Robert de Malberthorp
| Sir Robert de Malberthorp | |
|---|---|
| 19th Lord Chief Justice of England | |
|
In office 1 May 1329 – 28 October 1329 |
|
| Monarch | Edward III |
| Prime Minister |
Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster (as Lord High Steward) |
| Chancellor | Henry Burghersh |
| Preceded by | Geoffrey le Scrope |
| Succeeded by | Henry le Scrope |
| Personal details | |
| Died | c. 1332 |
| Resting place | Saint Mary's Parish Church, Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire |
| Nationality | English |
| Parents | Sir William of Malberthorpe (father) |
| Residence | Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire |
Sir Robert de Malberthorp (d. 1331/1332) was an English lawyer, and Chief Justice of the King's Bench in 1329. He was the son and heir of Sir William of Malberthorpe, lord of the manor of Mablethorpe, Lincolnshire, which was located on the site of the present Mablethorpe Hall.
Sir Robert Malberthorp was a serjeant at the Common Bench by 1299. In 1311 he was working for the city of London, and in 1313-14 he was employed as serjeant by Thomas of Lancaster. On 1 August 1320 he was appointed justice of the king's bench. He worked on several legal commissions in this period, many in his native Lincolnshire and surrounding counties. One commission in particular was designed to help the Despensers gain the Lordship of Gower against John Mowbray and his allies.
It was Malberthorp who, in the king's name, passed a judgement of death over the rebellious Thomas of Lancaster, after Lancaster's defeat at the Battle of Boroughbridge. For this Malberthorp would need a pardon after the fall of Edward II. Yet he remained in favour at court under the new regime of Roger Mortimer, and later under the personal government of Edward III. In February 1329 he was involved in sessions against rebels led by Thomas' brother, Henry of Lancaster.
The pinnacle of Malberthorp's career came on 1 May 1329, when he was made Chief Justice of the King's Bench. He held this position, however, only until 28 October, when he was appointed Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas. He remained in this position until a duel with Robert de Montalt, at Earls Bridge on the outskirts of Mablethorpe. Both men died of their wounds. Mablethorpe was buried at Saint Mary's Parish Church in Mablethorpe, where there is still an effigy of him in the church. The head of the figure rests on a pillow upheld by angels, and beneath the feet are two dragons engaged in fierce combat. The tail of the one impaled by the spur of the knight, while the foot resting on the back of the other.
...
Wikipedia