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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Paternal Family Tree: Montagu
Maternal Family Tree: Anne Pakenham 1485-1544
In 1557 [his father] Edward Montagu (age 27) and [his mother] Elizabeth Harrington (age 12) were married.
Around 1568 Bishop James Montagu was born to [his father] Edward Montagu (age 38) and [his mother] Elizabeth Harrington (age 23).
On 21st September 1585 [his brother] Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 22) and [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Jeffrey (age 17) were married at Weekley, Northamptonshire.
On 1st June 1601 [his brother] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 38) and [his sister-in-law] Catherine Spencer (age 15) were married. The difference in their ages was 23 years.
On 26th January 1602 [his father] Edward Montagu (age 72) died at Brigstock, Boughton.
On 29th March 1608 Bishop James Montagu (age 40) was elected Bishop of Bath and Wells.
On 14th May 1608 Bishop James Montagu (age 40) was enthroned Bishop of Bath and Wells at Wells Cathedral [Map].
On 24th February 1612 [his brother] Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 49) and [his sister-in-law] Frances Cotton (age 34) were married at Weekley, Northamptonshire.
On 9th November 1613 [his brother] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 50) and [his sister-in-law] Anne Wincot (age 60) were married.
Annals of the six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet
Translation of the Annals of the Six Kings of England by that traces the rise and rule of the Angevin aka Plantagenet dynasty from the mid-12th to early 14th century. Written by the Dominican scholar Nicholas Trivet, the work offers a vivid account of English history from the reign of King Stephen through to the death of King Edward I, blending political narrative with moral reflection. Covering the reigns of six monarchs—from Stephen to Edward I—the chronicle explores royal authority, rebellion, war, and the shifting balance between crown, church, and nobility. Trivet provides detailed insight into defining moments such as baronial conflicts, Anglo-French rivalry, and the consolidation of royal power under Edward I, whose reign he describes with particular immediacy. The Annals combines careful year-by-year reporting with thoughtful interpretation, presenting history not merely as a sequence of events but as a moral and political lesson. Ideal for readers interested in medieval history, kingship, and the origins of the English state, this chronicle remains a valuable and accessible window into the turbulent world of the Plantagenet kings.
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Before 9th December 1614 Edmond Peacham was arrested on a complaint of Bishop James Montagu (age 46) by order of the court of high commission. On 9th December 1614 he was transferred to the Tower of London [Map]. On the 19th December 1614 he was brought to trial before the high commission court at Lambeth on a charge of libelling Montagu. He was found guilty, and was deprived of his orders.
In 1616 [his brother] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 53) was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
On 3rd July 1616 Bishop James Montagu (age 48) was translated to Bishop of Winchester.
On 19th May 1618 [his mother] Elizabeth Harrington (age 73) died.
On 20th July 1618 Bishop James Montagu (age 50) died. He was buried at Bath Abbey [Map].
Letters of the Court of James I 1618. [13th August 1618]. The [his brother] lord chief justice (age 55), and all his brethren, go down on Monday toward Bath, to the burial of the Bishop of Winchester (deceased).
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 14th June 1668. Sunday. Up, and walked up and down the town [Map], and saw a pretty good market-place, and many good streets, and very fair stone-houses. And so to the great Church [Map], and there saw Bishop Montagu's tomb1 and, when placed, did there see many brave people come, and, among others, two men brought in, in litters, and set down in the chancel to hear: but I did not know one face. Here a good organ; but a vain, pragmatical fellow preached a ridiculous, affected sermon, that made me angry, and some gentlemen that sat next me, and sang well.
Note 1. James Montagu, Bishop of Bath and Wells in 1608, and of Winchester in 1616-died 1618. He was uncle to the Earl of Sandwich, whose mother was Pepys's aunt. Hence Pepys's curiosity respecting the tomb. B.
Kings Wessex: Great x 17 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 21 Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 23 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 21 Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd
Kings England: Great x 9 Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 16 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 23 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 18 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 21 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Montagu 
3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Montagu 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Christina Basset 
10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Ladde Montagu 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Holcot
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Montagu 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
GrandFather: Edward Montagu 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Dudley 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Dudley
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Dudley
Great x 1 Grandmother: Agnes Dudley
Father: Edward Montagu 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edmund Roper 
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Roper
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Roper of Well Hall
GrandMother: Helen Roper
Bishop James Montagu 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Harrington 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Harrington
Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Culpepper 
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Harrington
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Alexander Harrington
GrandFather: James Harrington
Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Moton of Peckleton in Leicestershire
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Moton
Mother: Elizabeth Harrington
Great x 3 Grandfather: William IV Sidney 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Nicholas Sidney
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Sidney
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Brandon 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Brandon
Great x 4 Grandmother: Ada Calthorpe 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Brandon
GrandMother: Lucy Sidney
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Pakenham
Great x 2 Grandfather: Hugh Pakenham
Great x 1 Grandmother: Anne Pakenham