was married by Sir Jeffery de Massingham, rector of Ashwellthorp, Oct. 6, 1368, to Margaret, daughter of Richard de la Rivere, in the presence of Sir Edmund his father, and dame Joane his mother, Sir Ralf de Shelton, Knt. and others; after whose decease, he married again to Joan daughter and heiress of Sir Robert de Northwood or Norwood of Northwood-Berningham, in Norfolk, and of Northwood in Kent, who was widow to Roger Lord Scales of Newcels; for which match, not having obtained the King's license, he was pardoned in 1387, upon paying the King 20l. for a fine for that transgression; the said lady holding divers lands in capile.
In 1370, Sir Edmund de Thorp, senior, was sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk, as appears by a discharge given him by Robert Bacon, who succeeded him in that office. In 1380, Robert de Thirning, rector of Combes, and Tho. de Bumpstede, citizen of Norwich, were infeoffed by him in his manors, advowsons, and lands, in Ashwellthorp, North-Creke, Massingham-Parva, Fundenhall, Hapton, Wreningham, Nelonde, Hethill, Tacolneston, Bonwell, Horham, and Wotton in Stradbrook; by which they were settled on his son and others, paying him an annuity of 100l. per annum.
In 1381, Sir Edmund de Thorp, junior, Knt. and Joan his wife, purchased divers messuages, &c. and several villeins here, of Hugh son of Robert de Dunston, and Christiana de Bonington, which Peter de la Penne of Hethil, and the said Christiana purchased of Adam de la Penne of Hethil, and the said Peter sold them to Robert de Dunston, father of Hugh and William. In 1383, he, and Sir Richard de Waldegrave, Knt. Will. Winter and Tho. Wayte, had a grant of the temporalities of the Bishop of Norwich, during the forfeiture of Henry Spencer Bishop of the see, except the knights fees, and advowsons of churches, paying 50 marks yearly to the Exchequer; and in 1385, they had a writ directed to them to restore them to the Bishop.
In 1393, Sir Edmund de Thorp, senior died, and was buried by Beatrix his wife, in the chancel at Ashwellthorp, and gave five marks to any one that would take a pilgrimage for him to St. James the Apostle; and legacies to his tenants at Thorp, Fundenhale, Hapton, Wreningham, Colkirk, and Little-Massingham, where he was lord; many rings, jewels, &c. to Joane his wife, for life, and then to Sir Edmund, his eldest son and heir; and particularly the murrey cup tipped with silver, which is the charter cup of Thorp, was to go from heir to heir, to all that shall be lords of Thorp of his blood, and three gold rings set with Oriental saphires; he gave Edmund his heir all his goods in his manor-houses at Colkirk, with Apleton-Hall, and Little-Massingham; he had Thomas, Robert, and George, his sons, and ordered to be buried under a plain tomb, without funeral pomp; Joane his widow died at Colkirk, Febr. 1399, and was buried by her husband, and then
Sir Edm. de Thorp, her son, held his first court here, and immediately after, put his estates into feoffees hands, viz. Sir Thomas Percy, Sir Robert Knowlles, Knt. John de Cleye, clerk, and others; at which time it appears, he had manors, lands, rents, fees, or services, here and in Hapton, Fundenhall, Wreningham, Nelonde, Brakene, Flordon, Tacolneston, Wimondham, Hethil, and the reversions of North-Creke,
