He inherited a large portion of the property of his uncle, Sir Reginald Bray, which was confirmed by a deed of settlement made between himself and William Sandys, 1st Baron Sandys and his wife Margery, "in adjustment of a dispute between the parties regarding the lands of the deceased".

The manor of Eaton obtained the postscript "Bray" following his ownership, to distinguish it from other similarly named places.

He was one of the Bedfordshire contingent in attendance on King Henry VIII when he met King Francois I of France at the Field of the Cloth of Gold in June 1520.

[citation needed] He married Jane Halwell (d. 24 Oct 1558) (alias Halgawell, Halliwell, Haleighwell, etc.

), daughter and heiress[3] of Sir Richard Halwell of Halwell near Harberton in Devon, by his wife Jane Norbury, daughter and heiress of John Norbury[4] of Stoke d'Abernon in Surrey,[5] (eldest son of Henry Norbury (d.1415) of Hoddesdon and Little Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire, a Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire in 1454 and 1454) the arms of which families were quartered by his descendants.