At the same time he inherited large estates in Oxfordshire and Berkshire, which were added to upon the death of his uncle Sir Edward Norris in 1604.

[1] In May, Henry Clinton, 2nd Earl of Lincoln and Francis Norris were sent north by the Privy Council to meet Anne of Denmark at Berwick-upon-Tweed and escort her towards London.

However, at Doncaster and Northallerton they heard reports of a delay caused by the queen's illness at Stirling Castle, and sought permission from Robert Cecil to return home.

[2] On 28 January 1621, Norris was created Earl of Berkshire and Viscount Thame in the Peerage of England by the king, likely on the suggestion of the Duke of Buckingham.

After being released and returning to Oxfordshire, Norris was unable to recover from the humiliation and shot himself with a crossbow on 29 January 1622, dying two days later.

[1] Norris became so hostile towards his estranged wife that he not only starved her of cash, but tried to disinherit their only issue, Elizabeth,[6] who inherited the barony upon her father's death.