Sir Alexander Brett, Kt., of Whitestaunton

From < Brett Family >

The eldest son of John Brett, Esq., was Sir Alexander Brett, Kt., knighted at Beddington, Surrey, 1603. He died 1609. His first wife was Ann Morgan, relict of Nicholas Turberville, Esq., who was murdered by his brother-in-law, John Morgan, Esq., for which murder John Morgan was attainted and executed at Wells, January 23, 22nd Elizabeth.

The second wife of Sir Alexander Brett was Ann Gifford, daughter of John Gifford, of Weston-under-edge, Gloucestershire, by Elizabeth, daughter of Sir George Throckmorten, of Coughton. I think it was through this alliance that Sir Walter Raleigh, who married Elizabeth Throckmorten, speaks so often in his correspondence of "my cousin .... Sir Alexander died 1609. Lady Ann, his relict, died at Leigh, Surrey, June 20, 1647.

• Somersetshire wills By Frederick Brown, Frederick Arthur Crisp 1st Series.
• http://books.google.ca/books?id=PElFAAAAYAAJ&q=brett#v=snippet&q=br...
• Pg.66-67
• JOHN BRETT,1 of White Stanton, Somerset, Esq. Will, May 16, 1587, proved Apr. 30, 1589, by Alexander & George Brett. [41 Leicester.] To be buried in S. aisle of the Church of White Stanton, where my wife Margaret is buried. "The ile to be enlarged in that respect by my son & heir, which, by the help of God, I living do minde to do." My sons Alexander & George Brett, Exors. Death of my grandmother Thomasine Brett, of Pilland,2, widow of Robert Brett, my grandfather. My kinsmen Simon & Robert Brett, nephews of Robert Brett, of Pilland, my grandfather. My 2nd son, George, 3rd son, Arthur, 4th son, Robert. My sons in law, Mr. Christopher Morgan & Nicholas Frye, Overseers. My daughter Anne Brett. My daughter Ellinor Frye. My son & heir Alexander Brett, & his eldest son & heir John Brett, my cousin (sic). House at Thorncombe & Yarncombe, Devon. Loaves to poor householders who come to Friday morning prayers.
• SIR ALEXANDER BRETT, of White Staunton, Somerset, dec'd. Admon. 23 May, 1609, to his brother George Brett.
• GEORGE BRETT, of Compton Pauncefoot, Somerset, Esq. Will dated Sep. 13, 1633, proved Sep. 7, 1638 [105 Lee] My nephew William Fry the elder. My Lady Lynd, L10. My niece Anne Keyne. Fines, which my sister the Lady Ann Brett hath a letter of. My cousin Mary Fry. My niece Ann Brett. My niece Katherine Keyne. My cousin Robert Brett, my nephew Alexander Brett's son. My cousins George & Edward Keyne. Mr Robert Byfleet, godfather of George Keyne.
  • 1 His wife, Margaret, was one of the daughters and coheirs of Hugh Ratcliff, Esq. She died Feb. 22, 1582. Their daughter Mary was wife of Xtopher Morgan, of Maperton, Dorset, and died Jan. 4. 1582. Another daughter, Ellinor, Married Nicholas Frye, of Varty, Devon. For Morgan pedigree, see B. 76, and "Genealogist," N.S. iii, II, 165.
  • 2 A Branch of the Brett family held the manor of Pillond in the parish of Pulton, N. Devon. Two brasses still exist in Pilton Church to Alex. Brett, d. 1536; and Robert Brett, d. 1540.
  • 3 She was widow of Robert Brett, citizen and Merchant Taylor of London. Vis. Lond., 1568.
  • 4. B. 18.
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• Abstracts of Somersetshire wills, etc., copied from the manuscript collections of the late Rev. Frederick Brown (1887) 5th Series
• https://archive.org/details/abstractsofsomer55cris
• https://archive.org/stream/abstractsofsomer55cris#page/5/mode/1up
• Pg.5
• ANN BRETT, alias Tubervill, of Winterbourne Whitchurch, Dorset, dec'd. Admon. Aug. 7, 1584, to her husband Alexander Brett.
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• Somersetshire wills By Frederick Brown, Frederick Arthur Crisp 2nd Series.
