castle as his home.34 CBP, ii. 227, 388, 624. He subsequently attempted to secure compensation for his loss of office, but was unsuccessful (presumably because he had asked to resign), save for the grant of the stewardship of former monastic properties which he already leased from the crown.35 HMC Hatfield, xvii. 635-6; CPR, 1599-1600 ed. C. Smith, S.R. Neal and C. Leighton (L. and I. Soc. cccxxxii), 177-8.

Scrope attended 53 of the 71 sittings of the 1604 session of Parliament, three-quarters of the total, but was only named to ten of the 70 committees established by the upper House. Seven of his committees concerned legislation, including two for the maintenance of harbours in Yorkshire.36 LJ, ii. 281a, 286a, 312b. He was also instructed to attend three conferences with the Commons, concerning wardship, the continuance of temporary legislation and the controversial book by John Thornborough^*, bishop of Bristol, on the Union.37 Ibid. 303a, 329a, 332b. It has been suggested, incorrectly, that Scrope spoke at a conference on 8 May, but this is based on a misreading of a report of the conference made to the lower House the following day. The actual spokesman for the upper House is unknown, but was subsequently described by Sir Edward Hoby^‡ as ‘a most worthy and noble councillor of estate among the lords’, a description which hardly fits Scrope.38 A. Thrush, ‘Parliamentary Opposition to Peace with Spain in 1604: a Speech of Sir Edward Hoby’, PH, xxiii. 303, 313; CJ, i. 204b.

Scrope’s attendance deteriorated in the 1605-6 session, when he was recorded as being present at only 44 of the 85 sittings, 52 per cent of the total. He was appointed to eight committees, out of the 72 established by the Lords, all concerning legislation, including one concerning a grammar school in Cumberland.39 LJ, ii. 374a. He made no recorded speeches.

A fresh session was due to start on 18 Nov. 1606, but, on the 3rd of that month a licence allowing Scrope to stay away was delivered to Cecil, by now earl of Salisbury. Scrope subsequently thanked Salisbury for procuring this licence from the king, ‘to whom I would move nothing of myself for avoiding of offence’, and enclosed his proxy.40 SO3/3, unfol. (3 Nov. 1606); Hatfield House, CP119/91; LJ, ii. 449a. Scrope finally took his seat on 14 Feb. 1607, having missed the first 25 sittings of the session, and subsequently attended regularly; in total, he was recorded as being present at 65 of the session’s 106 sittings (61 per cent). He was named to five out of 41 committees, all of them legislative. Their subjects included the enforcement of Canons not confirmed by Parliament and the abolition of the hostile laws between England and Scotland. He left no further trace on the parliamentary records.41 LJ, ii. 503a, 519b.

In September 1607 Scrope complained to Salisbury that ‘that hot lord treasurer’, Thomas Sackville^*, 1st earl of Dorset, contrary to his former promises, had issued warrants to levy money from Scrope’s Yorkshire tenants. The money owing was alleged to be due on the accounts of Scrope’s father as warden. However, Scrope claimed that the 9th Lord had in fact spent significantly more than he had received on his official duties.42 HMC Hatfield, xix. 259. In another letter to Salisbury, which may date from around the same time, Scrope made a further complaint against Dorset, for having granted leases of crown properties, long rented by Scrope’s ancestors, to others ‘notwithstanding his honourable promises and assurances to me to the contrary’. Scrope lamented that ‘nothing is left me of his Majesty[’s favour]’, and that, of the former wardens of the borders, ‘I only am forgotten’. He requested Salisbury’s support in securing an unspecified ‘small thing’, but no grant from the crown was forthcoming.43 Hatfield House, CP124/147. He died, probably at Langar, on 2 Sept. 1609, where he was buried the following day.44 Godfrey, 215. No will or grant of administration has been found. He was succeeded by his only son Emanuel^*, who was created earl of Sunderland in 1627.