# Thomas Monck

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For the British Olympic rower, see [Thomas Monk (rower)](/source/Thomas_Monk_(rower)).

**Sir Thomas Monck** (1570 – 1627) (*alias* Monk, Monke, etc.) of [Potheridge](/source/Potheridge) in the parish of [Merton, Devon](/source/Merton,_Devon), was [Member of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament) for [Camelford](/source/Camelford_(UK_Parliament_constituency)), [Cornwall](/source/Cornwall), in 1626. He was the father of [George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle](/source/George_Monck,_1st_Duke_of_Albemarle) (1608–70), [KG](/source/Order_of_the_Garter) and of [Nicholas Monck](/source/Nicholas_Monck) (c. 1610–1661), [Bishop of Hereford](/source/Bishop_of_Hereford).

## Origins

He was the eldest son and heir of Anthony Monke of [Potheridge](/source/Potheridge), where his ancestors had been seated for at least 18 generations,[1] by his wife Mary Arscott (d. 1574/5), eldest daughter of Richard Arscott of [Ashwater](/source/Ashwater), Devon (a younger son of John Arscott (1469-1541) of [Arscott](/source/Arscott,_Ashwater) in the parish of Ashwater and a brother of Tristram Arscott (1544-1621) of [Annery, Monkleigh](/source/Annery,_Monkleigh)).[2]

## Career

He was baptised at Ashwater on 9 April 1570. He matriculated at [King's College, Cambridge](/source/King's_College,_Cambridge) at Easter 1587 and was admitted as a student of law to the [Inner Temple](/source/Inner_Temple) in 1590. He was knighted. In 1626 he was elected as a [Member of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament) for [Camelford](/source/Camelford_(UK_Parliament_constituency))[3] in Cornwall. He died at the age of about 57.

## Marriage and children

He married Elizabeth Smith, a daughter (by his first marriage) of Sir [George Smith](/source/George_Smith_(MP_for_Exeter)) (d. 1619) of Madford House, near Exeter,[4] Devon, a merchant who served as a [Member of Parliament](/source/Member_of_Parliament) for [Exeter](/source/Exeter_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) in 1604, was three times [Mayor of Exeter](/source/Mayor_of_Exeter) and was Exeter's richest citizen, possessing 25 [manors](/source/Manorialism).[5] On her marriage Elizabeth received as a dowry from her father lands including the [manor](/source/Manorialism) of [Dolton](/source/Dolton,_Devon),[6] in respect of which she and her husband received a royal [licence to alienate](/source/Alienation_Office) granted in 1619 by King James I. The charter, with the Great Seal of King James I appended, survives and is displayed in Dolton Church. Elizabeth's half-sister by their father's second marriage was Grace Smith, wife of the heroic [Civil War](/source/English_Civil_War) [Royalist](/source/Cavalier) commander Sir [Bevil Grenville](/source/Bevil_Grenville) (1596-1643) of [Bideford](/source/Bideford) in Devon and [Stowe, Kilkhampton](/source/Stowe,_Kilkhampton) in Cornwall, killed in action at the [Battle of Lansdowne](/source/Battle_of_Lansdowne) (1643) and mother of [John Grenville, 1st Earl of Bath](/source/John_Grenville,_1st_Earl_of_Bath) (1628–1701). By his wife Thomas Monck had children including:

- Anthony Monck I, eldest son, died childless before 1620;[7]
- Anthony Monck II, 2nd son, died childless before 1620;[8]
- Col. Thomas Monck (d. 1688),[9] 3rd and eldest surviving son and heir, who married Mary Gould a daughter of William Gould of Hayes. His eldest son and [heir](/source/Heir) apparent was Lt Thomas Monck (d. 1644), lieutenant to his father, who during the [Civil War](/source/English_Civil_War) was slain in South Street, [Exeter](/source/Exeter), on the night of 9 July 1644 "through some mistake as to the [password](/source/Password)", and was buried at [Great Torrington](/source/Great_Torrington)[10] near Potheridge. His 2nd son George Monck (1647-1669) died aged 22, also during the Civil War, at [Dalkeith House](/source/Dalkeith_House)[11] in Scotland, the headquarters of his uncle the Duke of Albemarle.
- [George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle](/source/George_Monck,_1st_Duke_of_Albemarle) (1608–1670) [KG](/source/Order_of_the_Garter), 4th son, who assisted by his half-first cousin [John Grenville, 1st Earl of Bath](/source/John_Grenville,_1st_Earl_of_Bath) (1628–1701) played a pivotal role in effecting the [Restoration of the Monarchy](/source/Restoration_(1660)) in 1660.
- [Nicholas Monck](/source/Nicholas_Monck) (c. 1610–1661), 5th son, [Bishop of Hereford](/source/Bishop_of_Hereford). From 1640 he served as [Rector](/source/Rector_(ecclesiastical)) of Langtree, a parish near Potheridge, and was given the Rectory of [Kilkhampton](/source/Kilkhampton) in Cornwall by his half-cousin Sir John Grenville[12] (later 1st Earl of Bath). After the Restoration of the Monarchy he was appointed by King Charles II as [Bishop of Hereford](/source/Bishop_of_Hereford) in 1660 and [Provost of Eton College](/source/List_of_Provosts_of_Eton_College). He also played a prominent role in assisting his eminent elder brother in effecting the Restoration.

## References

1. Vivian, pp.568-9, pedigree of Monk

1. Vivian, pp.16/20, pedigree of Arscott

1. Vivian, Lt.Col. J.L., (Ed.) The Visitations of the County of Devon: Comprising the Heralds' Visitations of 1531, 1564 & 1620, Exeter, 1895, p.569, pedigree of Monk of Potheridge; A History of Bideford by John Watkins 1792

1. [Yerby, George & Hunneyball, Paul, biography of George Smith (d.1619) of Madford House, Exeter, published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629, ed. Andrew Thrush and John P. Ferris, 2010](http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/smith-george-1619)

1. [Risdon, Tristram](/source/Tristram_Risdon) (died 1640), Survey of Devon, 1811 edition, London, 1811, with 1810 Additions, p.267

1. Vivian, p.569

1. Vivian, p.569

1. [J. Horace Round](/source/J._Horace_Round), Family Origins and Other Studies, ed. Page, William, 1930, p.164, The Granvilles and the Monks, p.165

1. Vivian, p.570

1. Vivian, p.570

1. *700 Years of the Rectors and Patrons of Langtree, with Notes on the Church* (Langtree Church visitor guide ), p.3

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Thomas Monck](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Monck) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Monck?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.