John Darcy

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: Abt 1377

Notes:

He was summoned to Parliament from 19 Aug 1399 to 21 Sep 1411 by writs directed Johanni Darcy.

John married Margaret Grey after 9 Jul 1397. Margaret (daughter of Henry de Grey and Elizabeth Talbot) died on 1 Jun 1454. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Philip Darcy was born about 1398 in of Knaith, Lincolnshire, England; died on 2 Aug 1418.
2. John Darcy was born about 1404 in Temple Hurst, Yorkshire, England; died in 1454.

Notes:

He was summoned to Parliament from 4 Aug 1377 to 5 Nov 1397 by writs directed Philippo Darcy or de Darcy.

He accompanied John of Gaunt in his 1369 raid into Picardy and Caux, and also served under the Earl of Buckingham in his raid into Brittany, 1380-81. He was in the expeditions to Scotland under Gaunt in 1384, and under the king in 1385. He did homage to Richard II at his coronation in 1377.

Philip married Elizabeth Gray. Elizabeth (daughter of Thomas II Gray and Margaret de Presfen) died on 11 Aug 1412. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Present, with his father, at Crécy.

John married Elizabeth de Meinell after 7 Jan 1345. Elizabeth (daughter of Nicholas de Meinell and Alice de Ros) was born on 15 Oct 1331 in Whorlton, Yorkshire, England; died on 9 Jul 1368. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: Bef 22 Oct 1369, Chillingham, Glendale, Northumberland, England

Notes:

Author of the Scalacronica.

His grandson Sir Thomas Gray was one of the three conspirators in the 1415 "Southampton Plot" against Henry V.

In 2016, John Watson proposed that Thomas Gray's first wife was a sister of Sir Thomas Ughtred, both siblings children of Sirt Thomas Ughtred (d. 1365) and Margaret Burdon. However, both of the children of Thomas Gray shown here were definitely children of his second wife Margaret de Presfen.

Post to soc. genealogy.medieval, 11 Aug 2014:

From: John Watson
Subject: Origin of the Grays of Heton, Northumberland

Dear all,

One of the best examples of upward social mobility in fourteenth century England was that of the family of Gray of Heton (modern day Heaton, about two miles south of the River Tweed in Northumberland). Their origins are however, obscure. Almost all of the published materials concerning the early Gray family rely on one source; the pedigree shown in Joseph Stevenson's translation of the Scalacronica printed in 1836 [1]. Although Stevenson provides the documents upon which he based the pedigree, he apparently errs in the parentage of the first Sir Thomas Gray, who started the family's rise to fortune. Stevenson shows Thomas' father as another Sir Thomas Gray of Heton, son of a Sir John Gray of Berwick who died about 1246.

There is however, another medieval document, now in the National Archives, which shows the actual parentage of the first Sir Thomas Gray and which was apparently not noticed by Stevenson. This is a plea to the king in 1334, by Sir Robert Gray, the brother of Sir Thomas Gray.

"Robert Gray seeks the restoration of property in Berwickshire. 1) His father held a mill at Lauder and other tenements in Hydegate in Berwick in the time of King Alexander [1249-1286], but was ousted during the wars. This property is now in the king's hands. 2) He also held a third part of Simprim, as the heir of William de Fenton, which he lost at the same time. Regarding the mill at Lauder and the tenements in Berwick, they say that Robert de Gray senior had three sons, namely John, Robert and Thomas, and that he granted this property to his son Robert, who held it until he was ousted in the war by Andrew Gray, whose heirs were dispossessed by his forfeiture. The property is in the King's hands and has not been re-granted. 2) Regarding the land at Simprim they say that William de Fenton was seised in the time of King Alexander, and granted it to Geoffrey de Caldecotes and his heirs, who held it until they were dispossessed by the war of Edward I. William de Fenton re-entered it and enfeoffed Robert Gray, who was seised until he was removed by the war of Robert Bruce. William de Fenton re-entered it for the third time, and Robert de Caldecotes, son and heir of Geoffrey, recovered it against the said William by assize of morte d'ancestor, and was seised until he went into Scotland" [2].

