# ID: I06069
# Name: Sir Thomas Morham 1
# Sex: M
# Title: The Younger
# Birth: 1263 in Morham, East Lothian, Scotland
# Death: in Morham, East Lothian, Scotland
# Note:

    Sir Thomas Morham "the younger" & Sir Herbert Morham

    The material presented in this section on the two sons of Sir Thomas Morham Sr. has been collected from the state papers of two English Kings, (Edward I & Edward II), and spans the date period 1296-1317. In the search for the actual father of Euphemia Morham, the focus will be directed to these two individuals as the most probable candidates.

    Both of the sons of Thomas Morham Sr. had certainly come of age by 1296, thus placing their birth years in the 1270 period. Sir Herbert Morham has been considered the older of the two, but some evidence in the state papers suggests that Sir Thomas may have been the elder brother. Considerable documentation of Sir Herbert Morham is found between 1296 and his beheading at the Tower of London in 1306. His brother, Sir Thomas Morham "the younger", may also be found in a number of the state papers between 1296 and 1317. Like many of the Scottish families during the wars of independence, the Morhams had divided loyalties between the English and Scots. Sir Thomas Morham the father was a noted patriot of the Scottish cause, and indeed was a prisoner of the English for 17 years. Sir Herbert Morham began as an adherent to the Scots, changed to the English side for a brief period, and then returned to the Scottish cause as a leading patriot. His brother, SirThomas Morham "the younger", always remained a knight in the service and retinue of the English Kings from 1296 to 1317.

    The young Thomas Morham is first found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296 where he signs the oath of loyalty to King Edward I. He is listed as of the county of Stirlingshire which contained the Morham lands of Dunipace. He next is noted as being at the battle of Falkirk in 1298, fighting with the English army of King Edward I which defeated William Wallace and the Scots. He is knighted by King Edward about this time, and receives 24 Marks compensation from King Edward for a black horse killed during the Falkirk battle. In 1299 Herbert Morham kidnaps the widow Johanna de Clare, Countess of Fife, and wishing to force her to marry him, brings her to the house of his brother Thomas Morham in Gertranky. Gertranky was near Denny and Dunipace in Stirlingshire. In Feb. of 1300 he was listed as Sir Thomas Morham, and a member of the English garrison which held Edinburgh Castle. The next mention of Sir Thomas Morham "the younger" occurs in Feb. of 1304, where he remained in the forces of King Edward I in the Edinburgh area. An interesting description of his seal is given in the state papers of Edward I for a 1300 receipt of four quarts of oats drawn from the King's stores at Berwick. "On a fesse 3 cinquefoils, in chief a lion passant." This would be the standard Morham family arms, but with the further addition of the lion passant in chief. After 1304, only two mentions of the younger Sir Thomas Morham can be found. The first of these was a grant of Bolton in Allerdale from King Edward II of England in Oct. of 1314. Bolton is in the border county of Cumberland, England. (The land had been resigned by the Scotsman Roger Moubray). The final mention of Thomas seems to occur in 1317, when he is with King Edward II in Nottingham and witnesses one of the King's charters. The term used in his father's title in the 1322 charter, "patri", strongly implies the recent death of his son, Sir Thomas Morham "the younger", prior 1322.

    Sir Herbert Morham, the other son of Thomas Morham Sr., led a short and turbulent life during the period 1296-1306. A chronology of events in his life can be found in the state papers of King Edward I. He is first noted as one of the many Scots taken prisoner by the English at Dunbar Castle in May of 1296. He was held captive at Nottingham Castle in England until released by King Edward in Aug. of 1297. In his Nottingham prison allowance he was named as "Herbert Morham, Esquire". Upon his release he gave his loyalty to Edward I, and served with the forces of the English King for two years. Herbert Morham was knighted by King Edward I in 1298. This was about the same time that his brother Thomas had also been knighted by Edward.

