heraldryofyorkmi01custuoft

198 THE HERALDRY OF YORK MINSTER.
or events. Now, they are the simple
tokens of that love which trouble
Whether they
only increases and which no axe can sever or extinguish.
were used for the purpose for which they were sent I cannot say. Untarnished
by stain of blood, they seem, in their spotless whiteness, types
of the spirits cleansed from the defilements of human frailty and restless
ambition, and at peace with God.
The names of Sir John and his son are not recorded in the list of
those buried at the Tower, so I conclude that their bodies were brought
to Scorborough and laid in the family burying-place.
Captain Hotham's son, John, succeeded to the baronetcy, and seems
to have been governor of Hull in 1689, during the troubles of the early
years of James II. He married Elizabeth, only daughter of Viscount
Beaumont, and had several children, all of whom died without issue except
one, Elizabeth, who married William Gee of Bishop Burton, great-grandson
of Sir William Gee, one of the Council of the North, whose wife was a
daughter of Archbishop Hutton, and who is buried under a stately monument
in the south choir aisle of the Minster.
The eldest son, John, succeeded his father, and married, but dying
without issue, 1691, the direct line of Hotham from the first wife of the
decapitated Sir John failed, and the baronetcy now reverted to a distant
cousin, Charles Hotham, grandson of the second wife, Anne, daughter of
Ralph Rokeby.
Whether Sir John had had any quarrel with him, or whether he
regarded half-blood as no relationship, I cannot say but he left the whole
;
of the property to his mother, at her free disposal. Fortunately Lady
Hotham was both high-principled and unselfish. She immediately sent
for Sir Charles, and told him that she felt the great responsibility laid
upon her, and was anxious to do the best for the family honour, as for her
own immediate kith and kin. If, therefore, he would marry her granddaughter,
Bridget Gee, she would make over the whole estate to him,
only retaining an annuity of ^500 for her life.
Sir Charles, who was a young officer of dragoons, at once acceded,
not doubting of his success with the young lady; but, to his surprise,
on communicating to her his wishes, he was quietly but firmly refused.
Perplexed and crestfallen he returned to Lady Hotham and told her what
had occurred. She replied that she learned with great regret the failure
of what had been the cherished wish of her heart, but as she could not
control another's affections, and as he had shewn himself ready to comply
with her wishes, she was determined that the family should not suffer, and
therefore would make over the estate to him, without that condition,
leaving him free to marry whom he pleased. But he had a real affection
for his young cousin, and venturing to make another appeal, was at once