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Born: 1443, Gray's Inn, Kent, England
Died: 8 Sep 1495/96, Sempringham
Buried: Sempringham
Father: John HUSSEY of Old Sleaford
Mother: Elizabeth NOFFIELD (or Nesfield)
Married: Elizabeth BERKELEY ABT 1464
Children:
1. Robert HUSSEY
2. William HUSSEY (Sir)
3. Mary HUSSEY
5. John HUSSEY (1º B. Hussey of Sleaford)
Sir William Hussey, knight, an eminent lawyer in the time of Edward
IV, after filling the office of attorney-general, and having beencalled by
writ to the degree of serjeant at law, was constituted lordchief justice of the
court of the King's Bench, in the 17th year of that monarch's reign, when he
received an allowance of 140 marks, forgreater state. He was living temp.
Henry
VII, as is evident by this inscription over his arms, in the semicircular or bow
window, of Grey's Inn Hall, viz., "W. House mile capitalls justiclarius de
bancoregis, temp. R. Henry VII"
One of the windows of the chapel, belonging to the same inn, are his arms
impaling those of his wife, with the following inscription, "Will. Hussee
miles capitalis justic. ad placita coram rege, et Elizabeth a uxor ejur filia
Thomas Berkeley arm."
He served as commissioner for sewers for Kesteven in 1467, was electedas Member
of Parliament for the town of Grantham in the same year and on16 Jun 1471, was
appointed Attorney-General. It was in this capacity that he conducted the
impeachment of the Duke of Clarence for treason. In 1477 he reached the position
of Sergeant-at-Law and four years later crowned his career by gaining the
appointment of Chief Justice of the King's Bench, in succession to Sir Thomas
Billing, at a salary of 140 marks a year. This appointment was renewed at
the accession of each of the next three kings and under
Henry VII he was also a
commissioner who decided the claims to fill various offices at the Coronation.
During the first year of Henry VII's reign he successfully protested against the
king's practice of consulting judges before hand upon upon crown cases which they
are afterwards to try. In 1489 he was commissioner of Array Lines and in Jun
1492 acommissioner to treat with the Ambassadors of the King of France. He died
on 8 Sep 1495, being buried at Sempringham. His wife was Elizabeth,
daughter of Thomas Berkeley of Wymondham, Leicestershire, whose will, dated
Aug 1503, gave instructions for her to be buried at Smpringham. They left five
children, the most famous of whom was
Sir John Hussey (later, Lord).
According to the Lincolnshire Pedigrees, Sir William Hussey, Knight of Gray's Inn; Commissioner of Sewers for Kesteven 7 Edward 4; M. P. for Grantham 1467; Attorney-General 16 June 11 Edward 4; Serjeant-at-Law 14 Oct 17 Edward 4, 1477; Chief Justice of King's Bench 7 May 21 Edward 4, 1481; Commissioner of Array in county pf Lincoln 23 December 4 Henry 7, 1489; died 8 Sep 11 Henry 7, 1495; buried at Sempringham. Will dated 15 Dec 10 Henry 7,; proved 4 Jul 1496.
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