Stephen Devereux: Difference between revisions

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Stephen Devereux was born about 1191, the eldest of three sons of [[Walter Devereux (born 1173)|Walter Devereux]]<ref name=SS1873>Evelyn Philip Shirley. Stemmata Shirleiana. (Westminster: Nichols and Sons, 1873). page 103</ref> and Cecilia de Longchamp. Cecilia was the daughter of Sir Hugh de Longchamp<ref name=SS1873/> and sister to [[William Longchamp|William de Longchamp]], [[Lord Chancellor]] of England. His father, Walter, died in 1197, and as a member of the retinue of William de Braose this probably occurred in France during May 1197 at the assault on the castle at [[Milly-sur-Thérain]].<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 249</ref> Braose was with [[Richard I of England|Richard I]] as he campaigned to regain his territories lost while Richard was held captive by [[Leopold V, Duke of Austria|Leopold of Austria]]. Walter Devereux's lands passed into the King's hands and were placed in the custody of the sheriff of Hereford, [[William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber]]. His sons were placed in the retinue of local lords for training as knights: Stephen Devereux with [[William Marshall, 1st Earl of Pembroke|William Marshal, earl of Pembroke]];<ref group=lower-alpha>Stephen Devereux is referred to as William Marshal's 'cousin.' In this context it indicates as belonging to the same extended family</ref> [[Nicholas Devereux of Chanston|Nicholas Devereux]] with [[Walter de Lacy, Lord of Meath]];<ref>The Deputy Keeper of Records. "Liber Feodorum. The Book of Fees Commonly Called Testa de Nevill, Reformed From the Earliest Mss; Part 1, AD 1198 - 1242." (London: Published by his Majesty's Stationery Office, 1920). Pages 631-2</ref><ref>W. Holden Brook. "Lords of the Central Marches: English Aristocracy and Frontier Society, 1087-1265." (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008). Pages 101, 113</ref><ref>[http://sdrc.lib.uiowa.edu/patentrolls/e3v5/body/Edward3vol5page0053.pdf], Calendar of Patent Rolls, Volume 5, page 53. 1340, November 14, Reading, membrane 24 & 25</ref><ref group=lower-alpha>Nicholas Devereux would eventually become the Steward of Meath for Walter de Lacy, and inherit the Devereux manors of Chanston (Hereford) and East Leach (Gloucester).</ref> and [[John Devereux of Bodenham and Decies|John Devereux]] with [[William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber]].<ref>Gabriel O'C Redmond. "An Account of the Anglo-Norman Family of Devereux, of Balmagir, County Wexford." (Dublin: Office of "The Irish Builder," 1891). Pages 5</ref><ref group="lower-alpha">John Devereux would be granted the Decies (county Waterford). When William de BroaseBraose eventually fell out of favor with King John in 2010, John Devereux became part of the retinue of William Marshall with his brother, Stephen.</ref> Stephen's mother, Cecilia, launched into a series of legal fights to preserve her dower rights and the Devereux properties.<ref group=lower-alpha>Two examples: Curia Regis Roll: Michaelmas Term, 9 John 1207. Cicely Devereux was fined 3 marks for mercy in the suit over Putley. The matter was eventually settled when the canons produced the charter that William Devereux had conferred on them, and demonstrated they had possessed the right of patronage for the previous 60 years. An arrangement was made where Cecilia released her own claims and the future rights of her heirs and assigns in the contested portion of the advowson, for which concession she was paid eight marks of silver with the privilege of having her obit celebrated in the Cathedral at the annual thanksgiving to benefactors. Curia Regis Roll: Michaelmas Term, 13 John, 1211, Membrane 6, Page 144. Gloucester— Cecilia Devereux seeks against William de Lechlade six and a half hides of land and 6 acres of land with the appurtenances in Lech (Leach) as her right and inheritance. And so William Devereux, the grandfather of the aforesaid Cicely, was seised in the time of King Henry the Lord's father, etc. And William comes and defends his right to hold in the Lord's name, and he puts forward his great assize of the Lord King and seeks to have his seisin recognized, as is aforesaid, whether he should have the greater right of holding than Cicely the land of William Devereux, her grandfather and by whom she herself stakes her claim of the land, he (William Devereux) gave his mother, Orenge. Cicely received a marriage-portion to hold of him if she held this in the Lord's name. Day is given them on the octave of St. Martin, and then come the fourth. etc.</ref>

