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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Paternal Family Tree: Wray
Christopher Wray and Anne Girlington were married.
Christopher Wray educated Magdalene College aka Buckingham.
In or before 1524 [his father] Thomas Wray and [his mother] Joan Jackson were married.
In 1524 Christopher Wray was born to Thomas Wray and Joan Jackson at Bedale.
On 6th February 1545 Christopher Wray [aged 21] admitted at Lincoln's Inn.
Around January 1550 Christopher Wray [aged 26] called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn.
In 1555 [his son] William Wray 1st Baronet was born to Christopher Wray [aged 31] and Anne Girlington. He married (1) 6th April 1580 Lucy Montagu and had issue (2) before May 1601 Frances Drury Lady Glentworth and had issue.
In 1562 Christopher Wray [aged 38] was appointed Reader at Lincoln's Inn at Lincoln's Inn.
In 1566 Christopher Wray [aged 42] was appointed Treasurer of Lincoln's Inn at Lincoln's Inn.
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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Around March 1567 Christopher Wray [aged 43] was appointed Reader at Lincoln's Inn at Lincoln's Inn.
On 18th June 1567 Christopher Wray [aged 43] was appointed Serjeant at Law at Lincoln's Inn.
In 1571 Christopher Wray [aged 47] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.
On 8th November 1574 Christopher Wray [aged 50] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
On 6th April 1580 [his son] William Wray 1st Baronet [aged 25] and [his daughter-in-law] Lucy Montagu were married.
In 1582 Seventeenth Century copy.Unknown Painter. Portrait of Christopher Wray [aged 58].
In 1583 [his son-in-law] George St Paul 1st Baronet [aged 21] and [his daughter] Frances Wray Countess Warwick were married.
On 20th December 1583 Edward Arden [aged 50] was hanged, drawn and quartered at Smithfield [Map] for having plotted against Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland [aged 50] with his son-in-law John Somerville [deceased] who had implicated him during torture. He was tried by Christopher Wray [aged 59].
On 19th December 1583 John Somerville committed suicide by hanging himself in his cell.
The heads of John Somerville and Edward Arden were set on London Bridge [Map] next to the head of the Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond [deceased].
After 4th August 1586 Christopher Wray [aged 62] passed sentence of death on those implicated.
On 14th October 1586 Henry Compton 1st Baron Compton [aged 42], Lewis Mordaunt 3rd Baron Mordaunt [aged 48], Henry Wentworth 3rd Baron Wentworth [aged 28], Christopher Wray [aged 62], John Stourton 9th Baron Stourton [aged 33] and Edward Zouche 11th Baron Zouche Harringworth [aged 30] sat in judgement on Mary Queen of Scots [aged 43] in the Presence Chamber of Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire [Map].
Anthony Browne 1st Viscount Montagu [aged 57], George Clifford 3rd Earl of Cumberland [aged 28], Henry Clinton 2nd Earl Lincoln [aged 45], Henry Grey 6th Earl Kent [aged 45], Edward Manners 3rd Earl of Rutland [aged 37], Henry Stanley 4th Earl of Derby [aged 55], Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick [aged 56], George Talbot 6th Earl of Shrewsbury [aged 58], Edward de Vere 17th Earl of Oxford [aged 36], William Somerset 3rd Earl of Worcester [aged 60], William Cecil 1st Baron Burghley [aged 66], Henry Herbert 2nd Earl Pembroke [aged 48] and Thomas Bromley [aged 56] were present on the side of the Presence Chamber of Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire [Map].
John St John 2nd Baron St John [aged 51] was present on the left side of the Presence Chamber of Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire [Map].
John Stourton 9th Baron Stourton was a juror.
Edward Manners 3rd Earl of Rutland was a commissioner.
On 14th April 1589 Philip Howard 13th or 20th Earl of Arundel [aged 31] was condemned to death and attainted. Earl Arundel, Baron Arundel forfeit. Elizabeth I never signed the death warrant; Howard was never told. Henry Stanley 4th Earl of Derby [aged 57] was present. Christopher Wray [aged 65] was one of the judges.
On 7th May 1592 Christopher Wray [aged 68] died. He was buried in St Michael's Church, Glentworth [Map]. Monument to Sir Christopher and his wife Anne Girlington. Elizabethan Period. Elephant and Castle Crest. Pink, white and blue-grey marble. Two recumbent effigies, Sir Christopher above and a little behind his wife, he in red robes, black cap and thick ruff; she in black robes, large ruff and hood. Four kneeling white marble daughters below. Ornate tomb recess above with flanking pink marble columns with white and gold Corinthian Capitals. Undersurface of Recess decorated with white and gold bay leaves. Plaque inscribed above with raised plaque above with Sir Christopher's son at prayer flanked by coats of arms and obelisks.
The general design, and in particular the scrollwork, suggest it may be the work of Nicholas Johnson.
The inscription: "The chief justice of England. Whoever thou art (or a stranger too) pay your respects to those who are buried. Christopher Wray, who lives here was the glory of our legal system. Pairing business, true by name who shone forth in duty, understanding and faith. Lo, he was here, lo he is not. Swift fate overturns everything. Alas, he is dead to us but he himself survives. Earth to earth, Ashes to Ashes, the heavenly to heavenly things. The spirit of the celestial world he occupies the stars of heaven. He died the seventh day of May 1592 in the 34th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth."
Anne Girlington: she was born to Nicholas Girlington. Christopher Wray and she were married. After 7th May 1592 Anne Girlington was buried at St Michael's Church, Glentworth [Map]. Before 18th October 1602 John Darcy 2nd Baron Darcy Aston and Anne Babington were married. She by marriage Baroness Darcy of Aston. They were sixth cousins.
[his daughter] Isabel Wray Baroness Darcy was born to Christopher Wray and Anne Girlington. She married (1) Godfrey Foljambe (2) after 14th June 1595 William Bowes (3) 7th May 1617 John Darcy 3rd Baron Darcy Aston.
[his daughter] Frances Wray Countess Warwick was born to Christopher Wray and Anne Girlington. She married (1) 1583 George St Paul 1st Baronet and had issue (2) 1616 Robert Rich 1st Earl Warwick, son of Robert Rich 2nd Baron Rich of Leez and Elizabeth Baldry Baroness Rich Leez.