The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel Volume 1 Chapters 1-60 1307-1342
The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel offer one of the most vivid and immediate accounts of 14th-century Europe, written by a knight who lived through the events he describes, and experienced some of them first hand. Covering the early decades of the Hundred Years’ War, this remarkable chronicle follows the campaigns of Edward III of England, the politics of France and the Low Countries, and the shifting alliances that shaped medieval warfare. Unlike later historians, Jean le Bel writes with a strong sense of eyewitness authenticity, drawing on personal experience and the testimony of fellow soldiers. His narrative captures not only battles and sieges, but also the realities of military life, diplomacy, and the ideals of chivalry that governed noble society. A key source for Jean Froissart, Le Bel’s chronicle stands on its own as a compelling and insightful work, at once historical record and literary achievement. This translation builds on the 1905 edition published in French by Jules Viard, adding extensive translations from other sources Rymer's Fœdera, the Chronicles of Adam Murimuth, William Nangis, Walter of Guisborough, a Bourgeois of Valenciennes, Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke and Richard Lescot to enrich the original text and Viard's notes.
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Paternal Family Tree: Seymour
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd February 1669. Up: and to the Office, where all the morning, and then home, and put a mouthfull of victuals in my mouth; and by a Hackney-coach followed my wife and the girls [Barbara Pepys and Elizabeth Pepys], who are gone by eleven o'clock, thinking to have seen a new play at the Duke of York's [aged 35] house. But I do find them staying at my tailor's, the play not being to-day, and therefore I now took them to Westminster Abbey, and there did show them all the tombs very finely, having one with us alone, there being other company this day to see the tombs, it being Shrove Tuesday; and here we did see, by particular favour, the body of Queen Katherine of Valois; and I had the upper part of her body in my hands, and I did kiss her mouth, reflecting upon it that I did kiss a Queen1, and that this was my birth-day, thirty-six years old, that I did first kiss a Queen. But here this man, who seems to understand well, tells me that the saying is not true that says she was never buried, for she was buried; only, when Henry the Seventh built his chapel, it was taken up and laid in this wooden coffin; but I did there see that, in it, the body was buried in a leaden one, which remains under the body to this day.
Note 1. Pepys's attachment to the fair sex extended even to a dead Queen. The record of this royal salute on his natal day is very characteristic. The story told him in Westminster Abbey appears to have been correct; for Neale informs us ("History of Westminster Abbey", vol. ii., p. 88) that near the south side of Henry V.'s tomb there was formerly a wooden chest, or coffin, wherein part of the skeleton and parched body of Katherine de Valois, his Queen (from the waist upwards), was to be seen. She was interred in January, 1457, in the Chapel of Our Lady, at the east end of this church; but when that building was pulled down by her grandson, Henry VII, her coffin was found to be decayed, and her body was taken up, and placed in a chest, near her first husband's tomb. "There", says Dart, "it hath ever since continued to be seen, the bones being firmly united, and thinly clothed with flesh, like scrapings of tanned leather". This awful spectacle of frail mortality was at length removed from the public gaze into St. Nicholas's Chapel [Map], and finally deposited under the monument of Sir George Villiers, when the vault was made for the remains of Elizabeth Percy, Duchess of Northumberland, in December, 1776. B.
On 5th July 1715 [her father] Algernon Seymour 7th Duke of Somerset [aged 30] and [her mother] Frances Thynne Duchess Somerset [aged 16] were married. He the son of [her grandfather] Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 52] and [her grandmother] Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 48]. They were third cousin once removed.
On 26th November 1716 Elizabeth Seymour Duchess Northumberland was born to Algernon Seymour 7th Duke of Somerset [aged 32] and Frances Thynne Duchess Somerset [aged 17].
On 22nd March 1729 Hugh Smithson 3rd Baronet [aged 72] died. His grandson [her future husband] Hugh [aged 13] succeeded 4th Baronet Smithson of Stanwick in Yorkshire. Monument in Church of St John the Baptist, Stanwick, North Yorkshire [Map].
