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Humfrey Brereton-1149 and his parents

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Humfrey Brereton

This page is to set out information relevant to establishing who might be the parents of Humphrey Brereton, referred to in a legal arbitration of 1474/5. It concerns some land and rights over Malpas church.[1] That arbitration describes Humfrey as brother of Sir Randulph Brereton and names another Randulph Brereton as Sir Randulph’s son and heir.

The issue arises because there were a succession of Randal/Randle/Randolph Breretons in father-son relationships and it is often not immediately obvious which of them a record relates to.

In the hope of saving others from repeating research, this page includes some information not directly relevant to the main question at issue but which may help in improving profiles.

Note that Randal(l), Randle, Randolph, Rondulph and Randulph are all variants of the same first name.

Key Profiles

The Alternative Possibilities

Basically, there are two alternative possibilities:

1. Humfrey was son of Randal I and brother of Randal II

2. Humfrey was son of Randal II and brother of Randal III

If Randal II was alive in 1474/5, he will almost certainly be the Sir Randulph Brereton who was brother of Humfrey. That would make Randal I the father of Humfrey.

If Randal II was dead before 1474/5, Randal III will be the Sir Randulph Brereton who was Humfrey's brother. That would make Randal II the father of Humfrey.

(We know - see below - that Randal IV was not knighted until the 1490s.)

General Information

We do not have firm birth dates for any of the four Randals. No wills or IPMs have so far been found for the first three of them and they have no firm death dates. (There is a gap in the published calendars of IPMs for the reigns of Henry VI and Edward IV.)

There is nothing in the Close or Fine Rolls which helps identify Humfrey's father.

The Pardon Rolls for the period 1462-83 have just one entry for a Randal, for "Randolph Brereton (Brereton) of Malpas, Ches., knight" on 14 February 1472.[2]

To confuse matters further, there are two other Randle Breretons in the Malpas area in the 1470s:

  • Randle, son of Humfrey Brereton
    • On 5 December 1476 a grant was made to Randle Brereton son of Humfrey Brereton de Malpasse; this was witnessed by Sir Randle Brereton, knight[3]
    • Humfrey the father may be the Humfrey of the 1474/5 legal arbitration, but that is uncertain
  • Randle son of Urian Brereton
    • he is sometime called Randall etc Urianson Brereton - eg when he witnessed a mortgage deed on 12 June 1478[4] - or just Randle etc Urianson, as in a grant of 8 May 1475[5]
    • 11 December 1466 he was one of the parties in an arbitration award, along with Randolph Brereton, knight[6]
    • on 6 February 1471/2 Randle son of Urian de Brereton witnessed a grant by Sir Randle Brereton de Malpasse[7]
    • on 5 May 1477 a grant was made by Randle de Brereton son of Urian de Brereton late of Malpase to Sir Randle Brereton[8]

Humfrey Brereton

According to the 2nd edition of Ormerod's History of Cheshire, there were two Humphrey Breretons of Malpas: one, a son of Randal III; the other the son of Bartholomew Brereton who was son of Randal II.[9]

1474/5 Named in a legal arbitration as brother of Sir Randulph Brereton who had a son called Randulph Brereton.[1]

It is not clear which of the following refer to Humfrey Brereton, son of Sir Randulph Brereton, or whether any of them refer to a different Humfrey, perhaps the son of Bartholomew:

