Ralph Hotham

Ralph Hotham esquire, third son of Sir John Hotham VII and his wife Elizabeth Eure was probably born about 1440. In the inquisition post mortem of his father the jury were shown a deed dated 10 December 1451, whereby John Hotham enfeoffed his son Ralph with a moiety of the manor of Hessle and land in Elveley for life, with reversion to his elder brother John [1].

Ralph Hotham studied at Cambridge University and graduated B.A. in 1462-3 and M.A. in 1466. He was a Fellow of Peterhouse in 1466 [2]. He must have remained in Cambridge, as he was appointed to a commission of peace in the town of Cambridge on 26 January 1471 [3].

During 1471 he moved back to the north of England. His father John Hotham VII and elder brother John Hotham VIII had died in the battle of Towton in March 1461, fighting under the banner of Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland who also died in the battle. Henry Percy, the 4th Earl was restored to his father's lands in March 1470 and by October 1471, Ralph Hotham had become a member of the Percy household in Leconfield, Yorkshire. He was appointed by Percy, in his capacity as Warden of the Marches toward Scotland to arrest and examine Scots and aliens in the north of England [4]. On 17 January 1472, Ralph Hothom, gentleman, had letters of confraternity from Richard prior and the chapter of Durham repaying him for the devotion of mind and the affection of a sincere heart which he has and will have for them and their monastery of Durham, by admitting him to the spiritual brotherhood of the chapter [5].

Ralph Hotham was M.P. for Scarborough in the Parliament that started in October 1472, when Henry Percy was restored to the earldom of Northumberland, and continued through several sessions until March 1475. He was also M.P. for Northumberland in the Parliament that met in January and February 1478 [6], obviously as a nominee of Henry Percy, as he had no other connection with Northumberland.

On 8 August 1474, Ralph Hothom was appointed to levy and collect the subsidies of tunnage and poundage and the subsidies on wools, woolfells and hides in the port of Newcastle upon Tyne [7]. On 24 November 1478, Ralph Hothom, 'gentilman' and John Lewys, serjeant at arms were granted the farm of the county of York, the city of York and town of Kingston upon Hull for one year, rendering £80 4d. to the king [8]. On 19 April 1480, Ralph Hothom was appointed to collect the custom on wool, hides and woolfells in the port of Kingston upon Hull [9].

He acted as a trustee for Henry Percy on 10 April and 11 May 1475 [10].

In Hilary term 1480, Edward Shaa, alderman of London claimed that Ralph Hothom lately of Scorborough, Yorkshire owed him 20 marks on a bond and claimed £10 damages. Ralph Hothom's attorney was asked to answer the charges, but said that he had not been informed by his master of any response. It was ordered that Edward Shaa recover the said 20 marks debt from Ralph Hothom, plus damages of 13s. 4d [11].

On 5 October 1482, Ralph Hothom is noted to be the “late escheator in Northumberland” [12].

Ralph Hotham died before 9 November 1482, when Henry Percy, the fourth Earl of Northumberland, and Thomas Calvard, gent., quit-claimed to Albered Cornburgh, esq., the manors of Dagenham and Cokerelles, and lands in Haveryng at Bowre, in Essex, which they lately held jointly with Cornburgh and with Ralph Hothom, esq., deceased [13].

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[1] TNA: C 140/2/20 as cited in ibid.

[2] John Venn and J. A Venn, eds., Alumni Cantabrigienses, A Biographical List of All Known Students, Graduates and Holders of Office at the University of Cambridge, from the Earliest Times to 1900, vol. Part 1, vol. 2 (Cambridge, 1922), 412.

[3] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward IV, Henry VI: 1467–1477 (1900), 609.

[4] Sellers, York Memorandum Book, Part II: 1388-1493, 199–200.

[5] Durham Cathedral Muniments, Register IV, f.209v.

[6] Josiah C. Wedgewood, History of Parliament, Biographies of the Members of the Commons House, 1439-1509 (London: HMSO, 1936), 472.

[7] Calendar of Fine Rolls, vol. 21: Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III: 1471–1485 (1961), 85–86.

[8] Ibid., 56.

[9] Ibid., 198.

[10] Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, Series 2, vol.1 (1898), 202 No. 477, 226 No. 542, 227, No. 544.

[11] Court of Common Pleas, CP 40/871, m. 406.

[12] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward IV, Edward V, Richard III: 1476–1485 (1901), 318.

[13] Archaeologica Aeliana, New Series, 19 (1863), 125.