# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Nott, Thomas

​NOTT, Sir THOMAS (1606–1681), royalist, born on 11 (or 16) Dec. 1606, was eldest son of Roger Nott, a wealthy citizen of London, a younger son of the Notts of Kent (Visitation of Gloucestershire, 1682–3, ed. Fenwick and Metcalfe, p. 126). Roger Nott, who was churchwarden of Allhallows Staining in 1621–2, suffered much for his loyalty during the civil war (Cal. of Committee for Compounding). But if the will (P. C. C. 363, Brent) of a family connection—Mrs. Elizabeth Parkins, formerly Sewster—may be credited, he acquired some of his property, notably that in Wiltshire, by fraud. He was buried at Richmond, Surrey, on 24 Jan. 1670–1 (parish register; cf. his will in P. C. C. 79, Eure). His son was placed in 1618 at Merchant Taylors' School (Register, ed. Robinson, i. 95), whence he proceeded in 1622 to Pembroke College, Cambridge, graduating B.A. in 1625, M.A. in 1628. On 4 Sept. 1639 he was knighted at Whitehall (Metcalfe, Book of Knights, p. 195), being then seated at Obden, Worcestershire. In 1640 he bought the remainder of the crown lease of Twickenham Park, Middlesex, of the Countess of Home, but sold it in 1659, about which time he purchased a house at Richmond (Cobbett, Twickenham, p. 230). The committee for advance of money assessed him on 4 Oct. 1643 at 250l., and at 200l. on 17 Dec., for non-payment of which he was ordered to be brought up in custody on 14 Feb. 1645 (Cal. p. 255). On 17 Oct. 1646 he petitioned to compound, pleading that he came in before 1 Dec. 1645, and obtained conditions from the county committee, but could not prosecute his composition by reason of his debts; he was subsequently fined 1,257l. (Cal. of Committee for Compounding, p. 1554.) He was again assessed at 400l. on 1 Jan. 1647, was threatened with sequestration for refusing to pay in August 1649, and finally obtained his discharge in May 1650, on payment of 50l. During the civil war Nott was in constant attendance on the king. In 1647 he assisted in the attempt to promote a rising for Charles in Glamorganshire (Cal. of State Papers, 1645–1647, p. 592). A royalist demonstration at Twickenham in August 1649 was apparently inspired by Lady Nott (ib. 1649–50, pp. 290, 293); at any rate Nott disclaimed all knowledge of it, and asked the council of state to compensate him for the damage done to his property (ib. 1650, pp. 126, 143). At the Restoration Nott became gentleman-usher of the privy chamber to the king (Chamberlayne, Angliæ Notitia, 1682, p. 162). On 20 May 1663 he was elected an original fellow of the Royal Society, but was expelled on 18 Nov. 1675 for non-payment of his subscription (Thomson, Hist. of Royal Soc., Appendix iv. p. xxii). He died about 18 Dec. 1681, in St. Margaret, Westminster (Probate Act Book, P. C. C., 1682, f. 3 b), and was buried at Richmond on the 22nd (parish register). His widow, Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Thynne, was buried near him on 17 Nov. 1694 (ib.) In his will (P. C. C. 7, Cottle) he mentions three sons—Thomas (1638–1703), who was seated at Obden in 1682 (Nash, Worcestershire, ii. 450), Roger, and Edward—and two daughters, Susan and Beatrice.
His portrait was finely engraved in folio by R. White in 1678; it is now very rare (Evans, Cat. of Engraved Portraits, ii. 300). There is a copy of it by Richardson in 8vo.
[Notes kindly supplied by J. Challenor C. Smith, esq.; Howard's Miscellanea Genealogica, new ser. iii. 233; Granger's Biogr. Hist. of Engl. (2nd edit.), iii. 415; Commons' Journals, iv. 519.]
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