Complete Peerage addenda: Maud, wife of Reynold Grey, 4th Lord Grey of Wilton, and Blanche, wife of Richard Grey, 6th Lord Grey of Wilton
Douglas Richardson
Complete Peerage, 6 (1926): 176-177 (sub Grey) states that Maud, wife
of Reynold Grey, 4th Lord Grey of Wilton, is "said to have been
daughter of Sir John de Botetourt, of Weoley, co. Worcester." This is
evidently based on an unreliable Grey pedigree found in the 1619
Visitation of Leicestershire which states: "Reginaldus Dn's Gray de
Wilton = Matilda fil. et hær. Joh'is Boutort Lo. of Weley")
[Reference: H.S.P. 2 (1870): 74-75 (1619 Vis. Leicester)].
On the other hand, in a suit dated 1443, Reynold and Maud's
great-grandson, also named Reynold Grey, alleged that Maud, wife of
Reynold, 4th Grey of Wilton, was the daughter of Richard de la Vache,
which Maud he claimed is named in a de la Vache family settlement
dated 1308 [Reference: Genealogist n.s. 18 (1902): 102; cf. VCH
Cambridge 5 (1973): 166].
However, this claim is evidently erroneous, as Maud de la Vache named
in the 1308 settlement is surely identical with a Maud de la Vache
named in a still earlier Vache family settlement dated 1295
[Reference: A. Travers, Cal. of Feet of Fines for Buckinghamshire
1259-1307 (Buckinghamshire Rec. Soc. 25) (1989): 73]. If Maud de la
Vache was born prior to 1295, it would make it virtually
chronologically impossible for her to be Maud, wife of Reynold Grey,
4th Lord Grey of Wilton, as Reynold Grey was born in 1311.
Under the terms of the 1308 settlement, various de la Vache manors
eventually fell to Amy Alberd, wife of John Kirkham, who died in 1427.
Sometime prior to 1440, these manors were in the hands of Richard
Grey, 6th Lord Grey of Wilton (died 1442), grandson of Reynold, 4th
Lord, and Maud. The assumption has been made by modern writers that
Richard Grey inherited them through his grandmother, Maud Grey.
Curiously, this same Richard Grey, 6th Lord Grey of Wilton, is alleged
to have married Blanche de la Vache, daughter and heiress of Philip de
la Vache. The source for Blanche's parentage appears to be G.F.
Beltz, Memorials of the Most Noble Order of the Garter (1841):
374-376, who in turn cites as his source "Vinc. No. 20 f. 373 in Coll.
Armor." However, it is extremely doubtful that Blanche was Philip de
la Vache's daughter, as neither Sir Philip's testament … nor his will,
… nor the inquisition on his widow's death … mention or suggest that
any children survived his death [Reference: VCH Cambridge 5 (1973):
166]. Moreover, on Sir Philip de la Vache's death, the de la Vache
manors fell to his kinswoman ("cousin"), Amy Alberd, wife of John
Kirkham, not the Grey family.
Richard Grey surely did not obtain the de la Vache manors in right of
his wife, Blanche, as in 1442, he settled these properties on himself
and his 2nd wife, Margaret, for life, with remainder to his heirs by
her. Had his 1st wife, Blanche, been a de la Vache heiress, her
inheritance could be held for life by her former husband, but he would
not be able to settle them on a new wife and their issue. Hence, if
these properties were inherited and not purchased, Richard Grey can
only have obtained them by inheritance in his own right.
Given these facts, it remains a mystery as to the identity of both
Maud, wife of Reynold, 4th Lord, and Blanche, wife of Richard, 6th
Lord. Surely, a de la Vache connection could still be possible,
albeit a remote one. I've seen mention of a set of Grey family
quarterings which allegedly include the de la Vache arms. If so, this
would suggest the Grey family were heirs in some manner to the de la
Vache family. This matter clearly deserve further study.
Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah
E-mail: royala...@msn.com