Commentary
Cawley: "Two possible parentages of Matilda, wife of William [IV], have been proposed. The first possibility, according to Elwes, is that William’s wife was “the daughter of Ralph and sister and coheir of John de Fay”, adding that “after her first husband Wm de Braose’s death in 1210, [she] married Roger de Clere”. He cites no primary source on which he bases this information. Drake, in a short Braose pedigree, expands the information slightly when he records the wife of William [IV] as “Matilda dau. of Ralph de Fay, sister and heiress of John de Fay of Bromley, co. Surrey, d. 1249” but also cites no primary source. The connection between the Fay and Clere families can be established by two claims recorded by Bracton. Under the first, dated 1231, "Hugo de Neouilla et Beatricia uxor eius" claimed against "Rogerum de Clere et Matillidem uxorem eius" revenue from "Childerst" which Beatrix held "per Radulfum de Fay primum virum suum", the defendants stating “ad warantum Johannem de Fay filium et heredum predicti Radulfi de Fay qui presens est” that they had “ingressum in terram...per predictum Radulfum patrem suum”. The second, dated 1232, is a claim by "Hugo de Neouilla et Beatricia uxor eius" against "Johannem de Fay filium et heredem Radulfi de Fay" relating to land "in Brumlegha in com. Surreie" in which "Rogerus de Clere et Matillis uxor eius" had “ingressum...per Radulfum de Fay quondam virum ipsius Beatricie”. Bracton’s summaries do not state any relationship between Ralph de Fay and Matilda nor, more importantly, do they establish any connection with the Briouse family. The second possibility is that William [IV] married Matilda de Clare, daughter of Richard de Clare Earl of Hertford & his wife Amice of Gloucester ([1185/90]-). This marriage is stated in many secondary sources, but the primary source which confirms this parentage and marriage of William’s wife has not yet been identified. If her parentage is correct, she was presumably the earl of Hertford’s daughter who married secondly (1219) Rhys ap Rhys "Gryg/the Hoarse". The Chronicle of the Princes of Wales records that "Rhys the Hoarse married the daughter of the earl of Clare" in 1219. This second possibility appears more plausible, given the generally high-profile marriages contracted by the Briouse family at the time. In addition, a writ dated 27 Dec "46 Hen III", after the death of "Richard Lungespeye" refers to the manor of "Brumleghe" in Surrey being held by “John de Fay...after whose death it was parted between his two sisters Maud and Philippa, and from the said Maud issued a daughter Agatha...”. The absence in this passage of any mention of the Briouse family, who would have been the senior heirs of “Maud” if she had married William [IV] de Briouse, suggests that she could not have been his wife."
Family
ClaimDetailEvidence
Spouse 1stWilliam de Briouse IV (e1176-1210) 
Child +John de Briouse (~1197-1232) [S3168]
research
Attributes
ClaimDetailEvidence
GenderFemale
NameMatilda [S3168]
research
Timeline
ClaimDateDetailAgeEvidence
Birthest 1177 (1171-1179)
 
Sources
IndexTitle
[S3168] Cawley, Charles, "Foundation of Medieval Genealogy (Medieval Lands - English Lords, A-C)" (v4.14 Updated 06 June 2024) (https://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLISHNOBILITYMEDIEVAL3.htm).