Robert, the father of Sir Robert Gray the petitioner, lived in the second half of the thirteenth century, and was holding land on both sides of the border in Berwickshire and Northumberland. In 1296-7, at the outbreak of Edward I's wars with Scotland, such cross-border families had to make a choice between allegiance to the crown of England or Scotland. It appears from the above document that John, his eldest son, chose Scotland whilst his two younger sons, Thomas and Robert, chose to serve Edward I and II.

In late 1311, an entry in French in the register of Richard Kellawe, Bishop of Durham, records that Sir (sire) Robert Gray had held the manor of Heton [Heaton] in Norhamshire of the bishop of Durham, by the law of England [after the death of his wife] of the inheritance of his son John. John had died in Scotland not in the fealty of the king of England and the manor had been seized as a forfeit of war by Anthony Bek, Bishop of Durham [died 3 March 1311]. The king, during the vacancy of the see of Durham, had granted the manor of Heton to Walter de Wodeham, who had also died. Bishop Kellawe petitioned the king for the return of the manor [3].

The king's grant of Heton to Walter de Wodeham is recorded in the Patent Rolls: "1 April 1311, Grant, in fee, to Walter de Wodeham, king's yeoman, of the manor of Heton, with a toft and 3 acres of land in Norham, co. Northumberland, late of Juliana Gray, which, on account of the rebellion of John Gray her son and heir, was escheated" [4]. This gives us the name of Sir Robert Gray's wife, Julian. She was most probably the daughter and heiress of Sir William de Heton who was holding Heton at the time of the Testa de Nevill in 1284-5 [5]. This would explain why Sir Robert Gray was holding the land only by the courtesy of England after her death, of the inheritance of his son John.

Bishop Richard Kellawe was evidently successful in regaining the manor of Heton from the king, because on 28 October 1312, he granted and quitclaimed the manor of Heton in Norhamshire to Sir Thomas Gray, knight and Agnes his wife, and their heirs to hold of the bishop and his heirs in perpetuity [6]. This suggests that Thomas was the second son of Robert and was the next heir of his mother and brother John. Robert the third brother, had been granted property in Berwickshire by their father.

Sir Thomas, son of Sir Robert Gray of Heton married, before 1312, Agnes, whose parentage is unknown. He was probably born between 1275 and 1280. His son Sir Thomas Gray II, records in the Scalacronica that he was a soldier serving in Scotland in May 1297 when he survived an ambush on English forces by William Wallace [7]. He was knighted before 1302, when Sir Thomas Gray is recorded as serving in the garrison of Berwick. Gray spent most of his life in military service, either in Scotland or on the borders. He was constable of the strategically important border castle of Norham until 1328. He died shortly before 10 April 1344 when bishop Bury granted a pardon to Thomas son of Sir Thomas Gray, knight, deceased, for his father's transgressions [8].

Thomas Gray seems to have had only one son, Thomas who was born about 1315, the author of the Scalacronica, which he started writing when a prisoner of war in Scotland in 1355. Thomas and Agnes also had several daughters who were married into the northern English gentry. Some of these daughters have previously been discussed in this group. They are (in no particular order):

Margaret wife of Sir John Eure of Stokesley, Yorkshire (d. 21 March 1366). She died before 3 August 1378.

Isabel wife of Sir William Heron of Ford, Northumberland (d. 21 December 1379). She died after 1362.

Agnes wife of Sir Gerard Salvain of Harswell, Yorkshire (d. 1 August 1369). She died before 1362.

An unnamed daughter who married Sir William Felton of Northumberland (d. before 24 February 1360) as his first wife. She died before January 1332.

Possibly Alice wife of John Burradon of Eworth, Northumberland. She died s.p. before 1362.

Sir Robert son of Sir Robert Gray, the petitioner in 1334 for his father's property in Berwickshire, was also a soldier. Before January 1319 when he petitioned the king for payment of his wages, he had been sheriff of Lanark and constable of Rotherglen castle and in the garrison of Berwick-on-Tweed [9]. Raine says that he died in 1338 and was the ancestor of the Grays of Cornhill, but there is no clear evidence for this [10].

