The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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Around 1596 Archbishop Richard Sterne was born.
On 15th November 1660 Archbishop Richard Sterne [aged 64] was elected Bishop of Carlisle.
On 2nd December 1660 Archbishop Richard Sterne [aged 64] was consecrated Bishop of Carlisle.
On 28th April 1664 Archbishop Richard Sterne [aged 68] was elected Archbishop of York.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 8th April 1666. To the Chappell, but could not get in to hear well. But I had the pleasure once in my life to see an Archbishop [aged 70] (this was of Yorke) in a pulpit. Then at a loss how to get home to dinner, having promised to carry Mrs. Hunt thither. At last got my Lord Hinchingbroke's [aged 18] coach, he staying at Court; and so took her up in Axe-yard [Map], and home and dined. And good discourse of the old matters of the Protector and his family, she having a relation to them. The Protector [aged 39]1 lives in France: spends about £500 per annum. Thence carried her home again and then to Court and walked over to St. James's Chappell, thinking to have heard a Jesuite preach, but come too late. So got a Hackney and home, and there to business. At night had Mercer comb my head and so to supper, sing a psalm, and to bed.
Note 1. Richard Cromwell subsequently returned to England, and resided in strict privacy at Cheshunt for some years before his death in 1712.
In 1683 Archbishop Richard Sterne [aged 87] died.
John Evelyn's Diary. 26th July 1692. I went to visit the Bishop of Lincoln [aged 55], when, among other things, he told me that one Dr. Chaplin, of University College in Oxford, was the person who wrote the "Whole Duty of Man"; that he used to read it to his pupil, and communicated it to Dr. Sterne, afterward Archbishop of York, but would never suffer any of his pupils to have a copy of it.