Biography of Humphrey Stafford 1st Earl Devon 1439-1469

Paternal Family Tree: Stafford

Maternal Family Tree: Emmeline Riddlesford 1223-1276

1450 Jack Cade's Rebellion

1461 Coronation of Edward IV

1469 Execution of Warwick's Supporters

1469 Battle of Edgecote Moor

Before 1439 [his father] William Stafford (age 19) and [his mother] Catherine Chideocke (age 15) were married.

Around 1439 Humphrey Stafford 1st Earl Devon was born to William Stafford (age 19) and Catherine Chideocke (age 15) at Staffordshire.

1450 Jack Cade's Rebellion

Chronicle of Gregory 1450. 07 Jun 1450. And yn the fowarde, as they wolde have folowyde the captayne, was slayn Syr Umfray Stafforde (age 50) and [his father] Wylliam Stafford (age 30), squyer, one the mannylste man of alle thys realme of Engelonde, whythe many moo othyr of mene personys at Sevenocke [Map], in Kentt, in hyr oute ragyng fro hyr oste of our soverayne lordys the kyng, Harry the vj te . And the kyng (age 28) loggyd that nyght at Grenewyche [Map], and sone aftyr every lorde whythe hys retynewe rood home in to hyr contraye. [Note. The date sometimes given as the 08 Jun 1450 and 18 Jun 1850]

Coronation of Edward IV

Warkworth's Chronicle 1461. 27 Jun 1461.... at the coronacyone1 of the forseyde Edwarde, he create and made dukes his two brythir, the eldere George (age 11) Duke of Clarence, and his yongere brothir Richard (age 8) Duke of Gloucetre; and the Lord Montagu (age 30)2, the Erle of Warwyke (age 32)'s brothere, the Erle of Northumberlonde; and one William Stafford squiere, Lord Stafforde of Southwyke; and Sere Herbard (age 38), Lorde Herbard, and aftere Lorde Erle of Penbroke3; and so the seide Lorde Stafforde (age 22) was made Erle of Devynschire4; the Lorde Gray Ryffyne (age 44), Erle of Kent6; the Lorde Bourchyer (age 57), Erle of Essex; the Lorde Jhon of Bokyngham (age 33), the Erle of Wyltschyre5; Sere Thomas [Walter] Blount (age 45), knyghte, Lord Mont[joy]; Sere Jhon Hawarde, Lorde Hawarde (age 36)8; William Hastynges (age 30) he made Lorde Hastynges and grete Chamberlayne; and the Lorde Ryvers; Denham squyere, Lorde Dynham; and worthy as is afore schewed; and othere of gentylmen and yomenne he made knyghtes and squyres, as thei hade desserved.

Note 1. At the coronacyone. King Edward was crowned in Westminster Abbey, on the 29th of June 1461. Warkworth's first passage is both imperfect and incorrect, and would form a very bad specimen of the value of the subsequent portions of his narrative; yet we find it transferred to the Chronicle of Stowe. It must, however, be regarded rather as a memorandum of the various creations to the peerage made during Edward's reign, than as a part of the chronicle. Not even the third peerage mentioned, the Earldom of Northumberland, was conferred at the Coronation, but by patent dated 27 May 1464: and the only two Earldoms bestowed in Edward's first year (and probably at the Coronation) were, the Earldom of Essex, conferred on Henry Viscount Bourchier, Earl of Eu in Normandy, who had married the King's aunt, the Princess Isabel of York; and the Earldom of Kent, conferred on William Neville, Lord Fauconberg, one of King Edward's generals at Towton. The former creation is mentioned by Warkworth lower down in his list; the latter is omitted altogether. - J.G.N.

Note 2. The Lord Montagu. And then Kyng Edward, concidering the greate feate doon by the said Lord Montagu, made hym Erle of Northumberlond; and in July next folowyng th'Erle of Warwyk, with th'ayde of the said Erle of Northumberland, gate agayn the castell of Bamborugh, wheryn was taken Sir Raaf Gray (age 29), which said Ser Raaf (age 29) was after behedid and quartred at York. Also, in this yere, the first day of May, the Kyng wedded Dame Elizabeth Gray (age 24), late wif unto the lord Gray of Groby, and doughter to the Lord Ryvers." - The London Chronicle, MS. Cotton. Vitell. A. xvi. fol. 126, ro. The MS. of the London Chronicle, from which Sir Harris Nicolas printed his edition, does not contain this passage. It is almost unnecessary to remark the chronological incorrectness of the above, but it serves to show how carelessly these slight Chronicles were compiled. Cf. MS. Add. Mus. Brit. 6113, fol. 192, rº. and MS. Cotton. Otho, B. XIV. fol. 221, ro.

