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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Around 1505 William Bill was born.
In 1551 William Bill [aged 46] was appointed Master of Trinity College, Cambridge University [Map].
In 1558 William Bill [aged 53] was appointed Masterof Trinity College, Cambridge University [Map].
In 1558 William Bill [aged 53] was appointed Almoner to Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland [aged 24].
Henry Machyn's Diary. 20th November 1558. The xx day of November dyd pryche at Powlles crosse doctur Bylle [aged 53], quen Elsabeth('s) chaplen, and mad a godly sermon.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 27th March 1559. The xxvij day of Marche dyd pryche at sant Mare Spyttyl doctur Bylle [aged 54] the quen('s) [aged 25] amner [almoner].
Henry Machyn's Diary. 9th April 1559. The ix day of Aprell dyd pryche at Powlles crosse [Map] doctur Bylle [aged 54] the quen('s) [aged 25] awmer, and declaryd warfor the byshopes whent to the Towre.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 23rd June 1559. The xxiij day of June was electyd vj nuw byshopes, com from beyond the see, master Parker [aged 54] bysshope of Canturbere, master Gryndall [aged 40] bysshope of London, docthur Score [aged 49] bysshope of Harfford, Barlow [aged 61] Chechastur, doctur Bylle of Salysbere [Note. Possibly a reference to William Bill [aged 54] although he wasn't Bishop of Salisbury, doctur Cokes [aged 66] (of) Norwyche [Note. He was elected but the Queen changed her mind and appointed him to Ely].
Henry Machyn's Diary. 6th March 1560. The vj of Marche dyd pryche at the court doctur Byll [aged 55] dene of Westmynster that day in the quen('s) chapell, the crosse and ij candylles bornyng and the tabulles standyng auter-wyse.
On 30th June 1560 William Bill [aged 55] was appointed Dean of St Paul's Cathedral.
On 15th July 1561 William Bill [aged 56] died. He was buried in the Chapel of St Benedict, Westminster Abbey [Map].
Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke
Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.
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Henry Machyn's Diary. 20th July 1561. The xx day of July was bered in Westmynster abbay [Map] master Bylle [deceased] dene of Westmynster abbay and master of Etton and master (of sant John's) college in Cambryge, and cheyffe amner [almoner] to the quen('s) [aged 27] grace.
Note. P. 264. Burial of [William] Bill, dean of Westminster. His sepulchral brass remains in the abbey, and has been engraved, as also a portrait derived from it, for the series of portraits of the deans of Westminster which accompany their lives in Neale and Brayley's History of Westminster Abbey. See also an engraving in Dart, i. 101.