Thomas Corbet of Leigh
M.P. for Shropshire in 1423
Sheriff in 1426, 1427, 1433, 1443
Events
Date of Birth: about 1392.
Place of Birth: unknown.
Thomas is said to be 28 years and more in his father’s inquisition post mortem.
Date of Death: between August 1479 and late 1480.
Place of Death: unknown.
The dates are implied in the case from the plea rolls given below.
Relationships
Father: Thomas Corbet of Leigh.
This relationship is recorded in the elder Thomas’s inquisition post mortem.
Mother: unknown.
Spouse: Isabel Burley, widow of Thomas Fouleshurst of Edlaston. Married by 1419. Died 1462.
The Close Rolls and Isabel’s inquisition post mortem cited on her page make clear that Thomas married Isabel, the widow of Thomas Fouleshurst of Edleston. A recitation of the history of the castle of Bredwardine and manor of the Weston in the 1439 ipm of William Fouleshurst, cited on Isabel’s page, makes clear that Isabel was the daughter of John Bourley. “Jana fil. Joh’is Beuerley de Brownkeff in Couerdale in com. Salop militis.” is given in the Corbet pedigree in the 1623 Visitation of Shropshire.
Spouse: Lucy.
This relationship is given by Payling.
Children (by Isabel):
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Peter Corbet of Leigh married Elizabeth Brereton.
Mary Corbet married Thomas Cludd.
Alice (or Elizabeth) Corbet married Robert Scriven.
Evidence
1419 Calendar of the Close Rolls
June 2.
To the escheator in Salop and the march of Wales adjacent. Order in presence of the next friends of the heir of Thomas Fouleshurst the son, who died within age in ward of the king, or of their attorneys, to assign to Thomas Corbet of Lyghe the younger and Isabel who was the wife of Thomas Fouleshurst, son and heir of Thomas Fouleshurst, dower of her husband’s hands; as for a fine paid in the hanaper the king has pardoned the trespass of Thomas Corbet in taking her to wife, and her trespass in marrying him without licence of the king.
Like writ to the escheator in Herefordshire and the march of Wales adjacent.
A 1423 gift:
Shropshire Archives 6001/2342/12880
“Scaint presentes etc." John Walker son of David Walker of Lee gives etc. to Richard Lord of Sascote and Robert Bailiff of Wrontenall a messuage and half a virgate in Wrontenall. To have etc. Witnesses:- Thomas Corbet of Lye, William Bromschell, Thomas Dod, at Wrontenall, Thursday before Feast of Valentine Mart., 1 Henry VI.
1432 Calendar of the Close Rolls
July 1.
To the escheator in Salop and the march of Wales adjacent. Order in the presence of the next friends of Thomas Fouleshurst, son and heir of Thomas Fouleshurst, or of their attorneys, to assign dower to Thomas Corbet of Lyghe the younger and Isabel his wife who was wife of Thomas Fouleshurst the son; as by letters patent of 2 July 7 Henry V for a fine paid in the hanaper the late king pardoned the trespass of Thomas Corbet in taking the said Isabel to wife, Thomas Fouleshurst the son having died within age and in his ward, and her trespass in marrying Thomas Corbet without licence of the king, and ordered the then escheator in presence of the next friends of the said heir, or of their attorneys, to assign them dower; and the late king died before that writ was executed.
Like writ to the escheator of Herefordshire and the march of Wales adjacent.
A 1459 grant:
Shropshire archives 1514/157
3 July 1459
1. Thomas Corbet of Lye
Hewe Stepulton
2. Rauf Lee
Richard Lee
Thomas and Hewe grant to Rauf and Richard all the lands and tenements they have in the lordship of Longeley, except the wood and the `quaral' that belongs to the part of Hewe Stepulton. To hold to Rauf and Richard and their heirs forever, paying to Thomas and Sewe and their heirs 7 marks p.a. at Michaelmas and the Annunciation by even parts for all demands and services. If it is unpaid by a month the grantors are to distrain etc. Warranty.
