Sir John II of Brockett Hall c 1538-1598

Son of Sir John I, John spent most of his life at Brockett Hall in Hertfordshire. He succeeded to the estate aged c 20 in 1558, the year Queen Elizabeth stayed there. Later he served twice as her Sheriff, once as MP and on various royal commissions. Under Sir John's lead, the dynasty maintained an influential position in Hertfordshire throughout his life. But as the 2nd half of the century progressed he steadily sold off parts of the estate, latterly mainly to finance his daughters' dowries.

On his death in 1598 without a son the Hertfordshire family seat of Brockett Hall passed with daughter Mary to the Reade family and the rest of his estate was divided between his other 5 daughters or their heirs. Although descendants of his brother Edward lived in Wheathampstead for another 78 years, and although his cousin John was knighted 1599, the death of Sir John II marked the end of Broket influence at the ruling level of the County. A large memorial to him still stands against the wall of the Brocket Chapel in St Etheldreda's Hatfield, now in need of renovation. High above hangs his helmet.

Following is John's entry in P.W. Hasler, The House of Commons 1558-1603, pp 487-8. A few links have been added. The estimated 1540 birth date is probably too late.

1st wife Helen, eldest daughter of Sir Robert LYTTON and coheiress to a third of her father's extensive estates, was mother to all John's children apart from Frances. They may have married in the late 1550s—the burial of a probable son John in 1559 was recorded in the Wheathampstead parish registers. John's brother Thomas married Helen's sister Anne.

2nd wife Elizabeth widow of Sir Gabriel FOWLER and d/o Thomas MOORE of Oxfordshire. '1583. A true and perfitt note of all the goods catells and other thinges which were lefte vnto Elizabeth fowler late wife of Gabriel fowler esquire & now the wife of Sir John Brockett knight: soulde vnto Richard Ferrers esquire vallued & prised as followethe' (BL Add 29438 f 23, an abbreviated selection):

Dame Elizabeth's will was written 27 Apr, pr 2 Jul 1612 PCC PROB 11/120 executors son Richard Fowler Esq and William Bird Esq.

Children in 1598 (in the order of the funeral certificate):

1. Margaret married to Sir John CUTTES/CUTT of Childerleigh, Cambridgeshire (Visitation of Cambridgeshire 1575 and 1619, pp 30-1).
2. Anne married to Alexander CAVE Esq of Bagrave (later Knight).
3. Elizabeth d bef 1598 married to George CARLETON Esq.
4. Helene married to Richard SPENCER Esq of Offley (later Knight: Metcalfe 1886 p 165).
5. Mary married to Thomas READE Esq (later Knight). Brockett Hall descended to this family (Metcalfe 1886 p 162).
6. Fraunces b 1583 or 84, married to Sir Dudley NORTH, 3rd Lord of Kirtling (d 1666). The deference shown to parents by children in those days is described by their eldest son Sir Dudley 4th Lord North who well into middle age 'would never put on his hat or sit down before his father, unless enjoined to it' (L Stone 1977 p 122).

Following Berry and Clutterbuck, the 1860 Gateshead Pedigree gave Sir John II and Helen 2 sons: John and Salathiel, both of whom it said died without issue.

John's sons-in-law Dudley Lord North, Sir Richard Spencer and Sir John Cutt were all signatories to the 3rd Virginia Charter of 12 Mar 1612.

Numerous records of his official and other activities survive and only a small selection can be referred to here.

i. 1577 18-23 May: John Brocket of Herts knighted at Goremanbury, the house of Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper of the Great Seal (Shaw 1906 vol 2 p 78).

ii. 1580 As a Commissioner for the general muster of Hertfordshire, Sir John took part in the levy of 100 men for the service of the Queen (King 1996 p 3).

iii. 1585: First witness to uncle Nicholas' nuncupative will.

iv. Land in Bedfordshire:

• ?1575: Acquired the Manor of Luton Hoo, sold by his trustees to Sir Robert Napier in 1601 (VCH Bedfordshire vol 2 p 355; Cobbe 1899 p 196).
• ?1575: Acquired the Manor of East Hide—part of Luton Manor. On his death it passed by settlement to brother Edward, from whom it passed to his son John (VCH Bedfordshire vol 2 pp 357).
• 1594: Paid £4 for £40 in land in Tyllesworth, but had sold it by 1597. Gabriell Fowler, 1st husband of John's 2nd wife, was 'of Tillsworth'.

• 1598: Mentioned property in Stanbridge c 8 m W of Luton in his will.

v. Tax: 13 May 1592 (PRO E115/28/26 f 86). One of the Commissioners for Herts John paid £4 for lands rated at £60 and had resided for the period with his family at Brokett Hall:

1. We whose names are here vnder wrytten, her maiestes 2. Comyssioners Amongste others Auctorised for the 3. assessinge taxinge leavyinge and payinge of the 4. second payment of the second subsydie (graunted 5. to our soueraigne ladie the queenes maiesties [sic] by acte 6. of parliament holden at westminster in the xxxith 7. yeare of her highnes raigne) within the Hundred of 8. brodwater in the countie of hertford, doe hereby certifie 9. vnto the right honorable the lord Burghley lord 10. highe threasorer of England, the Barrons and 11. others her maiesties officers of the exchequer to whom 12. it doth or shall appertayne, that Sir John Brokett 13. of Broketthalle in the countie of hertford knyght at 14. the tyme of the assessinge taxinge leavyinge and 15. payinge of the said second payment of the said second 16. subsydie, was one of her maiesties comyssioners for the 17. taxinge leavyinge & payinge of the said second payment 18. of the said second subsydie, had and kepte his famylie 19. at his howse at Brokett halle within the countie of 20. hertford and in the parishe of Hatfeilde within the countie 21. of hertford, where amongst other inhabitaunce of that 22. same towne was taxed and assessed to paye to our 23. said soueraigne ladie the queenes maiesties, the some of fowre 24. poundes, accordinge to the valewe of his landes ratyd 25. at three score poundes / In wytnes wherof we the 26. said comyssionors to this our certificate haue sett our 27. handes and seales the xiiith daye of maie in the 28. xxxvth yeare of the raigne of our soueraigne ladie 29. Elizabethe by the grace of god of england Fraunce 30. and Ireland queene defender of the faithe et c 31. Phillip Bottler Thomas Fanshawe

vi. Examples of disposal of property:

