John BRAY, Sir

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John married on 13 Aug 1553 in London, Middlesexshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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SIR EDWARD BRAY, knt. of Vachery Park, in Cranley, Surrey, was sheriff of Surrey and Sussex in the 30th of HENRY VIII. and represented the former county in the two parliaments of Queen Mary. Sir Edward, who appears to have been bred a soldier, was one of the knights appointed to accompany King Henry to Calais to meet the French monarch; and he is stated to have been Master of the Ordnance in the time of Queen Mary, and to have marched at the head of some troops to Charing-Cross to attack Wyatt in the insurrection which he had fomented against her majesty. He m. first, Elizabeth, daughter and co-heir of Henry Lovell, esq. of Sussex, but by that lady, from whom he was divorced, and who espoused, secondly, Sir Anthony Windsor, he had no issue. He wedded, secondly, Beatrice, daughter of R. Shirley, esq. of Wiston, in Sussex, and had two sons and one daughter, viz.

Sir Edward survived his second wife, and married, thirdly, Jane, daughter of Sir Matthew Browne, of Betchworth Castle, in the parish of Dorking, but had no more issue. He died in 1558, and by his will, dated in that year, directed that his body should be buried in the parish church of Cranley, and that all the poor folks for whom he had made houses should carry his body to the church, and have for their reward twelvepence each. The will then proceeds, after some minor legacies, to affirm the settlement of divers manors and lands for his wife's jointure, and to state that "she should quietly enjoy the same without interruption of his son Edward." It further provides, in case the said Edward, or his heirs, should attempt to disturb the quiet possession of his step-mother, that that lady should have all the testator's fee-simple lands, tenements, rents, reversions, and hereditaments whatsoever. Lady Bray survived for several years, and resided at the mansion-house at Vachery, where she carried on the iron forge which had been established there, and soon took occasion to quarrel with Sir Edward, her step-son. Amongst other things, she wrote to William More, of Loseley, that he, Sir Edward, had summoned her workmen there to her great damage, and she desired Mr. More's favour. At another period she complained that he had broken down the head of her pond, and at other times had been guilty of such like disturbances; under cover of which she availed herself of the power so improperly given by her husband's will, and sold great part of the estate in Cranley and Ewhurst for little more than nominal considerations, as appears by several deeds, in many of which were conveyances to her own relatives and dependents. What remained of Sir Edward Bray's great estates at the decease of his widow, devolved on his son,

Source: A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland Vol III P. 245

Edward married Beatrice SHIRLEY. Beatrice (daughter of Richard SHIRLEY, Of Wiston, Sir and Anne SHELLEY) was born about 1517 in Wiston, Thakeham, Sussex, England; died before 1558 in Vachery Park, Cranley, Surrey, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Sir Richard Shirley of Whiston, whose line continued till at least 1678. [Burke's Peerage]

Richard married Anne SHELLEY. Anne was born about 1495 in Michelgrove, Sussex, England; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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Ralph married Jane BELLINGHAM. Jane was born about 1475 in Lyminster, Sussex, England; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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