Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.
In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.
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Before 1289 [her father] William Grandison 1st Baron Grandison and [her mother] Sibylla Tregoz Baroness Grandison were married.
Around 1304 Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury was born to [her father] William Grandison 1st Baron Grandison and [her mother] Sibylla Tregoz Baroness Grandison at Ashford, Herefordshire.
In 1306 [her brother-in-law] John Northwoode and [her sister] Agnes Grandison Baroness Bardolf were married.
On 18th October 1319 William Montagu 2nd Baron Montagu died at Gascony. [her future husband] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury succeeded 3rd Baron Montagu.
Around 1320 William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury were married. She by marriage Baroness Montagu.
In or before 1324 [her daughter] Elizabeth Montagu Baroness Badlesmere and Despencer was born to [her husband] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury. She married (1) 1328 Giles Badlesmere 2nd Baron Badlesmere, son of Bartholomew Badlesmere 1st Baron Badlesmere and Margaret Clare Baroness Badlesmere (2) before 27th April 1341 Hugh Despencer 1st Baron Despencer, son of Hugh "Younger" Despencer 1st Baron Despencer and Eleanor Clare Baroness Zouche Mortimer (3) before 10th July 1350 Guy de Bryan and had issue.
On 10th August 1327 [her brother] Bishop John Grandison 3rd Baron Grandison was appointed Bishop of Exeter.
Around 1328 [her son-in-law] Giles Badlesmere 2nd Baron Badlesmere and Elizabeth Montagu Baroness Badlesmere and Despencer were married. She the daughter of William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury.
On 25th June 1328 [her son] William Montagu 2nd Earl Salisbury was born to [her husband] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury. He married (1) November 1340 Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales, daughter of Edmund of Woodstock 1st Earl Kent and Margaret Wake Countess Kent (2) after 7th August 1385 Elizabeth Mohun Countess of Salisbury, daughter of John Mohun 2nd Baron Mohun of Dunster and Joan Burghesh Baroness Dunster, and had issue.
Around 1330 [her son] John Montagu 1st Baron Montagu, Baron Monthermer was born to [her husband] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury. He married before 1350 Margaret Monthermer Baroness Montagu 3rd Baroness Monthermer, daughter of Thomas Monthermer 2nd Baron Monthermer and Margaret Brewes Baroness Monthermer, and had issue.
Around 1330 [her daughter] Sybil Montagu was born to [her husband] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury. She married before 16th July 1347 Edmund Fitzalan, son of Richard Fitzalan 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey and Isabel Despencer Countess Arundel, and had issue.
On 10th June 1330 [her brother] Piers Grandison 2nd Baron Grandison and [her sister-in-law] Blanche Mortimer Baroness Grandison were married. The difference in their ages was 21 years. She the daughter of Roger Mortimer 1st Earl March and Joan Geneville Baroness Mortimer 2nd Baroness Geneville.
In 1331 [her brother-in-law] Thomas Bardolf 2nd Baron Bardolf and [her sister] Agnes Grandison Baroness Bardolf were married. She by marriage Baroness Bardolf of Wormegay in Norfolk.
In 1332 [her daughter] Philippa Montagu Countess March was born to [her husband] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury. She married before 1352 Roger Mortimer 2nd Earl March, son of Edmund Mortimer and Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton, and had issue.
In 1333 [her brother-in-law] Bishop Simon Montagu was appointed Bishop of Worcester.
On 27th June 1335 [her father] William Grandison 1st Baron Grandison died at Lambourne, Berkshire. [her brother] Piers Grandison 2nd Baron Grandison succeeded 2nd Baron Grandison. [her sister-in-law] Blanche Mortimer Baroness Grandison by marriage Baroness Grandison.
In January 1337 King Edward III of England created a number of new Earldom's probably in preparation for his forthcoming war against France...
[her husband] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury was created 1st Earl Salisbury. Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury by marriage Countess Salisbury.
William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton was created 1st Earl of Northampton. Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton by marriage Countess of Northampton.
Hugh Audley 1st Earl Gloucester was created 1st Earl Gloucester probably as compensation for his daughter Margaret Audley Countess Stafford having been abducted by Ralph Stafford 1st Earl Stafford.
Robert Ufford 1st Earl Suffolk was created 1st Earl Suffolk. Margaret Norwich Countess Suffolk by marriage Countess Suffolk.
Around November 1340 William Montagu 2nd Earl Salisbury and Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales were married. She was already married albeit secretly to Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent. The subsequent investigation found her marriage to Thomas Holland 1st Earl Kent to be valid. She the daughter of Edmund of Woodstock 1st Earl Kent and Margaret Wake Countess Kent. He the son of William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury.
