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BABINGTON, Thomas (c.1635-1708), of Rothley Temple, Leics.
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Biography Detail
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Family and Education
b. c.1635, 1st s. of Matthew Babington. educ. I Temple 1657. m. (1) settlement 24 Jan. 1667 (with £3,000), Elizabeth (d. 8 Apr. 1669), da. of Sir William Jesson of Coventry, Warws., 1s. d.v.p.; (2) lic. 10 Oct. 1677, Margaret, da. and coh. of Henry Hall of Gretford, Lincs., 3s. (1 d.v.p.) 4da. suc. fa. 1669.1
Offices Held
J.p. Leics. 1670-Feb. 1688, 1689-d., commr. for assessment 1673-80, 1689-90, dep. lt. 1680-Feb. 1688, Oct. 1688-d.; freeman, Leicester 1685.2
Biography
Babington was returned for Leicester, four miles north of Rothley, as a Tory on the recommendation of the Earls of Rutland and Huntingdon in 1685. In James II’s Parliament he was appointed only to the committee to consider ways of keeping up the price of wool and corn (5 June). In 1688 he replied in the negative to the first and second of the lord lieutenant’s questions on the repeal of the Test and Penal Laws, and was removed from local office. He was returned to the Convention unopposed, and according to Anthony Rowe he voted to agree with the Lords that the throne was not vacant. An inactive Member, he may have been appointed, as ‘Mr Babington’, to six committees, including those to prepare the first mutiny bill, and to consider a petition from army creditors. In the second session he was named to the committee of elections and privileges, and is said to have supported the disabling clause in the bill to restore corporations; but this is probably a mistake for Philip Babington. He was defeated at the general election, and is not known to have stood again, dying on 16 Apr. 1708 at the age of 73. The seat was not regained by the family until 1800.3
