William Brereton (groom)
Encyclopedia
Sir William Brereton who came from a Cheshire
landowning family, was a Groom of the Privy Chamber
of Henry VIII
. He was caught up in the accusations against Anne Boleyn, tried for treason and executed with the Queen and four others. Historians now think that along with the others he was almost certainly innocent.
William Brereton was the sixth son of Sir Randle Brereton of Ipstones, Shocklach, & Malpas
, Knight Chamberlain of Chester, knight banneret and knight of the body of Henry VII
. His mother was Eleanor Dutton. Along with three of his brothers, William entered royal service. By 1521 he was a groom of the King's chamber, and from 1524, groom of the privy chamber.
In 1529 Brereton married a widow, Elizabeth Savage, who was the daughter of Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester
, and a second cousin to Henry VIII. Lady Savage’s first husband was the grandson of Sir John Savage who had been a Lancastrian commander at the battle of Bosworth in 1485. When the grandson had fallen into debt and was also being held in the Tower for murder, all his lands were forfeited to the crown, and Brereton, as the king’s man in Cheshire, was given the job of looking after them. Savage died and Brereton’s marriage to Lady Savage established a family relationship with the King and thus cemented Brereton’s position as a royal servant.
In reward for his work for the King, Brereton gained many grants in Cheshire and the Welsh Marches
. These eventually brought him more than £10,000 a year. However, he wielded power ruthlessly. For example, he engineered the execution of Sir John Eyton for instigating the killing of one of his own heavies who had been involved in disorders over cattle rustling.
The Secretary of State, Thomas Cromwell, masterminded the plot against Anne. The allegation against Brereton was that Anne solicited him on 16 November 1533, and misconduct took place on 27 November. However, the future Queen Elizabeth had been born on 7 September. This would have kept Anne in seclusion for a long time. Other charges of misconduct at Hampton Court certainly could not have happened, because at the time in question the court was at Greenwich. The historian Eric Ives
argues that Cromwell added Brereton to the plot against Anne in order to end the troubles Brereton was causing in the Welsh Marches, and to reorganise (and centralise) the local government of this area.
Brereton's words as he faced the executioner's axe, "The cause whereof I die, judge not. But if you judge, judge the best," are interpreted as a cautious declaration of his innocence which would avoid the forfeiture of his estates.
on the Showtime series, The Tudors
, during season 2. Seeming to be commissioned by the Pope (Peter O'Toole
) to assassinate Anne Boleyn
(Natalie Dormer
) for the good of King Henry VIII
(Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and the Catholic Church. He was accused of having carnal knowledge of the Queen Anne. Unlike the others in his position, who either denied (George Boleyn (Pádraic Delaney
) and Henry Norris
(Stephen Hogan)) or were tortured into admitting it (Mark Smeaton (David Alpay
)), Brereton falsely admitted his guilt to Thomas Cromwell (James Frain
).
On The Tudors, although Brereton was an actual historical character, the series has totally fictionalized this character. (William Brereton was not a Jesuit and was not commissioned by the Pope to assassinate Anne Boleyn. It is worth noting that whereas Anne was crowned queen in 1533 and executed in 1536, the Jesuit order was not formally established by the pope until 1540.) He was probably collateral damage when Thomas Cromwell moved against the Boleyn Faction and decided to get rid of him in the same coup.
In the show Brereton is portrayed as a young man whereas in reality he was almost fifty, and it is not mentioned that he was not wealthy.
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
landowning family, was a Groom of the Privy Chamber
Groom of the Chamber
Groom of the Chamber and Groom of the Privy Chamber were positions in the Royal Household of the English monarchy, the latter considerably more elevated. Other Ancien Régime royal establishments in Europe had comparable officers, often with similar titles...
of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. He was caught up in the accusations against Anne Boleyn, tried for treason and executed with the Queen and four others. Historians now think that along with the others he was almost certainly innocent.
William Brereton was the sixth son of Sir Randle Brereton of Ipstones, Shocklach, & Malpas
Malpas, Cheshire
Malpas is a large village which used to be a market town, and it is also a civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The parish lies on the border with Shropshire and Wales...
, Knight Chamberlain of Chester, knight banneret and knight of the body of Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
. His mother was Eleanor Dutton. Along with three of his brothers, William entered royal service. By 1521 he was a groom of the King's chamber, and from 1524, groom of the privy chamber.
In 1529 Brereton married a widow, Elizabeth Savage, who was the daughter of Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester
Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester
Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester was the legitimised son of Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset and Joan Hill.-Biography:He was born around 1460 to Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset and Joan Hill...
