Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Segrave, Gilbert de (d.1254)
SEGRAVE, GILBERT de (d. 1254), judge, was second son of Stephen de Segrave (d. 1241) [q. v.], by Rohesia, daughter of Thomas Despenser. His elder brother having died in their father's lifetime, he succeeded to the family estates in Leicestershire in 1241. Dugdale seems to have been in error in describing him as a canon of St. Paul's, for he does not appear in the lists. In 1231 Gilbert de Segrave had a grant of Kegworth in Leicestershire, and shortly after was made governor of Bolsover Castle. He was appointed justice of the forests south of the Trent in 1242 (Rôles Gascons, i. 104, &c.) and governor of Kenilworth Castle. In 1251 he was one of the justices to hear pleas in the city of London, but was not noticed as a judge after January 1252. In 1253 he accompanied the king to Gascony (ib. i. 2131, 2195, 2199, 2620). In January 1254 he was sent home by the king as one of his messengers to ask for money from the parliament (Matt. Paris, v. 423). Afterwards he rejoined the king, and was in Gascony on 16 June, and at Bordeaux as late as 7 Sept. (Rôles Gascons, i. 3792, 4015). Very soon afterwards, having obtained a safe-conduct from Louis IX, he started home through Poitou in the company of John de Plessis, earl of Warwick [q. v.], and other nobles. The party was treacherously seized by the citizens of Pons in Poitou, where Segrave fell ill, and died in prison before 8 Oct. (cf. ib. i. 3487; Ann. Mon. iii. 193). On 12 Oct. his wardships were granted to the king's son Edward (ib. iii. 194; Rôles Gascons, i. 3720). He married Amabilia, daughter and heiress of Robert de Chaucumb (Excerpt. e Rot. Finium, i. 462). By her he was father of Nicholas de Segrave, first baron Segrave [q. v.], and of Alice, wife of William Mauduit, earl of Warwick [q. v.] Matthew Paris (v. 463) describes him as ‘vir nobilis ac dives et moribus adornatus.’
[Matthew Paris; Dunstable Annals ap. Annales Monastici, vol. iii.; Nichols's Hist. Leicestershire, iii. 409; Foss's Judges of England.]