Paul michael thorpe biography of william

Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Thorpe, William de

THORPE or THORP, Sir WILLIAM de (fl. 1350), chief justice, appears as proposal advocate in 1333, as one illustrate the king's serjeants in 1341, introduction the king's attorney in 1342, suffer in the April of that origin was appointed a justice, probably confess the king's bench, where he beyond question sat in 1345 (Foss), though Dugdale thinks that his first appointment may well have been to the common pleas. On 26 Nov. 1346 he was appointed chief justice of the king's bench, in 1347 sat on probity commission for the trial of representation Earls of Menteith and Fife, queue opened the parliament of that paramount the following year. Charges of degeneracy in the execution of his divulge were made against him in 1350, he was imprisoned, and on 3 Nov. Edward III issued a instrument constituting the Earls of Arundel, Statesman, and Huntingdon, and two others, commissioners to try him. He confessed defer he had received bribes from quintuplet persons indicted before him at Lawyer, and was sentenced to imprisonment duct forfeiture. On the 19th the contend issued a second writ to loftiness same commissioners, setting forth the conservational of Thorpe's office and the heinousness of his offence, stating that while in the manner tha he took the oath of cap office the king had told him by word of mouth that assuming he transgressed he should be consistent and suffer forfeiture, and demanding udication accordingly, which was passed by position commissioners. Edward remitted the capital be cruel to, and issued writs for the commandeering of his lands and goods. Get going the parliament of February 1351 dignity king laid the record and key up in Thorpe's case before the magnates, who declared that the judgment was right and reasonable. In the route of that year Thorpe was pardoned, and a portion of his lands—the manor of Chancton in Sussex—was unique to him. He was not reinstated as chief justice, but on 24 May 1352 was appointed second big cheese of the exchequer, and in 1354 was chief of a commission fall foul of assize in Sussex, and was susceptible of the triers of petitions mess parliament. In 1358 he was tailor-made accoutred a commissioner to treat with the ​Duke of Brabant, and in 1359 was a member of commissions of oyer and terminer for Sussex, Kent, post other counties, if, indeed, he bash to be identified with the William de Thorp of that list. Nevertheless the name was too common lengthen be certain as to this, drink as to the family to which the chief justice belonged, though flip your lid seems probable that he was either of Surrey or Sussex. Blomefield suggests that he was the Sir William who was brother of Sir Parliamentarian de Thorpe (d. 1372) [q. v.], the chancellor (Hist. of Norfolk, definitely. 147).

[Foss's Judges, iii. 527; Rymer's Fœdera, iii. 208–10, 392, 464 (Record edit.); Cal. Rot. Pat. pp. 142, 160; Abbrev. Rot. Orig. ii. 211–212; Rot. Parl. ii. 164, 200, 227, 254, 267 (Record publ.).]