On 20 February 1208 the [[John of England|King]] sent a letter to Marshal telling him "I want you to know that I have delivered to you the lands I confiscated from John of Early, which he held from you. I took away his lands because more than two months ago I instructed him to come to me and he did not do so. I very much want you to produce both him and the others I summoned before me, as is right and proper. I need them here for my own business, and I will keep their lands until they surrender to me."<ref name=WMDC2016/> Shortly after John took the opportunity while out riding to torment William Marshal. He informs him that the earl's pregnant wife was besieged in Kilkenny castle, and that a bloody battle had been fought there causing the death of Stephen Devereux and John of Earley.<ref>Paul Meyer. “L’Histoire de Guillaume le Marechal, Comte de Striguil et de Pembroke, Regent D’Angleterre de 1216 a 1219.” (Paris: Libraire de la Societe de l’Histoire de France, 1901). Page 191 to 192</ref><ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 304</ref> The truth came out a few weeks later. Marshal's forces were victorious, and this prompted a reconciliation with King John. William Marshal rewarded his loyal knights with lands, and Devereux received the castles of Balmagir and [[Selskar Abbey|Selskar]] in county Wexford.<ref name="Thomas Asbridge 2014 Page 311">Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 311</ref><ref>Gabriel O’C. Redmond. "An Account of the Anglo-Norman Family of Devereux, of Balmagir, County Wexford." (Dublin: Office of "The Irish Builder," 1891). Pages 4 to 5</ref><ref group=lower-alpha>A pedigree of the Devereux of Ballybarne (Kilrush), County Wexford, indicates their family descended from the ‘ancient family of Devereux of Balmagir in that county, who settled there in the reign of King John’ (1199-1216)</ref>

By the summer of 1208, [[William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber]], had fallen out of favorfavour with [[John of England|King John]] and fled to his friend, the earl of Pembroke, in Ireland.<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 312</ref> The king's men seized Braose's lands, and tracked him to Leinster. Marshal denied knowledge of the charges against Braose, and refused to turn him over claiming he was under the protection of his hospitality.<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 313</ref> Braose was escorted to Meath where he took sanctuary with Walter de Lacy. John seized Braose's lands, and replaced him as sheriff of Hereford with his mercenary commanders. Among these lands were the estates of the under-age Stephen Devereux including his castle at Lyonshall, Hereford. This at first was given over to [[Walter de Lacy, Lord of Meath|Walter de Lacy]] who placed [[Lyonshall]] in the hands of Miles Pichard, but on discovering that Braose was in Meath, the king seized the de Lacy lands in Ireland.<ref name="Thomas Asbridge 2014 Page 314">Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 314</ref><ref name="PIC1878">Bernard. ''The Picards of Pychards; of Stradewy (now Tretower) Castle, and Scethrog, Brecknockshire''. (London: Golding and Lawrence, 1878). page 15-16, 23</ref><ref>Thomas Duffus Hardy. Rotuli litterarum patentium in Turri londinensi asservati. Volume 1. Part 1. (London: Commissioners on the Public Records, 1835). Page 91</ref> John raised a great army to bring to Ireland, and William Marshal rushed to England to renew his submission and vow no further support for de Braose.<ref name="Thomas Asbridge 2014 Page 314"/> John's force landed in Waterford, and marched north. Walter de Lacy submitted, but his brother Hugh de Lacy resisted and was defeated. Hugh de Lacy fled to Scotland, and William de Braose fled to France and died.<ref name="Thomas Asbridge 2014 Page 314"/> William Marshal was again in disfavor, and the king's wrath fell also on his followers. John of Earley, Jordan of Saqueville, and Geoffrey of Saqueville were imprisoned,<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 315</ref> and Devereux found all his estates back in the king's hands.

