WYAT, SIR THOMAS (THE YOUNGER) (d. 1554), English conspirator, son of the preceding, was over 21 in but the date of his birth is uncertain. He is said to have accompanied his father on his mission to Spain, and to have been turned into an enemy of the Spaniards by the menaces of the Inquisition. In 1542 he inherited the family property of Allington castle and Boxley abbey on the death of his father.
In 1554 he joined with the conspirators who combined to pre vent the marriage of Queen Mary with Philip, the prince of Spain. On January 22, he summoned a meeting of his friends at his castle of Allington, and the 25th was fixed for the rising. On the 26th Wyat occupied Rochester, and issued a proclamation to the county. Lord Abergavenny and Sir Robert Southwell, the sheriff of Kent, were deserted by their men, who either dis banded or went over to Wyat. A detachment of the London train-bands sent against him by Queen Mary, under the command of the duke of Norfolk, followed their example. The rising now seemed so formidable that a deputation was sent to Wyat by the queen and council to ask his terms. He insisted that the Tower should be surrendered to him, and the queen put under his charge. The insolence of these demands caused a reaction in London, where the reformers were strong and were at first in sympathy with him. When he reached Southwark on Feb. 3, he found Lon
don Bridge occupied in force, and was unable to penetrate into the city. He was driven from Southwark by the threats of Sir John Brydges (or Bruges), afterwards Lord Chandos, who was prepared to fire on the suburb with the guns of the Tower. Wyat now marched up the river to Kingston, where he crossed the Thames, and made his way to Ludgate with a part of his following. Some of his men were cut off. Others lost heart and deserted. His only hope was that a rising would take place, but the loyal forces kept order, and after attempting to force the gate Wyat surrendered.
He was brought to trial on March 15, and could make no defence. Execution was delayed, in the hope that in order to save his life he would compromise the queen's sister, the Princess Elizabeth. He was executed on April 11, and on the scaffold expressly cleared the princess of all complicity in the rising. His estates were afterwards partly restored to his son George, the father of the Sir Francis Wyat (d. 1644) who was governor of Virginia in 1621-26 and 1639-42.
See G. F. Nott, Works of Surrey and of Sir Thomas Wyat (1815); and Froude, History of England.