John Paveley

[2] As Turcopolier he was in charge of the coastal defences of Rhodes and Malta,[3] naval experience which clearly suited him to be selected later as Admiral of the Fleet of England.

About the time of his appointment as Prior, he was involved in a major controversy when he allegedly assaulted Simon Warde, a servant of John Gynwell, Bishop of Lincoln, who had attempted to serve a summons on him to appear in a lawsuit.

Sir Nicholas Harris Nicolas (1847) wrote as follows concerning Paveley's appointment as Admiral of the Fleet:[5] On Sunday the 15th of March 1360 the French appeared off Winchelsea, and landing a large body of horse and foot soldiers, attacked the place while the people were at mass, slew many of the inhabitants, sparing neither age, nor sex, nor rank.

At length the troops and people in the vicinity assembled; and, advancing upon the enemy, drove them after a gallant fight to their ships, with a loss in killed and drowned of more than four hundred men.

Roused to a sense of their duty, the King's council, on the 15th of March, the instant after news of the event had reached them, commanded a fleet to be prepared; and every large ship and barge in all the ports fit for war was ordered to be impressed.