In 1377 William Thirning served as a commissioner of the peace in 1377 in Northamptonshire and as a commissioner of Oyer and terminer in Bedfordshire.
In June 1380 William Thirning served as Justice of Assize for Yorkshire, Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland.
In 1383 William Thirning was appointed Serjeant at Law.
On 11th April 1383 William Thirning was appointed Justice of the Common Pleas.
On 15th January 1396 William Thirning was appointed Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.
Annals of Kings Richard II and Henry IV. "In the name of God, Amen. We, John, Bishop of St Asaph, John, Abbot of Glastonbury, Thomas, Earl of Gloucester, Thomas, Lord Berkeley, Sir Thomas Erpingham and Sir Thomas Gray, knights, and William Thirning, Justice, commissioners specially appointed for the matters written below by the peers and nobles of the kingdom of England, spiritual and temporal, and by the commons of the same realm, representing all the estates of that realm, sitting as a tribunal, having considered the manifold perjuries, cruelty, and many other crimes of the said Richard, committed and perpetrated during his rule in the aforesaid kingdoms and dominions, in the time of his government, and also openly and publicly proposed, shown, and recited before the said estates, which were and are so public, notorious, manifest, and well known that they could not and cannot be concealed by any evasion, and also having considered the confession of the aforesaid King, acknowledging and considering, and truly judging from his certain knowledge, that he had been and was utterly insufficient and useless for the rule and government of the aforesaid kingdoms and lordship, and of their parts, and, because of his notorious demerits, not undeservedly to be deposed, which confession had previously been issued by Richard himself, and, by his will and command, published before the said estates, and made known and explained to them in the common tongue, after diligent deliberation had first been had upon these matters and upon all things done in the said business before the aforesaid estates and before us, by virtue of the office, name, and authority committed to us in this matter, we pronounce, decree, and declare, by way of further assurance and caution, that Richard himself has been and is wholly useless, unfit, and insufficient, and unworthy for the rule and government of the said kingdoms and lordship, and of their rights and parts, and that, because of the aforesaid matters and by reason of them, he is deservedly to be deposed from all royal dignity and honour, if any dignity and honour of this kind remains in him. And, with the like caution, we depose him by our definitive sentence in these writings, expressly forbidding all and singular lords, archbishops, bishops, and prelates, dukes, marquesses and earls, barons, knights, vassals, under-vassals, and the rest of the men of the said kingdoms and lordship, and of other places belonging to the said kingdoms and dominions, his subjects and lieges whatsoever, that from now on any of them should in any way obey or attend to the aforesaid Richard as King or lord of the aforesaid kingdoms or lordship. Moreover, the said estates, wishing that nothing should be lacking which may or ought to be required concerning the aforesaid matters, being questioned individually on this point, appointed the same persons previously named as commissioners to be their proctors, jointly and separately, to resign and return to the said King the homage and fealty previously made to him, and, if need be, to make known all the aforesaid matters touching this deposition and renunciation."
"In Dei nomine, Amen. — Nos, Johannes Episcopus Assavensis, Johannes Abbas Glastoniensis, Thomas Comes Gloucestriæ, Thomas Dominus de Berkley, Thomas de Erpyngham, et Thomas Gray, milites, ac W[illelmus] Thernyng, Justiciarius, per pares et proceres regni Angliæ, spirituales et temporales, et ejusdem!regni communitates, omnes status ejusdem regni repræsentantes, Commissarii ad infra scripta specialiter deputati, pro tribunali sedentes, attentis perjuriis multiplicibus, ac crudelitate, aliisque quampluribus criminibus, dicti Ricardi, citra regimen suum in regnis et dominiis supradictis, pro tempore [sui] regiminis commissis et perpetratis; ac etiam dictis statibus palam et publice propositis, exhibitis, et recitatis; quæ adeo fuerunt, et sunt, publica, notoria, manifesta, et famosa, quod [nulla] poterant, aut poterunt, tergiversatione celari; necnon confessione prædicti Regis, recognoscentis ac reputantis, ac veraciter, ex certa scientia sua, indicantis, se fuisse et esse insufficientem penitus, et inutilem, ad regimen et gubernationem regnorum et dominii prædictorum, et partium eorundem, ac, propter sua demerita notoria, non immerito deponendum; ac per ipsum Ricardum prius emissa, ac de voluntate et mandato suis coram dictis statibus publicata, eisque notificata et exposita in vulgari; præhabita super hiis et omnibus in dicto negotio actitatis coram statibus antedictis, et nobis, deliberatione diligenti, vice, nomine, et auctoritate, nobis in hac parte commissa, ipsum Ricardum, ex abundanti et?