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MACKWORTH, Sir Thomas, 3rd Bt. (1624-94), of Normanton, Rutland
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Biography Detail
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Constituency
Dates
Family and Education
b. 1 May 1624, 1st s. of Sir Henry Mackworth, 2nd Bt., of Normanton by Mary, da. of Robert Hopton† of Witham Friary, Som. and coh. to her bro. Sir Ralph Hopton†, 1st Baron Hopton of Stratton. educ. travelled abroad (France, Low Countries) 1644–6. m. (1) Dorothy (d. c.1658), da. of George Darell of Colehill, Little Chart, Kent, 1s. d.v.p. 2da. (1 d.v.p.); (2) settlement 11/12 July 1661, Anne (d. 1696), da. of Humphrey Mackworth of Betton Grange, Salop, 4s. (3 d.v.p.) 4da. suc. fa. as 3rd Bt. 24 Aug. 1640.1
Offices Held
Commr. oyer and terminer, Midland circuit July 1660, enclosures, Deeping fen 1665; sheriff, Rutland 1666–7.
Biography
Mackworth, a former Royalist ‘delinquent’, had been classed as ‘honest’ by Lord Shaftesbury when returned in 1679, and although absent from the division on the Exclusion bill later showed himself an opponent of King James’s religious policy, for he was left out of the county lieutenancy in 1688. Anthony Rowe’s* black list of 1690 included him among those who had opposed the transfer of the crown, yet Lord Carmarthen (Sir Thomas Osborne†) classed him as a Whig as well as a Court supporter in his analysis of the new Parliament in March 1690. His loyalty to the ministry was also assumed in two further calculations by Carmarthen in the following December, one of which was probably a forecast of supporters in the event of a Commons’ attack upon Carmarthen’s ministerial position. An inactive Member previously, he did not alter his habits. On 6 Feb. 1692 he was granted leave of absence for reasons of ill-health. Mackworth died on 28 Nov. 1694 and was buried at his parish church of Empingham on 1 Dec. Not everyone was as well informed, however. On 15 Feb. 1695 the Commons allowed him leave to recover his health from the attack of smallpox which had already killed him.2
