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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Paternal Family Tree: Basset
Around 1535 [his father] John Bassett IV of Umberliegh [aged 15] and [his mother] Frances Plantagenet [aged 16] were married.
In 1541 Arthur Bassett was born to [his father] John Bassett IV of Umberliegh [aged 21] and [his mother] Frances Plantagenet [aged 22] posthumously. He a great grandson of King Edward IV of England.
On 20th April 1541 [his father] John Bassett IV of Umberliegh [aged 21] died.
On 7th September 1558 [his mother] Frances Plantagenet [aged 39] died at Potheridge Merton Great Torrington, Devon.
In 1563 Arthur Bassett [aged 22] was elected MP Barnstaple.
In 1569 Arthur Bassett [aged 28] was appointed Justice of the Peace Devon.
In 1572 Arthur Bassett [aged 31] was elected MP Devon.
Before 1573 Arthur Bassett [aged 31] and Eleanor Chichester were married. They were half fourth cousin once removed. He a great grandson of King Edward IV of England.
In 1574 Arthur Bassett [aged 33] was appointed High Sheriff of Devon.
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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On 20th January 1574 [his son] Robert Basset was born to Arthur Bassett [aged 33] and [his wife] Eleanor Chichester. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward IV of England.
In 1575 Arthur Bassett [aged 34] was knighted.
In 1585 [his wife] Eleanor Chichester died.
In March 1586 a virulent outbreak of gaol fever occurred during the Assizes in Exeter, Devon [Map]. The cause according to modern medical opinion was typhus transmitted by the human body-louse. Among the dead victims were eight judges, eleven of the twelve jurors, several constables, and the surrounding population which was ravaged by the disease for several months.
Edward Flowerdew died of gaol fever.
On 28th March 1586 Thomas Carew of Haccombe [aged 70] died of gaol fever.
On 31st March 1586 [his former brother-in-law] John Chichester died of gaol fever.
On 1st April 1586 Robert Carey [aged 71] died of gaol fever.
On 2nd April 1586 Arthur Bassett [aged 45] died of gaol fever.
On 10th April 1586 Bernard Drake [aged 58] died of gaol fever.
Thomas Monke of Potheridge Devon and [his mother] Frances Plantagenet were married.
Kings Wessex: Great x 14 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 11 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 17 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 12 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 15 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great Grand Son of King Edward IV of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 13 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 21 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 15 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 19 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Basset II 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Basset III
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Basset of Tehidy
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Basset of Tehidy
GrandFather: John Bassett of Tehidy and Umberleigh
Father: John Bassett IV of Umberliegh
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Grenville
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Grenville
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Grenville
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Gorges 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Theobald Gorges
Great x 4 Grandmother: Agnes Beauchamp 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Gorges
GrandMother: Honor Grenville Viscountess Lisle
Arthur Bassett Great Grand Son of King Edward IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund of Langley 1st Duke of York 
Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard of Conisbrough 1st Earl Cambridge Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabella of Castile Duchess York 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Mortimer 4th Earl March 3rd Earl of Ulster 
Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Mortimer 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Holland Countess March and Ulster 
2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: King Edward IV of England 
2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Neville 3rd Baron Neville of Raby 
4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Percy Baroness Neville Raby 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Cecily "Rose of Raby" Neville Duchess York Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland 
Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster 
GrandFather: Arthur Plantagenet 1st Viscount Lisle Son of King Edward IV of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Waite
Mother: Frances Plantagenet Grand Daughter of King Edward IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Reginald Grey 2nd Baron Grey Ruthyn 
7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Reginald Grey 3rd Baron Grey Ruthyn 5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alianore Strange Baroness Grey Ruthyn 
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Edward Grey Baron Ferrers of Groby 6 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Astley 4th Baron Astley 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Astley Baroness Grey Ruthyn 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Willoughby Baroness Astley 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Edward Grey 1st Viscount Lisle 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby 
4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Ferrers 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Philippa Clifford 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Ferrers 6th Baroness Ferrers Groby 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk 
2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk 
2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
GrandMother: Elizabeth Grey Viscountess Lisle 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Talbot 7th Baron Strange Blackmere 4th Baron Talbot 
2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John "Old Talbot" Talbot 1st Earl of Shrewsbury 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Ankaret Strange 7th Baroness Strange Blackmere, Baroness Talbot 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Talbot 1st Viscount Lisle 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Beauchamp 13th Earl Warwick 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Beauchamp Countess Shrewsbury and Waterford 
4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Berkeley Countess Warwick 
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Talbot Viscountess Lisle 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Cheddar
Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan Cheddar Viscountess Lisle