[ad] cautelam, ad regimen et gubernationem dictorum [regnorum] et dominii, juriumque et partium eorundem, fuisse et esse inutilem, inha bilem, et insuflicientem penitus, et indignum, ac propter præmissa, et eorum prætextu, ab omni dionitate et honore regiis, si quid dignitatis et honoris hujusmodi in eo remanserit, merito deponendum pronunciamus, decernimus, et declaramus; et ipsum simili cautela deponimus, per nostram definitivam sententiam in hiis scriptis; omnibus et singulis Dominis, Archiepiscopis, Episcopis, et Prælatis, Ducibus, Marchionibus, et Comitibus, Baronibus, Militibus, vassallis, valvassoribus, ac cæteris hominibus dictorum regnorum et dominii, ac aliorum locorum ad dicta regna et dominia spectantium, subditis ac ligeis suis quibuscunque, inhibentes expresse, ne quisquam ipsorum de cætero præfato Ricardo, tanquam Regi, vel domino, regnorum aut dominii prædictorum, pareat quomodolibet, vel intendat. Volentes autem præterea dicti status, quod nilil desit, quod valeat aut debeat circa præmissa requiri, superinde singillatim interrogati, personas easdem prius per Commissarios nominatos, statuerunt procuratores suos, communiter et divisim, ad resignandum et reddendum dicto Regi homagium et fidelitatem prius sibi facta, et ad præmissa omnia hujusmodi depositionem et renunciationem tangentia, si oportuerit, intimandum."
Annals of Kings Richard II and Henry IV. And since it seemed to all the estates of the realm, when questioned upon these articles both individually and collectively, that those causes of crimes and defects were sufficiently weighty and notorious for deposing the same King, especially in view of his own confession concerning his insufficiency, and of the other matters openly set out in the said renunciation and cession, all the aforesaid estates unanimously agreed that, by way of further assurance, proceedings should be taken for the deposition of the said King, for the greater security and tranquillity of the people and the welfare of the realm. Whereupon the aforesaid estates and commons unanimously and concordantly constituted and appointed certain commissioners, namely the Bishop of St Asaph, the Abbot of Glastonbury, the Earl of Gloucester, Lord Berkeley, Sir Thomas Erpingham, Sir Thomas Gray, and William Thirning, Justice, then and there publicly, to pronounce the sentence of such deposition, and to depose the same Richard, King, from all royal dignity, majesty, and honour, in the place, name, and authority of all the aforesaid estates, as had been observed by ancient custom of the said realm in similar cases.
Et quoniam videbatur omnibus regni statibus, super hiis articulis singillatim ae!communiter interrogatis, quod illæ causæ criminum et defectuum erant satis sufficientes eb notoriæ ad deponendum eundem Regem, attenta etilam sua confessione super ipsius insufficientia, et aliis in dicta renunciatione et cessione contentis, patenter emissa, omnes status prædicti unanimiter consenserunt, ut ex abundanti ad depositionem dicti Regis procederetur, pro majori securitate eb tranquillitate populi, et regni commodo, facienda; unde status et communitates prædicti certos Commissarios, videlicet, [Episcopum] Assavensem, Abbatem Glastoniensem, Comitem Gloucestriæ, Dominum de Berkeley, Thomam Erpyngham, et Thomam Gray, milites, et Willelmum Thernyng, Justiciarium, unanimiter et concorditer constituerunt et deputarunt, publice tune ibidem, ad ferendum sententiam depositionis hujusmodi, et ad deponendum eundem Ricardum, Regem, ab omni dignitate, majestate, et honore, regiis, vice, nomine, et auctoritate, omnium statuum prædictorum, prout in consimilibus casibus de antiqua consuetudine dicti regni fuerat observatum.
Annals of Kings Richard II and Henry IV. For he had intended to claim the kingdom by conquest, but Lord William Thirning, Justice, wholly forbade this, because on such an occasion he would have stirred up the anger of the whole people against him. For it would have seemed to the people, if he had claimed the kingdom in that way, that he could have disinherited anyone at will, changed the laws, made new ones, and annulled the old, and consequently no one would have been secure in his possession.
Proposuerat namque vendicasse regnum per Conquæstum; sed hoc omnino prohibuit Dominus W[illelmus] Thernyng, Justiciarius; quia tali occasione commovisset bilem totius populi contra eum; eo quod visum fuisset populo, si sic vendicasset regnum, quod potuisset quemlibet exhæredasse pro votis, leges mutasse, condidisse novas, et veteres annullasse; et per consequens nullus securus fuisset de sua possessione.
