Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Grey, Richard de (fl.1250)
GREY, RICHARD de, second Baron Grey of Codnor (fl. 1250), baronial leader, was son of Henry de Grey, first baron Grey of Codnor (living in 1224) by Isolda (d. 1246), niece and coheiress of Robert Bardolf of Grimston, Nottinghamshire. Grey must have been born some time before 1200, since he appears as one of John's supporters in 1216 and received a grant of the lands of John de Humez in Leicestershire, and of Simon de Canci in Lincolnshire (Rot. Claus. 17 Joh.) In 1224 he was present at the defence of Rochelle (Ann. Dunst. in Annales Monastici, iii. 86), and in 1226 was appointed governor of the Channel Islands, of which in 1252 he received a grant in fee farm for a payment of four hundred marks (Pat. Rolls 10 and 36 Hen. III). He was custos of the castle and honour of Devizes in 1228 (ib. 12 Hen. III), sheriff of Northumberland in 1236, and of Essex and Hertford in 1239 (Pipe Roll, 20 and 23 Hen. III). In 1252 he took the cross, together with his brother John (d. 1266) [q. v.] Grey sided with the barons against the king in 1258, and was one of the twenty-four, and also one of the fifteen perpetual councillors (Burton Annals in Ann. Mon. i. 447, 449). He was also appointed custos of Dover Castle and warden of the Cinque ports (ib. i. 453), in which capacity he was able to intercept some of the treasure which the king's Poitevin favourites were endeavouring to send out of the country (Matt. Paris, v. 704, 713). But next year he failed to stop the landing of a papal messenger bringing letters of institution for Aymer or Æthelmær of Winchester [see Aymer], and was in consequence superseded by Hugh Bigot (Matt. Westm., ed. 1570, p.287). In July 1263 he was again appointed custos of Dover for the barons, and in the following December his representative refused to admit the king without his leave. Grey repeated the refusal when Henry returned from France on 15 Feb. 1264. He took part in the siege of Rochester in the following April, and when it was raised returned to Dover. He does not seem to have been present at Lewes, but when Montfort captured Rochester on 27 May, Grey was made custos of that castle. Next year he was with Simon de Montfort the younger at Kenilworth, and was captured by Edward on l Aug. (Cont. Gervase). In 1266 he was again in arms, but eventually accepted the terms of the dictum de Kenilworth, and surrendered at Kenilworth 14 Dec. (Ann. Lond. in Chronicles of Edward I and II, i. 76, Rolls Series). Grey married Lucia, daughter and heiress of John de Humez, by whom he had a son John, third baron Grey of Codnor, who died in 1271 (Inq. post mortem in Calendarium Genealoyicum, i. 157). Richard must therefore have died before that year.
[Annales Monastici, Matthew Paris, Continuation of Gervase of Canterbury, all in Rolls Ser.; Dugdale's Baronage, i. 709; Burke's Dormant and Extinct Peerages, p. 248.]