General Notes

1st Baron of Grey

Sir John de Grey, KG, of Rotherfield, b. 9 Oct 1300, d. 1 Sep 1359, 1st Lord Grey of Rotherfield, KG 23 Apr 1349; m. (1) by 1 Mar 1311/2, Catharine, daughter and heir of Sir Bryan fitz Alan; m. (2) Avice, daughter of Sir John Marmion, Lord Marmion. [Magna Charta Sureties]

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BARONY OF GREY OF ROTHERFIELD (I)

SIR JOHN DE GREY, son and heir, was born at Rotherfield, 9 October, and baptized 1 November 1300 in the church there. During minority his lands were granted to various persons by the Crown, and an inspection of Hardwick and Rotherfield was ordered, 28 September 1317, to safeguard the interests of the heir. He was summoned for Military Service from 25 March 1322 to 4 December 1341; to Councils 14 September 1340, 12 June 1341, 25 February 1341/2, and 20 November 1342; and to Parliment from 15 November 1338 to 1 December 1357, by writs directed Johanni de Grey de Rotherfeld, whereby he is held to have become LORD GREY of Rotherfield. He had letters of protection, 18 July 1322, on going with the King to Scotland, and on 5 September 1325 on going with the King beyond seas. On 1 September 1330 he had a grant of free warren in his demense lands in Bucks, Berks, and cos. Oxford, Northampton and York. On 16 March 1331/2 Sir Geoffrey le Scropc, who made the King's speech, declared that Mons. John de Grey of Rotherfield and Mons. William de la Zouche of Ashby, then at variance, were commanded to do no violence, but nevertheless hot words passed between them in the presence of the King and his Council, and Grey put his hand to his knife and partly drew it. Both had been sent to prison, and Zouche had been released on bail till this parliament. Grey had been given into the custody of William de Clinton, and was present in that custody. The King asked advice of the Lords in respect of such an excess in his presence, and the Lords returned that they thought Zouche not guilty, and that Grey should be imprisoned during the King's pleasure, but begged the King's mercy for him. He appears to have been pardoned not long after. On 19 August 1337 he had licence to alienate in mortmain to the Friars Minors of Oxford a plot of land. On 20 January 1341/2 he was urgently summoned to London to treat with the Council for what he and his men should receive for their stay at Berwick-on-Tweed, the King desiring that he should have custody of that town. He was in the Crécy expedition in 1346 in the 2nd Division. On 10 December 1346 he had licence to crenellate his dwelling-places of Rotherfield and Sculcoates. He was made K.G. at the institution of that order,and was Steward of the Household, certainly from 1350 to 1356. On 20 May 1354. he had a grant of free warren in his demesne lands of Cornwell and Kingham (Oxford).

He married, 1stly, before 1 March 1311/2, Catherine, younger daughter and coheir of Sir Brian (FITZALAN), LORD FITZALAN, by his 2nd wife, Maud. He married 2ndly, Avice, daughter of John (MARMION), LORD MARMION, and sister and coheir of Robert, LORD MARMION. He died at Rotherfield, 1 September 1359. His widow, as one of his executors, had a protection, 25 September 1359, in consideration of his good services as Steward of the Household. Mention is made, 28 February 1362/3, of the service in West Tanfield Church according to the ordinance of Avice, late the wife of John de Grey of Rotherfi6ld. She was living 20 March 1378/9, having as dower the manors of Cogges and Hardwick and a moiety of the manor and advowson of Fringford (Oxford). [Complete Peerage VI:145-7, (tanscribed by Dave Utzinger)]

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John got a license to crenellate his manor in Rotherfield in 1347.

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John de Grey, 2nd Baron Grey of Rotherfield, one of the founders of the Order of the Garter, b. 1300, who in the 15th Edward II, making proof his age, had livery of his lands; and in the 1st Edward III, was in the wars of Scotland. In the 6th of the same reign, upon some differences between his lordship and William le Zouch, of Haryngworth, another great baron, which was heard before the king, Lord Grey, under the irritation of the moment, drew his knife upon Lord Zouch in the royal presence, whereupon both lords were committed to prison; but the Lord Zouch was soon afterwards released, while Lord Grey was remanded and his lands seized upon by the crown. He was, however, within a short time, upon making submission, restored to favour; and in three years afterwards we find his lordship in Scotland upon the king's service, being of the retinue with Henry, Earl of Lancaster. From this period for several years, he was engaged in the French wars, and in the 20th of Edward's reign, he obtained license to fortify his houses at Rotherfield Grey, co. Oxford, and Sculcotes, co. York, with embattled walls of lime and stone. The next year there being a tournament held at Eltham, in Kent, amongst other accoutrements prepared for that military exercise, his lordship had a hood of white cloth embroidered with dancing men in blue habits, buttoned before with large pearls presented to him by the king. In the 26th Edward III, he was one of the commissioners in the cos. Oxford and Berks for arraying and arming all men of ability within those shires and leading them against the king's enemies, invasion at that time threatened by the French. In the next year he was steward of the king's household and had summons to parliament from the 1st to the 29th Edward III, inclusive. His lordship m. 1st, Katherine, dau. and co-heiress of Bryan Fitz-Alan, of Bedall, co. York, and had issue, John, his successor, and Maud, m. 1st to John de Botetourt, of Weoley, and 2ndly, to Thomas de Harcourt. He m. 2ndly, Avice, dau. and co-heir of John, Lord Marmion, and had two sons, John and Robert, who both assumed their mother's name of Marmion. [Sir Bernard Burke, Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited and Extinct Peerages, Burke's Peerage, Ltd., London, England, 1883, p. 247, Grey, Barons Grey, of Rotherfield, co. Oxford]