BROWN, William, of Bedford.

In July 1393, described as ‘of Bedford’, Brown offered sureties of £600 for the appearance of Sir Edward Butler before the King’s Council. He was probably the William Brown of Bedford alias William Taillour alias William Brown, tailor, who obtained a royal pardon in 1398, and who, before 1414, sold four acres of land in Biddenham, Bedfordshire, to Geoffrey Plummer and William Dowe. Brown and his wife evidently held considerable property in Bedford, although they sold some of it in 1399 to Roger Tunstall. Brown’s refusal to pay an annual rent of 5s. to one of the prebendaries of the local church of St. Mary for a tenement in the borough resulted in a protracted lawsuit, which was not settled until 1405. He then agreed to accept the arbitration of his fellow burgesses (including Roger Tunstall) and make good the prebendary’s losses.2CPR, 1391-6, p. 337; Beds. RO, DDTW 15, 98; Ancient Chs. and Muns. Bedford (1895), no. 18; C67/30 m. 16; CP25(1)6/72/20.