His horsse for seruice which proued him to be a louer of chiualrie.For twentie yeares before his departure, he kept in his stable continuallie winter and summer twen|tie great horsse at the least, and eight or nine gel|dings, besides sixtéene or seuentéene geldings which were kept at grasse, and had in a readinesse furniture for them all to serue in the field: and no one of the same horsse or geldings but he was able and readie for anie man at armes to serue vpon. Beside this he kept so bountifull a house, and was so liberall and good to his men,The like is reported of cardinall Wolseie when he was in the floure of his prosperitie. that well was that noble mans son, gentlemans sonne, or other that might happen to be preferred into his seruice. And againe, the number of his seruants to whom he gaue liueries were 205, wherof in houshold were six score, besides strangers that were dailie comming and going. And his ser|uants had no iust cause, either for lacke of great wa|ges trulie paid them euerie quarter, and boordwages euerie sundaie, or plentie of meat and drinke, & lodg|ing on good featherbeds to liue out of order. And such commoditie as might by chance fall within the iuris|diction of his office of wardenrie,But how ma|nie be there now that will giue away the profits of their office to their seruants? being a thing fit for his men, he neuer turned the same to his owne vse; but alwaies gaue it them. Whether this realme hath not lost a worthie subiect, and speciallie his men a good maister, let all men iudge that knew him.

Before his departure out of this world, he seemed to haue a great care for his men, thinking least with|out some prouision for them, they would after his death run at randon and liue disorderlie, which like a noble man he preuented after this liberall sort as followeth. In his last will and testament, to some he gaue annuities during life,His honest & honorable care for his men that serued him. and to others a whole yeares wages after his death; but both to the one sort and the other he prouided that all things which he owght them might be paied: and also so long as they vsed themselues like honest men, and were not retei|ned in seruice, they should haue meat, drinke, and lodging at his house, till his sonne now lord Cheinie came to his lawfull age, which was the space of thrée yeares, in no lesse or worsse maner than they were woont and accustomed to haue in his life time. In his last will he also remembred some of his freends, as well those of nobilitie and worship, as others,His mindful|nes of his friends at his death. some with one gift and some with an other, desiring them to assist his executors for the performance of his last will.

His wit, experience, courtesie, and valiantnesse in seruice was such, as king Henrie the eight, and his children, to wit, king Edward the sixt, quéene Marie, and queene Elisabeth vsed him as one of all their priuie councell, and was treasuror of all their hono|rable housholds during his life. He was brought vp in king Henrie the seuenths house,Sir Thomas Cheineie an old seruitor in court. See more of him before, pag. 973, 97 [...]. & was one of his henchmen. So that it appeareth before he died, he had serued thrée kings, and two quéenes. His truth was such to all these princes, that he euer liued to|wards them Sine macula, seruing in the court thrée score years. And although he bare this great saile, yet prouided he to paie euerie man iustlie that he owght them. His bountifulnesse, liberalitie, and courtesie to diuerse noble men, gentlemen and others, atten|ding in the court was such,A commenda|tion of his courtesie, bountifulnes, and warlike stoutnesse that they were euer glad to haue him there amongst them; and his stoutnesse & haltie courage was such, and so well knowen to the Frenchmen, as they both feared and loued him wonderfullie. In the end he was so worthie a gentle|man, and such a necessarie member in the common|wealth, as his want cannot but be lamented of all good and true English harts. But the almightie must be serued when his good will and pleasure is.]