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: Adams aka Anson
Maternal Family Tree: Elizabeth Evelyn 1760
On 5th January 1763 [his father] George Adams aka Anson (age 31) and [his mother] Mary Venables-Vernon (age 23) were married at All Saints Church, Sudbury [Map].
On 13th August 1772 William Anson 1st Baronet was born to [his father] George Adams aka Anson (age 41) and [his mother] Mary Venables-Vernon (age 32).
On 30th March 1773 Thomas Anson (age 78) died. His nephew [his father] George Adams aka Anson (age 41), son of his sister [his grandmother] Janette Anson, inherited the Anson estates including Shugborough Hall, Staffordshire [Map], and changed his names from Adams to Anson.
On 13th June 1789 William Anson 1st Baronet (age 16) was commissioned as an ensign in the 1st Foot Guards; his family's traditional regiment.
On 27th October 1789 [his father] George Adams aka Anson (age 58) died.
On 25th February 1793 William Anson 1st Baronet (age 20) travelled with the 1st Battalion of his regiment to serve in the Flanders campaign.
On 23rd May 1793 the Battle of Famars was fought during the Flanders Campaign of the War of the First Coalition.
Ensign William Anson (age 20) fought.
On 15th September 1794 [his brother] Thomas Anson 1st Viscount Anson (age 27) and [his sister-in-law] Anne Margaret Coke Viscountess Anson (age 15) were married at St Withburga's Church, Holkham [Map]. She the daughter of Thomas Coke 1st Earl of Leicester (age 40) and Jane Dutton (age 40).
On 28th September 1797 William Anson 1st Baronet (age 25) was promoted to captain and lieutenant colonel, becoming a company commander in the 1st Foot Guards.
On 30th October 1805 William Anson 1st Baronet (age 33) was promoted to colonel; he continued to command a company within the 1st Battalion.
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 25th July 1806 William Anson 1st Baronet (age 33) was sent to serve in Sicily as commander of the Grenadier Company. The battalion, and Anson, returned to England on 4th January 1808.
On 2nd January 1815 William Anson 1st Baronet (age 42) was awarded Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.
On 26th January 1815 William Anson 1st Baronet (age 42) and Louisa Frances Mary Dickenson Lady Anson were married. They had four sons and three daughters.
On 20th December 1816 [his son] John William Hamilton Anson 2nd Baronet was born to William Anson 1st Baronet (age 44) and [his wife] Louisa Frances Mary Dickenson Lady Anson. He married 27th July 1842 Elizabeth Catherine Pack Lady Anson and had issue.
On 31st July 1818 [his brother] Thomas Anson 1st Viscount Anson (age 51) died. His son [his nephew] Thomas (age 22) succeeded 2nd Viscount Anson of Shugborough and Orgrave in Staffordshire and 2nd Baron Soberton of Soberton in Hampshire.
On 12th August 1819 William Anson 1st Baronet (age 46) was promoted to Lieutenant-General.
In 1821 [his mother] Mary Venables-Vernon (age 81) died.
The London Gazette 18851. Whitehall, September 15, 1831.
The King (age 66) has been pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, granting the dignity of a Baronet of the said United Kindom to the following Gentlemen, and the respective heirs male of their bodies lawfully begotten, viz.
Lieutenant-General John Slade (age 68).
Lieutenant-General Sir William Anson (age 59), of Birchhall, in the county palatine of Lancaster, K. C. B. [Note. [his wife] Louisa Frances Mary Dickenson Lady Anson by marriage Lady Anson of Birch Hall in Lancashire.]
Lieutenant-General Kenneth Mackenzie, of Glenbervie, in the county.of Kincardine.
Vice-Admiral Sir Robert Waller Otway (age 61), of Brighthelmstone, in the county of Sussex, K. C. B. [Note. Clementia Holloway Lady Otway (age 49) by marriage Lady Otway of Brighthelmstone in Sussex.]
Major-General Sir Archibald Campbell, G.C. B. and Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick.
Augustus John Foster, of Stone-house, in the county of Loath, Esq. His Majesty's Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the King of Sardinia.
