Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 23.djvu/211

Grey Henry he wrote in anger to Ferdinand to stop them by force if necessary; but his orders were too late, and the English army returned home without having effected anything, landing at Plymouth in November (Hist. MSS. Comm. 9th Rep. i. 277). Ferdinand wrote to his ambassadors in England to tell the king 'that his commander-in-chief was doubtless a very distinguished nobleman, but was entirely to blame for the failure of the expedition' (State Papers, England and Spain, ed. Bergenroth, ii. 68). Although Ferdinand himself had shown bad faith, his censure was in the main just, for Dorset seems to have displayed none of the qualities of a general; it is, however, fair to remember that he suffered much from sickness. At first it was contemplated bringing him and his associates, who put the blame on their chief, to trial, but it was impossible to discriminate, and eventually, at the request of the council, the matter was hushed up. (For this expedition see, pp. 626-9 , Chron. ii. 244-8; , Chron. pp. 521-32; , Hist. of Henry VIII, pp. 20-5; Letters and Papers, i. 3298, 3313, 3355, 3476, 3584, 5745.)

Dorset was soon in favour once more, and next year was engaged in the French war, was present at the siege of Tournay and battle of Spurs, and in October was one of the English ambassadors at Lille. In 1514, when a marriage between the Princess Mary and Louis XII had been determined on, Dorset was one of those commissioned to attend the princess to France, was present at the wedding, and distinguished himself in the tourney held in its honour (Letters and Papers, i. 5407, 5441, 5483, 5606). He was also at the same time associated with Suffolk in the embassy which was intended to bring about a close alliance between Henry and Louis (ib. i. 5523, 5560). He returned to England at the end of November (ib. i. 5649).

It was some years before Dorset again appeared in a prominent position. In May 1516 he was made lieutenant of the order of the Garter. About the same time he became involved in a quarrel with Sir Richard Sacheverell and Lord Hastings, and was in danger of being brought before the Star-chamber (ib. ii. 2018). This quarrel lasted a long time, and reference is made to it as late as 1527 (ib. iii. 309, 1519, iv. 3719). In November 1516 Giustinian writes that there was talk of sending Dorset in command of a fleet of sixty sail to attack France on the south (ib. ii. 2559). But during these years Dorset is chiefly mentioned as a jouster at tourneys (ib. ii. 1502-3, 1507, 3462), and as the recipient of numerous grants, and especially of the stewardship of many abbeys and churches (ib. ii. App. 59). In May 1516 Dorset was removed from the privy council (ib. ii. 1959), perhaps because he was opposed to Wolsey; he was restored in 1520. He suffered from the sweating sickness in 1517, and was reported to be dead (ib. ii. 3656); this illness seems to have permanently affected his health. In October 1518 he was one of the signatories of the treaty of universal peace, and of the treaty for a marriage between the young Princess Mary and the dauphin (ib. ii. 4469, 4475). In 1520 he was present at the Field of the Cloth of Gold, and took part in the jousts there, and was also at Henry's meeting with Charles V at Gravelines immediately after. When in 1522 it was proposed to send a force to assist the emperor, and Henry suggested Dorset for the command, Wolsey replied that though `the lord marquis is a right valiant and active captain, he would be more expensive than a lower person,' and the king acquiesced (ib. iii. 1440, 1463, 1472). Dorset was, however, commissioned to meet Charles V at Gravelines, and attend him on his coming to England in May of that year (ib. iii. 2288, 2368 ;, p. 634).

On 26 Feb. 1523 Dorset was made warden of the eastern and middle marches towards Scotland, at the same time as Thomas Howard, earl of Surrey, was appointed to the chief command on the borders (Letters and Papers, iii. 2875). In this capacity he took part in the incessant raids made by the English into Scotland during this year. In October Wolsey wrote to Surrey that if it was necessary to divide his forces, Dorset was to command one part. (On Dorset's share in these operations, see Letters and Papers, iii. 2875, 2960, 3039, 3434, 3445, 3447, 3458, 3466, 3472, 3538, 3626.)

Dorset held no more important posts, though he was still in favour with the king, and received many grants (ib. iv. 1676, 2218, 3213, 5083, 6301). In 1526 he was one of the councillors of the Princess Mary in the marches of Wales (ib. iii. 2331). In 1528 he seems to have been in disfavour for using disrespectful language of the French king, for Francis writes to Wolsey to beg him to intercede that the marquis may be pardoned and set at liberty (ib. iv. 4866). In 1529 he was one of the witnesses against the queen in the matter of the divorce (ib. iv. 5773-4), and was one of the lords who signed the articles against Wolsey on 1 Dec. (ib. iv. 6075), and the letter to Clement VII on 13 July 1530, which complained of the delay in settling the king's request for a divorce. He died on 10 Oct. 1530.

Besides receiving the stewardships of various manors, Dorset was appointed warden