Conyers DARCY

(4th B. Conyers of Hornby / B. Darcy of Knaith)

Died: 3 Mar 1653

Father: Thomas DARCY

Mother: Elizabeth CONYERS

Married: Dorothy BELLASIS (b. ABT 1572, Newborough, Yorkshire - d. 11 May 1653) (dau. of Henry Belassis (Sir) and Ursula Fairfax)

Children:

2. Ursula DARCY (m. Christopher Woodville)

3. Conyers DARCY (1° E. Holderness)

4. Elizabeth DARCY (m. Sir Henry Stapleton)

5. James DARCY (Hon.) (m. Isabel Woodville)

Son and heir of Thomas Darcy of Hornby Castle, by Elizabeth, 2nd daughter and coheir of John, Lord Conyers, became in Jul 1635, on the death of his cousin, John, Lord Darcy, his heir male, as also heir male of his great-grandfather, Thomas, Lord Darcy (attainted 1538); and being maternally, through the Conyers family, a coheir of John, Lord Darcy, sum. by writ in 1331/2, set out these facts in a petition to the King in the Parliament which first met at Westminster, 3 Nov 1640, wherein he asked that the King might "be pleased to declare, restore, and confirm, to him the said Sir Conyers Darcy and the Heirs Male of his body, the stile, title and dignity of Lord Darcy". Two Patents which issued on 10 and 12 Aug 1641 respectively, are held to have determined the abeyance of the ancient Barony of Darcy [and by inference that of Conyers] in his favour, whereby he became Baron Darcy (of Knaith) [1344] and Baron Conyers [1509], both baronies being held in fee. 

Conyers Darcy, son and heir of Thomas Darcy, co. York (jure uxoris), Lieut. of the Tower of London, died 6 Nov 1605), by his 1st wife, Elizabeth (d. 6 Jun 1572), 2nd daughter and coheir of John Conyers, Lord Conyers, last abovenamed, was born in York, and bap. at St. Michael le Belfry, 27 Aug 1570; admitted Fellow Commoner at Caius Coll. Cambridge, 10 Dec 1588, and then said to be aged 17. He was knighted 23 Jul 1603, and resided at Hornby Castle, co. York, the inheritance of his maternal ancestors. In the Parl. which first met at Westminster 3 Nov 1640, he petitioned the King for the restoration to him of the dignity of Baron Darcy. On 2 Aug 1641 a Royal Warrant directed the preparation of two bills to restore to him the ancient liberties, places, and states of John, Lord Darcy, and of John, Lord Conyers, and accordingly two signed bills issued on 10 Aug and 12 Aug 1641 respectively, the former stating that Conyers Darcy Knight is to be Lord Darcy, and the latter that Conyers Darcy Knight, Lord Darcy, is to be Lord Conyers, with in both cases Declaration and Confirmation of the said dignities to him and the heirs male of his body. He was summoned to Parl. 28 Oct 1641, taking his seat 20 Jan 1641/2, as "Lord Darcy and Conyers" under "his Patent of Restitution and creation and his Writ of summons," when he was placed next below Lord Dacre 

On 13 Jul 1644, by the extinction of the issue of the other coheirs, he became the representative of his maternal grandfather, and consequently, according to modern doctrine, became de jure Lord Conyers [1509]. Previous to the determination of the abeyance of the Barony of Darcy in 1903, the Committee for Privileges decided that the effect of the signed bills referred to above was to terminate the abeyance of the ancient Barony of Darcy [and by inference that of Conyers]. It is held therefore that he became Baron Darcy (of Knayth) [1344] and Baron Conyers [1509], both baronies being held in fee. He married (lic. 1594) Dorothy, daughter of Sir Henry Bellasis, 1st Bart., of Newborough, co. York, by Ursula, daughter of Sir Thomas Fairfax of Denton, co. York. She was buried 11 May 1653, at Hornby. He died, and was buried there 6 Mar 1653/4, aged 83.

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