masts and cables frapped together to the thickness of nine feet, buoyed up in its length by empty casks, moored with anchors at its extremities, and flanked by two of their largest ships. Against this formidable obstacle Hopsonn in the Torbay, an 80-gun ship, was directed to lead in; and with a fresh, fair breeze and a press of sail he broke through it, leaving a clear passage for the rest of the squadron. The action soon became general. The Torbay was set on fire by a fireship, but happily escaped, partly by ‘the diligence of the officers and men,’ but still more by the extraordinary accident of the fireship having on board a large quantity of snuff, the blast of which as she blew up extinguished the flames. The Torbay had, however, sustained so much damage that Hopsonn shifted his flag to the Monmouth; but the victory was already won, and the French were busy setting fire to their own ships. Hopsonn's brilliant service was rewarded, on his return to England, with knighthood, 29 Nov. 1702, and a pension of 500l. a year, with a reversion of 300l. to his wife if she survived him. It is stated in the inscription on his monument in Weybridge Church that Vigo ‘was the last of forty-two engagements he had been in, in some of which he received many honourable wounds for the service of his country. Towards the latter end of his days he chose this place [sc. Weybridge] for the retreat and repose of his old age, where he died in peace 12 October 1717, aged 75’ (Brayley, ii. 396). He represented Newtown, Isle of Wight, in parliament from 1698 to 1705, and in the return of 1700 is described as ‘of Weybridge in the county of Surrey.’ There is a fine portrait by Michael Dahl in the Painted Hall at Greenwich, the gift of George IV.
Hopsonn's wife, Elizabeth, survived him, and was named his executor jointly with Sir John Jennings [q. v.], Captain Edward Hopsonn, both ‘of Weybridge,’ and Brigadier William Watkins ‘of Walton-upon-Thames.’ The will, dated 4 Jan. 1716–17 (proved 7 Nov. 1717), mentions a son James, and two daughters, Grace and Martha, all minors; ‘my grandson, George Watkins (a minor), son of my late daughter, Mary Watkins;’ and a living daughter, Elizabeth, wife of John Goodall.
It is suggested by Charnock (Biog. Nav. iii. 128) that the Edward Hopsonn (d. 1728) named as an executor, and who in later life wrote his name Hopson, was a brother of Sir Thomas. Neither of their wills gives any support to this supposition, which the great difference in their age seems to contradict. Edward Hopsonn is first mentioned as lieutenant of the Breda in 1693, took post from 24 July 1696, and died vice-admiral in command of the West Indian station on 8 May 1728. His will, dated 13 April 1720 (proved 27 July 1728), mentions his wife Jane and one son, Edward, a minor; his mother, still living; and a sister, Jane, widow of Richard Downer, deceased, in the Isle of Wight.
[Charnock's Biog. Nav. ii. 50; commissions and appointments in the Public Record Office; will at Somerset House; Burchett's Transactions at Sea; Lediard's Naval History; Memoirs relating to the Lord Torrington (Camden Soc.), p. 93.]
HOPTON, Sir ARTHUR (1588?–1650), diplomatist, fifth son of Sir Arthur Hopton of Witham, Somerset, by Rachael, daughter of Edmund Hall of Gretford, Lincolnshire, was born about 1588 (Blore, Rutlandshire, p. 133; Visit. of Somerset, 1623, Harl. Soc. xi. 57; Notes and Queries, 1st ser. iv. 497; Skelton, Antiquities of Oxfordshire, ‘Bampton,’ p. 4). Sir Owen Hopton, lieutenant of the Tower, was his grandfather. His father, at one time high sheriff of Somerset, was created K.B. in 1603. Arthur matriculated as a member of Lincoln College, Oxford, on 15 March 1604–5 (Clark, Register of the University of Oxford, ii. 281). When Lord Cottington was sent as ambassador extraordinary to Spain (October 1629), Hopton accompanied him as secretary, and on the conclusion of Cottington's mission he was left there as English agent (Cal. State Papers, Dom. 1629–31 p. 107, 1635 p. 467). Garrard writes to Wentworth in 1635, announcing that by Cottington's request Hopton is to be recalled and made clerk of the council; but it is doubtful whether this appointment actually took place (Strafford Letters, i. 511). Hopton was knighted on 2 Feb. 1637–8, and succeeded Lord Aston as ambassador in Spain (ib. iii. 149; Cal. Clarendon State Papers, i. 1491; Metcalfe, Book of Knights, p. 194). He seems to have remained in Spain throughout the civil wars (Cal. of Committee for Advance of Money, p. 667). When his nephew, Sir Ralph Hopton, was raised to the peerage a limitation in favour of Sir Arthur Hopton and his heirs male was inserted in the patent. Hopton was again in England in 1649, and was on 7 June 1649 visited by Evelyn, who terms him ‘a most excellent person,’ and records some of his stories about Spain (Evelyn, Diary, ed. 1879, ii. 5, 477). He died on 6 March 1649–50, aged 62, and was buried in the chancel of the church of Black Bourton, near Bampton in Oxfordshire (Skelton, Antiquities of Oxfordshire, ‘Bampton,’ p. 4).
Many of Hopton's despatches are among Clarendon's papers in the Bodleian Library,
