Sir John de Hotham II

Sir John de Hotham II of Scorborough, son and heir of John de Hotham I was probably born between 1260 and 1265. At the proof of age of Henry de Percy held on 26 February 1323, Sir John de Hotham, knight, who was one of Henry de Percy's godfathers, said that he was aged 60 [1].

In 1281, his father claimed the custody of Agnes, daughter and heir of Adam Daniel of Lockington, one of Hotham’s tenants [2], and subsequently Agnes married his son John. In 1290 "Richard de Alonby and Emma his wife sued John son of John de Hotham and Agnes his wife concerning half of 38 acres of land, 16 acres of meadow and 8s. rent with appurtenances in Hessle on Humber, the right of Emma by inheritance and which belonged to Richard la Rede of Hessle, father of Emma and grandfather of Agnes, of which tenements he lately died seized of" [3]. Besides land at Lockington, Agnes Daniel brought her husband property in Beverley, inherited from her great-uncle John le Gras, canon of Beverley and land in Cottingham, Hessle, Swanland, and Barton-on-Humber which belonged to her mother Ellen the daughter and co-heiress of Richard la Rede.

On 24 June 1294, John de Hotham, Geoffrey de Hotham and Geoffrey de Rotsee had a protection going Scotland with the king [4]. On 12 November 1294, John de Hotham was appointed as the collector of a tax of a tenth in aid of the war with Scotland in the East Riding of Yorkshire [5]. These references could have been to either John I or John II, but most probably refer to the younger John.

The inquisition into the holders of knight’s fees in Yorkshire made in 31 Edward I, 1302-3, shows John de Hotham holding 2 carucates of land in Holme on Spalding Moor and 2½ carucates in Cranswick. The vill of Hotham was held by Alice de Hotham, who could have been his mother or step mother [6]. On 31 January 1303, Sir Geoffrey de Hotham and Sir John de Hotham, knights, were among the witnesses at Leconfield to a grant of the manor of Pocklington to the abbey of Meaux by Henry de Percy [7]. On 6 November 1306, Sir John de Hotham was a witness, together with his cousin Sir Geoffrey de Hotham to a deed of master Robert de Pickering, granting property in Etton to Adam de Shipton [8].

On 9 March 1307, the sheriff of York was ordered to cause a coroner for Yorkshire to be elected in place of John de Hotham, who was removed from office because he was staying continuously in Scotland on the king’s service with Henry de Percy [9].

On 1 April 1308, John le Gras came before the king and sought to replevy his land in Aldfield near Ripon, taken into the king's hands for a default that he made before the justices of the Bench against John de Hotham and Agnes his wife [10]. John le Gras was probably Agnes’ cousin. On 26 August 1309, John de Hotham was one of those appointed in Yorkshire as assessor and collector of a tax in aid of the war with Scotland [11]. On 13 April 1310, Sir Peter de Mauley, Sir John de Hotham and Sir Geoffrey de Hotham and others had to ask the Chapter of Beverley for forgiveness on bended knee for having communicated with excommunicated persons [12].

At Michaelmas 1310, John de Hotham and Agnes his wife by Thomas de Burton their attorney sued John Daniel of Lockington for twelve messuages, fourteen bovates and five acres of land and three acres of meadow in Lockington as the right and inheritance of Agnes. In the court record Agnes was said to be the daughter and heiress of Adam Daniel and grand-daughter of Robert Daniel. John Daniel was stated to be the son of William Daniel [13].

In 1311 Sir John de Hotham unsuccessfully claimed the right of presentation to the chantry of St. Nicholas in Beverley Minster as heir of his wife's great-uncle Master John le Gras, Canon of Beverley [14] (John le Gras died before 11 November 1279 [15] ). On 16 December 1311, John de Hothum was granted the wardship of the manor of Cottingham during the minority of the heir of John Wake [16]. On 28 November 1313, John de Hotham was one of those appointed in the East Riding of Yorkshire as collector of a tax of a fifteenth and a twentieth [17]. On 22 October 1313, he was appointed to a commission of oyer et terminer to find who had hunted in the king’s park in Knaresborough and on 23 October to an enquiry into the activities of the burgesses of Ravensrod [18]. On 5 June 1314, he was appointed one of the conservators of the peace in the East Riding [19].

