One of the most experienced parliamentarians to represent either Essex or Hertfordshire during our period, Lee also achieved a distinction in local—and occasionally national—affairs which sets him apart from most of the shire knights returned by these two counties during the late 14th century. The Lees owed much of their influence to Walter’s father, Sir John, whose disgrace and imprisonment in 1368, on a charge of abusing his powers as steward of Edward III’s household, seem to have had very little effect upon the fortunes of his son. Sir John died two years later, leaving a substantial estate to the young man, who was then said to be over 21 years old. There is, however, a strong possibility that Sir Walter entered his inheritance while still just a minor: he described himself in 1386 as a man of 33, and thus aged only 17 at his father’s death, and although his military record suggests than he may have been two or three years older his comparative youthfulness is beyond question. This important piece of evidence further disproves the common, but erroneous, belief that the Thomas Lee II with whom he was returned to Parliament in 1386 was his son. On chronological grounds alone, the two men are far more likely to have been brothers or cousins.
Sir Walter’s patrimony comprised the family seat and estates at Albury, together with the manors of Clothall, Wallington, Upwick, Datchworth, Cumberlow Green, Chamberlayns, Patmore Hall, Brent Pelham, Furneux Pelham, Cockhampstead and Patchendon, and extensive farmland in Stapleford, Bengeo and Queen Hoo Hall. In addition to these holdings in Hertfordshire, he inherited the Essex manors of Barn Hall and More Hall in Tolleshunt Knights, Hassobury in Farnham (with their advowsons), Copt Hall in Little Wigborough and Gobions in Great Leighs, as well as other property in Clavering, Salcott and Virly. He also acquired part of the manor of Cottenham Fen in Cambridgeshire. With the exception of his land in Chamberlayns, which he restored to a rival claimant in 1376, Sir Walter made a settlement of these estates upon feoffees (among whom were Sir Robert Tey, Sir William Baudt and other prominent local landowners). His property in Essex was, however, pledged as security during the late 1370s for the repayment of a debt of £150 to Sir William Septvance, who appears to have sold the manor of Copt Hall to Sir John Lee at an earlier date. References to the ‘burden of debt’ carried by our Member at this time suggest that a considerable part of his revenues were being set aside for the payment of his father’s creditors.
Already an experienced soldier by the date of his coming of age, Lee first went abroad in February 1368, when he received permission from the King to travel from Dover to Milan with an escort of eight horsemen. His mission probably concerned Lionel, duke of Clarence’s marriage to Violante Visconti, although no further evidence of his activities in Italy has survived. In the following year he accompanied John of Gaunt on his expedition to Normandy, where he was probably knighted; and in July 1370 he contracted to serve with Sir Robert Knolles, whose plans for a freebooting campaign against the French ended in failure soon afterwards.
Despite his proximity to the King, Sir Walter evidently did not belong to that inner ring of royal favourites who fell victim to the Lords Appellant in 1388. His Membership of the Merciless Parliament, together with his appearance in March 1388 as a commissioner appointed to take oaths in support of the Appellants, suggests that he shared (or was persuaded to share) some, if not all, of their sympathies—a supposition borne out by the award to him at this time of the constableship of Colchester castle. On the other hand, Richard II was later prepared to include him among the surveyors of the estates confiscated from Robert de Vere, duke of Ireland. During his middle and later years Sir Walter built up a wide range of important connexions with members of the nobility and leading local landowners. He was a demesne tenant of Walter, Lord Fitzwalter, for whom he occasionally witnessed deeds, and a beneficiary of the will of Sir William Moleyns, the son of one of Edward III’s chamber knights. Among those who asked him to act for them as mainpernors in either Chancery or the Exchequer were Sir Robert Ferrers, Sir Philip de la Vache and a servant of Sir Thomas Matham; he was likewise much in demand as a feoffee-to-uses, most notably for Thomas Bataill (who reciprocated the favour) and his own kinsman, Thomas Lee II, who also made him one of his executors.
Of Sir Walter’s more personal affairs rather less is known, although throughout his life he was involved in a number of lawsuits, some of which were fought at the local assizes in defence of his title to property in the home counties, while others were actions for debt or trespass heard at Westminster.
Sir Walter died soon after these recognizances were drawn up, and was buried beside his wife in St. Mary’s church, Albury. Since he left no direct heirs, his estates were divided between his three sisters, Margery (wife of Robert Newport), Joan (mother of John Barley) and Alice (wife of Sir Thomas Morewell. He appears to have made a new settlement of this property shortly before his death,and his feoffees, among whom were his executors, Walter Arderne, John Boys and Richard de la Pantry (a colleague in the Parliament of 1394), soon found themselves at odds with Newport over the implementation of his will. The dispute eventually reached the court of Chancery, where Newport was accused of attempting to debar the three men from their trusteeship.