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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Biography of Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan 1824-1915

In 1824 [her father] Spencer de Horsey [aged 34] and [her mother] Louisa Rous [aged 24] were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] John Rous 1st Earl Stradbroke [aged 73] and [her grandmother] Charlotte Maria Whittaker Countess of Stradbroke [aged 54].

On 24th December 1824 Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan was born to [her father] Spencer de Horsey [aged 34] and [her mother] Louisa Rous [aged 25] at 6 Charles Street, Berkeley Square.

On 19th June 1826 [her future husband] James Brudenell 7th Earl Cardigan [aged 28] and Elizabeth Tollemache Countess Cardigan [aged 28] were married. Separated in 1846. He the son of Robert Brudenell 6th Earl Cardigan [aged 57] and Penelope Cooke Countess Cardigan.

On 14th August 1837 Robert Brudenell 6th Earl Cardigan [aged 68] died at Marylebone. His son [her future husband] James [aged 39] succeeded 7th Earl Cardigan, 7th Baron Brudenell of Stonton in Leicestershire, 3rd Baron Brudenell Deene in Northamptonshire. Elizabeth Tollemache Countess Cardigan [aged 39] by marriage Countess Cardigan.

On 24th March 1843 [her mother] Louisa Rous [aged 43] died of scarlet fever.

Around 1844. Unknown Painter. Portrait of Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan [aged 19].

                    Adeline Horsey Recollections. The following announcement which appeared in the Morning Post caused, needless to say, something of a stir in Society. Some people thought I was a very fortunate girl to secure so great a parti, and others - who were jealous - prophesied disaster "through vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself".
                
                    We are enabled to state that a marriage of more than common interest even from a political point of view has been agreed upon between a fair countrywoman of our own and one of the Royal personages who have had occasion to seek refuge in Great Britain. The Count de Montemolin [aged 29] has offered his hand to Miss de Horsey [aged 23], the accomplished daughter of Spencer de Horsey [aged 58], Esq, and the marriage will shortly be solemnised in this country. It is understood that a negotiation has been opened by the Prince with the government of the Queen of Spain [aged 17], which has consented to make an adequate provision for his Royal Highness and his bride, in consideration of the renunciation of the claims to the throne, of the male line of which the Count de Montemolin is the representative.
                
                    I was introduced to all my future husband's relations who were in England, and I was very charmed with the Archduchess Beatrix, and the Princess Beatrix of Modena, who had married the Count's younger brother, Don Juan [aged 25]. They lived in Bayswater at the time, and I remember going with my father to see her, and greatly admiring her lovely black-eyed baby boy, who in after-life was to be known as Don Carlos.
                
                    The Count's letter inviting me to visit his sister-in-law is interesting, as it shows how completely our engagement was sanctioned by his family.
                
                    Beloved of my soul, - I told Beatrice yesterday that you will go to-morrow at half-past two to see her. She told me that she would have much pleasure, but that probably the Duchess of Parma would be there, but that there would be no obstacle if you have no objection. In any case, answer me, because if by chance you do not wish to go to-morrow I should like to know it, so that in that case to have the pleasure of going to see you at your house, for I cannot endure to be so lone a time deprived of the pleasant sight of you, for this is my only consolation. Good-bye, beloved of my life and of my soul. Do not doubt for a single instant my constant love.
                
                    Carlos Luis Maria de Borbon.

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In 1849 Carlos Luis de Borbón Count Montemolín [aged 30] and Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan [aged 24] were betrothed.

On 28th September 1858 James Brudenell 7th Earl Cardigan [aged 60] and Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan [aged 33] were married; she had been his mistress since 1857. She by marriage Countess Cardigan. The marriage something of a scandal since James Brudenell 7th Earl Cardigan had left his first wife; Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom [aged 39] refused to have Adeline at court. See My Recollections by Adeline Horsey. The difference in their ages was 27 years. He the son of Robert Brudenell 6th Earl Cardigan and Penelope Cooke Countess Cardigan.

On 20th May 1860 [her father] Spencer de Horsey [aged 70] died.

Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall

The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.

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On 22nd May 1867 [her sister-in-law] Mary Brudenell Countess Chichester [aged 60] died.

Death of Lord Cardigan

On 28th March 1868 [her husband] James Brudenell 7th Earl Cardigan [aged 70] died from a fall from a horse. His second cousin George [aged 63] succeeded 8th Earl Cardigan, 8th Baron Brudenell of Stonton in Leicestershire. Baron Brudenell Deene in Northamptonshire extinct.

On 25th May 1915 Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan [aged 90] died.

Both were buried in St Peter's Church, Deene [Map]; he on 9th April 1868. Monument to James Brudenell 7th Earl Cardigan 1797 1868 sculpted by Joseph Boehm [aged 33]. Recumbent effigies on Sarcophagus, bronze sea horses (Brudenell Crest) at the bottom corners.

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