This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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Chronicle of Greyfriars 1551 is in Chronicle of Greyfriars.
22nd March 1551. Item the xxij. day of Marche was Pame sonday, and as that daye [were] put into the Fleete dyvers gentylmen, as sir Antoni Browne, M. (blank) sargant of the lawe, wyth dyvers other, for herynge of inasse in rny lady Mary's curte at sent Jonesa and was there.
Note a. St. John's at Clerkenwell.
27th June 1551. And the xxvij. day of the same monyth the byshoppe of Wynchester [aged 37] that was than (John Ponetc ) was devorsyd from hys wyffe in Powlles, the whyche was a bucheres wyff of Nottynggam, and gave hare husbande a sartyne mony a yere dureynge hys lyffe as it was jugydde by the lawe.
Note c. The name is left blank in the manuscript. This passage is remarkable as a fuller statement of the same matter of which a brief notice occurs in Machyn's Diary, p. 8, and which was only assigned by strong presumption to bishop Ponet. See the note, ibid, p. 320.
31st July 1551 and 1st August 1551. Item the last day of July (and) the furst of August rydde in a cartte a tayler of Fletstret and hys syster rydde in a carte abowte London, and bothe ther heddes shavynne, for avouttre, that he had ij. childerne by harre, and the iij de day was bannyshyd the citte bothe; but he wolde have gevyne moch to a be scowsyd [excused], but it wold not be tane.
17th August 1551. Item the xvij. day of August was a proclamacion at vj. a cloke in the mornynge for the qwyne of testornes of ixd. unto vj d., and grottes unto ij d., and ij d. unto j d., and j d. unto a ob., and ob. unto q.; and it the vitolles [were dearer] than the ware before.e
Note e. i. e. and yet victuals were dearer than they were before.
23rd August 1551. Item xxiij. day of Auguste the pariche of seynt [Faith ente]rd furst into Jesus chappelle as their parich church and had servys there.a
Note a. Jesus chapel was in the crypt of St. Paul's cathedral church: see a note to Machyn's Diary, p. 365. The parishioners of St. Faith were placed in this church in 1551: see Stowe's Survay and Newcourt's Repertorium Londinense, vol. i. p. 349.
1st December 1551. Item the furst day of day of December was browte the deuke of Somersett [aged 51] owte of the towre [Map] by watter at v. a clocke in the mornynge, and j. or ij. drownyd by the waye in the Tems betweene the tower and Westmester; and there he (was) araynyd before the cowncell, and so pletyd for hym selfe that he was qwytt for the treson, and comytted unto the tower of London [Map] agayne.
16th December 1551. Item the xvj. day was a proclamacion for the new qwyne that no man [should speak ill o]f it, for because that the pepulle sayd dyvers that ther was the ragyd staffea it.
Note a. One of the many intimations of the unpopularity of the duke of Northumberland [aged 47], whose badge was the ragged staff.
20th December 1551. Item the xxth day of December was sorne [sworn] the byshoppe of Ely lorde [chancellor of Engla]nd.
Item that same day was the muster of the dewke of Somersettes servanttes before [the king at] Totylle [Map] also.
Item the same day was comytted unto the tower [Map] the byshopp [of Dur]hame Cudberte Tunstalle [aged 77].
