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Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset (1536 – April 19, 1608) was an English statesman and poet, son of Richard Sackville. He was a Member of Parliament and Lord High Treasurer. His houses, Knole House, at Knole in Kent, and Michelham Priory are celebrated.
He had just been installed as Grand Master Mason at York on St John's Day, 27th December 1561 when an armed force arrived from The Queen, who had heard that the Masons had secrets which would not be revealed to her. Undismayed, Sackville took the opportunity to convince them that Freemasonry was “the most useful system ever founded on divine and moral laws” and initiated the senior officers; so that when the Queen received their report she “esteemed freemasons as men that cultivated peace and friendship, arts and sciences, and never again sought to dislodge them”.
He was author, with Thomas Norton, of the play Gorboduc (1562).
He was created Baron Buckhurst, of Buckhurst in the County of Sussex, in 1567, and Earl of Dorset in 1604. He succeeded William Cecil, Lord Burghley as Lord Treasurer in 1599, and was a capable, if uninspired, financial manager. He died in 1608.
Queen Elizabeth I acquired Bexhill Manor in 1590 and granted it to Thomas.
He married Cicely Baker and had 7 children.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Lord Lumley |
Lord Lieutenant of Sussex jointly with The Viscount Montagu The Lord De La Warr 1570–1585 |
Succeeded by The Lord Howard of Effingham |
| Vacant
Title last held by
Richard Sackville |
Custos Rotulorum of Sussex bef. 1573–1608 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Arundel |
| Preceded by The Lord Burghley |
Lord High Treasurer 1599–1608 |
Succeeded by The Earl of Salisbury |
| Academic offices | ||
| Preceded by Sir Christopher Hatton |
Chancellor of the University of Oxford 1591–1608 |
Succeeded by Richard Bancroft |
| Peerage of England | ||
| New creation | Earl of Dorset 1604–1608 |
Succeeded by Robert Sackville |
| Baron Buckhurst 1567–1608 |
||