Note 3. Lord Erle of Pembroke. William Lord Herbert of Chepstow (age 38), the first of the long line of Herbert Earls of Pembroke, was so created the 27th May 1468. His decapitation by the Duke of Clarence at Northampton in 1469, is noticed by Warkworth in p. 7.-J.G.N.

Note 4. Erle of Devynschire. Humphery Stafford (age 22), created Baron Stafford of Southwick by patent 24th April 1464, was advanced to the Earldom of Devon 7th May 1469; but beheaded by the commons at Bridgwater before the close of the same year, as related by Warkworth, ubi supra. - J.G.N.

Note 5. Erle of Wyltschyre. John Stafford (age 33), created Earl of Wiltshire, 5th Jan. 1470; he died in 1473.—J.G.N.

Note 6. "The Lorde Gray Ryffyne, Erle of Kent". The Earl of Kent, of the family of Neville, died without male issue, a few months after his elevation to that dignity; and it was conferred on the 30th May 1465, on Edmund Lord Grey de Ruthyn (age 44), on occasion of the Queen's coronation. He was cousin-german to Sir John Grey, of Groby, the Queen's first husband. On the same occasion the Queen's son Sir Thomas Grey (age 6) was created Marquess of Dorset; her father Richard Wydevile (age 56) lord Ryvers was advanced to the dignity of Earl Ryvers; and her brother Anthony (age 21) married to the heiress of Scales, in whose right he was summoned to Parliament as a Baron. - J.G.N.

Note 7. Sere Thomas Blount (age 45). This should be Walter, created Lord Montjoy 20th June 1465; he died in 1474.-J.G.N.

Note 8. Sere Jhon Hawarde, Lord Hawarde. John Howard 1st Duke of Norfolk (age 36). This peerage dates its origin, by writ of summons to Parliament, during the short restoration of Henry VI. in 1470, a circumstance more remarkable as "evidence exists that he did not attach himself to the interest of that Prince, being constitued by Edward, in the same year, commander of his fleet." See Sir Harris Nicolas's memoir of this distinguished person (afterwards the first Duke of Norfolk) in Cartwright's History of the Rape of Bramber, p. 189.-J.G.N.

On 24 Apr 1464 Humphrey Stafford (age 25) was created 1st Baron Stafford of Southwick. See Warkworth Note 4..

Execution of Warwick's Supporters

Warkworth's Chronicle 1469. Jan 1469. And the same yere Sere Thomas Hungerforde knyght, sonne to the Lorde Hungerforde, and Herry Curteney, the Erle of Devynschyre of right, were takene for treasoune and behedede1 at Salisbury, and menne seyde the Lorde Stafforde of Southwyke (age 30) was cause of the seyde Herry Curtenayes dethe, for he wolde be the Erle of Devynschyre, and so the Kynge made hym afterwarde, and [he] hade it noʒt halff a yere.

Note 1. Were takene for treasoune and behedede. See a valuable and curious note by Mr. Stapleton, in his volume of the Plumpton Correspondence, pp. 18, 19. This happened "circiter octavum Epiphanie [around the eighth day of Epiphany]." - MS. Arundel, Coll. Arm. 5, fol. 171, rº.

On 07 May 1469 Humphrey Stafford 1st Earl Devon (age 30) was created 1st Earl Devon. See Warkworth Note 4..

Battle of Edgecote Moor

On 26 Jul 1469 the Yorkist army suffered a defeat against a Lancastrian army led by Robin of Redesdale at the Battle of Edgecote Moor. The Yorkist army was commanded by John Courtenay 15th Earl Devon (age 34) and William "Black William" Herbert 1st Earl Pembroke (age 46).

