Offices of State

Great Offices of State

Lord Protector Henry Duke of Somerset £500: A position only created during the incapacity of the monarch; his official role is expressly to defend the realm. He is recognised as heading the government but all his decisions have to be agreed in Privy Council. He is not a regent in any formal sense of the word.

Lord Chancellor Bishop Bird of St Davids £500: Usually a cleric, the Lord Chancellor is the head of the Royal Bureaucracy. Chancery is the chief writing office and as a court it is second only to the House of Lords itself. This is no sinecure but demands constant attention and a near permanent presence at court.

Lord Treasurer Henry Earl of Essex £500: Invariably a titled layman, the Lord Treasurer oversees the Royal finances, in particular the Crown lands. Like the Chancellor, he must spend a lot of time at Court and in the mundane duties of the post.

Great Chamberlain John Earl of Oxford (H) £500: An hereditary sinecure held by the Earl of Oxford. The only duties required are officiating at various occasions of State such as coronations.

Earl Marshal John Duke of Norfolk (H) £500: An hereditary semi-sinecure held by the Duke of Norfolk. The Earl Marshal officially commands the Royal army in the absence of the King. Nowadays, Kings appoint commanders by merit. He also has certain duties at occasions of State and, with the Lord Constable, presides over the Court of Chivalry which decides on all issues of honour, heraldry and title.

Lord Constable John Earl of Shrewsbury £500: A semi-sinecure. The Lord Constable officially commands the Royal Cavalry in the absence of the King. He is also the second in command after the Earl Marshal with whom he presides over the Court of Chivalry.

Lord Admiral Richard Earl of Warwick (10) £500: Not a sinecure, the Lord Admiral administers the King's Justice in most matters concerning the sea, (apart from the Cinque Ports), and also commands the King's ships. He is responsible for the defence of the coast between Pevensey and Carlisle. Holders tend to be appointed for life, allowing their retinues to get used to travel by sea as marines. Includes the constabuleries of Plympton and Portchester.

President of the Council Humphrey Duke of Buckingham £500: A demanding post requiring near constant attendance at Court as the President governs the Privy Council in the King's absence. He is also "speaker" of the House of Lords at any meeting of Parliament.

Lesser Offices of State

Keeper of the Privy-Seal Dr John Morton £365: Usually a lesser cleric, until recently the incumbent was required to resign upon being made bishop. He functions as the chief of the King's private writing office.

Steward of the Household Edward Duke of York £365: A sinecure, the Steward of the Household ostensibly runs the Royal Household but really only needs to turn up to occasions of State. The holder is usually a major courtier however and may often be given other, important, jobs by virtue of being Steward.

Lord Chamberlain: James Earl of Wiltshire £365: responsible for running the King's apartments with a lot of control over who has access to the king. Like the Steward of the Household, he is by definition a major courtier, usually a peer with a lot of influence.

Lord Chief Justice Sir John Fortescue £365: No sinecure, the Chief Justice is head of the judiciary and overseas the King's Bench and the Common Pleas.

Keeper of the Great Wardrobe William Lord Hastings £365: No sinecure, the Keeper administers the civil logistics of the Royal Household from Baynard's Castle in London.

Keeper of the Privy Wardrobe John Lord Stourton £365: No sinecure, the Keeper administers the military logistics for the King's ships and armies from the Tower of London.

Regional Wardens and Governorships

Warden of the Cinque Ports Richard Lord Rivers £365: No sinecure, the Warden of the Cinque Ports administers the King's Justice in the region of the Cinque Ports, decides all matters of law to do with trade and is responsible for the defence of the coast from Pevensey to Berwick. He is responsible for overseeing the mustering of the Cinque Ports fleet in time of war. Includes the constabulery of Pevensey and often Dover.