On 2 June 1315, John de Hotham and his cousin Geoffrey de Hotham were members of the jury at the inquisition held at York to enquire if Gilbert de Aton, Robert de Hilton or William de Chancy was the heir of William de Vescy senior [20]. On 18 June 1315, John de Hotham and John de Heslerton were commissioned to enquire into allegations that John de Botetourte had requisitioned poor quality ships for the king’s use against the Scots [21]. On 30 June 1315, John de Hothum was one of those summoned cum equis et armis to meet at Newcastle on 15 August to fight against the Scots [22].

In 1316, John Daniel petitioned the king that he had brought the king's protection before William de Berford and his companions at the octaves of Trinity in the King's eighth year, and the suit between him and John de Hotham and Agnes his wife remained without a day until Pentecost in the King's ninth year (30 May 1316), when John and Agnes made a false claim in Chancery that he was not in the King's service [23].

On 20 August 1316, John de Hotham was named as one of of the assessors and taxors of a fifteenth in Yorkshire [24]. On 13 March, 27 June and 18 August 1319, and 20 January 1320, he was appointed to commissions of oyer et terminer in Yorkshire and is named as a justice of goal delivery for Beverley on 20 October 1319 [25]. On 8 June 1326, he was appointed to a commission in Yorkshire [26] and again on 1 July 1327 [27].

On 21 April 1320, John de Hotham, the elder granted the manor of Scorborough, except 6 tofts, 71 acres of land and 36 acres of meadow to Master William de Hotham, clerk, to hold to John for life with successive remainders to John de Hotham the younger and Agnes his wife and the heirs of their bodies and to the right heirs of John de Hotham the elder [28].

On 22 December 1323, Sir John de Hotham, senior and Sir John de Hotham, junior, knights, were among the witnesses to a payment of 70 marks by Gilbert de Aton to Henry de Percy [29].

On 21 January 1326, John Daniel of Lockington granted 12 messuages, 21 bovates and 5 acres of land and 3 acres of meadow in Lockington to Thomas de Saltmersk, with remainder to John de Hothum the elder and Agnes his wife and Agnes’ heirs to hold of the chief lords [30].

On 12 February 1328, John de Hotham of Scorborough, and his heirs were granted free warren in their demesne lands in Scoresburgh, Wymthorp, Lokyngton and Crauncewyk, co. York [31].

On 24 March 1330, Sir John de Hotham of Scorborough, knight, the elder granted a tenement in Cross Brigg, Beverley to Richard de Hotham and John his son, and Richard's heirs [32].

On 22 April 1331, the sheriff of York was ordered to cause a coroner for that county to be elected in place of John de Hotham of Scorborough, the elder, who is incapacitated by illness and infirmity [33]. Evidently this order was not carried out, because it was repeated again two years later on 10 September 1333 [34].

On 22 February and 7 March 1333, John de Hotham the elder was appointed to array all the men aged between 16 and 60 in the East Riding of Yorkshire and set out against the Scots if they invade [35]. On 7 July 1333, John de Hotham the elder borrowed 20 marks from Archbishop Melton of York [36].

On 28 June 1334, William de la Pole of Kingston-upon-Hull acknowledged that he owed 40 pounds to John de Hotham, knight, the elder, and to Thomas his son, clerk [37]. In Trinity term 1334, William de la Pole sued John de Hotham, chivaler, senior, to permit him to present to the Church of Foston [38]. In July 1334, the church of Foston had become vacant by the death of the incumbent, Robert le Constable. Sir John de Hotham senior, knight, and William de la Pole presented to the church. Meanwhile, the archbishop was inhibited by a writ of 'ne admittans' from the king and William recovered presentation by the royal writ 'ad admittendum' dated 1 July 1334 [39].

On 4 December 1335 John de Hotham the elder was appointed to a commission of walliis et fossatis in east Yorkshire and on 7 December 1335, he was one of those commissioned to arrest and imprison felons in the county of York [40].

