John (Grey) of Norwich

Ancestors

Died 18 Oct 1214 in Saint-Jean-d'Angély, Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes, France

W . I . P.

• There's a few constructions for this branch of the family. None of them are certain. But ... based on consensus, it's probable that John descends from Anshetil. How is the question. More to come ... but while this profile is being edited, take a look at the different antiquarian contructions. (Note that some say John was maternal uncle of Walter, Archbishop of YorkI.

Biography

This profile is part of the Gray Name Study.

John de Grey or Gray, Bishop of Norwich (d. 18 Oct 1214).^[1] probably descens from Anchetil de Greye. He was Archdeacon of Gloucester in 1199, ^[2] and was elected Bishop of Norwich in 1200.^[3]

In 1208 he became Lord Justiciar of Ireland, and endeavoured to establish royal government on the Irish and Anglo-Normans in Ireland, he reformed the Irish coinage to the standard of England. ^[4]

He was recalled to England in 1213 to help defend England against a threatened invasion by the French.

He was elected but not confirmed as Archbishop of Canterbury; in 1206, Pope Innocent III consecrated Stephen Langton as archbishop against the wishes of King John. John de Gray travelled to Rome in 1213 to seek a papal pardon for the dispute that had arisen between King John and Pope Innocent over de Gray's elevation to Archbishop of Canterbury. He was pardoned, and appointed Bishop of Durham as compensation, but died in France on his way home to England. ^{[5] [6]}

Wikipedia (2019), states that:

"Sidney Painter, a historian and biographer of [King] John, said of de Gray that he was "probably the only man whom John trusted absolutely and without reservation for the whole period of their association". The medievalist Ralph Turner called de Gray "one of John's greatest favourites", and another of John's biographers, W. L. Warren, described de Gray as "one of the best brains of the royal administration". Matthew Paris, a medieval writer, called him an "evil counsellor", and blamed many of the difficulties of John's later reign on de Gray's failed election to Canterbury."

"Some describe Gray as a native of Norfolk; he was likely descended from the Norman knight Anchetil de Greye. Gray was the uncle of Walter de Gray, Archbishop of York. The elder de Gray was instrumental in securing the selection of his nephew as Lord Chancellor, as he was a surety for Walter's payment of a fine of 5000 marks to acquire the position.

By 1196, Gray was in the service of John, and was keeper of John's seal by 1198. John became king in 1199, with Gray becoming Archdeacon of Cleveland in March 1200, and Archdeacon of Gloucester before April that year. He also served as John's secretary, and frequently as a deputy for the Lord Chancellor, Hubert Walter. Shortly after John became king, Gray began travelling between England and the continent on royal business, and for the first two years of John's reign was active in the royal chancery, sealing royal charters.

Gray was elected Bishop of Norwich about 7 September 1200, although the election was purely pro forma, as acknowledged by a contemporary writer Roger of Howden, who stated that the new bishop "succeeded to the bishopric of Norwich by the gift of King John". Gray was consecrated on 24 September. His consecration took place together with that of the new Bishop of Hereford Giles de Braose at Westminster, at the conclusion of a provincial church council held by Archbishop Walter, which de Gray had been attending. Walter performed the ceremony in a chapel of Westminster Abbey. ...

"By 1209 de Gray was in Ireland serving as the king's governor."

Relatives

"As to the relationship of Walter de Grey to John de Grey, Bishop of Norwich, John de Grey was the Archbishop's uncle. However, he was the [maternal] uncle]^{[citation needed]} of the Archbishop, and brother of Hawise de Grey. There was a charter of Hawise de Grey in favour of Oseney abbey in which she explicitly identified her son Robert and named the Bishop as her brother. Archbishop Walter was a witness:

' Hawisia de Grey vidua, pro animabus omnium antecessorum et consanguineorum, et precipue pro anima Johannis de Grey fratris mei quondam Norwicensis Episcopi, assensu Dni. Roberti de Grey filij et heredis mei, concessi et quantum ad patronam pertinet dedi Deo et Sce. Marie de Oseney et canonicis ibidem Deo servientibus ecclesiam de Cornewell ad donationem meam pertinentem in puram et perpetuam eleemosinam.

