Henry Brouncker (courtier, died 1607)

Sir Henry Brouncker (c. 1550 – 3 June 1607) of Erlestoke, Wiltshire and West Ham, Essex was an English politician whose later career was spent in Ireland.[1]

He was born in Wiltshire, a younger son of Henry Brouncker of Melksham and Erlestoke and his second wife Ursula Yate. He was the younger brother of William Brouncker.[2]

The standing of his family among the local gentry secured him a seat as Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for Westbury, Wiltshire in 1572 alongside his elder brother[3] and for Devizes in 1584, 1586 and 1589.[1]

During the 1590s he saw military service in Ireland, where he was knighted in 1597 by Thomas Burgh, 3rd Baron Burgh, the Lord Deputy of Ireland.[1] In 1600 he was sent as an ambassador to James VI to congratulate the king on his escape from the Gowrie Conspiracy.[4] He was well received in Scotland, being described as "true, wise and not disliked".[1]

In 1601 he re-entered parliament, sitting for Dorchester possibly through the patronage of Sir Robert Cecil,[1] with whom he had been in regular contact while in Scotland.[5] Early in 1603 he was sent to Hardwick Hall to interrogate Lady Arbella Stuart about her marriage plans.[6]

After the accession of King James I, he was in favour at Court, being listed as one of those who had the right of unrestricted access to the Privy Chamber.[1] In 1604 he succeeded Sir George Carew as Lord President of Munster.[7] He died in that office and was buried in St. Mary's Church, Cork.[8]

By his wife Anne (d. 1612), daughter of Henry Parker, 11th Baron Morley and Lady Elizabeth Stanley, he was the father of William, 1st Viscount Brouncker.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "BROUNCKER, Henry (c.1550-1607), of Erlestoke, Wilts. and West Ham, Essex". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 16 August 2016.
  2. ↑ The visitation of Wiltshire 1623. 1882. p. 49.
  3. ↑ "1558-1603, Constituencies:Westbury". History of Parliament. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  4. ↑ Historical Notes 1509-1714. Vol. 1. 1856. p. 399.
  5. ↑ Calendar of the State Papers Relating to Scotland and Mary, Queen of Scots, 1547-1603. 1898. p. 693.
  6. ↑ Edwards, Peter Roger (2018). Horses and the Aristocratic Lifestyle in Early Modern England. p. 88.
  7. ↑ Calendar of the State Papers, Relating to Ireland: 1603-1606. 1872. p. cxv.
  8. ↑ The Council Book of the Corporation of the City of Cork. 1876. p. xix.
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