Humphrey Specote

The presumed funerary memorial for Humphrey Specote and his wife Elizabeth in Thornbury Church

Humphrey Specote (also Speccot ) (* before 1532; † between 1589 and 1604) was an English politician who was once elected as a member of the House of Commons .

origin

Humphrey Specote came from the Specote family (also Speccott ), which has been traceable since the 13th century and named itself after Specote Manor in Merton in northern Devon . He was the eldest son of Edmund Specote and his wife Jane Grenville, a daughter of Roger Grenville from Stowe in Kilkhampton in Cornwall . After his father's death on April 24, 1557, he inherited his Thornbury estate in Devon.

Life

During the reign of Mary the Catholic , Specote was elected MP for the Borough of Plymouth in the 1558 general election. He owed his election not only to his inherited citizenship, but above all to the support of his relative James Bassett , his uncle John Grenville and friends of his father like Thomas Browne . It is not known about his work in the House of Commons, but perhaps he met Elizabeth Arcott , the widow of his wealthy neighbor John Arcott († 1558) from Tetkott in London. Arcott had died near London just before the opening of Parliament. It is possible that he had already arranged his marriage to Elizabeth Arcott, which took place before 1561. This marriage allowed Specote to expand his land holdings so that by 1590 he had an annual income of about £ 20. Little is known of his further life. During the reign of Elizabeth I , Specote did not stand for any further election, but only took over local offices such as that of a justice of the peace . He is last mentioned in 1589, but perhaps he died around 1604 when his son John took over the inheritance. His presumed, uninscribed grave memorial is in Thornbury Church.

progeny

With his wife Elizabeth, who was a daughter of John Walter of Broxbourne , Hertfordshire , Specote had at least three sons and one daughter, including:

• John Speccott (1561-1644)
• Anne Specote ∞ John Fortescue

His heir became his son John Speccott.

Web links

• Roger Virgoe: SPECOTE, Humphrey (by 1532-89 or later), of Thornbury, Devon. (History of Parliament Online, Ref Volumes: 1509–1558)

Individual evidence

1. ^ History of Parliament Online: SPECCOTT, John (c.1561-1644), of Thornbury, Devon. Retrieved September 3, 2017 . 
2. ^ Thornbury Hamlets: The History of Saint Peter's Church, Thornbury. Retrieved September 3, 2017 .