Peter Courtenay (died 1405)

Sir Peter Courtenay, KG, (1346–1405) was a soldier, knight of the shire, Chamberlain to King Richard II (1377–1399) and a famous jouster. His principal seat was Hardington Mandeville, Somerset.

He was the 5th son of Hugh de Courtenay, 2nd Earl of Devon (1303–1377) by his wife Margaret de Bohun (d.1391). He had several highly prominent elder brothers, but was the most flamboyant of them all:

He received the honour of knighthood from the Black Prince after the Battle of Najera in 1367, at the same time as his brother Sir Philip. In 1378 whilst on a naval expedition with his brother Sir Philip, under the command of Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel (d.1397) and William de Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury (d.1397), the fleet was attacked by Spaniards off the coast of Brittany and Sir Peter and his brother were captured. His ransom was paid by two wealthy burgesses of Bristol.

He married Margaret Clyvedon, daughter of John de Clyvedon by his wife Elizabeth.

He died on 2 February 1405 and was buried in Exeter Cathedral, where his monumental brass, much worn-away, exists set into a slab in the floor of the south aisle. It was reported by Lysons in 1822 as being then situated further to the west in or near the now demolished Courtenay chantry chapel, near to the chest tomb of his parents, which has also been moved. He is shown full-length, in armour, with hands together in prayer. The figure is very similar to those of Sir Maurice Russell (d.1416) in Dyrham Church, and to that of Thomas de Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley (d.1417) at Wotton-under-Edge, both in Gloucestershire. His figure is surrounded by a ledger line on which was formerly visible the following inscribed leonine verse (or "jingling verse") in Latin, transcribed by John Prince in his Worthies of Devon, with variants in brackets given by Polwhele:

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