Thomas Smythe

For other people named Thomas Smythe, seeThomas Smythe (disambiguation).

Sir Thomas Smythe
Born	c. 1558
Died	4 September 1625(1625-09-04)(aged 66–67) Sutton-at-Hone,Kent
Nationality	English
Occupation(s)	Merchant, politician, colonial administrator
Known for	Governor of theEast India Company
Spouse	Sarah Blount
Children	4
Parent(s)	Thomas "Customer" Smytheand Alice Judde

Sir Thomas Smythe(orSmith,c. 1558 – 4 September 1625)was an English merchant, politician and colonial administrator. He was the first governor of theEast India Companyand treasurer of theVirginia Companyfrom 1609 to 1620 until enveloped by scandal.

Early life

The second surviving son ofThomas "Customer" SmytheofWestenhanger Castlein Kent, by his wife Alice, daughter of SirAndrew Judde.His grandfather, John Smythe ofCorsham, Wiltshire,was described asyeoman,haberdasherand clothier, and wasHigh Sheriff of Essexfor the year of 1532. His father was also a haberdasher, and was 'customer' of the port of London. He purchasedWestenhangerfromSir Thomas Sackville,and other property fromRobert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.Thomas Smythe's elder son, Sir John Smythe or Smith (1556?–1608) of Westenhanger, wasHigh Sheriff of Kentin 1600, and father ofThomas Smythe, 1st Viscount Strangford.

Thomas senior, one of thirteen children, was brought in his father's business, and was educated atMerchant Taylors' School(1571).

Business and political career

In 1580, young Smythe was admitted to the freedom of theWorshipful Company of Haberdashersand also of theWorshipful Company of Skinners.He quickly rose to wealth and distinction after entering politics to augment his business.

Smythe was madeAuditorfor the City of London from 1597 to 1598, and Treasurer ofSt Bartholomew's Hospitalfrom 1597 to 1601. In 1597, he was briefly elected to Parliament forAylesbury.In 1599, he was electedaldermanforFarringdon Withoutand chosen as one of the twosheriffs of the City of Londonfor 1600.

Smythe financed numerous Elizabethan-eratrade ventures and voyages of exploration during the early 17th century. In 1592, Smythe obtainedsettlementrights to theVirginia colonyfrom SirWalter Raleigh.

When theEast India Companywas formed in October 1600, Smythe was appointed as its first governor by the charter dated 31 December, a position he held for only four months.

In February 1600–01, Smythe, serving as London's sheriff, was suspected of being a supporter of theRobert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essexwho, on 8 February, went to Smythe's house inGracechurch Street.Smythe advised Essex to turn himself in toJohn Garrard,theLord Mayor of London.When Essex refused, Smythe left to confer with the Lord Mayor. When Smythe was later accused of complicity in theEssex Rebellion,he was examined before thePrivy Council.He was fired from his office of sheriff and committed to theTower of London.However, his imprisonment proved short due to Queen Elizabeth's death on 24 March 1603.

On 13 May 1603, after theaccessionofJames I,Smythe wasknighted.Later that year he was re-elected to Parliament forDunwichin place ofSir Valentine Knightley,who was chosen to sit forNorthamptonshire.

After one of his sons married intro the aristocracy, Smythe became part of the "court faction" along withRobert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick.In 1614, Smythe was elected Member of Parliament forSandwichand forSaltashin 1622.

In 1603, Smythe was re-elected governor of the East India Company, and, with one break in 1606–1607, continued to hold that office until July 1621, when he was discovered to be involved in the Virginia Company scandal. During this period, the company established trade withIndia.

Thomas Smythe's letter to Fedor II of Russia (20 April 1605)

Meanwhile, in 1604, Smythe with his younger brotherRichard Smythewere appointed asreceiversfor theDuchy of Cornwall,and, in June, was named special ambassador to the Russian TsarBoris Godunov.Like Smythe's grandfather,Sir Andrew Judde,Lord Mayor of London (1550) and one of the founders of theMuscovy Company,Smythe involved himself in the Muscovy trade. Sailing fromGravesendon 13 June 1603, his party arrived atArkhangelskon 22 July, and was taken by way ofKholmogoryandVologdatoYaroslavl,where the tsar was.

