Nicholas Hawkins

Personal and Family Information

Nicholas was born about 1495 in Putney, Surrey, England, the son of Robert Hawkins and Mary Bele.

He died about JAN 1534 in Balbase, Kingdom Of Aragon, Spain.

His wife is not known. They were married, but the date and place have not been found. Their only known child was Elizabeth (c1516-c1558).

Pedigree Chart (3 generations)

Events

Notes

Note 1

!Note: Life Summary for Nicholas Hawkins [c.1495 – Jan 1534]

Birth: c.1495, Putney, Surrey, England

Parents: Likely Robert Hawkins & Mary Bele

Education & Early Career:

1508–1514: Attended Eton College; admitted as King’s Scholar

1514: Admitted to King’s College, Cambridge

1517–1525: Fellow at King’s

1518/19: B.A.; 1522 [or soon after]: M.A.

Early Adult Years [c.1514–1525]:

These were his formative and unsettled years. Nicholas was briefly imprisoned for Lutheran sympathies — a serious charge under Henry VIII. This strongly suggests both intellectual defiance and personal unrest.

It is during this same period, likely between 1514 and 1523, that he may have married and had a daughter, Elizabeth[1516-1558]. No direct record of a marriage survives, but timing, later events, and guardianship patterns all point to this possibility.

The early death of his wife, possibly due to plague or childbed fever, would explain the absence of a household in later records, and his shift toward religious service and personal austerity.

Clerical & Diplomatic Career:

1519–1527: Held multiple rectories [Haddenham, Wilburton, Doddington, East Dereham, Snailwell] in East Anglia

1527–1534: Appointed Archdeacon of Ely

30 Nov 1528: Admitted as Advocate

1532: Appointed ambassador to Emperor Charles V and Pope Clement VII

1533: Nominated Bishop of Ely, but never consecrated

29 Dec 1533: Wrote his will at Balbase, Aragon

Jan 1534: Died of dysentery en route back to England

20 Oct 1535: Will proved in Prerogative Court of Canterbury

Character Notes:

Harwood records that Nicholas sold all his goods and plate to give to the poor, and lived with plain clothing and austere habits.

This humility and renunciation strongly support the idea of a deep personal loss earlier in life — a short-lived marriage, the death of a spouse, and fatherhood complicated by his turn to clerical life.

!Source: Berkshire, Eton College Register, 1441-1698 https://search.findmypast.com/record/browse?id=gbor%2fsch-eton%2f192

Hawkins C. 1508-1514. Nicholas ; b. at Putney co. Surrey c.1495 ; a nephew of Nicholas West bishop of Ely [q.v.] ; K.S. ; adm. Scholar of King’s College Cambridge 1514 ; B.A. 1518/9 ; M.A. 1522 [?] ; fellow of King’s 1517-25 ; in youth imprisoned as a Lutheran ; rector of Haddenham co. Cambridge ; of Wilburton ; of Doddington 1519-27 ; of East Dereham co. Norfolk 1520 ; of Snailwell co. Cambridge 1526-27 ; archdeacon of Ely 1527-34 ; adm. an advocate 30 Nov. 1528 ; ambassador to Emperor Charles V and Pope Clement VII 1532 ; nominated Bishop of Ely 1533 but d. of dysentery at Balbase in Arragon on his way home Jan. 1533/4 ; will dated 29 Dec. 1533 and proved in P.C.C. 20 Oct. 1535 [28 Hogan]. Harwood says he sold all his good and plate to give to the poor and himself was contented with spare diet and plain apparrel. Harwood ; Venn ; D.N.B. ; Froude Hist. of England chap. v.

!Source: Berkshire, Eton College Register, 1441-1698 https://www.findmypast.com/transcript?id=GBOR%2FSCH-ETON%2F192%2F1822&tab=this

First name Nicholas

County Berkshire

Last name Hawkins

Country England

Year 1508

Category Education & work

School name Eton College

Subcategory Schools & Education

Place Eton

Collections from England, Great Britain

Image: [Typed] https://search.findmypast.com/record?id=GBOR%2FSCH-ETON%2F192&parentid=GBOR%2FSCH-ETON%2F192%2F1822

Hawkins c. 1508-1514. Nicholas; b. at Putney co. Surrey c. 1495; a nephew of

Nicholas West bishop of Ely ; K.S.; adm. scholar of King's College

Cambridge 1514; B.A. 1518/9; M.A. 1522 ; fellow of King's 1517-25;

in youth imprisoned as a Lutheran; rector of Haddenham co. Cambridge;

of Wilburton; of Doddington 1519-27; of East Dereham co. Norfolk 1520;

of Snailwell co. Cambridge 1526-27; archdeacon of Ely 1527-34; adm.

an advocate 30 Nov. 1528; ambassador to the Emperor Charles V and Pope

Clement VII 1532; nominated Bishop of Ely 1533 but d. of dysentery at

Balbase in Arragon on his way home Jan. 1533/4; will dated 29 Dec. 1533 and

proved in P.C.C. 20 Oct. 1535 . Harwood says he sold all his goods

and plate to give to the poor and himself was contented with spare diet and plain

apparel. Harwood; Venn; D.N.B.; Froude Hist. of England chap. v.

!Note: At this point, I’ve found likely three brothers for Vicar John who all also possible parents for this Nicholas, but placing him with Robert, who was married in 1493, unless I find more info.

!Note: To hold a benefice in the Roman Catholic Church, Nicholas would have needed to take holy orders, and thus vow celibacy. Thus around 1519 when he was appointed Rector of Haddenham he took that oath.

!Source: Britain, School And University Students https://www.findmypast.com/transcript?id=GBOR%2FSCHOOLREG%2FSDE%2F020806&tab=this

First name Nicholas

Country England

Last name Hawkins

Publication title Eton College Register, 1441-1698

Year 1528

Year range 1441-1698

Boarded year 1528

Publication year 1943

Boarded date 30 Nov 1528

Record set Britain, School And University Students

Institution Eton College

Category Education & work

Town Eton

Subcategory Schools & Education

County Berkshire

Collections from Great Britain, England, Scotland

!Source: Kent Wills & Probate Indexes 1328-1890 https://www.findmypast.com/transcript?id=ORIGINS%2FKENTWILLS%2F42665&tab=this

First name Nicholas

Country England

Last name Howchynson

Document type Registered will

Year 1526

Document reference DRb/Pwr/8.29

Year detail dated 1526

Source West Kent Probate Index, 1434-1857

Residence Deptford

Record set Kent Wills & Probate Indexes 1328-1890

Residence county Kent

Category Birth, Marriage & Death

Additional information Deptford, Kent

Subcategory Wills & Probate

Court Rochester Consistory Court

Collections from England, Great Britain

County Kent

Note: Registered first will before starting dangerous ocupation