Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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Paternal Family Tree: De La Pole
In or before 1356 [his father] Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 25] and [his mother] Katherine Wingfield Countess Suffolk [aged 15] were married.
In 1361 Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk was born to [his father] Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 31] and [his mother] Katherine Wingfield Countess Suffolk [aged 21].
In 1366 [his father] Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 36] was created 1st Baron Pole. [his mother] Katherine Wingfield Countess Suffolk [aged 26] by marriage Baroness Pole.
Around 1375 [his brother-in-law] Hugh Burnell 2nd Baron Burnell [aged 28] and [his sister] Philippa Pole Baroness Burnell [aged 19] were married. She the daughter of [his father] Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 45] and [his mother] Katherine Wingfield Countess Suffolk [aged 35].
On 19th January 1383 Nicholas Haudlo Burnell 1st Baron Burnell [aged 57] died at Shrewsbury, Shropshire [Map]. His son [his brother-in-law] Hugh [aged 36] succeeded 2nd Baron Burnell 2C. [his sister] Philippa Pole Baroness Burnell [aged 27] by marriage Baroness Burnell 2C.
In 1385 [his father] Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 55] was created 1st Earl Suffolk. [his mother] Katherine Wingfield Countess Suffolk [aged 45] by marriage Countess Suffolk.
In 1386 [his mother] Katherine Wingfield Countess Suffolk [aged 46] died.
Around 1386 [his sister] Philippa Pole Baroness Burnell [aged 30] died.
Chronicle of Adam of Usk [~1352-1430]. September 1386. Owing to the many ill-starred crises of king Richard's [aged 19] reign, which were caused by his youth, a solemn parliament was holden at Westminster, wherein twelve of the chief men of the land were advanced, by full provision of parliament, to the government of the king and the kingdom, in order to bridle the wantonness and extravagance of his servants and flatterers, and, in short, to reform the business of the realm; but alas! only to lead to the weary deeds which are hereinafter written1.
Note 1. The actual number of the commissioners appointed by the Wonderful Parliament of 1386 was eleven, or fourteen if the three principal officers of state be included. The eleven were: the archbishops of Canterbury [aged 44] and York [aged 45], the dukes of York [aged 45] and Gloucester [aged 31], the bishops of Winchester [aged 66] and Exeter, the abbot of Waltham, the earl of Arundel, John de Cobham, Richard le Scrope, and John Devereux. Thomas Arundel [aged 33], bishop of Ely, had replaced Michael de la Pole [aged 25], earl of Suffolk, as chancellor; John Gilbert, bishop of Hereford, was treasurer; and John de Waltham, keeper of the privy seal. It will be remembered that John of Gaunt [aged 46] was at this time in Spain, as a reason for his name not appearing on the commission.
On 5th September 1389 [his father] Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 59] died in Paris [Map]. His son Michael [aged 28] succeeded 2nd Earl Suffolk, 2nd Baron Pole.
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 1390 [his daughter] Elizabeth Pole was born to Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk [aged 29] and [his future wife] Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk [aged 14]. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward I of England. She married (1) Thomas Kerdeston and had issue (2) before 23rd September 1415 her first cousin Edward Burnell, son of Hugh Burnell 2nd Baron Burnell and Philippa Pole Baroness Burnell.
Before 1394 Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk [aged 32] and Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk [aged 17] were married. She by marriage Countess Suffolk. She the daughter of Hugh Stafford 2nd Earl Stafford and Philippa Beauchamp Countess Stafford [aged 59]. He the son of Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk and Katherine Wingfield Countess Suffolk.
In 1394 [his son] Michael de la Pole 3rd Earl Suffolk was born to Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk [aged 33] and [his wife] Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk [aged 18]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England. He married before 6th May 1410 his half fourth cousin once removed Elizabeth Mowbray Countess Suffolk, daughter of Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk and Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk, and had issue.
On 6th April 1395 [his brother-in-law] William Stafford 4th Earl Stafford [aged 19] died at Pleshey Castle [Map]. He was buried at Tonbridge, Kent [Map]. His brother Edmund [aged 17] succeeded 5th Earl Stafford, 6th Baron Stafford.
On 16th October 1396 [his son] William "Jackanapes" de la Pole 1st Duke of Suffolk was born to Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk [aged 35] and [his wife] Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk [aged 20] at Cotton, Suffolk. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England. He married 11th November 1430 his fourth cousin once removed Alice Chaucer Duchess Suffolk and had issue.
After 1397 [his son] Thomas Pole was born to Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk [aged 36] and [his wife] Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk [aged 21]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England.
On 25th April 1397 Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent [aged 47] died. He was buried in Bourne Abbey, Lincolnshire [Map]. His son Thomas [aged 23] succeeded 3rd Earl Kent, 2nd Baron Holand, 7th Baron Wake of Liddell. [his sister-in-law] Joan Stafford Countess Kent [aged 19] by marriage Countess Kent.
On 28th June 1398 [his brother-in-law] Edmund Stafford 5th Earl Stafford [aged 20] and Anne of Gloucester Plantagenet Countess Eu and Stafford [aged 15] were married. She by marriage Countess Stafford. She had, around eight years previously, married his brother Thomas Stafford 3rd Earl Stafford who had died in 1392; an example of Married to Two Siblings. She the daughter of Thomas of Woodstock 1st Duke of Gloucester and Eleanor Bohun Duchess Gloucester [aged 32]. He the son of Hugh Stafford 2nd Earl Stafford and Philippa Beauchamp Countess Stafford [aged 64]. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
After 7th January 1400. The names of the lords who were present at the said declaration are as follows:
Henry, prince of Wales [aged 13].
Edmund, duke of York [aged 58].
Edward, earl of Rutland [aged 27].
