POPE, SIR THOMAS (c. 1507-1559), founder of Trinity College, Oxford, was born at Deddington, Oxfordshire, probably in 1507, and educated at Eton college, where he entered the court of chancery. As clerk of briefs in the star chamber, warden of the mint (1534-1536), clerk of the Crown in chancery and second officer and treasurer of the court for the settlement of the confiscated property of the smaller religious foundations he obtained wealth and influence. In this last office he was super seded in 1541, but from 1547 to 1553 he was again employed as fourth officer, and was enriched by grants of monastic lands. In 1537 he was knighted. The changes made by Edward VI. were repugnant to him, but at the beginning of Mary's reign he became a member of the privy council, and he retained the royal favour under Elizabeth.
As early as 1555 Pope had begun to arrange for the endowment of a college at Oxford, for which he bought the site and buildings of Durham College, the Oxford house of the abbey of Durham, from Dr. George Owen and William Martyn. He received a royal
charter for the establishment and endowment of a college of the "Holy and Undivided Trinity" on March 8, 1556. The foundation provided for a president, twelve fellows and eight scholars, with a schoolhouse at Hooknorton. The number of scholars was subse quently increased to twelve, the schoolhouse being given up. On March 28, the members of the college were put in possession of the site, and they were formally admitted on May 29, 1556. Pope died at Clerkenwell on Jan. 29, 1559, and was buried at St. Ste phen's, Walbrook; but his remains were removed to Trinity Col lege, where his widow erected a monument to his memory.