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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Around 1570 Letice Clifford was born to [her father] Henry Clifford of Keston in Huntingdonshire.
Before 1599 Thomas Malby of London and Letice Clifford (age 28) were married.
Before 1600 John Rotherham of Semers in Buckinghamshire and Letice Clifford (age 29) were married.
In 1601 Charles Montagu (age 37) and Letice Clifford (age 31) were married.
On 1st June 1601 [her brother-in-law] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 38) and Catherine Spencer (age 15) were married. The difference in their ages was 23 years.
On 29th March 1608 [her brother-in-law] Bishop James Montagu (age 40) was elected Bishop of Bath and Wells.
On 14th May 1608 [her brother-in-law] Bishop James Montagu (age 40) was enthroned Bishop of Bath and Wells at Wells Cathedral [Map].
On 29th August 1611 Letice Clifford (age 41) died. She was buried at All Saints Church, Barnwell [Map].
After 29th August 1611. Monument to Letice Clifford (deceased) at All Saints Church, Barnwell [Map].
In 1612 [her former husband] Charles Montagu (age 48) and Mary Whitmore (age 37) were married.
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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On 11th September 1625 [her former husband] Charles Montagu (age 61) died at Barking, Essex. He was buried in Church of St Margaret of Antioch, Barking [Map].