Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton
| Thomas Wriothesley | |
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Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton, wearing his Garter Star and holding his Staff of Office as Lord High Treasurer. Portrait by School of Sir Peter Lely
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| Born | 10 March 1607 |
| Died | 16 May 1667 (aged 60) |
| Title | 4th Earl of Southampton |
| Tenure | 1624-1667 |
| Other titles | Earl of Chichester Lord Wriothesley |
| Nationality | English |
| Offices | Lord High Treasurer |
| Predecessor | Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton |
| Spouse(s) | Rachel de Massue Lady Elizabeth Leigh Frances Seymour |
| Parents |
Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton Elizabeth Vernon |
Thomas Wriothesley, 4th Earl of Southampton, KG (/ˈraɪəθsli/REYE-əths-lee; 10 March 1607 – 16 May 1667), styled Lord Wriothesley before 1624, was an English statesman, a staunch supporter of King Charles II who after the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 rose to the position of Lord High Treasurer, which term began with the assumption of power by the Clarendon Ministry. He "was remarkable for his freedom from any taint of corruption and for his efforts in the interests of economy and financial order," a noble if not completely objective view of his work as the keeper of the nation's finances. He died before the impeachment of Lord Clarendon, after which the Cabal Ministry took over government.
He was the only surviving son of Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton (1573–1624) by his wife Elizabeth Vernon (1572–1655), daughter of John Vernon (died 1592) of Hodnet, Shropshire.
He succeeded to the earldom following his father's death in 1624, after which event he attended St. John's College, Cambridge. At first, he sided with the Parliament supporters upon the controversies leading to the English Civil War, but upon his realisation of their propensity to violence, he became a loyal supporter of King Charles I. While remaining very loyal to the deposed monarch, he still worked for peace and represented the king at the peace conferences in 1643 and one at Uxbridge in 1645. He was allowed to remain in England, having paid fines to the Committee for Compounding with Delinquents of more than £6,000.
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