Thomas Habington

Sir Thomas Habington or Abington (1560–1647) was an English antiquarian, son of John Habington and Catherine Wykes, and the brother of Edward Habington. His father, who was treasurer to Queen Elizabeth, had him educated at Oxford, Reims, and Paris.

For six years he was imprisoned in the Tower, being accused, with his brother Edward, of having taken part in the Babington Plot to effect the escape of Mary, Queen of Scots. On his release he retired to Hindlip Hall in Worcester, where he gave asylum to the Jesuit Fathers, Henry Garnett and Edward Oldcorne, accused of complicity in the Gunpowder Plot. For this he was condemned to death, but through the intervention of his brother-in-law, Lord Monteagle, the sentence was commuted.[1][2]

His "History of Edward IV" was published after his death by his son William Habington. He also published the first English translation of Gildas's De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae, which Sir Thomas completed during his imprisonment in the Tower.[3]

He also left in manuscript a "History of the Cathedral of Worcester" and "Researches into the Antiquities of Worcester".

References
  1. Michael Walsh (ed.). Dictionary of Christian Biography. Continuum. p. 3. ISBN 0826452639.
  2. The Gentleman's Magazine. F. Jefferies. 1825. p. 211.
  3. Gildas. Translated by Thomas Habington. The Epistle of Gildas the most ancient British Author: who flourished in the yeere of our Lord, 546. And who by his great erudition, sanctitie, and wisdome, acquired the name of Sapiens. Faithfully translated out of the originall Latine. London: T. Cotes for William Cooke, 1638.


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