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), Calendar of Close Rolls, Richard II, volume 2. H.C. Maxwell Lyte (editor). 1920. Pages 216 to 222, 25 October 1382, Westminster 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,G.E. Cokayne. Complete Baronetage. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1984. Volume IV, page296 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.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume 2, 1381-1385. (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1897). Page 132, 8 Feb 1382 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.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume 2, 1381-1385. (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1897). Page 96, 8 Feb 1382
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.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume 2, 1381-1385. (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1897). Page 593, 20 Feb 1385 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.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume 2, 1381-1385. (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1897). Page 589, 26 Apr 1385 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.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume III, 1385-1389. (London: Norfolk Chronicle, 1900). Page 80, 9 Nov 1385 He would continue to hold the position of Justice of the Peace through 1399.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume IV, 1388-1392. (London: Mackie and Co, 1902). Page 136, 138, 342
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., The Soldier in Late Medieval England website. University of Southampton. Walter Devereux, membrane 10, TNA E101/40/33 and 21, TNA E101/40/34 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 and alienated 87 years earlier, and Walter Devereux also received his inheritance rights to the castle as well.
On 10 November 1388 Walter Devereux witnessed John de Cornewaile of Kinlet's grant of warranty for life to Cornewaile's mother of two thirds of the manor of Ashton, Herefordshire, if she should outlive his father, Sir Brian. On 28 June 1390 he was place on a commission of Oyer and terminer in addition to his role as Justice of the Peace for Herefordshire. On 15 July Devereux was on the commission conducting the inquiry post-mortem of John Hastings, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, who had died before coming of age. He was directed to inquire what lands had been held in dower at the death of the earl's widowed mother, Anne Manny, on 3 April 1384, and the widow of Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, Marie de St Pol, on her death 16 March 1377. On 27 October 1391 there were adjustments to the rent of the lordship of Bergevenny based on his findings.
On 8 February 1391 Devereux conducted an inquiry into the alienation of the manor of Eaton Tregoes, Herefordshire.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume IV, 1388-1392. (London: Mackie and Co, 1902). Page 438, 8 Feb 1391 On 20 January John and Julian Kirby of La Verne sold for 100L Kimbolton manor, Huntingdonshire; and 2 carucates of land, 12 acres of meadow, and 13 shillings of rent in Laysters, Weston, Mappenore, Leominster, and Aston in Herefordshire to Walter Devereux., Medieval Genealogy Website. Abstracts of Feet of Fines. CP 25/1/83/50, number 55. A writ was issued in Herefordshire on 17 February 1392 for Thomas, son of Llewelyn le Taillour, for not appearing to answer Walter Devereux regarding a debt of 40L.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume V, 1391-1396. (London: Mackie and Co, 1905). Page 27, 17 February 1392 On 1 March 1392 Devereux was assigned to raise troops in Hertfordshire to resist an invasion in case of war after the expiration of the current truce.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume V, 1391-1396. (London: Mackie and Co, 1905). Page 88
On 27 September 1393 Devereux was mandated to suppress the Lollards in Herefordshire.William Henry Cooke. Collections Towards the History and Antiquities of the County of Hereford in continuation of Duncumb's History. Hundred of Grimsworth. London: John Murray, Albemarle Street. 1892, Page 12, Greytree Hundred Specifically cited was Walter Brut and other sons of iniquity who obstinately held, affirmed and preached secretly and openly in various places in the diocese of Hereford certain articles and conclusions notoriously repugnant to sound doctrine, definitively condemned by Holy Church, some as heresies, others as errors.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume V, 1391-1396. (London: Mackie and Co, 1905). Page 354, 27 Sep 1393
On 18 June 1394 Walter Devereux was again placed on a commission of Oyer and Terminer for Herefordshire.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume V, 1391-1396. (London: Mackie and Co, 1905). Page 435, 18 June 1394 On 7 August he was granted clause volumus (protection) for one half yearCalendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume V, 1391-1396. (London: Mackie and Co, 1905). Page 451, 7 Aug 1394 while accompanying Richard II to Ireland, and on 28 September nominated Roger Wigmore and Thomas Oldcastle as his attorneys in his absence.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume V, 1391-1396. (London: Mackie and Co, 1905). Page 476, 28 Sep 1394 Devereux was probably serving in the retinue of Thomas of Woodstock who accompanied the king. The army landed and marched towards Kilkenny undergoing harassment by Irish forces the entire way. After suffering heavy losses, Richard II agreed to negotiate, and brought the army to Dublin by December. The king abruptly returned to England to deal with the Lollard threat, and left part of the army behind under the nominal leadership of the under-age, Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March.
On 4 May 1397 Walter and Agnes Devereux paid 13s 4d for the inspection and confirmation of Agnes right as heir for the Crophul charter of 12 May 1327 involving Bonington and Sutton in Nottinghamshire.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume VI, 1396-1399. (London: Mackie and Co, 1909). Page 115, 4 May 1397 Shortly after this Richard II begins to move against the prior Lords Appellant. Thomas of Woodstock is captured and sent to Calais, and Sir Thomas Mortimer flees the country to avoid a treason charge. On 27 July Walter Devereux is appointed to a commission of Oyer and terminer in Herefordshire in addition to his duties as Justice of the Peace.Calendar of Patent Rolls, Richard II, Volume VI, 1396-1399. (London: Mackie and Co, 1909). Page 237, 27 July 1397 On 17 September Thomas of Woodstock was murdered, and Devereux joined the retinue of Henry Bolingbroke, husband of the last Bohun heir, Mary.