Robert Thorpe (Lord Chancellor)
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Thorpe KS JP
(died June 29, 1372) was a British justice. He was the son of another Sir Robert Thorpe, and is occasionally confused with another Robert Thorpe who was second master of Pembroke College, Cambridge
at around the same time. The Thorpe family produced many prominent lawyers, including William de Thorpe
, Chief Justice of the King's Bench, who may have been influential in guiding Robert towards a judicial career. In 1339 he was made a Serjeant-at-law
, and between 1345 and 1356 served as a King's Serjeant. He served as a Justice of the Peace
in Cambridgeshire
, Huntingdonshire
, Norfolk
, Suffolk
, Bedfordshire
and Buckinghamshire
, and was also involved in Assize, Gaol delivery and Oyer and terminer
. On June 27 1356 he was appointed as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
and knighted, and on October 1 he was awarded a grant of £40 to support his new position. He was a member of the councils of both the Black Prince
and John of Gaunt
, and was appointed a Trier of Petitions at every Parliament between 1362 and 1371.
In 1368 he took part in the trial of the Steward of the King's Household, Sir John de la Lee, and in 1371 he was part of a commission inquiring into the embezzlement
of money by Sir William Latimer. An anti-clerical movement in 1371 forced the King to dismiss the Lord Chancellor
, treasurer, and keeper of the privy seal and replace them with laymen; as a result, Thorpe was appointed as Chancellor to replace William of Wykeham
, a position he took up on April 14. He unfortunately held the position for only a year until his death on June 29 1372.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(died June 29, 1372) was a British justice. He was the son of another Sir Robert Thorpe, and is occasionally confused with another Robert Thorpe who was second master of Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
at around the same time. The Thorpe family produced many prominent lawyers, including William de Thorpe
William de Thorpe
Sir William de Thorpe was an English lawyer, and Chief Justice of the King's Bench from November 26, 1346 to October 26, 1350. As a clerk of this court he was assaulted on one occasion in 1318, when his enemies allegedly even urinated on him...
, Chief Justice of the King's Bench, who may have been influential in guiding Robert towards a judicial career. In 1339 he was made a Serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
, and between 1345 and 1356 served as a King's Serjeant. He served as a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
and Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, and was also involved in Assize, Gaol delivery and Oyer and terminer
Oyer and terminer
In English law, Oyer and terminer was the Law French name, meaning "to hear and determine", for one of the commissions by which a judge of assize sat...
. On June 27 1356 he was appointed as Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Common Bench or Common Place, was the second highest common law court in the English legal system until 1880, when it was dissolved. As such, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was one of the highest judicial officials in England, behind only the Lord...
and knighted, and on October 1 he was awarded a grant of £40 to support his new position. He was a member of the councils of both the Black Prince
Edward, the Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine, KG was the eldest son of King Edward III of England and his wife Philippa of Hainault as well as father to King Richard II of England....
and John of Gaunt
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , KG was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
, and was appointed a Trier of Petitions at every Parliament between 1362 and 1371.
In 1368 he took part in the trial of the Steward of the King's Household, Sir John de la Lee, and in 1371 he was part of a commission inquiring into the embezzlement
Embezzlement
Embezzlement is the act of dishonestly appropriating or secreting assets by one or more individuals to whom such assets have been entrusted....
of money by Sir William Latimer. An anti-clerical movement in 1371 forced the King to dismiss the Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
, treasurer, and keeper of the privy seal and replace them with laymen; as a result, Thorpe was appointed as Chancellor to replace William of Wykeham
William of Wykeham
William of Wykeham was Bishop of Winchester, Chancellor of England, founder of Winchester College, New College, Oxford, New College School, Oxford, and builder of a large part of Windsor Castle.-Life:...
, a position he took up on April 14. He unfortunately held the position for only a year until his death on June 29 1372.