He was the only son of Thomas Earle of Sall, Norfolk and his wife Anne Founteyn (spellings vary).
Sir Julius Caesar appointed him steward of his manors of East Bradenham and Huntingfield Hall in 1626.
[2] In 1644 he was appointed with John Thurloe secretary to the English Parliamentary commissioners for the treaty of Uxbridge.
The only public act of importance which marked his tenure of this office was the trial (for which he received a special commission) of some rioters in the streets of Norwich, showing their disgust at the suspension of the mayor by the parliament and their sympathy with the royalist cause.
His name does not appear much in the reports, but he amassed by his practice a considerable fortune, and founded the county family of Earle of Heydon Hall.