Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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Paternal Family Tree: Cocks
On 26th April 1716 John Somers 1st Baron Somers [aged 65] died unmarried and without issue. Baron Somers extinct. His great nephew Charles Cocks 1st Baron Somers became 1st Baron Somers of the second creation in 1784.
On 3rd September 1724 [his father] John Cocks of Castleditch in Eastnor in Herefordshire and [his mother] Mary Cocks were married. They were uncle and niece.
On 29th June 1725 Charles Cocks 1st Baron Somers was born to John Cocks of Castleditch in Eastnor in Herefordshire and Mary Cocks. Coefficient of inbreeding 12.50%.
On 8th August 1759 Charles Cocks 1st Baron Somers [aged 34] and Elizabeth Eliot were married.
On 6th May 1760 [his son] John Cocks 1st Earl Somers was born to Charles Cocks 1st Baron Somers [aged 34] and [his wife] Elizabeth Eliot.
In 1771 [his wife] Elizabeth Eliot died.
On 24th June 1771 [his father] John Cocks of Castleditch in Eastnor in Herefordshire died.
On 14th March 1773 [his daughter] Anna Maria Cocks was born to Charles Cocks 1st Baron Somers [aged 47] and [his wife] Anne Pole [aged 21]. She married 4th December 1797 her second cousin Philip Yorke, son of Bishop James Yorke and Mary Maddox, and had issue.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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On 2nd December 1774 [his son] Lieutenant-Colonel Philip James Cocks was born to Charles Cocks 1st Baron Somers [aged 49] and [his wife] Anne Pole [aged 22].
On 4th February 1779 [his mother] Mary Cocks died.
On 17th May 1784 Charles Cocks 1st Baron Somers [aged 58] was created 1st Baron Somers. His great-uncle was John Somers 1st Baron Somers.
On 4th December 1797 [his son-in-law] Philip Yorke [aged 27] and [his daughter] Anna Maria Cocks [aged 24] were married. He the son of Bishop James Yorke [aged 67] and Mary Maddox. They were second cousins.
On 30th January 1806 Charles Cocks 1st Baron Somers [aged 80] died. His son John [aged 45] succeeded 2nd Baron Somers.
On 25th April 1833 [his former wife] Anne Pole [aged 81] died.
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Cocks of Castleditch Herefordshire
GrandFather: Charles Cocks
Father: John Cocks of Castleditch in Eastnor in Herefordshire
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Somers
GrandMother: Mary Somers
Charles Cocks 1st Baron Somers
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Cocks of Castleditch Herefordshire
Great x 1 Grandfather: Charles Cocks
GrandFather: Reverend Thomas Cocks of Castleditch in Eastnor in Herefordshire
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Somers
Great x 1 Grandmother: Mary Somers
Mother: Mary Cocks
