the Town of Manchester. 475 
ble house of the Staffords, of which, Hum- 
phrey was created Duke of Buckingham by 
Henry VI. with precedency before all Dukes, 
the Blood Royal excepted: and from which 
sprung a race long eminent in the rank of 
Barons, Earls, and Dukes of the Realm. 
Nicer, the other son, held DrakELow, 
and eleven other Lordships in Derbyshire, as 
appears by Domesday Book; and was the 
direct ancestor of the family of GREsLEY, 
still possessing that Lordship. 
Wicutam, the sonof Nicer, founded the 
Monastery of Gresley, of which little or no 
trace now remains. 
Rosert de GrReEscey, son and heir of 
this Witi1AM, founded an Abbey for Cis- 
tertian Monks at Swineshead, in the county 
of Lincoln, and from him descended the 
Gresteys, Lords of Manchester, who had 
summons to Parliament among the Barons of 
the Realm: whereof Thomas Gresley had 
summons from the first to the fourth year of 
the reign of Edward IJ. inclusive, and died 
without issue. His sister Jane married John, 
son of Roger de Ja Warre, and brought a 
fair inheritance to that noble family, from 
Whom the present Earl de la Warre is de- 
scended. 