During that winter, Smythe obtained new privileges for the company. In the spring he went to Moscow to meet with associates. He returned to Arkhangelsk and sailed for England on 28 May 1604. He was elected MP forDunwichthat same year.

In 1609, Smythe obtained a royal charter for the LondonVirginia Company.He became the new colony's treasurer and de facto non-resident governor until his resignation in 1620—two years after Raleigh's execution, and two years before a major revolt caused by Smythe's policy of "rooting out" thenative people.To address the new colony's many problems, Smythe ordered both the end ofreligious conversionof the Native Americans and the expansion of the tobacco crop.

In 1620, Smythe was formally charged withenrichinghimself at the expense of the company. King James revoked the colony's charter in 1624, making it a royal colony instead. Although Smythe was held to be partly to blame, and despite the king's hatred of tobacco and desire to form a Christian empire, Smythe nonetheless retained the king's support.

Parliamentarians urging thegraftinvestigation includedNicholas Ferrar(Smythe's former deputy) andEdwin Sandys.The inquiry continued until Smythe's death in 1625, despite the King's refusal to accepted the charges against Smythe. The King's officials continued to consult Smythe on all important matters relating to shipping and to eastern trade.

For several years Smythe served as one of the navy's chief commissioners. Smythe was an originaladventurer(shareholder) of theSomers Isles Companyon its formation in 1615, having and also served as Governor (in England, with a Deputy Governor serving in the colony itself) of the Somers Isles (orBermuda) from its official settlement by the Virginia Company in 1612, continuing in this role after its split with the Virginia Company in 1614. His connection with the East India Company, the Virginia Company and the Muscovy Company, also led Smythe to promote and support voyages for the discovery of theNorth-West Passagein North America.William BaffinnamedSmith SoundbetweenGreenlandandEllesmere Islandto honour the patron of his 1616 voyage of discovery. In January 1618–19, Smythe was appointed one of the commissioners for the settlement of the differences with the Dutch which, however, after years of discussion, remained for the time, unsettled.

Private life

Although his name was often spelled "Smith", it was always written "Smythe" by the man himself, as well as by hisextended familyat Strangford. Smythe married three times. The first two wives must have died young and withoutissue.He was already married to his third wife, Sarah, daughter of William Blount, by the time Smythe was sheriff of London. They had one daughter who died unmarried in 1627; and three sons, two of whom seem to have died before their father. The eldest son, Sir John Smythe of Bidborough, married Isabella Rich, daughter ofRobert Rich, 1st Earl of WarwickandPenelope Devereux.Their children included Letitia Isabella Smythe (d. 1714), who marriedJohn Robartes, 1st Earl of Radnor.

Death and legacy

Smythe died atSutton-at-Honein Kent on 4 September 1625, and was buried there in St John's Church. An elaborate monument to his memory was installed there.

During his lifetime, Smythe amassed a large fortune, a considerable part of which he devoted to charitable purposes. He endowed the free school ofTonbridge,which was founded by his grandfather, Sir Andrew Judd, furthermore to this day one of the 5 day houses at the school is named after him. He also established several charities for the poor of the parish of Tonbridge.

A portrait belonging to theSkinners' Companyhas been identified with Smythe, though it has been supposed to be that of Sir Daniel Judd. An engraving by Simon Pass is inserted in the Grenville copy of Smith'sVoiage and Entertainment in Rushia(London, 1605, 4to). It is reproduced in Wadmore's memoir (1892).

References

• Dietz, Brian (2004). "Smythe, Thomas (1522–1591)".Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.). Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/37985.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)
• Morgan, Basil (2004). "Smythe, Sir Thomas (c.1558–1625)".Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.). Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/25908.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)
• Wadmore, J.F. (1887)."Thomas Smythe, of Westenhanger, Commonly Called Customer Smythe".Archaeologia Cantiana.XVII.London: Mitchell & Hughes: 193–208.Retrieved11 April2013.

Attribution

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Lee, Sidney,ed. (1898). "Smith, Thomas (1558?-1625)".Dictionary of National Biography.Vol. 53. London: Smith, Elder & Co.