Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'

This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.

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Biography of William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby 1372-1445

Paternal Family Tree: Ferrers

Before 25th April 1372 [his father] Henry Ferrers 4th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 17] and [his mother] Joan Hoo Baroness Ferrers Groby were married. She by marriage Baroness Ferrers of Groby.

On 25th April 1372 William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby was born to [his father] Henry Ferrers 4th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 17] and [his mother] Joan Hoo Baroness Ferrers Groby. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England.

Before 3rd February 1388 [his father] Henry Ferrers 4th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 32] and [his step-mother] Joan Poynings Baroness Ferrers Groby [aged 32] were married. She by marriage Baroness Ferrers of Groby. They were fourth cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward I of England.

On 3rd February 1388 [his father] Henry Ferrers 4th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 32] died. His son William [aged 15] succeeded 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby.

Around 1390 [his daughter] Elizabeth Ferrers was born to William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 17] and [his future wife] Philippa Clifford [aged 18]. She married William Culpepper and had issue.

In 1394 [his son] Henry Ferrers was born to William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 21] and [his future wife] Philippa Clifford [aged 22] at Raglan Castle [Map]. He married before 1419 his fourth cousin Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley, daughter of Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk and Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk, and had issue.

Around 1395 [his son] Thomas Ferrers was born to William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 22] and [his future wife] Philippa Clifford [aged 23] at Tamworth, Staffordshire [Map]. He married Elizabeth Freville and had issue.

After 7th January 1400. The names of the lords who were present at the said declaration are as follows:

Henry, prince of Wales [aged 13].

Edmund, duke of York [aged 58].

Edward, earl of Rutland [aged 27].

Thomas, earl of Arundel [aged 18].

John, earl of Somerset [aged 27].

Edmund, earl of Stafford [aged 21].

Henry, earl of Northumberland [aged 58].

Ralph, earl of Westmorland [aged 36].

Thomas, earl of Worcester [aged 57].

Michael, earl of Suffolk [aged 39].

Richard, Lord Grey of Codnor [aged 29].

Thomas, Lord Berkeley [aged 48].

John, Lord Charlton.

Reginald, Lord Grey of Ruthin [aged 38].

Thomas, Lord Camoys [aged 49].

Thomas, Lord Furnivall [aged 38].

Robert, Lord Scales [aged 28].

John, Lord Beaumont.

William, Lord Willoughby [aged 30].

Hugh, Lord Burnell [aged 53].

William, Lord Ferrers of Groby [aged 27].

William, Lord Bergavenny [aged 57].

John, Lord Lovell [aged 59].

Robert, Lord Harrington [aged 44].

Richard Lescrope [aged 73].

In 1405 [his daughter] Margaret Ferrers was born to William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 32] and [his future wife] Philippa Clifford [aged 33]. She married before 16th January 1452 her fourth cousin once removed Thomas Grey 1st Baron Grey of Richemont, son of John Grey and Constance Holland Countess Norfolk and Nottingham.

Before 1415 William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 42] and Philippa Clifford [aged 42] were married. She by marriage Baroness Ferrers of Groby. They were fourth cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King John of England.

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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Before 1416 [his wife] Philippa Clifford [aged 43] died at Baddesley Ensor, Staffordshire.

Before 1419 [his son] Henry Ferrers [aged 24] and [his daughter-in-law] Isabel Mowbray Baroness Berkeley [aged 18] were married. She the daughter of Thomas Mowbray 1st Duke of Norfolk and Elizabeth Fitzalan Duchess Norfolk [aged 52]. They were fourth cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

In 1425 [his son] Henry Ferrers [aged 31] died at St Mary's Church, Berkeley.

Before 18th May 1445 William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 73] and Margaret Montagu Baroness Ferrers Groby [aged 45] were married. She by marriage Baroness Ferrers of Groby. The difference in their ages was 27 years. She the daughter of John Montagu 3rd Earl Salisbury and Maud Francis Countess of Salisbury. They were half third cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

On 18th May 1445 William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 73] died at Woodham Ferrers, Essex. His granddaughter Elizabeth [aged 26] succeeded 6th Baroness Ferrers of Groby. Edward Grey Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 30] by marriage Baron Ferrers of Groby.

Chronicle of Robert Fabyan [-1512]. Of the whiche halle the barons of the v. portes began the table upon the ryght hande towarde seynt Stepens chapell, and beneth theym at ye same table sat the bowchyers of the Chauncery. And upon ye left hande, next unto ye cupborde, sat the mayre & his brethern aldermen of Lodon. The bysshops began the table foreagayn the barons of ye v. portes, & y ladyes ye table agayn ye mayre; of whiche ii. tables, for ye bysshops began the bysshop of London & the bysshop of Durham, and for the ladyes ye countesse of Stafforde & the coutesse of Marche. And ye shall understande yt this feest was all of fysshe. And for ye orderyng of ye servyce therof, were dyvers lordes appointed for hede offycers, as stewarde, controller, surueyour, & other honourable offyces. For the whiche were appoynted ye erlys of Northubermlande, of Westmerlande, the lorde Fitz Hughe, the lorde Furneuall the lorde Gray of Wylton, the lord Ferers of Groby, the lorde Ponynges, the lorde Haryngton, the lorde Darcy, the lorde Dacre, and the lorde Delaware.

[his daughter] Joan Ferrers was born to William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby and Philippa Clifford.

[his daughter] Matilda Ferrers was born to William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby and Philippa Clifford.

William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby 1372-1445 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

Royal Ancestors of William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby 1372-1445

Kings Wessex: Great x 12 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 13 Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 15 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 13 Grand Son of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd

Kings England: Great x 4 Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Kings Scotland: Great x 11 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 18 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor

Kings France: Great x 13 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks

Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 16 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine

Royal Descendants of William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby 1372-1445
Number after indicates the number of unique routes of descent. Descendants of Kings and Queens not included.

Queen Catherine Howard of England [1]

Jane Grey I Queen England and Ireland [1]

Brigadier-General Charles Fitz-Clarence [5]

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom [13]

Queen Consort Camilla Shand [2]

Diana Spencer Princess Wales [31]

Ancestors of William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby 1372-1445

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Ferrers 5th Earl of Derby 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Ferrers 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Quincy Countess Derby 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Ferrers 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh Despencer

Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Despencer 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Aline Basset 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Henry Ferrers 2nd Baron Ferrers of Groby 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Nicholas Segrave 1st Baron Segrave

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Segrave 2nd Baron Segrave

Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud de Lucy

Great x 2 Grandmother: Ellen or Margaret Segrave Baroness Ferrers Groby

Great x 3 Grandmother: Christiana Plessey Baroness Segrave

GrandFather: William Ferrers 3rd Baron Ferrers of Groby 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John "The Botiller" Verdun

Great x 3 Grandfather: Theobald Verdun 1st Lord Verdun

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret "Lady of Dulek" Lacy

Great x 2 Grandfather: Theobald Verdun 2nd Lord Verdun

Great x 4 Grandfather: Humphrey Bohun

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margery Bohun Lady Verdun

Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor de Braose

Great x 1 Grandmother: Isabel Verdun Baroness Ferrers Groby Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard de Clare 6th Earl Gloucester 5th Earl Hertford 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Lacy Countess Gloucester and Hertford 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Clare Lady Verdun Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward I of England Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Father: Henry Ferrers 4th Baron Ferrers of Groby 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

William Ferrers 5th Baron Ferrers of Groby 4 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

GrandFather: Thomas Hoo

Mother: Joan Hoo Baroness Ferrers Groby

Great x 1 Grandfather: John St Leger of Offley

GrandMother: Isabel St Leger