Walter Manny , 1st Baron Manny Walter Manny , ( or Mauny ) , 1st Baron Manny , KG ( c . 1310 – 8 or 15 January 1372 ) , soldier of fortune and founder of the Charterhouse , was from Masny in Hainault , from whose counts he claimed descent . He was a patron and friend of Froissart , in whose chronicles his exploits have a conspicuous and probably an exaggerated place . Family . Born about 1310 , Walter Manny was the fourth of five sons of Jean le Borgne and Jeanne de Jenlain . His father , who was Lord of Masny ( situated some twelve miles west of Valenciennes ) , was slain in 1324 at La Reole near Bordeaux . In 1346 Walter recovered his father ' s body , and had it sent to Valenciennes for burial in the church of the Cordeliers . Jean le Borgne ' s epitaph refers to his son Walter as one ' qui fut merveilles en armes aux gueres des Anglois ' . Manny entered the service William I , Count of Hainault , and was in attendance on the Count ' s brother , Jean de Beaumont ; it has been conjectured that Manny and his four brothers all likely grew up in Beaumont ' s household . In December 1327 Manny came to England as a page in the household of Edward III ' s bride , Philippa of Hainault , Count William ' s daughter . Froissart describes him as the Queen ' s esquire carver , and Keeper of the Queen ' s Greyhounds . Military career . Manny played a distinguished role in the Scottish wars of Edward III , being present at the Battle of Dupplin Moor and the Siege of Berwick . He captured the pirate John Crabbe , whose expertise in fighting at sea would become of great value to the king . In 1337 Manny was placed in command of an English fleet , and in the following year accompanied King Edward to the continent , where in the campaigns of the next few years he proved himself one of the boldest and ablest of the English king ' s military commanders . He fought at the Battle of Sluys . Manny figured prominently in the defense of Brest during the Breton War of Succession . When Hennebont was besieged during that War , councillors tried to persuade the Montforts , led by Joanna of Flanders , to surrender to Charles of Blois , nephew of Philip VI of France . When she looked out a window , she saw the ships commanded by Manny sailing towards them . With the help of Manny and his small force , she managed to withstand the siege . In 1346 , after the Breton War of Succession , Manny was captured , despite having been offered safe conduct , and thrown into prison at Saint - Jean - d ' Angély . He quickly broke out of prison and joined the Siege of Calais , where he negotiated with the governor , after Philip VI had abandoned the city . He asked for mercy for the Burghers of Calais , but Edward only granted this request when Queen Philippa added her pleas to his . Manny also took part in the expedition to defend the city once again in 1348 , during that year ' s failed French siege of Calais . According to Froissart , King Edward III and his son fought incognito under Manny ' s banner . Manny also took part in the campaigns of the Earl of Derby in Guyenne , being present at the battles of Bergerac and Auberoche . He was summoned to parliament as a baron by writ from 12 November 1347 to 8 January 1371 . In 1359 he was made a Knight of the Garter , succeeding John , Lord Grey ( d . 1 September 1359 ) , and at various times he received extensive grants of land both in England and in France . He was frequently employed by King Edward in the conduct of diplomatic negotiations as well as in military commands . He was one of those charged with the safe custody of the French king John II when a prisoner at Calais in 1360 ; in 1369 he was second in command under John of Gaunt in his invasion of France . Philanthropy . Manny is remembered for his share in the foundation of the Charterhouse in London . In 1349 he bought some acres of land near Smithfield , London , which were consecrated as a burying - place where large numbers of the victims of the Black Death were interred ; and here he built a chapel , from which the place obtained the name of " Newchurchhaw . " The chapel and ground were bought from Manny by the Bishop of London , Michael Northburgh , who died in 1361 and by his will bequeathed a large sum of money to found there a Carthusian convent . It is not clear whether this direction was ever carried out ; for in 1371 Manny obtained letters patent from King Edward III permitting him to found , apparently on the same site , a Carthusian monastery called " La Salutation Mere Dieu " , where the monks were to pray for the soul of Northburgh as well as for the soul of Manny himself . The bishop ' s bequest may have contributed to the building and endowment of the house ; or possibly , as seems to be implied by a bull granted by Urban VI , in 1378 , there were originally two kindred establishments owing their foundation to Northburgh and Manny respectively . At all events Manny , who died early in 1372 , left instructions in his will , dated St Andrew ' s Day ( 30 November ) 1371 , that he was to be buried in the church of the Carthusian monastery founded by himself . Family . In the beginning of 1354 he married Margaret , daughter and heiress of Thomas of Brotherton , a younger son of King Edward I , whose first husband had been John Segrave , 4th Baron Segrave . This lady , who outlived Manny by many years , was Countess of Norfolk and Earl Marshal in her own right , and in 1397 she was created Duchess of Norfolk . Manny ' s only son , Thomas Manny , died young . His daughter Anne , Baroness Manny in her own right , married John Hastings , 2nd Earl of Pembroke , and on the death of her only son in 1389 without children , the barony of Manny became extinct .