After the death of Sir Humphrey Bourchier, his widow, Elizabeth, married Thomas Howard, then Earl of Surrey, and later 2nd Duke of Norfolk.

[3] After his father was slain fighting on the Yorkist side at the Battle of Barnet in 1471, Bourchier became a ward of John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk.

In 1492 he contracted to serve in the wars overseas and took part in suppressing the Cornish rebellion of 1497 in support of Perkin Warbeck.

[5] Bourchier held various offices of state under King Henry VIII, including Lieutenant of Calais from 28 November 1520 and Chancellor of the Exchequer from 14 July 1524.

He translated, at the King's desire, Froissart's Chronicles (1523–1525), in such a manner as to make a distinct advance in English historical writing, and the Golden Book of Marcus Aurelius (1534), as well as The History of Arthur of Lytell Brytaine (Brittany), and the romance of Huon of Bordeaux.