Research Notes:

His father's assets having been forfeited following his execution in 1326 (for supporting King Edward II against the Queen and Mortimer), Richard FitzAlan's inheritance was restored in 1330 and he succeeded as Earl of Arundel, known as "Copped Hat". He succeeded in 1347 to the estates of the Warenne family, on the death of his uncle John de Warenne Earl of Surrey, although he only assumed the title Earl of Surrey after the death of the deceased Earl's widow Joan in 1361....

The History of the foundation of Walden abbey records the death “1375 IX Kal Feb” of “Ricardus comes Arundell”. ¹

---------------------------------

RICHARD FITZ ALAN, called "Copped Hat" son and heir of Edmund [12th Earl of Arundel].... In 1330-31 he was fully restored in blood and honours and in December of that year obtained restitution of the Castle and Honour of Arundel from the widow of John, Earl of Kent, becoming Earl of Arundel; he took a distinguished part in the wars with France; Admiral of the West 1340-41 and 1347-47; commanded the second division at the Battle of Crécy, and was at the fall of Calais in 1347; on June 30, 1347 he succeeded to the vast estates of the family of Warenne, by the death, s.p.legit of his mother's brother, John, Earl of Surrey and Sussex. By fine levied 1349-50, he settled the Castle, town, and manor of Arundel on himself and his [then] wife Eleanor, for their joint lives, with remainder to the heirs male of his body by his said wife. On the death of Joan, the widow of his said uncle, John, Earl of Surrey, in 1361, but not before, he assumed the title of Earl of Surrey, and on 12 Apr 1366 settled the Warenne estates on his issue.

He married, 1stly, 9 February 1320/1, in the King's Chapel at Havering-atte-Bower [he about 7, she about 8], Isabel, daughter of Sir Hugh le Despenser the younger, [Lord le Despenser], by Eleanor, daughter and co-heir of Gilbert [de Clare], Earl of Gloucester. Obtained 4 December 1344, a Papal mandate for the annulment of his marriage to Isabel le Despenser, on the ground of his minority and of his never willingly consented to the match. He married 2ndly, 5 February 1344/5, at Ditton, [a lady with whom he had previously cohabited], Eleanor, widow of John de Beaumont [2nd Lord Beaumont], daughter of Henry, Earl of Lancaster, by Maud, daughter and heir of Sir Patrick de Chawices or Chaworth. She, who was 1st cousin to his 1st wife, and 2nd cousin once removed to the Earl... ²

---------------------------------

Richard Fitz-Alan... who being restored by parliament, 4th Edward III [1331], had the castle of Arundel (which had been given to Edmund, Earl of Kent, the king's uncle) rendered to him, and thus became 9th earl. In the 7th Edward III [1334], this nobleman was constituted governor of Chirke Castle, co. Denbigh, and the ensuing year had a grant of the inheritance of that castle, with all the territories thereunto belonging, being part of the possessions of Roger Mortimer, the attainted Earl of March; he was soon afterwards made governor of Porchester Castle, and the same year had a command in the wars of Scotland, where he continued engaged for some years. After this he was constituted admiral of the western seas, and governor of Caernarvon Castle. In the 14th Edward III [1341], his lordship embarked in the French wars, and participated in the glories of the subsequent campaigns. He was at the siege of Vannes, the relief of Thouars, and the immortal battle of Cressy. Besides his great military services, the earl was frequently employed in diplomatic missions of the first importance, and was esteemed one of the most eminent generals and statesmen of the era in which he lived. His lordship, who, with his other honours, had the Garter, contracted in minority and under constraint, marriage with Isabel, dau. of Hugh le Despencer, and had issue by her, an only dau., Philippa, m. to Sir Richard Sergeaux, Knt., of Cornwall. In 1345, he was divorced from this lady, and m. Lady Eleanor Plantagenet, dau. of Henry, Earl of Lancaster, and widow of John, Baron Beaumont, by whom he had issue, Richard, his successor; John, marshal of England in 1377, summoned to parliament 1st to 3rd Richard II. he d. 1379, having m. Eleanor, grand-dau. and co-heir of John, Lord Maltravers, in whose right he bore that title; Thomas, called Arundel, successively bishop of Ely, archbishop of York, and archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Chancellor of England; Joane, m. to Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford; Alice, m. to Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent; Mary, m. to John, Lord Strange, of Blackmere; and Eleanor, m. to Robert, son of William de Ufford, Earl of Suffolk. His lordship d. in 1376, and was s. by his eldest son, Richard Fitz-Alan, 10th Earl of Arundel. ^{3 4}

---------------------------------

The Will of Richard Earl of Arundel, written 5 Dec 1375.

Richard Earl of Arundel and Surrey, at Arundel Castle, December 5, 1375. My body to be buried in the Chapter-house of the Priory at Lewes, near to the tomb of Eleanor de Lancaster, my wife; and I desire that my tomb be no higher than hers; that no men at arms, horses, hearse, or other pomp, be used at my funeral, but only five torches,with their morters, as was about the corpse of my wife, be allowed; and that no more than D marks be expended thereon. To purchase lands and rent for the Monks at Lewes ccl. otherwise, that one or two churches be appropriated to that Monastery, for the maintenance of two Monks to celebrate two masses perpetually every day for the souls of my father and mother, my wife and my children and successors, and all Christian people, in the Chapel of St. Thomas the Martyr in that house, or else in the Chapel of Our Lady on the north of the great Church; the one mass to be that of Our Lady, and the other of the Holy Ghost. And I will that every Prior of that house, on his first entrance on his government, shall swear to see the same punctually performed. Likewise I bequeath M marks to purchase lands of the annual value of cvii marks, for the maintenance of six Priests and three Choristers, to celebrate divine service every day by note, in the Chapel of my Castle of Arundel, and to pray for the souls of my father and mother, my wife and children, their successors, and all Christians; I will that that they rise every day in summer at sun-rising, and in winter at break of the day, to their matins by note; and they are also to perform their masses, high and low, and other divine services, according to the directions of my Executors. To purchase xxl. rent for the poor of my counties of Sussex and Salop, cccc marks, with the fulfilment of which I charge Richard, my son; to my son Thomas Bishop of Ely, two M marks; to John, my son, five M marks, with all the stock upon my lands at my decease; to Joane, my daughter, two M marks; to Alice, my daughter, three M marks; to the eldest daughter of my said son John, one M marks; to Henry and Edward, the younger sons of my said son John, D marks each; to William, another son of my said son John, D marks; to my nephews and nieces, sons and daughters of Sir Roger le Strange, and to my sister, Dame Alaine le Strange, wife to the said Roger, MD marks, over and above M marks more paid to them already; to Richard, my son and heir, my best coronet, and I charge him on my blessing to keep it during his life, and then to leave it to his heir, and so to remain from heir to heir, Lords of Arundel, in remembrance of me; to Joane, my daughter, my second coronet, with the like charge, and to Alice my daughter, my third coronet, on the same conditions; to John, my son, my house in London, called Bermondsey Inn, near Fish Wharf; to my dear uncle, Sir John Arundell; I will that my Executors pay ccclx marks to William Skinner, for the Abbot of Hagemont, which he oweth to him; to Joane, my daughter, Countess of Hereford; to Sir Hugh de Segrave; to Sir Guy de Brian; to Sir Edward St. John five hundred marks, to be painful in the execution of my will, and to be good to my children. ⁵