Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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Before 24th September 1612 [his father] Framlingham Gawdy of West Harling (age 23) and [his mother] Lettice Knollys were married.
On 24th September 1612 William Gawdy 1st Baronet was born to [his father] Framlingham Gawdy of West Harling (age 23) and [his mother] Lettice Knollys.
On 30th April 1629 William Gawdy 1st Baronet (age 16) was admitted to Caius College, Cambridge University. He was awarded BA in 1632.
Around 1630 [his mother] Lettice Knollys died.
On 4th February 1634 William Gawdy 1st Baronet (age 21) was admitted to the Inner Temple.
In or before 1638 William Gawdy 1st Baronet (age 25) and Elizabeth Duffield were married.
In or before 1638 [his son] Bassingbourne Gawdy was born to William Gawdy 1st Baronet (age 25) and [his wife] Elizabeth Duffield.
On 4th October 1639 [his son] John Gawdy 2nd Baronet was born to William Gawdy 1st Baronet (age 27) and [his wife] Elizabeth Duffield. He married in or before 1656 Anne Grey and had issue.
In 1654 [his father] Framlingham Gawdy of West Harling (age 64) died.
In or before 1656 [his son] John Gawdy 2nd Baronet (age 16) and [his daughter-in-law] Anne Grey (age 18) were married.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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In 1660 [his son] Bassingbourne Gawdy (age 22) died of smallpox.
In March 1661 William Gawdy 1st Baronet (age 48) was elected MP Thetford.
On 13th July 1663 William Gawdy 1st Baronet (age 50) was created 1st Baronet Gawdy of West Harling.
On 18th August 1669 William Gawdy 1st Baronet (age 56) died. His son John (age 29) succeeded 2nd Baronet Gawdy of West Harling.
Kings Wessex: Great x 18 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 15 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 21 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 16 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 18 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 8 Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 17 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 14 Grand Son of Louis VII King of the Franks
Kings France: Great x 18 Grand Son of Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 22 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
GrandFather: Bassingbourne Gawdy
Father: Framlingham Gawdy of West Harling
GrandMother: Anne Framlingham
William Gawdy 1st Baronet 8 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Knollys 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Knollys
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Doyley
Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Knollys
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Troutbeck
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Troutbeck
Great x 1 Grandfather: Francis Knollys
Great x 2 Grandmother: Lettice Peniston
GrandFather: Robert Knollys 6 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Carey 
4 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Carey 5 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anna Fulford
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Carey 4 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Spencer of Spencer Combe 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Spencer 3 x Great Grand Daughter of
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Beaufort Countess Ormonde 
2 x Great Grand Daughter of
Great x 1 Grandmother: Catherine Carey 5 x Great Grand Daughter of
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Boleyn 
8 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Boleyn 1st Earl Wiltshire and Ormonde 6 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Butler 
5 x Great Grand Daughter of
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Boleyn 7 x Great Grand Daughter of
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Howard 2nd Duke of Norfolk 
5 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Howard Countess of Wiltshire and Ormonde 6 x Great Grand Daughter of
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Tilney Countess of Surrey 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of
Mother: Lettice Knollys 7 x Great Grand Daughter of
Great x 4 Grandfather: Watkin Vaughan 
10 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Vaughan of Porthcawl 11 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 2 Grandfather: Roger Vaughan 12 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 1 Grandfather: Rowland Vaughan of Porthamel in Brecknockshire 13 x Great Grand Son of
GrandMother: Catherine Vaughan 14 x Great Grand Daughter of