George Boleyn: Tudor Poet, Courtier & Diplomat by Claire Ridgway & Clare Cherry

Author:Claire Ridgway & Clare Cherry [Ridgway, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: MadeGlobal Publishing
Published: 2014-04-24T23:00:00+00:00

17 - Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports

During 1534 and 1535, and into 1536, the Boleyns maintained their strong position at court, and George Boleyn continued to be shown high royal favour. At the start of 1534, the Captain of Guisnes Castle, Lord Sandys, was taken grievously ill. Guisnes was the stronghold that guarded the last outpost of England on the continent - the city of Calais. Although Sandys eventually recovered, for a time it was believed he would die. On 4 April 1534, John Husee wrote to Lord Lisle, "And since my last letter I have perfect knowledge that if he had deceased my Lord of Rochford had been Captain of Guisnes."1 The position was a highly prestigious and lucrative one. The salary was 2 shillings a day, and a 40 mark reward, with allowances, making a total of over £1000 a year. Lisle himself sought to exchange his deputyship of Calais for the captaincy of Guisnes, but Henry had already earmarked the position for his brother-in-law. This was later reaffirmed in a further letter of Husee's to Lord Lisle dated 11 April, when he states that Cromwell himself confirmed "that my Lord of Rochford hath grant of the same long agone."2

Due to Lord Sandys's recovery, the captaincy remained with him, but instead George was made Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and then Constable of Dover Castle on 16 June 1534, positions he retained until his death.3 The official grant was made on 23 June, but the appointment must have been known well before this because on 11 June Sir Edward Ryngeley wrote to Lord Lisle, "We have a new Lord Warden of the Ports, which is my Lord of Rochford."4 Again, this position was highly sought after, but George Boleyn was in the right place at the right time to be granted it. The date of the grant suggests that it was a reward for George's efforts in France on his fourth diplomatic mission that April, which Henry chose to perceive as successful. This coincided neatly with the death of Edward Guildford, the resident incumbent, on 4 June.

The Cinque Ports is a group of port towns on the southeast coast of England. The original five were Sandwich, Dover, Hythe, New Romney and Hastings, but Winchelsea and Rye were also added. The port towns were of strategic importance for the defence of the country from potential foreign invasion. As such, they were responsible for the fitting-out and manning of ships for the transport of the King's army, and defence of the coast. In return, they received extensive immunities and liberties, which they guarded jealously. Every ambitious man in England wanted the distinction of being granted the position of Lord Warden, so much so that the post was held by princes of the realm such as Edward I, the Duke of Gloucester (later Richard III) and Henry VIII himself prior to becoming King. Ominously, the Duke of Buckingham had held the post prior to his execution in 1521 on trumped up charges of treason.

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