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: Compton
In 1884 [his father] William George Spencer Scott Compton 5th Marquess Northampton [aged 32] and [his mother] Mary Florence Baring Marchioness Northampton [aged 23] were married. He the son of [his grandfather] William Compton 4th Marquess Northampton [aged 66] and [his grandmother] Eliza Harriet Elliot Marchioness Northampton.
On 6th August 1885 William Bingham Compton 6th Marquess Northampton was born to [his father] William George Spencer Scott Compton 5th Marquess Northampton [aged 34] and [his mother] Mary Florence Baring Marchioness Northampton [aged 25].
In 1897 [his grandfather] William Compton 4th Marquess Northampton [aged 79] died. His son [his father] William [aged 45] succeeded 5th Marquess Northampton, 13th Earl of Northampton, 5th Earl Compton of Compton in Warwickshire, 5th Baron Wilmington of Wilmington in Sussex. [his mother] Mary Florence Baring Marchioness Northampton [aged 36] by marriage Marchioness Northampton.
On 1st June 1902 [his mother] Mary Florence Baring Marchioness Northampton [aged 41] died in Castle Ashby, Northamptonshire [Map].
On 15th June 1913 [his father] William George Spencer Scott Compton 5th Marquess Northampton [aged 62] died in Acqui. His son William [aged 27] succeeded 6th Marquess Northampton, 14th Earl of Northampton, 6th Earl Compton of Compton in Warwickshire, 6th Baron Wilmington of Wilmington in Sussex.
On 15th October 1921 William Bingham Compton 6th Marquess Northampton [aged 36] and Emma Margery Thynne Marchioness Northampton [aged 28] were married. She by marriage Marchioness Northampton. She the daughter of Thomas Henry Thynne 5th Marquess of Bath [aged 59] and Violet Caroline Mordaunt Marchioness Bath [aged 52]. He the son of William George Spencer Scott Compton 5th Marquess Northampton and Mary Florence Baring Marchioness Northampton. They were second cousin once removed.
On 27th October 1927 [his brother-in-law] Henry Frederick Thynne 6th Marquess of Bath [aged 22] and Daphne Vivian Marchioness Bath [aged 23] were married. He the son of [his father-in-law] Thomas Henry Thynne 5th Marquess of Bath [aged 65] and [his mother-in-law] Violet Caroline Mordaunt Marchioness Bath [aged 58].
Before 18th June 1942 William Bingham Compton 6th Marquess Northampton [aged 56] and Emma Margery Thynne Marchioness Northampton [aged 48] were divorced.
On 18th June 1942 William Bingham Compton 6th Marquess Northampton [aged 56] and Virginia Lucie Heaton Marchioness Northampton [aged 23] were married. She by marriage Marchioness Northampton. The difference in their ages was 33 years. He the son of William George Spencer Scott Compton 5th Marquess Northampton and Mary Florence Baring Marchioness Northampton.
On 2nd April 1946 [his son] Spencer Compton 7th Marquess of Northampton was born to William Bingham Compton 6th Marquess Northampton [aged 60] and [his wife] Virginia Lucie Heaton Marchioness Northampton [aged 27].
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 9th June 1946 [his former father-in-law] Thomas Henry Thynne 5th Marquess of Bath [aged 83] died. His son [his former brother-in-law] Henry [aged 41] succeeded 6th Marquess of Bath, 8th Viscount Weymouth, 8th Baron Thynne of Warminster in Wiltshire, 9th Baronet Thynne of Kempsford in Gloucestershire. Daphne Vivian Marchioness Bath [aged 41] by marriage Marchioness of Bath.
In 1953 [his former brother-in-law] Henry Frederick Thynne 6th Marquess of Bath [aged 47] and Daphne Vivian Marchioness Bath [aged 48] were divorced.
On 2nd December 1958 William Bingham Compton 6th Marquess Northampton [aged 73] and Elspeth Grace Whitaker Marchioness Northampton [aged 54] were married. She by marriage Marchioness Northampton. He the son of William George Spencer Scott Compton 5th Marquess Northampton and Mary Florence Baring Marchioness Northampton.
On 14th May 1976 [his wife] Elspeth Grace Whitaker Marchioness Northampton [aged 71] died.
On 30th January 1978 William Bingham Compton 6th Marquess Northampton [aged 92] died. His son Spencer [aged 31] succeeded 7th Marquess Northampton, 15th Earl of Northampton, 7th Earl Compton of Compton in Warwickshire, 7th Baron Wilmington of Wilmington in Sussex.
In 1980 [his former wife] Emma Margery Thynne Marchioness Northampton [aged 86] died.
In 1997 [his former wife] Virginia Lucie Heaton Marchioness Northampton [aged 78] died.
Kings Wessex: Great x 25 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 22 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 28 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 23 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 26 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 16 Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 24 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 32 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 20 Grand Son of Philip V King France I King Navarre
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 30 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Compton 
10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Spencer Compton 8th Earl of Northampton 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Lucy 
10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Charles Compton 1st Marquess Northampton 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jane Lawton Countess Northampton
Great x 1 Grandfather: Spencer Compton 2nd Marquess Northampton 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
GrandFather: William Compton 4th Marquess Northampton 14 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: George Clephane of Carslogie
Great x 2 Grandfather: Major-General William Douglas-Maclean-Clephane
Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Douglas-Maclean-Clephane Marchioness Northampton
Father: William George Spencer Scott Compton 5th Marquess Northampton 15 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Gilbert Elliot 2nd Baronet
Great x 3 Grandfather: Gilbert Elliot 3rd Baronet
Great x 4 Grandmother: Helen Steuart
Great x 2 Grandfather: Gilbert Elliot 1st Earl Minto
Great x 1 Grandfather: Admiral George Elliot
Great x 3 Grandfather: George Amyand 1st Baronet
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anna-Maria Amyand Countess Minto
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Abraham Korteen
Great x 3 Grandmother: Anna Maria Korteen Lady Amyand
GrandMother: Eliza Harriet Elliot Marchioness Northampton
William Bingham Compton 6th Marquess Northampton 16 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Baring
Great x 2 Grandfather: Francis Baring 1st Baronet
Great x 1 Grandfather: Alexander Baring 1st Baron Ashburton
Great x 2 Grandmother: Harriet Herring Lady Baring
GrandFather: Bingham Baring 2nd Baron Ashburton
Great x 4 Grandfather: James Bingham 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Bingham
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Bingham
Great x 1 Grandmother: Ann Louisa Bingham Baroness Ashburton
Mother: Mary Florence Baring Marchioness Northampton 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: James Stewart 5th Earl Galloway 
10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Alexander Stewart 6th Earl Galloway 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Catherine Montgomerie Countess Galloway 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Admiral Keith Stewart 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Cochrane 4th Earl Dundonald 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Catherine Cochrane Countess Galloway 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: James Alexander Stewart 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
GrandMother: Louisa Caroline Stewart Baroness Ashburton 14 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England