Thomas Docwra
Encyclopedia
Thomas Docwra was Grand Prior of the English
Knights Hospitaller
.
Thomas was admitted to the Knights Hospitallers at the age of 16, spending about four years as a novitiate. In 1480 he was in Rhodes
with Sir Thomas Greene
during the unsuccessful Turkish
siege of the island. He later became preceptor
of the Order's holdings in Dinmore, Herefordshire
. In 1494 Sir Thomas became Prior of Ireland
and then a year later Turcopolier of the English tongue. By 1499 he became captain of the castle of St. Peter
in Bodrum
. In 1501 he succeeded Sir John Kendal
as Grand Prior in England, taking responsibility for all their property in England. He reversed the policy of leasing out property to secular tenants, most noticeably with Temple Balsall
in Warwickshire
. He terminated the lease of Sir Robert Throckmorton
and attempted to gain the arrears of rent. When Sir Lancelot Docwra arrived to reclaim the property, Throckmorton had fortified the manor house and refused to allow the Hospitallers entry.
Nevertheless Thomas let out Temple Dinsley in Hertfordshire
to his nephew John Docwra in 1519. Another transaction was the leasing of land in Hampton
, Middlesex
to Thomas Wolsey, the Archbishop of York
. This is where Wolsey built Hampton Court of which Henry VIII of England
took possession when Wolsey fell from favour. Overall the Order had over 40 preceptories spread out from Cornwall
to Northumberland
, the majority of which retained their concentual status. Docwra would have had to visit them all once a year.
As the Lord of St John, Docwra was a senior lay baron with a seat in the House of Lords
. He was one of the peers who tried the Duke of Buckingham
for treason in 1521. He was a member of the Privy Council
and Admiral of the English Fleet, which may have been an honorary title.
As Grand Prior of St John he served on a number of commissions: he was involved with drainage in Lincolnshire
, where the order had substantial holdings and was brought in on a commission to investigate irregularities by the Masters of the Mint. he was also connected with the "search for suspicious characters in London" in 1520. But perhaps it was his diplomatic activities on behalf of Henry VII and Henry VIII for which he is most remembered. He engaged in marriage negotiations as well as financial and commercial matters. When in 1510 the Grand Master of the Order in Rhodes requested that he come and help defend the order against the Turks, the King refused to allow him leave to go. But in 1512 he was expected to turn up with 300 men at arms and a 200 ton ship when the King had a military adventure to pursue in France
. In 1520 he accompanied the King to France to the "Field of the Cloth of Gold
".
Docwra died in May, 1527 at Clerkenwell
and was buried in the priory church
. He was succeeded by Sir William Weston
, the last Grand Prior of the Knights Hospitaller in England.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Knights Hospitaller
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
.
Thomas was admitted to the Knights Hospitallers at the age of 16, spending about four years as a novitiate. In 1480 he was in Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
with Sir Thomas Greene
Thomas Greene
Thomas Greene of Bobbing, Kent, 2nd Proprietary Governor of Maryland was an early settler of the Maryland colony and second Provincial Governor of the colony from 1647 to 1648. He was the son of Sir Thomas Greene and Lady Margaret Webb...
during the unsuccessful Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
siege of the island. He later became preceptor
Preceptor
A preceptor is a teacher responsible to uphold a certain law or tradition, a precept.-Christian military orders:A preceptor was historically in charge of a preceptory, the headquarters of certain orders of monastic Knights, such as the Knights Hospitaller and Knights Templar, within a given...
of the Order's holdings in Dinmore, Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
. In 1494 Sir Thomas became Prior of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and then a year later Turcopolier of the English tongue. By 1499 he became captain of the castle of St. Peter
Bodrum Castle
Bodrum Castle , located in southwest Turkey in the city of Bodrum , was built by the Knights Hospitaller starting in 1402 as the Castle of St. Peter or Petronium.-History:...
in Bodrum
Bodrum
Bodrum is a port city in Muğla Province, in the southwestern Aegean Region of Turkey. It is located on the southern coast of Bodrum Peninsula, at a point that checks the entry into the Gulf of Gökova. The site was called Halicarnassus of Caria in ancient times and was famous for housing the...
