Thomas Shirley (died 1612)

Sir Thomas Shirley (c.1542 – October 1612),[1] of Wiston in Sussex, was an English Member of Parliament, government official and courtier who is said to have suggested the creation of the title of baronet.

This gave him the power to speculate with the funds that passed through his hands (a normal perk of office at this period), but he so mishandled them that he contracted massive debts to the Crown and found himself accused of fraud.

Despite his protests that he had parliamentary privilege, he was arrested at the instigation of a goldsmith called Simpson[citation needed], to whom he owed money, and placed in the Fleet Prison.

The House of Commons of England made a number of attempts to order his release by issuing writs of habeas corpus, but the Warden of the Fleet Prison would not free him, unless he received assurance that he would not himself be held liable for Shirley's debts, or blamed for what might technically be seen as allowing an 'escape'.

1. c. 13), which confirmed the privilege of freedom from arrest for Members, but also gave creditors an opportunity to recover what they were owed when the debtor ceased being an MP.