Robert Broke
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Broke SL
(died 5 September 1558) was a British justice, politician and legal writer. He was the eldest son of Thomas Broke of Claverley, Shropshire and his wife Margaret. He studied at Strand Inn, and from there was admitted to Middle Temple
at some point between 1525 and 1528 and studying pleading with the Prothonotary John Jenour
. In 1542 he became a bencher
, and read on the 1540 Statute of Limitations; the reading circulated in manuscript and was subsequently printed in 1547. His second reading was in 1551 on the subject of pleas of the crown, using chapter 18 of Magna Carta
as the source, and this also circulated via manuscript before being published in 1641, almost one hundred years after his death. His legal career began in 1536 when he was appointed Common Serjeant of London
on the recommendation of Henry VIII
; how he gained such royal favour is unknown. He was made Recorder
of London in 1545 and served as a Member of Parliament for the City of London
until 1555, serving as Speaker of the House of Commons
of England in 1554. Holding these offices did not stop him from pursuing private practice, and his signature is found on bills in chancery in the 1530s and 1540s. During this time he was also deputy chief steward for the Duchy of Lancaster
, and was created a Serjeant-at-law
in 1552.
On 8 October 1554 he was appointed Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
and knighted the following January. He fell out with the court's Puisne Justices when he appointed Thomas Gatacre, his wife's brother, as Chief Prothonotary in 1557. The justices rejected him, and Broke's second choice, William Wheteley, was then allowed to take office despite judicial preference for another candidate. He died on 5 September 1588 while visiting friends in Pattishall, and was buried in Claverley Church in a tomb bearing his effigy and those of his two wives. He married his first wife Anne in the 1530s, and she gave birth to his eldest son John and at least three other children before dying. In 1544 he remarried to Dorothy, and had at least four daughters and five sons. Dorothy survived after his death, and his will shows that he had seventeen children in all.
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
(died 5 September 1558) was a British justice, politician and legal writer. He was the eldest son of Thomas Broke of Claverley, Shropshire and his wife Margaret. He studied at Strand Inn, and from there was admitted to Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
at some point between 1525 and 1528 and studying pleading with the Prothonotary John Jenour
John Jenour
John Jenour was a British legal official. He was the son of William Jenour of Stonham Aspal, Suffolk and his wife Katherine Whiting, and the elder brother of Robert Jenour, who became an officer of the Court of Common Pleas along with John...
. In 1542 he became a bencher
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
, and read on the 1540 Statute of Limitations; the reading circulated in manuscript and was subsequently printed in 1547. His second reading was in 1551 on the subject of pleas of the crown, using chapter 18 of Magna Carta
Magna Carta
Magna Carta is an English charter, originally issued in the year 1215 and reissued later in the 13th century in modified versions, which included the most direct challenges to the monarch's authority to date. The charter first passed into law in 1225...
as the source, and this also circulated via manuscript before being published in 1641, almost one hundred years after his death. His legal career began in 1536 when he was appointed Common Serjeant of London
Common Serjeant of London
The Common Serjeant of London is an ancient British legal office, first recorded in 1317, and is the second most senior permanent judge of the Central Criminal Court after the Recorder of London, acting as deputy to that office, and sitting as a judge in the trial of criminal offences.The Common...
on the recommendation of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
; how he gained such royal favour is unknown. He was made Recorder
Recorder (judge)
A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales. It now refers to two quite different appointments. The ancient Recorderships of England and Wales now form part of a system of Honorary Recorderships which are filled by the most senior full-time circuit judges...
of London in 1545 and served as a Member of Parliament for the City of London
City of London (UK Parliament constituency)
The City of London was a United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1950.-Boundaries and boundary...
until 1555, serving as Speaker of the House of Commons
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
of England in 1554. Holding these offices did not stop him from pursuing private practice, and his signature is found on bills in chancery in the 1530s and 1540s. During this time he was also deputy chief steward for the Duchy of Lancaster
Duchy of Lancaster
The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two royal duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall. It is held in trust for the Sovereign, and is used to provide income for the use of the British monarch...
, and was created a Serjeant-at-law
Serjeant-at-law
The Serjeants-at-Law was an order of barristers at the English bar. The position of Serjeant-at-Law , or Sergeant-Counter, was centuries old; there are writs dating to 1300 which identify them as descended from figures in France prior to the Norman Conquest...
in 1552.
On 8 October 1554 he was appointed Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Common Bench or Common Place, was the second highest common law court in the English legal system until 1880, when it was dissolved. As such, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was one of the highest judicial officials in England, behind only the Lord...
and knighted the following January. He fell out with the court's Puisne Justices when he appointed Thomas Gatacre, his wife's brother, as Chief Prothonotary in 1557. The justices rejected him, and Broke's second choice, William Wheteley, was then allowed to take office despite judicial preference for another candidate. He died on 5 September 1588 while visiting friends in Pattishall, and was buried in Claverley Church in a tomb bearing his effigy and those of his two wives. He married his first wife Anne in the 1530s, and she gave birth to his eldest son John and at least three other children before dying. In 1544 he remarried to Dorothy, and had at least four daughters and five sons. Dorothy survived after his death, and his will shows that he had seventeen children in all.