This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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Paternal Family Tree: Berkeley
In or before 1506 [his father] Richard Berkeley of Stoke Gifford [aged 35] and [his mother] Elizabeth Coningsby [aged 25] were married.
Around 1506 Maurice Berkeley was born to Richard Berkeley of Stoke Gifford [aged 36] and Elizabeth Coningsby [aged 26].
In 1514 [his father] Richard Berkeley of Stoke Gifford [aged 44] died at Stoke Giffard, Gloucestershire.
In or after 1514 [his step-father] John Fitzjames [aged 49] and [his mother] Elizabeth Coningsby [aged 34] were married; her second husband.
by 1537 Maurice Berkeley [aged 31] was a member of Thomas Cromwell's [aged 52] household.
In 1539 Maurice Berkeley [aged 33] was appointed Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to King Henry VIII of England and Ireland [aged 47].
In 1541 [his son] Henry Berkeley was born to Maurice Berkeley [aged 35] and [his future wife] Catherine Blount [aged 23] at Bruton, Somerset. He married 1576 his half sixth cousin Margaret Lygon and had issue.
After 1541 Maurice Berkeley [aged 35] and Catherine Blount [aged 23] were married. They were sixth cousins.
In 1544 Maurice Berkeley [aged 38] was appointed Constable of Berkeley Castle.
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 1544 Maurice Berkeley [aged 38] commanded a troop of light horse in the Italian War of 1542-46.
In 1544 Maurice Berkeley [aged 38] was appointed Chief Banner Bearer of England succeeding his elder brother John Berkeley [aged 38].
Before 8th May 1546 [his mother] Elizabeth Coningsby [aged 66] died.
In 1547 Maurice Berkeley [aged 41] was elected MP Somerset.
In 1547 Maurice Berkeley [aged 41] was appointed Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to King Edward VI of England and Ireland [aged 9].
In March 1553 Maurice Berkeley [aged 47] was elected MP Bletchingley.
Before 15th March 1554 Thomas Wyatt [aged 33] surrendered to Maurice Berkeley [aged 48].
In 1555 [his sister-in-law] Mary Blount [aged 57] died.
On 25th September 1558 [his sister-in-law] Gertrude Blount Marchioness of Exeter [aged 55] died.
On 12th March 1560. [Some sources say 25th February 1560] [his former wife] Catherine Blount [deceased] died. On 11th August 1580 Maurice Berkeley [aged 54] died. Church of St Mary, Bruton [Map]. Elizabethan Period recumbent effigies of himself and his two wives Catherine Blount and Elizabeth Sands [aged 27] in an Easter sepulchre-type recess with double round arched front, Corinthian pilasters and strapwork panels. Ruff. Panel with quartered arms 1 
Berkeley Arms 2 probably 
Tiptoft Arms, possibly Wotton Arms 3 Unknown Arms 4 probably 
Babington Arms, possibly 
Zouche Arms differenced with a label three points, overall a Crescent.
Catherine Blount: John Champernowne and she were married. Around 1518 she was born to William Blount 4th Baron Mountjoy and Alice Keble Baroness Mountjoy. After 1541 Maurice Berkeley and she were married. They were sixth cousins. Henry Machyn's Diary. 12th March 1560. The xij day of Marche was bered at Dyttun [Map] my lade Barkeley, the wyff of ser Mores Barthelay knyght, with a penon of armes and a iiij dosen of skochyons, and a harold of armes, master Rychemond.
Elizabeth Sands: In 1533 she was born to Anthony Sands of Throwley in Kent. In 1562 Maurice Berkeley and she were married. The difference in their ages was 27 years. On 16th June 1585 she died at Berkeley House. She was buried at the St James' Church, Clerkenwell where a monument was constructed. Before 16th June 1685 she was appointed Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 12th March 1560. The xij day of Marche was bered at Dyttun [Map] my [his former wife] lade Barkeley [deceased], the wyff of ser Mores Barthelay [aged 54] knyght, with a penon of armes and a iiij dosen of skochyons, and a harold of armes, master Rychemond.
Annals of the six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet
Translation of the Annals of the Six Kings of England by that traces the rise and rule of the Angevin aka Plantagenet dynasty from the mid-12th to early 14th century. Written by the Dominican scholar Nicholas Trivet, the work offers a vivid account of English history from the reign of King Stephen through to the death of King Edward I, blending political narrative with moral reflection. Covering the reigns of six monarchs—from Stephen to Edward I—the chronicle explores royal authority, rebellion, war, and the shifting balance between crown, church, and nobility. Trivet provides detailed insight into defining moments such as baronial conflicts, Anglo-French rivalry, and the consolidation of royal power under Edward I, whose reign he describes with particular immediacy. The Annals combines careful year-by-year reporting with thoughtful interpretation, presenting history not merely as a sequence of events but as a moral and political lesson. Ideal for readers interested in medieval history, kingship, and the origins of the English state, this chronicle remains a valuable and accessible window into the turbulent world of the Plantagenet kings.
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In 1562 Maurice Berkeley [aged 56] and Elizabeth Sands [aged 29] were married. The difference in their ages was 27 years.
In 1563 Maurice Berkeley [aged 57] was elected MP Somerset.
In 1567 Maurice Berkeley [aged 61] was appointed High Sheriff of Dorset and High Sheriff of Somerset.
In 1572 Maurice Berkeley [aged 66] was elected MP Somerset.
Around 1576 [his son] Henry Berkeley [aged 35] and [his daughter-in-law] Margaret Lygon [aged 36] were married. They were half sixth cousins.
Before 1581 Maurice Berkeley commissioned the building of Berkeley House.
On 16th June 1585 [his former wife] Elizabeth Sands [aged 52] died at Berkeley House. She was buried at the St James' Church, Clerkenwell where a monument was constructed.
John Champernowne and Catherine Blount were married.
Kings Wessex: Great x 15 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 15 Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 17 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 15 Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd
Kings England: Great x 9 Grand Son of King John of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 14 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 22 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 15 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 19 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Maurice Berkeley 3 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Berkeley 3rd Baron Berkeley 4 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margery de Vere 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Maurice Berkeley 5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Botetort 2nd Baron Botetort
Great x 3 Grandmother: Katherine Botetort 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joyce Zouche 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Maurice Berkeley 6 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Dynham
Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan Dynham 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Courtenay 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Muriel Courtenay 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
GrandFather: William Berkeley 7 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Father: Richard Berkeley of Stoke Gifford 8 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Humphrey Stafford 
GrandMother: Anne Stafford
Maurice Berkeley 9 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Coningsby
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Coningsby
GrandFather: Humphrey Coningsby
Mother: Elizabeth Coningsby
GrandMother: Alice Ferriby