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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Paternal Family Tree: D'Ewes of Stowlangtoft Hall
Before 18th December 1602 [his father] Paul d'Ewes [aged 35] and [his mother] Cecilia Simonds [aged 23] were married.
On 18th December 1602 Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet was born to [his father] Paul d'Ewes [aged 35] and [his mother] Cecilia Simonds [aged 23] at Milden, Suffolk.
In August 1618 [his mother] Cecilia Simonds [aged 38] died.
On 5th March 1623 [his father] Paul d'Ewes [aged 56] and [his step-mother] Elizabeth Isham [aged 44] were married at St Faith's under St Paul's [Map].
On 24th October 1626 Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet [aged 23] and Anne Clopton [aged 14] were married.
On 6th December 1626 Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet [aged 23] was knighted by King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland [aged 26].
In 1631 [his father] Paul d'Ewes [aged 64] died.
In 1639 Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet [aged 36] was appointed High Sheriff of Suffolk.
In 1640 Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet [aged 37] was elected MP Sudbury during the Long Parliament.
In 1641 Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet [aged 38] was created 1st Baronet D'Ewes of Stowlangtoft Hall.
Around 1st August 1641 [his wife] Anne Clopton [aged 29] died.
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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Before 1646 Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet [aged 43] and Elizabeth Willoughby Lady D'Ewes and Glentworth [aged 20] were married. She by marriage Lady D'Ewes of Stowlangtoft Hall. The difference in their ages was 22 years.
Around 1650 [his son] Willoughby D'Ewes 2nd Baronet was born to Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet [aged 47] and [his wife] Elizabeth Willoughby Lady D'Ewes and Glentworth [aged 25]. He married 1666 Priscilla Clinton and had issue.
On 18th April 1650 Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet [aged 47] died. His son Willoughby succeeded 2nd Baronet D'Ewes of Stowlangtoft Hall.
On 23rd January 1652 John Wray 3rd Baronet [aged 32] and [his former wife] Elizabeth Willoughby Lady D'Ewes and Glentworth [aged 27] were married. She by marriage Lady Wray of Glentworth in Lincolnshire.
On 3rd November 1655 [his former wife] Elizabeth Willoughby Lady D'Ewes and Glentworth [aged 30] died.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 6th December 1660. This morning some of the Commissioners of Parliament and Sir W. Batten [aged 59] went to Sir G. Carteret's [aged 50] office here in town, and paid off the Chesnut. I carried my wife to White Friars and landed her there, and myself to Whitehall to the Privy Seal, where abundance of pardons to seal, but I was much troubled for it because that there are no fees now coming for them to me. Thence Mr. Moore and I alone to the Leg in King Street, and dined together on a neat's tongue and udder. From thence by coach to Mr. Crew's [aged 62] to my Lord, who told me of his going out of town to-morrow to settle the militia in Huntingdonshire, and did desire me to lay up a box of some rich jewels and things that there are in it, which I promised to do. After much free discourse with my Lord, who tells me his mind as to his enlarging his family, &c., and desiring me to look him out a Master of the Horse and other servants, we parted. From thence I walked to Greatorex [aged 35] (he was not within), but there I met with Mr. Jonas Moore [aged 43]1, and took him to the Five Bells,' and drank a glass of wine and left him. To the Temple [Map], when Sir R. Parkhurst (as was intended the last night) did seal the writings, and is to have the £2000 told to-morrow. From, thence by water to Parliament Stairs, and there at an alehouse to Doling (who is suddenly to go into Ireland to venture his fortune); Simonds D'Ewes 1st Baronet (who is at a great loss for £200 present money, which I was loth to let him have, though I could now do it, and do love him and think him honest and sufficient, yet lothness to part with money did dissuade me from it); Luellin (who was very drowsy from a dose that he had got the last night), Mr. Mount and several others, among the rest one Mr. Pierce, an army man, who did make us the best sport for songs and stories in a Scotch tone (which he do very well) that ever I heard in my life. I never knew so good a companion in all my observation. From thence to the bridge by water, it being a most pleasant moonshine night, with a waterman who did tell such a company of bawdy stories, how once he carried a lady from Putney in such a night as this, and she bade him lie down by her, which he did, and did give her content, and a great deal more roguery.
Note 1. Jonas Moore was born at Whitley, Lancashire, February 8th, 1617, and was appointed by Charles I tutor to the Duke of York [aged 27]. Soon after the Restoration he was knighted and made Surveyor-General of the Ordnance. He was famous as a mathematician, and was one of the founders of the Royal Society. He died August 27th, 1679, and at his funeral sixty pieces of ordnance were discharged at the Tower.
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Great x 1 Grandfather: Adrian D'Ewes
GrandFather: Gerard d'Ewes
Father: Paul d'Ewes
GrandFather: Richard Simonds
Mother: Cecilia Simonds