Annals of Kings Richard II and Henry IV. On Monday, the feast of Michael the Archangel [29th September 1399], in the twenty-third year of the reign of King Richard II, the spiritual and temporal lords and other notable persons, namely Richard le Scrope, Archbishop of York, John, Bishop of Hereford, Henry, Earl of Northumberland, Ralph, Earl of Westmorland, Hugh, Lord Burnell, Thomas, Lord Berkeley, the Prior of Canterbury and the Abbot of Westminster, Sir William Thirning and John Markham, justices, Thomas Stowe and John Burbage, doctors of law, Sir Thomas Erpingham and Sir Thomas Gray, William Ferby and Denis Lopham, public notaries, having first been appointed for the act written below, with the consent and advice of certain spiritual and temporal lords, justices, and others skilled both in civil and canon law and in the laws of the realm, who were assembled at Westminster in the usual place of council, came into the presence of the said King Richard, who was within the Tower of London, at about the ninth stroke of the clock. There, before the same King, the aforesaid Earl of Northumberland, speaking on behalf of all the aforesaid persons joined with him, as stated above, recited how the same King, formerly at Conwy in North Wales, while he was at liberty, had promised Lord Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the said Earl of Northumberland that he wished to yield and renounce the crown of England and France, and his royal majesty, for the reasons which the King himself had there confessed concerning his own incapacity and insufficiency, and to do this in the best manner and form in which he could, as the counsel of learned men should judge best to be arranged. The same King, before the said lords and the others named above, answered this graciously, saying that he wished in effect to complete what he had previously promised in this matter. He nevertheless desired to have a conversation with Henry, Duke of Lancaster, and the aforesaid Archbishop, his kinsmen, before he fulfilled his promise of this kind. He also asked that a copy of the cession to be made by him should be handed to him, so that he might meanwhile deliberate upon it. When this copy had been handed to him, the said lords and the others returned to their lodgings.
Die Lunæ, in festo Michaelis Archangeli, anno regni Regis Ricardi Secundi vicesimo tertio, Domini spirituales et temporales, [et] aliæ personæ notabiles, videlicet, Ricardus le Serop, Archiepiscopus Eboracensis, Johannes Herefordensis Episcopus, Henricus Comes Northumbriæ, Radulphus Comes Westmerlandiæ, Hugo Dominus de Burnel, Thomas Dominus Berkele, Prior Cantuariæ et Abbas Westmonasterii, Willelmus Thernyng, miles, et Johannes Markham, Justiciarii, Thomas Stowe et Johannes Burbache, [Legum] Doctores, Thomas de Erpingham et Thomas Gray, milites, Willelmus de Ferby et Dionisius Lopham, notarii publici, de quorundam Dominorum spiritualium et temporalium, et Justiciariorum, et aliorum, tam in jure civili et canonico, quam regni legibus, peritorum, apud Westmonasterium, in loco consueto Consilii congregatorum, assensu et avisiamento ad actum subscriptum primitus deputati, ad præsentiam dicti Regis Ricardi, infra Turrim Londoniarum existentis, circiter nonam pulsationem horologii, accesserunt; et, recitato coram eodem Rege per prædictum Comitem Northumbriæ, vice omnium prædictorum, sibi, ut præmittitur, adjunetorum, qualiter idem Rex alias, apud Coneway in Nortwallia, in sua libertate existens, promisit Domino Thomæ, Archiepiscopo Cantuariæ, et dicto Comiti Northumbriæ, se velle cedere et renunciare coronæ Angliæ et Franciæ, et suæ regiæ majestati, ex causis per ipsum Regem ibidem de sua inhabilitate et insufficientia confessatis, et hoc, melioribus modo et forma quibus facere poterit, prout peritorum consilium melius duxerit ordinandum; idem Rex, coram dictis Dominis et aliis superius nominatis, ad hoc benigne respondit, dicens, se velle cum effectu perficere, quod prius in hac parte promisit. Desideravit tamen habere colloquium eum Henrico, Duce Laneastriæ, et præfato Arehiepiscopo, consanguineis suis, antequam promissum suum hujusmodi adimpleret. Petivit tamen copiam cessionis, per eum faciendæ, sibi tradi, ut super illa posset interim deliberare; qua quidem copia sibi tradita, dicti domini et alii ad sua hospitia redierunt.
Annals of Kings Richard II and Henry IV. On the Monday [3rd November 1399] next after the feast of All Saints, judgment was given against the lords who are called "appellants," William Thirning delivering the words by the king’s command, because Thomas Percy, the deputy steward, was ill, who ought by virtue of his office to have pronounced it. The said William, the justice, therefore delivered a prologue before giving sentence, almost as follows.
