Walter Devereux (died 1402)

Sir Walter Devereux of Bodenham and Weobley was a prominent knight in Herefordshire during the reigns of Richard II and Henry IV. He represented Hereford in Parliament, and gave rise to the Devereux Earls of Essex and Viscounts of Hereford.

Ancestry and childhood

Walter DevereuxCharles Mosley (editor). ''Burke's Peerage & Baronetage, 106th Edition.'' Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 1999. Volume 1, pages1378-80Calendar of Patent Rolls, Volume 2, Page 132. 1382, 8 February, Westminster, membrane 35d was born about 1361, the son of Sir Walter Devereux (died c. 1383) of Bodenham and a woman named Maud. His father was the cousin of John Devereux, 1st Baron Devereux of Whitchurch Maund,They shared common descent from Walter Devereux of Bodenham, son of William Devereux, Baron Devereux of Lyonshall. For this Walter Devereux the descent was: Walter Devereux of Bodenham, Stephen Devereux of Bodenham and Burghope, William Devereux of Bodenham, Walter Devereux of Bodenham, and Walter Devereux of Bodenham and Weobley. The descent of Baron John Devereux was: Walter Devereux of Bodenham, John Devereux of Manne, and John Devereux of Whitchurch Maund.He was identified only as 'corson', and bequeathed 20 pounds in the Will entered June 1385 of John Devereux, 1st Baron Devereux. and they were close allies. Walter's grandfather, William Devereux of Bodenham, had made land concessions in Bodenham Parish (Hereford) to John Devereux about 1360, and throughout his life Baron Devereux appears to have promoted the careers of his cousin's family in the royal household.

His arms were: Argent a fesse gules, in chief three torteaux.

Career

When Walter Devereux came of age, he joined the retinue of Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester, like his father. He was a King's esquire by 8 February 1382 when he attended Parliament with his father. Both Devereux's were appointed to a Royal Commission to arrest William Solers for disseising John ap William ap Jankin of the manor of Dorstone. Walter Devereux was also granted for life the office of Constable of Builth Castle in Radnorshire during the minority of Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March.

On 22 December 1384, Mary de Bohun had come of age, and the final transfer of the estate of the Earl of Hereford occurred to her husband, Henry Bolingbroke. These included Walter's fee in Bodenham held by his grandfather, William Devereux, and fee in Moccas and Sutton held by his father, Walter Devereux (died c. 1383).

Walter Devereux was assigned on 20 February 1385 to investigate the murder of John Kings of Whiteborn, and any who may have harbored the murderers. Later on 26 February 1388 during the “Merciless Parliament” he was relieved of any responsibility for failing to execute this order claiming under oath that he did not receive notice of it.

On 26 April 1385 he was appointed to a Commission of array for Herefordshire to prepare for an imminent French invasion. Devereux participated in Richard II's expedition to Scotland in the summer of 1385, and probably was knighted during this time. On 9 November 1385 Walter was appointed Justice of the Peace, and to a commission of Oyer and terminer for Herefordshire along with his liege, Thomas of Woodstock. He would continue to hold the position of Justice of the Peace through 1399.

In the “Wonderful Parliament” of 1 October 1386 Richard II was forced to accept a commission of 11 members to control the royal household for 1 year to counter growing anger with his financial excesses. Walter's cousin and ally, Baron John Devereux, was a member of the commission. The Lords Appellant led this movement and included Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester; Richard FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel; Thomas de Beachamp, Earl of Warwick; and later Henry Bolingbroke, Earl of Derby; and Thomas de Mowbray, Earl of Nottingham. The Earl of Arundel was appointed admiral of the fleet on 10 December 1386, and Sir Walter Devereux served under Captain Sir Thomas Mortimer in his naval expedition. Arundel took command of the fleet on 16 March 1387 at Sandwich, and led them in the Battle of Cadsand on 24 March. Fought off Margate, the English were victorious over a Franco-Flemish fleet ending the threat of a French invasion. The English pursued the remnants of the enemy to Sluis, and then pillaged the surrounding countryside before bringing the fleet back to England on 14 April. They then made another foray to Brest in Brittany before returning to England in June 1387.

Walter Devereux was probably present at the Battle of Radcot Bridge on 19 December 1387 when Thomas of Woodstock led the Appellants to victory. He also attended the “Merciless Parliament” on 3 February 1388 where he received a writ of supersedeas omnino noted above. At the close of the parliament on 20 March a writ was issued to Walter Devereux and the sheriff of Herefordshire to administer an oath of loyalty to the men of Herefordshire not present at Parliament, and bring a list of their names on the quinzaine of Easter. The form of oath to state that they shall keep the peace, and shall with all their might oppose any who do the contrary, that they shall to the end of this parliament side with the five following lords, to wit Thomas duke of Gloucester; Henry earl of Derby; Richard earl of Arundel and Surrey; Thomas earl of Warwick; and Thomas earl marshal; if any man will do aught against their bodies, and shall maintain them to the death against every man without exception, saving always their allegiance to the king, the prerogative of the crown, the laws and good customs of the realm.

On 5 May 1388 Simon de Burley was among the lords convicted by Parliament. Among his forfeited properties was Lyonshall Castle. Baron Devereux was granted the return of the castle, which had been his family's caput