Thomas was born in 1530, the second son of George Bromley
(died 1533) of Hodnet in the county of Shropshire and Jane,
daughter of Sir Thomas Lacon. He was descended from an ancient
family established since the reign of King John at Bromleghe in
Staffordshire. He was educated at Oxford and entered the Inner
Temple in London as a lawyer and he was also a Member of
Parliament. In 1579 he became Lord Chancellor and presided at the
trial of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1587. He married Elizabeth,
daughter of Sir Adrian Fortescue, and she was buried at St
Margaret’s Church Westminster on 2 June 1602. They had four sons
and four daughters: Elizabeth married Sir Oliver Cromwell (uncle
of the more famous Oliver), Anne married Richard Corbet, Muriel
married John Lyttelton and Joan married Sir Edward Greville. We
only know the name of their eldest son, Sir Henry. Thomas’ elder
brother George (died 1589) was also an eminent lawyer and M.P.
and married Joan Wannerton.
Thomas died on 12 April 1587 and was buried in the chapel of
St Paul in Westminster Abbey, where he has a large monument,
incorporating his alabaster effigy dressed in an embroidered
robe. Carved figures of his eight children kneel at the base of
the structure. The Latin inscription can be translated: “Thomas
Bromley, knight, remarkable for his wisdom, piety and knowledge
of the Law, Privy Counsellor to Queen Elizabeth, and Lord
Chancellor; when he had for eight years delivered equity with
singular integrity and temper of mind, being snatched hastily
away, to the grief of all good men, was here buried. He lived 57
years, and died the 12th of April, anno 1587. He left by his Lady
Elizabeth, of the family of Fortescues, eight children, Henry his
son has to the best of fathers erected this monument.” At the
feet of his effigy is a cock pheasant, the family crest. His coat
of arms appears at the top of the monument: “per fess indented
gules and or” (ie.four quarters alternating in red and gold,
either side of a horizontal serrated line).
A photograph of his monument can be purchased from Westminster
Abbey Library.
Further reading: “The Dictionary of National Biography”
(London, 1908) for Sir Thomas and several other members of the
Bromley family.