Die Lunæ proxima post festum Omnium Sanctorum, datum est judicium contra Dominos qui dicuntur "appellantes," Willemmo Thernyng verba prosequente, jussu Regis, quia Thomas Percy, Vice-Senescallus, infirmabatur, qui hoc ex officio debuerat pronunciasse. Dixit ergo dictus W[illelmus], Justiciarius, prologum, priusquam proferret sententiam, pene talem.—
In 1413 William Thirning died.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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Annals of Kings Richard II and Henry IV. "Continuation of William’s statement1. Sir, you well remember that on Monday, on the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, right here in this chamber and in the presence of those who were here, you renounced and yielded up the estate of king and of lordship, and all the dignity and worship belonging to it, and absolved all your lieges from all allegiance and obedience owed to you, according to the form contained in the same renunciation and cession, which you yourself read aloud with your own mouth, and affirmed by your oath and by your own writing. Upon this you made and appointed as your proctors the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Hereford, to notify and declare in your name this renunciation and cession at Westminster to all the estates and all the people gathered there because of the aforesaid summons. When this had been done yesterday by these lords, your proctors, and had been well heard and understood, this renunciation and cession were plainly accepted and fully agreed by all the aforesaid estates and people. And beyond this, Sir, at the instance of all the estates and people, certain articles of default in your government were read there. When these had been well heard and plainly understood by all the aforesaid estates, they thought them so true, so notorious, and so well known that, for these causes, and for many others, as they said, and having consideration of your own words in your own renunciation and cession, namely that you were not worthy, nor sufficient, nor able to govern because of your own demerits, as is more plainly contained therein, they thought that there was reason and cause to depose you. And their commissioners, whom they made and ordained, as is declared of record, decreed and adjudged that you should be deposed, and did depose you, and deprived you of the estate of king, and of all the lordships contained in the aforesaid renunciation and cession, and of all the dignities and worships, and of all the administration belonging thereto. And we, the proctors of all the aforesaid estates and people, as we are charged by them, and by the authority given to us, and in their name, yield up to you, on behalf of all these aforesaid estates and people, homage liege and fealty, and all allegiance and all other bonds, charges, and services belonging thereto, so that none of all these estates and people, from this time forward, shall bear you faith or do you obedience as their king."
Note 1. The original text: "Prosecutio Willelmi. Sire, ʒe remembre ʒow wol that on Moneday, in the fest of Seynt Michel the Archaungel, right here and [in this chaumbre and] in what presence ʒe renouncede and cesede of the stat of kyng and of lordschipe, and of al the dignite and worschipe that longeth ther to, and asoiled alle ʒoure liges of al ligeaunce and obeysaunce that longeth to ʒou, up the forme that ys conteyned in the same renunciacioun and cessioun whiche ʒe redde ʒour self by ʒour mouth, and afirmed it be ʒoure oth, and be ʒoure owne writyng; upon wiche ʒe made and ordeyned ʒoure procatoures the Erchbisshop of Ʒork and the Bishop of Hereford, for to notifye and declare in ʒoure name this renunciacioun and cession, at Westmynstre, to alle the states, and al the peple that was gadered because of the somounes forseyde; the whiche thus don ʒesterday be this lordes, ʒoure procatoures, and wel herd and understondon, this renumciacioun and cession were pleynliche aceptid, and fulliche agreed be alle the states and the peple forseyde. And over this, Sire, at the instaunce of alle the states and peple, ther were certeyne articles of defaute in ʒour governaumee ther red, and tho wel herd, and pleynliche understonde to alle the states forseyde, hem thought hem so trewe and so motorie and knowen, that be two causes, and be mo othere, as they seyde, and havyng consideracioum to ʒoure oune wurdes im ʒoure owne renumeiacioun and cessioun, that ʒe were nought wurth ne sufficiant, ne able for to governe for ʒour owne demerites, as it is more pleynliche contened ther in, hem thoughte that it was resonable and cause for to depose ʒow. And here Comissaries that they made and ordeyned, as it is of record declared and degreed, and ajuged ʒou for to be deposed, and deded depose ʒow, and prived ʒow of the stat of kyng, and of alle the lordschipes conteyned in the renumciacioumn and cessioum forseyde, and off alle the dignites and wurschipes, and of al the administracion that longeth ther to. And we, the procatoures to alle the states and peple for seyde, as we be charged be hem, and be here auctorite gyven us, and in here mame, ʒelde ʒow up, for alle thise states and peple forseyde, homage, lige, and fewte, and al ligeaunce and alle other boundes, charges, and sorvises, that longeth ther to; and that non of alle thise states and peple, fro this tyme forward, to bere ʒow feyth, me do ʒow obeissaunee, as to here kyng."