Edmund BRAY

(1st B. Bray)

Born: 1484, Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire, England

Acceded: 4 Dec 1529

Died: 18 Oct 1539

Buried: Chelsea Church

Father: John BRAY

Mother: ¿?

Married: Jane HALLIGHWELL (b. ABT 1480 - d. 24 Oct 1558) (dau. of Richard Halywell of Harberton, Esq., and Anne Norbury) (m.2 Sir Urian Brereton) ABT 1499, Holwell, Bedfordshire, England

Children:

1. Anne BRAY (B. Cobham)

2. Elizabeth BRAY

3. John BRAY (2º B. Bray)

4. Dorothy BRAY (B. Chandos of Sudeley)

5. Mary BRAY

6. Frideswide BRAY

7. Frances BRAY (b. 1522 - d. 27 May 1592)

8. Dau. BRAY

9. Dau. BRAY

10. Dau. BRAY

11. Dau. BRAY

Ancestor of the Lords Bray. He was in attendance on King Henry VIII when he met Francois I on the Field of the Cloth of Gold, "one of those nobles who with their pawned manors glistening on their backs followed Henry VIII to the field of the golden folly".

Sir Edmund inherited a large portion of his uncle Sir Reginald Bray's property, which was confirmed under a deed of settlement, made between himself and Sir William Sandys and his wife Dame Margery Sandys, in adjustment of a dispute between the parties regarding the lands of the deceased. This Edmund was about the age of eighteen at the death of Sir Reginald, who had acted as his guardian and took care of his education.

Sir Reginald Bray purchased the wardship of Jane, dau. and heiress of Richard Halywell of Harberton, Esq. (b. 1462 - d. 24 Jul 1506) and Anne Norbury, that she might become the wife of his nephew, as appears by deed dated 12 Feb 1497, made between the said Sir Reginald and Sir John Norbury, her grandfather, in contemplation of "a marriage to be had between Edmund Bray, son of John Bray, brother of the same Sir Reginald, and Jane Halywell, daughter and heir presumptive of Richard Halywell, esq. cousin and heir apparent of Sir John Norbury, (that is to say), daughter of Anne, who was the daughter of the said Sir John Norbury". In consideration of three hundred marks paid by Sir Reginald, Sir John settled immense estates upon his said heir, in the counties of Warwick, Worcester, Surrey, and Hants. In the 6th of Henry VIII. (1515) he was sheriff of the county of Bedford, and was summoned to parliament as Baron Bray, of Eaton-Bray, in that county, on the 3 Nov, 21st of the same monarch. (See BURKE'S Extinct and Dormant Peerage.)

Jane and Edmund and left several daughters (all of whom are shown with her on the memorial brass in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire) and a son, John Bray, who married a daughter of the Earl of Shrewsbury. He left no male heir.

By 1545, Lady Bray had remarried, taking as her second husband Sir Urian Brereton (b. 1510 - d. 19 Mar 1578) of Handforth, Cheshire. From 1553-1557, various members of Jane's immediate family, including several grandchildren, were in and out of prison on charges of treason for their participation in the attempt to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne instead of Mary Tudor, and in Wyatt's Rebellion, and in the Dudley Conspiracy.

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