THE SCROPES OF BOLTON AND OF SHAM, C. 1300 - C. 1450: A STUDY OF A INORTHERN NZELE FAMILY WITH A CALENDAR OF THE SCROPE OF BOLTON CARTULARY 'IWO VOLUMES VOLUME I BRIGE'rrh VALE D. PHIL. THE UNIVERSITY OF YORK DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY MAY 1987 TABLE OF (INTENTS VOLUME ONE PAGE NO. LIST OF TABLES, MAPS AND DIAGRAMS AcionaLEDGEmarrs DECLARATION ABSTRACT LIST OF ABBREVIATICINS INTRODUCTICN 1 CHAPTER ONE The Origins of the Scrope Family 8 A. From the Domesday Book to 1300. 8 B. The Careers of Henry and Geoffrey Scrope, 22 Chief justices. CHAPTER TWO Richmondshire and its Lords 38 A. The Honour of Richmond. 38 B. The Economy of Richmondshire in the Fourteenth Century. 53 C. The Borough of Richmond. 64 CHAPIER THREE The Path to Nobility The Profits of War and Service to 68 the Crown - The Careers of Henry and Richard Scrope, c.1340- 1403 A. Warfare and Crusading. 70 B. Royal Service, c.1360-1400. 78 C. The Spoils of Success: the Wilding of Castle Bolton. 89 D. The Pitfalls of Success: The Scrope and 95 Grosvenor Dispute. CHAPTER FOUR The Estates of the Scrape Family, c.1300-1400 106 A. The Acquisition of the Scrape of Bolton Estates. 112 B. The Management and Inheritance of the Estates. 131 CHAPTER FIVE Richard Scrope, Bishop of Lichfield, Archbishop of 143 York, c.1350-1405 A. Early Prospects and Promotion. 144 B. Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, 1387-1398. 151 C. Archbishop of York, 1398-1405. 166 D. The Revolt of 1405 and the Martyrdom of an Archbishop. 177 E. The Cult of Archbishop Scrape. 191 CHAPTER SIX After the Death of the Archbishop: the Scrape Family in the Fifteenth Century 198 A. Riches and Rebellion: The Career of Henry Scrape, third lord Masham, c.1403-1415. 199 B. Dynastic Difficulties and the Problem of Marriage: The Scrapes of Bolton and the Scrapes of Castle Combe in the Fifteenth Century. 211 C. Recovery and Stability: the Fortunes of the Scrapes of Masham, 1424-55. 224 D. The Scrapes of Masham and Bolton under Richard III and Henry VII. 234 APPENDICES Appendix One - List of grants, annuities and fees to William 237 Scrape Appendix Two - Genealogy of the Scrapes of Bolton 239 Appendix Three - Genealogy of the Scrapes of Masham 240 BIBLIOGRAPHY VOLUME TWO GUIDE '10 a:1NTENTS INTRODUCTION CALENDAR OF THE SCROPE OF BOLION CARTULARY 1 LIST OF TABLES, rvos, DIAGRNMS AND PLATES 1. Genealogy of the Scrape Family to 1300 10 2. Map of Richmondshire 40 3. Table One-Comparison of Lay Subsidy Paid in 1301 60-61 with 1334 4. Plate - Castle Bolton, Wensleydale 88 5. Plan of Castle Bolton, Wensleydale 92 6. Map showing Distribution of Scrape of Bolton Estates in 109-110 Richmomdshire with Key 7. Table Two - Fees and Annuities Payable by John Lesarop , 229-30 Lord of Masham in 1436. Although the views expressed in this thesis are my own and I hear the responsibility for any flaws that remain in it, it is with great gratitude that I am now able to thank all those who have helped me in the course of my researching the SuLope family. Above all my greatest thanks must go to my supervisor Professor R,B.Dobson for his patient supervision of my thesis. I would also like to thank Dr C.M.,Barron of Bedford and Royal Holloway College for first inspiring my interest in medieval history as an undergraduate. I owe a debt to Leicester University for awarding me a teaching and research scholarship from 1982-85 which enabled me to continue with research for this thesis. I would like to thank Dr M. Cherry, Professor P. Clark and Dr J Young for their encouragement at that time. I am grateful to the staff of the libraries and record offices in which I have worked. In particular I would like to thank Mr I.Dunn of the Cheshire County Record Office for facilitating access to the Scrcpe of Bolton Cartulary. The Scrope of Bolton Cartulary, Cheshire Record Office DCH/X/15/1 is reproduced by kind permission of the Most Honourable Marquess of Cholmondeley to whom copyright is reserved. I would also like to thank Mr J. Stedman for the photographs of Castle Bolton. Finally I would like to thank my typists Mrs G.Hayes and Miss C.Hodgkinson. And last but never least my thanks must go to my parents for their continual support and encouragement. DECLARATION This is to certify that I am responsible for the work submitted in this thesis, that the original work is my own except as specified in acknowledgements or in footnotes, and that neither the thesis nor the original work contained therein has been submitted to this or any other institution for a higher degree nor published. e&baJa. aisL ABSTRACT The first volume of this thesis explains the development, success, and careers of members of Scrope of Bolton and of Masham families over the period c. 1300-1450. Volume Two is a calendar of the late