22 Mar 1438, Westminster
Order to John Wyggmore, escheator in the county of Hereford and the adjacent march of Wales;-pursuant to an inquisition taken before him showing that a fine was levied in the king's court in three weeks of Easter 5 Henry V, before Richard Norton and his fellows then justices, and afterwards, in the octave of Hilary 5 Henry V, was granted and recorded there before the same justices and others the king's lieges then present, between Geoffrey Harley esquire, Richard Hulle esquire, and John Monyton, querents, and John Merbury esquire and Agnes then his wife, deforciants, touching (among other things) the castle and manor of Webbeley, by which fine the said John Merbury and Agnes, and for that acknowledgement, fine and concord the said Geoffrey, Richard and John Monyton granted the said castle and manor to the said John Merbury and Agnes, to hold to them and the heirs of their bodies of the said late king by the services due and customary, for ever, with remainder to the right heirs of Agnes, the king's licence touching the premises having been first obtained; and that the said John Merbury and Agnes were seised of the said castle and manor in their demesne as of fee tail, by virtue of the said fine, and peaceably continued that estate therein for the whole of the life of Agnes; and that Agnes died, without heir of her body by the said John Merbury, seised of such estate in the said castle and manor jointly with the said John Merbury, who survived her and died so seised of the said castle and manor as tenant in fee tail after possibility of issue extinct; and that after his death the said castle and manor ought to remain by the form of the said fine to Walter Devereux, esquire, (who is of full age), as kinsman and heir of Agnes, to wit, as son of Walter the son of the said Agnes; and that the said castle and manor are held of the king in chief;-to take the fealty of the said Walter the son and cause him to have full seisin of the said castle and manor, which have been taken into the king's hand by the death of the said John Merbury, as the king for 40s. paid in the hanaper has respited until the quinzaine of Michaelmas next the homage due from him in this behalf and for other lands and tenements in divers other counties of the realm.
Order in like terms to John Holt, escheator in the county of Leicester;-pursuant to an inquisition taken before him showing that by a fine levied as above touching the manors of Cotesbache by Lutterworth, Neubolt Verdon, Hemyngton and Braunston, 60s. of rent and the view of frankpledge of Skyftynton, the advowsons of the priory of Gracedieu and of the churches of Braunston, Skyftynton and Cotesbache, and the advowson of a fourth part of the church of Boseworth, the said John Merbury and Agnes acknowledged the said manors of Cotesbache and Neubolt Verdon to be the right of the said Geoffrey, Richard and John Monyton, and the rest of the premises as the right of the said Geoffrey, for which acknowledgement, fine and concord the premises were granted to the said John Merbury and Agnes to hold the same to them and the heirs of their bodies, to wit, the said manors of Cotesbache and Neubolt Verdon of the king and his heirs by the services due and customary, for ever, the king's licence having been first obtained, and the rest of the premises of the chief lords of that fee by the services which pertain thereto, for ever, with remainder to the right heirs of Agnes; and that the said John Merbury and Agnes were seised of the premises in their demesne as of fee tail, by virtue of the said fine, and peaceably continued that estate therein for the whole of the life of Agnes; and that Agnes died, without heir of her body by the said John Merbury, seised of such estate in the premises jointly with the said John Merbury, who survived her and died so seised as tenant in fee tail after possibility of issue extinct; and that after his death the premises ought to remain by the form of the said fine to the said Walter Devereux the son; and that the said manors of Cotesbache and Neubolt Verdon are held of the king in chief, and the said manors of Hemyngton and Braunston of others than the king;-to cause the said Walter the son to have full seisin of the said manors, rent, view and advowsons, as the king for a certain fine paid in the hanaper has respited until a certain day yet to come the homage due from him in this behalf and for other lands and tenements in divers other counties of the realm and has ordered his fealty to be taken by John Wyggemore, escheator in the county of Hereford.
Order in like terms to Thomas Babyngton, escheator in the county of Nottingham, to cause the said Walter the son to have full seisin of the manors of Arnald and Tiercewell, as the king for a certain fine paid in the hanaper has respited until a certain day yet to come the homage due from him for certain lands and tenements in other counties of the realm, which were held of his inheritance by the said John Merbury in form aforesaid on the day of his death, of the king in chief, and has ordered his fealty to be taken by John Wyggemore, escheator in the county of Hereford; pursuant to an inquisition showing that by a fine levied as above touching, among other things, the said manors, the said John Merbury and Agnes acknowledged the said manors to be the right of the said Geoffrey, for which acknowledgement, fine and concord the manors were granted to the said John Merbury and Agnes to hold the same to them and the heirs of their bodies of the chief lords of the fee by the services pertaining thereto, with remainder to the right heirs of Agnes; and that the manor of Tiercewell is held of the king as of his honour of Tikhull and the manor of Arnald of others than the king....
Calendar of Fine Rolls, vol. xvii, pp. 31-33
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9 Nov 1447
Commitment of the county of Hereford to Walter Devereux, knight, during pleasure, so that he answer at the Exchequer as sheriff.
Calendar of Fine Rolls, vol. xviii, p. 82
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10 Apr 1448, Westminster
Licence, for 40s. paid in the hanaper, for Nicholas Poynes and John Langeley to grant to Walter Devereux, knight, and Elizabeth his wife and the heirs of their bodies the manor of Dymmok, co. Gloucester, held in chief, with remainder to the right heirs of John Merbury.
Calendar of Patent Rolls, Hen. VI, vol. 5, p. 131
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7 Dec 1452 and 12 Nov 1453
Commitment to Walter Deverose knight, alias Walter Devereux, knight, and Elizabeth his wife,—by mainprise of William Wykes of Moreton Geffrey, co. Hereford, 'gentilman,' and John Hille of Webley, co. Hereford, 'gentilman,'—of the keeping of four parts of the manor of Dymmok, co. Gloucester, which have been taken into the king's hand by colour of an inquisition taken before John Cassy, late escheator; to hold from the day of the taking of the said inquisition until Martinmas next, according to the form of the statute published in the Parliament held at Westminster 8 Henry VI; so that they answer at the Exchequer for the issues taken therefrom in the mean time, if they shall be adjudged to the king, and in the mean time commit no waste.
Calendar of Fine Rolls, vol. xix, pp. 22, 66
General Notes: