Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex
Walter Devereux was the eldest son of Sir Richard Devereux, who was created a Knight of the Bath on 20 February 1547 and died that same year, in the lifetime of his father, The 1st Viscount Hereford. Walter Devereux's mother was Lady Dorothy Hastings, daughter of The 1st Earl of Huntingdon and Anne Stafford, said to have been a mistress of Henry VIII. Through his paternal ancestry he was related to the Bourchier family, to which previous Earls of Essex had belonged: John Devereux, son of Walter Devereux who died at the Battle of Bosworth, married Cecily Bourchier, sister of Henry Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Essex.
Walter Devereux (died c. 1383)
On 8 March 1377 he was appointed Justice of the Peace, and assigned on 29 April 1377 to raise troops in Herefordshire to repel an anticipated invasion. On 12 May 1377 Walter Devereux was assigned to make inquisitions by oath of the men of the lordships of Brecombe, Haye, Huntington and Caldecotes in Wales touching all seditions, oppressions, champerties, ambidextries, falsities and deceptions, damages, grievances and excesses perpetrated there; as well in forests, stews, waters, assarts and purprestures as elsewhere; and touching all wards, marriages, reliefs, escheats, lands and other profits and emoluments pertaining to the king which have been concealed, withdrawn or occupied; also to make due restitution of the latter, and to hear and determine the premises at the suit of the king or others; and commission to them to be justices to take hearings in all personal pleas, as well of accounts, errors and attaints, as all others, and to correct what has been wrongly done therein and punish delinquents. Devereux was again appointed on 2 July 1377 as Justice of the Peace for Herefordshire., and on 20 July, following the death of Edward III and ascension of Richard II, he was also among those assigned as keepers of the city of Hereford. They were instructed to stay upon its sage custody and for conservation of the peace therein, with full power to see that all men of the city and suburbs, according to their condition and means, are suitably armed, arrayed, and kept ready to resist the king's enemies, compelling them if need be, by distress or imprisonment.