“John Josselyn, auditor-general and councilor to the de Veres from 1487 until his death thirty-eight years later, was employed successively by the thirteenth earl of Oxford, his widow, and his nephew, the fourteenth earl. The latter’s dissolute and spendthrift ways led Cardinal Wolsey himself to impose a strict regime on the earl in 1524, with the intent that he should behave “honourably, prudently and sadly, forswearing all riotous and wild companies, excessive and superfluous apparell: and kindlie intreate and demeane himself towardes . . . his wief.” The routine management of Oxford’s lands, household and person was then consigned to a small council headed by Josselyn in his joint capacity as receiver general, surveyor, and auditor, in which exalted post he ended his days.

“Josselyn’s second wife, Philippa, was the sister of Thomas Bradbury (d.1510), mercer and Lord Mayor of London, as indicated in the will, where the testator refers to Thomas Bradbury as his brother-in-law:

“Also where my brother-in-law, Thomas Bradbury, late citizen and alderman of London, gave and bequeathed the manor of Manuden in the county of Essex with all the appurtenances, with all other his lands and tenements in Manuden, Stansted Mountfitchet, Ugley, Berden and Farnham and elsewhere in the said county unto Jane Bradbury, late his wife, for term of her life, the remainder thereof to Thomas Josselyn, my son, and to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten, and for lack of such issue the remainder thereof to his cousin, William Bradbury, son of his brother, Robert Bradbury, and to his heirs in fee simple, which William for a certain sum of money by me, the said John Josselyn, to him beforehand paid hath bargained and sold all the said reversion to me, the said John Josselyn, and by fine in the King’s court hath granted to me, the said John Josselyn, and divers other all the said reversion of the said manor, lands and tenements with the appurtenances, to have to me, the said John Josselyn, and other to th’ use of me and of mine heirs forever, as by the said fine more plainly it doth appear . . . .”3077

Phillippa was named in the wills of her brothers Thomas and George. She married and was the second wife of John Jocelyn of High Koding, county Essex. He died July 14, 1525. His will states that William Bradbury, cousin and heir of Sir Thomas, was the son of Robert Bradbury.2816

In the 1506 will of her brother, George Bradbury, Phillippa Jocelyn was heir and after her, her daughter Johane Hannys (perhaps daughter by her former husband).2816