Sir Walter Devereux,
2nd Viscount Hereford,
9th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, 8th Baron Bouchier, Custos Rotulorum of Staffordshire, Knight of the Garter, Presumptive Earl of Essex

as portrayed by Bill Griffith

I have recently disembarked from the ships in Bristol Harbor with the remainder of my army after leaving Ireland.  I am now back on English soil in hopes of living a peaceful life henceforth from our successful but costly campaign against the O’Neil rebels of Ulster County.  Our almost complete success was tempered by sickness within my armies and losses from the cowardly brigand tactics of the remaining kerrs that infest that county.  Regrettably, the sickness and losses of men from the coward tactics have reduced our forces to a level not suitable for a sustained campaign through this next year.  In addition, the failures of the other peers of England to property fill the musters, and their complete apathy to the cause, hindered my ability to replenish the gallant warriors that fell in battle at my side.  Even the Irish were able to recruit Scottish reinforcements to bolster their forces, at least for a time.

It lifts my heart to be home, to be away from the blood and the sickness, and to see my loving and devoted wife, Lettice. Our children have grown rightly since the last I did to see them.  Robert has grown too large to put on my knee and the girls are becoming proper little ladies.  I have also to pay respects to my dear cousin Lady Anne Bourchier, who died while I was abroad.  Claire’s, her familiar name to those of us in the family, former husband, the Marquis of Northampton and also Earl of Essex,  also died while I was abroad with no heirs.  He had been granted the Essex livery from his ex-father in law, my maternal grandfather, after he divorced Claire after her alleged indiscretions.  I stand to inherit the title after both of their deaths if the queen will grant it, and plan to press the suit at court. 

Court has changed since I have been abroad and many new men have been raised to peerage in my absence.  Most notably that cleaner of the Queens stalls, Sir Robert Dudley, has been raised to peerage and created Earl of Leicester.  My wife has informed me in great depth on his dealings with court, including using his access to the queen’s ear to limit my autonomy while in Ireland, which cost us many a man’s life.  He is jealous of me and has always wanted to be seen as a soldier, but will never be half the leader as his brother, my friend Ambrose, Earl of Warwick under whom I served against the Northern Earls.  Let us pray that he is never promoted to more than general of the horse manure or his stink may kill many a good Englishman.

Since my wife has risen in prominence at court, she has been able to fill me in on the actions of “Lord Leechster” in great detail.  She speaks of him quite often, and his new position at court.  He is still but a new man, not deserved of even a head nod as far as I am concerned.  I am sure that I will have to come face to face with he and his retinue of toadies and boot lickers and do pray that he, like most children, is only seen and not heard.     

Feedback