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All About History Books

The 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. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

Tudor Books, Perambulation of Kent by William Lambarde

Perambulation of Kent by William Lambarde is in Tudor Books.

A Perambulation of Kent containing the Description, History and Customs of that Shire. Written in the year 1570, by William Lambarde, of Lincoln's Inn, Gent: First published in the Year 1576.

Tudor Books, Perambulation of Kent by William Lambarde, Perambulation of Kent Chapter Page 368

Ailesforde, or Eilcsforde, calleth in Bryttish (as Master Camden citeth out of Nennius) Sassenaighai Bail, of the overthrowe of the Saxons, called in some Saxon copies, Gjelej-jzojib, that is, the Foorde, or passage over the River Egle, or Eile: or rather the passage at Ecclef which is a place in this parish: In others [Greek Text], which is, the passage of the Angles, or English men ft is falsly tearmed of some, Alencester, of some Allepord, and of others Aelstrea, by depravation of the writers out of the sundry copies as I suspect.

Within a fewe yeeres after the arrivall of the Saxons, the Britons (perceiving that Vortiger their King was withdrawen by his wife from them, and drawen to the part of their enimies) made election of Vortimer his sonne, for their Lord and leader: by whose manhood arid prowesse, they in short time so prevailed against the Saxons, that (sleying Horsa, one of the Chieftaines, in an encounter given at this place, and discomfiting the residue) they first chased them from hence, as far as Tanet (in memorie of which flight, happily this place, was called Anglesford, that is, the passage of the Angles or Saxons) and after that compelled them to forsake the lande, to take shipping towarde their owne countrie, and to seeke a new supplie: Howbeit, as in warre and battaile, the victorie is commonly deere bought and paied for: So in this selfe conflicte (otherwise verie fortunate) the death of Horsa was recompenpensed with the losse of Categern, one of the brothers of King Vortimer. And truely, had not the untimely death of King Vortimer himselfe also immediately succeeded, it was to be hoped, that the Saxons should never after have returned into this Hand.

But the want of that one man, both quailed the courage of the Britons, gave newe matter of stomackc to the Saxons to repaire their forces, and brought upon this Realme an alteration of the whole Estate and Government. The Britons neverthelesse in the meane space followed their victorie (as I saide) and returning from the chase, erected to the memorie of Categerne (as I suppose) that monument of foure huge and hard stones, which are yet standing in this parish, pitched upright in the ground, covered after the manner of Stonage (that famous Sepulchre of the Britons upon Salisburie plaine) and now tearmed of the common people heere Citscotehouse [Map]. For I cannot so as suspect, that this should be that, which Beda and the others (of whom I spake in Chetham before) do assigne to be the Tombe of Horsa, which also was there slaine at the same time: partly bicause this fashion of monument was peculiar to the Britons, of which nation Categerne was, but chieflie for that the memorie of Horsa was by all likelyhoodleft at Horsted, a place not farre off, and both then and yet so called of his name, as I have already tolde you.