Childhood and Ancestry
William Devereux was born about 1315, [2] the second son of Stephen Devereux of Bodenham and Burghope [3] and a woman named Cicely. [lower-alpha 2] [4]
Rising debt related to the terms of the Dictum of Kenilworth led his great-grandfather, Baron William Devereux, to financial arrangements permitting the alienation of Lyonshall Castle, the caput of the Barony. William Devereux's father, Stephen Devereux of Bodenham and Burghope [2] seized the castle by force in 1308 and brought suit for its return, but his plea was denied, as the Baron was still alive. [5] Stephen would never regain Lyonshall in his lifetime, nor would he inherit the title upon his grandfather's death. William and his uncle, John Devereux of Manne [2] [6] [7] remained close throughout their lives, united in a desire to regain their lost patrimony.
His arms were: Argent a fesse gules, in chief three torteaux.
Career
William Devereux and his elder brother, Walter Devereux, continued their family's support of the de Bohun family, and both participated in Edward III's 1336 invasion of Scotland. William Devereux was granted Letters of Protection for service in Scotland on 3 July 1335, [8] and for this service was knighted about 1337.
During the 1340s William's brother, Walter Devereux, represented the family in Edward III's campaigns in France. The financial pressures of the king's expensive foreign alliances during this time led to disorder in England. On 10 Nov 1344 Sir William Devereux was implicated in a riot in Hereford. [9] Following a disturbance, some individuals that were involved were committed to the king's prison in Hereford. Sir John le Poyns and Sir Thomas de Chandos entered the prison by force with a multitude of people, and freed the prisoners. They beat the keeper of the prison, who was the king's sergeant and bailiff of the city, and drove him out. Afterwards part of the force went to one of the gates of the city, drove away the porter and kept the gate open. They assaulted many men of the city there and killed some. They then assembled in the king's wood of ‘La Haye’ by the city with Sir Richard de Baskerville, Sir John Talbot, Sir John de Roos, Sir John de Frene the younger, Sir John de Wyne, Sir Baldwin de Freville, Sir William Devereux, and their esquires forming an unlawful confederacy surrounding the city. They blocked the ways leading to Hereford and prevented the inhabitants of those parts from bringing goods. To prevent the sustenance of the king's lieges there; they seized wines and victuals brought to the city and then turned back the carts and carriages, broke mills so their corn could not be ground, and daily took the beasts so that the lands remained uncultivated.
Between August and December 1346 William Devereux was implicated in another complaint prompting a commission of Oyer and terminer. [10] William and Richard Spink, citizens of Norwich, stated that Thomas de Lisle (Bishop of Ely), John de Lisle (his brother), William Devereux, and others had ambushed them at Marcheford by Welle, county Norfolk, and drove away 4 oxen, 9 cows, and 100 sheep worth 40 marks, and carried away goods worth 20 pounds. The individuals were plotting against them day and night so that through fear they had to abandon their dwellings there and did not dare to return. Nearby they laid siege to them at Dickleburgh and Norwich. The Spinks were threatened with incarceration of their body, and mutilation of their members such that they dared not go out and pursue their trade. Their goods were carried away, and their men and servants assaulted whereby their service was lost for a great time.
William Devereux was the patron of the rectory in Willersley [lower-alpha 3] parish, Herefordshire in 1349. [11] On 4 April 1350 William Devereux of Bodenham was identified as a merchant of Herefordshire in a writ of debt for 76L to William de Cowley. [12]
In 1350 William's father, Stephen Devereux, died. William's elder brother, Walter Devereux, followed his father in death about 1360 without issue. [lower-alpha 4] [13] Upon receiving his inheritance, William Devereaux made concessions and granted lands about 1354 to his cousin, Baron John Devereux and the heirs of his body for a term of 70 years. [14] These included a quarter of the manor and the advowson of Bishoptown (Bishopstone); [13] Whitchurch Maund manor; and the lands in Whitchurch Maund and Marsh Maund held from the Bishop of Hereford for knight service. [lower-alpha 5]
Devereux acknowledged that he owed Sir Ralph Spigurnell 1000 marks in 1358. [15] On 3 February 1359 Devereux witnessed William le Bray's grant to Walter de Houton of Bodenham a parcel of land in More. He witnessed another grant for life on 31 March 1360 by Walter Coleman of La More to Walter de Houton and his wife, Emota, of 1 acre of pasture in Bodenham, called ‘Goreacre.’ [lower-alpha 6] Also on 24 December 1360 he witnessed William Walsh's grant to Walter Coleman of 1 acre in Bodenham. [lower-alpha 7]
William Devereux was sued by Walter de Ribbesford of Bewdley in Worcestershire for carrying off his wife, Constance, and chattel in 1360. De Ribbesford succeeded in regaining his wife who was identified in later records of this county. On 4 May 1371, Devereux and Richard de Norton were granted the marriage of Walter, son and heir of Walter de Ribbesford, a minor who was ward of the king. [16]
William Devereux was Sheriff of Herefordshire between 1362 and 1372. [17] Along with John de Eynesford, Devereux was placed on the Commission of array for Herefordshire on 26 October 1366. [18] On 28 March 1371 he was appointed to collect the subsidy from Hereford granted by Parliament to the king to support the wars in France. [19] He was elected coroner for Hereford in 1371, but had to relinquish the post on 13 November 1371 following his appointment again as sheriff. The Inquisition post mortem of Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford, on 25 January 1373 showed William Devereux holding 1 fee in Bodenham.
