Background
He was born at Newport, Isle of Wight, in April 1544. The Fleming family line had strong historical connections to the Isle of Wight, with several mentions of the name cropping up in previous historical documents and books.
He was born at Newport, Isle of Wight, in April 1544. The Fleming family line had strong historical connections to the Isle of Wight, with several mentions of the name cropping up in previous historical documents and books.
He went to school in Godshill and studied law at Lincoln's Inn where he was called to the bar in 1574.
He represented Winchester in parliament from 1584 to 1601, when he was returned for Southampton. In 1594 he was appointed recorder of London, and in 1595 was chosen solicitor-general in preference to Bacon. This office he retained under James I. In 1604 he was created chief baron of the exchequer and presided over many important state trials. In 1607 he was promoted to the chief justiceship of the king's bench, and was one of the judges at the trial of the post-nati in 1608, siding with the majority of the judges in declaring that persons born in Scotland after the accession of James I were entitled to the privileges of natural-born subjects in England. He died on the 7th of August 1613 at his seat, Stoneham Park, Hampshire.
Thomas Fleming was knighted in 1603. He was judge in the trial of Guy Fawkes following the Gunpowder Plot. He held several important offices, including Lord Chief Justice, Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer and Solicitor General for England and Wales. In St. Nicolas' Church, North Stoneham there is a stately monument records the numerous successes of his career.
He was praised by his contemporaries, more particularly Coke, for his "great judgments, integrity and discretion. "
In 1581, Fleming was elected Member of Parliament for Kingston upon Hull after the existing members were dismissed as idle and impotent. He was elected MP for Winchester in 1584, and was re-elected in 1593. In 1597, Fleming was elected MP for Hampshire.
Fleming married his cousin, Mary James, the daughter of Dr. Mark James, on February 13, 1570. They had fifteen children of whom six sons and two daughters survived after Fleming's death.
He was a general trader and mercer of Newport on the Isle of Wight.
She was personal physician of Queen Elizabeth I.
1572 – 19 February 1624
He was Master of the Horse to Oliver Cromwell.
1587 - ____
