William Latimer, 4th Baron Latimer

William Latimer, 4th Baron Latimer, KG (24 March 1330 – 28 May 1381) was an English noble, soldier and diplomat. After serving in France and for the household of Edward III, he was impeached during the Good Parliament of 1376, the earliest recorded impeachment in the Parliament of England.

Early life and service in France Born on 24 March 1330 in Scampston, Buckrose Wapentake, East Riding of Yorkshire (now North Yorkshire), England, Latimer was the son of William Latimer, 3rd Baron Latimer, by Elizabeth, daughter of John de Botetourt, 1st Baron Botetourt. He had married Elizabeth, daughter of Edmund FitzAlan, 9th Earl of Arundel and Alice de Warenne, by 1353 and they had a daughter, Elizabeth (1357–1395). She married firstly John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby and secondly Robert Willoughby, 4th Baron Willoughby de Eresby.

He was present at the Battle of Crécy in 1346, and by 1351 he had been knighted and was in royal service in Calais. In January 1356 he was present when Edward Balliol surrendered his claim to the Scottish throne and he served in Gascony in 1359. He was created a Knight of the Garter in 1361 in succession to Sir William FitzWarin and fought on the side of John de Montfort, Duke of Brittany at the Battle of Auray in 1364. In 1368, he was appointed Keeper of Bécherel and in 1370 of Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte.

Return to England and impeachment After returning to England, he served as Steward of the Household from 1368 to 1370 and Chamberlain of the Household from 1371. His son-in-law John Neville, Lord Neville de Raby was appointed Steward of the Household in the same year, and until 1376 they were prominent figures in court The charges were proven and he was removed from his positions in the royal household and on the council, fined and imprisoned. He was pardoned in October 1376 and with Lancaster's recovered influence he returned to favour.

Latimer's impeachment is the earliest recorded in Parliament.

Later life Latimer was named an executor of the will of Edward III, who died in June 1377. In 1377 he became governor of Calais, and took part against the French at the Battle of Sluys. He also accompanied Thomas of Woodstock, Earl of Buckingham on his expedition through France into Brittany in 1380.

Latimer died on 28 May 1381 and was buried at Gisborough Priory, now in North Yorkshire. He was survived by his wife and their daughter, Elizabeth who married John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby, and had descendants.

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