History

Thomas Bromley 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 for Sir Thomas and several other members of the Bromley family:

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 2004