So the revised pedigree of Gray of Heton looks like this:



Best regards,

John

[1] Joseph Stevenson, ed., Scalacronica: By Sir Thomas Gray of Heton, Knight. A Chronicle of England and Scotland from A.D. MLXVI to A.D. MCCLXII. Now First Printed from the Unique Manuscript. With an Introduction and Notes, Maitland Club (Edinburgh, 1836), xxxiv.

[2] TNA: SC 8/115/5714A.

[3] Thomas Duffus Hardy, ed., Registrum Palatinum Dunelmense. The Register of Richard de Kellawe, Lord Palatinate and Bishop of Durham, 1311-1316, vol. 1, Rolls Series (London, 1873), 77-8.

[4] Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward II, vol. 1, 1307-1313 (London, 1894), 337.

[5] James Raine, The History and Antiquities of North Durham (London, 1852), 326.

[6] Thomas Duffus Hardy, ed., Registrum Palatinum Dunelmense. The Register of Richard de Kellawe, Lord Palatinate and Bishop of Durham, 1311-1316, vol. 2, Rolls Series (London, 1874), 1170.

[7] Herbert Maxwell, ed., Scalacronica. The Reigns of Edward I, Edward II and Edward III as Recorded by Sir Thomas Gray (Glasgow, 1907), 18.

[8] G. W. Kitchin, ed., Richard D'Aungerville of Bury: Fragments of His Register, and Other Documents, Surtees Society 119, 1910, 58.

[9] Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward II: vol. 3: 1318-1323 (1895), 53

[10] Raine, The History and Antiquities of North Durham, 184.

Thomas married Margaret de Presfen about 1352. Margaret (daughter of William de Presfen) was born in of Middleton, Northumberland, England; died before 15 Aug 1403. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Or Pressen, Pressene.

Notes:

He was outlawed for unspecified felonies around 1306, and lost some of his lands, but he was pardoned 19 May 1307 at the request of Aymer de Valance, earl of Pembroke, in whose retinue he was in 1313, 1320, and 1321. This early brush with the law appears to have had little or no effect on his career, as demonstrated by the offices he subsequently held: Constable of Norham Castle, 1317; Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, 1319-22; knight of the shire for Nottinghamshire, 1320; Sheriff of Lancashire, 1323; Justiciar of Ireland, 1323-27, 1328-31, 1332-37, 1340-44; Sheriff of Yorkshire, 1327-28; Steward of the King's Household, 1337-40; Chamberlain to the King, 1341-46 or later; Constable of Nottingham Castle, 1344-47; and Constable of the Tower of London, 1346-47.

In addition to serving in Parliament as a "knight of the shire", he was also later summoned to Parliament by writ, thus serving in the 14th-century equivalents of the houses of Commons and Lords, respectively. The latter service was from 27 Jan 1332 to 2 Jan 1334, and the writs were directed Johanni Darcy le cosyn.

He fought at Crécy, and was one of those sent from Calais, 8 Sep 1346, to announce the victory to Parliament.

John married Emmeline Heron before 1317. Emmeline (daughter of Walter Heron and Alice de Hastings) was born about 1290; died before 1329. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: 1289

Notes:

Summoned to Parliament from 22 Jan 1336 to 3 Mar 1341 by writs directed Nicholao de Meinill.

Nicholas married Alice de Ros. Alice (daughter of William III de Ros and Maud de Vaux) died before 4 Jul 1344. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: Bef 1343

Notes:

"Like his antecedents, Thomas de Grey was Constable of Norham Castle, Northumberland, one of the two castles of the Palatinate of Durham, on the Scottish border, and he defended it from the Scots in 1318, 1319, 1322 and 1327." [Rosie Bevan, citation details below]

Thomas married Agnes. Agnes died after 13 Sep 1322. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The Wallop Family [citation details below] calls her Agnes de Beyle.

Notes:

Married:
7743118

Notes:

Or Pressene.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: of Oldcotes, Nottinghamshire, England

Roger married Isabel de Aton. Isabel (daughter of William de Aton and Isabel de Vere) was born in West Ayton, Yorkshire, England; died after 1316. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

According to The Cartulary of St. Leonard's Hospital, York (citation details below), Isabel, the second wife of Robert II de Plumpton, "is often said to be daughter of Serlo of Westwick, but this is the result of confusion with the wife of Robert I de Plumpton. Isabel wife of Robert II de Plumpton was apparently a daughter of Sir William de Aton, of West Ayton, co. York. She married firstly Roger Darcy (d. November 1281 x August 1282); secondly Robert de Plumpton; thirdly Simon Ward (d. 1306) to whom she was married by Michaelmas 1298; and lastly Henry of Keighley."

