Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Bohun, Humphrey VII de
BOHUN, HUMPHREY VII de, third Earl of Hereford, and second Earl of Essex (d. 1298), constable of England, was born about the middle of the thirteenth century, the grandson of Humphrey V [q. v.], second earl, and son of Humphrey V I, wno predeceased his father, 27 Aug. 1265, immediately after the battle of Evesham, at which he was made prisoner, fighting on de Montfort's side. Humphrey VII servea in 1286 in the army of occupation in Wales. In 1289 he was found levying private war against the Earl of Gloucester, and was peremptorily ordered to keep the peace. In 1292 he was fined and imprisoned. In 1296-7 he was sent as escort to John, the young earl of Holland, who had lately married the English princess, Elizabeth, and was now returning to nis own country to claim his inheritance. The princess, who was only in her fourteenth year, was married two years afterwards to Humphrey de Bohun, the earl's son. From this time to the date of his death Hereford played a conspicuous part, in conjunction with Roger Bigod, fifth earl of Norfolk, in opposing Edward I's measures for arbitrary taxation, and in at length obtaining the confirmation of the charters, being, however, chiefly moved by the alarm given to the barons by Edward's reforms. At the assembly of the magnates at Salisbury early in 1297, he, with Bigod, refused to serve in Gascony on the plea that they were not bound to foreign service except in company with the king [see Bigod, Roger, fifth earl of Norfolk]. At a levy of the military forces of the kingdom, the two earls refused to do their duty as constable and marshal, and were both deprived. The list of grievances which their party then presented was only partially inquired into when Edward sailed for Flanders; but the confirmation of the charters was agreed to by Prince Edward acting as regent, and was allowed by the king himself in Flanders. On Edward's return to England in 1298, he was required by the two earls, as the price of their attendance in the invasion of Scotland, to promise a re-confirmation of the charters. After the battle of Falkirk, 22 July, Hereford had leave to return to England; and soon after he died at Fleshy, in Essex, and was buried at Walden. He married Maud, daughter of Ingelram de Fienes, and was succeeded by his son, Humphrey VIII.
[Chronicles of Will. Rishanger, Th. Walsingham, Walt, de Hemingburgh; Dugdale's Baronage, i. 182 ; Stubbs's Constitutional History.]