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 21st January 1661 [his father] Francis Le Neve and [his mother] Avice Wright were married.
In 1662 Oliver le Neve was born to [his father] Francis Le Neve and [his mother] Avice Wright.
In 1681 [his father] Francis Le Neve died.
In 1684 Oliver le Neve (age 22) and Anne Gawdy (age 28) were married.
On 18th February 1696 [his wife] Anne Gawdy (age 40) died. She was buried at St Mary's Church, Great Witchingham.
On 20th August 1698 Henry Hobart 4th Baronet (age 41) died from wounds he had received in a duel with Oliver le Neve (age 36) at Cawston Heath, Norfolk. His son John (age 4) succeeded 5th Baronet Hobart of Intwood in Norfolk.
On 20th August 1698 Oliver le Neve (age 36) and Henry Hobart 4th Baronet (age 41) fought a duel at Cawston Heath, Norfolk. Henry Hobart 4th Baronet received a fatal wound; he died the next day.
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 31st July 1707 Oliver le Neve (age 45) and Elizabeth Sheffield (age 29) were married. She died three months later.
On 8th November 1707 [his wife] Elizabeth Sheffield (age 29) died. She was buried on 12th November 1707 at St Mary's Church, Great Witchingham.
On 23rd November 1711 Oliver le Neve (age 49) died. He was buried at St Mary's Church, Great Witchingham where his three surviving daughters commissioned a memorial which has the inscription: "Under the earth near this stone lyeth the dust of Oliver le Neve Esq late of this parish one of the Justices of the Peace and Captain of a Foot Company of the Militia of this County Second son of [his father] Frances le Neve gentleman Citizen and Draper of London and of [his mother] Avice his wife daughter of [his grandfather] Peter Wright and sister and heir of Peter Wright of London Merchant he died on the 23rd day of November Anno Domino 1711 and was buried on the 26th of the same month leaving behind him by his first wife Anne only ye daughter of Sir John Gaudy of West Herling in this County Baronet (who lyeth by his side) three daughters and co-heirs Isabella Anne and Henrietta Le Neve who caused this Memorial to be set up As also what remains of Elizabeth his second wife daughter and co-heir expectant of Robert Sheffield of Kensington in Middlesex Esq grandson of Edmund Earl of Mulgrave long since deceased she died suddenly on the 8th day of November 1707 without child and was buried here on the 12th day of the same month. Tam Math quam Mercurio [As much a man of war as commerce]"