CHALONER, Sir Thomas, a statesman, soldier, and poet, descended from a good family in Denbigh, in Wales, was born in London about the year 1515. Having been educated in both universities, but chiefly at Cambridge, he was introduced at the court of Henry VIII. who sent him abroad in the retinue of Sir Henry Knevet, ambassador to Charles V. and he had the honour to attend that monarch on his ill-fated expedition against Algiers in 1541. Soon after the fleet left that place, he was shipwrecked on the coast of Barbary, in a very dark night; and having exhausted his strength by swimming, he chanced to strike his head -against a cable, which he had the presence of mind to catch hold of with his teeth, and, with the loss of several of them, was drawn up by’ it into the ship to which ∙he belonged. Mr Chaloner returned soon after to England, and was appointed first clerk of the council, which office he held during the rest of that reign. On the accession of Edward VI. he became a favourite of the Duke of Somerset, whom he attended to Scotland, and was knighted by that nobleman after the battle of Musselburgh in 1547. The protector’s fall put a stop to Sir Thomas Chaloner’s expectations, and involved him in difficulties. During the reign of Queen Mary, being a determined Protestant, he was in some danger; but having many powerful friends, he had the good fortune to escape. On the accession of Queen Elizabeth he appeared again at court, and was so particularly distinguished by her majesty, that she appointed him ambassador to the Emperor Ferdinand I. being the first ambassador she nominated. His commission was of great importance; and the queen was so well satisfied with his conduct, that soon after his return she sent him in the same capacity to Spain. But Sir Thomas was by no means satisfied with this instance of her majesty’s confidence: the courts of England and Spain being at this time extremely dissatisfied with each other, he foresaw that his situation would be very disagreeable, and soit proved. Elizabeth, however, must be obeyed. He embarked for Spain in 1561, ançl returned to London in 1564, in consequence of a request to his sovereign, in an elegy written in imitation of Ovid. After his return he resided in a house built by himself in Clerkenwell Close, where he died in the year 1565, and was buried in St Paul’s. Sir William Cecil assisted as chief mourner at his funeral.

So various were the talents of Sir Thomas Chaloner, that he excelled in every thing to which he applied himself. He made a considerable figure as a poet. His poetical works were published by William Malim, master of St Paul’s school, in 1579. His principal work was that [7:6:312]“Of restoring the English Republic, in ten books,” which he wrote when he was ambassador in Spain.

Chaloner, Sir Thomas, the younger, though inconsiderable as an author, deserves to be recorded as a skilful naturalist, in an age when natural history was very little understood in this or any other country; and particularly as the founder of the alum works in Yorkshire, which have since proved exceedingly advantageous to the commerce of this kingdom. He was the only son of Sir Thomas Chaloner mentioned in the last article, and was born in the year 1559. Being very young at the time of his father’s death, the lord treasurer Burghley, taking charge of his education, sent him to St Paul’s school, and afterwards to Magdalen College in Oxford, where, like his father, he discovered considerable talents for Latin and English poetry. About the year 1580 he made the tour of Europe, and returned to England before 1584; for in that year we find him a frequent attendant at the court of Queen Elizabeth. About this time he married the daughter of Sir William Fleetwood, recorder of London. In 1591 he was knighted; and, some time afterwards, discovered the alum mines on his estate at Gisborough, near the river Tces, in Yorkshire.

Towards the latter end of the queen’s reign, Sir Thomas visited Scotland; and returning to England in the retinue of King James I. found such favour in the sight of that monarch, that he was immediately appointed governor to Prince Henry, whom he constantly attended; and when his royal pupil visited Oxford, he was honoured with the degree of master of arts. How he was employed after the death of the prince is not known. Some years before that event he married a second wife, the daughter of Mr William Blount of London, by whom he had some children. He died in the year 1615, and was buried at Chiswick in Middlesex. His eldest son William was created a baronet in the year 1640; but the title became extinct in 1681. He wrote, 1. Dedication to Lord Burghley, of his father’s poetical works, dated 1579; 2∙ The Virtue of Nitre, wherein is declared the sundry cures by the same effected. Lond. 1584, 4to.