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Sir John Gage KG was an English courtier during the Tudor period. He was the only son of William Gage of Firle Place, Sussex and Agnes, daughter of Benjamin Boleney of Bolney, Sussex and a cousin of William of Wykeham, bishop of Winchester (History of Hengrave, pp. 227-31).
Being under age at his father's death (1496) he was put under the guardianship of Stafford, duke of Buckingham, and 'educated for court and camp under his eye.' Gage accompanied Henry VIII on the French campaign of 1513 (30 June to 24 Nov). His name frequently occurs between 1510 and 1522 as a commissioner of peace for Sussex (State Papers, Dom. Henry VIII, 1509-14, 1515-16, 1521-3). He was also appointed governor of Guisnes and afterwards of Oye, in France. His name first occurs in connection with Guisnes in the State Papers for 1522, and in August of that year he received the additional post of comptroller of Calais (ib. 1521-3, pp. 945, 1029, &c.) He was recalled to England to take his seat on the privy council, and in 1528 created vice-chamberlain to he king, a post which he held till 1540, being also made captain of the royal guard. In 1529 he entered parliament as member for his own county, and on 22 May 1532 was installed K.G. (Register of the Garter, 1724, pp 421, 423). Gage was constantly employed om commissions by the king. In 1532 he went over to survey some lands at Calais, and in the same year he was employed in the north of England from December till the spring On his return to court he had a quarel with Henry. 'Master vice-chamberlain departed from the king,' writes one of the courtiers to Cromwell, 10 April 1533, 'in such sort as I am sorry to hear; the king licensed him to depart hence, and so too leave of im, the water standing in his eyes.' He was also one of those employed to negotiate Henry's divorce from Anne of Cleves in July.
He was present at the funeral of Henry VIII, and was appointed one of the executors of the kings wil.
He held a number of offices, including Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1542-1547), Comptroller of the Household (1540-1547), Constable of the Tower (1540-1556) and Lord Chamberlain (1553-1556).
Gage, as a zealous catholic was at once high in Mary favor (first official queen regnant of England). He received her at the Tower gates on her arrival in London on 3 Aug 1553 and was restored to his office of constable and created lord chamberlain of her household. Hebore her train at the coronation (1 Oct 1553) and helped to hold the pall over. At Mary's marriage with Philip of Spain he was again one of her train-bearers (25 Jul 1554). On Palm Sunday, 18 Mar 1555, he received Elizabeth I (7 Sep 1533 - 24 Mar 1603), daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, as his charge as constable at the Tower gates. He seems to have treated the princess severely, 'more for love of the pope than for hate of her person,' and on her release was, with Sir Thomas Pope, placed as a guard over her at her own house.
He married Philippa, daughter of Sir Richard Guildford, in 1502 and they had four sons and four daughters. He died at his house, Firle, Sussex, on 18 April 1556, and was buried on 25 April, 'with 11 herolds, with a standardof arms, and four of images, and with a hearse, and two (white branches), two dozen of stuffs, and eight dozen of stockings' at West Firle Church, where he and his wife lie under a fine altar tomb.