BOTKESHAM, Thomas

Probably the eldest son of Robert Botkesham, a prominent burgess of Bishop’s Lynn, Thomas took part in a conveyance of property at Lynn in 1412,5 CP25(1)/169/184/148. but it was not until over a decade later that he became a member of the borough’s council of 27. In the event this was a short-lived appointment, since in a matter of weeks he filled a vacancy in the upper council of 24. It would appear that initially he was reluctant to accept his promotion to that body: he defaulted with regard to his appointment to the 24 in February 1425, perhaps meaning that he had failed to attend council meetings. One of his earliest duties as a councillor was to attend the funeral of Lynn’s feudal lord, John Wakering, bishop of Norwich, in May 1425, and he was among those delegated to represent the borough at the installation of Wakering’s successor, William Alnwick.6 KL/C 7/29, pp. 33, 43, 169. Early the following year, Botkesham participated in the internal process through which the burgesses chose Bartholomew Petipas* and John Parmenter* to sit in the Parliament of 1426, before the drawing up of the official return (now no longer extant).7 Ibid. p. 111.

In Botkesham’s only Parliament the other MP for Lynn was John Waterden*, a lawyer and experienced parliamentarian. The two men had known each other for some time, since both had been involved in a conveyance, apparently on behalf of Thomas Hunt†, in Henry V’s reign.8 CP25(1)/169/185/36. More recently, Botkesham had stood surety when Waterden was elected to the Parliament of 1429,9 C219/14/1. and in the early 1430s the two men, in association with Thomas Burgh*, quarrelled with John Warner†.10 KL/C 7/3, f. 19v. While mayor Botkesham was again associated with Waterden, as parties to a transaction by which an annuity of £10 was set aside for Burgh’s wife, Elizabeth (previously the wife of Hunt), for the rest of her life.11 CP25(1)/169/187/90. It was also while mayor that the MP was expected to swear an oath to keep the peace administered throughout England in 1434.12 CPR, 1429-36, p. 405. Still alive in July 1435, when the corporation awarded him a regard of 20 marks for his time in the mayoralty, Botkesham was possibly already dead when his son and heir, Robert, became a freeman of Lynn in May 1437.13 KL/C 7/3, ff. 54, 78v. He had certainly died by June the following year when his widow, Katherine, owed the borough’s Holy Trinity guild 46s. 8d.14 KL/C 38/12.