Robert Danby
Encyclopedia
His Worship Sir Robert Danby KS JP
(died 1474) was a British justice. His career was divided between the north of England and Westminster
, serving as an arbitrator for the Prior
of Durham
in 1431 and as serjeant for the Prior from 1442 until at least 1453. In 1433 he was made a Serjeant-at-law
, followed by a promotion to King's Serjeant in 1449. In 1453 he became a justice of the Court of Common Pleas
, and after the ascension of Edward IV
in 1461 Danby, who had been involved in the political trials following the Battle of Towton
, was knighted, and made Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
. He continued as Chief Justice following the coronation of Henry VI
in 1470, but was not reappointed after the 1471 restoration of Edward IV. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace
for Northamptonshire
in February 1472 and Warwickshire
in July 1473, followed by an appointment as a regular justice in Kent
in August 1473. In 1473 he also joined the Corpus Christi Guild in York
; he died in 1474 and was buried there shortly afterwards.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(died 1474) was a British justice. His career was divided between the north of England and Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
, serving as an arbitrator for the Prior
Prior
Prior is an ecclesiastical title, derived from the Latin adjective for 'earlier, first', with several notable uses.-Monastic superiors:A Prior is a monastic superior, usually lower in rank than an Abbot. In the Rule of St...
of Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
in 1431 and as serjeant for the Prior from 1442 until at least 1453. In 1433 he was made a Serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
, followed by a promotion to King's Serjeant in 1449. In 1453 he became a justice of the Court of Common Pleas
Court of Common Pleas (England)
The Court of Common Pleas, or Common Bench, was a common law court in the English legal system that covered "common pleas"; actions between subject and subject, which did not concern the king. Created in the late 12th to early 13th century after splitting from the Exchequer of Pleas, the Common...
, and after the ascension of Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
in 1461 Danby, who had been involved in the political trials following the Battle of Towton
Battle of Towton
In 1461, England was in the sixth year of the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars between the Houses of York and Lancaster over the English throne. The Lancastrians backed the reigning King of England, Henry VI, an indecisive man who suffered bouts of madness...
, was knighted, and made Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Common Bench or Common Place, was the second highest common law court in the English legal system until 1880, when it was dissolved. As such, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was one of the highest judicial officials in England, behind only the Lord...
. He continued as Chief Justice following the coronation of Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
in 1470, but was not reappointed after the 1471 restoration of Edward IV. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
in February 1472 and Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
in July 1473, followed by an appointment as a regular justice in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
in August 1473. In 1473 he also joined the Corpus Christi Guild in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
; he died in 1474 and was buried there shortly afterwards.