William Devereux of Bodenham (c1315-1377)

William Devereux of Bodenham was a prominent knight in Herefordshire during the reign of Edward III. He is the ancestor of the Devereux Earls of Essex and Viscounts of Hereford.

Childhood and ancestry
William Devereux was born about 1315, the son of Stephen Devereux of Bodenham and Burghope and a woman named Cicely.

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 seized the castle by force in 1305 and brought suit for its return, but his plea was denied, as the Baron was still alive. Stephen would never regain Lyonshall in his lifetime, nor would he inherit the title upon William’s death. Stephen's younger brother, John Devereux of Manne and son, William Devereux of Bodenham, remained close throughout their lifetime united in their desire to regain their lost patrimony.

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

Marriage
He married Anne Barre, daughter of Sir John Barre, about 1336. They had children: Sir Walter Devereux of Bodenham his heir (~1339).

Career
William Devereux continued his family's position in the retinue of the Earl's of Hereford, and de Bohun family. He was granted Letters of Protection for service in Scotland on 3 July 1335, and joined the army of Edward III as it invaded Scotland. For this service he was knighted about 1337.

During the early 1340s, the financial pressures of Edward III’s expensive alliances had led to disorder in England. On 10 Nov 1344 Sir William Devereux was implicated in a riot in Hereford. 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, and 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.

In September 1346 William Devereux was implicated in another complaint presented at Westminster. 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 driven 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 parish, Herefordshire in 1349 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. In 1350 his father, Stephen Devereux died. His elder brother, Walter Devereux, died as well about 1360 without issue.

William Devereaux made concessions and granted lands about 1360 to his nephew, Baron John Devereux and his heirs for a term of 70 years. These included a quarter of the manor and the advowson of Bishoptown (Bishopstone); Whitchurch Maund manor; and the lands in Whitchurch Maund and Marsh Maund held from the Bishop of Hereford for knight service. Devereux acknowledged that he owed Sir Ralph Spigurnell 1000 marks in 1358.

He witnessed a land grant in 1360 by Walter Colemon to Walter de Houton and his wife, Emota, of 1 acre of pasture in Bodenham, called ‘Goreacre.’ The de Houtons were mentioned in previous land grants witnessed by William’s uncle, John Devereux of Manne, involving property adjacent to William's deceased grandfather, Walter Devereux of Bodenham. 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 granted the marriage of Walter, son and heir of Walter de Ribbesford, a minor who was ward of the king.

William Devereux was Sheriff of Herefordshire between 1362 and 1372. Along with John de Eynesford, Devereux was placed on the Commission of array for Hereford in 1366. 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.

He was granted protection on 3 November 1373 for 1 year while in garrison in Calais in the company of Sir John Burley,  and acknowledged a debt of 80 marks to Sir John de Burley in 1373 to be levied of his estates in the county of Hereford. He served as coroner for Hereford at various times, and held that post at the time of his death on 27 January 1377. He was buried at Hereford Cathedral.

General reference

 * Duncumb, John. Collections Towards the History and Antiquities of the County of Hereford. (Hereford: EG Wright, 1812). Volume 2, Issue 1, Page 37, Broxash Hundred