In or before 1336 [his father] Henry Elmham of Westhorpe and [his mother] Elizabeth Hackford were married.
Around 1336 William Elmham was born to Henry Elmham of Westhorpe and Elizabeth Hackford.
Before September 1371 William Elmham [aged 35] and Anne Marney were married.
On 28th February 1375 William Elmham [aged 39] was appointed Governor of Bayonne and seneshal of Les Landes which offices he held until June 1377.
Before February 1382 William Elmham [aged 46] and Elizabeth Hastings were married.
Westminster Chronicle. On the first day of January [1388], after council had been held at Westminster, they caused several men to be arrested, namely Sir Thomas Trivet [aged 57], Sir Simon Burley [aged 48], Lord John Beauchamp [aged 69], Sir Nicholas Dagworth, Sir William Elmham [aged 52], Sir James Berners, Sir John Salisbury, and Sir Nicholas Brembre, knights. Also Sir Richard Medford, Sir Richard Clifford, and Sir John Lincoln, clerks. All these, for the sake of custody, were sent by the aforesaid lords to various strongholds until the next Parliament. Also, these lords compelled several others to abjure the court, especially those named below: the bishop of Durham, the bishop of Chichester, Sir Baldwin Bereford, Sir Richard Abberbury, Sir John Worth, the son of Lord Clifford, Sir John Lovell, Sir Zouche, Sir Beaumont, Sir Burnell, Sir Aubrey de Vere [aged 50], Lord Thomas Camoys [aged 37], and Sir Thomas Blount [aged 36]. All these were sworn not to enter the king’s court at all. At that time they were called knights and famous men, distinguished by many virtues. Three ladies also abjured the lord king’s court at that time, namely Lady Poynings [aged 26]1, Lady Mohun [aged 69]2, and Lady Moleyns [aged 52]3. John Blake, however, remained in the custody of the lords.
Primo namque die Januarii celebrato apud Westmonasterium consilio plures arestari fecerunt, videlicet dominum Thomam Tryvet, dominum Simonem Burle, dominum Johannem Beauchamp, dominum Nicholaum Daggeworthe, dominum Willelmum Elmham, dominum Jacobum Berneres, dominum Johannem Salisbury et dominum Nicholaum Brembre milites. Item dominum Ricardum Medford, dominum Ricardum Clifford et dominum Johannem Lincoln clericos, qui omnes causa custodiæ ad diversa fortalitia erant per dominos prædietos transmissi usque ad proximum parliamentum. Item isti domini cogerunt curiam abjurare inter alios specialiter infrascriptos. Episcopum Dunelmensem, episcopum Cicestrensem, dominum Paldewinn de Bereford, dominum Ricarduam de Abberisbury, dominum Johannem Worthe, fillum domini de Clyfford, dominum Johannem Lovell, dominum de la Souche, dominum de Beaumond, dominum de Burnell, dominum Aubrey de Veer, dominum Thomam Caymos, dominum Thomam Blount; omnes isti fuerunt jurati ne omnino in curiam regis intrarent, qui illo in tempore erant milites nominati et viri famosi multisque virtutibus insigniti. Abjurarunt etiam curiam domini regis tunc temporis tres dominæ scilicet domina de Ponyngg, domina de Mohon, et domina de Molyns. Johannes vero Blake remansit in custodia dominorum.
Note 1. Richard Poynings, 3rd Baron, died in 1387. His son Robert Poynings 4th Baron Poynings [aged 5] succeeded at the age of five. He didn't marry until 1397 so this Lady Poynings is probably Richard's widow Isabella Grey, 1362-1394, daughter of Robert Grey [aged 67], Baron Fitzpayne.
Note 2. Joan Burghesh, 1319-1404, daughter of Bartholemew 'the Elder', 1st Baron Burghesh, widow of John Mohun, 2nd Baron Mohun of Dunster, who died in 1375.
Note 3. Margery Bacon, 1336-1399, daughter Edmund Bacon, widow of William de Moleyns.
In 1393, 1394 and 1397 William Elmham [aged 57] was elected MP Suffolk.
Annals of Kings Richard II and Henry IV. The Duke of Lancaster, learning that the said knights, whom the common people regarded as public enemies, had entered Bristol Castle, immediately turned his army towards Bristol, preparing to besiege the castle if those who were in it would not surrender it willingly, together with the persons of the said knights whom he was pursuing. By now the ruler of the realm, the Duke of York, had come to meet him with goodwill, and many nobles, coming with the said Duke of York, had given their hands to the Duke of Lancaster and were riding with him willingly. Only the Bishop of Norwich and Sir William Elmham [aged 63]1 came fiercely against the Duke, not considering that the whole world had gone after him, and childishly thinking they could frighten the others who, as was said above, had adhered to the Duke. But these men were captured without difficulty, stripped of all the goods they had gathered, and committed to prison, until the Duke, taking pity on them, ordered them to be released.
Dux Lancastriæ, cognoscens dictos milites, quos plebs communis reputaret hostes publicos, Castrum intrasse Bristolliæ, sine mora convertit exercitum versus Pristolliam, parans obsidere castellum, si qui forent in co ilud nollent sponte reddere, cum personis dictorum militum quos persequebatur. Jamque rector regni, Dux Eboraci, sibi occurrerat cum favore, multique nobiles, cum dicto Duce Eboraci venientes, manus dederant Duci Lancastriæ, et cum eo voluntarie equitabant. Soli Nortwicensis Episcopus et Willelmus Elmham, miles, contra Ducem venere ferociter; non attendentes quod totus mundus post eum abiit, et putantes pueriliter cæteros deterrere, qui Duci, ut præmittitur, adhæsere. Sed hii sine difficultate capti, et omnibus bonis quæ contraxerant spoliati, carceribus sunt mancipati, donec Dux, misertus eorum, jusserat eos solvi.
Note 1. William Elmham, around 1336-1403, of Westhorpe, Suffolk. He was Knight of the Shire for Suffolk 1393-1394, and 1397.
In 1403 William Elmham [aged 67] died.
Father: Henry Elmham of Westhorpe
Grandfather: William Hackford of Fring
Mother: Elizabeth Hackford