De la Bere's parentage is not known for sure, but it is most likely that he was of the family of De la Bere from
Stretford Manor in
Herefordshire and
Weobley Castle in
Glamorgan. He may have been a younger son of John De la Bere of Weobley who died in 1433.[citation needed]
He entered the
Church and became Dean of
Wells before being appointed
Bishop of St David's in September 1447. He was consecrated on 12 or 19 November that year.[1][3][4] De la Bere may have been an
Oxford scholar, and may have never set foot in
St David's, leaving the running of the
diocese to Gruffydd, the father of Sir
Rhys ap Thomas.[5] He is known for refusing to allow his clergy to leave their wives or concubines.[2]
Possibly due to his political affiliations during the
Wars of the Roses, De la Bere resigned or was deposed in 1460,[5] and was succeeded by
Robert Tully.[4] He is believed to have died in 1462.[9]