William Hotham

William, fourth and youngest son of Sir John Hotham IX[1] was probably born about 1497. By a charter dated 10th August 1516, his elder brother, John Hotham X enfeoffed Thomas Metham, Henry Eure, and George Hotham, of the manors of Dunsforth, Brampton, and Little Usborne, for the use of Robert, Hugh, and William Hotham, his brothers for life with remainder to his right heirs [2].

On 4 June 1521, he was listed among the gentlemen retained in the household of Thomas Darcy, Lord Darcy [3].

William Hotham was one of the East Riding captains in the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1537, and Henry Guyll sub-prior of Watton stated under examination "that he was forced to send horses and money to the captains of the first insurrection, viz., Sir Thomas Percy, William Hotham, John Halom, and William Courser" [4]. Thomas Darcy, his master, was executed in October 1537 for siding with the northern rebels.

On 2 August 1537, Mr. William Hothome was a witness to the will of Sir Brian Hastings [5], the youngest brother of Isabel Hastings, the first wife of his father John Hotham IX. William Hotham was involved in litigation in the late 1530’s between his niece, Isabel Metham, daughter of his sister Maud, Isabel’s second husband, Thomas Hungate and the brother of her first husband, Lionel Portington [6].

Jane, wife of his brother, Robert Hotham of Etton, in her will dated 18th February 1540, mentions her brother-in-law William Hotham [7].

William continued his connection to the Darcy household after the execution of Thomas Darcy. On 15 April 1545, Sir Thomas Darcy's eldest son, Sir George Darcy and his wife Dorothy had a licence from the king to alienate lands in Yorkshire to William Hothom. These lands included the rectory, advowson and tithes of Stainton (St. Winifred), near Tickhill, Yorkshire, formerly part of the possessions of the dissolved monastery of St. Oswald, Nostell in the tenure of Thomas Greene and land in Hellaby [8]. However, William Hotham did not accept all of these lands and probably asked Sir George to grant them instead to his niece Mary Hotham and her husband William Greene. On 18 November 1545, Sir George Darcy and Dorothy his wife granted the rectory, advowson and tithes of Stainton to William Greene [9]. In Michaelmas term 1546, this transaction was confirmed with a fine [10].

William's nephew Sir Francis Hotham made his will on 26 November 1546 and named as supervisors "John Hercie, of Grove, esquier, my brother in lawe, myne uncle, William Hothome, and William Meringe, esquier" [11].

William Hotham's sister Katherine married John Anne of Frickley, who in his will dated 24th April 1544, made his wife Katherine and his brother-in-law, William Hotham, esquire his executors [12]. It appears that after the death of John Anne, William moved to Frickley to help his sister with her estates. On 29th July 1547, William Howtham, Hothom or Hotham of Fryckley, or Fryckeley, Yorks., esquire or gentleman, had a general pardon for offences before 28 January 1 Edward VI [13].

At Michaelmas 1545, Sir Arthur Darcy, Sir George's brother granted the manor of Potter Newton in the parish of Leeds to William Hothom [14]. This property transaction possibly never took place, most likely due to the death of William Hotham, because at Michaelmas 1550, Sir Arthur Darcy and Mary his wife sold the manor of Potter Newton to Thomas Hardwick, gentleman [15].

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[1] Foster, Visitation of Yorkshire, 1584-85 and 1612, 89.

[2] TNA: C 142/43/64 as cited in Saltmarshe, History of the Hothams, 95.

[3] Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, vol. 3: 1519-1523 (1867), 533.

[4] Ibid., vol. 12 Part 1: January-May 1537 (1890), 169.

[5] Raine, Test. Ebor. III, 277n.

[6] Court of Chancery: Six Clerks Office: Answers etc., C 4/19/39, C 4/19/70, C 4/24/121.

[7] Clay, Test. Ebor. VI, 103.

[8] Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, vol. 20 Part 1: January-July 1545 (1905), 306.

[9] Ibid, vol. 20 Part 2: August-December 1545 (1907), 455.

[10] Francis Collins, ed., Feet of Fines of the Tudor period, part 1: 1486-1571, Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, 2 (1887), 152.

[11] Clay, Test. Ebor. VI, 210.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward VI, vol. 2: 1548–1549 (1924), 138.

[14] Francis Collins, ed., Feet of Fines of the Tudor period, part 1: 1486-1571, Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, 2 (1887), 119.

[15] Francis Collins, ed., Feet of Fines of the Tudor period, part 1: 1486-1571, Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series, 2 (1887), 151.