Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bowes, George (1517-1556)

760941Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 06 — Bowes, George (1517-1556)1886Mandell Creighton

BOWES, Sir GEORGE (1517–1556), commander in border warfare, was a posthumous son of Sir Ralph Bowes of Dalden, Streatlam, and South Cowton, and Elizabeth, daughter of Henry, lord Clifford. Cardinal Wolsey, then bishop of Durham, sold his 'ward, custody, and marriage' for 800l. to Sir William Bulmer in 1524. Sir William in turn sold it to Lord Eure, whose daughter Muriel was married to George Bowes. He had livery as heir to his father in 1535. He early took part in border warfare. He went with the Earl of Hertford on his devastating raid in 1544, and was knighted at Leith on 11 May. So highly were his services esteemed that the privy council announced to the Earl of Shrewsbury, lieutenant-general in the north, that it was the king's intention to confer on him a barony (Talbot Papers, in Illustrations of the Reign of Queen Mary, Maitland Club, p. 171). This intention, however, was not carried into effect. Bowes returned from Scotland and died in 1556, leaving no male heir.

[Surtees's Durham, iv. 112; Sharp's Memorials of the Rebellion of 1569, 370.]

M. C.