Thomas 4Th Baron De MORLEY, Sir

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BARONY OF MORLEY (IV) 1379

THOMAS (DE MORLEY), LORD MORLEY, and, according to modern doctrine, de jure LORD MARSHAL, 1st surviving son and heir, aged 25 at his father's death, received livery of his father's lands on 11 May 1380. He was knighted in 1375, when serving in Brittany in the expedition of the Duke of Brittany and Earl of Cambridge. In 1380 he obtained a pardon for an alienation: and was placed on many commissions in Norfolk in this and later years; in the same year he took part In a raid from Calais, headed by the Earl of Buckingham. He was summoned to Parliament from 20 October. 1379 to 3 September 1416. At the rising of the Commons of Norfolk in 1381 he and others of rank were seized by them to be sent to the King to obtain redress and pardon; but on the way captors and captives were met by the Bishop of Norwich, and, the latter delivered their captors to him, and he hanged them, reproaching the knights for their cowardice. In May 1386, upon rumours of an intended foreign invasion, he was chief commissioner to survey Yarmouth and make provision for its defence. He received permission in September 1391 to go to Prussia. On 21September 1397, after the condemnation of Richard (Fitzalan), Earl of Arundel, in Parliament, he, as lieutenant of the Marshal of England, had charge of his execution that day on Tower Hill; and on the 30th he was sworn, with other Peers, before the shrine of St. Edward after Mass in the Abbey, to observe the Statutes made in that Parliament. In April 1399 he accompanied Richard II on his disastrous journey to Ireland. On 23 October, in the first Parliament of Henry IV, as Le Sire de Morley, the magnates who assented to the imprisonment of the deposed King Richard II. P.C. 1401. As one of the Lords temporal he sealed the exemplifications of the Acts settling the succession to the Crown, 7 June and 22 December 1406. About 1411 he was nominated K.G. In April 1415 he was present at the Great Council assembled to hear the King's decision to go in person to France to recover his heritage; in May he was first commissioner of array in Norfolk to raise troops for the campaign; and in July he set out with the King on the expedition which culminated in the great victory of Agincourt on 25 October, although in April he had been placed on the Council of the Duke of Bedford as Regent of England. It does not appear, however, that he actually fought in the battle. In July 1416 he was appointed admiral of the fleet of ships from London and all other ports assembling at Southampton.

He married, 1stly, in or before April 1374, Joan, whose parentage is not known. She was dead before 2 December 1384, and was buried in the White Friars' in Norwich. He married, 2ndly, before October 1390, Anne, widow of Sir Hugh HASTINGES (died 6 November 1386), and daughter of Edward LE DESPENSER [LORD LE DESPENCER], by Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Sir Bartholomew DE BURGHERSH [LORD BURGHERSH], by whom he had no issue. He died 2 September 1416, at Calais, and was buried in the Austin Friars', Norwich. Dower was granted to his widow Anne. She died 30 or 31 October 1426, and was buried in the Austin Friars', Norwich. [Complete Peerage IX:216-7, XIV:487, (transcribed by Dave Utzinger)]

Thomas married before Apr 1374 in 1st Wife. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Thomas married Anne Le DESPENSER before Oct 1390 in 2ND Husband, 2ND Wife. Anne (daughter of Edward II 1St Baron Le DESPENSER, Kg, Sir and Elizabeth De BURGHERSH) was born about 1360 in Llanbethian, Glamorganshire, Wales; died between 30 and 31 Oct 1426 in Hockering, Mitford, Norfolk, England; was buried in Austin Friars, Norwich, Norfolk, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]