Sir Edward Braye (or Bray) (by 1492 – 1558) was an English Royal Navy captain, justice of the peace, high sheriff and MP.
He was born the son of John Braye of Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire and the younger brother of Edmund Braye, 1st Baron Braye, Edmund Braye. He was admitted to the Middle Temple in 1509.
[History of Parliament Online: BRAY, Sir Edward (by 1492-1558), of Henfield and Selmeston, Suss. and the Vachery, Shere, Surr.]
accessed January 2019.
He became a naval commander and was knighted in October, 1513 for his bravery at the Siege of Tournai (1513), Battle of Tournai and made captain of the ''Mary Rose''. The following year he was made captain of the ''Magdaleyn of Founteraby''.
He was a justice of the peace for Sussex from 1524 to 1540. In 1535 he purchased the Shere, Manor of Shere (including the Vachery) in Surrey from his elder brother, Sir Edmund Braye, to whom it had been bequeathed by his uncle Sir Reginald Braye. He was appointed High Sheriff of Surrey and High Sheriff of Sussex, Sussex for 1539 and was JP for Surrey from 1554 to his death in 1558. He represented Surrey (UK Parliament constituency), Surrey in Parliament as Knight of the Shire twice, October 1553 and April 1554, during the reign of Queen Mary.
He was made Lieutenant of Calais, Lieutenant of Calais Castle (1541–52), high treasurer for the army against France in 1545 and Constable of the Tower of London in 1556.
On his death he was buried in Cranleigh Church.
Marriages and issue
Bray married firstly, Elizabeth Lovell, daughter and coheir of Henry Lovell of Harting, Sussex (divorced). He married secondly, Beatrix Shirley, daughter of Ralph Shirley of Wiston, Sussex, and widow of Edward Elrington of London. He married thirdly, Jane Browne, widow of Francis Poynings, Sir Francis Poynings, and daughter of Sir Matthew Browne (died 6 August 1557) of Betchworth Castle, Betchworth, Surrey, by Frideswide Guildford, daughter of Richard Guildford, Sir Richard Guildford.
[.]
Bray was succeeded by his son, Sir Edward Bray, by his second wife Beatrice, who also became an MP.
[History of Parliament Online: BRAY, Sir Edward (c.1519-81), of Shere, Surr.]
accessed January 2019.
Notes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Braye, Edward
15th-century births
1558 deaths
High sheriffs of Surrey
High sheriffs of Sussex
Year of birth uncertain
Members of the Middle Temple
Royal Navy captains
Tower of London
English MPs 1553 (Mary I)
English MPs 1554
Military personnel from Bedfordshire