Devereux, Robert (1565 - 1600/1)

Born / Died

Birth Date: 1565-11-10
Death Date: 1601-02-25

Notes

Ward of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley. Attended Trinity College, Cambridge May 1577 – Nov. 1581, matriculated 1 July 1579. MA Cambridge 6 July 1581. MA Oxford 1 April 1588. Confined to York House 29 Sept. 1599; transferred to Essex House 20 March 1599/1600; tried and dismissed from all offices of state & ordered under house arrest 5 June 1600; released 5 July 1600; given liberty 26 Aug. 1600; imprisoned for high treason in the Tower 9 Feb. 1600/1; attainted 19 Feb. 1600/1; beheaded

Marriages/Other Unions

  1. Type: marriage
    Union began: 1590-10
    Union ended: n.d.
    Note: Marriage publicly acknowledged on this date; actual ceremony occurred early
  2. Type: other
    Union began: n.d.
    Union ended: n.d.

Offspring

From Walsingham, Frances (1567 - 1631/2)

  1. Female offspring: Devereux, Frances (b. 1599)
  2. Female offspring: Devereux, Dorothy (b. 1600)

From Southwell, Elizabeth ( - )

  1. Male offspring: Devereux, Walter (b. 1591)

Primary Title

3rd Viscount Hereford
19th Earl of Essex

Titles

  • 3rd Viscount Hereford
    Assumed 1572
    Vacated 1600/1-02-19
  • 19th Earl of Essex
    Assumed 1576-09-22
    Vacated 1600/1-02-19
  • 6th Baron Ferrers
    Assumed 1576-09-22
    Vacated 1600/1-02-19
  • 9th Baron Bourchier
    Assumed 1576-09-22
    Vacated 1600/1-02-19
  • Knight of the Garter
    Assumed 1588-04-23 (date nominated; installed 23 May 1588)
    Vacated 1600/1-02-19

Details of Offices

Began Ended Notes
Constable, Carmarthenshire 1577-3 n.d. Succeeded father
Steward, Staffordshire 1578-8 n.d.
Commissioner of custos rotulorum, Staffordshire 1587 n.d.
Master of the Horse, England 1587-6-18 1597 Succeeded stepfather Robert Dudley, 14th Earl of Leicester
High Recorder, Essex 1588-11 n.d. Succeeded stepfather Robert Dudley, 14th Earl of Leicester
High Steward, Herefordshire After 1590-9-4 n.d.
High Steward, Herefordshire After 1590-9-4 n.d.
JP, Essex 1592/3 1600
JP, Hertfordshire 1592/3 1600
Privy Councillor, England 1592/3-2-25 n.d.
JP, Surrey 1593 1600
Steward, Herefordshire 1593-9 n.d.
Constable & Gatekeeper, Herefordshire 1593/4-2 n.d.
Constable & Gatekeeper, Radnorshire 1593/4-2 n.d.
Lord Lieut, Staffordshire 1594 1600/1-02-25
High Steward, Suffolk 1595-12 n.d.
High Steward, Suffolk 1596-8 n.d.
High Steward, Oxfordshire 1596-8 n.d.
Master of the Ordnance, England 1596/7-3-19 1600/1-02-25
Earl Marshal, England 1597-12 1600/1-02-25
Chancellor, Cambridgeshire 1598-8-25 1600/1-02-25
Chancellor, Ireland 1598 1600/1-02-25
High Steward, Norfolk 1598 1600/1-02-25
Lord Lieut, Ireland 1598-12-30 1599-11

General Lands Note

Released from wardship and given full control of estates upon creation as Knight Banneret by stepfather, the 14th Earl of Leicester, at Zutphen, Netherlands 21 Sept. 1586; all residences prior to establishment at court

Details of Properties

Residence

  • Essex House,
    Inherited from step-father Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.
    Acquired: 1588
  • Wanstead, Essex
    Held by mother, widow of the 14th Earl of Leicester, although the estate was officially sequestered for debt until Nov. 1593. After ths date, Essex leased Wanstead, but later sold his interest in the estate
    Acquired: 1588-09-04
    Divested: 1598
  • Essex House, London (city-county)
    Essex first took up residence when it was still his stepfather's house and known as 'Leicester House.' It became his principal London residence from 1593
    Acquired: 1585-09
    Divested: 1600/1-02-25
  • York House, London (city-county)
    Leased; sold interest to Sir John Puckering
    Acquired: 1587/8
    Divested: By 1593-06
  • Lamphey Court, Pembrokeshire
    Patrimony; residence of Essex's uncle George Devereux, at Essex's 'pleasure'
    Acquired: 1576-09-22
    Divested: 1600/1-02-25
  • Chartley, Staffordshire
    Patrimony
    Acquired: 1565-03-10
    Divested: 1600/1-02-25