, and a second cousin to Henry VIII. Lady Savage’s first husband was the grandson of Sir John Savage who had been a Lancastrian commander at the battle of Bosworth in 1485. When the grandson had fallen into debt and was also being held in the Tower for murder, all his lands were forfeited to the crown, and Brereton, as the king’s man in Cheshire, was given the job of looking after them. Savage died and Brereton’s marriage to Lady Savage established a family relationship with the King and thus cemented Brereton’s position as a royal servant.
In reward for his work for the King, Brereton gained many grants in Cheshire and the Welsh Marches
Welsh Marches
The Welsh Marches is a term which, in modern usage, denotes an imprecisely defined area along and around the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods...
. These eventually brought him more than £10,000 a year. However, he wielded power ruthlessly. For example, he engineered the execution of Sir John Eyton for instigating the killing of one of his own heavies who had been involved in disorders over cattle rustling.
The Secretary of State, Thomas Cromwell, masterminded the plot against Anne. The allegation against Brereton was that Anne solicited him on 16 November 1533, and misconduct took place on 27 November. However, the future Queen Elizabeth had been born on 7 September. This would have kept Anne in seclusion for a long time. Other charges of misconduct at Hampton Court certainly could not have happened, because at the time in question the court was at Greenwich. The historian Eric Ives
Eric Ives
Eric William Ives, OBE is a British historian and an expert on the Tudor period. He is Emeritus Professor of English History at the University of Birmingham...
argues that Cromwell added Brereton to the plot against Anne in order to end the troubles Brereton was causing in the Welsh Marches, and to reorganise (and centralise) the local government of this area.
Brereton's words as he faced the executioner's axe, "The cause whereof I die, judge not. But if you judge, judge the best," are interpreted as a cautious declaration of his innocence which would avoid the forfeiture of his estates.
Portrayals
William Brereton was portrayed by James GilbertJames Gilbert (actor)
James Gilbert is a Canadian film, television, and stage actor.James is best known for his role as William Brereton in the Showtime historical drama series, The Tudors. James has most recently starred in the remake of Moby Dick , along with William Hurt, Ethan Hawke and Eddie Marsan and the...
on the Showtime series, The Tudors
The Tudors
The Tudors is a Canadian produced historical fiction television series filmed in Ireland, created by Michael Hirst and produced for the American premium cable television channel Showtime...
, during season 2. Seeming to be commissioned by the Pope (Peter O'Toole
Peter O'Toole
Peter Seamus Lorcan O'Toole is an Irish actor of stage and screen. O'Toole achieved stardom in 1962 playing T. E. Lawrence in Lawrence of Arabia, and then went on to become a highly-honoured film and stage actor. He has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and holds the record for most...
) to assassinate Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
(Natalie Dormer
Natalie Dormer
Natalie Dormer is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Victoria in Casanova and as the ill-fated queen Anne Boleyn in the Showtime series The Tudors.-Early life and current lifestyle:...
) for the good of King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
(Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and the Catholic Church. He was accused of having carnal knowledge of the Queen Anne. Unlike the others in his position, who either denied (George Boleyn (Pádraic Delaney
Pádraic Delaney
Pádraic Delaney is an Irish actor best known for playing Teddy O'Donovan in the Ken Loach film The Wind That Shakes the Barley, for which he earned an IFTA nomination as well as being named Irish Shooting Star for the 2007 Berlin Film Festival...
) and Henry Norris
Henry Norris
Sir Henry George Norris was an English businessman, politician and football club director, most famous for his chairmanship of both Fulham and Arsenal...
(Stephen Hogan)) or were tortured into admitting it (Mark Smeaton (David Alpay
David Alpay
David Alpay is a Canadian actor.-Education:Alpay had planned to pursue a career in neuroscience when he was studying at Earl Haig Secondary School in North York, Ontario. He even went so far as to win the University of Maryland, Baltimore's Brain Bee in grade 12...
)), Brereton falsely admitted his guilt to Thomas Cromwell (James Frain
James Frain
James Dominic Frain is an English stage and screen actor. He is possibly best known for his role in the Showtime series The Tudors in which he appeared as Thomas Cromwell from 2007 to 2009, and for his role as vampire Franklin Mott in season three of the HBO drama True Blood, as well as his role...
).
On The Tudors, although Brereton was an actual historical character, the series has totally fictionalized this character. (William Brereton was not a Jesuit and was not commissioned by the Pope to assassinate Anne Boleyn. It is worth noting that whereas Anne was crowned queen in 1533 and executed in 1536, the Jesuit order was not formally established by the pope until 1540.) He was probably collateral damage when Thomas Cromwell moved against the Boleyn Faction and decided to get rid of him in the same coup.
In the show Brereton is portrayed as a young man whereas in reality he was almost fifty, and it is not mentioned that he was not wealthy.