Henry of Braybrooke
Encyclopedia
Henry of Braybrooke was an English High Sheriff and justice.
He was the son of Robert of Braybrooke
, who had served as High Sheriff
of Buckinghamshire
, Bedfordshire
, Northamptonshire
and Rutland
, as well as Master of the Great Wardrobe, and had accumulated large amounts of land in Northamptonshire
, Leicestershire
, Bedfordshire
, Buckinghamshire
, and Essex
, mainly by buying the mortgages of people who could not pay them back. One of the debts he paid off was that of Wischard Ledet, who owned Chipping Warden, and as a result Ledet's daughter and heir Christina married Henry of Braybrooke.
When Robert died in 1211, Henry followed his fathers path, succeeding him as High Sheriff of various counties and raising more money for the king from his shires; Roger of Wendover
named him one of John
's "evil councillors". In June 1213 John commissioned him to repair Northampton Castle
, but in 1214 he was replaced as High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire
, and by 1215 he had defected to the baronial faction. By mid–1215 he was among those whose forfeiture was specifically ordered by John, and after the creation of the Magna Carta
he was forced to forfeit his other High Shrievalties as well.
When hostilities began again John had Braybrooke's lands parcelled out to other landowners, but Braybrooke continued to support Prince Louis
of France
, defending Mountsorrel Castle against the royalists and participating in the Battle of Lincoln
. After the Treaty of Lambeth
Braybrooke submitted to the king, and had many of his lands restored. Although he never became a High Sheriff again, he served as a royal justice in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, and was tasked from 10 June 1224 to hear an Assize of novel disseisin
against Falkes de Breauté
; he was perfectly suited, firstly because he was a vassal of William de Beauchamp
, who had had Bedford Castle
taken from him by de Breauté, and secondly because de Breauté now held the High Shrievalties of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, previous Braybrooke's. Braybrooke returned 16 counts of disseisins; enraged, William de Bréauté, Falkes' brother, seized him, and the allegedly brutal treatment he received led to royal forces siegeing Bedford Castle. After the castle fell, Braybrooke and Walter of Pattishall
were ordered to destroy it.
Braybrooke died by 1234; the precise date is not known. He was buried in Bushmead Priory
, Bedfordshire, of which he was a benefactor.
He was the son of Robert of Braybrooke
Robert of Braybrooke
Robert of Braybrooke or Robert le May was a medieval landowner, justice and sheriff.He was born at Braybrooke, Northamptonshire the son of justiciar Ingebald de Braybrooke and his wife Albreda de Neumarche....
, who had served as High Sheriff
High Sheriff
A high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
of Buckinghamshire
High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire
The High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire, in common with other counties, was originally the King's representative on taxation upholding the law in Saxon times...
, Bedfordshire
High Sheriff of Bedfordshire
-1066–1125:*1066-c.1084: Ansculf de Picquigny*Ralph Taillebois*Hugh de Belcamp*1124 Richard of WinchesterFrom 1125 through the end of 1575, appointees to the shrievalty held the joint office of High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire.-1575–1599:...
, Northamptonshire
High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of Northamptonshire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
and Rutland
High Sheriff of Rutland
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Rutland. The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown: there has been a Sheriff of Rutland since 1129...
, as well as Master of the Great Wardrobe, and had accumulated large amounts of land in 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,...
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, and Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, mainly by buying the mortgages of people who could not pay them back. One of the debts he paid off was that of Wischard Ledet, who owned Chipping Warden, and as a result Ledet's daughter and heir Christina married Henry of Braybrooke.
When Robert died in 1211, Henry followed his fathers path, succeeding him as High Sheriff of various counties and raising more money for the king from his shires; Roger of Wendover
Roger of Wendover
Roger of Wendover , probably a native of Wendover in Buckinghamshire, was an English chronicler of the 13th century.At an uncertain date he became a monk at St Albans Abbey; afterwards he was appointed prior of the cell of Belvoir, but he forfeited this dignity in the early years of Henry III,...
named him one of John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
's "evil councillors". In June 1213 John commissioned him to repair Northampton Castle
Northampton Castle
Northampton Castle was built under the stewardship of Simon de Senlis, the first Earl of Northampton, in 1084. It took several years to complete, as there is no mention of it in the Domesday Book, a great survey of England completed in 1086....
, but in 1214 he was replaced as High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire
High Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire. One sheriff was appointed for both counties from 1125 until the end of 1575, after which date separate sheriffs were appointed...
, and by 1215 he had defected to the baronial faction. By mid–1215 he was among those whose forfeiture was specifically ordered by John, and after the creation of the Magna Carta
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
he was forced to forfeit his other High Shrievalties as well.
When hostilities began again John had Braybrooke's lands parcelled out to other landowners, but Braybrooke continued to support Prince Louis
Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut. He was also Count of Artois, inheriting the county from his mother, from 1190–1226...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, defending Mountsorrel Castle against the royalists and participating in the Battle of Lincoln
Battle of Lincoln (1217)
The Second Battle of Lincoln occurred at Lincoln Castle on 20 May 1217, during the First Barons' War, between the forces of the future Louis VIII of France and those of King Henry III of England. Louis' forces were attacked by a relief force under the command of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke...
. After the Treaty of Lambeth
Treaty of Lambeth
The Treaty of Lambeth may refer to either of two agreements signed following conflict with King John and Philip Augustus of France which broke out in 1202.-Treaty of Lambeth :...
Braybrooke submitted to the king, and had many of his lands restored. Although he never became a High Sheriff again, he served as a royal justice in Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, and was tasked from 10 June 1224 to hear an Assize of novel disseisin
Assize of novel disseisin
In English law, the Assize of novel disseisin was an action to recover lands of which the plaintiff had been disseised, or dispossessed. The action became extremely popular due to its expediency...
against Falkes de Breauté
Falkes de Breauté
Sir Falkes de Breauté was an Anglo-Norman soldier who earned high office by loyally serving first King John and later King Henry III in First Barons' War. He played a key role in the Battle of Lincoln Fair in 1217. He attempted to rival Hubert de Burgh, and as a result fell from power in 1224...
; he was perfectly suited, firstly because he was a vassal of William de Beauchamp
William de Beauchamp (1185)
-Magna Carta baron:de Beauchamp took part in the 1210 expedition to Ireland and the 1214 expedition to Poitiers before joining the rebellious barons in 1215 at the beginning of the First Barons' War, entertaining them at his seat of Bedford Castle; as such Beauchamp was one of the rebels...
, who had had Bedford Castle
Bedford Castle
Bedford Castle was a large medieval castle in Bedford, England. Built after 1100 by Henry I, the castle played a prominent part in both the civil war of the Anarchy and the First Barons' War. The castle was significantly extended in stone, although the final plan of the castle remains uncertain...
taken from him by de Breauté, and secondly because de Breauté now held the High Shrievalties of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, previous Braybrooke's. Braybrooke returned 16 counts of disseisins; enraged, William de Bréauté, Falkes' brother, seized him, and the allegedly brutal treatment he received led to royal forces siegeing Bedford Castle. After the castle fell, Braybrooke and Walter of Pattishall
Walter of Pattishall
Walter of Pattishall was a British justice and administrator. He was the eldest son of Simon of Pattishall, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and elder brother of High of Pattishall, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield...
were ordered to destroy it.
Braybrooke died by 1234; the precise date is not known. He was buried in Bushmead Priory
Bushmead Priory
The Priory Church of Saint Mary, Bushmead, commonly called Bushmead Priory, was a monastic foundation for Augustinian Canons, located at Bushmead in the County of Bedfordshire in England...
, Bedfordshire, of which he was a benefactor.