Sir William Hussey

  General Notes:

Sir William Hussey, knight, an eminent lawyer in the time of Edward IV, after filling the office of attorney-general and having been called by writ to the degree of serjeant at law, was constituted lord chief 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 for greater 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" On 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 elected as Member of Parliament for the town of Grantham in the same year and on 16 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 crown cases which they were afterwards to try. In 1489 he was commissioner of Array Lines and in Jun 1492 a commissioner 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 Sempringham. 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 of 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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  Noted events in his life were:

• Address: Sleaford, Lincolnshire.

William married Elizabeth Berkeley, daughter of Sir Thomas Berkeley and Petronella Brooksby.