Career
Bryan was a distinguished diplomat, soldier, sailor, cipherer, man of letters, and poet. However, he had a life-long reputation as a rake and a libertine, and was a rumored accomplice in the king's extramarital affairs. He was a trimmer, changing his views to suit Henry's current policy, but was also one of the few men who dared speak his mind to the king.
His lack of principle at the time of his cousin Anne Boleyn's downfall led to his earning the nickname "the Vicar of Hell".