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Birth:          ABT 1256 of Greystoke, Cumberland, England
Death:          11 Feb 1317 
Burial:         Priory, Neasham, England

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_Fitzwilliam
Ralph Fitzwilliam (1256? – 11 February 1317), was a baron.

Fitzwilliam was the son of William Fitzralph of Grimthorpe in Yorkshire, and of his wife 
Joan, daughter of Thomas de Greystock. He was probably born in 1256, as he is 
described in 24 Edward I as forty years old and more. In 1277 he served on behalf of 
his uncle, William de Greystock, in the Welsh war, and again on his own account in 
1282, and in 1287 against the same enemy. In 1291 he was first summoned to serve 
against the Scots, and in 1295 was first summoned to parliament.

In July 1297 he was appointed captain of the royal garrisons in Northumberland, and 
for his services against the Scots thanked in November, during this month he was also 
appointed one of the captains of the Scottish marches. In 1298 he was put at the 
head of the troops levied in Yorkshire. He was constantly serving against Scotland 
and in parliament. In 1300 he was at the siege of Caerlaverock. In the Old 
French/Anglo Norman of the epic poem of Caerlaverock, he is named Rauf le 
FitzGuilleme (Ralph le FitzWilliam) and his blazon is described (K, vv. 197-9):
 Ke cil de Valence portoit
 Car en lieu des merlos mettoit
 Trois chapeaus de rosis vermelles
 Translation: Barruly argent and azure, three chaplets gules. (Literally 'That which 
[Aymer] de Valence [Item 21] bore/ But in place of the martlets he set/ Three chaplets 
of roses gules.') Other sources: H 40*; Barons Letter*[1]

In 1301 he signed as 'lord of Grimthorpe' the letter of the barons at the Lincoln 
parliament to the pope. He was also employed as a representative of the East Riding 
before the exchequer in 1300, and as the king's agent empowered to 'use all friendly 
ways' to exact a purveyance of grain from the Yorkshire monasteries in 1302. In 1304 
he was commissioned with John de Barton to act as a justice to execute the statute of 
'trailbaston' in Yorkshire (Hemingburgh, ii. 235); but in the commissions of 'trailbaston' 
in 1305 his name does not appear (Fœdera, i. 970). In the reign of Edward II he 
attached himself to the baronial opposition. In 1309 he was appointed a justice to 
receive in Northumberland complaints of prises taken contrary to the statute of 
Stamford. In 1313 he was among the adherents of Thomas of Lancaster who received 
a pardon for their complicity in the death of Gaveston (ib. ii. 231). In the same year he 
was made 'custos' of Cumber-land, and in 1314 one of the justices of oyer and 
terminer in Cumberland and Westmoreland for the trial of offenders indicted before the 
conservators of the peace. In January 1315 the magnates of the north appointed him 
one of the wardens of the marches. The king ratified their choice, and nominated him 
captain and warden of Newcastle upon Tyne and of all Northumberland. In March 
1315 he was also made captain and warden of Carlisle and of the adjoining marches. 
In June 1316 he was appointed one of the wardens to defend Yorkshire against the 
Scots. The last writ addressed to him as a commissioner of array was on 15 September 
1316. He died soon after, apparently about November, certainly before February 1317, 
and is said to have been buried in Nesham Priory, Durham (Dugdale).[2]

Fitzwilliam inherited and acquired very considerable estates in Northumberland, 
Yorkshire, and Cumberland (Cal. Inq. Post Mortem, i. 282). In 1296 he was declared 
nearest heir to Gilbert Fitzwilliam (Cal. Geneal. p. 515). In 1303 he got one-fourth of 
the manors in Northumberland belonging to John Yeland (ib. p. 646). In 1306 he 
succeeded to the estates of his cousin John de Greystock (ib. p. 713), for the repose 
of whose soul he founded a chantry at Tynemouth.

Fitzwilliam married, about 1282, Marjory, daughter and coheiress of Hugh of Bolebec 
and widow of Nicholas Corbet. She died before 1303. His eldest son William died 
before him. He was succeeded by his second son Robert, who died before the end of 
1317 (Cal. Inq. Post Mortem, i. 282). The estates then went to Ralph, the son of 
Robert, who assumed the name of Greystock. The barony remained in the family until 
1487, when it passed through females to the Dacres of the north (Dugdale, ii. 24).

Parents
FITZ RALPH William (ABT 1225 - AFT Jul 1269)
DE GREYSTOKE Joan (ABT 1225 - )

Siblings
FITZ WILLIAM Ralph (ABT 1256 - 11 Feb 1317)

Marriage To DE BOLEBEC Margery (ABT 1254 - BEF 1303)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
DE BOLEBEC Hugh (ABT 1205 - )
BALIOL Theopharcia (BEF 1209 - )

Children by DE BOLEBEC Margery ABT 1254 - BEF 1303
FITZ RALPH Robert (1274 - 1317)

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