Thomas Vaughan (age 69), John Wogan, Henry Neville (age 32), John Conyers (age 36), and brothers John Dudley (age 42) and Oliver Dudley were killed.

Humphrey Stafford 1st Earl Devon (age 30), John Conyers (age 58) and William Parr (age 35) fought.

Richard Woodville 1st Earl Rivers (age 64) and John Woodville (age 24) were captured.

On 17 Aug 1469 Humphrey Stafford 1st Earl Devon (age 30), having escaped after the Battle of Edgecote Moor, was captured and executed by a mob at Bridgwater, Somerset [Map]. He was buried at Glastonbury Abbey [Map]. Earl Devon extinct.

In Aug 1469 Humphrey Stafford 1st Earl Devon (age 30) forfeit Earl Devon.

Before 23 Jul 1478 [his step-father] Roger Lewknor of Broadhurst (age 57) and [his mother] Catherine Chideocke (age 55) were married.

John Arundell and [his mother] Catherine Chideocke were married.

Humphrey Stafford 1st Earl Devon 1439-1469 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

John Neville 3rd Baron Neville of Raby 1337-1388

Maud Percy Baroness Neville Raby

Royal Ancestors of Humphrey Stafford 1st Earl Devon 1439-1469

Kings Wessex: Great x 13 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 11 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 16 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 12 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys

Kings England: Great x 8 Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Kings Scotland: Great x 8 Grand Son of William "Lion" I King Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 18 Grand Son of Louis "Pious" King Aquitaine I King Franks

Kings France: Great x 10 Grand Son of Louis "Fat" VI King France

Ancestors of Humphrey Stafford 1st Earl Devon 1439-1469

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Stafford

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Stafford

Great x 4 Grandmother: Ermentrude Unknown

Great x 2 Grandfather: John Stafford

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Stafford

Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabel Stafford

Great x 4 Grandmother: Gundreda Stafford

Great x 1 Grandfather: Humphrey Stafford 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Stafford 1st Baron Stafford

Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph Stafford 1st Earl Stafford 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Basset 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Stafford 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Hastings 2nd Baron Hastings 14th Baron Bergavenny 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Katherine Hastings Baroness Stafford 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Juliana Leybourne Countess Huntingdon

GrandFather: Humphrey Stafford 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Greville

Great x 2 Grandfather: John Greville of Southwick

Great x 1 Grandmother: Alice Greville

Father: William Stafford 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Humphrey Stafford 1st Earl Devon 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Chideock

Great x 2 Grandfather: John Chidiock 4th Baron Fitzpayn

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Fitzpayn 2nd Baron Fitzpayn

Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabel Fitzpayn

Great x 1 Grandfather: John Chidiock 5th Baron Fitzpayn

GrandFather: John Chideock 6th Baron Fitzpayn 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Fulk Fitzwarin 2nd Baron Fitzwarin 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Fitzwarin 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Beauchamp Baroness Fitzwarin 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Ivo Fitzwarin 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Eleanor Fitzwarin 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Argentine

Great x 2 Grandmother: Maud Argentine

Mother: Catherine Chideocke 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Lumley

Great x 2 Grandfather: Marmaduke Lumley

Great x 4 Grandfather: Marmaduke Thweng

Great x 3 Grandmother: Lucia Thweng

Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Ros

Great x 1 Grandfather: Ralph Lumley 1st Baron Lumley 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Holland 1st Baron Holand

Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Holland 2nd Baron Holand 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Zouche Baroness Holand 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Holand 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

GrandMother: Catherine Lumley 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 2nd Baron Neville of Raby 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Euphemia Clavering Baroness Neville Raby 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 2 Grandfather: John Neville 3rd Baron Neville of Raby 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh Audley 1st Baron Audley Stratton Audley 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Audley Baroness Greystoke and Neville 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Isolde le Rous

Great x 1 Grandmother: Eleanor Neville Baroness Lumley 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Percy 9th and 1st Baron Percy

Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Percy 10th and 2nd Baron Percy 5 x Great Grand Son of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Fitzalan Baroness Percy 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John "Lackland" of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Maud Percy Baroness Neville Raby 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Clifford 1st Baron Clifford 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Idonia Clifford Baroness Percy 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Clare Baroness Clifford Baroness Welles 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England