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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Paternal Family Tree: Colebrooke
On 14th June 1729 George Colebrooke 2nd Baronet was born to James Colebrooke [aged 49] at Chilham, Kent [Map].
On 18th November 1752 [his father] James Colebrooke [aged 72] died.
In 1754 George Colebrooke 2nd Baronet [aged 24] and Mary Gaynor were married. She bought significant wealth to the marriage being the heiress of her father Peter aka Patrick Gaynor who had considerable slave-holdings.
In 1754 George Colebrooke 2nd Baronet [aged 24] was elected MP Arundel which seat he controlled. He held the seat until 1774.
On 12th October 1759 James Colebrooke 1st Baronet [aged 37] was created 1st Baronet Colebrooke of Gatton in Surrey with a special remainder to his brother George [aged 30] since James only had daughters.
In 1761 [his son] James Edward Colebrooke 3rd Baronet was born to George Colebrooke 2nd Baronet [aged 31] and [his wife] Mary Gaynor.
On 10th May 1761 James Colebrooke 1st Baronet [aged 38] died. His brother George [aged 31] succeeded 2nd Baronet Colebrooke of Gatton in Surrey. George was left in sole charge of the family bank in Threadneedle Street. He invested some of his wealth in buying control of the borough of Arundel where the family lived. Arundel was not a classic pocket borough, where the power to return MPs was literally tied to property rights that could be freely bought and sold, but a thoroughly corrupt one where bribery was routine and where maintaining influence of the elections required constant expenditure.
Around 1764 George Colebrooke 2nd Baronet [aged 34] purchased plantations in Antigua (where his wife already had interests), Grenada and Dominica and was a slave-owner.
On 15th June 1765 [his son] Henry Thomas Colebrooke was born to George Colebrooke 2nd Baronet [aged 36] and [his wife] Mary Gaynor.
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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In 1767 George Colebrooke 2nd Baronet [aged 37] was appointed Director of the East India Company.
In 1777 George Colebrooke 2nd Baronet [aged 47] moved to Boulogne sur Mer [Map] where he relied on an East India Company pension.
On 21st January 1777 the bank owned by George Colebrooke 2nd Baronet [aged 47] was declaredd bankrupt with losses including £190,000 in speculation on hemp.
In 1789 George Colebrooke 2nd Baronet [aged 59], during the French Revolution, returned to England and managed eventually to pay his creditors in full so that some inheritance was left for his descendants.
On 5th August 1809 George Colebrooke 2nd Baronet [aged 80] died. His son James [aged 48] succeeded 3rd Baronet Colebrooke of Gatton in Surrey.