A manuscript which narrates the descents of the founders of Lanthony Abbey names “Humfredus octavus de Bohun, comes Herefordiæ et Essex, constabularius Angliæ et dominus Breconiæ” as son of “Humfredus septimus de Bohun” and his wife “Matildem de Fenes”.
He succeeded his father in 1298 as Earl of Hereford and Essex, hereditary Constable of England. He was deprived of his office of Constable in 1302, but was restored as such 28 Aug 1311. He was among the Barons who forced King Edward II to agree to the appointment of the Ordainers, of whom he became one himself. He opposed the Despensers, joined the rebellion of Thomas Earl of Lancaster, and was killed while trying to force the bridge at Boroughbridge.
The History of the foundation of Walden abbey records that “Humfridus de Bohun” was killed “ad pontem de Burrowbrigge” and was buried at York. A manuscript which narrates the descents of the founders of Lanthony Abbey records that “Humfredus octavus” died 16 Mar 1321 and was buried “apud Ebor, inter Fratres Prædicatores”. 1
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HUMPHREY (DE BOHUN), EARL of HEREFORD AND ESSEX, and Constable of England, son and heir, was born about 1276. The King took his homage and he had livery of his father's lands 16 February 1298. He was at the marriage of Edward I to Queen Margaret at Canterbury, 9 September 1299. He served in Scotland and was present At the siege of Carlaverock, 1 July 1300. His seal is appended to the Barons' Letter to the Pope, 12 February 1300/1. By letters patent dated at Selkirk 26 July 1301 he had a grant that the grant made by him to the King of all the fees of beasts belonging to him by reason of his "constablie," between then and Michaelmas to come, in the Kingdom of Scotland, in the King's army and in that of Prince Edward, should not prejudice him or his heirs. In 1302, prior to his marriage with the King's daughter, he surrendered his castles, towns, manors and lands in Essex, Herts, Middlcscx, Hunts, Bucks, Wilts, cos. Gloucester and Hereford, and Wales, and made a further surrender of his right, honour and dominion by virtue of the name of Earl in cos. Hereford and Essex, as also of the constableship of England, enrolled 8 October; and the various escheators ordered to take seisin 9 October. After his marriage these were restored to him and his wife to be held as fully as he held them before quitclaiming to the King. He had letters of protection on going beyond the seas with the King's son 19 October 1304. On 11 April 1306 he had a grant of Annandale with all its liberties in arms of the sea with the castle of Lochmaben late of Robert (de Bruce), Earl of Carrick, escheated to the King by his felony in slaying John Comyn of Badenoch before the high altar of the Friars Minors at Dumfries. At the knighting of Prince Edward, 22 May 1306, the Earls of Hereford and Lincoln fastened his spurs. In the same year he served in Scotland and with Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, passed through the mountains and invested the castle of Kildrummie. At the coronation of Edward II he bore the sceptre with the cross. He took part in the proceedings leading up to the appointment of the Lords Ordainers in 1310, of whom he was one. Having been deprived of the constableship, he had restoration thereof 28 August 1311. He assisted towards the summary execution of Piers de Gavaston in 1312, for which with others he was pardoned 16 October 1313. He fought at Bannockburn (h) and was taken prisoner at Bothwell (whither he had retreated), having been betrayed by the Governor (Sir Walter Gilbertson]. He was exchanged for Elizabeth [de Burgh], wife of Robert de Bruce [King of Scotland from 27 March 1306], and the Bishop of St. Andrews. On 8 July 1315 he was going beyond seas. On 11 February 1315/6 he was appointed captain of all the forces against Llywellyn [ap Rhys] Bren in the land of Glamorgan, and on 2 July 1316 was going to the marches of Scotland on the King's service for a year. In 1318 (8 November) he was going beyond seas on the King's service to treat of peace with the Count of Flanders and the Count of Hainault, Holland and Zealand. He was named a commissioner to treat with Robert the Bruce 19 January 1320/1. Summoned to attend the Council at Gloucester, he sent word he could not do so while Hugh le Despenser, the younger, was in the King's comitiva; he was then ordered to attend at Oxford, and preparing to attack the said Despenser was ordered, 1 May 1321, to abstain, but during May and June the lands of the Despensers were ravaged. In accordance with an agreement made in Parliament, he received a pardon 20 August 1321. He was ordered, 12 November 1321, to abstain from the meeting of the "Good Peers" at Doncaster. His lands were taken into the King's hand by writs dated 25 December 1321 and 4 and 23 January and 8 February 1321/2, and various orders for his arrest issued 15 January, 22 February and 11 March 1321/2. He had joined the Earl of Lancaster, assisting in the taking of Gloucester and the burning of Bridgenorth.
