Biography of Robert Rochester 1494-1557
Around 1494 Robert Rochester was born at Terling.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 05 Aug 1553. And the Qwene (age 37) grace mad ser Edward Hastyngs (age 32) master of the horse, and ser Thomas Jernyngham [Note. Mistake for Henry made before.] vysse-chamburlayne and captayn of the gard, and master Rochastur (age 59) master controller; my lord marqwes of Wynchaster (age 70) lord tresorer of England, and dyvers odur offeserse, and dyvers odur.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 29 Sep 1553. The xxix day of September the Qwuen('s) (age 37) grace mad knyghts of the Bathe xv; the furst was the yerle of Devonshyre (age 26), the yonge yerle of Surray (age 17), the iijde lord of Borgane, and lord Barkley, the lord Monjoye (age 20), lord Sowche (age 27), ser Wylliam Pallet, my lord Cardyff (age 52), the lord Wyndsore('s) (age 54) sune (age 21), sir Ryche('s) sune, sir Clynton, ser Pagett, ser Robart Rochaster, ser Hare Jernyngham (age 41), ser Edward Dormer.
Note. P. 45. The knights of the Bath made at the coronation of queen Mary were, Edward earl of Devonshire (age 26), Thomas earl of Surrey (age 17), William lord Herbert of Cardiff (age 52), Henry lord Bergavenny (age 23), Henry lord Berkeley (age 18), John lord Lumley, James lord Mountjoy (age 20), sir Robert Rochester (age 59), controller of the queen's house, sir Henry Jerningham (age 41), sir William Powlett (age 21), sir Henry Clinton, sir Hugh Rich, sir Henry Paget, sir Henry Parker, and sir William Dormer. The arms of these knights are beautifully tricked in the Cottonian MS. Claudius C. III.
Note. P. 45. Coronation of queen Mary. A document respecting the claims at this coronation has been printed in the Society's volume of Rutland Papers, p. 118: and, as there mentioned, a formulary of the ceremonial is in the library of the Society of Antiquaries.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 14 Feb 1556. The xxiiij day of Feybruary was the obsequies of the most reverentt father in God, Sthevyn Gardener, docthur and bysshope of Wynchastur, prelett of the gartter, and latte chansseler of England, and on of the preve consell unto Kyng Henry the viij and unto quen Mare (age 39), tyll he ded; and so the after-none be-gane the knyll at sant Mare Overes [Map] with ryngyng, and after be-gane the durge; with a palle of cloth of gold, and with ij whytt branchys, and ij dosen of stayffe-torchys bornyng, and iiij grett tapurs; and my lord Montyguw (age 27) the cheyffe mornar, and my lord bysshope of Lynkolne (age 46) and ser Robart Rochaster (age 62), comtroller, and with dyvers odur in blake, and mony blake gownes and cotes; and the morow masse of requeem and offeryng done, be-gane the sarmon; and so masse done, and so to dener to my lord Montyguw('s); and at ys gatt the corse was putt in-to a wagon with iiij welles, all covered with blake, and ower the corsse ys pyctur mad with ys myter on ys hed, with ys and ys armes, and v gentyll men bayryng ys v banars in gownes and hods, then ij harolds in ther cote armur, master Garter and Ruge-crosse; then cam the men rydyng, carehyng of torchys a lx bornyng, at bowt the corsse all the way; and then cam the mornars in gownes and cotes, to the nombur unto ij C. a-for and be-hynd, and so at sant Gorges cam prestes and clarkes with crosse and sensyng, and ther thay had a grett torche gyffyn them, and so to ever parryche tyll they cam to Wynchaster, and had money as money as cam to mett them, and durge and masse at evere logyng.
On 23 Apr 1557 Queen Mary I of England and Ireland (age 41) appointed three new Garter Knights:
337th Thomas Radclyffe 3rd Earl of Sussex (age 32).
338th William Grey 13th Baron Grey of Wilton (age 48).
339th Robert Rochester (age 63).
Henry Machyn's Diary. 23 Apr 1557. The xxiij day of Aprell was sant Gorge('s) day [the King's (age 29)] grace whent a pressessyon in ys robes of the garter; lord Talbott (age 29) bare the sword a-for the Kyng, and master (blank) bare the rod; and doctur (blank) bare the boke of the record; and the bysshope of Wynchaster (age 47) ware ys myter, and song masse that day; and x knyghtes of the Garter be-syd the Kyng; and secretere Peter ware a robe of cremesun velvett with the Garter; and after the Kyng and odur lordes and knyghtes of the garter whent to evyngsong; and ther was the duke of Muskovea was in chapell at evyngsong, and after he whent and toke ys barge and whent to London, and after wher iij knyghtes of the garter chossen, furst my lord F(itz)uater (age 32), my lord Gray of Wylton (age 48), and ser Robart Rochaster (age 63); thes iij wher mad of the order.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 23 May 1557. The sam after-non was chossen iij knyghtes of the garter, my lord Fuwwater depute of Yrland (age 32), my lord Gray (age 48) depute of Gynes, and ser Robart Rochaster (age 63) comtroller of the quen('s) howsse the iij. And after cam the duwcke of Muskovea cam thrugh the halle, and the gard stod in a-ray in ther ryche cottes with halbardes, and so up to the quen('s) chambur, and dyvers althermen and marchandes; and after cam downe a-gayne to the chapell to evyngsong, and contenent cam the Kyng (age 30) and the knyghtes of the garter to evyngsong; and when that evyngsong was down cam the Kyng and the knyghtes up to the chambur of presens; and after cam the duke of Muskovea, and toke ys barge to London, and that tyme my lord Strange bare the sword to evyngsong.
On 28 Nov 1557 Robert Rochester (age 63) died.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 04 Dec 1557. The iiij day of Desember was bered at Sheen at the the charter-howse ser Robart Rochester (deceased) knyght, the wyche he was chossen knyght of the garter, but he was never stallyd at Wyndsore, so [he] was not bered with the garter, butt after [the manner of another] knyght, for ther was a goodly herse of wax, v prensypalles, with viij dosen penselles, and viij dosen skochyons, and vj dosen torchys, and ij whyt [branches]; and a standard, and a penon of armes, and cot armur, elmett, targett, sword, mantylles, and iiij baners of emages, and a majeste and valanse, and master Claren[ceux] and master Lankester aroldes [heralds], and mony morners in [black]; and the masse and a sermon, and after a grett dener.