Sir John Hotham X

Sir John Hotham X of Scorborough, Yorkshire, son and heir of Sir John Hotham IX is said in Glover’s visitation pedigree to have been the son of Sir John’s second wife Lora Constable. However, it is also possible he was the son of his first wife, Isabel Hastings. Unfortunately, there is no firm information on when he was born or when Isabel Hastings died.

He was of age in October 1513 when he made a settlement on his brother Hugh [1], so was probably born before 1492. His father died in 1509 and on 20 June 1510, John Hothom, of Scorburgh, Yorkshire, etc., esq., son and heir of John Hothom, knight was named in the Pardon Roll of 1 Henry VIII [2]. In early 1513 John Huthom is named as one of the under captains of Henry Earl of Northumberland's company of Yorkshire demi lances [3]. Either he did not go to France with the Earl's forces or he had to return early because he fought at the battle of Flodden in Scotland on 9 September 1513 and was knighted after the battle by the Earl of Surrey [4].

He was appointed to Commissions of Peace in the East Riding of Yorkshire on 6 February and 27 June 1514 [5]. By a charter dated 10 August 1516, he 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 [6]. In 1517, Elizabeth Metham of Cave, widow, executor of the goods of Thomas Metham was summoned to answer John Hotham, knight, administrator of the goods and chattels which belonged to John Hotham, knight, lately called John Hotham, esquire, who died intestate [7].

Probably in early 1518, he married Elizabeth Headlam. By a deed, which may be a marriage settlement, dated 20 January 1518 he settled the manors of Scorborough, Wilton and Marton, with the college in the church of Lowthorpe on himself and his wife Elizabeth for life, remainder to their heirs. The trustees were William and John Bulmer, Ralph and William Headlam and others [8]. Ralph and William Headlam were most probably Elizabeth's brothers. On 21 June 1518, he was appointed to a commission of sewers in Holderness [9]. By a deed dated 20 January 1521, he enfeoffed Sir William Eure knight, Sir William Bulmer the younger knight, Ralph Headlam, William Headlam, William Danyell esquire, Ralph Bulmer, clerk and John Wensley gent, of the manors of Marton, Sewerby and Hutton Crauncewyk, to his own use during his lifetime and after his death, to the use of Elizabeth his wife and for the performance of his will [10]. By a charter dated at Beverley on 8 August 1522, he sold 2 messuages, 40 acres of arable land, 14 acres of meadow, and two tofts with appurtenances in Hessle and Tranby to John Wensley and his heirs and assigns [11].

Sir John Hotham X died on 17 October 1524, aged about 33, leaving a son and heir Francis aged 4 years and over [12]. He also left three daughters, Anne, Cecily and Mary, to whom he left money for their marriages in his will, part of which is quoted in his Yorkshire inquisition post mortem, but his will does not appear in the York registry of wills [13]. His widow married secondly, as his second wife, Sir John Constable of Halsham, Yorkshire [14]. She died on 20 June 1529. Her inquisition post mortem was held at Malton on 8 November 1529; in it she is described as "Elizabeth Constable widow of Sir John Hotham knight" [15].

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[1] TNA: C 142/43/64 as cited in ibid.

[2] Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, vol. 1: 1509-1514 (1920), 268.

[3] Francis Grose, The Antiquarian Repertory, vol. 4 (London, 1809), 346, “Capteyns & pety capteyns of the first noumbre of Yorkeshire, of di’ launcys; Sir John Normanvill, for cheef capteyn. John Huthom, pety capteyn.”

[4] “A Contemporary Account of the Battle of Floddon, 9th September 1513. From a Manuscript in the Possession of David Laing, Esq., LL.D., VPSA. Scot.,” Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 7 (1868): 151.

[5] Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, vol. 1: 1509-1514 (1920), 733, 832.

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

[7] Court of Common Pleas, Hilary 9, H. VIII as cited in ibid., 89.

[8] TNA: C 142/51/82 as cited in ibid., 94.

[9] Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, vol. 2: 1515-1518 (1864), 1317.

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

[11] TNA: C 142/43/48 as cited in ibid.

[12] TNA: C 142/43/64 as cited in ibid.

[13] TNA: C 142/43/64 as cited in ibid.

[14] James Balfour Paul, The Scots Peerage, vol. 3, 1906, 290.

[15] TNA: C 142/51/82 as cited in Saltmarshe, History of the Hothams, 97.