▁a ▁court ier ▁at ▁the ▁court ▁of ▁King ▁Henry ▁VIII ▁of ▁England . ▁He ▁was ▁ ▁a ▁Gent le man ▁of ▁the ▁Priv y ▁Chamber ▁to ▁King ▁Henry ▁VIII ▁and ▁Master ▁of ▁the ▁Hor se ▁to ▁Queen ▁Jane ▁Se ym our . ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁MP ▁for ▁Derby shire ▁in ▁ 1 5 2 9 . ▁ ▁Orig ins ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁circa ▁ 1 4 9 5 ▁at ▁the ▁ancest ral ▁man or ▁of ▁Port ledge , ▁in ▁the ▁parish ▁of ▁Al w ington ▁in ▁North ▁Dev on . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁younger ▁son ▁of ▁Richard ▁C off in ▁( 1 4 5 6 – 1 5 2 3 ) ▁of ▁Al w ington ▁and ▁He anton ▁P unch ardon ▁in ▁North ▁Dev on , ▁Sher iff ▁of ▁Dev on ▁in ▁ 1 5 1 0 , ▁by ▁his ▁first ▁wife ▁Alice ▁G amb on , ▁daughter ▁of ▁John ▁G amb on ▁of ▁Mo or stone ▁in ▁Dev on . ▁ ▁Career ▁Sir ▁William ▁lived ▁during ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁Henry ▁VIII , ▁and ▁was ▁often ▁seen ▁at ▁his ▁court . ▁He ▁joined ▁Henry ▁VIII ' s ▁household ▁about ▁ 1 5 1 5 ▁as ▁court ier ▁and ▁Gent le man ▁of ▁the ▁Priv y ▁chamber , ▁a ▁post ▁of ▁great ▁confidence ▁and ▁trust . ▁There ▁were ▁ 4 0 ▁of ▁these , ▁and ▁their ▁duty ▁was ▁to ▁wait ▁on ▁the ▁king ▁in ▁public ▁and ▁private ; ▁they ▁were ▁all ▁kn ights ▁or ▁es qu ires ▁of ▁distinction , ▁and ▁the ▁attend ance