Thomas Lucy
Thomas Lucy arrived in the world on the 24th of April 1532. He was the eldest son and heir of William Lucy who died in 1551. His mother Anne Fermer came from a family based at Easton Neston in Northamptonshire. The paternal grandparents included Sir Thomas Lucy who passed away in 1525. Elizabeth Empson was his grandmother and she was the daughter of Richard Empson. Richard Empson served as one of Henry VII's chief ministers. This lineage traced back to the Anglo-Norman de Lucy family.
William Lucy left behind several properties for his son to inherit. These holdings included Sherborne and Hampton Lucy alongside Charlecote Park near Stratford-on-Avon. John Thorpe rebuilt the house of Charlecote Park in red brick around 1558. John Thorpe was known by the name John of Padua during this period. Through marriage Thomas also acquired Sutton Park located in Worcestershire.
The year 1565 marked a significant moment in his life. Robert Dudley held the title of 1st Earl of Leicester and he was the queen's favourite. Queen Elizabeth herself ordered that Lucy be knighted. This ceremony took place under her direct behest. Her visit to Charlecote Park followed shortly after in 1572.
A plot by John Somerville against the life of Queen Elizabeth emerged in 1582. Edward Arden was arrested as a conspirator in this scheme. Lucy raided homes belonging to the Arden family who were related to Shakespeare. He also arrested and interrogated Catholic families following missionary activities by Edmund Campion. These actions demonstrated his zeal against Catholics while serving as justice of the peace.
Lucy entered Parliament as Member of Warwickshire in 1571. He won re-election as MP for Warwickshire again in 1585. By 1586 he became high sheriff of the county. His duties included appearing at Stratford-upon-Avon as commissioner of musters. An arbitration occurred between Ananias Nason and Hamnet Sadler in 1584. Nason was one of Lucy's servants while Sadler was a friend of Shakespeare.
Richard Davies recorded a story about poaching in the late 17th century. This account claimed young Shakespeare stole venison and rabbits from Lucy's estate. Davies wrote that Lucy often had him whipped or imprisoned. The narrative suggested these events forced Shakespeare to leave his native country. The tale appeared alongside versions of local ballads mocking Lucy's name.
One ballad turned the word Lucy
into lousy during its recitation. Collectors wrote down these songs in the late 17th century. Another ballad seemingly ridiculed Lucy's marriage and remained sung in Stratford around 1687. Joshua Barnes heard this song and documented it for posterity. No evidence exists that Shakespeare actually wrote either ballad.
Nicholas Rowe served as Shakespeare's first biographer and linked the poaching story to the ballad. He stated Shakespeare made a bitter ballad in revenge for ill usage. The prosecution reportedly redoubled against him until he left Warwickshire. Victorian period illustrations popularized the story through many paintings. Walter Savage Landor published Citation and Examination of William Shakespeare in 1834.
Edmond Malone argued no deer were kept at Charlecote until after Shakespeare died. John Semple Smart and Edgar Innes Fripp tried to disprove the story further. They claimed it would have been illegal to keep deer outside a licensed park. Samuel Schoenbaum countered by noting Lucy possessed a free warren. This legal status supported rabbits hares pheasants and other birds.
Shakespeare sometimes satirised Lucy with the character of Justice Shallow. This figure appears in Henry IV Part 2 and The Merry Wives of Windsor. The latter play contains jokes about Lucy's name similar to the lousy ballad. Shallow and his relative Slender discuss luces which are pike fish in their coat of arms. These luces unintentionally become lice-ridden when misinterpreted as white louses.
Lucy's actual coat of arms contained luces according to records from William Dugdale. The theory linking this satire dates back to around 1688 or 1700. George Van Santvoord edited a version of The Merry Wives of Windsor that included Davies comments. Davies stated Lucy was often whipped and imprisoned while calling him Justice Clodpate.
Samuel Schoenbaum argued direct parody of Lucy is unlikely for several reasons. He questioned why Shakespeare would risk offending well placed friends who served the state. Evidence for alleged parody remains confined to The Merry Wives of Windsor alone. Leslie Hotson suggested satire targeted William Gardiner instead of Lucy. Gardiner was a corrupt Justice of the Peace whose coat also held luces.
Hotson noted Shakespeare may have remembered luces louses puns from anti-Lucy jokes in Stratford. Conflict arose between Shakespeare and Gardiner during attempts to close the Swan Theatre. Madison Davis described Lucy as nothing like Shallow in physical form or personality.
A major local scandal erupted within the family in 1600. One of Lucy's granddaughters eloped with one of the family servants. This humiliating incident occurred while Lucy was still alive. He died amidst this controversy on the 7th of July 1600. His son inherited the estate after his death. A grandson named Thomas also served as MP for Warwickshire.
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Common questions
When was Thomas Lucy born and who were his parents?
Thomas Lucy arrived in the world on the 24th of April 1532. He was the eldest son and heir of William Lucy who died in 1551.
What properties did Thomas Lucy inherit from his father William Lucy?
William Lucy left behind several properties for his son to inherit including Sherborne and Hampton Lucy alongside Charlecote Park near Stratford-on-Avon. Through marriage Thomas also acquired Sutton Park located in Worcestershire.
Why was Thomas Lucy knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1565?
Robert Dudley held the title of 1st Earl of Leicester and he was the queen's favourite when Queen Elizabeth herself ordered that Lucy be knighted. This ceremony took place under her direct behest before her visit to Charlecote Park followed shortly after in 1572.
How does the poaching story involving Thomas Lucy relate to Shakespeare?
Richard Davies recorded a story about poaching in the late 17th century claiming young Shakespeare stole venison and rabbits from Lucy's estate. The narrative suggested these events forced Shakespeare to leave his native country while ballads mocked Lucy's name as lousy.
Did Thomas Lucy actually keep deer at Charlecote Park during Shakespeare's lifetime?
Edmond Malone argued no deer were kept at Charlecote until after Shakespeare died because it would have been illegal to keep deer outside a licensed park. Samuel Schoenbaum countered by noting Lucy possessed a free warren which supported rabbits hares pheasants and other birds.
When did Thomas Lucy die and what family scandal occurred near the end of his life?
He died amidst this controversy on the 7th of July 1600 after one of his granddaughters eloped with one of the family servants. His son inherited the estate after his death while a grandson named Thomas also served as MP for Warwickshire.