John Finet

His great-grandfather, John Finet, an Italian of Siena, came to England as a servant in the train of Cardinal Campeggio in 1519, settled here and married a lady named Mantell, maid of honour to Catherine of Aragon.

[2] He escorted William Cecil, Viscount Cranborne, future 2nd Earl of Salisbury, through southern France and Northern Italy 1609–11.

[4] Wood states that he was in France on diplomatic business in 1614, but on 15 December 1614 he was reported in a contemporary news-letter to have just returned from Spain, whither he had been despatched to present gifts of armour and animals to members of the royal family.

On 23 March 1616 he was knighted, and on 13 September 1619 he was granted the reversion of the place of Sir Lewes Lewknor, Master of the Ceremonies, whom he had already begun to assist in the performance of his duties.

[5] He commended himself to James I at court by composing and singing witty songs in the royal presence after supper with Edward Zouch.

In January 1618, Finet offended his master by the impropriety of some verses that he introduced into a play produced by courtiers at Theobalds.

Finet was employed in entertaining foreign envoys at the English court, and determining the numerous difficulties regarding precedence which arose among the resident ambassadors.