  • 13 February 1468/9 Humphrey Brereton de Malpas was one of the witnesses to a grant of property in Malpas[10]
  • 13 February 1468/9 Humphrey Brereton de Malpas was one of the witnesses to a letter of attorney relating to the delivery of seisin of property at Malpas to Randle, son of Sir Randle Brereton[11]
  • 26 February 1468/9 Humphrey Brereton was named in a grant by Randle son of Sir Randle Brereton of land at Malpas, Cheshire, along with William Brereton, Andrew Brereton, John Brereton, Humphrey Brereton, Thomas Brereton and others[12]
  • 1 Mar 1469/70 Humphrey Brereton witnessed a grant of land in the township of Egge: Sir Randle Brereton and his son Randle Brereton were also witnesses[13]
  • 18 April 1471 Humphrey Brereton of Malpas was one of the witnesses to a mortgage deed; another witness was Randle son of Urian Brereton[14]
  • 7 June 1473 Humphrey Brereton was one of many named people to whom a quitclaim was made in relation to lands at Malpas: the others included Sir William Brereton, William Brereton, Andrew Brereton, John Brereton and Thomas Brereton[15]
  • 10 Nov 1478 Humphrey Brereton was one of the witnesses to a grant of land in Wigland: other witnesses included Sir Randle Brereton[16]
  • 16 Nov 1478 Humphrey Brereton, with Sir Randle Brereton, witnessed a quitclaim[17]

If the records of 1468-1470 relate to the Humphrey of the 1474/5 legal arbitration, he was old enough to be a witness in 1468, suggesting a birth date before 1450. His birth date could have been a lot earlier.

Dates of Randal II

Alice Ipstones, mother of Randal II, was said in her father's IPM to be age 2 or more, or age 3 or more (both ages are given in different Inquisitions - she was his co-heir), in February 1399/1400. That places her birth date in the period 1396-8. Richardson says she married Randal I before 29 September 1410.[18][19]

Given her birth date range, Randal II would not have been born before 1411. His birth date may be a few years later.

On 16 February 1443 Randal II made property arrangements for Emma Carrington, whom his son Randal III married.[18][19] That is strong evidence that Randal III was born before this. That in turn suggests that Randal II was born before 1427.

We thus have a range for Randal II's birth of 1411-1426, with a narrower range of 1415-1422 being likely.

Douglas Richardson says that Randal II was living in 1478.[18][19] If that is right, Randal II is a prime candidate to be the Sir Randulph Brereton mentioned in the 1474/5 legal arbitration, and hence the brother of Humfrey Brereton.

The 1468-70 records listed under Humfrey above refer to a Randle, son of Sir Randle, with no suggestion that Sir Randle was dead. This Randle, the son, was old enough to have seisin of property and to be making a grant. That would suggest he was probably of age then, and, if so, dates would point to his being Randal III: Randal IV would have been born too late to be of age. That would mean Randal II was alive in 1468-70, close to the date of the 1474/5 legal arbitration.

Dates of Randal III

The 16 February 1443 settlement of property on Emma Carrington points, as mentioned above, to Randal III being born before then.[20] Among people of this sort of rank, arrangements of this kind might be entered into while both parties to a marriage were fairly young children, so Randal III could have been well under 10 at the time, and possibly even in very early childhood.

If, as seems likely, Randal II was born in the period 1415-22, Randal III was unlikely to be born before the early-to-mid 1430s.

This gives a date range between the early-to-mid 1430s and the start of the 1440s for the birth of Randal III.

Douglas Richardson says that Randal III was living on 1 February 1469/70.[18][19] If the Sir Randulph Brereton of the 1474/5 legal arbitration is Randal II, then Randal III will be the son of Sir Randulph it mentions. Otherwise, Randal III will be the Sir Randulph referred to, and the brother of Humfrey. Either way, he would have been alive in 1474/5.

1466 Pre-nuptial Agreement for Anne daughter of Rondulph/Randle of Brereton

Cheshire Archives and Local Studies have a pre-nuptial settlement of 24 July 1466 between Sir Rondulph of Brereton and Thomas Domok, gentleman, relating to the marriage of Randle's daughter Ann to Thomas's son "Thomas Vachr.". (The two spellings of Randal's name are as in the catalogue record.)[20] It is possible that this is for someone from a different branch of the Breretons, but it is also possible that Rondulph/Randle may be either Randal II or Randal III.

