Thomas Cheney

Sir Thomas Cheney (or Cheyne) (c. 1485 – 16 December 1558) of the Blackfriars, City of London and Shurland, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, was an English administrator and diplomat, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports in south-east England from 1536 until his death.

From Henry VIII's coming to the throne of England in 1509, Cheney served as Lord Warden, spanning the reigns of all five of the Tudor monarchs.

Sir Thomas Cheyne was appointed Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports on 17 May 1536 and appears to have been deprived of the office soon after Edward VI's accession, but was granted it back to him the following April.

In April 1545 Cheney suffered a bout of illness, and was temporarily replaced in his duties as the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports by Sir Thomas Seymour, Hertford's brother.

Cheney opposed the plan to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne, and although he acquiesced with Northumberland's policy, he pledged his support for Mary I as soon as he felt it safe so to do.

[6] So fickle a courtier was he that the Marian Court privately distrusted his loyalty during the outbreak of the rebellion by his friend and neighbour Sir Thomas Wyatt, but the very fact that he sent men against Northumberland indicates something of his position.

[8] Cheney died on 16 December 1558 at the Tower of London,[2] and was buried on 3 January 1559 in St Katherine's chapel of Minster Abbey on the Isle of Sheppey.

In his will dated 6 December 1558,[10] Cheney mentioned various properties which together gave him an annual rent of over £950, and after his death it was estimated that he maintained between 200 and 300 servants and retainers.

Arms of Sir Thomas Cheney, KG
Letter from Sir Thomas Cheyne to John Monynge [Monyn], dated at Shurland , 1 August [1547–1549]. The letter relates to orders from the Lord Protector , Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset , regent for the boy king, Edward VI . It announces the despatch of letters by which the Duke has directed that 270 mariners be engaged for the royal service, within the liberties of the Cinque Ports , who are to be at Gillingham by the 12th of the month. To Cheyne, this number seems excessive, because he has never raised more than 50 or 60 at a time, and there are evidently not enough men at Sturbourne available. Monyn is directed to raise 60 men at the very least. He says that John Anthony can give him the names of some mariners available in Thanet , and Cheyne thinks that some can be found at Dover .