John de Hotham the elder is last heard of in official documents on 2 July 1340, when the king pardoned him a debt of 20 pounds [41]. He probably died in late 1340 or shortly afterwards when he was aged about 80.

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[1] Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem, vol. 6 (1910), 264, No. 435.

[2] Plucknett, Legislation of Edward I, 112–13.

[3] Court of Common Pleas, Trin, 19, E. I as cited in Saltmarshe, History of the Hothams, 36.

[4] Grant S. Simpson and James D. Galbraith, eds., Calendar of Documents Relating to Scotland, vol. 5 (Supplementary), 1970, 396, No. 2105 [C67/11 m.5].

[5] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward I, vol. 3: 1292–1301 (1895), 103.

[6] Skaife, Kirkby’s Inquest, 241, 265.

[7] Martin, Percy Chartulary, 44.

[8] A. F. Leach, Memorials of Beverley Minster: The Chapter Act Book of the Collegiate Church of S. John of Beverley, 1286-1347; with Illustrative Documents and Introduction. Vol. I, Surtees Society 98, 1897, 161.

[9] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward I, vol. 5: 1302–1307 (1908), 487

[10] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward II, vol. 1: 1307–1313 (1892), 57.

[11] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward II, vol. 1: 1307–1313 (1894), 184.

[12] Leach, Memorials of Beverley Minster, 263.

[13] Year Books of Edward II, vol. 6, Selden Society 26, 1911, 1–2.

[14] Leach, Memorials of Beverley Minster, 288.

[15] William Brown, ed., The Register of William Wickwane, Lord Archbishop of York, 1279-1285, Surtees Society 114, 1907, 2, 12.

[16] HC Maxwell Lyte, ed., Calendar of Various Chancery Rolls, Supplementary Close Rolls, Welsh Rolls, Scutage Rolls: 1277-1326 (London: HMSO, 1912), 102.

[17] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward II, vol. 2: 1313–1317 (1898), 49.

[18] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward II, vol. 2, 1313–1317 (1898), 62–3.

[19] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward II, vol. 2: 1313–1317 (1898), 123.

[20] Martin, Percy Chartulary, 222.

[21] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward II, vol. 2: 1313–1317 (1898), 329.

[22] Rotuli Scotiae in Turri Londinensi et in Domo Capitulari Westmonasteriensi Asservati, vol. 1 (London, 1814), 145.

[23] TNA, SC 8/200/9976.

[24] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward II, vol. 2: 1313–1318 (1893), 362.

[25] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward II, vol, 3: 1317–1321 (1903), 362, 375, 399, 465, 477.

[26] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward II, vol. 5: 1324–1327 (1904), 293.

[27] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward III, vol. 1: 1327–1330 (1891), 155.

[28] Feet of Fines, CP25/1/271/94, number 100.

[29] Martin, Percy Chartulary, 232.

[30] Feet of Fines, CP25/1/272/101, number 23.

[31] HC Maxwell Lyte, ed., Calendar of the Charter Rolls: Vol. IV: 1-14 Edward III. A.D. 1327-1341, 1912, 191.

[32] East Riding of Yorkshire Archives and Records Service, Beverly Borough Records, BC/III/2/4.

[33] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III, vol. 2: 1330–1333 (1898), 225.

[34] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III, vol. 3: 1333–1337 (1898), 134.

[35] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III, vol. 3: 1333–1337 (1898), 87, 94.

[36] L. H. Butler, “Archbishop Melton, His Neighbours, and His Kinsmen, 1317–1340,” The Journal of Ecclesiastical History 2, no. 1 (2011): 61.

[37] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III, vol. 3: 1333–1337 (1898), 126.

[38] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III, vol. 3: 1333–1337 (1898), 317.

[39] David Robinson, ed., The Register of William Melton, Archbishop of York, 1317-1340, vol. 6, 2011, 204.

[40] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward III, vol. 3: 1334–1338 (1895), 374–5.

[41] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward III, vol. 4: 1340–1343 (1900), 3.