William Grey

William Grey (died 1478) was a medieval English churchman, academic, and Lord High Treasurer. He served as Chancellor of Oxford University and as Bishop of Ely. Family Grey was the son of Sir Thomas Grey, one of the conspirators in the Southampton Plot, and Alice Neville, the daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, by his first wife Margaret (d.1396), daughter of Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford. He had three brothers, and four or five sisters, including: Sir Thomas Grey (1404 – d. before 1426), who in 1412, at eight years of age, was betrothed to Isabel, then three years of age, only daughter of Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge, and Anne Mortimer, but died childless. Sir Ralph Grey (d. 17 March 1442), who married Elizabeth FitzHugh, daughter of Henry FitzHugh, 3rd Baron FitzHugh, and Elizabeth Grey, and left children. Sir John Grey. a sister who married a husband surnamed Arundel. Joan Grey (c. 1408–1488), who married Sir John Salvin. Elizabeth Grey (c. 1402–1454), who married firstly, Sir William Whitchester, and secondly, Sir Roger Widdrington. Studies in England Grey was educated at Balliol College, Oxford, and in due course became a Doctor of Divinity at Oxford University. His powerful family connections early secured him ecclesiastical preferment. On 11 January 1430–1 he was collated to the prebend of Kentish Town in the Diocese of London, an office which he held until 1446. On 16 May 1434 he was made archdeacon of Northampton, and in the same year prebendary of Thame in the Diocese of London; these preferments he occupied until 1454. On 21 October 1443, he was collated to the prebend of Longdon in the Diocese of Lichfield. Towards the end of 1447 he is mentioned as prebendary of Barnby, and then for a short time in the latter part of 1452 of Driffield, both in the Diocese of York. Before this last date, on 3 March 1449–50, he was admitted archdeacon of Richmond.