Hawisia de Gray was a widow, for the souls of all our ancestors and of his relatives, and especially for the soul of the Bishop of Norwich, John de Gray 'had once been my brother's, with the assent of Dm. , Son and heir of Robert de Gray 's me, O God, and I have given, granted and by as much as it belongs to the patroness of the See. Mary Oscney and canons of the Church of Cornewell to serving God's gift of mine in pure and perpetual alms.^[7][8][9]

Events

St. Stephen The Proto-Martyr (Norwich, Norf).

"It was a rectory given by Hen I to the convent, and was confirmed by Hen II with Eaton and Trowse Newtou, to be held in as ample a manner as it was in the time of his grandfather; (fn. 1) it continued a rectory in their presentation till 1205, and then John de Grey Bishop of Norwich appropriated it, after the death of John de Hastyngs, then rector, to the prior and monks, to the use of the chamberlain of their monastery, towards the monks clothing; reserving a pension of 30s. a year to be paid by the chamberlain out of it, to the cellerer; all pontifical and parochial jurisdiction whatever being expressly reserved to the Bishop, which is the reason that though it belongs to the dean and chapter, it is not in their exempt jurisdiction, but is subject, as other parishes, to the episcopal and archidiaconal visitation, correction, and jurisdiction, as it always was. The appropriation is dated at Norwich, and was transacted by Master Jeffery de Derham, then chancellor, in the presence of Masters Will. de Len, Rob. de Gloucestre, Rob. de Tywa, Alan de Gray, and Alan of St. Edmund. The rectory being then valued at ten marks, and taxed at eight marks."^[10]

Lakenham.

"The rectory continued appendant to the manor till about 1205, and then John de Grey Bishop of Norwich (fn. 3) appropriated it to the chamberlain of the monastery, reserving to himself all episcopal and parochial jurisdiction; upon this, a vicarage was erected, which in Norwich Domesday Book is rated at 40s. to the first fruits, but was not taxed; that is, not liable to any tenths, fifteenths, &c. as the rectory was, which was estimated at six marks, and paid 8s. every whole tax."^[11]

Death

He died 18th October 1214 in Saint-Jean-d'Angély, Poitou.^[12] and was buried in Norwich Cathedral.

Notes

• Lipscomb's (1847), places him as Walter's brother.

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia: John de Gray (d. 18 Oct 1214), v. 06:43, 6 November 2019.[1]
2. ↑ John de Grey was made Archdeacon of Gloucester in the first year of King John's reign British History Online : Hundred of Wayland: Merton
3. ↑ British History Online : Hundred of Wayland: Merton
4. ↑ The Peerage of Ireland: vol: 2
5. ↑ Historic Canterbury : Archbishops
6. ↑ [http://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/m/doc/Foxe_M/section/%5BConflict%20over%20the%20appointment%20of%20the%20new%20Archbhishop%20of%20Canterbury%5D/ The Book of Martyrs (Modern) : Conflict over the appointment of the new Archbhishop of Canterbury
7. ↑ Google Translate
8. ↑ Testibus Dno. Waltero de Grey, Wygorniensi Episcopus filio meo, &c.' [Blomefield, Norfok I:478, cites 'Mss. penes P. L. Norroy, p. 15, excerpt. e Cartis per Ric. St. George.']"
9. ↑ Dec. 2010 gen-medieval post by John Ravilious
10. ↑ Francis Blomefield, 'City of Norwich, chapter 42: The Great Ward of Mancroft, St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 4, the History of the City and County of Norwich, Part II (London, 1806), pp. 145-184. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol4/pp145-184 [accessed 28 September 2020].
11. ↑ "Francis Blomefield, 'City of Norwich, chapter 42: Lakenham', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 4, the History of the City and County of Norwich, Part II (London, 1806), pp. 519-522. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol4/pp519-522 [accessed 28 September 2020].
12. ↑ Wikivisually : John de Gray

• Collins, A. (1756). The Peerage of England: Containing a Genealogical and Historical Account of All the Peers of that Kingdom, Now Existing, Either by Tenure, Summons, Or Creation, Their Descents and Collateral Lines, Their Births, Marriages and Issues. W. Strahan, J. F and C. Rivington. Google Books.[2]
• Lipscomb, G. (1847). "Pedigree of de Grey of Rotherfield." The history and antiquities of the county of Buckingham, Volume 1. J. & W. Robins. Google Books.[3]
• Wikipedia: John de Gray

See Also...

• Fletcher, W.G.D. (1887). Leicestershire Pedigrees and Royal Descents. Clarke and Hodgson. Google Books.[4]
• King John on WikiTree, Plantagenet-143