Steward of the Duchy of Lancaster Thomas Lord Stanley £500: A semi-sinecure, the Steward administers the estates of the Duchy of Lancaster and pays the monies into the Privy Purse. Includes the constabuleries of Bolingbroke, Clifford, Clitheroe, Dunstanburgh, Kidwelly, Newcastle-u-Lyme, Odiham, Peveril, Skelton and Tutbury

Chamberlain of Chester William Earl of Arundel £365: A semi-sinecure, the Chamberlain administers the estates of the Earldom of Chester and pays the monies into the Treasury. Includes the constabuleries of Beeston, Chester, Ewloe, Flint and Rhuddlan

Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall Henry Duke of Somerset £365: A semi-sinecure, the Chancellor administers the estates of the Duchy of Cornwall and pays the monies into the Treasury. Includes the constabuleries of Berkhamsted, Knaresborough, Restormel, Tintagel, Trematon and Wallingford. As sheriff of Rutland, he also holds Oakham castle.

Constable of the Principality of Wales Edmund Viscount Grey de Ruthyn £500: A semi-sinecure, the Constable administers the King's justice in the Principality of Wales and pays the monies into the Treasury. Includes the constabuleries of Beaumaris, Bere, Caernarfon, Conway, Criccieth, Deganwy, Dolbadarn, Dolwyddelan Harlech and Penrhyn.

Justiciar of Wales Jasper Earl of Pembroke £365: No sinecure, the Justiciar administers the King's justice in all parts of Wales which are not part of the Principality. He pays the monies into the Treasury. Includes the constabuleries of Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Carmarthen, Carreg-Cennen, Dryslwyn, Dynevor, Llandovery, Llanstephan and Newcastle Emlyn.

Keeper of the Forests North of the Trent Ralph Lord Greystoke £100: A sinecure, the Keeper administers the King's justice in the Royal forests and hunting parks of the North.

Keeper of the Forests South of the Trent Thomas Lord Roos £100: A sinecure, the Keeper administers the King's justice in the Royal forests and hunting parks of the South. Includes the constabulary of Christchurch castle.

Military Appointments

Lieutenant of Ireland Edward Duke of York £500: No sinecure, the Lieutenant administers the King's justice in Ireland. This requires estates in Ireland and a feel for diplomacy. A large amount of time must be spent in Ireland.

Warden of the Northern Marches Henry Earl of Northumberland £1200: No sinecure, the Warden is responsible for the defence of the Scottish borders, deciding on cross-border disputes, (frequently in liaison with his counterpart in Scotland), and any negotiations with the Scots. He must be a peer with a strong northern presence. Includes the constabuleries of Bamburgh, Berwick, Roxburgh and Wark.

Warden of the Western Marches John Clifford, Viscount Carlisle £365: No sinecure, the Warden of the West march is the second in command to the Warden of the Northern Marches and has specific responsibility for Carlisle and the border West of the Cheviots. Includes the constabuleries of Carlisle and Chipchase.

Captain of Calais Richard Earl of Warwick £1000: No sinecure, the Captain of Calais administers the King's justice within the Calais Pale, oversees the Calais Staple and is responsible for the defence of Calais. For the latter he has command of the largest standing army the Crown possesses.

Keeper of the Tower of London Aubrey Lord Bolebec £500: A semi-sinecure, the Keeper oversees the Tower of London and is jointly responsible for the defence of the Capital with the Sheriffs of London. He must also back up the Mayor and Sheriffs in keeping the King's Peace.

Master of the King's Ordnance Master Giles of Deptford £100: Usually held by a commoner with a good working knowledge of artillery, the Master is responsible for the maintenance of the King's guns and ensuring they are serviceable for war.

Captain of the King's Ships Sir Anthony Rivers £30: A new post, apparently designed to lift some mundane burdens of responsibility from the shoulders of the Admiral.

The Sheriffs

The Sheriffs of the shires have a threefold responsibility. (a) They oversee the Crown lands within their jurisdiction and pay the monies into the Treasury. (b) They administer the King's justice within the shires referring all major suits to the higher courts. (c) They are the principal Crown officers within the shires. In return for a fair amount of hard work, they receive the third penny of the county. This sum varies from £4 for Westmorland to £64 for Yorkshire. A sheriff must be at least a knight and must own lands within the area to which he is appointed. In theory he serves for only one year and then is replaced but in practise this rule is often broken. At the end of every year, each sheriff's accounts are rigorously scrutinised by Chancery and any shortfall can result in the sequestration of the outgoing sheriff's estates. Many shrievalities bring Royal castles which serve as administrative centres.

