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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Paternal Family Tree: Lake
On 29th June 1591 [his father] Thomas Lake [aged 23] and [his mother] Mary Rider [aged 16] were married.
In 1598 Arthur Lake was born to Thomas Lake [aged 30] and Mary Rider [aged 23].
On 12th February 1615 [his brother-in-law] William Cecil 16th Baron Ros Helmsley [aged 24] and [his sister] Anne Lake Baroness Ros of Helmsley [aged 15] were married. She by marriage Baroness Ros Helmsley. See Diary of Anne Clifford. He the son of William Cecil 2nd Earl Exeter [aged 49] and Elizabeth Manners 15th Baroness Ros of Helmsley.
Before 15th February 1616 George Carey [aged 75] and [his future wife] Lettice Rich [aged 27] were married. The difference in their ages was 48 years. She the daughter of [his future father-in-law] Robert Rich 1st Earl Warwick [aged 56] and Penelope Devereux Countess Devonshire.
After 27th June 1618 [his brother-in-law] George Rodney [aged 10] and [his sister] Anne Lake Baroness Ros of Helmsley [aged 18] were married.
Before 1619 Arthur Lake [aged 20] and Lettice Rich [aged 29] were married. She the daughter of Robert Rich 1st Earl Warwick [aged 59] and Penelope Devereux Countess Devonshire.
On 20th March 1619 [his father-in-law] Robert Rich 1st Earl Warwick [aged 59] died. His son [his brother-in-law] Robert [aged 31] succeeded 2nd Earl Warwick, 4th Baron Rich of Leez. Frances Hatton Countess Warwick [aged 29] by marriage Countess Warwick.
He was buried at St Lawrence's Church, Snarford [Map]. Unusual head and shoulder portrait sculpture of deceased full face, with a profile of his wife Frances Wray Countess Warwick behind, set in a circular medallion. To either side are pelleted Pilasters supporting an entablature with scrolled Cartouche of arms and flanked by heraldic supporters. The whole is painted and gilded and beneath is a panel containing an inscribed poem. Above his Arms implaled with hers. His are quartered 1&4 
Rich Arms 2&3 Baldry Arms (his mother), hers quartered 1&4 Wray 2&3 Unknown. the monument is perhaps the work of Epiphanius Evesham. Sculpted by Epiphanius Evesham.
Diary of Anne Clifford. 24th April 1619. Saturday 24th my Lord [aged 30] went to Tibbalds to see the King who used him very graciously. This night my Coz. Clifford came out of the North where matters went more to my content and less to his than were expected. Either this night or next morning Sir Arthur Lake's [aged 21] [his wife] Lady [aged 30] was brought to bed of a son.
Diary of Anne Clifford. 3rd May 1619. The 3rd about two or three o'clock in the morning Sir Arthur Lake's [aged 21] wife [aged 30] died, having been grievously tormented a long time with pains and sores which broke out in blotches so that it was reported she died of the French disease. This day Williams a lawyer was arraigned and condemned at the King's Bench of Treason and adjudged to be hanged, drawn and quartered for a certain book he had made and entitled Balaam's Ass, for which book one Cotton was committed to the Tower and a long time kept prisoner there upon suspicion of it, but of late got out on bail and was now well acquitted, but Williams was carried to Newgate and on the 5th hanged, drawn and quartered at Charing Cross [Map].
Note. The 3rd Barnwelt was beheaded at the Hague which is like to breed alteration for the best for this man hath long been a secret friend to the Spaniards and an enemy to the English.
On 3rd May 1619 [his wife] Lettice Rich [aged 30] died.
On 30th December 1623 the fourth Parliament of James I [aged 57] known as the Happy Parliament was summoned.
On 19th February 1624 the Happy Parliament held its first session.
Roland Egerton 1st Baronet [aged 29] was elected MP Wootton Bassett.
Arthur Lake [aged 25] was elected MP Minehead.
James Wriothesley [aged 18] was elected MP Winchester.
Richard Edgecumbe [aged 53] was elected MP Grampound.
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
In 1625 Arthur Lake [aged 27] was elected MP Bridgwater.
In 1626 Arthur Lake [aged 28] was elected MP Bridgwater.
In 1630 [his sister] Anne Lake Baroness Ros of Helmsley [aged 30] died.
On 17th September 1630 [his father] Thomas Lake [aged 62] died.
In 1633 Arthur Lake [aged 35] died at Whitchurch.
