Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 44.djvu/105

Paulet cepted him from her complaints against the council; ‘the controller,’ she admitted, ‘was a very gentleman’ (ib. x. 797). His services did not go unrewarded. The king visited his ‘poor house’ at Basing in October 1535 (ib. ix. 639). The site and other possessions of Netley Abbey, near Southampton, were granted to him in August 1536 (ib. xi. 385). He acted as treasurer of the household from October 1537 to March 1539, when the old St. John peerage was recreated in his favour, but without the designation ‘of Basing’. The new peer became the first master of Henry VIII's court of wards and liveries in 1540, knight of the Garter in 1543 (April), and, two years later, governor of Portsmouth. Appointed lord chamberlain of the household in May 1543, he was great master (i.e. lord steward) of the same from 1545 to 1550 (, p. xiv). A year before the king's death he became lord president of the council, and was nominated in Henry's will one of the eighteen executors who were to act as a council of regency during his son's minority.

Under Somerset, St. John was for a few months in 1547 keeper of the great seal. He joined in overthrowing the protector, and, five days after parliament had deposed Somerset, was created (19 Jan. 1550) earl of Wiltshire, in which county he had estates (, iv. 498). The white staff laid down by Somerset was given to the new earl, who contrived to remain lord treasurer until his death, twenty-two years later. Warwick succeeded to his old offices of great master of the household and lord president of the council (, pp. xiv–xv). Though Wiltshire was not, like Northampton and Herbert, prominently identified with Warwick, he received a further advance in the peerage on the final fall of Somerset. On 11 Oct. 1551, the same day that Warwick became duke of Northumberland, he was created marquis of Winchester (Journal of Edward VI, p. 47; Cal. State Papers, ed. Lemon, p. 35; Dugdale, followed by Courthope and Doyle, gives 12 Oct.). Six weeks later he acted as lord steward at the trial of Somerset.

Careful as Winchester was to trim his sails to the prevailing wind, the protestants did not trust him. Knox, unless he exaggerates, boldly denounced him in his last sermon before Edward VI as the ‘crafty fox Shebna unto good King Ezekias sometime comptroller and then treasurer’ (, Memorials, iv. 71). Northumberland and Winchester, Knox tells us, ruled all the court, the former by stout courage and proudness of stomach, the latter by counsel and wit. Though the reformers considered him a papist, Winchester did not scruple to take out a license for himself, his wife, and twelve friends to eat flesh in Lent and on fast days (Fœdera, xv. 329). Knox did him an injustice when he accused him of having been a prime party to Northumberland's attempt to change the order of the succession. He was, on the contrary, strongly opposed to it; and even after he had bent, like others, before the imperious will of the duke, and signed the letters patent of 21 June 1553, he did not cease to urge in the council the superior claim of the original act of succession (, v. 162, 168).

After the death of the young king and the proclamation of Queen Jane, Winchester delivered the crown jewels to the latter on 12 July. According to the Venetian Badoaro, he made her very indignant by informing her of Northumberland's intention to have her husband crowned as well (ib. v. 190). But Winchester and several other lords were only waiting until they could safely turn against the duke. The day after he left London to bring in Mary (15 July) they made a vain attempt to get away from the Tower, where they were watched by the garrison Northumberland had placed there; Winchester made an excuse to go to his house, but was sent for and brought back at midnight. On the 19th, however, after the arrival of news of Northumberland's ill-success, the lords contrived to get away to Baynard's Castle, and, after a brief deliberation, proclaimed Queen Mary. She confirmed him in all his offices, to which in March 1556 that of lord privy seal was added, and thoroughly appreciated his care and vigilance in the management of her exchequer. He gave a general support to Gardiner in the House of Lords, and did not refuse to convey Elizabeth to the Tower. It was Sussex, however, and not he, who generously took the risk of giving her time to make a last appeal to her sister (ib. vi. 379). So firmly was Winchester convinced of the impolicy of her Spanish marriage, that even after it was approved he was heard to swear that he would set upon Philip when he landed (, v. 312). But he was rapidly brought to acquiesce in its accomplishment, and entertained Philip and Mary at Basing on the day after their wedding.

On Mary's death Winchester rode through London with the proclamation of her successor, and, in spite of his advanced age, obtained confirmation in the onerous office of treasurer, and acted as speaker of the House of Lords in the parliaments of 1559 and 1566, showing no signs of diminished vigour. He voted in the small minority against any alteration of the church services, but did not carry his opposition further;