Egerton, Thomas (1540-01-23 - 1617-03-15)

Thomas Egerton was born on 23 January 1540, the illegitimate son of Sir Richard Egerton of Ridley, Cheshire, and a servant girl named Alice Sparke. Egerton entered Brasenose College, Oxford, in 1556 at the age of seventeen. On 31 October 1560, he was admitted to Lincoln's Inn and was called to the bar twelve years later. He became Solicitor-General of England on 26 June 1581, a position which he held until 1592. In 1592-1594, he was Attorney-General, and it was during this time that he was knighted and simultaneously became Chamberlain of Chester. His career continued to flourish in the 1590s; he became Master of the Rolls in 1594 and Lord Keeper in 1596. Finally, he was created Baron Ellesmere on 21 July 1603 and Lord Chancellor shortly after. On 7 November 1616, he was created Viscount Brackley. Ellesmere died on 15 March 1617.