    The year 1299 became a pivotal point in the life of Sir Herbert Morham. During 1299 Herbert was in the English garrison which held Edinburgh Castle, and is listed on King Edward's castle returns as serving along with his brother Thomas. Both Herbert and Thomas are listed among the seven knights in the garrison of 347 men. Sir Herbert Morham had 2 esquires, 3 chargers, 4 hackneys, and 7 grooms in his personal inventory. In the spring of 1299, Sir Herbert Morham way-laid the party of Johanna de Clare, the widowed Countess of Fife. The attack occurred between Edinburgh and Stirling, and Sir Herbert took her by force to the house of his brother Thomas. She was then held prisoner in an aborted attempt to get her to marry him. He also seized her jewels, horses, robes, and goods worth 2000 pounds. As Johanna de Clare was traveling from Scotland to England under the express protection of King Edward I, and had made an oath not to marry without the King's license, the outraged King commanded a jury to decide if the charges were true and that Herbert be brought to trial. Sir Herbert Morham then quickly left the Edinburgh garrison and his brother Thomas, and switched to the Scottish cause joining Robert the Bruce. Herbert Morham would then play a notable role in Bruce's siege and capture of Stirling Castle from the English later in 1299. (Johanna de Clare was released, but Herbert appears to have kept the jewels and plunder as noted in a document of Nov. 1, 1299.)

    Sir Herbert Morham now fought with distinction in the Scottish armies, rising to command level by 1301. He is listed as a co-commander of the Scottish force at Strathaven during King Edward's assault against Bothwell Castle. The other two commanders listed were his close friend Sir Simon Fraser, and Sir Alexander Abernethy. At some time late in 1303 Herbert Morham was captured by the English. In a document of March 5, 1304, he was being listed as a prisoner in the Tower of London along with his father Sir Thomas Morham. The next year (1305) would see the grisly execution of the Scottish patriot William Wallace in London. On Sept. 7, 1306, more executions of Scottish prisoners would be carried out at the Tower of London. The first prisoner executed that day was Sir Simon Fraser who was hung, drawn, and quartered. Sir Christopher Seton then was beheaded. The final executions of Sept. 7, 1306 saw the beheadings of Sir Herbert Morham and his esquire Thomas le Boy. Herbert's father, Sir Thomas Morham, would remain a prisoner in the Tower for another eight years.

    In summary, the father of Euphemia Morham is very likely one of the two brothers discussed above. Later evidence found in charters also implies a de Ley family member connection with this generation, perhaps as a wife during this time period. No conclusive evidence can be found as to which brother may be the father of Euphemia, but given the time frame of her likely birth period being circa 1300, Sir Thomas Morham "the younger" would appear to be the more logical choice. Evidence strongly suggests that Thomas the younger died after 1317, and shortly before the 1322 charter in which Euphemia now becomes the heiress of her grandfather Sir Thomas Morham "the elder". Herbert Morham remains a possibility, but the fact that he is unmarried as of 1299, and then a prisoner by 1303, the window of opportunity of his having a child in this time frame would seem too limited. The next chapter in the ancestry of the Morhams will discuss the patriot Sir Thomas Morham the elder.

    Primary Sources:

    Registrum S. Marie Cambuskenneth; Declaration of Arbroath; Ragman Rolls, 1296; Liber S. Marie de Neubotle; Calendar of writs preserved at Yester House 1166-1503; Liber S. Thome de Arberbrothoc; Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland; Regesta Regum Scottorum, Vols. I, II, V, & VI; Calendar of the Laing Charters 854-1837; Liber S. Marie de Dryburgh; Liber S. Marie de Melros; Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland; Hand Acts of Alexander II; Hand Acts of Alexander III, the Guardians & John; Deeds relating to East Lothian, Wallace-James; Anglo-Norman Families, Loyd; The Surnames of Scotland, George F. Black.





Father: Sir Thomas Morham b: ABT 1245 in Morham, East Lothian, Scotland
Mother: ???

Marriage 1 ??? b: in Scotland

Children

   1. Has Children Eupheme Morham b: 1287 in Morham, East Lothian, Scotland


Sources:

   1. Title: Donna Jo Saso LOVE