Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Okham, John de
OKHAM, JOHN de (fl. 1317), judge, was in 1311 appointed to act with the king's escheator beyond Trent in enforcing the royal rights on the death of Antony Bek [q. v.], bishop of Durham. During the next few years he was clerk to the keeper of the wardrobe, Sir Ingelard de Warlee (Rolls of Parliament, ii. 437), and cofferer of the wardrobe (Patent Rolls, p. 74). On 18 June 1317 he was appointed a baron of the exchequer in succession to Richard de Abingdon [q. v.], incapacitated by sickness, and appears acting as judge until 1322, receiving summonses to parliament during that period, the last being a summons to the parliament at York in 1322. He appears as canon of the free chapel of St. Martin, London, in 1345, in which year he received the custody of the deanery of the chapel. He is not to be confused with the 'Sire Johan de Okham' mentioned in a copy of the proposals of the ordainers of 1311 (Annales Londonienses, p. 200). The latter was John de Hotham or Hothun [q. v.], afterwards bishop of Ely.
[Foss's Judges, iii. 282; Dugdale's Orig. Jurid. Chron. Ser. p. 36; Abbr. Rot. Orig. i. 175, 290; Cal. Rot. Pat. p. 74; Rot. Parl. ii. 437; Parl. Writs, vol. ii. pt. iii. p. 1244; Ann. London, ap. Chron. Edw. I and Edw. II, i. 200 (Rolls Ser.)]