1300 William de Ferrers fought with Edward I at the Battle of Caerlaverock in Scotland. A poem [1] about the victors, witten at the time, records:
Guillemes de Ferieres bel
E noblement i fu remez
De armes vermeilles ben armés,
O majcles de or del champ voidiés(William de Ferrers was finely)
(and nobly accoutred,)
(and well armed in red arms,)
(with gold majcles voided of the field.)
Research Notes:
Richardson states, [2]
William de Ferrars, Knt., of Groby, Leicestershire, Stebbing, Woodham Ferrers, and Fairstead, Essex, and Newbottle and Farndon, Northamptonshire, etc. also lord of Leuchars (in Scotland), son and heir by his father's 1st marriage, born at Yoxall, Staffordshire 30 Jan. 1271/2. He married Ellen de Segrave, daugher of John de Segrave, Knt., 2nd Lord Segrave, by Christine, daughter of Hugh de Plescy, Knt., of Hooknorton and Kidlington, Oxfordshire. They had three sons, Henry [2nd Lord Ferrers of Groby], Thomas, Knt., and Ralph, Knt., and one daughter, Anne. He was summoned to perform military service in Gascony in 1294. In 1295 he was beyond seas with the Duke of Brabant. He fought at the Battle of Falkirk 22 July 1298, and was present at the Siege of Caerlaverock Castle in 1300. He was summon3d to Parliament from 29 Dec. 1299 to 24 Sept. 1324, by writs directed Willelmo de Ferariis or Willelmo de Ferrariis, whereby he is held to have become Lord Ferrers. He joined in the Baron's Letter to the Pope, 12 Feb. 1300/1, as Willilmus de Ferrariis dominus de Groby. In 1301 the Keeper of Galloway was ordered to restore to him his lands in that district, which the king, when last in those parts, had caused to be taken into his hand. He was summoned to attend the Coronation of King Edware II in 1308. His wife, Ellen, was living 9 Feb 1316/17. On 14 Feb. 1321/1. He was ordered to accompany the king against the contrariants. Sir William de Rerrers, 1st Lord Ferrers of Groby, died 29 March 1324/5.
Palmer states, [3]
William de Ferrers, summoned to parliament as baron of Groby from Jan. 26th, 1297, to Feb. 20th, 1325, when he d[ied]. He m[arried]. Elizabeth, dau[ghter]. of John lord Segrave. His son, Henry de Ferrers, [was] 3rd baron of Groby.
[1] Thomas Wright, The Roll of arms of the princes, barons, and knights who attended King Edward I. to the Siege of Caerlaverock in 1300 (London : J.C. Hotten, 1864), 20, [HathiTrust].
[2] Douglas Richardson and Kimball G. Everingham, Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2005), 387.
[3] Charles Ferrers Palmer, The history of the town and castle of Tamworth, in the counties of Stafford & Warwick (1845), 364, [HathiTrust].