Thomas Smythe (customer)
Thomas Smythe or Smith, of London, Ashford and Westenhanger, Kent was the collector of customs duties in London during the Tudor period, and a member of parliament for five English constituencies successively in the 1550s and 1560s. His son and namesake, Sir Thomas Smythe, was the first governor of the East India Company, treasurer of the Virginia Company, and an active supporter of the Virginia colony.
Early life
Thomas Smythe, born in 1522, was the second son of John Smythe of Corsham, Wiltshire, and Joan Brouncker, the daughter of Robert Brouncker of Melksham, also in Wiltshire. His father, a substantial yeoman and clothier, left Smythe a farm in the Hundred of Amesbury, Wiltshire, which provided an annual income of £20. After his father's death, Smythe moved to the City of London to seek his fortune; he was aged about sixteen at the time.At an unknown date, Smythe was admitted to his father's merchant guild, the Haberdashers, and later to the Worshipful Company of Skinners, where he secured the favour of Sir Andrew Judde, a wealthy merchant, Kent landowner, and Lord Mayor of London in 1550, to whom he was later related by marriage.
Career
Smythe was one of the two members of parliament for Tavistock in October 1553, for Aylesbury in April 1554, for Rye in November 1554, for Winchelsea in 1555, and for Portsmouth in 1563.During the reign of Mary I of England, Smythe purchased the Office of the Customs from one Mr. Cocker for £2,500. He was confirmed in his appointment at the Customs on the accession of Elizabeth I in 1558, and he continued in the office for 11 years. In 1567, he appears to have incurred her Majesty's severe displeasure, having been accused of issuing privy warrants leading to a £6,000 loss; his friend William Cecil, Lord Burghley, intervened and helped Smythe escape imprisonment. Cecil persuaded the Queen to be lenient, arguing that if Smythe was allowed more time he would repay this loss.
Elizabeth began to require larger and larger fines to renew Smythe's leases in order to replenish her exchequer. Over time, Smythe became unable to meet these demands and again fell under her Majesty's severe displeasure. In October 1589 his counteroffer of a more modest payment was rejected.
Marriage and children
In around 1554, Smythe married Alice Judde, the eldest daughter of Sir Andrew Judde by his first wife, Mary Murfyn, by whom he had 13 children:- Andrew Smythe, eldest son, who died an infant.
- Sir John Smythe, second son, of Ostenhanger, in 1576 married Elizabeth Fineaux.
- Sir Thomas Smythe, who married firstly, Judith Culverwell, the daughter of Richard Culverwell; secondly Joan Hobbs, the daughter of William Hobbs; and thirdly, Sarah Blount, the daughter of William Blount. He had no issue by his first two marriages; by his third marriage he had three sons and a daughter. His widow, Sarah, married Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester.
- Henry Smythe, of Corsham and Baydon, Wiltshire, who married Elizabeth Owen, daughter of Thomas Owen, Serjeant-at-law. He was mentioned in his mother's will, dated 1592, proved 11 May 1598.
- Sir Richard Smythe, of Leeds Castle, who married firstly Elizabeth Scott, the daughter of Sir Thomas Scott, and in 1589 married Jane White.
- Symon Smythe, was killed at the siege of Cadiz in June 1596.
- Elizabeth Smythe, who was unmarried at the time of Smythe's death in 1591, and later married Sir Henry Fanshawe.
- Mary Smythe, who married Robert Davy of London.
- Joan Smythe, who married Thomas Fanshawe, Esquire of Ware Park, Hertfordshire.
- Katherine Smythe, who married, at the age of sixteen, Sir Rowland Hayward, Lord Mayor of London in 1571, then Sir John Scott of Nettlestead, Kent, son of Sir Thomas Scott of Scot's Hall in Kent and Elizabeth Baker of Sissinghurst; her mural monument survives in Nettlestead Church.
- Alice Smythe, who married William Harris
- Ursula Smythe, who married, firstly, Simon Harding; secondly, William Butler of Biddenham, Bedfordshire.
Death
The following is a translation of the Latin inscription on Smythe's monument: