The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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Paternal Family Tree: Villiers
Mary Villiers Baroness Lansdowne was born to [her father] Edward Villiers 1st Earl Jersey and [her mother] Barbara Chiffinch Countess Jersey.
On 17th December 1681 [her father] Edward Villiers 1st Earl Jersey (age 25) and [her mother] Barbara Chiffinch Countess Jersey (age 18) were married.
In 1691 [her father] Edward Villiers 1st Earl Jersey (age 35) was created 1st Viscount Villiers, 1st Baron Villiers probably as a consequence of his sister [her aunt] Barbara Villiers Viscountess Fitzhardinge (age 37) being a mistress of King William III of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 40). [her mother] Barbara Chiffinch Countess Jersey (age 28) by marriage Viscountess Villiers.
In 1697 [her father] Edward Villiers 1st Earl Jersey (age 41) was created 1st Earl Jersey probably as a consequence of his sister [her aunt] Barbara Villiers Viscountess Fitzhardinge (age 43) being a mistress of King William III of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 46). [her mother] Barbara Chiffinch Countess Jersey (age 34) by marriage Countess Jersey.
In 1710 [her future husband] Thomas Thynne died.
Before 21st May 1710 Thomas Thynne and Mary Villiers Baroness Lansdowne were married. She the daughter of Edward Villiers 1st Earl Jersey (age 54) and Barbara Chiffinch Countess Jersey (age 47). They were fifth cousin once removed.
On 21st May 1710 [her son] Thomas Thynne 2nd Viscount Weymouth was born to [her former husband] Thomas Thynne and Mary Villiers Baroness Lansdowne. He married (1) 6th December 1726 his fifth cousin Elizabeth Sackville Viscountess Weymouth, daughter of Lionel Cranfield Sackville 1st Duke Dorset and Elizabeth Colyear Duchess Dorset (2) 3rd July 1733 his second cousin once removed Louisa Carteret Viscountess Weymouth, daughter of John Carteret 2nd Earl Granville and Frances Worsley Countess Granville, and had issue.
On 25th August 1711 [her father] Edward Villiers 1st Earl Jersey (age 55) died. His son [her brother] William (age 29) succeeded 2nd Earl Jersey, 2nd Viscount Villiers, 2nd Baron Villiers.
On 15th December 1711 George Granville 1st Baron Lansdowne (age 45) and Mary Villiers Baroness Lansdowne were married at St Martin in the Fields Church [Map]. She the daughter of Edward Villiers 1st Earl Jersey and Barbara Chiffinch Countess Jersey (age 48).
On 1st January 1712 Queen Anne of England Scotland and Ireland (age 46), on behalf of Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer (age 50), created a number of new Baronies to balance power in Parliament, known as Harley's Dozen,...
Allen Bathurst 1st Earl Bathurst (age 27) was created 1st Baron Bathurst.
Charles Bruce 4th Earl Elgin 3rd Earl Ailesbury (age 29) by writ of acceleration 3rd Baron Bruce of Skelton in Yorkshire.
James Compton 5th Earl of Northampton (age 24) by writ of acceleration 6th Baron Compton of Compton in Warwickshire.
Thomas Foley 1st Baron Foley (age 38) was created 1st Baron Foley.
[her husband] George Granville 1st Baron Lansdowne (age 45) was created 1st Baron Lansdowne of Bideford in Devon. Mary Villiers Baroness Lansdowne by marriage Baroness Lansdowne of Bideford in Devon.
George Henry Hay 8th Earl Kinnoull (age 22) was created 1st Baron Hay of Pedwardine in Herefordshire.
Thomas Mansel 1st Baron Mansel (age 44) was created 1st Baron Mansel of Margam. Martha Millington Baroness Mansel by marriage Baroness Mansel of Margam.
Samuel Masham 1st Baron Masham (age 33) was created 1st Baron Masham of Otes in Essex. Abigail Hill Baroness Masham (age 42) by marriage Baroness Masham of Otes in Essex.
Henry Paget 1st Earl Uxbridge (age 48) was created 1st Baron Burton.
