Sir John Thorpe Knight

  Information about this person:

• Background Information. ¹⁴¹
John de Thorpe, son and heir, born circa 1270, was staying in Scotland on the King's service, June 1291, and going with Robert de Tybotot to Gascony in 1294, where he remained till after January 1296/7. With his brother George he fought at Falkirk, 22 Jul 1298. He was summoned for service against the Scots in 1301 and often between 1309 and 1323, to serve in Gascony in 1310 and to cross the seas in 1314. In theadministration of Norfolk and Suffolk he played an active part, being ordered to hasten the departure of ships for Berwick from the ports of the East Coast, 1301, and to aid in purveyance for the army and in the collection of a subsidy, 1301-02; Knight of the shire for Norfolk, 1305; an assessor of the subsidies, 1305-18, and a Commr. to conduct taxation enquiries, 1314; Commr. to supervise vagabonds in Norfolk and Suffolk, 1305, and de walliis etfossatis and to make peace between Great and Little Yarmouth, 1306.

When Roger (Bigod), Earl of Norfolk, d. jp. in 1306, John was recognised by the Crown as Keeper of Framlingham Castle and of Roger's lands. He continued in this office until Dec. 1312, when he was ordered to surrender the castle and estates to Thomas of Brotherton, Edward II's brother, who was created Earl of Norfolk, 16 Dec 1312. Being appointed a Justice of Trailbaston for Norfolk and Suffolk, 18 Feb 1306/7, he was summoned, among Justices and others, to Parliament, 26 Aug 1307, and was further summoned (among the Lords) from 4 Mar (1308/9) to 10 Oct 1325 (the last writ, as also those of 13 Sep1324 and 6 May 1325, having issued, in error, after his death), by writs directed Johanni de Thorpe, whereby he is held to have become Lord Thorpe. Until 1323, he was active in judicial duties, being a justice of assize in 1312, 1319 and 1320, and a justice to consider cases of forestalment in Norfolk and Suffolk, 1315; one of the guardians of the coast between Ipswich and King's Lynn, 1316, and of the coast of Norfolk and Suffolk against a feared Flemish attack, 1322; Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk and Keeper of Norwich Castle, 7 June-12 July 1320.

Sir John Thrope was ordered, 12 Nov 1321, not to attend the meeting of the Good Peers which had been convened by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, at Doncaster, was summoned to aid the King with horses and arms and to assemble the forces of the Crown in Norfolk and Suffolk, and again to join the King at Coventry, February 1321/2; but he had joined the rebels, being captured, perhaps at Boroughbridge on 16 March 1321/2; however, on 14 June following he was released from jail on surety.

Sir John Thrope married, 1stly, Agnes*, who died 17 May ?, and 2^ndly, between 14 Jan 1297/8 (when she had dower) and Michaelmas 1301, Alice, widow of William de Mortimer of Attleborough, who died 12 Nov 1297. John died 15 or 16 May 1324. Alice survived him and died 5 December, before 1346.

* Agnes is mentioned in the Thorpe Cartulary, and was probably the mother of Robert, who seems to have been born circa 1294. Her parentage is unknown.

~Cokayne's Complete Peerage, 2nd Edition, Vol. XIIA, pp. 718-720

John married Agnes.¹⁴¹