. In 1501 he succeeded Sir John Kendal
John Kendal
John Kendal was secretary to King Richard The Third of England, and killed in the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485 whilst fighting in the King's army.Believed to be born in Appleby, Westmoreland, England...
as Grand Prior in England, taking responsibility for all their property in England. He reversed the policy of leasing out property to secular tenants, most noticeably with Temple Balsall
Temple Balsall
Temple Balsall is a hamlet within the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English West Midlands, situated between the large villages of Knowle and Balsall Common. It was formerly in Warwickshire. It is on a notoriously bad bend on the B4101 Kenilworth Road.It is one of the oldest and most...
in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. He terminated the lease of Sir Robert Throckmorton
Robert Throckmorton
Sir Robert Throckmorton of Coughton Court, MP, KG was a distinguished English Tudor courtier.-Overview:...
and attempted to gain the arrears of rent. When Sir Lancelot Docwra arrived to reclaim the property, Throckmorton had fortified the manor house and refused to allow the Hospitallers entry.
Nevertheless Thomas let out Temple Dinsley in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
to his nephew John Docwra in 1519. Another transaction was the leasing of land in Hampton
Hampton, London
Hampton is a suburban area, centred on an old village on the north bank of the River Thames, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in England. Formerly it was in the county of Middlesex, which was formerly also its postal county. The population is about 9,500...
, Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
to Thomas Wolsey, the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
. This is where Wolsey built Hampton Court of which Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
took possession when Wolsey fell from favour. Overall the Order had over 40 preceptories spread out from Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
to Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
, the majority of which retained their concentual status. Docwra would have had to visit them all once a year.
As the Lord of St John, Docwra was a senior lay baron with a seat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. He was one of the peers who tried the Duke of Buckingham
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, KG was an English nobleman. He was the son of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and the former Lady Catherine Woodville, daughter of the 1st Earl Rivers and sister-in-law of King Edward IV.-Early life:Stafford was born at Brecknock Castle in Wales...
for treason in 1521. He was a member of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
and Admiral of the English Fleet, which may have been an honorary title.
As Grand Prior of St John he served on a number of commissions: he was involved with drainage in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, where the order had substantial holdings and was brought in on a commission to investigate irregularities by the Masters of the Mint. he was also connected with the "search for suspicious characters in London" in 1520. But perhaps it was his diplomatic activities on behalf of Henry VII and Henry VIII for which he is most remembered. He engaged in marriage negotiations as well as financial and commercial matters. When in 1510 the Grand Master of the Order in Rhodes requested that he come and help defend the order against the Turks, the King refused to allow him leave to go. But in 1512 he was expected to turn up with 300 men at arms and a 200 ton ship when the King had a military adventure to pursue in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In 1520 he accompanied the King to France to the "Field of the Cloth of Gold
Field of the Cloth of Gold
The Field of Cloth of Gold is the name given to a place in Balinghem, between Guînes and Ardres, in France, near Calais. It was the site of a meeting that took place from 7 June to 24 June 1520, between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The meeting was arranged to increase...
".
Docwra died in May, 1527 at Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell
Clerkenwell is an area of central London in the London Borough of Islington. From 1900 to 1965 it was part of the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury. The well after which it was named was rediscovered in 1924. The watchmaking and watch repairing trades were once of great importance...
and was buried in the priory church
Clerkenwell Priory
Clerkenwell Priory was a priory of the Monastic Order of the Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem, located in Clerkenwell, London. Run according to the Augustinian rule, it was the residence of the Hospitallers' Grand Prior in England, and was thus their English...
. He was succeeded by Sir William Weston
William Weston
William Pritchard Weston was the third Premier of Tasmania.Born in Shoreditch, England, Weston emigrated to Tasmania in about 1830, purchasing a property near Longford, and lived there for several years. He also received a grant of 2500 acres . He was made a magistrate and with the Rev...
, the last Grand Prior of the Knights Hospitaller in England.