Sir Edward Brett, Kt.

• Proceedings (1849) Somersetshire Archaeological and Natural History Society Vol. 28
• https://archive.org/details/proceedings28some
• https://archive.org/stream/proceedings28some#page/80/mode/1up
• Pg.80
• One branch of the White Staunton Bretts settled in London. Robert Brett was a Merchant Taylor, and evidently a man of great wealth. He married Elizabeth Highgate of Essex, and by her had many children. In his will, proved April 26, 1586, he bequeaths "to Mr. John Brett of Whyte Staunton, Somerset, Esq., a ringe of gold of one ounce weight, with a deaths head and two letters graven therein for my name." He was buried in St. Augustine's, London, April 15, 1586. The will of his relict, Elizabeth Brett, was proved by John Brett, her son, October 17, 1599. She bequeaths many valuable legacies to all her children, except to her daughter Katherine, to whom she leaves only "a black gowne." The reason for this difference I discovered in some
• https://archive.org/stream/proceedings28some#page/81/mode/1up
• Pg.81
• curious Chancery Proceedings taken in 1600, by Richard Leigh, citizen and Merchant Taylor, against John Brett, the executor of his father, in which he claimed a share in the legacies of John Brett, senior, "as the husband of Katherine." And John Brett says in reply, that Richard Leigh was an apprentice to his father, and "knowing Catherine's fortune, and that she was very young and easily to be seduced, he sought to obtain her good will, and feed a maid servant in her mother's house, and did, in the absence of her mother, most undutifully and ungodly steal away Katherine and marry her contrary to the wishes of her mother and family, and for that reason Elizabeth Brett only gave a black gowne to her daughter Catherine."
• Robert Brett, Merchant Taylor, had four sons. The eldest, Sir John Brett, Kt., of Edmonton, was buried at St. Augustine's, February 3, 1619/20. He had one son, Owen Brett, of Rowney, Beds, a Royalist, who died 1658, issueless, and five daughters, who all married and had children.
• His second son, William Brett, Esq., of Toddington, Beds, had many sons, whom I cannot trace. One of them, however, was Sir Edward Brett, Kt., born 1608. He married Barbara, only daughter of Sir John Fleming, Kt. This Edward Brett was knighted by Charles I at the battle of Lostwithiel, Cornwall, Aug. 31, 1644. He had gallantly, in view of the King, charged the Parliamentary forces, and "received a shott in his left arm, and having brought his men off, retreated to be drest, when the King called him and took his sword which was drawn in his hand, and knighted him on his horse's back." Sir Edward Brett died, s.p., aged 75, Feb. 12, 1682/3, and is buried in Bexley Church, Kent, where there is an elaborate monumental inscription, recording his military services in behalf of King Charles, and afterwards in the Netherlands, under William, then Prince of Orange.
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Biography

He was baptised on 1 May 1608 at Toddington, Bedfordshire, the son of William Brett and Mary Unknown.<ref>The Parish Register of Toddington,1540-1812. Transcribed and published by Bedfordshire County Record Office 1941</ref>

He purchased Blendon Hall, Bexley, Kent in 1673 The will of Sir Edward Brett, Serjeant Porter to the King, of Bexley, Kent dated 22 Dec 1682 was proved on 17 Mar 1683/4. No wife or children were named but he named his sister Mary Isham, her children and her grandchildren. He also bequeathed £10 to the poor of Toddington.<ref>Will of Sir Edward Brett, Serjeant Porter to the King of Bexley, Kent. Repository The National Archives ref PROB 11/375/374</ref> He was buried on 18 Feb 1683/4, at Bexley, Kent.<ref>Bexley parish register</ref>

Sources

<references />

• The Family History and Genealogyof Arden Gremmert and Eva Doherty link: http://www.gremmert.com/getperson.php?personID=I30919&tree=ardeneva

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