THE MANX NOTE BOOK OCT 1889

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF
THOMAS III.

THE SECOND EARL OF DERBY  

THOMAS III. THE SECOND EARL OF DERBY AND FIFTH KING OF MANN OF THE HOUSE OF STANLEY son of George, Lord Strange, by Joan, only daughter and heiress of John, Baron Strange of Knocking, succeeded his grand father in 1504, his father having died in 1497. In1505 he granted to Bishop Huan Hesketh "all churches, lands, tithes and possessions, which our ancestors, the kings and lords of Man, have given, conceded and confirmed to the Bishopric and Church of Sodor."* From the Traditionary Ballad we learn that he ravaged Kirkcudbrightshire "making such havoc of houses that some of them are yet unroofed," after which he landed at Derby haven in May, 1507, "and put a full end to the commotion of the public." We are not, however, told what this "commotion " was, or how it originated. The ballad gives an enthusiastic description of the magnificence of his household and the number of his retinue, mentioning as a characteristic fad that "he wore the golden crupper. "In 1508 he was one of the guarantors for the performance of a treaty of marriage between Princess Mary, daughter of King Henry VII., and Charles, Prince of Spain. He was a confidant of King Henry VIII., whom he attended in his expedition into France in 1513, when he was distinguished for his bravery at the capture of Terouenne and Touray. When the Emperor Charles met Henry VIII. at Canterbury in 1521 he rode between the two monarchs holding the sword of state. He was one of the peers who presided at the trial of the Duke of Buckingham during the same year. In the following year he died at his estate of Colham in the County of Middlesex. From a letter of James, 7th Earl, written just before his execution to his son Lord Strange, it would appear that Thomas had relinquished the title of "King of Mann" and assumed that of "Lord of Mann " because he thought the title of a "great Lord" was more honour able than that of a petty king," but it seems more probable that he simply resigned his higher title either by the order of the king of England or from a politic desire not to give him any cause of offence. No legislation of any importance is recorded during his reign: By his wife Anne, daughter of Edward, Lord Hastings and Hungerford, he had issue Edward, who succeeded him.

* Manx Society Vol IX pp26- 32 (for whole Document)