2 tags, 1 with part of a seal.
Docketed: 1. Indentur'
2. Indenture of Landes in Fullwood graunted by Corbett & Stepulton.
A 1470 quitclaim:
Shropshire Archives 6000/10612
mid 15th century
Writ. "Omnibus Xri Fidelibus" John Wlonkeslowe son and heir of Johanna Wlonkeslowe quit claim to Thomas Janyns of Wallyborne all his right etc. in a messauage and half virgate in Okes. Witnesses:- John Burgh Kt. Thomas Corbet of Lye Esq.,
Peter Corbet of Lye Gentleman. Johnn Adams of Pontesbury, William Mascot of Longdon.
At Okes. Sat before Xmas Anno ab inchoations regni Regis Henry VI 49 & readeptionis regie sue potestastis Anno anno [sic]
A charter:
Shropshire Archives 322/2/278
20 Oct 1478
1 Thomas Thornes, Robert Scryven, esq. and William Spencer
2 Roger Barre and Hugh Rowlowe
1 appoint 2 attorneys for receiving seisin in all manors, lands etc in Leicestershire and Warwickshire according to the charter made between 1 and Thomas Corbet, of Lye, esq.
Witnesses, Thomas, abbot of Shrewsbury, Robert abbot of Lilleshall, Richard Corbet, Richard Lacon, William Crussett, kts, William Moton esq, Robert Jakes.
Given at Lye 20 Oct 18 EIV.
Endorsed, 'littera attorn' de terr' in com' Lecestr' et Warwick', and, 'T Thornes and R Scryven and Wm Spenc' to Roger Barreat and High Rowlowe Power of Attorney 18 E 4'.
Small round red wax seal, device very eroded.
from the Pleas Rolls (Wrottesley, p. 453):
De Banco. Mich. 20. Ed. 4 m. 133. [1480]
Salop. — Peter Corbet, son and heir of Thomas Corbet, Armiger, sued Lucy Corbet, late of Salop, widow, to give up to him a pyx containing deeds and muniments.
Peter Corbet, Lord of Caus, formerly seised of four messuages in Aston Pygot, had granted them to Roger Corbet, Kt., to be held by him and the heirs of his body, together with the custody of his forest and of all his chases and parks and the issues of them, which the Lady Alice Corbet held for her life as dower.
[The chart shows: Roger Corbet, Kt, father of Roger, father of Thomas, father of Thomas, father of Peter Corbet, the paintiff.]
Thomas Corbet, the father of Peter, had lost the pyx by accident in August, 19 Ed. 4, at Salop, and it had come into the possession of the defendant.
References
Bright, Jonathan Brown. The Brights of Suffolk, England. (1858).
Corbet, Augusta Elizabeth Brickdale. The Family of Corbet: Its Life and Times v. 2 (1915).
Herbert, Florentia C. “The History of Wrockwardine” in Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society 4th series v. 8, pt. 2 (1922).
A History of the County of Shropshire: Volume 11. (Victoria County History, 1985).
Ormerod, George; Peter Leycester; William Smith; William Webb; and Thomas Helsby. The history of the county palatine and city of Chester: compiled from original evidences in public offices, the Harleian and Cottonian mss., parochial registers, private muniments, unpublished ms. collections of successive Cheshire antiquaries, and a personal survey of every township in the county, incorporated with a republication of King's Vale royal and Leycester's Cheshire antiquities. (London: G. Routledge, 1882).
Payling, Simon. “Corbet, Thomas I (c. 1392-1480), of Leigh, Salop” in The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1422-1461 (Linda Clark ed.) (University of Cambridge Press, 2020).
The Visitations of the County of Nottingham in the Years 1569 and 1614, with many descents of the same county (Harleian Society, 1871).
The Visitation of Shropshire, 1623. Paul Grazebrook and John Paul Rylands, eds. (London, 1889).
Will of John Salter. Proved 1532 in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
Wrottesley, George. Pedigrees from the Plea Rolls. (1905).