Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Manners, Robert (d.1355?)
MANNERS, Sir ROBERT (d. 1355?), constable of Norham, is said to have been son of a certain William de Manners who died in 1349. He obtained a grant of land in Berrington, Northumberland, in 1329, and petitioned the king for Learmouth on account of his own and his father's services in the Scottish wars in 1331. A curious letter of 1333 from the Bishop of Durham to the council, referring to his jurisdiction over Norham, mentions Manners as constable, and seems to mark an earlier date than 1345, which is usually assigned to his appointment. Manners was a rough border soldier. He was ordered to give up two hostages whom he illegally detained in 1333. In 1&40 he was M.P. for Northumberland, and in 1341 he aided Lord Grey of Werk in stopping a raid of the Earl of Sutherland. In 1342 he was allowed to embattle Etal in Northumberland, and thus founded the influence of his family in that district. He arranged the truce with David Brjace the same year, and when the Scots invaded England, in alliance with the French, in 1346, he took part in the battle of Neville's Cross. He seems to have died in 1355, as in that year the custody of Etal was given to the Lethams, who were afterwards, in the interest of the heir, accused of wasting it. Sir Robert's wives were Margaret and a certain Ada. The pedigree is differently stated, possibly because of the two seats of the family, but it is certain that his heir was John Manners, who was born in 1355. Possibly John was a grandson of Sir Robert.
The second Sir Robert Manners (1408–1461) was probably grandson of Sir John Manners and great-great-grandson of the first Sir Robert. He was a justice of the peace for Norhamshire in 1438, when he succeeded to the family property, was sheriff of Northumberland in 1454, and M.P. for Northumberland in 1459. He died about 1461, and was buried in the church of the Austin Friars, London. He married Johanna, daughter of Sir Robert Ogle, and sister of Robert, first lord Ogle [q. v.], and by her, who died in 1488, left four sons: 1. Sir Robert Manners, Sheriff of Northumberland in 1463, 1465, when he was knighted, and 1485, who married Eleanor, daughter of Lord Roos, and so brought that title into the Manners family; he was grandfather of Thomas Manners, first earl of Rutland [q. v.] 2. John Manners (d. 1492). 3. Gilbert Manners, a retainer of the Earl of Warwick. 4. Thomas Manners of Etal.
[Raine's North Durham, pp. 211 , &c.; Cal. of Docs, relating to Scotland, 1307–1509; Collins's Peerage, ed. Brydges, vol. i.; Registrum Palatinum Dunelmense, ed. Hardy (Rolls Series), vols. iii. and iv.; Nichols's Leicestershire, ii. 41.]
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.194
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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