Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Parning, Robert
PARNING, Sir ROBERT (d. 1343), chancellor, was a member of a Cumberland family. He was acting as counsel before 21 July 1315, when he was seeking a pour-party of lands on behalf of Walter de Kirkbride, and in 1318 he was counsel in a plea of dower in chancery (Cal. Close Rolls, Edward II, pp. 304, 614). Parning occurs as one of the manucaptors for Walter de Kirkbride on 11 July 1322 (Parliamentary Writs, ii. 211). He was knight of the shire for Cumberland in the parliaments of 18 Nov. 1325, 15 Sept. 1327, 7 Feb. 1328, 30 Sept. 1331, and 16 March 1332 (Return of Members of Parliament). From 1327 to 1340 his name occurs frequently in the law-books, and it is clear that he was among the most skilful counsel of his day (Year Book, 12–13 Edward III, p. cxxvii). He became a serjeant-at-law in 1330, and was one of the king's serjeants before 24 June 1333 (Cal. Pat. Rolls, Edward III, 1330–4, p. 454). From February 1331 onwards Parning was frequently employed on commissions of oyer and terminer (cf. ib. pp. 133, 285, 300, 496, 503, 575–8). In the parliament of 1339 he was one of the commissioners to hear petitions coram rege (Rolls of Parliament, ii. 111, 114 b). On 23 May 1340 he was appointed one of the justices of the court of common pleas; on 24 July 1340 he was made chief justice of the court of king's bench, and on 15 Dec. 1340 treasurer. On 27 Oct. 1341 Parning was made chancellor (Fœdera, ii. 1180). Although chancellor, he still attended in the court of common pleas, as, for instance, in the thirty-fourth and fifty-first cases in Hilary term 1343. He died on 26 Aug. 1343 (ib. ii. 1231). His London residence was in Aldermanbury. By his wife Isabella, whom he married before 1329 (Cal. Pat. Rolls, Edward III, 1327–30, p. 404), he had a son named John. At the time of his death he held lands in Cumberland and Northumberland (Cal. Inq. post mortem, ii. 110). Coke (Fourth Institute, p. 79) speaks of Parning as distinguished for his profound and excellent knowledge of the laws. In contemporary documents Parning's name often appears as Parnynk, and sometimes, perhaps by error, as Parvynk.
[Murimuth's Chron. p. 118; Raine's Letters from the Northern Registers, p. 366 n.; Calendars of Close Rolls, Edward II, and of Patent Rolls, Edward III; Foss's Judges of England, iii. 476–7.]