Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Southcote, John
SOUTHCOTE, JOHN (1511–1585), judge, second son of William Southcote, by his wife, Alice Tregonnell, and grandson of Nicholas Southcote of Chudleigh, Devonshire, was born in 1511. He was a member of the Middle Temple, where he was autumn reader in 1556, and again on his call to the degree of serjeant-at-law, April 1559. He was made justice of the queen's bench on 10 Feb. 1562–3. In November 1566 he served on the committee for the final revision of the measure (8 Eliz. c. 1) confirming the ordinal of Edward VI. He sat with Chief-justice Catlin on the trial (9 Feb. 1571–2) of Robert Hickford, a retainer of the Duke of Norfolk, indicted for adhering to the queen's enemies, and as assessor to the peers on the trial of Thomas Howard, fourth duke of Norfolk [q. v.] He took part in the conference of November–December 1577 on the legal method of dealing with recusants. He retired in May 1584, when he was succeeded by John Clench. He died on 18 April 1585, leaving issue by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of William Robins, alderman of London, a son John and two daughters. His remains were interred in the church of Witham, Essex, in the neighbourhood of which he had his seat. On his descendant, George Southcote of Blyborough, Lincolnshire, was conferred on 1 Jan. 1661–2 a baronetcy, which became extinct in 1691.
[Harl. MS. 1154, f. 178; Visitation of Essex (Harl. Soc.), p. 491; Prince's Worthies of Devon, p. 562; Dugdale's Orig. p. 217; Chron. Ser. p. 91; Machyn's Diary (Camden Soc.), p. 195; Hist. MSS. Comm. 7th Rep. App. pp. 632–6, 661; Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1535 g. 149 (58), 1539 ii. 271, 1547–80 p. 507, Addenda, 1580–1625 p. 165; Strype's Ann. (fol.) vol. i. pt. p. 29, pt. ii. p. 528, Memorials (fol.) vol. iii. pt. i. p. 319, Parker (fol.) p. 190, Grindal (fol.) p. 232; Wright's Queen Elizabeth and her Times; Patent Roll, 13 Car. II, 17 Jan.; Cobbett's State Trials, i. 958, 1043; Burke's Extinct Baronetage; Morant's Essex, ii. 110; Foss's Lives of the Judges.]