The family had long been involved with local government having held the office of Sheriff of Devon 5 times and having produced several members of parliament.
[1] He was brought into close contact with Sir Walter Raleigh and was also a friend of John Davis (explorer), some of the most famous English explorers of the time who also belonged to the Devon nobility.
[1] In 1586 he was a knight of the shire for Devon with Walter Raleigh as his partner.
[1] In August 1, 1587 his friend John Davis (explorer) named Cape Chidley after him in Canada.
[2] In 1589 inspired by the success of Thomas Cavendish in raiding Chile and Peru he sold some of his estates and equipped a group of five ships with Raleigh's support at court.