Arthur GREY

(14th B. Grey of Wilton)

Born: 1536, Hammes, France

Died: AFT 14 Oct 1593, Whaddon, Buckinghamshire, England

Notes: Knight of the Garter.

Father: William GREY (13° B. Grey of Wilton)

Mother: Mary SOMERSET (B. Grey of Wilton)

Married 1: Dorothy ZOUCHE 1560

Children:

1. Tacy GREY

2. Elizabeth GREY

Married 2: Jane Sybilla MORISON (B. Russell/B. Grey of Wilton) 1574

Children:

3. Thomas GREY (15º B. Grey of Wilton)

4. Bridget GREY

5. William GREY (b. 1579, Whaddon, Buckinghamshire, England - d. 1605)

Son of William Grey, 13th Baron Grey of Wilton, by his wife Mary, dau. of Charles Somerset, Earl of Worcester. Was during early life with his father in France and in Scotland. In 1553 he was betrothed to her cousin Mary Grey. The betrothal was later dissolved.

He fought at the battle of St Quentin and helped to defend Guines and to assault Leith. Governor of Ireland from 1580-1582. Lieutenant 1569 and 1587. After an initial defeat in Wicklow was successful in reducing many of the rebels to a temporary submission. Perhaps the most noteworthy event during his tenure of this office was the massacre of 600 Italians and Spaniards at Smerwick in Nov 1580, an action for which he was responsible. Having incurred a heavy burden of debt Grey frequently implored the Queen to recall him, and in Aug 1582 he was allowed to return to England.

While in Ireland Grey was served as secretary by Edmund Spenser, and in book v. of the Faerie Queene the poet represents his patron as a knight of very noble qualities named Artegall. As one of the commissioners who tried Mary, Queen of Scots, Grey defended the action of Elizabeth's secretary, William Davison, with regard to this matter, and he took part in the preparations for the defence of England against the Spaniards in 1588. His account of the defence of Guines was used by Holinshed in his Chronicles.

One branch of this prolific medieval family had lands in and around Bletchley from the early 13th century. Grey’s manors in Bucks were at Bletchley, Fenny Stratford and Whaddon. He pulled down Water Hall, the medieval manor house at Bletchley and moved to Whaddon because he preferred the site, but died impoverished in the house he had built there. His only son forfeited all his lands on being convicted for treason and they were granted by James I to George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham.

The history of Ireland and England has been intertwined for centuries. No doubt there are many shared Irish and English family histories. Ireland allows Irish citizenship by descent to many countries including England, so studying the genealogy of connected Irish and English families may result in dual citizenship rights.

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