William Bruges

It is believed that Bruges was promoted to Guyenne King of Arms on the accession of Henry V and was sent to France in that capacity in early 1414.

Bruges's appointment as the first Garter King of Arms coincided with a series of moves to regulate heraldic matters.

On 2 June 1417, King Henry V clamped down on the unauthorized wearing of coat armour, issuing a writ to sheriffs directing that "no one, of whatsoever state, grade or condition he may be shall assume such arms or coats of arms unless he has or ought to have the same by right of his ancestors or by the gift of some person having sufficient power for this purpose," and providing penalties to violators of the law.

He was usually concerned with France, but he also visited Normandy and Brittany, Flanders, Hainault and Holland, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, and Italy.

When Elias Ashmole (1617–1692) visited the church in 1664 he reported concerning the stained glass images "I found so broken and defaced that no tolerable draft of them could be taken fit to exhibit to the reader's satisfaction".

He married, before 1415, Agnes Haddon, by whom he had three daughters including: Bruges died on 9 March 1450 on his sizeable estate in Kentish Town.