He married, 14 November 1302, at Westminster, the Princess Elizabeth, widow of John, COUNT OF HOLLAND and ZEALAND, and daughter of KING EDWARD I, by his 1st wife, Eleanor, daughter of FERDINANDO III, KING OF CASTILE. She, who was born in August 1282, at Rhudlan Castle, co. Carnarvon, died 5 May, and was buried at Walden Abbey, 23 May 1316 (j). He was killed at Boroughbridge, 16 March 1321/2, when endeavouring to force the bridge, and was buried in the church of the Friars Preachers at York. By his will, dated at Gosforth, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, 11 August 1319, he desired burial at Walden near the body of his wife Elizabeth, made many pious bequests and remembered those in his employ.
(h) He and the Earl of Gloucester disputed as to who should take precedence in the line of battle, he claiming as Constable of England and the Earl of Gloucester on the grounds that his ancestors had always been first. As they disputed the Scottish line drew near and the Earl of Gloucester dashing forward secured the first triumph; his horse fell and he was killed. It was Henry de Bohun, his nephew, who was slain by Robert de Bruce.
NOTE: It was Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester who died at Bannockburn.
(j) They had 10 children, of whom John and Humphrey succeeded in turn to the earldoms. Edward, who was deputy for his brother at Halidon Hill, 19 July 1333, is said to have drowned about Martinmas 1334 in Scotland when trying to rescue one of his followers. He dsp.--IPM on his widow Margaret, daughter of Sir William de Ros. In the ordination of the chantry of Sir William de Bohun, Earl of Northampton, among the souls mentioned are Lady Elizabeth de Burgh, Lady of Clare; the Ladies Eleanor and Margaret, sisters of the Earl; Sir Edward, his brother; John, late Earl of Hereford and Essex, and Eneas his brothers, and his other sisters deceased; Sir John de Bohun, clerk, deceased. From this it might appear that Sir Edward was then alive. William, twin with Edward, was created Earl of Northampton and was father of the last Earl of Hereford and Essex of the Bohun family. Eneas is also mentioned with the other sons in his father's will. 2
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Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, Earl of Essex, and Lord High Constable. In the 30th Edward I [1302-3], this nobleman gave and granted unto the king, by a formal conversance, the inheritances of al his lands and lordships, as also of his earldoms of Hereford and Essex, and the constableship of England, which, upon his marriage with Elizabeth Plantagenet, widow of John, Earl of Holland, and dau. of the king, were regranted to him and entailed upon his issue lawfully begotten by that lady; in default thereof, and from and after the death of himself and wife, then the lordship of Plessets and certain other lordships in Essex and elsewhere, together with the constableship, should remain wholly to the king and his heirs for ever. In the 34th of the same reign [13-6-7] he had a grant similarly entailed of the whole territory of Annandale, in Scotland. After this his lordship was in the wars of Scotland and was taken prisoner in the 7th Edward II (1313-14), at the disastrous battle (to the English) of Stryvelin. But he was exchanged for the wife of Robert Bruce, who had long been captive in England. From this period we find him constantly engaged in the service of the crown until the 14th year of the king's reign [1321-22], when Edward learning that the earl was raising forces in the marches of Wales against Hugh de Spencer the younger, sent him a peremptory command to forbear, which his lordship not only refused obeying but forthwith joined Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, in the great insurrection then incited by that nobleman for the redress of certain grievances and the banishment of the Spencers. In his proceeding, however, he eventually lost his life, being run through the body by a soldier at the battle of Boroughbridge, in Yorkshire, where his party received so signal a defeat on 16 March, 1321. The earl had issue five surviving sons and two surviving daus., viz., John, Humphrey, Edward, William, Humphrey, Alianore, and Margaret. The earl was s. by his eldest son, Sir John de Bohun, K.B. 3
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