Lands

  • Berkshire
    Acquired: 1588-06
    Granted forfeited estates of Sir Francis Englefield
  • Carmarthenshire: Carew Castle
    Acquired: 1597-05-21
    Granted 21-year lease
  • Essex
  • Gloucestershire: English Bicknor Manor
    Acquired: 1586-09-21
    Patrimony
  • Herefordshire: Bodenham, Byford, and Weobley Manors
  • Herefordshire: Ross Borough and Ross Foreign Manors
    Acquired: 1591-06-09
    And additional lands in Ross and Walford
  • Huntingdonshire: Keyston Manor
    Divested: 1590-05
    Stayed here half the year 1578; leased to uncle Henry Clifford
  • Ireland: Monaghan
    Ferny barony, patrimony
  • Leicestershire
    Merevale Abbey site and lands
  • Northumberland: Cliffe Park
    Divested: 1593-11
    Sold to William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
  • Pembrokeshire
    Former estates of Monkton Priory
  • Pembrokeshire
    Patrimony
  • Pembrokeshire: Tallaharne Castle
    Acquired: 1597-05-21
    Granted 21-year lease
  • Staffordshire: Chartley, Gayton, Huxton, Grenley, Frodeswall, Stowe Morton, and Lee Manors
  • Warwickshire
    Merevale Abbey site and lands

Events Naming Patron

Event Date Location Troupe
Performance 1598-1599 Coventry (Unknown), Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Drummers
Performance 1587-1588 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musician
Performance 1588-1589 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musician
Performance 1576-1577 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1580-1581 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1583-1584 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1584-1585 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1588-1589 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1589-1590 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1591-1591 Chester (Unknown), Chester , Cheshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1591-1592 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1594-1595 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1595-1596 Ludlow (Unknown), Ludlow , Shropshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1595-1596 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1596-1596 Common Hall, York , York (city-county) in Yorkshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1596-1597 Guildhall, Haverfordwest , Pembrokeshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1597-1598 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1600-1600 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1600-1601 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Musicians
Performance 1588-1589 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Player
Performance 1596-1597 Guildhall, Oxford , Oxfordshire Earl of Essex's Player
Performance 1577-1577 Guildhall, Bristol , Bristol (city-county) in Gloucestershire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1577-1578 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1581-1582 Guildhall, Exeter , Exeter (city-county) in Devon Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1581-1582 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1582-1583 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1583-1583 Dean's House, Chester , Cheshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1583-1583 Boothall, Gloucester , Gloucestershire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1583-1584 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1584-1584 Common Hall, York , York (city-county) in Yorkshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1584-1584 Ludlow (Unknown), Ludlow , Shropshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1584-1584 Marketplace, Shrewsbury , Shropshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1584-1584 Guildhall, Bath , Somerset Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1584-1584 Guildhall, Bristol , Bristol (city-county) in Gloucestershire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1584-1585 Boothall, Gloucester , Gloucestershire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1584-1584 Guildhall, Faversham , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1584-1584 Dover (Unknown), Dover , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Dismissal 1585-1585 Norwich (Unknown), Norwich , Norwich (city-county) in Norfolk Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1585-1585 Thorpe (Unknown), Thorpe , Norfolk Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1585-1586 Boothall, Gloucester , Gloucestershire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1585-1586 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1586-1587 Hythe (Unknown), Hythe , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1586-1586 Dover (Unknown), Dover , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1586-1586 Guildhall, Bristol , Bristol (city-county) in Gloucestershire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1586-1586 Ludlow (Unknown), Ludlow , Shropshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance Regulations 1586-1586 Guildhall, Oxford , Oxfordshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1586-1587 Boothall, Gloucester , Gloucestershire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1586-1587 Boothall, Gloucester , Gloucestershire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1587-1588 Hythe (Unknown), Hythe , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1587-1587 Common Hall, York , York (city-county) in Yorkshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1587-1587 Booth Hall, Shrewsbury , Shropshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1587-1587 New Romney (Unknown), New Romney , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1587-1588 Guildhall, Faversham , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1587-1587 Town Hall, Kendal , Westmorland Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1587-1588 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1587-1588 Town Hall, Maidstone , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1587-1588 Town Hall, Fordwich , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1588-1588 Common Hall, York , York (city-county) in Yorkshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1588-1589 Hythe (Unknown), Hythe , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1588-1588 Guildhall, Bath , Somerset Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1588-1588 Lydd (Unknown), Lydd , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1588-1588 Dover (Unknown), Dover , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1588-1589 Lyme Regis (Unknown), Lyme Regis , Dorset Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1588-1589 Town Hall, Reading , Berkshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1588-1588 Rye (Unknown), Rye , Sussex Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1588-1589 New Romney (Unknown), New Romney , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1589-1590 Hythe (Unknown), Hythe , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1589-1590 Lydd (Unknown), Lydd , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1589-1589 Knowsley Hall, near Prescot , Lancashire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1589-1590 Guildhall, Faversham , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1589-1590 Common Hall, Norwich , Norwich (city-county) in Norfolk Earl of Essex's Players
Performance? 1589-1590 Guildhall, Oxford , Oxfordshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1589-1590 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1589-1589 Town Hall, Maidstone , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1589-1589 Guildhall, Faversham , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1590-1590 Guildhall, Faversham , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1590-1590 Guildhall, Bristol , Bristol (city-county) in Gloucestershire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1593-1593 Town Hall, Kendal , Westmorland Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1594-1594 Smithills Hall, near Bolton , Lancashire Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1596-1596 Guildhall, Faversham , Kent Earl of Essex's Players
Performance 1592-1593 Cambridge (Unknown), Cambridge , Cambridgeshire Earl of Essex's Trumpeter
Performance 1598-1599 St Mary's Guildhall, Coventry , Coventry (city-county) in Warwickshire Earl of Essex's Trumpeters
Performance 1590-1590 Merchants' Court, Newcastle upon Tyne , Newcastle upon Tyne (city-county) Earl of Essex's Tumblers
Performance 1578-1579 Guildhall, Bath , Somerset Viscount Hereford's Players

