He was educated at Cambridge,[1] and studied common law at Barnard's Inn, and afterwards became a member of the Middle Temple, where he was reader in 1558, performing his duties by Edmund Plowden, his deputy, and again in Lent 1559.
On the death of his elder brother John without issue in 1552, he succeeded to the family estates.
On St. Matthias day 1552, he was elected recorder of Cambridge, and admitted to office on 25 March 1553.
He was in the special commission of oyer and terminer issued for Cambridgeshire on 8 August 1553, when indictments for high treason were found against the Duke of Northumberland and other adherents of Lady Jane Grey.
He obtained the royal permission to retain his office of recorder of Cambridge, but the town refused to submit to this.