Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
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Paternal Family Tree: Yorke
In or before 1716 William Lygon and [his mother] Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke were married.
On 16th May 1719 [his father] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 28] and [his mother] Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke were married.
On 30th December 1722 Charles Yorke was born to Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 32] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
In 1740 [his brother] Philip Yorke 2nd Earl of Hardwicke [aged 19] and [his sister-in-law] Jemima Campbell 2nd Marchioness Grey [aged 16] were married. She being the heiress of Henry Grey 1st Duke Kent [aged 69]. She the daughter of John Campbell 3rd Earl Breadalbaine and Holland [aged 43] and Amabel Grey. He the son of [his father] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 49] and [his mother] Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
In 1754 [his father] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 63] was created 1st Earl Hardwicke, 1st Viscount Royston. [his mother] Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke by marriage Countess Hardwicke.
On 19th May 1755 Charles Yorke [aged 32] and Catherine Blount Freeman [aged 18] were married. He the son of Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 64] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
In 1756 Thomas Hudson [aged 55]. Portrait of Charles Yorke [aged 33].
On 31st May 1757 [his son] Philip Yorke 3rd Earl of Hardwicke was born to Charles Yorke [aged 34] and [his wife] Catherine Blount Freeman [aged 20]. He married 24th July 1782 Elizabeth Lindsay Countess Hardwicke, daughter of James Lindsay 5th Earl Balcarres and Anne Dalrymple Countess Balcarres, and had issue.
On 10th July 1759 [his wife] Catherine Blount Freeman [aged 22] died of a malignant fever. She was buried at St Andrew's Church, Wimpole [Map]. Armorial 
Yorke Arms differenced with a crescent to indicate son of the current holder; her husband Charles Yorke [aged 36] with an inescutcheon of Freeman Arms quartered with unknown arms two lions passant guardant with a bordure engrailed.
Stylised sarcophagus in white veined marble, bearing a white inscription panel; above is an urn in brown marble against a grey background standing on a base of three steps around which are grouped three putti: two garlanding the urn while the third stands by in dejection with reversed torch; in front of the steps is a portrait medallion and at the base of the sarcophagus is an achievement of arms; signed 'JAMES STUART [aged 46], INVT. PR. SCHEEMAKERS [aged 68], SCULP. MDCCLXI'.
Catherine Blount Freeman: Around 1737 she was born to William Freeman of Hamels in Hertfordshire and Catherine Blount. On 19th May 1755 Charles Yorke and she were married. He the son of Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
In 1761 [his mother] Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke died.
Before 5th May 1762 [his brother] Bishop James Yorke [aged 32] and [his sister-in-law] Mary Maddox were married. Some sources describe the date as 29 Jun 1762 which is inconsistent with the date of birth of their first child [his nephew] Charles Yorke, 5th May 1762, as described on his gravestone at St Andrew's Church, Wimpole [Map]. She the daughter of Bishop Isaac Maddox. He the son of [his father] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 71] and [his mother] Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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On 30th December 1762 Charles Yorke [aged 40] and Agneta Johnson [aged 22] were married. He the son of Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 72] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
On 6th March 1764 [his father] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 73] died. His son [his brother] Philip [aged 43] succeeded 2nd Earl Hardwicke, 2nd Viscount Royston. [his sister-in-law] Jemima Campbell 2nd Marchioness Grey [aged 40] by marriage Countess Hardwicke.
On 12th March 1764 [his son] Charles Philip Yorke was born to Charles Yorke [aged 41] and [his wife] Agneta Johnson [aged 23]. He married 1st July 1790 Harriet Manningham.
On 29th August 1765 [his daughter] Caroline Yorke Countess St Germans was born to Charles Yorke [aged 42] and [his wife] Agneta Johnson [aged 24]. She married 9th September 1790 John Eliot 1st Earl St Germans, son of Edward Craggs Eliot 1st Baron Eliot and Catherine Elliston Baroness Eliott.
On 6th June 1768 [his son] Admiral Joseph Sydney Yorke was born to Charles Yorke [aged 45] and [his wife] Agneta Johnson [aged 27] at Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. He married (1) 29th March 1798 Elizabeth Weake Rattray and had issue (2) 22nd May 1813 Urania Paulet Marchioness Clanricarde, daughter of George Paulett 12th Marquess Winchester and Martha Ingoldsby Marchioness Winchester.
On 17th January 1770 Charles Yorke [aged 47] was appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal.
On 20th January 1770 Charles Yorke [aged 47] died. He was buried at St Andrew's Church, Wimpole [Map]. Grey marble obelisk on break-front pedestal of white marble with inscription tablet flanked by festoons and frieze carved with emblems of the Chancellor's office; at the base of the obelisk two putti unveil a portrait medallion and at the apex is an achievement of arms; signed 'P. SCHEEMAKER [aged 79] FaT'.
On 30th December 1820 [his former wife] Agneta Johnson [aged 80] died. Buried at St Andrew's Church, Wimpole [Map].
Inscription tablet flanked by pilasters with figures of her husband in robes of state and of two sons, and with medallion portrait at the head, all in white marble, signed 'J. FLAXMAN [aged 65], R.A. Sculptor'
Agneta Johnson: On 11th November 1740 she was born to Henry Johnson of Berkhamstead in Hertfordshire. On 30th December 1762 Charles Yorke and she were married. He the son of Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
Great x 1 Grandfather: Simon Yorke of Dover
GrandFather: Philip Yorke
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Cocks of Castleditch Herefordshire
GrandFather: Charles Cocks
Mother: Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Somers
GrandMother: Mary Somers