Thomas III (1332-1403)
Thomas III is the only example in the Metham family of the knight as a professional man-at-arms. He may served in France between 1356 and 1359, but we know for certain that he took part in the following campaigns...
1369 - part of John of Gaunts army which was intended to sail to Gascony. However, because of fears for the safety of Calais, they landed there instead in July.
Probably at the siege of Harfleur in October. Returned home in November.
1370 - with John of Gaunt again, this time in Gascony. Sailed from Dartmouth at the end of July, arrived Bordeaux mid August. Probably at the siege and sack of Limoges in September.
Returned home from La Rochelle September 1371
1372 - with the invasion fleet but never sailed.
1373 - With John of Gaunt again. Originally intended to go to Gascony again via Brittany. However, the French occupied the northern ports, so embarked from Dover and arrived in Calais late June. The army had about 9,000 men and 30,000 horses. Arrived in Bordeaux early December 1973, having marched across nothern and central France. Many of the knights arrived on foot, the horses having died. Some of soldiers deserted and the rest returned home in April 1374.
He now stays at home for 5 years, for reasons we'll discover shortly
1378 - set off from Southampton in August to attack St Malo. This time, Thomas was employed to fight naval battles rather than on land. Much shipping was captured or destroyed, bur St Malo held out and the fleet returned in September.
1381 - signed up to accompany John of Gaunt to Portugal, but parliament was not prepared to finance the expedition
1388 may have served in the Calais garrison - aged 56.
That concludes his military career, so now we'll look at why he stayed at home from 1373-8.
Around 1370, he married Elizabeth Stapleton, from a family who had extensive property in North Yorkshire, as well as along the River Aire. At this time their main residence was at Haddlesey and the Methams had the manor of Pollington, so they may have served on drainage commissions together. In 1338 Elizabeths grandfather settled the estate on his son Miles and his descendants. The idea behind this was to ensure the estate remained in one piece and didn't get divided between heirs.
However, it had the side effect that if the mail line died out, a daughter could inherit and the property pass out of the family - and this is what happened. Miles Stapleton died in 1372 and his son died the year after. So Elizabeth inherited and Thomas Metham III became very rich indeed. We'll se just how rich as we move to look at his grandson.