Thomas de Rokeby (died 1356)

The Rokebys were a prominent landowning family from Mortham in North Yorkshire; Thomas was probably the son of Thomas de Rokeby, who died in 1318 (some sources name his father as Alexander).[2] His nephew, also named Thomas, was closely associated with him in his later years and the elder Thomas was often called "l'oncle" to distinguish him from his nephew. It was almost certainly the nephew, not the uncle, who was the grandfather of the second Sir Thomas de Rokeby, who died after 1423.[3]

Rokeby first came to public attention in 1327 when, after his return from having been a prisoner in Scotland, he received the thanks of the new King Edward III, for being the squire who had first pointed out the approach of the Scots army during the incursion of the previous July. As a reward he was knighted and given lands worth £100 a year.[4] He saw action against the Scots regularly between 1336 and 1342 and had charge of Stirling Castle and Edinburgh Castle while they were held by the English. He was High Sheriff of Yorkshire 1342–1349. He was one of the English commanders at the Battle of Neville's Cross, and it was said, "gave the Scots such a draught as they did not care to taste again".[5] He was then entrusted with bringing King David II of Scotland as a captive to London, and he received further grants of land as a reward for his good services.

In 1349 he was appointed Justiciar of Ireland, and given a large armed retinue to accompany him, as it was recognised by the English Crown that "Ireland is not in good plight or good peace". He arrived in December and made a quick circuit of the south of Ireland, mainly to keep watch on the troublesome magnate Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond.[6]

Rokeby was now an ageing and discouraged man, and in 1355 it was decided to recall him. His replacement, rather surprisingly, was that Earl of Desmond whom it had been one of his main tasks to keep in check. Desmond died a year later on 26 July 1356. Rokeby was reappointed Justiciar, and returned to Ireland, only to die soon afterwards at Kilkea Castle.[12]

Kilkea Castle, Rokeby's Irish stronghold, where he died in 1356 or 1357.

Rokeby was a popular and respected figure in Ireland: he was described as "one who paid well for his victuals, and did not rob the poor" (i.e. he did not abuse the much criticized system of purveyance, the forcible requisition of foodstuffs from the general public)[13] The citizens of Cork, protesting at his recall, referred to his "evident good work" in maintaining law and order. Otway-Ruthven contrasts his early successes with his disappointing later record, and notes that the 1350s were seen as the crucial decade in which the English Crown lost control of much of Ireland until the sixteenth century.[14]