Hugh Smithson 3rd Baronet: In 1657 he was born to Jerome Smithson 2nd Baronet. In 1684 Jerome Smithson 2nd Baronet died. His son Hugh succeeded 3rd Baronet Smithson of Stanwick in Yorkshire.
On 6th July 1740 Hugh Percy 1st Duke Northumberland [aged 24] and Elizabeth Seymour Duchess Northumberland [aged 23] were married. She the daughter of Algernon Seymour 7th Duke of Somerset [aged 55] and Frances Thynne Duchess Somerset [aged 41].
On 14th August 1742 [her son] Hugh Percy 2nd Duke Northumberland was born to [her husband] Hugh Percy 1st Duke Northumberland [aged 26] and Elizabeth Seymour Duchess Northumberland [aged 25]. He married (1) 2nd July 1764 his fourth cousin once removed Anne Stuart, daughter of John Stuart 3rd Earl Bute and Mary Wortley-Montagu Countess Bute (2) 23rd May 1779 Frances Julia Burrell Duchess Northumberland and had issue.
On 2nd December 1748 [her grandfather] Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 86] died at Petworth. His son [her father] Algernon [aged 64] succeeded 7th Duke Somerset, 7th Earl Hertford, 7th Baron Beauchamp of Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset, 5th Baron Seymour of Trowbridge. [her mother] Frances Thynne Duchess Somerset [aged 49] by marriage Duchess Somerset.
On 21st January 1750 [her son] Algernon Percy 1st Earl Beverley was born to [her husband] Hugh Percy 1st Duke Northumberland [aged 34] and Elizabeth Seymour Duchess Northumberland [aged 33]. He married 8th June 1775 Isabella Susan Burrell Countess Beverley and had issue.
On 7th February 1750 [her father] Algernon Seymour 7th Duke of Somerset [aged 65] died. He was buried at Northumberland Vault, Crypt, Westminster Abbey. Earl Hertford, Baron Beauchamp of Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset and Baron Seymour of Trowbridge extinct. His half fifth cousin once removed Edward [aged 55] succeeded 8th Duke Somerset. Mary Webb Duchess Somerset [aged 53] by marriage Duchess Somerset. His daughter Elizabeth [aged 33] succeeded 2nd Baroness Percy. His nephew Charles [aged 39] succeeded 2nd Earl Egremont.
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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On 7th July 1754 [her mother] Frances Thynne Duchess Somerset [aged 55] died.
On 2nd July 1764 Hugh Percy 2nd Duke Northumberland [aged 21] and Anne Stuart [aged 19] were married. She the daughter of John Stuart 3rd Earl Bute [aged 51] and Mary Wortley-Montagu Countess Bute [aged 46]. He the son of Hugh Percy 1st Duke Northumberland [aged 48] and Elizabeth Seymour Duchess Northumberland [aged 47]. They were fourth cousin once removed.
In 1766 [her husband] Hugh Percy 1st Duke Northumberland [aged 50] was created 1st Duke Northumberland. Elizabeth Seymour Duchess Northumberland [aged 49] by marriage Duchess Northumberland.
On 8th June 1775 Algernon Percy 1st Earl Beverley [aged 25] and Isabella Susan Burrell Countess Beverley [aged 24] were married at Syon House [Map]. He the son of Hugh Percy 1st Duke Northumberland [aged 59] and Elizabeth Seymour Duchess Northumberland [aged 58].
Before 5th December 1776 [her daughter] Elizabeth Anne Frances Percy was born to [her husband] Hugh Percy 1st Duke Northumberland [aged 60] and Elizabeth Seymour Duchess Northumberland [aged 60].
