John Finet

Who was John Finet?

Sir John Finet or Finett, was the English Master of the Ceremonies.

Finet was a son of Robert Finet of Soulton, near Dover, Kent, who died early in 1582. His mother was Alice, daughter and coheiress of John Wenlock, a captain of Calais. His great-grandfather, John Finet, an Italian of Siena, came to England as a servant in the train of Cardinal Campeggio in 1519, settled here and married a lady named Mantell, maid of honour to Catherine of Aragon. John was brought up at court and commended himself to James I by composing and singing witty songs in the royal presence after supper. Sir Anthony Weldon credits Finet's songs with much coarseness. On 17 January 1617-18 he is said to have offended his master by the impropriety of some verses that he introduced into a play produced at court. Finet was in Paris early in 1610, and sent home an account of the treatment accorded to duellists in France, dated 19 February 1609-10. He escorted William Cecil, Viscount Cranborne, future 2nd Earl of Salisbury, through southern France and Northern Italy 1609-11. He had his portrait painted by Domenico Tintoretto in Venice.