Thomas Egerton, lord Ellesmere (1540-1616/7).
[907]Sir Thomas Egerton[EF], Lord Chancellor, was the naturall sonne of Sir Richard Egerton of <Ridley> in Cheshire.—This information I had 30 yeares since from Sir John Egerton of Egerton in Cheshire, baronet, the chiefe of that family.
He was of Lincoln's-Inne, and I have heard Sir John Danvers say that he was so hard a student, that in three or 4 yeares time he was not out of the howse. He had good parts, and early came into good practise.
My old father, Colonel Sharington Talbot[LXXII.], told me that (Gilbert, I thinke), earle of Shrewesbury, desired him to buy that noble mannour of Ellesmer for him, and delivered him the money. Egerton liked the bargain and the seate so well, that truly he e'en kept it for himselfe, and afterwards made it his baronry, but the money he restored to the earl of Shrewsbury again[908].
[LXXII.] He had, I believe, 200 adopted sonnes.
Dyed ..., and was buried....
He was a great patron to Ben Johnson, as appeares by severall epistles to him.
His son and heire, since earle of Bridgewater, was an indefatigable ringer—vide the ballad.
[909]Chancellor Egerton haz a monument in the south wall of St. Martin's-in-the-fields chancell; but the upper part (greatest) is covered with a pue or gallerie.
Tuta frequensque licet sit via, crimen habet.
Ovid <Ars Amat. i. 585>.
Translated by Theophilus Wodinoth:—
But safe and common though it be, 'tis knavery, by your leave.
Note.
[EF] Aubrey gives in colours the coat:—'argent, a lion rampant gules between 3 pheons sable [Egerton].'