Another CP Addition: Antigone of Gloucester, wife of Henry Gray, 2nd Count of Tancarville
Douglas Richardson
Complete Peerage 6 (1926): 138-139 (sub Grey of Powis) has a brief
account of the life of Henry Gray, 2nd Count of Tancarville (died 13
Jan. 1449/50). The editor correctly states that Henry Gray married
"Antigone, illegitimate da. of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester."
Antigone is of great interest to us, as she is one of two known
illegitimate grand-daughters of King Henry IV of England to leave
modern descendants. For interest sake, a list of colonial immigrants
who descend from Henry Gray and Antigone of Gloucester is provided
further below.
Antigone of Gloucester's parentage is attested by two separate
visitation sources as follows:
1. H.S.P. 29 (1889): 105 (1623 Vis. Shropshire) (Charleton pedigree:
"Henricus Grey Dom. de Powys et Tylle Comes de Tancarville et
Camerarius Normanniæ = Antigona filia notha Humfridi Ducia Glouc.").
2. W. Harvey et al. Vis. of the North 3 (Surtees Soc. 144) (1930):
53–54 (Gray pedigree: "Gray dominus de Powys = filia ducis
Gloucestrie").
Complete Peerage likewise notes that Henry Gray's marriage was granted
in 1435 to Antigone's father, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester.
Interestingly, Complete Peerage appears to have overlooked Antigone of
Gloucester's 2nd marriage to Jean d'Amancier, Esquire of the Horse to
King Charles VII of France. This marriage is indicated in at least
two modern historical works, namely
1. K.H. Vickers, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester (1907): 335–336.
2. E.F. Jacob, The Fifteenth Century (1961): 485–486.
The second source above, Jacob, gives no documentation for the
marriage. The first source, Vickers, states the following:
"Antigone survived her husband, and a year after his death we find her
the wife of Jean d'Amancier, Esquire of the Horse to Charles VII of
France." END OF QUOTE.
In a footnote, Vickers states he obtained this information from a list
of letters of legitimisation "printed in Beaucourt, v. 331."
The source, "Beaucourt" seems to be Histoire de Charles VII., by
Gaston Du Fresne de Beaucourt. Paris, 1881-91. I have found this work
cited in various card catalogues, but unfortunately neither major
library here in Salt Lake City has a copy. I also checked the gallica
website but it did not list the volumes by Beaucourt among its
holdings.
If someone has access to the work by Beaucourt, I'd appreciate it very
much it they would post the information relative to Antigone of
Gloucester's legitimization and her 2nd marriage to Jean d'Amancier.
Special thanks go to Chris Phillips who kindly checked the book by
Vickers for me and supplied the quotation noted above. Chris is top
drawer.
Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah
E-mail: royala...@msn.com
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List of Colonial Immigrants Descended from Henry Gray, 2nd Count of
Tancarville, and his wife, Antigone of Gloucester:
1. Rowland Ellis.
2. Nathaniel Littleton.
3. Thomas Lloyd.