Sir Roger Ree: A short Biography

David Hearder has been researching Sir Roger, whose banner has been part of Tewkesbury’s summer display for many years, and has kindly agreed that we could publish this summary of his work, which adds to our knowledge of the people who fought at Tewkesbury.

Sir Roger Ree of Woodham Ferrers, Essex (1410/1420 - 1476)

 (alternative spellings of surname: Ray, Red, Reed, Reye, Roe)

His attributed arms are described as

Azure, a bezant between four crescents Argent

Roger was a contemporary of the Duke and Duchess of York, Richard Plantagenet and Cecily Neville.  He was a part of York’s affinity and household from at least 1439.  York appointed him to roles in the honours of Clare in Suffolk and Rayleigh in Essex with several annuities, including the grant of all income from the hundred of Barstable, Essex.  Henry VI attainted these grants and annuities in 1459 and annulled the attainder after appointing York Protector and Defender of the Realm for a third time, and heir to the throne, in 1460.

Roger was married to Rose Fleming née Kays of Woodham Ferrers from at least 1440, and their children included two sons, Roger and William.  Rose was the heir of Thomas Kays, an attorney at law in Essex, inheriting the manor of Edwin’s Hall in Woodham Ferrers as well as landholdings in Essex and Hertford.

Roger was a part York’s military retinue in France, 1441-1445, became an Usher of York’s Chamber by 1448, and served in York’s household in Ireland,1449-1450.  Roger gained the rank of esquire by 1452.

Henry VI pardoned Roger after York’s march on London that sought to remove the Duke of Somerset in 1452, and appointed him Escheator of Essex & Hertford.  Roger was also pardoned following his support of York at the first Battle of St Albans in 1455, and was again made Escheator of Essex & Hertford in 1457 after the recovery of Henry VI.  Roger was one of the trustees in 1458 for the marriage of York’s second daughter, Elizabeth, to John de la Pole, then de facto Duke of Suffolk, to assure York’s payment of Elizabeth’s dowry.

Roger was likely with Edward the Earl of March at the Battle of Palm Sunday Field (Towton), and was made Usher of the Chamber of Edward IV for life in 1461, also being appointed Commissioner for the Peace and Array for Essex, and Escheator for Essex & Hertford.  Royal Grants of manorial income followed from Debden and Wethersfield in Essex, Erpingham and Gerberge (or South Erpingham) in Norfolk, and Watton at Stone (Bardolf’s) in Hertford, along with a shared collation and prebend with Sir William, Lord Hastings from St Stephen’s Chapel (Westminster), annuities for the receipt of the Queen consort Elizabeth’s dower lands, and a reconfirmed grant of all income from the hundred of Barstable, Essex.  These incomes supported Roger’s appointments as Sheriff of Essex & Hertford in 1464, and Sheriff of Norfolk & Suffolk in 1468, but were likely attainted during Henry VI's readeption in 1470. Roger was also elected to Parliament in 1467 as one of the Knights of the Shire of Middlesex.

After gifting all his goods and chattels to the Prior of Elsing Spital, Gilbert Sharpe, and six other men in London and Woodham Ferrers, Roger likely fled England in 1470 with the party of Edward IV to The Hague in the Duchy of Burgundy.  Returning with the retinue of Edward IV at the Battles of Barnet and Tewkesbury in 1471, Roger was knighted in the field immediately after Tewkesbury. Roger and more than 40 others knighted at the same time had probably played key roles in protecting and supporting Edward at the critical parts of the Battle when Edward and his men entered the fray, pushing back the Duke of Somerset’s flanking movement on the Duke of Gloucester’s vanguard near the Coln Brook, then breaking and driving the other Lancastrian ‘battles’ back towards the Swilgate Brook, resulting in the death of Henry VI’s only heir, Edward, Prince of Wales.

Sir Roger was promoted to the select position of Knight of the Body of the King’s Chamber, attendant upon the King, and deputy to the Lord Chamberlain (Sir William, Lord Hastings) in 1471.  With his reappointment as Sheriff of Essex & Hertford in 1471 and then Norfolk & Suffolk in 1472, Sir Roger played a prominent part in the restoration of Edward IV’s rule in these Counties, with appointments of Commissions of Array in Essex and Hertford, Oyer and Terminer in Middlesex and Hertford, and sole Commissioner for the arrest of Sir William Pyrton of Elmstead, formerly Little Bentley, Essex (Sir William was granted a general pardon by the King in 1472).  Sir Roger was also made Commissioner of the Peace in Essex and Middlesex, and was again elected to Parliament in 1472 for Middlesex.  These appointments were also supported by a Royal grant of all income in 1472 to Sir Roger from the lands (Hertford and elsewhere) that had been granted in 1464 to Nicholas Harpisfeld (former Clerk of the King’s Signet).

By 1475, Sir Roger’s eldest son Roger had died, and Sir Roger was granted a general exemption by Edward IV, for fifty years of good service to the King and his father, Richard Duke of York in France, Ireland and England, so as not to be compelled against his will to accept any office or occupation or mandate of the King, because of his old age and infirmity.  With deteriorating health, Sir Roger later received the King’s pardon from all offences, debts and arrears owed to the King.  Sir Roger died in 1476, and from his long association with the Priory of Elsing Spital, was memorialised in 1479 with his wife Rose, and perhaps also their son Roger, in the Church of St Michael Bassishaw, Basinghall St, in the City of London.  (This 12th century church, restored in 1460, was one of the churches burnt down in the great fire of London in 1666.  While rebuilt by the design of Christopher Wren in 1679, the Church was sold off and demolished in 1900).  Sir Roger and Rose were survived by their younger son, William.

Copyright David Hearder.  If you wish to re-use this information, please do so, with acknowledgement of author and source.

For Society members who want to know more, a bibliography for this article is available in the ‘Members’ section.