Counties	£ to King	Incumbent		Castles (no castle)	3rd penny
Bedfordshire & Buckinghamshire	38	Sir John Cheney	Bedford			19
Berkshire & Oxfordshire	46	Lord Clinton		Oxford		23
Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire	54	Sir Tobias Leake	Cambridge			27
Cornwall	32	D.o.Cornwall (h)	(Bodmin)			16
Cumberland	12	Sir John Musgrave	(Carlisle)			6
Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire	58	Lord Ferrers of Groby	Derby, Nottingham		29
Devon	46	Sir Richard Molyneaux	Exeter				23
Dorset	38	Sir William Stourton	(Dorchester)				19
Essex & Hertfordshire	78	Lord Cromwell	Hertford		39
Gloucestershire	46	Sir Thomas Dymoke	Gloucester				23
Hampshire	40	Sir George Boleyn	Winchester				20
Herefordshire and Worcestershire	20	Sir Richard Herbert	Hereford				10
Kent	68	Sir George Stafford	Maidstone				34
Lancashire	22	Sir Thomas Parr	Lancaster				11
Leicestershire	38	Sir William Blount	Leicester				19
Lincolnshire	102	Sir Henry Beaumont	Lincoln				51
Middlesex & Surrey	38	Sir Robert Howard	Guildford				19
Norfolk	104	Sir William Bullstrode	Norwich				52
Northamptonshire	48	Sir Walter Blount	Northampton				24
Northumberland	30	Sir John Heron	Newcastle				15
Rutland	8	D.o.Cornwall (h)	Oakham				4
Shropshire	26	Sir William Hopton	(Shrewsbury)				13
Somerset	58	Sir William Mohun	(Taunton)				29
Staffordshire	26	Sir Richard Dayrell	(Stafford)				13
Suffolk	72	Sir John Heydon	(Ipswich)				36
Sussex	44	Sir John Latimer	Lewes				22
Warwickshire	32	E.o.Arundel (h)	(Warwick)				16
Westmorland	8	Viscount Carlisle (h)	Appleby				4
Wiltshire	52	Sir Thomas Arundel	(Salisbury)				26
Yorkshire	128	Sir William Bowes	York, Pickering		64
totals	1430						715
Cheshire	24	Sir William Stanley	Chester				12
Durham	16	Sir Henry Hylton	Durham				8

The Royal Constabularies

The constable of a Royal Castle is responsible for the maintenance and garrison of the castle. Not usually an arduous post and as each constable uses his own retinue, the castle is effectively his.

