Sir Robert Thomas, 2nd Baronet

Sir Robert Thomas, 2nd Baronet (c.1622-1685? or 1706?) was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons of England from 1661 to 1681. He was knighted and succeeded as baronet in 1673 upon his father's death.

Life Early life Robert Thomas was the second son and heir of Sir Edward Thomas, 1st Baronet of Llanmihangel and Bettws (in English: Michaelstown), Glamorgan, Wales and his wife, Susan Morgan, daughter of Thomas Morgan of Rhiwperra (1564-1645, MP ). Robert's older brother, William, died before 1665. Younger brothers and sisters include John Thomas (c.1630-a.1676), Lt. Col. Lewis (Lewys) Thomas, Esq (??-1648), Humphrey Thomas (c.1627-1679), Anne (c. 1634-1694, second wife to Sir Thomas Nott, becoming Lady Anne Nott), and Susanna (c.1632-1682), married Dr. John Butler, Canon of Windsor Castle). ). With "Lady Anne", he had three children: Ann Thomas (1672-1742, married Richard Allen on 25 Jul 1694 O.S.), Francis Thomas (1675-1695), and Susannah (1676-??, married Robert Hutchins). Francis Thomas was murdered in London on 22 Feb. 1694/5 O.S.

Member of Parliament In 1661, Robert Thomas was elected Member of Parliament for Cardiff in the Cavalier Parliament. He succeeded to the baronetcy upon the death of his father in 1673. He was re-elected MP for Cardiff in the two elections of 1679—in March 1679 for the short-lived Habeas Corpus Parliament (a.k.a. First Exclusion Parliament), and in September 1679 for the Exclusion Bill Parliament. The latter was summoned on 24 July 1679 O.S., but prorogued by the king so that it did not assemble until 21 October 1680 O.S. It was dissolved three months later on 18 January 1680/81 O.S.

Offices He was a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber of Charles II in 1660-1684, serving in the Lady Quarter (25 March - 24 June).

Later life and death Heavily in debt (est. £15,000-£20,000

Though the circumstances of his death and burial are not known, evidence from a court case suggests that Sir Robert Thomas died before the end of 1685 (Old Style). However, the Parish register of St. Katherine by the Tower lists a burial of "Sir Robert Thomas, Knight" on 15 May 1706, with burial fees paid by Sir Humphrey Edwin, one year before his death. Sir Robert's cause of death was listed as "Aged". There is no trace of Sir Robert in the public record from 1685 to 1706. Following his death, the baronetcy became extinct. On top of these factors, Sir Robert's extremism was probably fueled by his dire financial condition in the 1670s and 1680s, "unmannerly behaviour" towards King Charles II and the Duke of York, a political "extremist" of the Country Party/Whig and anti-Catholic sort, Being a pallbearer is a notable act of friendship, in part because Butler "died in want"

In 1677, Sir Edward Mansel of Margam, also an MP, wrote private notes on the gentry of Glamorgan, and it included the following entry

Sir Robert the ass I will not let pass But give the devil his due He never was good To the next of his blood To his wife nor his king never true.

The lines "He never was good / To the next of his blood" apparently referred to the conflict he had with his father, mentioned above.