He was granted protection on 3 November 1373 for 1 year while in garrison in Calais in the company of Sir John Burley, [20] [21] [22] and acknowledged a debt of 80 marks to Sir John de Burley on 31 May 1373 to be levied of his estates in the county of Hereford. [23] He held the post of coroner at the time of his death on 27 January 1377. [24] He was buried at Hereford Cathedral. [3]
John Devereux, 1st Baron Devereux, KG, was a close companion of Edward, the Black Prince, and an English peer during the reign of King Richard II.
Sir Walter Devereux of Bodenham and Weobley was a loyal supporter of Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York during the Wars of the Roses. He was Lord Chancellor of Ireland from 1449 to 1451.
Lyonshall is a historic village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England. The civil parish includes the hamlet of Penrhos. According to the 2001 Census, the civil parish had a population of 750, increasing to 757 at the 2011 Census.
William Devereux was an Anglo-Norman nobleman living during the reigns of kings William I, William II, and Henry I of England. The Devereux, along with the Baskervilles and Pichards, were prominent knightly families along the Welsh marches at the beginning of the twelfth century, and linked to the Braose and Lacy lordships of the region. William Devereux's descendants would later give rise to the Devereux family of Hereford, and the Devereux Viscounts of Hereford and Earls of Essex.
Stephen Devereux was a powerful Marcher Lord, and held Lyonshall Castle controlling an important approach to the border of Wales. As a key member of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke retinue, he played a significant role in the Earl's support of King John during the First Barons' War, and during the minority of Henry III.
William Devereux, was an important Marcher Lord, and held Lyonshall Castle controlling a strategically vital approach to the border of Wales. The castle's significance was heightened by the rebellion of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales. With strong family ties to the politically powerful families of Cantilupe and Giffard, his support was strongly sought after by Henry III and Simon de Montfort throughout the Second Barons' War.
William Devereux, Baron Devereux of Lyonshall was an English noble who was an important Marcher Lord as he held Lyonshall Castle controlling a strategically vital approach to the border of Wales in the time of Edward I and Edward II. He was the first of this family officially called to Parliament, and was ancestor to John Devereux, 1st Baron Devereux of Whitchurch Maund, the Devereux Earls of Essex, and the Devereux Viscounts of Hereford. His coat of arms was the same as his father's and described as "argent, fess and three roundels in chief gules" which passed to the descendants of his first wife, the Devereux of Bodenham; or "gules od un fesse d'argent ove turteaus d'argent en le chief" which passed to the descendants of his second wife, the Devereux of Frome.
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.
Sir Walter Devereux of Bodenham was a prominent knight of Herefordshire during the reigns of Henry IV and Henry V. He is the ancestor of the Devereux Earls of Essex and Viscounts of Hereford.
Sir Walter Devereux of Bodenham was a prominent knight in Herefordshire during the reign of Edward III. He was a member of Parliament, sheriff, and Justice of the Peace for Hereford.
Stephen Devereux of Bodenham and Burghope was a member of a prominent knightly family in Herefordshire during the reigns of Edward I, Edward II and Edward III. An important retainer of the de Bohun Earls of Hereford, he gave rise to the Devereux Earls of Essex and Viscounts of Hereford.
William Devereux of Frome was a member of a prominent Herefordshire family during the reign of Edward II and Edward III. He was an important retainer of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March and Queen Isabella, and a knight of the Bath.
William Devereux of Frome the younger was a member of a prominent Herefordshire family during the reign of Edward III. He was an important retainer of the Mortimer family, sheriff of Hereford, and member of Parliament.
Walter Devereux was an Anglo-Norman nobleman living during the reign of king Henry II of England and Richard I of England. The Devereux, along with the Baskervilles and Pichards, were prominent knightly families along the Welsh marches during the twelfth century, and linked to William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, and the Braose and Lacy lordships of the region. William Devereux's descendants would later give rise to the Devereux Viscounts of Hereford and Earls of Essex.
John Devereux of Manne was a member of a prominent knightly family in Herefordshire during the reigns of Edward II, and Edward III. He fought at the Battle of Crecy, and gave rise to the Devereux Barons of Whitchurch Maund.
Sir Walter Devereux of Bodenham was a member of a prominent knightly family in Herefordshire during the reigns of Edward I, and Edward II. He gave rise to the Devereux Barons of Whitchurch Maund, Earls of Essex and Viscounts of Hereford.
John Devereux of Bodenham and Decies was an Anglo-Norman nobleman living during the reigns of King John and Henry III of England. The Devereux were a prominent knightly family along the Welsh Marches during the thirteenth century, and John Devereux was a key member of the retinue of Richard Marshal, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, and companion of Walter III de Clifford, Baron of Clifford.
Walter Devereux of Bodenham and Bromwich was an Anglo-Norman knight and sheriff of Herefordshire living during the reigns of Henry III of England and Edward I of England. The Devereux were a prominent family along the Welsh Marches during the thirteenth century, and integral to the control of this region during the Second Barons' War.
Nicholas Devereux of Chanston (Vowchurch) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman living during the reigns of John and Henry III of England. The Devereux were a prominent knightly family along the Welsh Marches during the thirteenth century, and Nicholas Devereux was a key member of the retinue of Walter de Lacy, Lord of Meath.
Nicholas Devereux II of Chanston (Vowchurch) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman living during the reigns of Henry III of England. The Devereux were a prominent knightly family along the Welsh Marches during the thirteenth century, and Nicholas would play an integral role in attempts to control the Welsh Marches during the thirteenth century.