Family and Education

b. c.1530, s. of Nicholas Breton of Sirescote. m. (1) Bridget, da. of William Wirley of Hampstead, 1da.; (2) Elizabeth, da. of John Wirley of Dodford, Northants., 4s. 4da.

Offices Held

Biography

Breton’s family had been settled on the Staffordshire side of Tamworth since Edward II’s reign, and may have had a tradition of rivalry with the Ferrers, from the Warwickshire side—at any rate, in 1583, he was plaintiff in a suit against Humphrey Ferrers, then steward of Tamworth. Breton’s return to the 1584 Parliament was especially requested by the 18 year-old 2nd Earl of Essex. He served on the committee of the bill for the better observing of the Sabbath day, 27 Nov. 1584. In 1593 the borough bailiffs wrote to Essex, reminding him of their compliance with his request in 1584 at the cost of disappointing the recorder, Richard Broughton. Possibly there was a connexion through Essex’s stepfather, the Earl of Leicester, under whom Breton’s son afterwards served in the Netherlands.

Vis. Staffs. (Harl. Soc. lxiii), 33; J. C. Wedgwood, Staffs. Parl. Hist. (Wm. Salt Arch. Soc.), i. 382, 383; C142/421/114; Add. 28175, ff. 28, 33, 51; D’Ewes, 333; Shaw, Hist. Staffs. i. 422; Neale, Commons, 237; R. C. Strong and J. A. Van Dorsten, Leicester’s Triumph, 111.

Ref Volumes: 1558-1603

Author: J.E.M.

Notes