NICHOLAS BROME & the Three Murders: Part Four

When last we left Nicholas BROME we had fixed on the approximate date of the murder of the priest as about 1485. One of the challenges of trying to understand Nicholas is to understand the time and the circumstance in which he lived. Trying to do so with someone who lived 500 years ago presents challenges. I also alluded to the fact that the murders Nicholas BROME committed he paid for dearly, and not just in money. I will treat that in detail in Part Five. In this, Part Four I hope to flush out the rest of Nicholas’s life after the murders. If you are not interested in the family—then stay tuned for Part FIve.

The biggest challenge with Nicholas has been discerning the most accurate details from conflicting information. Below are the Arms of John BROME & ELizabeth ARUNDELL (left) and Sir Edward FERRERS & Constance BROME from Baddesley Clinton Manor.

FIRST MARRIAGE

There is no doubt as to Nicholas’ first wife and the two daughters born of that marriage. He was married to Elizabeth Arundell, daughter of Sir Renfrey “Ralph” ARUNDELL and his wife Joan COLESHULL. Elizabeth was about ten years his senior. We know from the records that this was Elizabeth’s second marriage as she had previously married to William WHITTINGTON who died in 1470. She brings to the union with Nicholas, her 5 children (surnamed WHITTINGTON) son John, 16, and 4 daughters ages 8 to 14. She does not bring an estate or sums of money. They marry 10 Feb 1474. To this union two daughters are born: Isabel the oldest born about 1475 and Constance born about 1478. Isabel marries Thomas MARROW(E). Constance marries Sir Edward FERRERS to whom the Baddesley Clinton estate passes upon Nicholas’ death. Below are the drawings showing the Arms of Nicholas BROME and intermarried families from the College of Knowle.

SECOND MARRIAGE

I am indebted to Anne Elliott author of ‘My Husband’ for providing me documentation, that the second marriage was to Katherine LAMPETT (LAMPECK) and NOT Letitia C. The above tree has all 3 wives, unlike the Visitation of Warwickshire that has only two [ARUNDELL & CATESBY]. I believe this accurately places the first two daughters and the two male heirs: Edward and Ralph to their appropriate mothers, Katherine and Letitia respectively. It is missing the later female offspring Elizabeth, Joyce and Anne. In a deed 10 Feb 1506 at Warwick Records Office (CR0023/1/1/65) it mentions Nicholas Brome, esquire and Katherine his wife. We know that their son Edward BROME son of said Katherine LAMPECK is buried at the Baddesley Clinton church according to Norris 1897 and Dugale 1730. We also know that Elizabeth BROME is buried there as wife of Thomas HAWES of Solihull and she is believed to be her daughter as well.

We learn from Dugale that Edward BROME is buried at Baddesley Clinton Church, son of Nicholas and Katherine (LAMPECK) BROME. Also next to Elizabeth (BROME), believed to be his full sister. The “fair portraiture, of a man in armour of Nicholas BROME has since been removed.” So unfortunately the brass likeness of Nicholas BROME was removed and we know not where it resides. Here is a brass of Thomas BEAUCHAMP of at Collegiate of St Mary, Warwick, so it may have been something similar.

THIRD MARRIAGE

In a deed of 11 Jul 1511 it mentions “Nicholas BROME, esquire of the manor of Wodelowe [Woodloes], for the term of his life, then after his death for the terms of his male heirs by his late wife Katherine, and then of his heirs by his present wife Letitia…” So we know by Jul 1511 Nicholas is married to his third wife Leticia CATESBY. So we can estimate a death date of Katherine of about 1507 and the third marriage likely shortly thereafter due to the young children Nicholas had with Elizabeth. Men traditionally found an eligible bride in a timely manner after a wife’s death. A marriage to Ms CATESBY would be opportune as it would be an opportunity to settle property disagreements with the adjacent CATESBYs. The will of Nicholas mentions the following children: Edward, 3 daughters namely Elizabeth, Joice and Anne and his two daughter [from first wife, Elizabeth] Dame Constance FERRERS and Dorthea MARROW and finally his son Raufe [Ralph] assumed to be of his third wife Letitica.

