 His services to the English crown for his work in Scotland (and elsewhere) was formally recognised in 1544 when he was knighted and appointed Surveyor of the King's Works.He was granted the ground covered by St Albans monastery (but not the church which was bought by the townspeople), Sopwell Priory, and the rectorship of St Stephen's church.This fact, when taken with circumstantial evidence, suggests it was probably at this time the Holyrood Abbey lectern found its way into this Hertfordshire church, with the other Scottish plunder of Sir Richard Lee.