Sir John de Hotham III

Sir John de Hotham III of Scorborough, son and heir of Sir John de Hotham II and Agnes Daniel was probably born about 1290. He married about 1310, Agnes, daughter of Sir John de Heslerton by his wife Margery de Lowthorpe. He is usually referred to in documents as John de Hotham 'the younger' or 'le fitz'. Little is known about his early life, but he was already knighted before October 1317 when Sir John de Hotham and Sir John his son witnessed a grant by John son of Laurence de Etton [1].

His arms appear on the "Boroughbridge Roll", now considered to have been drawn up in connection with a tournament held during the Berwick campaign of late 1319. They were the Hotham arms, 'Or on a bend sable, three mullets argent' differenced with a 'martlet gules' [2].

On 16 October 1333, Walter de Heselerton, knight, acknowledged that he owed 500 marks to John son of John de Hothum of Scorburgh, knight [3].

In 1334, John de Hotham 'le fuitz', and Agnes his wife quit-claimed the manor of Hotham to John son of Peter de Hotham, nephew of John de Hotham, bishop of Ely [4]. In 1336-7, John de Hothum and Agnes his wife, were holding a moiety of a knight's fee in Flixton and Folkton (near Scarborough) from William son of Theobald de Brigham, for a term of 14 years [5]. In 1349 their daughter Agnes and her second husband Thomas de Sutton were holding the same lands from Bartholomew de Fanacourt and Joan daughter of William son of Theobald de Brigham for the life of Agnes [6].

In 1338, John de Hothum the son, knight (le fitz militi) was one of those commissioned to collect a levy of wool in the East Riding. On 26 March 1338 the collectors of wool were ordered to take it to Hull without delay, under pain of losing their lands [7]. On 8 May 1338, John de Hotham of Scorborough 'le fitz' was exempted for life from being put on assizes, juries or recognisances, and from appointment as mayor, sheriff, escheator, coroner or other bailiff or minister of the king against his will [8].

At Michaelmas 1348, Thomas de Heslerton and Alice his wife settled the manor of West Heslerton on the heirs male of their bodies and the manor of Marton on the heirs male of their bodies with remainders to Walter son of John de Heslarton and the heirs male of his body; remainder to Simon de Heslarton and the heirs male of his body; remainder to John de Hothum of Scorburgh ‘le fitz,’ chivaler, and Agnes his wife, and the heirs male of their bodies; remainder to Thomas Chauncy and the heirs male of his body; remainder to the right heirs of Thomas de Heslarton [9].

On 17 November 1349, John de Hotham, knight was a witness to a grant of Henry de Percy [10]. In 1347-8, John de Hothum of Scorborough, knight, the younger, Martin de Skirne, John de Alberthorp and John de Scardeburgh, chaplains were enfeoffed of the manor of Wharram Percy by Walter de Heslerton [11].

17 May 1360, John de Hotham senior and John de Hotham junior, knights were witnesses to a Langdale deed [12]. Sir John Hotham III died before Trinity term 1370, when Agnes, widow of John de Hotham of Scorborough, chivaler, claimed one-third of 60 acres of land and 40s. rent in Blacktoft as dower [13]. How Sir John Hotham came to be holding land in Blacktoft, which the Hansard family held of the bishop of Durham, is not known. It is possible that Beatrice, the wife of Sir Robert Hansard (died before May 1362) was a daughter of John de Hotham III. In June 1373, Sir John de Hotham V witnessed a charter of Robert Hansard, son of Sir Robert Hansard, granting the manor of Blacktoft and other lands to John de Rochford and Beatrice his wife [14]. John de Rochford was most probably Beatrice's second husband. The charter was also witnessed by Sir Thomas de Sutton, who married Agnes, another daughter of John de Hotham III, and Adam Coppendale of Beverley who married Margery, another daughter of John de Hotham III.

The heir of John de Hotham III was his son John de Hotham IV, who died around the same time as his father. Before June 1373, they had both been succeeded by John de Hotham V. Sir John de Hotham III was buried in the church of the Franciscans in Beverley. His daughter Agnes, wife of Sir Thomas de Sutton was also buried there [15].

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[1] East Riding of Yorkshire Archives and Records Service, Chichester-Constable Family, DDCC/149/26/A8.

[2] Walford D. Selby, The Genealogist, New Series 1, 1884, 120.

[3] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III, vol.3: 1333–1337 (1898), 176.

[4] William Paley Baildon, ed., Feet of Fines for the County of York, From 1327 to 1347, Yorkshire Archaeological Society, Record Series 42, 1910, 72.

[5] Ibid., 103.

[6] William Paley Baildon, Feet of Fines for the County of York, From 1347 to 1377, Yorkshire Archaeological Society, Record Series 52, 1915, 22.

[7] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III, vol. 4: 1337–1339 (1900), 401.

[8] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward III, vol. 4: 1338–1340 (1898), 82.

[9] Baildon, Feet of Fines Yorks 1347-1377, 18.

[10] Martin, Percy Chartulary, 214.

[11] Ibid., 225.

[12] “Genealogia Antiquae Familiae Langdalorum,” Yorkshire Archaeological Journal 11 (1891): 373.

[13] De Banco 44 E. III as cited in Saltmarshe, History of the Hothams, 55.

[14] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III, vol. 13: 1369–1374 (1911), 580.

[15] Collectanea Topographica et Genealogica, vol. 4, 1837, 129.