John Brettan

[1] His petitions to the Irish Privy Council, of which he wrote five between 1376 and 1382, and which have survived (there were others, now lost); cast a valuable light on the disturbed condition of English-ruled Ireland in the late fourteenth century, and especially the situation in Carlow, his home town, which was the effective seat of English government in the latter half of the fourteenth century.

An Irish confederacy had assembled "a great army", burnt the towns near Carlow and driven off cattle, without any opposition.

Dublin by contrast was near the border of the Pale and was frequently raided by hostile Irish clans from County Wicklow (Norman Ireland had no capital city or central seat of government as such).

[3] William de Karlell, another of the Barons, was sitting in Carlow in 1374, when he complained to the Crown that his horse had been stolen, and received compensation for the theft.

It should be said that another Baron of the Exchequer, John de Shriggeley, did manage to hold the assizes in Carlow for several terms in 1382-5, and received two extra payments of 10 marks each as a result.

The horse was lost at Youghal, where he had travelled "on the King's business", as he attempted to cross the River Blackwater on his own, apparently because he was unable to pay the toll to the ferryman.

Both state that Brettan in his capacity as Remembrancer had been employed to levy the King's debts in seven counties of Munster and Leinster over a six-month period in 1381-1382, at great expense and labour, without any reward.

On foot of the petition of 1382, King Richard II, being yet again satisfied by the Council of the truth of his claim, awarded him 40 marks compensation.

John Brekdene (also called Brakden or Brecden) replaced him as Remembrancer of the Exchequer on an unspecified date,[11] and held that office until 1386 when he became a Baron for the second time,[1] having first been appointed "during pleasure" in 1368.