The next year brought uprisings in Wales, and increasing unrest among England's barons at the poor rule of King John. Marshal seized this opportunity to make a gesture of support for the king,<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 320</ref> prompting the release of the earl's men and restoration of Stephen Devereux's estates. As John's popularity plummeted, Marshal and his knights bolstered the king's forces helping to stabilize the situation.<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 323</ref> Stephen is rewarded with the pardon of 4 marks of scutage by King John in 1211, and two fees held of the [[Bishop of Worcester|Bishops of Worcester]] and Winchester in 1214. Walter de Lacy released ½ knight's fee in the manor of Haymond[[Halmond's Frome|Haymonds Frome]] (Frome Halmond) to Stephen d’Ebroicis.<ref group=lower-alpha>Later there was the following entry in the Book of Fees during the time of Henry III referring to an earlier charter involving lands held by his widow: “In the manor of Frome Haymond which contains four hides, Isabel Devereux holds from the Honor of Weobley from old; and the four hides formerly were responsible for one knight fee, and through this charter, Walter de Lacy releases Stephen Devereux from one half fee.”</ref>

Stephen Devereux participated in the King's expedition to [[Poitou]] in France during the first part of 1214, and is present for the conquest of [[County of Anjou|Anjou]] and the final withdrawal following the [[Battle of Bouvines]]. King John was forced to offer tax concessions to induce participation, but many leading barons still were not involved directly choosing to send proxies instead. It is probable that Stephen served in this role for the Marshal. His reward included instructions to the royal forester, [[Hugh de Neville]], to measure 40 acres at his manor of Crowle in the royal forest of [[Feckenham Forest|Feckenham]] for assarting (clearance for agriculture) in accord with the license the King had granted Stephen. The Pipe Roll of Michaelmas 1214 recorded Stephen Devereux as owing 6 dogs for obtaining an order from the king.<ref>Patricia M. Barnes (editor). The Great Roll of the Pipe for the Sixteenth Year of the Reign of King John, Michaelmas 1214 (Pipe Roll 60). (London: Kraus Reprint, 1977). Page 57</ref> On 2 August 1222 a writ was sent to the sheriff of Worcestershire involving Crowle. The order showed that Crowle had been given to the Prior of Wormsley by Stephen, but his original grant was being called into question. In 1224 Stephen's position was strong enough to point out to the government that the 40 acres of assart granted him at Crowle were to be placed outside the regard, and they were for the three years.<ref group=lower-alpha>After his death there is reference on 30 December 1232 (Calendar of Charter Rolls, Tewkesbury, membrane 12) to an exception in the “Grant to the hospital of St. Wulstan, Worcester, without the gate of Suthbiri, and the brethren there, or the following gifts: … of the gift of Stephen de Ebroicis, the patronage of the church of Croul…”</ref>

Stephen also served with William le Gras<ref group=lower-alpha>Lord of Grace Castle in Kilkenny, and brother-in-law of William Marshall</ref> as the Marshall's attorney in a suit in 1214 involving the [[Ferns, County Wexford|(St. Mary's) Abbey]] in Ferns, Wexford.<ref>Curia Regis Rolls, Volume 7, 15 John I to 16 John I with 9 Richard I. (London: Public Record office, 1971). Page 51; Curia Regis Roll 59, Hilary Term</ref> This reflected the ongoing dispute between Marshal and Albinus, Bishop of Ferns, which would drag on for the remainder of his life.<ref name=WMDC2016/> With [[John of England|John's]] failures in France, unrest swept England again, and the first Barons’ War broke out.<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 326</ref> William Marshall and Stephen Devereux stood firm with the King, and were deeply involved in the negotiations resulting in the [[Magna Carta]],<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 327</ref> which John signed at Runnymede on 15 June 1215. On 4 July 1215 King John wrote in a royal writ describing Stephen as ‘our dear and faithful’ when ordering a quittance of an annual render to Hereford Castle of 32 gallons of honey from Devereux's manor of [[Ballingham]].<ref>Thomas Duffus Hardy. Rotuli litterarum patentium in Turri londinensi asservati. Volume 1. Part 1. (London: Commissioners on the Public Records, 1835). Page 147</ref> Stephen Devereux was further rewarded with many holdings forfeited by the rebels: Ballingham and Clehonger in Herefordshire (27 Jan 1216),<ref group=lower-alpha>Forfeited by Walter de Stokes</ref> L20 of land in Stanton, Worcestershire (30 July 1216),<ref group=lower-alpha>Forfeited by Peter of Stanton</ref> and lands at Rotherwas (1219).<ref group=lower-alpha>Forfeited by Peter of Welles</ref>

