GEOEGE BOLEYNE, VISCOUNT ROCHESTEE, FIEST MASTER. 43 



to consult with Francis I. and the Duke of Albany on various 

 modes of counteracting the projected treaty between the 

 Emperor Charles V. and James V., King of Scotland, and to 

 prevent the assembling of a general council, with an allowance 

 as ambassador of 40s. a day. As yet his designation was onty 

 Squire of the Body, or Gentleman of the Privy Chamber ; but 

 just about this time he appears to have been knighted, and, 

 on the elevation of his father to the Earldom of Wiltshire and 

 Ormonde, to have acquired the courtesy title of Viscount 

 Rochester, by which name the fallen Cardinal Wolsey granted 

 him, by Cromwell's recommendation, an annuity of 200 marks 

 out of the revenues of his bishopric of Winchester to secure 

 his favour. By this name also he signed, along with the rest 

 of the nobility, a memorial to Pope Clement VII,, urging him 

 to consent without delay to the king's wishes on the subject 

 of his divorce from Catherine of Arragon, During the year 

 1531 he was usually styled Lord Rochester, and was in 

 constant attendance at the court and on intimate terms with 

 the king. Thus in April he received 61. for bets won from 

 the king at tennis, three angles a game ; August 24, 3s. 6d. to 

 give to the officers of the hunt ; September 25, 51. 6s. 8d. won in 

 a shooting match from the king at Hunsdon; and 3/. 15s. "for 

 his charges carrying the [buck]hounds from St. Thomas's day 

 after midsummer to Holy Rood day, as appears by a bill 

 signed by the said Lord Rochester." These friendly relations 

 between the king and his Master of the Buckhounds evidently 

 continued throughout the ensuing and for some subsequent 

 years. On July 7, 1531, -Viscount Rochester received 581. 

 which he won from the king in a shooting match at Hampton 

 Court, and on August 26 there was a payment to him of 

 3/. 8s. Qd. under the same head. About this time he was 

 joined by his father in a grant of the office of Steward of the 

 honour of Raylegh, keeper of Raylegh Park, Master of the 

 hunt of deer in that park and Thundersley Park, and bailiff 

 of the hundred of Rochford, Esses, with lOZ. a year for the 

 office of bailiff, and M. a day for the keepership of Raylegh 

 Park, payable out of the issues of the manor and honour of 