  • No firm indication is given of the ages of Anne or her prospective husband Thomas Vachr, but the terms of the settlement suggest that she was at least 12 and that the marriage was imminent.
    • Agreements of this kind could be made while children were young, or years before a marriage, but then contingency provisions would normally be included for what should happen if the marriage did not go ahead either because one of the children died or the children did not proceed with the marriage. There appear to be no such contingency provisions in this agreement.
    • Children could be actually married while still young, but any such marriage was provisional and could be repudiated by them when they were 12 plus. There appear to be no contingency provisions for this possibility.
    • References to the possibility that Thomas Vachr might choose to live in his own house rather than with his father imply that Thomas Vachr was at least in his teens
  • If the father was either Randal II or Randal III, then:
    • If Anne was at least 12, dating might be little tight for Randal III to be her father if he was born in the period from the early-mid 1430s to the start of the 1440s. Randal II might be the more likely father.
    • If Randal III was Anne's father, the settlement implies that Randal II had died by then: it does not attempt to differentiate Sir Rondulph/Randle from an older Sir Randulph etc. This would mean that Douglas Richardson is wrong in suggesting that Randal II was alive in 1478. That would make Randal III the brother of the Humfrey of the 1474/5 legal arbitration, and Randal II the father of Humfrey.

Records which may refer to Randal III and/or Randal IV

NB What is below is included just to record information which may be useful for profiles: it does not cast light on who Humfrey's father was

The Patent Rolls have an entry for Randolph Brereton, Esq, who was granted an office of receiver in part of the Welsh Marches on 1 January 1493 for "services in all the king's wars and journeys".[21] This may be a Randolph from a different branch of the Breretons, or it may be Randal III or Randal IV.

On 1 August 1497 Randle Brereton son and heir of Randle Brereton de Malpas, chamberlain of Chester, and others received a grant of land at Egge and Bykerton. There is no mention of his being a knight.[22] The likelihood is that the two Randles are Randal IV and his father Randal III, suggesting that Randal III was alive in 1497.

Randal IV was knighted by by 14 June 1498 when he is described as a king's knight in the Patent Rolls.[23] Shaw's Knights of England goes an uncertain date of 30 September 1497 for when he was knighted.[24]

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 Cheshire Archives and Local Studies: DCH - Cholmondeley of Cholmondeley Estate records - 12th century-20th century: 13 - Malpas: DCH/C/432 - AWARD of Peres Dutton of Hatton esq., in a dispute, http://catalogue.cheshirearchives.org.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=DCH%2f13%2f183&pos=1 : accessed 15 October, 2022.
  2. Hannes Kleineke (ed.). Pardon Rolls of Edward IV 1471-1483, List and Index Society, 2020, p. 38
  3. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/52, Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  4. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/158, National Archives Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  5. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/150, Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  6. The National Archives, ref. C 146/4153, Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  7. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/51, National Archives Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  8. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/365, National Archives Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  9. George Ormerod, ed. Thomas Helsby. The History of the County Palatine of Chester, 2nd edition, Vol. II, 1882, pp. 686-7, Hathi Trust
  10. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/391, National Archives Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  11. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/427, National Archives Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  12. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/428, National Archives Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  13. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/49, Discovery Centre catalogue entry and ref. DCH/C/50, National Archives Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  14. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/341, [National Archives Discovery Centre catalogue entry]
  15. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/343, National Archives Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  16. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/948, Discovery Centre Catalogue Entry
  17. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/949, National Archives Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Douglas Richardson. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition (Salt Lake City: the author, 2011), Vol. I, pp. 307-309, BRERETON 10-13, Google Books
  19. 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Douglas Richardson. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham (Salt Lake City: the author, 2013), Vol. I, pp. 521-523, BRERETON 15-18
  20. 20.0 20.1 Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/425, National Archves Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  21. Calendar of the Patent Rolls, Henry VII, A.D. 1485-1914, HMSO, 1914, p. 411, Hathi Trust
  22. Cheshire Archives and Local Studies, ref. DCH/C/55, Discovery Centre catalogue entry
  23. Calendar of the Patent Rolls, Henry VII, A.D. 1494-1509, HMSO, 1916, p. 131, Hathi Trust
  24. W A Shaw. The Knights of England, Sherratt and Hughes, 1906, Vol. II, p. 31, Internet Archive




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