Sir John III of Mackary End c 1562-1613
Son of Nicholas Esq
and Margaret HOO, John grew up at Mackery End House as the
only child of the household. He held it all his life. After
being knighted 1599 in Ireland Sir John Brockett
began a military career there as Commander
of the Fort of Duncannon. But allegations of counterfeiting
coins there—whether true or false—cut it short before
1606.
John was baptised in St Helen's Wheathampstead Jan 14 1562
and buried there 20 Sep 1613 (Wheathampstead
Parish Records). No will has been discovered.
His elder son, who lived and
died in Wheathampstead after him, was well documented, but
any descendants beyond his 2 sons—if there were any—are
not known.
His arms were recorded in Burke's General Armory, but there
was no memorial to him in the Church. Recorders
of the Wheathampstead dynasty did not call him Sir, nor therefore
the 1860 Gateshead Pedigree.
Nor did Clutterbuck and Berry include him on their pedigrees.
1. Wife and children
Married Mary, daughter of Thomas SNAGG,
a Sergeant at Law—the highest rank of barrister. Children:
- John
'of Caswell' bap Jul 24, 1583 (Wheathampstead Parish Records).
- Thomas bap Oct 8, 1584 (Wheathampstead
Parish Records). Probably the gentleman Thomas
recorded in 1623-4 as an Adventurer of the Virginia
Company (Kinsbury 1906- vol 4 p 366). Thomas sold
Mackary End in 1638. Probably the Thomas Brockitt of St
Albans Gent who married Elizabeth PILKYNGTON of the same,
Widow, by marriage licence from the Archdeaconry of St Albans
7 Apr 1608 (Brigg 1895 p 49)—alternatively Thomas
son of Nicholas of Willingale.
- Ann bap Mar 2, 1585, bur 22 Mar 1586
(Wheathampstead Parish Records).
1599 31 Aug: Knighted by the Earl of Essex,
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (Shaw 1906 vol 2 p 97).
1601 23 Jun: First mention as Warden of
Duncannon Castle (Calendar of State Papers for Ireland,
p 16), in charge of a lieutenant, a canonier and 30 warders.
This year William
Brockett carried letters from the Privy Council to Sussex
to muster horsemen to fight the Spanish army which had been
landed in the South of Ireland.
1601: Various letters from John to Secretary
Cecil concerning, among other things, movement of coin out
of southern Ireland (Calendar of State Papers for Ireland,
pp 396-450). PRO SP 63 (microfilm piece 208) contains signed
letters from John Brokett, e.g. from Dublin 23 June
1601.
1602 23 Dec: Sir George Carew to Secretary
Cecil, '…I recommend Brocket strongly… I think that
he has been wronged…' (Calendar of State Papers for
Ireland, pp 535-6).
1603 5 Apr: Sir John was
interrogated about various events surrounding the
alledged counterfeiting of coins in Duncannon Fort.
For example, why did he imprison two goldsmiths in the fort?
How did he come to have certain instruments in his desk? Did
he melt divers Spanish pieces? (Calendar of State Papers
for Ireland, pp 9-10). Son John, Lieutenant, was implicated
but not younger son Thomas (Calendar of State Papers for
Ireland, p 578).
1605: After this year Sir John was no longer
in command of the Fort of Duncannon.
1588 John Brockett of Mackerells End is
said to have received £1100 for the sale of the lease
of the Manor of Totteridge to Richard Pecock
of Fynchold, Middlesex. But John was not the true owner according
to a suit brought by Richard Pecock (PRO C3/228/2).
1598 Bearer of one of the 2 standards at
the heraldic funeral of
Sir John II in St Etheldreda's Hatfield.
Between 1609-1619, during Sir Thos Smyth's
treasurership, John invested in the Virginia Company and acquired
land in Virginia.
Before 1639 he gave it to son John
(Nugent 1934- vol 1 p 110).
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