General Notes

Robert Fitz Walter, 1st Lord (Baron) FitzWalter, so created by writ of summons to Parliament 24 June 1295; served in wars against Welsh 1277 and 1282 and in France 1286, Gascony 1296-97 and Scotland (present Battle of Falkirk 22 July 1298 and Siege of Caerlaverock July 1300).  [Burke's Peerage]

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BARONY OF FITZWALTER (I)

SIR ROBERT FITZ WALTER, of Woodharn Walter, Burnham, Roydon, Dunmow, Henham, Wimbish, and Tey, Essex, Shimpling, Suffolk, Diss and Hempnall, Norfolk, son and heir of Sir Walter FITZ ROBERT, of the same (who died shortly before 10 April 1258), by Ida, daughter of [---]. He was born at Henham in 1247, proved his age in 1268, and was knighted in 1274. On 4 July 1275 he had licence to sell Baynard's Castle to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He was in the Army of Wales in 1277 and 1282. He was present in Parliament, at Westminster, at Michaelmas 1278, when Alexander, King of Scots, did homage to Edward I, and proffered his fealty. In February 1280/1 he was about to go to Santiago. On Tuesday in Whitsun week [15 May] 1285 he did homage to the King for his lands in Menelly, Trefrew, and St. Ewe, Cornwall, for which he had previously done homage to Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, which homage the Earl had quitclaimed to the King: he had had livery of these lands, 10 May 1285. He accompanied the King to France in May 1286. He had licence to enfeoff the Earl of Cornwall of all his lands in Devon, 9 February 1289/90. He was appointed Constable of Bere Castle, co. Merioneth, 28 June 1293, and was Constable of Hadleigh Castle, Essex, in July following. Being about to go to Gascony on the King's service, he had licence, 24 August 1294, to let to farm, for two years, the manors of Diss, Hempnall, Sheering, Shimpling, Tey, Lexden, &c., and, 13 October 1295, licence to enfeoff Richard de Hiwisshc of lands, 11 knights' fees, and the advowson of St. Ewe, Cornwall. He was in Gascony in 1296 and 1297, and was at the battle of Falkirk, 22 July 1298. He was appointed Captain and Keeper of the peace in Essex, 12 April 1299. He was at the siege of Carlaverock in July 1300, and on the King's service in Scotland in 1303 and 1306. He was summoned for Military Service from 12 December 1276 to 1 May 1325, to the Coronation, 18 January 1307/8, to Councils from 8 January 1308/9 to 20 February 1324/5, and to Parliament from 4 June 1295 to 10 October 1325, by writs directed Roberto fillo Walteri, whereby he is held to have become LORD FITZWALTER. As Robertus filius Walteri dominus de Wodeham, he took part in the Barons' Letter to the Pope, 12 February 1300/1. On 9 October 1306 he had a pardon for all debts to the King. In April 1310 he was about to go to Jerusalem, with Alice, his wife, and was again going on pilgrimage beyond seas in February 1316/7. On 1 March 1317/8, before going beyond seas, he had licence to demise at farm, for five years, his manors of Burnham, Woodham, Roydon, Henham, and Tey, to whomsoever he wished. In June 1320 he was about to go beyond seas with the King, and, 6 August 1320, was exempted from further military service. On 17 January 1325/6, the day before his death, he had licence to enfeoff Robert, his son, of the manors of Lexden and Roydon.

He married, 1stly, Dervorgville, 1st daughter and coheir of Sir John DE BURGH, of Wakerley, Northhants, Portslade, Sussex, Walkern, Herts, &c., by Cecily, daughter, and in her issue coheir, of Sir John DE BALLIOL, King of Scotland [1292-6], of Barnard Castle, co. Durham, and Bywell, Northumberland. On 25 May 1280 the King took his homage, and he and his wife had livery of her purparty of her father's lands, viz., the manor of Hallingbury and Lexden, Essex, and Walkern, Herts. She, who was aged 24 or 25 in 1280, died in 1284, and was buried in Dunmow Priory. He married, 2ndly, in 1289, in the King's Chapel at Westminster, Alianore daughter of Sir Robert DE FERRERS, of Chartley, co. Stafford, sometime Earl OF DERBY, by his 2nd wife, Alianore, daughter of Sir Humphrey DE BOHUN of Kimbolton, Hunts, Walden and Debden, Essex, &c. By charter, dated at Westminster, Thursday the Feast of the Purification 2 February 1289/90, he released to the King lands and rents, worth £200 a year, in Burnham and Roydon, and, 11 March following, the King granted the premises to him and Alianore, his wife, and the heirs of their bodies. Alianore was buried in Dunmow Priory. He married, 3rdly (grant of her marriage, 10 May 1308), Alice, widow of Sir Warin DE ISLE, of Campton, Beds, Nedging, Suffolk, Rampton, co. Cambridge, &c. (who died shortly before 7 December 1296), daughter of Sir Piers de Montfort, of Beaudsert, co. Warwick. On 1 September 1312 he had licence to convey the manor of Little Danmow to himself and Alice, his wife, and the heirs of their bodies, with remainder to his right heirs and, 6 October. 1315, licence to convey the manor of Wimbish in the same terms. He died 18 January 1325/6.  [Complete Peerage V:472-474, 14:326, (transcribed by Dave Utzinger)]