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, 7th Baron Ferrers of Chartley
As a member of the Council of Wales, Walter Devereux was probably with Edward V when he was declared king following the sudden death of Edward IV on 9 April 1483. It would be expected that he accompanied Edward as he set out for London, and was probably among the retinue that was dismissed when Richard, Duke of Glouucester intercepted them at Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire on 29 April. Following the deposition of Edward V and crowning of the Duke as Richard III on 6 July 1483, Walter Devereux transferred his allegiance to the new king and was confirmed as Justice of the Peace for Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, Shropshire, and Hertfordshire. On 1 August Walter Devereux of Ferrers; his son, Sir John Devereux of Ferrers; and others were assigned in Herefordshire to assess and appoint collectors of the subsidies granted by the last Parliament from aliens (with the exception of the nations and merchants of Spain, Brittany, and Almain). Devereux attended Parliament on 23 January 1484, and was assigned to raise an army on 1 May 1484 in Hertfordshire, and Herefordshire. He was rewarded with the grant of Cheshunt manor, Hertfordshire, for life on 12 August; and assigned to investigate certain treasons and offenses committed by William Colingbourne late of Lidyard, Wiltshire; and John Turburville late of Firemayne, Dorset.