Thomas Meres 1634-1715

Sir Thomas MERES 1634-1715

Bookplate of Sir Thomas Meres (British Museum Franks Collection *467)

Biographical Note

Born at Lincoln, son of Robert Meres, chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral. Matriculated at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge 1651, but did not graduate; admitted to the Inner Temple, 1653. MP for Lincoln 1659-1708, with a break in the 1690s, and an active parliamentarian; he regularly spoke in debates, chaired committees, and was more than once an unsuccessful candidate to be Speaker. He was an Admiralty commissioner, 1679-84.

Books

The main evidence for Meres's library is the fact that he commissioned an engraved armorial bookplate, dated 1705 (Franks *467); we do not know anything else about its contents or size. His will, which is largely concerned with the disposal of property and money, has no mention of books, leaving the residue of his estate to be divided amongst his children. BL MS Egerton 2725, a 17th century poetical miscellany, has his ownership inscription at the end.

Sources

• Will of Sir Thomas Meres, The National Archives PROB 11/552/124.
• History of Parliament.
• Egerton MS 2725 : 1638-1655.
• Gambier Howe, E. R. J. Franks bequest: catalogue of British and American book plates bequeathed to the ... British Museum. London, 1903.
• Handley, Stuart. "Meres, Sir Thomas (bap. 1634, d. 1715), politician." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.