1. Sold land and fishing rights in Bolton Percy in 1558 and 1563 to Roger Ryley and Brockethall Manor there to Thomas Fairfax in 1565 (Leeds City Archives DB/65/8; YASRS 1888 vol 5 pp 273-4; see M J Harrison 2000, pp 85 n 38, 92).
2. Sold the Manor of Herons in Wheathampstead in 1565 to Thomas North (Munby 1974 p 50; VCH Herts vol 2 p 302).
3. Sold 174 acres in Wheathampstead in 1582 (WAM 14039, as cited in Munby 1974 p 62) although over half of these were bought by brother Edward of Wheathampstead Place.

vii. John's IPM is PRO C 142/57/42 1599 (41 Eliz). A very large parchment document, c 8x5 ft, in bad condition in places from damp. First wife Dame Helen Brockett's IPM also dated 1599 is PRO C142/258/76.

Written 7 Aug 1598, proved PCC 12 Oct 1598 PROB 11/92, executors son-in-law Richard Spencer and daughter Fraunces (under 21 and unmarried at the time):

John left up to £200 for a funeral and £40 for a tomb near his 1st wife Ellen:

Bequests to the family:

If Fraunces were to die before marriage or the age of 21, all these legacies were to be sold as soon as possible after Dame Elizabeth's death or remarriage and shared among the other daughters or their heirs (ll 71-82). Fraunces was also bequeathed 1000 marks at marriage or the age of 21 (l 85-9). If she were to die beforehand, £200 of this was to go to grandson John Cutts, £200 to grandson John Carleton and the remainder equally to his daughters or their eldest sons or heirs (ll 89-123).

2. Wife Dame Elizabeth: £100 within 6 months (ll 83-4).

3. Daughter Mary Reade: £100 within 1 year (ll 128-9).

4. Daughter Lady Margaret's son John Cutts: £200 at the age of 21 (ll 130-5).

5. Deceased daughter Elizabeth's son John Carleton: £600 at the age of 21 (ll 152-66).

6. Daughter Margaret Lady Cuttes: £100 within 1 year (ll 183-6).

7. Daughter Anne Cave: £100 within 1 year (ll 186-9).

8. Daughter Helene Spencer: £100 within 1 year (ll 189-92).

The Hall and servants were to be kept as normal for a month after John's death:

John bequeathed his wife all her clothing and jewels:

The will was witnessed by Thomas Walkeden, William Pesley, Frauncis Stepneth.

He described his house in Aldersgate St (near the Barbican and St Paul's and just north of London Wall) as 'in the subvrbs of London' (l 28).

The College of Arms has a decorated certificate issued on 23 October 1598 by William Camden, Clarenceux King of Arms, and Nicholas Paddy, Lancaster Herald, for the funeral of 'Sir John Brokett of Brokett Haule' (ms I.16/26). Funeral certificates were issued in connexion with the organisation of heraldic funerals. The certificate includes a painting of 2 standards; a tabard; his arms—with 5 quarterings; arms of each of his wives; and his crest—a stag lodged proper, gorged with a gold ducal or crest coronet. Henry Gray of Hatfield copied and painted the tabard and crest in 2004.

23th. of October. 1598.          Sir Jhon Brokett of Brokett Haule in the Countie of Hertford Knight maryed Helen the Daughter and Coheyr of Sir Robert Litton of Knebworth in the County of Hartf' Knight by whom he had yssue, Margaret maried to Sir Jhon Cuttes Knight. Anne maried to Allexander Caue of Bagrave in the County of Leicester Esquier. Elizabeth maried to George Carleton of Oxfordshyre Esquire. Helen maried to Richard Spencer of Offeley in the County of Hartf' Esquire. Mary maried to Thomas Read of Barton neer Abbington in the County of Berk' Esquire.          The sayd Sir Jhon Brokett maried to his second wyfe Elizabeth Daughter of Tho: Moore of Bircester in the County of Oxon', widdowe of Gabriell Fowler of Tillesworth in the County of Bedford. by whom he had onely Frances Brokett a daughter at his death of the age of between 14. & 15 years.          The sayd Sir Jhon Brokett died the 2d day of October 1598. and his Funeralles were solemnized worshipfully according to his degree at the Parish Church of Hatfield the 23th of the same Moneth following. The Standerd was borne by Jhon Brokett sonne to Edw: Brokett of Whetthamsteed, The Penon of his Armes by Jhon Brokett of Macarelles end. The Helmet and Creast by Nicholas Paddy Lancaster Heraulde. The Coat of Armes Sword and Shield by Wm Camden Clarencieux attending at the sayd Funerall. The Executors Rich. Spencer Esquire and Frances Brokett Daughter to the Defuncte./          Signed by Ri. Spencer          William Camden Clarenceulx          Nicholas Paddie alias          Lancaster Herrauld