CHILDREN

So to the best of our available information

Children of Elizabeth and Nicholas

• Isabel BROME born c1475; married c1495 to Sir Thomas MARROW
• Constance BROME Born c1477; married c1497 to Sir Edward FERRERS; she died in 1551

Children of Katherine and Nicholas

• Edward BROME born c1500; married c.1525 to Margery BEAUFO; no issue; he died 1531
• Elizabeth BROME born c1506; married Thomas HAWES; she died before 18 Mar 1567
• John BROME c. 1509 assumed to have died young not listed in Will of Nicholas [not sure about his existence]

Children of Leticia and Nicholas

• Ralph BROME born c1511; married 2 Jun 1539 to Alice DIGBY at Coleshill, Warcs.; he died 20 Oct 1568
• Joyce [Joice] BROME born c1512; Unmarried; died after 1567 [mentioned in Will of brother Ralph BROME]
• Anne BROME c1514; mentioned in will of father so alive in 1516

TIMELINE, dates approximate:

• 1440 Elizabeth ARUNDELL born (Nicholas’ future wife)
• 1447 Thomas BROME born (older brother to Nicholas)
• 1450 Nicholas BROME born
• 1458 Elizabeth ARUNDELL first marries William WHITTINGTON
• 1468 John BROME (father of Nicholas) is murdered by John HERTHILL at Whitefriars in London, eldest son Thomas BROME inherits Woodloes, Brome Place etc
• 1470 WIlliam WHITTINGTON dies (leaving 5 children 8-16)
• 14 April 1471 Richard NEVILLE “the Kingmaker” dies
• 20 Dec 1473 Settlement between Nicholas, Beatrix & John BROME & Elizabeth Whyttyngton sister of John ARUNDELL DR3/264 Shakespeare Trust
• 10 Feb 1474 Nicholas BROME marries Elizabeth (ARUNDELL) WHITTINGTON, widow
• 1471 Nicholas kills John HERTHILL;
• 16 Mar & 18 Mar 1472 Settles with HERTHILL’s widow
• 1475 Isabel BROME born to Nicholas & ELizabeth
• 1478 Constance BROME born to Nicholas & ELizabeth
• 1478 Nicholas BROME appoints William FOSTER as priest at Baddesley Clinton
• 1483 King Edward IV dies as does his mother Beatrice (SHIRLEY) BROME
• 1485 Nicholas kills the priest at Baddesley Clinton
• 1486 Thomas BROME (Nicholas’ brother) dies without issue Nicholas inherits his father’s estate
• 1495 Isabel BROME marries Sir Thomas MARROW
• 7 May 1496 Nicholas BROME receives Pardon from King Henry VII
• 1497 Constance BROME marries Sir Edward FERRERS
• 5 December 1497 Elizabeth BROME mentioned in deed (still alive)
• 1498-99 Elizabeth BROME’s death
• 1500 second marriage to Katherine LAMPETT [LAMPECK]
• 1500 birth of son Edward BROME
• 21 January 1501 Indenture between George Catesby, esq., and Nicholas Brome [aka Broune] of Baddesley, esq., concerning the manor place of Brome with lands and appurtenances in the parish of Lapworth MS 3525/28 Birmingham Archives
• 10 Feb 1506 Deed Nicholas BROME, & Katherine his wife, of the manors of Wodlowes and Wodcote, …to the legitimate male heirs of Nicholas and Katherine, then to the legitimate heirs of Nicholas and his late wife Elizabeth. CR0026/1/1/65 Warwickshire Archives
• 1506 birth of daughter Elizabeth BROME
• 1509 birth of son John BROME (assumed died young)
• 1510 estimated death of Katherine and 3rd marriage of Nicholas to Leticia CATESBY
• 11 Jul 1511 Deed mentions current wife Letitia and late wife Katherine CR0026/1/1/67 Warwickshire Archives
• 1511 birth of Ralph BROME
• 1512 birth of Joyce [Joice] BROME
• 1514 birth of Anne BROME
• 1516 assumed death of wife Letitica who is not mentioned in will; Nicholas is Escheator for Warwickshire CR0026/1/10/54 Warwickshire Archives
• 13 Oct 1516 will of Nicholas BROME written
• Oct 1517 death of Nicholas BROME; The Inquisition Post Mortem took place in 9 Henry VIII (April 1517 to April 1518)

In part five we will examine Nicholas in light of his murders and the price of his conscience.

Kelly Wheaton ©2023 – ALl Rights Reserved