Castle	County	Type	Salary	Incumbent
Bedford	Bedfordshire	3b	200	Sherrif of Beds & Bucks
Windsor	Berkshire	4b	N/A	Royal Household
Cambridge	Cambridgeshire	3b	200	Sherrif of Cambs & Hunts
Carlisle	Cumberland	5b	400	Warden of the Western Marches
Derby	Derbyshire	3b	200	Sherrif of Derby & Notts
Exeter	Devon	3b	200	Sherrif of Derby
Christchurch	Dorset	2c	0	Warden of the Southern Forests
Colchester	Essex	4b	300	John Earl of Oxford
Hadleigh	Essex	3b	200	John, Duke of Suffolk
Pleshey	Essex	1b	100	William Viscount Bourchier
Bristol	Gloucestershire	3c	0	Humphrey Lord Stafford of Southwyk
Gloucester	Gloucestershire	3b	200	Sherrif of Gloucs
Southampton	Hampshire	3c	0	Mayor of Southampton
Winchester	Hampshire	4b	300	Sherrif of Hampshire
Hereford	Herefordshire	3b	200	Sherrif of Hereford
Hertford	Hertfordshire	3b	200	Sherrif of Hertford & Essex
Huntingdon	Huntingdonshire	3b	200	Edmund, Earl of Rutland
Dover	Kent	4b	300	John Duke of Norfolk
Maidstone	Kent	3b	200	Sherrif of Kent
Queenborough	Kent	3b	200	Edward, Lord Bergavenny
Rochester	Kent	2b	150	Edward, Lord Cobham
Leicester	Leicestershire	3b	200	Sherrif of Leics
Lincoln	Lincolnshire	3b	200	Sherrif of Lincs
Norwich	Norfolk	4b	300	Sherrif of Norfolk
Thetford	Norfolk	3d	200	Sir William Berkeley
Northampton	Northamptonshire	3b	200	Sherrif of Northampton
Rockingham	Northamptonshire	3b	200	Richard,Lord Rivers
Newcastle	Northumberland	4b	300	Sherrif of Northumberland
Newark	Nottinghamshire	4b	300	John Duke of Norfolk
Nottingham	Nottinghamshire	4b	300	Sherrif of Derby & Notts
Oxford	Oxfordshire	3b	200	Sherrif of Berks & Oxon
Oakham	Rutland	3b	200	Sherrif of Rutland(Cornwall-h)
Bridgenorth	Shropshire	1d	100	Lord Strange
Guildford	Surrey	3b	200	Sherrif of M'sex & Surrey
Lewes	Sussex	3b	200	Sherrif of Sussex
Pevensey	Sussex	2b	0	Warden of the Cinque Ports
Coventry	Warwickshire	3b	200	Humphrey Lord Cromwell
Kenilworth	Warwickshire	5b	400	John Lord Montagu
Appleby	Westmorland	4b	300	Sherrif of Westmorland(Clifford-h)
Worcester	Worcestershire	3d	200	Sheriff of Worcestershire
York	Yorkshire	5b	400	Sherrif of Yorks
Pickering	Yorkshire	3b	200	Sherrif of Yorks
Scarborough	Yorkshire	3b	200	Thomas, Lord Lumley
Monmouth	Monmouthshire	3b	200	Lord Herbert
		Total	£8300

(H) = Hereditary Office

(L) = Appointment for Life

The Most Noble Order of the Garter

as of May 1461 with dates of investiture; (Gasc. = Gasconese, Imp. = Imperial, Port. = Portuguese):

1425 Thomas Lord Scales

1429 Humphrey Duke of Buckingham

1439 William Lord Fauconberg

1439 Ralph Lord Sudeley

1440 John Viscount Beaumont

1445 John Lord Beauchamp of Powicke

1445 Alvaro Vasquez d'Almada Count d'Avranches (Port.)

1446 Sir John de Foix Captal de Buch (Foix)

1447 King Alphonso V of Portugal

1447 Sir Francois Surienne Sire de Lunée (Gasc.)

1450 Richard Lord Rivers

1450 Henry Earl of Essex

1450 John Lord Berners

1457 Emperor Frederick III (Imp.)

1457 John Earl of Shrewsbury

1457 Thomas Lord Stanley

1457 Lionel Lord Welles

1459 James Earl of Wiltshire and Ormond

1459 John Lord Dudley

1459 Jasper Earl of Pembroke

Most recent deaths: Richard Earl of Salisbury, Henry 'the Navigator' Duke of Viseu (Port.), John Duke of Norfolk, Richard Duke of York.

Edward III founded the Order to reward close friends who fought with him in France. A garter is said to have fallen from his mistress's leg while dancing. The King picked it up and in an act of gallantry to hide the lady's embarrassment, tied it round his own leg speaking those words that were to become the motto of the Order: "Honi soit qui mal y pense!" – "Evil be he who thinks evil!" Garter knights wear an 8-point star bearing the cross of St George suspended by a blue ribbon. Regarded as a great honour at home and abroad, France and Burgundy have created rival orders in sincerest flattery. Investiture is entirely at the King's pleasure, though typically he gives preference to close relatives, major magnates and great soldiers. It is also an instrument of foreign policy, used to entice would-be allies, illustrated by the Portuguese and Gascon appointments in the 1440s, at a time of political and military crisis abroad.

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