Richard de Welles, 7th Baron Welles
Encyclopedia
Richard Welles, 7th Baron Welles (1431–1470) was an English nobleman and soldier. From a Lancastrian
family, he came to be on good terms with the Yorkist King Edward IV
, but was executed after then being associated with plotting against him.
, by his first wife. Having married Joane
, daughter of Robert Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
, Richard was summoned in her right to Parliament as Lord Willoughby from 26 May 1455 to 28 February 1466. His first wife died before 1460, and he married secondly Margaret, daughter of Sir James Strangways and widow of John Ingleby, who took the veil in 1475.
He was a Lancastrian supporter as was his father, and was present at the second battle of St Albans
(7 February 1461); but soon managed to make his peace with Edward IV, who pardoned him at Gloucester
in the first year of his reign. In this way Richard recovered his family property, and in 1468 his honours. A family connection with the Nevilles may have helped him.
Richard's son Robert
, however, took part in Warwick
's plots, and in March 1470 attacked the house of Sir Thomas Borough, a knight of the king's body, wrecking it, and driving its owner away. Edward now summoned Richard Welles (the father), and his brother-in-law, Sir Thomas Dymock, to London. At first Welles pleaded illness; but afterwards went, and took sanctuary
at Westminster
.
Richard left sanctuary on promise of a pardon. Edward made him write to his son, telling him to give up Warwick's cause, and then took him down to Lincolnshire
. Angry at the obstinacy of the son, the king beheaded Lord Welles and Dymock at Huntingdon
.
, but was defeated at the Battle of Losecoat Field. Robert was taken, and executed on 19 March 1470. Both father and son were attainted in the parliament of 1475; the attainders were later reversed in the first parliament of Henry VII.
, who married, first, Richard Piggot of London, and, secondly, before 1470, Sir Richard Hastings. Hastings was subsequently summoned to parliament as Baron Welles, on 15 November 1482; he died in 1503, and his widow in 1505, both without issue, and the barony of Welles fell into abeyance between the descendants of Lionel Welles's four daughters.
Sir Robert Welles had married Elizabeth, daughter of John Bourchier, 1st Baron Berners
. She died a year after his execution, and was buried by his side in the church of Our Lady of Doncaster
. Her will is printed in Testamenta Vetusta by Nicholas Harris Nicolas
.
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
family, he came to be on good terms with the Yorkist King Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
, but was executed after then being associated with plotting against him.
Life
He was son of Lionel de Welles, 6th Baron WellesLionel de Welles, 6th Baron Welles
Lionel de Welles, 6th Baron Welles, KG was an English nobleman and soldier. He was killed fighting on the Lancastrian side at the Battle of Towton.-Life:Born about 1405, he was son of Eudo de Welles by Maude de Greystoke...
, by his first wife. Having married Joane
Joan Willoughby, 7th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
Joan Willoughby, 7th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby was an English baroness in her own right. She was the daughter of Robert Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby de Eresby and Lady Elizabeth Montagu....
, daughter of Robert Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
Robert Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
Robert Willoughby, 6th Baron Willoughby de Eresby KG was an English baron in the 15th century. He was the son of William Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby de Eresby and Lucy, née le Strange....
, Richard was summoned in her right to Parliament as Lord Willoughby from 26 May 1455 to 28 February 1466. His first wife died before 1460, and he married secondly Margaret, daughter of Sir James Strangways and widow of John Ingleby, who took the veil in 1475.
He was a Lancastrian supporter as was his father, and was present at the second battle of St Albans
Second Battle of St Albans
The Second Battle of St Albans was a battle of the English Wars of the Roses fought on 17 February, 1461, at St Albans. The army of the Yorkist faction under the Earl of Warwick attempted to bar the road to London north of the town. The rival Lancastrian army used a wide outflanking manoeuvre to...
(7 February 1461); but soon managed to make his peace with Edward IV, who pardoned him at Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
in the first year of his reign. In this way Richard recovered his family property, and in 1468 his honours. A family connection with the Nevilles may have helped him.
Richard's son Robert
Robert Welles, 8th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
Robert Welles, 8th Baron Willoughby de Eresby was an English baron. He was the son of Richard Welles, 7th Baron Welles and Joan Willoughby, 7th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby....
, however, took part in Warwick
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Richard Neville KG, jure uxoris 16th Earl of Warwick and suo jure 6th Earl of Salisbury and 8th and 5th Baron Montacute , known as Warwick the Kingmaker, was an English nobleman, administrator, and military commander...
's plots, and in March 1470 attacked the house of Sir Thomas Borough, a knight of the king's body, wrecking it, and driving its owner away. Edward now summoned Richard Welles (the father), and his brother-in-law, Sir Thomas Dymock, to London. At first Welles pleaded illness; but afterwards went, and took sanctuary
Sanctuary
A sanctuary is any place of safety. They may be categorized into human and non-human .- Religious sanctuary :A religious sanctuary can be a sacred place , or a consecrated area of a church or temple around its tabernacle or altar.- Sanctuary as a sacred place :#Sanctuary as a sacred place:#:In...
at Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
.
Richard left sanctuary on promise of a pardon. Edward made him write to his son, telling him to give up Warwick's cause, and then took him down to Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. Angry at the obstinacy of the son, the king beheaded Lord Welles and Dymock at Huntingdon
Huntingdon
Huntingdon is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was chartered by King John in 1205. It is the traditional county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire district council. It is known as the birthplace in 1599 of Oliver Cromwell.-History:Huntingdon...
.
Aftermath
Robert Welles then challenged the king to battle near StamfordStamford, Lincolnshire
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
, but was defeated at the Battle of Losecoat Field. Robert was taken, and executed on 19 March 1470. Both father and son were attainted in the parliament of 1475; the attainders were later reversed in the first parliament of Henry VII.
Family
Richard Welles left a daughter Joane or JoanJoan Welles, 9th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
Joan Welles, 9th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby was an English baroness. She was the daughter of Richard Welles, 7th Baron Welles and Joan Willoughby, 7th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, and sister of Robert Welles, 8th Baron Willoughby de Eresby.On her brother's death in 1470, she succeeded him as...
, who married, first, Richard Piggot of London, and, secondly, before 1470, Sir Richard Hastings. Hastings was subsequently summoned to parliament as Baron Welles, on 15 November 1482; he died in 1503, and his widow in 1505, both without issue, and the barony of Welles fell into abeyance between the descendants of Lionel Welles's four daughters.
Sir Robert Welles had married Elizabeth, daughter of John Bourchier, 1st Baron Berners
John Bourchier, 1st Baron Berners
John Bourchier, 1st Baron Berners, KG was an English peer.Bourchier was the fourth son of William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu, and his wife Anne of Woodstock, Countess of Buckingham, daughter of Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester. Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex, and William Bourchier,...
. She died a year after his execution, and was buried by his side in the church of Our Lady of Doncaster
Our Lady of Doncaster
Our Lady of Doncaster is a Marian shrine located in Doncaster, UK, whose original statue was destroyed during the Reformation.-The Carmelites & the Shrine:...
. Her will is printed in Testamenta Vetusta by Nicholas Harris Nicolas
Nicholas Harris Nicolas
Sir Harris Nicolas, KCMG, KH was an English antiquary.-Life:The fourth son of John Harris Nicolas , he was born at Dartmouth. Having served in the navy from 1812 to 1816, he studied law and was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1825...
.