When this had been done, King David took counsel that he would withdraw toward the river Tyne and make for the town of Carlisle, which lies at the entrance to Wales [TBC]. As he went that way, he lodged one night near a strong castle called Salisbury1, which belonged to the Earl of Salisbury, who had been taken with the Earl of Suffolk before Lille in Flanders and was still imprisoned in the Châtelet at Paris. In this strong castle dwelt the noble Lady of Salisbury2, one of the most beautiful and valiant ladies in England. The castle was well garrisoned with good men-at-arms, and its castellan was a noble squire, son of the sister of the Earl of Salisbury, named Sir William Montagu after his uncle, who bore the same name. When that night had passed, the king and all his host broke camp and marched toward Carlisle, passing before Salisbury laden and filled with the treasures they had taken at Durham. When Sir William Montagu saw that they had all passed and did not halt to assault the castle, he went out with sixty men-at-arms and secretly followed their train. He overtook the rearguard, so heavily burdened with baggage that they could scarcely move forward, at the entrance of a wood. He and his companions slew more than two hundred of them and drove off toward the castle of Salisbury about one hundred and twenty hackneys and horses laden with goods.
Quant ce fut fait, le roy David eut conseil qu'il se retrairoit par devers la riviere de Thyen et tireroit vers la ville de Carduueil, qui est à l'entrée de Gales. Ainsy que là aloit, il se loga une nuit emprez ung fort chastel qu'on clame Salbry, qui estoit au conte de Salbri, lequel fut pris avecques le conte de Suffort devant Lisle en Flandres, et encores estoient en Chastelet à Paris. En ce fort chastel sejournoit la noble dame de Salbri, qui estoit une des belles et des vaillans dames d'Angleterre. Si estoit le chastel bien garny de bons hommes d'armes, et en estoit chastelain ung gentil escuier filz à la seur du conte de Salbri, et avoit nom messire Guillaume de Montagu aprez son oncle, qui ainsy eut nom, Quant celle nuit fut passée, le roy se desloga et tout l'ost aussy; si tirerent vers Carduueilh et passerrent devant Salbri, chargiez et plains des tresors qu'ilz avoient conquis à Duraine. Quant ledit messire Guillaume de Montagu vit qu'iz estoient tous passez et qu'ilz n'arrestoient point. pour assaillir le chastel, il issi hors à tout LX compaignons d'armes et siwy couvertement le train, et raconsuit les derrains tant chargiez de bagues qu'ilz ne pouoient aler avant, à l'entrée d'ung bos. Si en tuerent, luy et ses compaignons plus de IIc et enmena les haquenées et les chevaulx chargiez par devers le chastel de Salbri bien environ VIXX.
Note 1. According to S. Luce (Froissart, vol. II, p. XLIV, note 4), this would be the castle of Wark, situated between Newcastle and Carlisle, on the left bank of the Tyne. Cf. Kervyn de Lettenhove, Froissart, vol. II, p. 516.
1. Ce serait, d'après S. Luce (Froissart, t. Il, p. xuiv, note 4), le château de Wark, situé entre Newcastle et Carlisle, sur la rive gauche de la Tyne. Cf. Kervyn de Lettenhove, Froissart, t. IL, p. 516.
Note 2. Catherine Grandison, 1304-1349, married around 1320 [her husband] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury.
Before 27th April 1341 [her son-in-law] Hugh Despencer 1st Baron Despencer and Elizabeth Montagu Baroness Badlesmere and Despencer were married. She by marriage Baroness Despencer. She the daughter of William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury.
On 23rd April 1344. The date somewhat unclear; it may have been before. King Edward III of England formed the Order of the Garter. The first reliable record occurs in autumn of 1348 when the King's wardrobe account shows Garter habits being issued. The Order may have been formed before then with some traditions such as the mantle, and the garter and motto, possibly being introduced later. The Garter refers to an event at Wark Castle, Northumberland at which King Edward III of England picked up the Countess of Salisbury's fallen garter and saying to the crowd "Honi soit qui mal y pense" ie Shame on him who thinks badly of it, or possibly, he brings shame on himself who thinks badly of it. The Countess of Salisbury could refer to his future daughter-in-law Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales or her former mother-in-law Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury. The event has also been described as taking place at Calais.
On 20th June 1345 [her brother-in-law] Bishop Simon Montagu died.
Before 16th July 1347 [her son-in-law] Edmund Fitzalan and Sybil Montagu were married. She the daughter of William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury. He the son of Richard Fitzalan 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey and Isabel Despencer Countess Arundel.
On 11th June 1349 [her husband] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury died. [her son] William Montagu 2nd Earl Salisbury succeeded 2nd Earl Salisbury, 4th Baron Montagu. [her daughter-in-law] Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales by marriage Countess Salisbury.
On or before 23rd November 1349 [her daughter] Alice Montagu was born to [her former husband] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury.
On or before 23rd November 1349 [her daughter] Agnes Montagu was born to [her former husband] William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury and Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury. She married John Grey, son of Roger Grey 1st Baron Grey Ruthyn and Elizabeth Hastings Baroness Grey Ruthyn.
On 23rd November 1349 Catherine Grandison Countess of Salisbury died at Bisham Abbey.
On 23rd November 1349 [her sister] Agnes Grandison Baroness Bardolf died at Ruskington.