Sir James McGregor, of Campden-hill, in the county of Middlesex, M. D. Director-General of the Army Medical Department.
Robert Way Harty, of Prospect-house, Roebuck, in the county of Dublin, Esq. Lord Mayor of Dublin.
Colonel John Thomas Jones, of Cranmer-hall, in the county of Norfolk.
Robert Greenhill Russell, of Checquers-court, in the county of BucKingham, Esq.
William Chaytor, of Croft, in the county of York, and of Witton-castle, in the county of Durham, Esq.
William Wrixon Becher, of Ballygiblin, in the county of Cork, Esq.
Joseph Birch, of the Hazles, in the county palatine of Lancaster, Esq.
Robert Campbell, of Carrick Buoy, in the county of Donegal!, Esq.
Wilfrid Lawson (age 35), of Brayton-house, in the county of Cumberland, Esq. [Note. Caroline Graham Lady Lawson (age 38) by marriage Lady Lawson of Brayton House in Cumberland.]
John Nugent Humble, of Cloncoskoran, in the county of Waterford, Esq.
James Martin Lloyd, of Lancing, in the county of Sussex, Esq.
James Gibson Craig, of Riccaiton, in the county of Mid-Lothian, Esq.
Joseph Barrington, of the city of Limerick, Esq.
Theodore Henry Lavington Broadhead (age 33), of Burton, or Monk-Bretton, in the county of York, Esq. [Note. Charlotte Osborne Lady Broadhead by marriage Lady Broadhead aka Brinckman of Burton or Monk-Bretton in Yorkshire.]
John Colman Rashleigh, of Prideaux, in the county of Cornwall, Esq.
J Campbell, of Barcaldine, in the county of Argyll, Esq.
Percy Fitzgerald Nugent, of Donore, in the county of Westmeath, Esq.
John James Garbett Walsham, of Knill-court, in the county of Hereford, Esq.
William Heygate, of Southend, in the county of Essex, Esq. one of the Aldermen of the city of London.
Thomas McKenny, Esq. one of the Aldermen of the city of Dublin.
Henry Meux, of Theobald's-park, in the county of Hertford, Esq.
Charles Mansfield Clarke, of Dunham-lodge, in the county of Norfolk, M. D. one of the Physicians in Ordinary to Her Majesty.
On 10th January 1837 William Anson 1st Baronet (age 64) was promoted to General.
On 25th July 1837 [his wife] Louisa Frances Mary Dickenson Lady Anson died.
On 27th July 1842 [his son] John William Hamilton Anson 2nd Baronet (age 25) and [his daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Catherine Pack Lady Anson (age 21) were married.
Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
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On 14th January 1847 William Anson 1st Baronet (age 74) died. His son John (age 30) succeeded 2nd Baronet Anson of Birch Hall in Lancashire. [his daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Catherine Pack Lady Anson (age 26) by marriage Lady Anson of Birch Hall in Lancashire.
Kings Wessex: Great x 21 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 18 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 24 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 19 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 12 Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 20 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 19 Grand Son of Louis VII King of the Franks
Kings France: Great x 21 Grand Son of Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 25 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
GrandFather: Sambrooke Adams 
Father: George Adams aka Anson
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Anson
GrandMother: Janette Anson
William Anson 1st Baronet 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Vernon 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Vernon 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: George Vernon 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: George Vernon
Great x 3 Grandmother: Muriel Vernon 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Jane Corbet 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Vernon 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Vernon of Farnham Surrey 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Vernon 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Catherine Vernon 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Weston MP 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Weston
GrandFather: George Venables-Vernon 1st Baron Vernon 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry IV of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Pigot of Chetwynd in Shropshire
Great x 1 Grandmother: Anne Pigot
Mother: Mary Venables-Vernon 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Simon Harcourt 
13 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Philip Harcourt 14 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Simon Harcourt 1st Viscount Harcourt 15 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Simon Harcourt 16 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
GrandMother: Martha Harcourt Baroness Vernon of Kinderton 17 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Evelyn of Wotton
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Evelyn
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Stansfield
Great x 2 Grandfather: John The Younger Evelyn
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Browne 1st Baronet 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Browne
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Prettyman
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Evelyn