338 COBHAM COBHAM BARONY BY i. Sir Ralph de Cobham, s. of John de C. (whose WRIT. relationship to the other members of that large family is unknown), was sum. to Pari, from 30 Dec. (1324) I. 1324. 18 Edw. II to 20 Feb. (1324/5) 18 Edw. II, by writs directed Radulfo de Cobham^ whereby he is held to have become LORD COBHAM. (^) He was a prominent soldier, and held a command under the Earl of Richmond at the battle of Byland Abbey in Yorkshire, 14 Oct. 1322, where the English were defeated by the Scots under Robert Bruce. He m. Mary. He d. 5 Feb. 1325/6. His widow w?., as 2nd wife, Thomas (of Brotherton), Earl of Norfolk and Marshal OF England, who d. Aug. 1338. She d. 1362, before 20 June. II. 1326. 2. John (de Cobham), Lord Cobham, s. and h., b. 18 Dec. 1324 or 2 Jan. 1324/5, made proof of his age 12 Aug. (1346) 20 Edw. Ill, and 14 years later was in the wars in France. He was commonly called the son of Mary, the Countess Marshal. He was never sum. to Pari. He was living (1377-78) i Ric. II.C") COBHAM BARONY. John Brooke, of Heckington, co. Lincoln, 2nd, but 1st surv. s. and h. of Sir Henry Cobham,(') otherwise I. 1645 Brooke, by Anne, da. of Sir Henry Sutton, of Notts, to which Sir Henry was 7th and yst. s. of George (Brooke), 1660. Lord Cobham, grandfather of the lord who was attainted in 1603. He had been knighted before his mother's death, Jan. 161 1/2, had, early in life, mortgaged the Heckington estate for
- ^7,ooo, and disposed of all the freehold that remained to him in Kent
to the Duke of Richmond, the owner of the Cobham estate. M.P. for Gatton 16 14, Oxford (borough) 1621-22, Great Bedwin 1625, and Appleby 1 640-43. C^) On the death of his cousin, Sir WilHam Brooke, in 1643 (see post, p. 350), he was the heir male of Henry (Brooke), the last Lord Cobham, though not the heir general (on whom all right of (^) As to how far these early writs of summons did in fact create any peerage title, see Appendix A in the last volume. (*") At this date he states that from affection to Edward, Prince of Wales, he had made the Crown heir to all his lands after his death. {"=) He appears to have been better known as " Cobham." He was h. 5 Feb. ^537/8j and was on several diplomatic missions. His admon. as "Sir Henry Brooke Cobham, Knt., of Sutton at Hone, Kent," is dat. 10 Feb. 1591/2. The will of his widow as " Dame Anne Cobham" was dat. 8, and pr. 10 Jan. 161 1/2. if) " He seems to have been a weak-minded man, wedded to a very strong- minded wife." {Arch. Cant., vol. xi, p. 206). It is curious that such a worthless spendthrift should have been so highly favoured. His sister and h., Anne, m. Sir Edward Heron, of Cressy Hall, co. Lincoln, and left male issue.
