Basil Brooke (Leicestershire MP)
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Sir Basil Brooke, of Lubenham (died 12 November 1612) represented Leicestershire in parliament 1607-1610.[1][2]
Basil Brooke of Lubenham was the son of Sir Andrew Brooke of Monks Kirby, Warws., a Gentleman Usher to Queen Mary and third son of Thomas Brooke of Leighton, Cheshire.[2][3][4] His father inherited Lubenham and Milton Malsor through his great-uncle, Henry Brooke, chief clerk of the Green Cloth and follower of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland.[5][3][6] Basil succeeded his father in 1569.[2] In 1581 he sold Milton Malsor to William Goodere.[6]
He was appointed Escheator of Warwickshire and Leicestershire in 1597 and was a justice of the peace for Leicestershire from 1601 to at least 1608. He was knighted at the accession of James I in 1603 and served as High Sheriff of Leicestershire for 1605 (Feb to Nov).[2]
He was elected knight of the shire for Leicestershire in a by-election on 28 May 1607 following the death of Sir Henry Beaumont.[2] His estate was not large (in 1608 he stated that his Lubenham estate brought him £300 per annum) and he experienced financial difficulties.[5][2] His election to parliament is thus surprising and was presumably due to a link to the Grey family.[7]
He died on 12 November 1612 and was buried at Lubenham.[2]
He had married Goodeth, the daughter of Sir William Feilding of Newnham Paddox, Warwickshire and had 3 sons.[2] In 1624 his son Thomas sold Lubenham to Sir Ranulph Crewe.[5][2]