William Beaumont (bef. 1438 - 1507)

Born before 23 Apr 1438 in Lincolnshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Joan Stafford — married before 4 Mar 1461 (to before 1477) in England

Husband of Elizabeth (Scrope) de Vere — married 1477 (to 19 Dec 1507) in England

Died 19 Dec 1507 after age 69 in Wivenhoe, Essex, England

Biography

Sir William Beaumont, 2nd Viscount Beaumont, 7th Lord Beaumont was christened on 23 April 1438 at Edenham, Lincolnshire, England.^[1]

William was related to Henry VI on his father's side and his father was a close confidant to the King. This put them in the Lancastrian camp during the War of the Roses. John, Viscount Beaumont was killed at Northampton in 1460 and William became the second Viscount Beaumont. He was captured at the Battle of Towton the following year and eventually attainted by the Yorkist Edward IV. William remained staunchly anti-Yorkist and continued the fight for the next twenty four years. He was briefly restored to his titles and lands when Henry VI regained the throne in 1470, but was again attainted the following year when Edward took the throne. In 1485 he fought with Henry VII against Richard III at Bosworth Field and, when Henry became king, William regained his titles and lands for the final time.

From his mother's side he inherited the title Lord Bardolf and he used this title during his father's lifetime.

Although the exact nature of his ailment is not known, it was serious enough for Parliament to decide in 1487 that he was unable to manage his own affairs. John de Vere, Earl of Oxford, was given charge of William's lands, and William and his family lived at Wivenhoe under John's care. It was there that William died in 1507.

Marriages

He married, firstly, Joan Stafford, daughter of Sir Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke Buckingham, Earl of Buckingham, Hereford, Stafford, & Northampton, Count of Perche, 7th Lord Stafford and Anne II Neville, before 4 March 1461.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]}

Sir William Beaumont and Joan Stafford were divorced before 1477.^[1][3]

He married, secondly, Elizabeth Scrope, daughter of Richard Scrope, Esq. and Eleanor Washbourne, after 1477.^{[8][9][10][11][12]}

Death

Sir William Beaumont, 2nd Viscount Beaumont, 7th Lord Beaumont died on 19 December 1507 at Wivenhoe, Essex, England, at age 69; d.s.p.^[1][3][5][8]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom, by George Edward Cokayne, Vol. II, p. 62-64.
2. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry, p. 674.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd Edition, Vol. II, p. 318-319.
4. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd Edition, Vol. IV, p. 80.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry, Vol. III, p. 175-176.
6. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry, Vol. V, p. 17.
7. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry, p. 367.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd Edition, Vol. IV, p. 274.
9. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry, Vol. V, p. 168.
10. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry, Vol. V, p. 264.
11. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd Edition, Vol. IV, p. 200.
12. ↑ Douglas Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry: 2nd Edition, Vol. III, p. 190.

• Stapleton, Thomas. De Antiquis Legibus Liber. The Camden Society: London, 1846 archive.org

See Also:

• British History online: Parishes: Watton-at-Stone
• Marlyn Lewis