fourteenth century Scrope of Bolton Cartulary, containing over 800 property deeds. A discussion of the origins of the Scrope family prior to 1300 provides an opportunity to consider the debate on the fortunes of the knightly class in the thirteenth century. A major factor in the 'rise' of the Scrope family was the legal careers of Henry and Geoffrey Scrope, chief justices, who developed the family position in the North Riding. The economic and political context of the honour of Richmond, the territorial base for both families, assisted their growth. The generation which succeeded the lawyer brothers achieved promotion to the ranks of the Parliamentary peerage, a distinction which recognised the military and political service of Henry, first lord Masham and Richard, first lord Bolton. The development of the Scrope of Bolton estates has been reconstructed from the Scrope of Bolton cartulary. A hallmark of the family's position was the elevation of Richard Scrape of Masham to the primacy of York. His rebellion in 1405 indicated the difficulties which the family faced with the change of dynasty. Henry IV presided over the executions of two members of the family and his son condemned a third member to death in 1415. The fifteenth century brought problems for the family both dynastically and politically and meant that they were to play a less significant part in politics than their predecessors. Nevertheless, John fourth lord Masham recovered his family position and subsequently the family enjoyed a brief revival of importance under Richard III. The period under consideration ends with the Scrapes' pragmatic acceptance of Henry VII and their winning and justifying his confidence. ABBREVIATIONS Add. Additional Annales Annales Ricardi Secundi et Henrici Quarti in J. de Trokelowe et Anon., Chronica et Annales ed. H.T. Riley (Rolls Series London, 1886) B.I.H.R. Bulletin of the Institute of Historical Research B.J.R.L. Bulletin of the John Rylands Library B. L. British Library C.Ch.R Calendar of Charter Rolls C.C.R. Calendar of Close Rolls C.F.R. Calendar of Fine Rolls Calendar of Inquisitions Miscellaneous Cal. Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mbrtem Complete Peerage The Complete Peerage, 12, vols. ed. G.E. Cokayne (London, 1910-59). D.K.R. Deputy Keeper's Report D.N.B. Dictionary of National Biography Econ. H.R. Economic History Review E.H.D. English Historical Documents E.H.R. English Historical Review Emden, Cambridge Emden, A.B., A Biographical Register of the University of Cambridge to 1500 (Cambridge, 1963) Emden, Oxford A Biographical Register of the University of Oxford to 1500 (Oxford) E . Y. C. Early Yorkshire Charters Foedera T. Rymer, Foedera, Conventiones, Literae etc., (London, 1704-35) Inquisition Post Mbrtem J.E.H. Journal of Ecclesiastical History J.M.H. Journal of Medieval History J.R.H. Journal of Religious History L. R. S . Lincoln Record Society N.R.A. National Register of Archives N.Y.C.R.O. North Yorkshire County Record Office P.0 . P . C . Proceedings and Ordinances of the Privy Council, ed. Sir N.H. Nicolas (London, 1834-7) P.R.O. Public Record Office Rot. Pan. Rotuli Parliamentorum Scrape Cartulary Calendar of the Scrope of Bolton Cartulary, present thesis volume II. Scrope v Grosvenor The Controversy between Sir Robert Grosvenor, ed. Sir N.H. Nicolas, 2 vols. (London, 1832) Test. Ebor. Testamenta Eboracensia T.R.H.S. Transactions of the Royal Historical Society V.C.H. Victoria County History Y. A. J . Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Y. A. S Yorkshire Archaeological Society Y . A . S . Rec . Sen. Yorkshire Archaeological Society Record Series. INIRODUCTION Although the lay magnates of later medieval England have never lacked attention from their posthumous critics and admirers, it was the pioneering work of the late Mr. KB. McFarlane which returned them to their place at the centre of the political and social life of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. For McFarlane, this was the period in which 'a nobility of a type peculiar to England, having little in common with the French noblesse and German Adel, first came into existence and established itself in that position of dominance in English society which it was to retain and exploit for centuries to come , . (1) Under the stimulus of McFarlane's Ford Lectures at Oxford in 1953, and long before they were eventually published as The Nobility of Later Medieval England twenty years later, a succession of medieval historians have explored many of the issues raised by the ascendancy of the nobility at this time.(2) Such issues include not only the economic fortunes of the nobles but also their recruitment of retinues and affinities as well as their attitudes and relationship with the English Crown.