My Family

My father, Thomas Brakkele, is a prosperous cloth merchant in Leicester with a house in town on High Street. He also rents a manor close to Leicester Forest. This rent he pays in the form of money to the Earls of Leicester. Of the seven children born to my mother and father, three survived infancy—myself, Richard, and Edward. My mother died in childbirth in 1350.

My father did not remarry after my mother's death. He chose instead to foster me and my brother Richard to my mother's family in Warwickshire. We lived there for seven years and were raised alongside my cousins Peter and Isabel Montfort. Peter and I were betrothed when I was 9 years old. I am luckier than many in that my husband is near my own age and I have known him since childhood. Because we are cousins, we needed special permission from the Church to marry.

My brother Richard has served in several military campaigns to prevent France from stealing English possessions. In recent days, however, England and France have signed a peace treaty. Perhaps Richard, who will inherit most of my father’s property, now will have time to marry.

Although my brother Edward is but 14, he has shown great promise as a scholar and now studies with the Order of Preachers. My brother is most interested in the order because it emphasizes theological study in preparation for preaching.