case of Thomas Knyvett is generally cited as an example of Bromley's independence of judgment in many cases. Knyvett was a confidant of the queen who had been a gentleman of the Privy Chamber for at least ten years When he murdered a retainer of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, the inquiry jury found that he had acted in self-defence and applied to Bromley for a special commission to clear him in privy session. Hatton also pressured Bromley to "please the Queen in this case." However, Bromley refused to oblige, pointing out that Knyvett might still be open to an appeal of felony. He held his position, despite the queen's displeasure, later justifying himself in writing. Political and constitutional issues Bromley was called upon to settle a number of important parliamentary matters. In 1581, Richard Broughton, one of the members for Stafford, informed Parliament that his colleague, probably Thomas Purslow, had been indicted for a felony. Bromley wrote to the Commons, claiming that he had been pressured to issue a writ for a by-election. This he refused to do unless and until the member was convicted – a decision that was welcomed by the Commons. On 16 January the following year, representatives of the Commons approached Bromley for advice because the Speaker, Robert Bell had died in office. Bromley Informed the House of Lords and it was decided to send a deputation from the two Houses to see the queen. Bromley was then instructed to tell the Commons to elect a new Speaker for themselves, with the admonition that they were not to "intermeddle with any matter touching her Majesty's person or estate, or Church government." They elected Sir John Popham, but did not entirely heed Bromley's warning. In his closing speech Bromley excluded from the queen's thanks those MPs who "had dealt more rashly in some things than was fit for them to do so." In 1582 the queen consulted Bromley about her proposed marriage to the Duke of Anjou, which he and the Leicester faction now opposed. Bromley stressed that Parliament would expect the queen to settle the succession question if she married a Catholic, which she was reluctant to do. Honour and profit Bromley had reached the peak of his power and influence and reaped both prestige and wealth, not all of it from judicial sources. In 1580 he was licensed to import 200 packs