As the king worked to reverse the [[Magna Carta]], England again plunged into civil war. The earl of Pembroke and Stephen Devereux remained faithful to the King, but at the time of John's death on 18 October 1216 two thirds of England was in open rebellion<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 337</ref> and a French army had landed at Sandwich, [[county Kent]], to support the claim of their Prince (who became [[Louis VIII of France]]) to the throne.<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 336</ref> As William Marshal attended to the burial of John, he sent his men to secure John's son, [[Henry III of England|Henry III]]. On 28 October 1216 the earl had a heated debate with his mesnie including Stephen Devereux, and the decision was to support [[Henry III of England|Henry's]] claim to the throne.<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 344 to 345</ref> William Marshal was appointed Guardian of the Realm, and Devereux was placed on the regency council entrusted with protecting the king during his minority. Moving quickly the royalists regained the initiative, and support began to flow back to Henry. Stephen Devereux was probably with the Earl of Pembroke at the [[Battle of Lincoln (1217)|Battle of Lincoln]] on 20 May 1217 when the baronial rebels were soundly defeated. The French claimant, [[Louis VIII of France|Prince Louis]], was forced to break off his siege of Dover,<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 361</ref> and following the destruction of his reinforcements at the naval [[Battle of Sandwich (1217)|battle of Sandwich]] on 24 August 1217, abandoned England and his claim to the throne.<ref>Thomas Asbridge. The Greatest Knight. (New York: Harper Collins, 2014). Page 362</ref>

During 1219 Devereux confirmed the grant of his father and himself of the whole church of Lyonshall to the canons of Pyon, and expressed his regret that the urgency of his affairs prevented him from tendering his gift in person.<ref>John Caley, Henry Ellis, and Bulkeley Bandinel (editors). Monasticon Anglicanum, A History of the Abbies and other Monasteries, Hospitals, Frieries, and Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, Volume 6, Part 1. (London:James Bohn, 1846). Page 403</ref> To secure his position in Hereford, Stephen Devereux accepted a grant from Gilbert de Lacy of 12 virgates of land in the manor of [[StauntonStanton on Wye|Staunton-on-WyeLacy]] (part of the honor of Weobley also held by the Pichard's) for which Stephen “should be in my familia” or military retinue.<ref>Colin Veach. "Lordship in Four Realms: The Lacy Family, 1166-1241". (Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, 2014). page 260, reference Hereford Cathedral Archives, no 3235, 'Pro eo quod sit in familia mea'</ref> As a supporter now of de Lacy, both Walter and Gilbert de Lacy witnessed and confirmed Stephen's further extensive grants to Wormsley Priory about 1220,<ref>Roger Dodsworth. ''Monasticon Anglicanum by William Dugsdale''. (London: 1673). Vol. 3, Additions to Volume 2, Stephen Devereux Charters for Lyonshall, page 49, 53</ref><ref group=lower-alpha>Stephen Devereux's brother, John, witnessed his grants.</ref> which were valued at 83 pounds 10 shillings 2 pence annually.<ref>William Dugdale. Monasticon Anglicanum in 3 Volumes. (London: 1693). Volume II, of Saint Augustin, Page 159</ref> The majority of the lands were located near Kings Pyon about 7.5 miles south-east of [[Lyonshall]]. Stephen granted the mill at Lyonshall with the raw materials to support it from his manor; pigs from the woods of Lyonshall; land in that area and in Halmond's Frome near their mill; a portion of the annual rents of Lyonshall, Frome, and Stokes; pasture in his manner of Cheddrehole; and salt from his manor at Crowle.<ref group=lower-alpha>As described above Crowle was in the hands of the Priors before 1224</ref> In this grant there is also mention of his wife, Isabel, and mother, ‘the widow Cecilia’ (who was holding some of the lands involved in the grant).<ref>John Caley, Henry Ellis, and Bulkeley Bandinel (editors). Monasticon Anglicanum, A History of the Abbies and other Monasteries, Hospitals, Frieries, and Cathedral and Collegiate Churches, Volume 6, Part 1. (London:James Bohn, 1846). Page 399</ref> On 20 February 1223 Prior Ralph of Wormsley promised not to alienate or sell any of the lands or possessions which they held of the gift of Stephen Devereux without his assent.<ref> Brock Holden. "Lords of the Central Marches: English Aristocracy and Frontier Society, 1087-1265." (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008). Page 101</ref>

