William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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A Life of John Williams is in Modern Era.
Mary Chauner, at the time she first met Mr. Williams (age 20), lived with her parents in London. Her father, years before, had visited London and had heard the famous John Hayatt preach in the tabernacle. He was so dehghted that on his return home, he gave a glowing report of what he had heard. His wife and daughter had a great desire to hear the preacher. A few years later they came from Denston Hall [Map], the country home, into London to live. Mary became a member of the tabernacle, and through Mr. Wilks, also became interested in missionary work. Her prayer was that she might be sent to tell the heathen of the love of Christ. That prayer was answered, for she afterwards because the wife of John Williams; and it was said of her: "In Christian courage, she was equal to her fearless husband and in patience she surpassed him."
Two pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Williams were placed in the Missionary Society's Museum in London. Mrs. Williams was a little woman with sparkling eyes and a sw^et face. You need not wonder that Mr. Williams chose her as one worthy to help him in his work beyond the seas.
On the 17th of November 1816, just a month after their marriage, Mr. Williams and his young wife embarked in the Harriet for Sydney, Australia.
[20th November 1839] The natives were very shy. Mr. Williams (age 43) observed a number of native boys playing on the shore and thought this to be a sign of peaceable intentions. But Captain Morgan was suspicious on account of the absence of the native women, saying that he knew when they were bent on mischief they sent the women out of the way. Mr. Williams landed and offered his hand to the natives, but they refused to take it. To win their confidence he divided some cloth among them. Mr. Harris had walked up the shore followed by Mr. Cunningham. Stooping to put some stones into his pocket, Mr. Cunningham was startled by a yell and the sight of Mr. Harris rushing out of the bushes. He shouted to Mr. Williams to run for the boat, and looking round he saw Mr. Harris fall, and a nuniber of natives beating him with clubs.
Mr. Williams ran down the beach with the savages after him, who soon beat him down and thrust him through wnth arrows. Their companions in the ship were helpless, even to attempt to get possession of the bodies.
Returning to the ship the Captain exclaimed: "We have lost Mr. Williams and Mr. Harris. They are dead. The natives have killed them." What sorrow the intelligence of this tragedy carried through the Christian isles of the Pacific it would be difficult to describe. In the Society, the Hervey, and the Samoan islands, each man mourned as if he had lost a father. The pathetic cries of the Samoan chiefs were, "Our father, our father! He has turned his face from us! We shall never see him more. He that brought lis the good word of salvation is gone!"
The melancholy tidings did not reach England until the 6th of April, 1840.