Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
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On 4th March 1519 Adrian Stokes was born.
In 1533 Henry Grey 1st Duke of Suffolk (age 16) and [his future wife] Frances Brandon Duchess of Suffolk (age 15) were married. She by marriage Marchioness Dorset. She the daughter of Charles Brandon 1st Duke of Suffolk (age 49) and Mary Tudor Queen Consort France (age 36). He the son of Thomas Grey 2nd Marquess Dorset and Margaret Wotton Marchioness Dorset (age 46). They were half second cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.
On 25th June 1533 Mary Tudor Queen Consort France (age 37) died at Westhorpe, Suffolk [Map]. She was buried at the monastery of St. Edmondsbury [Map] on 22nd July 1533. Her daughter [his future wife] Frances (age 15) was Chief Mourner.
In 1546 Adrian Stokes (age 26) was appointed Master of Newhaven.
On 1st March 1555 Adrian Stokes (age 35) and Frances Brandon Duchess of Suffolk (age 37) were married. They had three children, two of which were stillborn, one of which died in their first year. She the daughter of Charles Brandon 1st Duke of Suffolk and Mary Tudor Queen Consort France.
In 1559 Adrian Stokes (age 39) was elected Knight of the Shire Leicestershire.
On 5th December 1559 [his former wife] Frances Brandon Duchess of Suffolk (deceased) was buried in St Edmund's Chapel in Westminster Abbey [Map] at a ceremony conducted by Bishop John Jewel (age 37). Her daughter [his former step-daughter] Catherine Grey Countess Hertford (age 19) was Chief Mourner. [his former step-daughter] Mary Grey (age 14) was present. Her effigy, possibly designed by Cornelius Cure, was paid for by her husband Adrian Stokes (age 40): recumbent effigy dressed in Ermine robes signifying she was a duchess with a pendant around her neck. She lies on mattress with a lion at her feet and her coronet has been repaired and gilded.
The inscription on her grave reads in Latin:
Nor grace, nor splendor, nor a royal name,
Nor widespread fame can aught avail;
All, all have vanished here.
True worth alone Survives the funeral pyre and silent tomb.
And...
Dirge for the most noble Lady Frances, onetime Duchess of Suffolk: naught avails glory or splendour, naught avail titles of kings; naught profits a magnificent abode, resplendent with wealth. All, all are passed away: the glory of virtue alone remained, impervious to the funeral pyres of Tartarus [part of Hades or the Underworld]. She was married first to the Duke, and after was wife to Mr Stock, Esq. Now, in death, may you fare well, united to God.
And continues...
Here lieth the ladie Francis, Duches of Southfolke, daughter to Charles Brandon, Duke of Southfolke, and Marie the Frenche Quene: first wife to Henrie Duke of Southfolke and after to Adrian Stock Esquier.
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oN 20th November 1559 or 21st November 1559 [his wife] Frances Brandon Duchess of Suffolk (age 42) died at Richmond, Surrey [Map].
Before 16th April 1565 Nicholas Throckmorton (age 50) and [his future wife] Anne Carew (age 45) were married. They were half fifth cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
In 1571 Adrian Stokes (age 51) was elected Knight of the Shire Leicestershire.
In 1572 Adrian Stokes (age 52) and Anne Carew (age 52) were married. Her second marriage having previously been married to Nicholas Throckmorton.
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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On 30th November 1586 Adrian Stokes (age 67) died.
On 24th November 1587 [his former wife] Anne Carew (age 67) died.