*Margaret Devereux (born ~1216). She married Alexander Redmond of The Hall.<ref name="C. Redmond 1891 Pages 4">Gabriel O’C. Redmond. "An Account of the Anglo-Norman Family of Devereux, of Balmagir, County Wexford." (Dublin: Office of "The Irish Builder," 1891). Pages 4</ref><ref group=lower-alpha>The ancient latin pedigree of the family records: Dominus Alexander de Redmond de Aula eques qui obiit AD 1285, nupt. fuit a Margareta filia Domini Stephani Devereux de Ballymaguir in Comitatu Wexfordensi equities. Alexander Redmond was a descendant of [[Raymond FitzGerald]], brother in law of [[Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke]]</ref>

*Philip Devereux, knight of Balmagir (born ~1221)<ref>Gabriel O’Cname="C. Redmond. "An Account of the Anglo-Norman Family of Devereux, of Balmagir, County Wexford." (Dublin: Office of "The Irish Builder," 1891). Pages 4<"/ref><ref group=lower-alpha>A pedigree of the Devereux of Carigmenan, County Wexford (held in the National Archives in Dublin) was headed by Philip Devereux with written annotation indicating he came to Ireland in 1232. He may have been named for Stephen Devereux’s fellow knight in the retinue of William Marshal, Philip of Prendergast.</ref>

Stephen Devereux's principal seat was at [[Lyonshall]] Castle in Hereford. His manors included [[Ballingham]], [[River Frome, Herefordshire|Frome Halmond]] (Herbert), [[Stoke Lacy]], [[Holme Lacy]], La Fenne ([[Bodenham]]), and [[Whitchurch, Herefordshire|Whitchurch maund]] in Herefordshire; Cheddrehole ([[Cheddar, Somerset|Cheddar]]) in Somerset; [[Stanton Lacy|Lower Hayton]] in Salop; and [[Wilby, Norfolk|Wilby]] in Norfolk. Additional lands included [[Clehonger]], and [[Staunton on Wye|Staunton-on-Wye]] in Herefordshire; [[Crowle, Worcestershire|Crowle]] in the Royal Forest of [[Feckenham Forest|Feckham]], and [[Staunton, near Gloucester, Gloucestershire|Staunton]] in Worcester; Guiting and Oxenhall in [[Gloucestershire]]; [[Trumpington]] in Cambridgeshire: and [[Bosnormand]] (Eure) in the Évreçin, Normandy.<ref>Colin Veach. Lordship in four Realms, The Lacy Family, 1166-1241. Manchester Medieval Studies. (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 2014)</ref>. Oxenhall,<ref>Deputy Keeper of Records. Liber Feodorum. The book of fees, commonly called the Testa de Nevill. (London: Public Record Office, 1920). Page 439</ref> Trumpington,<ref>William Farrer (editor). Feudal Cambridgeshire. (Cambridge: University Press, 1920). Page 221</ref> Frome Halmond and Whitchurch maund were held by Isabel de Cantilupe in dower until her death.