• https://archive.org/details/abstractssomers00browgoog
• https://archive.org/stream/abstractssomers00browgoog#page/n43/mode/1up
• Pg.29
• CHRISTOPHER MORGAN, esq. Will dated Jan. 7, 1590, admon. Feb. 20, 1590, to Ann Morgan, Widow. [II St. Barbe.] Debt of L400 due to me by my brother Alexander Brett, or the Exor. of his deceased father, to my two daughters Elizabeth & Mary Morgan, & L20 more out of my lands & goods. To my friends & feoffess Amias Bampfield, esq., John Crewkerne, esq., & William Morgan, gent., my brother, my Manor of Witherston, lands in Broad Winsor, & Marnhull, Dorset, after the decease of Mary Stourton my mother, until my heir attains the age of 21. My mother Stourton shall have the custudy of my evidences to the use of my heir at his full age. To my wife Ann Morgan, all my living beast & cattle. My kinsman & servant Edward Morgan. My son Christopher, Exor, my wife to have the Adm'n during his minority. Oveerseers, my mother Sturton, Mr John Strangwais, & Mr William Gibbes, esq'rs. Admon. Jan. 23, 1609, to Ann Luttrell alias Morgan, relict of the dec'd testator, in consequence of Christopher Morgan (the son) having died. Further Admon. Dec. 7, 1627, to Elizabeth Trenchard alias Morgan, wife of Sir Thomas Trenchard, knt, & Marie Broadrpp alias Morgan, wife of Robert Broadripp, daughters of Xtopher Morgan, of goods unadministered by Ann Luttrell alias Morgan.
  • Buried at White Stanton, Somerset, Mary Morgan, eldest daughter of John Brett, Esq., and Margaret his wife, and wife of Christopher Morgan, of Maperton, Esq. She died Jan. 4, 1582.
  • Ann Bampfield, widow of Christopher Morgan, married 2ndly, John Luttrell. His will III Soame.
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• LYNDE, Sir Humphrey (1579-1636), of Twickenham, Mdx. and Sheer Lane, St. Dunstan-in-the-West, Mdx.; later of Cobham, Surr. and Denham, Bucks.
• bap. 24 Aug. 1579,1 1st s. of Cuthbert Lynde, Grocer of King Street, Westminster, and Margery, da. of one Baylie. educ. Westminster sch.; Christ Church, Oxf. 1596, aged 17; BA 1600; M. Temple 1601.2 m. 31 Jan. 1610, Elizabeth (d. aft.1640), da. of Sir Alexander Brett (d.1609) of Whitestaunton, Som. 3s., 6da.3 suc. fa. 1608;4 kntd. 11 Nov. 1613.5 d. 8 June 1636.6 sig. Humfrey Lynde.7
• From: http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/ly...
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• BRETT, Sir Robert (c.1566-1620), of Charing Cross, Westminster and Dover Castle, Kent; formerly of West Molesey, Surr.
• b. c.1566, 4th s. of John Brett (d.1589) of Whitestaunton, Som. and Margaret, da. and coh. of Hugh Ratcliff of Stepney, Mdx., wid. of John Acland of Akeland Barton, Devon; half-bro. of Sir John Acland*. educ. Hart Hall, Oxf. 1586, aged 20. m. (1) 14 Dec. 1590, Alice (bur. 19 June 1602), da. of James Huishe, Grocer, of St. Pancras, London, s.p.; (2) 13 July 1603 (with £1,000), Frances (d. 28 Aug. 1617), da. of (Sir) Thomas Fane of Badsell, Tudeley, Kent, 1s. d.v.p.; (3) Anne (d. 22 Feb. 1634), da. of Sir William Meredith, paymaster of the army, of Leeds Castle, Kent, s.p.1 kntd. 22 Apr. 1603.2 d. 1 Sept. 1620.
• .... etc. (Sir) Walter Ralegh, who married Elizabeth Throckmorton, the cousin by marriage of Brett's older brother Sir Alexander, .... etc.
• From: http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/br...