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: of Hedlestone, Northumberland, England

Walter married Alice de Hastings on 27 Oct 1284 in Allerston, Yorkshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

He was summoned to parliament by writs dated 8 Jan 1313 to 14 Mar 1322.

Nicholas married Lucy de Thweng. Lucy (daughter of Robert de Thweng and Alice de Merlay) died on 8 Jun 1346; was buried in Guisborough, Yorkshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In 1304 she was "willingly taken away by certain unknown persons", and in September of that year she applied to Archbishop Thomas de Corbridge for a divorce from her husband William on grounds of consanguinity in the 4th degree as well as cruelty. She subsequently became the mistress of Nicholas de Meinell, sheriff of Yorkshire, bearing him an illegitimate son. In 1307 she and Nicholas were charged with adultery; she obtained an aquittal by compurgation in September 1309. After finally becoming divorced from William in 1312, she married Robert de Everingham. In 1313 Robert complained that Nicholas de Meinell and others "came by arms with horses to Everingham, Yorkshire, and abducted his wife, Lucy." After Robert's death in 1316, she married Bartholomew de Fanacourt.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: Bef 1260, of Helmsley, Yorkshire, England
• Alternate death: 6 Aug 1316
• Alternate death: 8 Aug 1316
• Alternate death: 15 Aug 1316
• Alternate death: Bef 16 Aug 1316

Notes:

Governor of Wark Castle; Warden of the Marches. One of the claimants to the crown of Scotland, 1292.

Summoned to Parliament by writs from 6 Feb 1299 to 16 Oct 1315.

William married Maud de Vaux before 1284. Maud (daughter of John de Vaux and Sibyl) was born about 1261 in of Frieston, Lincolnshire, England; died after 17 Jun 1313; was buried in Pentney Priory, Norfolk, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: Bef 6 Aug 1316

Notes:

Her body was buried at Pentney Priory, but her bowels were interred in the chapel of St. Mary at Belvoir Priory, Leicestershire. Because of course they were, this is the late Middle Ages and this is what we do.

Robert married Juliana de Heton. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Philip married Isabel Bertram. Isabel (daughter of Roger Bertram and Agnes) died after 15 Jun 1281. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: Aft 15 Jun 1280

William married Isabel de Vere. Isabel (daughter of Simon de Vere and Ada de Bertram) was born in of Goxhill, Glanford Brigg, Lincolnshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Fought on the King's side at Lewes.

William married Christian de Notton. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: Bef 1284

Nicholas married Emmeline. Emmeline died after 1300. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Probably not Emmeline "de Heron", as reported in The History and Antiquities of the County of Leicester (citation details below). This appears to have been the result of confusion with her granddaughter Emmeline Heron (d. 1329) who married John Darcy (d. 1347).

Notes:

He was summoned to Parliament from 24 Jun 1295 to 6 Feb 1299.

Nicholas married Christian. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Robert married Alice de Merlay. Alice (daughter of Roger de Merlay and Isabel de Ros) was born about 1258; died before 7 Feb 1268. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: of Belvoir, Leicestershire, England
• Alternate death: 16 Jun 1285

Notes:

"On 24 Dec. he was sum. as Robert de Ros to (de Montfort's) Parl. in London." [Complete Peerage]

Knight of the shire 1261 & 1265. His bowels were buried at Belvoir, his heart at Croxton Abbey, and the remainder at Kirkham Priory.

Robert married Isabel d'Aubeney before 17 May 1244. Isabel (daughter of William IV d'Aubeney and Isabel) was born about 1233; died on 15 Jun 1301; was buried in Newstead Priory, Lincolnshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: of Frieston, Lincolnshire, England

Notes:

Sheriff of Norfolk. Fought at Evesham. Justice itinerant in 1288.

John married Sibyl after 1254. Sibyl died after 28 Oct 1287. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]