Patronized Troupes

Troupe Name Patron Troupe Type # of events
Earl of Essex's Drummers Devereux, Robert (1565 - 1601) Musicians 1
Earl of Essex's Musician Devereux, Robert (1565 - 1601) Musicians 2
Earl of Essex's Musicians Devereux, Robert (1565 - 1601) Musicians 16
Earl of Essex's Player Devereux, Robert (1565 - 1601) Players 2
Earl of Essex's Players Devereux, Robert (1565 - 1601) Players 59
Earl of Essex's Trumpeter Devereux, Robert (1565 - 1601) Musicians 1
Earl of Essex's Trumpeters Devereux, Robert (1565 - 1601) Musicians 1
Earl of Essex's Tumblers Devereux, Robert (1565 - 1601) Acrobats/Physical Feats 1
Viscount Hereford's Players Devereux, Robert (1565 - 1601) Players 1

Bibliographic Sources

Cockburn, James Swanston. Calendar of Assize Records: Essex Indictments, Elizabeth I. London: HMSO, 1978.
Cockburn, James Swanston. Calendar of Assize Records: Hertfordshire Indictments, Elizabeth I. London: HMSO, 1975.
Cockburn, James Swanston. Calendar of Assize Records: Surrey Indictments, Elizabeth I. London: HMSO, 1980.
The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. 1887–98 (8 vols); 1910–59 (13 vols). 6 vols. Gloucester: Alan Sutton, 1982.
Hammer, Paul E. J. The Polarisation of Elizabethan Politics: The Political Career of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, 1585 – 1597. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1999.
Kinney, Arthur F. Titled Elizabethans: A Directory of Elizabethan State and Church Officers and Knights, with Peers of England, Scotland, and Ireland, 1558–1603. Hamden, CT: Archon Books-Shoe String P, 1973.
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 01/05/2005 (http://www.oxforddnb.com)