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• Robert Brett of Thorncombe & Whitestaunton OBIT 1340 Buried at Pillond, Devon, m. Margaret , parents of John Brett Esq
  • John Brett Esq of Thorncombe 1540, parent of John (m. Margaret Radcliffe) Brett Esq JP
    • John Brett Esq JP High Sheriff of Somerset 1579-80 JP High Sheriff of Somerset 1580-89 of Thorncombe, Woolston, Whitestaunton, Mowley, Buckland St Mary, Yarncombe (Devon) OBIT 1589 buried at Whitestaunton, m. Margaret daughter of Hugh Radcliffe Esq OBIT 1582 Buried at Whitestaunton, parents of Sir Alexander (m. Anne Turberville), George (d.1638), Arthur (d.1590), Robert Brett
      • Sir Alexander Brett Kt of Whitestaunton (sold Thorncombe 1608) m. Anne Turberville OBIT 1584
• From: http://www.sampfordbrett.org.uk/brett-family-tree
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• Proceedings (1849) Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society Vol. 28
• https://archive.org/details/proceedings28some
• https://archive.org/stream/proceedings28some#page/82/mode/1up
• Pg.82
• I now return to the owners of White Staunton Manor. John Brett, Esq., was High Sheriff of Somerset, 1579. He married Margaret Ratcliff, relict of John Ackland, Esq. She died Feb. 22, 1582/3, and there is a monumental inscription to her in the church. His will was proved April 30, 1589. He desires "to be buried in the southest part of the south Ile, which Ile is to be enlarged in that respect, my son and heir to enlarge the same in such order as I have directed, being so written by mine own hand, if I myself in my lifetime do not enlarge the south Ile, which by the help of God, I, livinge, doe mind to do." He speaks also of "my grandmother, Thomasine Brytt, of Pillond, Devon.
• John Brett, Esq., had six children. One of his daughters, Mary, married Christopher Morgan, Esq., of Maperton, Dorset. She died Jan. 4, 1582/3, and there is an inscription to her memory in White Staunton Church. He married secondly, Ann Bampfield, and his will was proved by his relict, Ann Morgan, Feb. 20, 1590/1. Another daughter, Ellinor Brett,
• https://archive.org/stream/proceedings28some#page/83/mode/1up
• Pg.83
• married Nicholas Fry, Esq., of Yearty, Devon, whose will was proved Feb. 7, 1632/3. She predeceased him.
• One of his sons. Sir Robert Brett, Kt., was of West Mailing, Kent, Gentleman Usher of H.M. Privy Chamber and King's Sergeant. He died Sept. 1, 1620, and there is a monument to him in West Mailing church. His first wife was Frances Fane. His second wife was Ann Meredith, who afterwards became the wife of Francis Lord Cottington, one of the chief ministers and advisers of Charles I. He was a Roman Catholic. He died at Valladolid, in Spain, June 19, 1652, aged 74. There is a large monument to him in the Chapel of St. Paul in Westminster Abbey.
• The eldest son of John Brett, Esq., was Sir Alexander Brett, Kt., knighted at Beddington, Surrey, 1603. He died 1609. His first wife was Ann Morgan, relict of Nicholas Turberville, Esq., who was murdered by his brother-in-law, John Morgan, Esq., for which murder John Morgan was attainted and executed at Wells, January 23, 22nd Elizabeth.
• The second wife of Sir Alexander Brett was Ann Gifford, daughter of John Gifford, of Weston-under-edge, Gloucestershire, by Elizabeth, daughter of Sir George Throckmorten, of Coughton. I think it was through this alliance that Sir Walter Raleigh, who married Elizabeth Throckmorten, speaks so often in his correspondence of "my cousin ....
• .... Lady Ann Brett was heavily fined for her recusancy in 1610. Sir Alexander Brett died 1609. Lady Ann, his relict, died at Leigh, Surrey, June 20, 1647.1
• https://archive.org/stream/proceedings28some#page/84/mode/1up
• Pg.84
• They had several children, one of them, Robert Brett, became Prior of the Benedictines on the continent, and died Aug. 12, 1665, aged 68. One of the daughters, Elizabeth Brett, married Sir Humphry Lynde, Kt., another Mary Brett, married Edward Cotton, Esq., and another, Ann Brett, married Edward Keynes, of Compton Pauncefoot ; both of the latter gentlemen were Roman Cathohc recusants. The eventual heir of Sir Alexander Brett, Kt. (for his eldest son, John Brett, died young), was Alexander Brett, Esq., of White Staunton, aged 25 at his brother's death. He died intestate, Aug. 15, 1617, having married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir William Kirkham, Kt., of Blagdon, Devon, a Roman Catholic recusant. They were the parents of Sir Robert Brett, Kt., the royalist and "papist in arms," born 1615. His property was sequestered, and there is much about him in the Royalist Composition Papers. He seems to have been a hot-headed and turbulent man, and got into all sorts of trouble.
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