Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 25.djvu/248

 Hawkwood was, in Hallam's words (Middle Ages, i. 501), ‘the first real general of modern times.’ The genius for organisation which enabled him to convert a band of freebooters into something like a regular army, his rude but effective strategy, his energy and resource distinguish him from all his mediæval predecessors. He was recognised by his contemporaries as not only the ablest and most intrepid, but also the most trustworthy of condottieri. His fidelity, however, was by no means above suspicion, but to the Florentine government he was uniformly faithful. That he was not without humour is shown by an anecdote narrated by Sacchetti (Novelle, clxxxi.) Two mendicant friars presented themselves at Montecchio, and greeted Hawkwood, with the customary ‘God give you peace,’ to which he curtly replied, ‘God take from you your alms.’ The friars disclaimed all offence; Hawkwood rejoined, ‘How, when you come to me and pray that God would make me die of hunger? Do you not know that I live by war and that peace would undo me?’

Hawkwood's name figures in Froissart as Haccoude, in the Italian chronicles usually as Acuto, Aguto, or Aucud, with other variations too numerous to instance. In official documents he is commonly addressed as ‘Magnificus et Potens Miles’ or ‘Dominus Johannes Haucud.’ He himself spelt his name indifferently Haucud, Haucwod, Haukcwod, and Haukutd. That he held the rank of knight there is no doubt, but it is uncertain when or where he won his spurs.

 HAWLES, JOHN (1645–1716), lawyer, second son of Thomas Hawles of Moanton in Wiltshire, by Elizabeth Antrobus of Hampshire, was born in the Close at Salisbury in 1645. His father, whose name is sometimes spelled Hollis, belonged to the family of Hawles of Upwimborne, Dorsetshire, and was probably the second son of Edmond Hawles of that place. During the civil war he was leader of the band known as the ‘club men’ in Salisbury, who took the side of the parliament. John Hawles was educated at Winchester, and in 1662 entered at Queen's College, Oxford, but left the university without taking a degree. He entered at Lincoln's Inn, was called to the bar, and soon rose to great eminence in his profession. ‘Upon the turn of affairs made by the Prince of Orange,’ says Wood, ‘he became a great Williamite.’ On 25 March 1689 he was returned to the House of Commons as M.P. for Old Sarum. But in 1691 he was not able to secure the recordership of London in competition with Sir Bartholomew Showers [q. v.] On 1 July 1695 Hawles was appointed solicitor-general in succession to Sir Thomas Trevor. In October of the same year he was returned for the borough of Wilton in Wiltshire, and in 1695 was knighted. When a fresh parliament was summoned in 1698, Hawles sat for St. Michael in Cornwall, and was also returned for Beeralston in Devonshire. In the parliament of 1700–1 he represented Truro, and for the short session of 1702 was member for St. Ives in Cornwall. In 1702 he ceased to be solicitor-general, but continued to sit in parliament for Wilton until 1705, and from that year until 1710 for Stockbridge in Hampshire. As a prominent whig lawyer he was appointed one of the managers of the impeachment of Sacheverell in 1710. He resided for some years on the family estate at Upwimborne, and died on 2 Aug. 1716.