(Hemingburgh, ii. 241). Hemingburgh says he had seen service in many lands. The author of the 'Song of Caerlaverock' says one could not find a more valiant or prudent man. He married Alice, also called Amicia or Agnes, elder daughter and coheiress of Walter Ledet, baron Braybrooke, who represented the Ledets, lords of Wardon, and died in 1257, when his daughters were aged twelve and eleven years respectively. The younger daughter, Christiana, married Latimer's brother John, and from this marriage the barons Latimer of Braybrooke and the present Lord Braybrooke descend. By his wife, who died in 1316, William Latimer had two sons: John, who died without issue in 1299, having married in 1297 Isabel, daughter and heiress of Simon de Sherstede, and William, who is noticed below. He had also a daughter Johanna, who married Alexander Comyn of Buchan (Cal. Docts. Scotl. iii. 233).
Latimer, William, second Baron Latimer (1276?–1327), son of the above, was employed in Scotland in 1297 and 1300, and in 1303 was engaged in a raid from Dunfermline across the Forth. In March 1304, with John de Segrave and Robert Clifford, he defeated Simon Fraser and William Wallace at Hopprewe in Tweeddale (ib. ii. 1432, iv. 474). In 1306 he had a grant of the forfeited lands of Christopher Seton in Cumberland. He was taken prisoner by the Scots at Bannockburn (Geoffrey Baker, p. 8, ed. Thompson), and was not released till after February 1315 (Cal. Docts. Scotl. iii. 419). He was a supporter of Thomas of Lancaster, but in 1319 was pardoned for adhering to the earl, and afterwards sided with the king. He was present at the defeat of Thomas of Lancaster at Boroughbridge on 16 March 1322, and was afterwards made governor of York, where he still was in January 1323 (ib. iii. 803). Latimer had been summoned to parliament in his father's lifetime in 1299. He died in 1327. He married Lucia, daughter and coheiress of Richard de Thwenge of Danby, Yorkshire, previously to 11 Sept. 1299 (ib. ii. 1091). In 1313 he obtained a divorce from her, and afterwards married Sibill, widow of William de Huntingfield. By his first wife he had a son, William, third baron Latimer, born about 1301, who died in 1335, leaving by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John, lord Botetourt, a son, William, who succeeded as fourth baron, and is separately noticed.
[Walter of Hemingburgh (Engl. Hist. Soc.); Cal. of Documents relating to Scotland; Stevenson's Historical Documents; Dugdale's Baronage, ii. 30; Burke's Dormant and Extinct Peerage; Nicolas's Song of Caerlaverock, ll. 253–7; Nicolas's Historic Peerage, pp. 72, 280; Records of the Architectural and Archæological Society of Buckinghamshire, vi. 48–60, art. by Mr. W. L. Rutton.]
LATIMER, WILLIAM, fourth Baron Latimer (1329?–1381), was son of William, third baron, by Elizabeth, daughter of John, lord Botetourt [see under Latimer, William, (d. 1304)]. He was six years old at his father's death in 1335, and had livery of his lands in 1351, but the homage was deferred on account of his absence at Calais in the royal service. He served in Gascony in 1359, but in the same year was appointed governor of Bécherel in Brittany, where he was serving on 30 Sept. 1360 (Fœdera, iii. 510). On 8 Dec. of the latter year he was appointed the king's lieutenant in the duchy, and on 30 Sept. 1361 lieutenant and captain for John de Montfort, remaining in Brittany for some years, and having charge of the castles of Bécherel and Trungo (ib. iii. 625, 658–9, 662). At the end of 1361 he was made a knight of the Garter, in succession to Sir William FitzWaryne, who had died on 28 Oct. In September 1364 he was present with John de Montfort at the siege of Auray, and also at the subsequent battle against Charles de Blois. After this he was sent by John to England to obtain the king's advice as to the proposed truce with Charles's widow, and took part in the subsequent negotiations, which resulted in a truce between the rival claimants to the duchy of Brittany (Lobineau, i. 369, 377, 380, ii. 507). In 1366 Latimer was still serving in Brittany, but soon afterwards returned to England, and in 1368 was made warden of the forests beyond Trent. In 1369 he became chamberlain of the king's household. On 5 July 1370 he was appointed one of the wardens of the west march of Scotland, and some time in the same year guardian of St. Sauveur le Vicomte, a lucrative post, which he resigned before 26 Nov. 1370 (Fœdera, iii. 903). In February 1371 he was one of the triers of petitions for England, Wales, and Scotland, and served in the same capacity in the parliaments of January and October 1377, October 1378, April 1379, and January 1380 (Rolls of Parliament). On 1 Jan. 1373 Latimer was appointed to treat with King Fernando of Portugal, and previously to 10 Nov. 1374 was constable of Dover Castle and warden of the Cinque ports. In September and October 1375 he was employed on missions to France and Flanders, and on 2 Jan. 1376 was a commissioner of array in Kent (Fœdera, iii. 981, 1017, 1039, 1042, 1045). During all this time he was high in favour with Edward III, or, to speak
