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Henry Grey Stamford

1911 Encyclopedia Britannica

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Henry Grey, 3rd Earl Grey

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HENRY GREY STAMFORD, 1st Earl Of ( c. 1599-1673), eldest son of Sir John Grey, succeeded his grandfather, Henry Grey as Baron Grey of Groby in July 1614. He married Anne, daughter of William Cecil, 2nd earl of Exeter, the heiress of the borough and manor of Stamford, and in March 1628 was created earl of Stamford. Just before the outbreak of the Civil War he ranged himself definitely among the king's opponents, and was made lord-lieutenant of Leicestershire. After some operations around Leicester he occupied Hereford, and, when compelled to abandon the city, marched into Cornwall. At Stratton, in May 1643, his troops were beaten by the Royalists; driven into Exeter, Stamford was forced to surrender this city after a siege of three months. The earl, who was certainly no general, was charged with cowardice, and took no further part in the military operations of the war, although once or twice he was employed on other business. The ravages of the Royalists had reduced him to poverty, and, distrusted by' the House of Commons, he had great difficulty in getting any compensation from parliament. After a period of retirement Stamford declared for Charles II. during a rising in August 1659, and was arrested, but was soon released. He died on the 21st of August 1673. One of his sons was Anchitell Grey (d. 1702), the compiler of the Debates of the House of Commons, 1667-1694 (10 vols. 1769). His eldest son, Thomas, Lord Grey of Groby ( c. 1623-1657), was member of parliament for Leicester during the Long Parliament, and an active member of the parliamentary party. In January 1643 he was appointed commander-in-chief of the forces of the parliament in the midland counties and governor of Leicester. In 1648 he won some credit for his share in the pursuit and capture of the duke of Hamilton; he assisted Colonel Pride to "purge" the House of Commons later in the same year; and he was a member of the court which tried the king, whose deathwarrant he signed. A member of the council of state under the Commonwealth, Grey fought against the Scots in 1651, and in February 1655 he was arrested on suspicion of conspiring against Cromwell. He was, however, soon released, but he predeceased his father in April or May 1657.

Thomas (c. 1654-1720), only son of the last named, succeeded his grandfather as 2nd earl of Stamford. He took some part in resisting the arbitrary actions of Charles II., and was arrested in July 1685; then after his release he took up arms on behalf of William of Orange, after whose accession to the throne he was made a privy councillor and lord-lieutenant of Devonshire. In 1697 he became chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, and in 1699 president of the board of trade, being dismissed from his office on the accession of Anne in 1702. From 1707 to 1711, however, he was again president of the board of trade. On his death without children on the 31st of January 1720 his titles passed to his cousin Henry (d. 1739), a grandson of the first earl, from whom the later earls were descended.