and to the economy as a whole. At the age of forty-one, Thomas married Ursula Malcott and together they had three children: John, Ann and Mary. They chose the parish of St Helen Bishopsgate as their home.

Nothing is known about his education, but Thomas's own career as a merchant started around 1596 where he was a member of the Mercers' company and engaged in Mediterranean trade, especially with Italy and the Middle East. He was successful as a practising