A Christmas cracker

George Brewes was the cousin of Thomas, whose tomb at Horsham has featured in some of my earlier postings. George seemed to live a rather profligate life as most of the records of him concern his debts. National Archives document C 131/226/26 is about a debt he owed in 1406 to Walter Cokesey. What’s the Christmas connection?

The huge debt of £3000 was recorded in court before Richard Whittington, Mayor of the Staple of Westminster – the well known pantomime character! We don’t know whether George Brewes met Dick’s famous cat.

Walter Cokesey was George’s sister’s grandson. When George died in 1418, he was buried in the Priory church of St Mary Overie, Southwark, later to become St Saviour’s, and now Southwark Cathedral. His heir was Walter Cokesey’s son, Hugh.

Merry Christmas!

Articles hosted by the Braose Web

The Braose Web site hosts a group of articles which relate to the Braose or Brewes family. I have made access available via a new page of links.

The death of Joan Brewes  by Paul Mackenzie 

A debt of Peter de Brewes by Paul Mackenzie

The Maternity of John and Beatrix de Brewes by Paul Mackenzie

A note on the maternity of John and Beatrix de Brewes by Doug Thompson

A Review of the Ancestry of Richard de Brewes, husband of Alice le Rus  by Paul Mackenzie

Feet of Fine between Richard and William de Braose (1271)  by Paul Mackenzie

The Career of William III de Briouze in the Reign of King John: Land, Power and Social Ties

by Matthew Boulter

The Inquisition Post Mortem of John de Brewes by Doug Thompson & Paul Mackenzie

Steyning Museum Website

I see that Steyning Museum have published a short history of the Braose lords of Bramber on their website.

http://steyningmuseum.org.uk/braose.htm

They have a Braose exhibit too.

http://steyningmuseum.org.uk/exhibits/exhibits8.htm

The website is worth a visit - and the museum itself if you live near Steyning! You could visit Bramber castle as well. (pictured right).

A 1403 case in court

In 1403 there was a case at the Court of King's Bench between Margaret, the widow of Thomas de Brewes (d1395) and her new husband, William Burcestre on one side, and John Brewes (of Wiston), George Brewes and some associates on the other side. Margaret claimed that she had been disseised of her manors of Chesworth and Sedgwick, a life grant of which had been made to her by her husband. George Brewes was the cousin and heir of Thomas who claimed that Thomas had been "non compos mentis" when he made the life grant.

Eventually, (the case had been dragging on for years), John and George lost their case and had to pay Margaret the proceeds of the manors which they had appropriated.

Paul Mackenzie has transcribed and translated the original court records of the case and has made this available for all to see at the Your Archives site. The records confirm many relationships in the Brewes family.

The wife of Peter de Brewes of Wiston

Paul Mackenzie has discovered some new information about the death of the wife of Peter de Brewes. It confirms that her name was Joan and, despite some inconsistencies, suggests a date for her death and burial at Missenden Abbey.


Paul has kindly agreed to make his work available for others to read via this page on the Braose website.

It is now looking even more likely that the arms in the window at Wiston, shown right, refer to this wife of Peter.