▁presentation ▁to ▁Robert ▁D ud ley , ▁Earl ▁of ▁Le ic ester . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁▁ ▁William ▁Bow yer ▁was ▁a ▁son ▁of ▁Robert ▁Bow yer , ▁merchant ▁and ▁four - time ▁mayor ▁of ▁Ch ich ester , ▁Sus sex , ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Margaret . ▁Little ▁is ▁known ▁of ▁William ' s ▁life ▁before ▁ 1 5 5 3 , ▁when ▁he ▁followed ▁his ▁older ▁brother ▁Robert ▁into ▁the ▁Middle ▁Temple . ▁ ▁William ▁married ▁Ag nes , ▁daughter ▁of ▁Sir ▁John ▁Har court ▁( d . ▁ 1 5 6 6 ) ▁of ▁Oxford shire ▁and ▁Staff ord shire , ▁the ▁wid ow ▁of ▁John ▁K ny vet ▁of ▁Ash well th or pe , ▁Nor folk . ▁They ▁had ▁three ▁children : ▁▁ ▁William ▁( d ied ▁young ) ▁ ▁Robert ▁( d . ▁ 1 6 2 1 ) ▁ ▁Jud ith , ▁married ▁Richard ▁High gate ▁ ▁Career ▁▁ ▁William ▁Bow yer ▁was ▁appointed ▁B ail iff ▁of ▁West min ster ▁in ▁ 1 5 6 0 , ▁probably ▁with ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁Sir ▁Thomas ▁Par ry . ▁In ▁this ▁capacity , ▁Bow yer ▁ad vised ▁Sir ▁William ▁Cec il ▁as ▁to ▁the ▁g ifts ▁expected ▁of ▁him ▁in ▁his ▁new ▁role ▁of ▁High ▁Ste ward ▁of ▁West min ster ▁Ab bey ▁( 1 5 6 1 ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 5 6 3 , ▁probably ▁with ▁the ▁good ▁gra ces ▁of ▁Cec il , ▁Bow yer ▁att ained ▁the ▁position ▁of ▁K ee per ▁of