On 5th December 1776 Elizabeth Seymour Duchess Northumberland [aged 60] died. Her son Hugh [aged 34] succeeded 3rd Baron Percy
On 6th June 1786 [her former husband] Hugh Percy 1st Duke Northumberland [aged 70] died. His son Hugh [aged 43] succeeded 2nd Duke Northumberland, 2nd Baron Lovain, 5th Baronet Smithson of Stanwick in Yorkshire. Frances Julia Burrell Duchess Northumberland [aged 33] by marriage Duchess Northumberland.
Kings Wessex: Great x 20 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 17 Grand Daughter of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 23 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 18 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 21 Grand Daughter of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 7 Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Kings Scotland: Great x 19 Grand Daughter of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 27 Grand Daughter of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 10 Grand Daughter of Charles "Beloved Mad" VI King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 25 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Seymour 1st Earl Hertford 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Edward Seymour 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Grey Countess Hertford 
Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 2 Grandfather: Francis Seymour 1st Baron Seymour of Trowbridge 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandmother: Honora Rogers
Great x 1 Grandfather: Charles Seymour 2nd Baron Seymour of Trowbridge 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandfather: Gilbert Prynne of Allington
Great x 2 Grandmother: Frances Prynne 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Wymond Carey 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jane Davys 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
GrandFather: Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Giles Alington 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Giles Alington 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Alington 1st Baron Alington 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Eizabeth Alington 2nd Baroness Seymour Trowbridge 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Lionel Tollemache 1st Baronet 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Lionel Tollemache 2nd Baronet 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Cromwell 
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Tollemache Baroness Alington 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Stanhope 1st Baron Stanhope 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Stanhope Lady Talmash 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Macwilliams Baroness Stanhope
Father: Algernon Seymour 7th Duke of Somerset 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Percy 8th Earl of Northumberland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry "Wizard Earl" Percy 9th Earl of Northumberland 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Katherine Neville Countess Northumberland 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Walter Devereux 1st Earl Essex 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Dorothy Devereux Countess Northumberland 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Lettice Knollys Countess Essex and Leicester 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk 
7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Theophilus Howard 2nd Earl Suffolk 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk 
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Howard Countess Northumberland 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Home 1st Earl Dunbar
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Home Countess Suffolk 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Gordon Countess Dunbar 14 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
GrandMother: Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Wriothesley 2nd Earl of Southampton 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Browne Countess Southampton 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Vernon 
5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Vernon Countess Southampton 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Devereux 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Francis Leigh
Great x 3 Grandfather: Francis Leigh 1st Earl Chichester
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Egerton 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Leigh Countess Southampton 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Boteler 1st Baron Boteler 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Villiers Baroness Boteler Brantfield 
Elizabeth Seymour Duchess Northumberland 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Thynne 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Thynne
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Hayward 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Thynne 1st Baronet 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Lyte aka Howard 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Catherine Howard 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Thynne 1st Viscount Weymouth 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Coventry 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Coventry 1st Baron Coventry
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Coventry Lady Thynne Kempsford
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Aldersley of Spurstow in Cheshire
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Aldersley Baroness Coventry
GrandFather: Henry Thynne 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Moyle Finch 1st Baronet 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Finch 2nd Earl Winchilsea 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Heneage 1st Countess Winchelsea 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Heneage Finch 3rd Earl Winchilsea 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Wentworth 
9 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Cecily Wentworth Countess Winchelsea 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Cicely Unton 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Frances Finch Viscountess Weymouth 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Seymour 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Honora Rogers
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Seymour Countess Winchelsea 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Frances Walsingham Countess Essex 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Mother: Frances Thynne Duchess Somerset 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Strode 
11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Strode of Parnham 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Hody
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Strode of Parnham 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Gregory Cromwell 1st Baron Cromwell Oakham 14 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Katherine Cromwell 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Seymour Baroness Cromwell Oakham 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: George Strode 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Wyndham 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Wyndham of Orchard 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Florence Wadham
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anne Wyndham 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Portman 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Portman
GrandMother: Grace Strode 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England