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: Knyvet
Around 1440 William Knyvet was born to [his father] John Knyvet (age 24).
Before 1461 William Knyvet (age 20) and Alice Grey (age 25) were married.
Around 1461 [his son] Edmund Knyvet was born to William Knyvet (age 21) and [his wife] Alice Grey (age 26) at Buckenham Castle, Norfolk [Map]. He married in or before 1484 Eleanor Tyrrell and had issue.
On 6th August 1462 William Beaumont 2nd Viscount Beaumont (age 24) and [his future wife] Joan Stafford Viscountess Beaumont (age 20) were married. She by marriage Viscountess Beaumont. She the daughter of Humphrey Stafford 1st Duke of Buckingham and [his future mother-in-law] Anne Neville Duchess Buckingham (age 54). He the son of John Beaumont 1st Viscount Beaumont and Katherine Neville Duchess Norfolk (age 62). They were first cousins. He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
Around 1471 Roger Clifford (age 34) and [his future wife] Joan Courtenay were married. She the daughter of Thomas Courtenay 5th or 13th Earl Devon and Margaret Beaufort Countess Devon. They were third cousin twice removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
On 4th April 1474 [his wife] Alice Grey (age 39) died.
Before 1476 William Knyvet (age 35) and Joan Stafford Viscountess Beaumont (age 33) were married. She the daughter of Humphrey Stafford 1st Duke of Buckingham and Anne Neville Duchess Buckingham (age 67).
Around 1476 [his son] Edward Knyvet was born to William Knyvet (age 36) and [his wife] Joan Stafford Viscountess Beaumont (age 34). He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England. He married after 1511 Margaret le Strange.
On 26th December 1476 [his sister-in-law] Catherine Stafford Countess Shrewsbury and Waterford (age 39) died.
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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Before 1477 William Beaumont 2nd Viscount Beaumont (age 38) and [his wife] Joan Stafford Viscountess Beaumont (age 34) were divorced (or the marriage was set aside).
In 1483 [his son] Charles Knyvet of Princethorpe was born to William Knyvet (age 43) and [his wife] Joan Stafford Viscountess Beaumont (age 41). He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England.
Close Rolls Edward IV Edward V Richard III 1476-1485. 23rd October 1483 King Richard III of England (age 31). Leicester, Leicestershire [Map]. Precept to the Sheriff of Devon to issue a proclamation (English) denouncing Thomas Dorset, late Marquess of Dorset (age 28), who holds unshameful and mischievous woman called Shore's wife in adultery, Sir William Noreys (age 42), Sir William Knevet (age 43), Sir Thomas Bourghchier of Barnes, Sir George Broun, knights, John Cheyne, John Noreis, Walter Hungerford, John Russh and John Harecourt of Staunton, who have assembled the Person by the comfort of the great rebel the late duke of Bukyngham (age 29) and bishops of Ely and Salisbury, and offering rewards for their capture and pardon for all who withdraw from them. By K.
In or before 1484 [his son] Edmund Knyvet (age 22) and [his daughter-in-law] Eleanor Tyrrell were married.
Before 1485 [his wife] Joan Stafford Viscountess Beaumont (age 42) died.
Before 8th October 1489 William Knyvet (age 49) and Joan Courtenay were married. She the daughter of Thomas Courtenay 5th or 13th Earl Devon and Margaret Beaufort Countess Devon.
In 1491 [his father] John Knyvet (age 75) died.
In 1504 [his son] Edmund Knyvet (age 43) drowned.
After 1511 [his son] Edward Knyvet (age 35) and [his daughter-in-law] Margaret le Strange (age 40) were married.
On 2nd December 1515 William Knyvet (age 75) died at Wymondham, Norfolk [Map].
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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[his son] Bennet Knyvet was born to William Knyvet and Alice Grey.
[his daughter] Anne Knyvet was born to William Knyvet and Alice Grey. She married John Thwaites.
[his daughter] Anne Knyvet was born to William Knyvet and Joan Stafford Viscountess Beaumont. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. She married her half second cousin once removed Charles Clifford and had issue.
[his daughter] Elizabeth Knyvet was born to William Knyvet and Alice Grey.
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Knyvet 
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Knyvet
GrandFather: John Knyvet
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Botetort
Great x 1 Grandmother: Joan Botetort
Father: John Knyvet
GrandMother: Elizabeth Clifton 