Walter Devereux (1387–1419)
Walter Devereux assumed a position in the retinue of Henry IV following the death of his father on 25 July 1402 at the Battle of Pilleth. On 13 December 1402 Sir Edmund Mortimer declared his rebellion against Henry IV, but Devereux stayed loyal to the king. He was probably present at the Battle of Shrewsbury on 21 July 1403, and subsequently was knighted. Sir Walter Devereux was placed on a Commission of array for Herefordshire on 8 September 1403 to raise troops for the defense against the king’s enemies who have lately invaded the realm. It is probable that Devereux was present when Henry IV faced off with a combined Welsh and French force in South Wales during the summer of 1405, but no major battle occurred and the English force had dispersed by October of that year. Devereux remained an important supporter of the efforts to suppress the rebellion in Wales as Prince Henry assumed responsibility for the fight. Walter Devereux would be among 14 men below the rank of baron who would be retained for life by Prince Henry (the future Henry V).
Walter Devereux (died c. 1383)
On 26 May 1380 Walter Devereux and his liege, Thomas of Woodstock, were appointed Justice of the Peace for Herefordshire. On 22 June 1380 he was granted protection and appointed an attorney for 1 year while overseas in France serving in the company of Thomas of Woodstock, Earl of Buckingham. In July Woodstock led an army across the channel to Calais to bring support to John IV, Duke of Brittany in his resistance to Charles V of France. The army marched east of Paris where it confronted Philip the Bold at Troyes, but the French refused battle and the two armies marched away. On 16 Sep 1380 Charles V died, and the French defense was thrown into disarray. Thomas of Woodstock led a chevauchée westward, and in November laid siege to Nantes. In January 1381 the Duke of Brittany reconciled with the new French King, Charles VI, and Woodstock was forced to abandon the siege due to dysentery and the collapse of his alliance.