DEVON 327 1st Earl of Somerset, sometime Marquess of Dorset, by Margaret, da. of Thomas (Holand), Earl of Kent. He d. at Abingtloii Abbey, 3 Feb. 1457/8, on a journey, desiring to mediate between King Henry VI and the Duke of York. Admon. 21 Feb. 1457/8, at Lambeth. Inq. p. m. 6 Edw. IV (1466-7). XIV. 1458 6. Thomas (Courtenay), Earl of Devon, and to Lord Courtenay, s. and h., b. 1432, being aged 26 at 1461. his father's death. Keeper of Exmoor Forest 19 Dec. 1459. He was a stout adherent of the House of Lancaster, and being taken prisoner at the battle of Towton, 29 Mar., was beheaded 3 Apr. 1461, at York, when, having been attainted, all his honours became /or- feited.i^) He d. unm. XV. 1469. I. Humphrey Stafford, s. and h. of William () May Stafford, of Hook, Dorset, and Southwick in North to Bradley, co. Wilts (killed by the Kentish rebels 1 8 June Aug. 1450 at Sevenoaks), by Katherine, da. and coh. of Sir John Chidiock., was b. 1439, and was aged 10 years and more at his father's death; knighted on Towton field 29 Mar. 1461 by Edward IV; High Steward of Cornwall and Constable of Bristol 1461. He was sum. to Pari, from 26 July (1461) i Edw. IV to 28 Feb. (1462/3) 2 Edw. IV, by writs (') directed Humfrido Stafford de Suthwyk, Ch'r, whereby he is held to have become LORD STAFFORD (of Southwick). By patents, 24 Apr. 1464C'), he was cr. BARON STAFFORD OF SOUTHWICK^) (^) At his death the heir to his honours would, but for the attainder, haxe been his next br., Henry Courtenay, to whom, as Henry Courtenay, Esquire, Edward IV gave, 27 July 146 1, the manor of Topsham and some parts of the family estates in Devon. He was beheaded at Salisbury for treason, 17 Jan. 1468/9. His sisters, who are called in the Patent Rolls, 3 [iic '.2] Hen. VIII, p. 3, m. i, his coheirs, were Joan, who m. istly Sir Roger Cliff}'rd (beheaded 1485), and 2ndly Sir WiUiam Knyvet, and Elizabeth, wife of Sir Hugh Conway. C*) This WiUiam was yr. s. of Sir Humphrey Stafford, of Hook and Southwick (who d. 27 May 1442), by Elizabeth {■wod. about 1426), 2nd da. and eventually h. of Sir John Mautravers, of Hook. {Patent RolF). V.G. ("=) There is proof in the rolls of Pari, of his sitting. C) It is difficult to see the reason of this patent, if we are to accept the modern doctrine that it conferred a Barony of later date and of less extensive limitation than the one already vested in him, by the writ of 146 1 ; indeed it is more strange, inasmuch as had his heir general been his granddaughter, and his heir male his second son, the two Baronies would (as is now held) have gone into different channels, which in all probability was not the intention. (^) For a list of, and some remarks on, Baronies by patent cr. before the reign of Henry VIII, see vol. vii, Appendix A. In the Patent Roll, I Hen. VII, he is described as Sir Humfrey Stafford late called Lord Suthwyk alias Humfrey Earl of Devon- shire. V.G.