Thomas, earl of Arundel [aged 18].
John, earl of Somerset [aged 27].
[his brother-in-law] Edmund, earl of Stafford [aged 21].
Henry, earl of Northumberland [aged 58].
Ralph, earl of Westmorland [aged 36].
Thomas, earl of Worcester [aged 57].
Michael, earl of Suffolk [aged 39].
Richard, Lord Grey of Codnor [aged 29].
Thomas, Lord Berkeley [aged 48].
John, Lord Charlton.
Reginald, Lord Grey of Ruthin [aged 38].
Thomas, Lord Camoys [aged 49].
Thomas, Lord Furnivall [aged 38].
Robert, Lord Scales [aged 28].
John, Lord Beaumont.
William, Lord Willoughby [aged 30].
Hugh, Lord Burnell [aged 53].
William, Lord Ferrers of Groby [aged 27].
William, Lord Bergavenny [aged 57].
John, Lord Lovell [aged 59].
Robert, Lord Harrington [aged 44].
Richard Lescrope [aged 73].
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Before 5th February 1403 [his son-in-law] Thomas Morley 6th Baron Marshal 5th Baron Morley [aged 10] and Isabel Pole Baroness Marshal and Morley were married. She the daughter of Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk [aged 42] and Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk [aged 27]. They were fourth cousin twice removed. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
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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Before 6th May 1410 Michael de la Pole 3rd Earl Suffolk [aged 16] and Elizabeth Mowbray Countess Suffolk [aged 16] were married. She the daughter of Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk and Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk [aged 44]. He the son of Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk [aged 49] and Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk [aged 34]. They were half fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
On 17th September 1415 Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk [aged 54] died of dysentery. His son Michael [aged 21] succeeded 3rd Earl Suffolk, 3rd Baron Pole. Elizabeth Mowbray Countess Suffolk [aged 21] by marriage Countess Suffolk.
After 1419. Monument to Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk and [his former wife] Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk [aged 43] in St Andrew's Church, Wingfield [Map]. Early Plate Bascinet Period.
Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk: Around 1376 she was born to Hugh Stafford 2nd Earl Stafford and Philippa Beauchamp Countess Stafford. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward I of England. Before 1394 Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk and she were married. She by marriage Countess Suffolk. She the daughter of Hugh Stafford 2nd Earl Stafford and Philippa Beauchamp Countess Stafford. He the son of Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk and Katherine Wingfield Countess Suffolk. On 8th April 1419 Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk died.
On 8th April 1419 [his former wife] Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk [aged 43] died.
[his daughter] Isabel Pole Baroness Marshal and Morley was born to Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk and Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward I of England. She married before 5th February 1403 her fourth cousin twice removed Thomas Morley 6th Baron Marshal 5th Baron Morley and had issue.
[his son] Abbess Katherine Pole was born to Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk and Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England.
[his son] John Pole was born to Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk and Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England.
[his son] Alexander Pole was born to Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk and Katherine Stafford Countess Suffolk. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England.
Maximilian Habsburg Spain II Holy Roman Emperor [1]
Maximilian "The Great" Wittelsbach I Duke Bavaria I Elector Bavaria [1]
Maria Anna Wittelsbach Holy Roman Empress [1]
Marie de Medici Queen Consort France [1]
Ferdinand of Spain II Holy Roman Emperor [2]
Margaret of Austria Queen Consort Spain [2]
Anna of Austria Holy Roman Empress [2]
John George Wettin Elector Saxony [1]
Frederick William "Great Elector" Hohenzollern Elector Brandenburg [1]
Eleonora Gonzaga Queen Consort Bohemia [2]
Maria Leopoldine Habsburg Spain Queen Consort Bohemia [2]
Hedwig Eleonora Queen Consort Sweden [1]
Charlotte Amalie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [1]
Louise of Mecklenburg Güstrow Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [1]
Maria Anna Neuburg Queen Consort Spain [2]
Joseph I Holy Roman Emperor [2]
Charles Habsburg Spain VI Holy Roman Emperor [2]
Adolph Frederick King Sweden [1]
King George III of Great Britain and Ireland [2]
Charlotte Mecklenburg Strelitz Queen Consort England [1]
Caroline Matilda Hanover Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [2]
Marie Sophie Hesse-Kassel Queen Consort Denmark and Norway [3]
Caroline of Brunswick Queen Consort England [2]
Frederick William III King Prussia [1]
Frederica Mecklenburg Strelitz Queen Consort Hanover [2]
Queen Fredrika Dorotea Vilhelmina [2]
King Christian I of Norway and VIII of Denmark [3]
Frederick William IV King Prussia [2]
Frederick VII King of Denmark [5]
Queen Louise Hesse-Kassel of Denmark [6]
King Christian IX of Denmark [3]
Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom [4]
Queen Sophia of Sweden and Norway [5]
Victoria Empress Germany Queen Consort Prussia [11]
King Edward VII of the United Kingdom [11]
Maria Christina of Austria Queen Consort Spain [3]
Brigadier-General Charles Fitz-Clarence [3]
Victoria Mary Teck Queen Consort England [6]
Frederick Charles I King Finland [6]
Alexandrine Mecklenburg-Schwerin Queen Consort Denmark [8]
Victoria Eugénie Mountbatten Queen Consort Spain [14]
Louise Mountbatten Queen Consort Sweden [17]
Ingrid Bernadotte Queen Consort Denmark [13]
Philip Mountbatten Duke Edinburgh [20]
Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom [1]
Carl XVI King Sweden [27]
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Pole 
GrandFather: William Pole
Father: Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk
Great x 1 Grandfather: Walter Norwich
GrandMother: Katherine Norwich
Michael de la Pole 2nd Earl Suffolk
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Wingfield 
GrandFather: John Wingfield