On the death of John de Henley, who was without issue, Sir William acted as
feoffee of de Henley's
estate, granting the
manor of Henley to
the Crown, then worn by
Edward III (1327–1377). Sir William also stood as
legal guardian to the last male heir of the de Cahaignes (or Keynes) family,
high sheriffs of Dorset and Somerset and lords of
Dodford in
Northamptonshire, and his sister Wentiliana. Following the death in boyhood of the heir in 1337 and, shortly afterwards, Wentiliana without issue, Sir William used "artful chicaneries" to transfer the estate of Dodford to John Cressy, a grandson of Lettice Ayote, herself great-aunt of the late heir and Wentiliana, instead of to one Alice, in whom "the right of inheritance clearly vested". The "chicaneries" were as follows: That after the death of Wentiliana, he excited (incited) a woman to present herself before persons unknown, and personate Elizabeth Keynes, as late coming from the
Holy Land, 'in white clothyn as it were in an estate of innocencye;' when on discreet examination she was found to be 'a beest envenymed through the covetye of the said Brantingham.' He served as the Member of Parliament for
Northamptonshire in 1379, and for
Surrey in the two parliaments of 1404. ==References==