Thomas Witham (orWytham; c. 1420 – 15 April 1489) was an EnglishChancellor of the Exchequer under KingsHenry VI andEdward IV.
He was the son of Robert Witham of Grantham, Lincolnshire and the brother of William Witham, theDean of Wells.[1]
He was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer by Henry VI in 1454 and again (for life) in 1456, which was confirmed in 1461 by Edward IV. He was reappointed in 1465 (possibly after illness) and finally resigned the post in 1469 to be replaced byRichard Fowler. Witham's tenure as Chancellor occurred during theGreat Bullion Famine and theGreat Slump in England. He then served the futureRichard III as a counsellor.[2]
He died in 1489 and was buried atSheriff Hutton church where he had endowed a chapel. He had married Agnes Thweng of Cornburgh but left no surviving children. However, his will of 1474 left money to several grandchildren.[3]
Chancellors of the exchequer under theHouse of Lancaster (1399–1461; 1470–1471) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Henry IV (1399–1413) |
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| Henry V (1413–1422) |
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| Henry VI (1422–1461) (1470–1471) |
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Chancellors of the exchequer under theHouse of York (1461–1470; 1471–1485) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Edward IV (1461–1470) (1471–April 1483) |
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| Edward V (April–June 1483) |
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| Richard III (June 1483–1485) |
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