Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Grey, Nicholas
GREY, NICHOLAS (1590?–1660), headmaster of Eton College, was born in London about. 1590. He was a king's scholar at Westminster School, and proceeded in 1606 to Christ Church, Oxford (Welch, Alumni Westmon. 1852, pp. 74, 75). He graduated B.A. on 21 June 1610, and M.A. on 10 June 1613 (Wood, Fasti Oxon. ed. Bliss, i. 337, 353). In 1614 he was incorporated M.A. at Cambridge, and on 3 Dec. of that year became head-master of Charterhouse School. On forfeiting the mastership of the Charterhouse by his marriage, he became rector of Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire. On 29 Jan. 1624-5 he was elected head-master of Merchant Taylors' School, and continued there until midsummer 1632 (Register, ed. C. J. Robinson, i. xiv), when he was chosen head-master of Eton College and fellow of Eton. During the civil war he was ejected from his rectory and fellowship, and was reduced to great distress. He obtained eventually the head-mastership of Tonbridge School, Kent, and published for the use of his scholars 'Parabolæ Evangelicæ Latino redditæ carmine paraphrastico varii generis,' 8vo, London, no date. On the return of Charles II he was restored to his rectory and fellowship (12 July 1660), but died very poor, and was buried in the chapel at Eton on 5 Oct. 1660 (Harwood, Alumni Eton. pp. 76-7). He wrote some additions to Rider's 'Dictionary,' and added testimonies from scripture to Grotius's 'Baptizatorum Puerorum Institutio,' 8vo, London, 1655; earlier editions had appeared in 1647 and 1650.
[Wood's Athenæ Oxon. (Bliss), iii. 400, 504-505.]