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THE HOTHAMS. 191
Cole, writing to Bentham, the Ely historian, 1766, mentions the same
arms as existing in the church of Ditton, near Cambridge, in the Diocese
little while the Le Despencers recovered their prestige, and have ever
since been regarded as a noble and honourable house, with which it is
an honour to be connected.
The elder branch thus died out the ;
younger still flourishes, and long
may it continue to do so. For many generations, the central line thereof,
which is all that I can mention here, filled honourable positions, and made
worthy alliances amongst their neighbours. Eight successive generations
attained to the dignity of knighthood during a period when that was
a token of meritorious service in
the field.
Sir John Hotham, born 1458, was knighted at Floddeni in 1513, and
died 1524.
On the news of the death of Queen Elizabeth reaching Hull,
March ayth, 1603, Christopher Hildyard, John Hotham, and Launcelot
Alford, Esq., and others, joined in commission with the mayor, recorder,
and aldermen, who with great solemnity, preceded by music, went in
procession to the market-place and proclaimed King James I. ;
and this is
the first mention I find of one who played a part of no little importance,
not only in his family history, but in the councils of his country.
In 1617 his Majesty came to York, and was lodged at the Manor
House. During his stay Lord Sheffield, the Lord President of the North,
entertained him at a banquet at Sir George Young's house, in the Minster
Yard, built on the site of the house of the Treasurer, and now known as
Gray's Court. After the banquet,
Mr. Hotham and seven others were
knighted by the King.
In 1635 he was Sheriff of the county, and very active in the rigorous
Charles I.
collecting of the ill-advised tax of " ship money," imposed by
Up to this time he had been a staunch Royalist, but possibly this may
have shaken him in his attachment, for in 1639, when he was elected Member
for Hull, he was examined by the Council and committed to the Fleet
for refusing to answer questions concerning the transactions of Parliament.
Clarendon
" says (vol. ii. p. 476) His particular animosity against the Earl
" of Strafford first
engaged him in that company."
That same year Charles visited Hull, and was received with great
state by the mayor and corporation. I suppose that he thus saw the
capabilities of its situation, for when war broke out with Scotland, 1640,
Lord Strafford by his orders directed the town to be immediately put in a
posture of defence, and eventually sent Sir Thomas Glemham to be the
governor of the town. To this the corporation demurred, representing