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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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Serious Admonitions to Youth is in Georgian Books.
Serious admonitions to youth, in a short account of the life, trial, condemnation and execution. Of Mrs. Mary Channing (age 18). Who, for poisoning her husband, was burnt at Dorset ... 1706.
About Noon, two Men were executed, the one for House breaking and the other for murdering his Wife; the latter of which, shewed not the least Care for his Soul, but died an ignorant, hardened Wretch, denying to the very last the Fact for which he suffered.
[21st March 1706] After the Under Sheriff had taken some Refreshment, she [Mary Brookes aka Channing (age 18)] was brought out of Prison, and drag'd by her Fathers and Husband's Houses, to the Place of Execution [Maumbury Rings [Map]]. Here Mr. Hutchins and other Clergy continued a long time with her in Prayer, and supposing that Death being now in View, might mollifie her hard Heart, repeated their Exhortations to Confession, but to no purpose., they found no tthe least Alteration. In the midst of her Prayers she was strangely concern'd at the Sight of Mr. Richard Channing her Husband's eldest Brother, and 'twas with some Difficulty Mr. Hutchins brought her again to a calm Attendance on her Devotians. She manifested nothing of Alteration when fixed to the Srake, but justified her Innocence to the very last, and left the World with a Courage seldom found in her Sex. She being first strangled, the Fire was kindled five in the Afternoon, and in the sight of many thousand Spoctmors she was consum'd to Ashes.