MARGARET, WIDOW OF RICHARD GREY, 3rd EARL OF KENT.*
This lady appears to have been a daughter of James Fynche, citizen and
sherman of London, and to have been married three times — first to Olyver
Curteys, afterwards to Alderman John Dawes, and last to Richard, Earl of
Kent, who died in 1523.The subjoined notes from wills, etc., seem to
substantiate this theory. The said Margaret in her will 1540 (20 "Alenger,"
P.C.C.) makes bequests to her "cosen" Robert Brooke, serjt at law, to her
brother Nicholas Waryng, to John Thomworth, to the High aulter of Graye
Thurrok, to the church of St. Anne, Aldersgate, "where my first husband
lieth."
James Fynche, will 1509 (16 "Bennett," P.C.C.) mentions his daughters,
Elizabeth wife unto Philip Carruge, Margarete, and Johane.
Olyver Curteys of London, gent., will 1504 (6 " Holgrave," P.C.C), directs to
be buried in the church " of the seintes Anne and Agneys w[i]t[h]in Aldriche
gate .... I wille and bequeth unto .... Margaret my wife .... my tenement .... in
the parisshe of Thurrock Grey .... Essex .... her heires and assignes and ij
mesuages wt lxx Acres of Londe ... in Thurrock Grey . . . during lyfe naturall
and after . . . decesse ... to Elizabeth Carrugys the doughter of Philip
Carrugys Doctour of Phisyk and . . . heires."
Will 1536 (40 "Hogen," P.C.C.) Elizabeth de Carywgis W° of Phil. de
Caruges whose will 1533, (11 " Hogen") mentions her brother Nicholas
Waryng, and John Tamworth son of Elizabeth her daughter.* *
Will 1545 (35 "Pynnyng," P.C.C.) Nich. Waryng, Citn and Salter, mentions
his son-in-law Robert Broke, gent.
Will 1533 (40 "Hogen,” P.C.C.) Hugh Vaughan, Knt "my manor of Aslam . .
. Middlesex which I purchased of one Margaret Dawes then widow, now
Countess of Kent."
Will 1514 (9 "Holder," P.C.C.) Alderman John Dawis, to be buried in church
of St. Mary at Bowe, "where as Katheryn late my wyff lyeth buried" — wife
Margaret — son Rauff.
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If this is the Margaret Dawes who became Countess of Kent she must have
had, as suggested, a previous husband, for she mentions that her first
husband was buried at St. Anne's, Aldersgate, whereas this John Dawes
was buried at St. Mary's-le-Bow as is shewn by the will of his son Rauf
Dawes, 1517. (63 "Holder," P.C.C.)
In Feet of Fines, Michaelmas 8 Hen. VIII. it is shewn that two parts of the
manor of Astelam,† Middlesex, passed from Philip de Caruge, citizen and
draper, and Elizabeth his wife (one of the daughters and heirs of James
Fynche) and Nich. Waryng, citizen and Salter and Joan his wife, another of
the daughters and heirs of the said James Fynche.
Feet of Fines, Easter, 14 Hen. VIII., Margaret Dawes, widow, and others
are shewn to have conveyed the said manor of Astelam to Charles, Earl of
Worcester, and others.
J. C. C. Smith [J. C. Challenor Smith].
* Neither Brooke, Vincent, Mill, Dugdale, or any of our subsequent Peerage
authorities, appear to have identified Margaret Countess of Kent, the
second wife of Richard Grey, third Earl, and the foundress of the
almshouses for widows of poor Clothworkers, now at Islington. Dugdale
merely mentions that he left Margaret his wife alive, who died 32 Henry
VIII., and was buried under her husband's tombstone in Whitefriars.
Richard Grey was sixth Baron Grey de Ruthin, third Earl of Kent of the
Grey family, and Knight of the Garter. Burke, in his 'Extinct Peerage,' says,
"This nobleman attended King Henry VIII. (was with the king, 4 Henry VIII.,
at the siege of Therouenne. Dugdale's ' Baronage,' i. 718.) at the siege of
Therouenne ; but becoming an inveterate gamester, he wasted the whole
of his estate, and died in poverty at the sign of the George, in Lombard
Street, within the City of London, anno 1523. He married Elizabeth, dau. of
Sir William Hussey, Knt., Chief Justice of the King's Bench, and sister of
John, Lord Hussey, but having no issue, the honours devolved upon his
half-brother, Sir Henry Grey of Wrest, co. Bedford." He it appears was too
poor to assume them, and they remained dormant till his grandson
Reginald, “having by frugality much improved his fortune," again took them
2
in 1571 ; two years after this he sat as a peer on the trial of the Duke of
Norfolk. In this work no mention is made of the Earl's second wife. The
observation that he "died in poverty at the sign of the George " is probably
not altogether correct. It looks much like a free rendering of the assertions
of Brooke and Vincent. Dugdale quoting from Brooke says that he
" wasted his estate by gaming." Vincent ('Discoverie of Errours,' p. 288),
that he "dyed (when he had greatly wasted his estate) at his house in
Lumberdstreete in London." Hotten says the 'George' in Lombard Street
was once the town mansion of the Earl Ferrers. At the time the Earl of Kent
died there it was an Inn where the nobility used to put up (Hotten's 'History
of Signboards,' p. 288). It seems doubtful however whether the 'George'
was the private house of the Earl or an Inn at the time he died there, but in
either case it does not appear to be probable that he died in poverty. No
doubt he had wasted his estate. His widow was evidently rich, and the
fortune which we may assume she acquired by birth as the daughter of a
citizen and clothworker, her marriage with Oliver Curteys, gent., under
whose will she had lands in Thurrock Grey, and her second marriage
with Alderman Dawes, may have supplied a good reason for a spendthrift
Earl's marrying the widow of a London Alderman, and adding to her other
attractions the dignity of Countess of Kent. With such a second wife it is
scarcely probable that he died in poverty. — [Ed. Genealogist.]
* *Married 1st Tho. Tamworth, gent., whose will 1532 (24 "Thower") and
afterwards ---- Musgrave.
† I have not found any reference to this manor of Astelam in Lysons'
'Middlesex Parishes,' but Col. Chester has pointed out to me that it is
marked on the map to Norden's Survey between Littleton and Staines, and
it is also indicated in the map which Lysons gives in his 'Environs.'
The Genealogist
by Marshall, George W. (George William), 1839-1905
Volume: Volume II
Publisher: London, England: Golding and Lawrence : George Bell & Sons
Date Published: 1878
pp. 388-389
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