Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
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On 13th September 1844 Anne Lea aka Merritt was born to a Quaker couple Joseph Lea and Susanna Massey. She was the eldest of six sisters.
In 1865 the family of Anne Lea aka Merritt [aged 20] moved to Europe, settling in London in 1870.
1870s. Anne Lea aka Merritt [aged 25]. Portrait of William Boxall [aged 69].
William Boxall: On 29th June 1800 he was born. On 6th December 1879 he died. In 1886 he was appointed Director of the National Gallery which role he held for eight years.
1877. Anne Lea aka Merritt [aged 32]. Portrait of [her future husband] Henry Merritt [aged 55].
Henry Merritt: In 1822 he was born. On 17th April 1877 he and Anne Lea aka Merritt were married. He died three months later. She did not marry again. The difference in their ages was 22 years. On 10th July 1877 he died.
On 17th April 1877 Henry Merritt [aged 55] and Anne Lea aka Merritt [aged 32] were married. He died three months later. She did not marry again. The difference in their ages was 22 years.
After the death of her husband in April 1877, Anne Lea aka Merritt [aged 32] lived the rest of her life at 95 Cheyne Walk, Chelsea. She made frequent trips between her home in England and the United States; she had exhibitions, garnered awards in both countries, and become a celebrated artist.
On 10th July 1877 [her husband] Henry Merritt [aged 55] died.
1880. Anne Lea aka Merritt [aged 35]. "Ophelia".
1884s. Anne Lea aka Merritt [aged 39]. Portrait of Lambton Loraine 11th Baronet [aged 45].
1885. Anne Lea aka Merritt [aged 40]. "Eve Overcome with Remorse".
1890. Anne Lea aka Merritt [aged 45]. "Love Locked Out".
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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1892. Anne Lea aka Merritt [aged 47]. Portrait of Marion Edith Waugh [aged 45].
On 7th April 1930 Anne Lea aka Merritt [aged 85] died.