Thomas Trevor 1st Baron Trevor Bromham (age 53) was created 1st Baron Trevor Bromham.
Thomas Willoughby 1st Baron Middleton (age 39) was created 1st Baron Middleton. Elizabeth Rothwell Baroness Willoughby and Middleton by marriage Baroness Middleton.
Thomas Windsor 1st Viscount Windsor (age 42) was created 1st Baron Mountjoy.
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On 13th July 1721 [her brother] William Villiers 2nd Earl Jersey (age 39) died. His son [her nephew] William (age 14) succeeded 3rd Earl Jersey, 3rd Viscount Villiers, 3rd Baron Villiers.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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On 6th December 1726 [her son] Thomas Thynne 2nd Viscount Weymouth (age 16) and [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Sackville Viscountess Weymouth (age 15) were married at Whitehall Palace [Map]. She by marriage Viscountess Weymouth. She the daughter of Lionel Cranfield Sackville 1st Duke Dorset (age 38) and Elizabeth Colyear Duchess Dorset (age 37). They were fifth cousins.
On 3rd July 1733 [her son] Thomas Thynne 2nd Viscount Weymouth (age 23) and [her daughter-in-law] Louisa Carteret Viscountess Weymouth (age 21) were married. She by marriage Viscountess Weymouth. She the daughter of John Carteret 2nd Earl Granville (age 43) and Frances Worsley Countess Granville (age 40). They were second cousin once removed.
On 22nd July 1735 [her mother] Barbara Chiffinch Countess Jersey (age 72) died.
On 17th January 1736 Mary Villiers Baroness Lansdowne died. Her husband [her husband] George Granville 1st Baron Lansdowne (age 69) died twelve days later.
On 29th January 1736 [her former husband] George Granville 1st Baron Lansdowne (age 69) died. He was buried at St Clement Danes Church, Westminster [Map]. His wife Mary Villiers Baroness Lansdowne had died twelve days before. Baron Lansdowne of Bideford in Devon extinct.
[her daughter] Grace Granville was born to George Granville 1st Baron Lansdowne and Mary Villiers Baroness Lansdowne. She married 28th March 1740 Thomas Foley 1st Baron Foley and had issue.
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 11 Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 19 Grand Daughter of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 26 Grand Daughter of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 20 Grand Daughter of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 24 Grand Daughter of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Villiers 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Villiers of Brooksby Leicestershire
Great x 2 Grandfather: George Villiers of Brokesby
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Clarke
Great x 3 Grandmother: Collette Clarke
Great x 1 Grandfather: Edward Villiers
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Saunders of Harrington Northamptonshire
Great x 2 Grandmother: Audrey Saunders
GrandFather: Edward Villiers 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John St John 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Nicholas St John 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Carew 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: John St John 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Blount of Mapledurham in Oxfordshire 
12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Blount 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Barbara St John 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Walter Hungerford 1st Baron Hungerford Heytesbury 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Walter Hungerford 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Susan Danvers 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Lucy Hungerford 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Dormer 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Dormer
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Sidney 
Father: Edward Villiers 1st Earl Jersey 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Howard Earl of Surrey 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Howard 4th Duke of Norfolk 
7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Frances Vere Countess of Surrey 
6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Audley 1st Baron Audley Walden 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Audley Duchess Norfolk 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Grey Baroness Audley 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Theophilus Howard 2nd Earl Suffolk 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Knyvet of Charlton Wiltshire 
7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Knyvet 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Pickering 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Stumpe
GrandMother: Frances Howard 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: David Home
Great x 3 Grandfather: Alexander Manderston Home
Great x 2 Grandfather: George Home 1st Earl Dunbar
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Home Countess Suffolk 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: James Gordon 2nd of Gight 12 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Alexander Gordon 3rd of Gight 13 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Gordon Countess Dunbar 14 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Cardinal David Beaton
Great x 3 Grandmother: Agnes Beaton
Great x 4 Grandmother: Marion Ogilvy
Mary Villiers Baroness Lansdowne 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Unknown Chiffinch
GrandFather: William Chiffinch
Mother: Barbara Chiffinch Countess Jersey