Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hill, Robert (d.1425)

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1389586Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 26 — Hill, Robert (d.1425)1891John Andrew Hamilton ‎

HILL, otherwise HULL, ROBERT (d. 1425), judge, was perhaps born at Heligan, Cornwall (Bibl. Cornub. i. 240). He is mentioned as a lawyer acting as an arbitrator in 16 Richard II (Rot. Parl. iii. 302). In 1399 he was king's serjeant, and was called on for a ‘loan’ of 100l. to aid the king against the Welsh and Scotch. On 14 May 1408 (not, as Rymer says, 9 May 1409) he was appointed a judge of the common pleas, and in 1415 he was one of the judges who tried Richard, earl of Cambridge, Henry, lord Scrope, and Sir Thomas Grey at Southampton for treason. Two years afterwards he was appointed to hold sessions in Wales. In the first year of Henry VI's reign he was chief justice of the Isle of Ely. The last fine acknowledged before him is in Hilary term 1425, about which time he probably died. He lived at Shilstone in Devonshire, and married (1) Isabella, daughter of Sir Thomas Fychet; and (2) a daughter of Otto de Bodrugan, sheriff of Cornwall. Both ladies were Cornish heiresses. His son Robert was sheriff of Devonshire in 1428–9, and was ancestor of Abigail Hill, lady Masham (Notes and Queries, 2nd ser. viii. 10).

[Foss's Lives of the Judges; Cal. Inquis. p.m. iv. 462; Deputy-keeper of Records, 8th Rep. p. 163; Acts Privy Council, i. 202; Dugdale's Orig. p. 46; Cal. Rot. Parl. p. 234; Year-Books, 1 Henry VI p. 8 b, and 2 Henry V p. 5 b; Prince's Worthies; Fuller's Worthies.]

J. A. H.