The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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Around 1404 William Lucy was born.
Before 1424 William Lucy (age 19) and Margaret Neville (age 15) were married.
On 21st October 1425 Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland (age 61) died. He was buried at St Mary's Church, Staindrop [Map]. His grandson [his brother-in-law] Ralph (age 19) succeeded 2nd Earl of Westmoreland. Elizabeth Percy Countess of Westmoreland (age 30) by marriage Countess of Westmoreland.
Monument to Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland and his wives Margaret Stafford Baroness Neville Raby and Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland (age 46). Early Plate Bascinet Period. Orle. Man with Two Wives.
Elizabeth Percy Countess of Westmoreland: Around 1395 she was born to Henry "Hotspur" Percy and Elizabeth Mortimer Baroness Camoys at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland [Map]. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. Around 1404 John Clifford 7th Baron Clifford and she were married. She by marriage Baroness de Clifford. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. In 1426 Ralph Neville 2nd Earl of Westmoreland and she were married. They were second cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. On 26th October 1436 Elizabeth Percy Countess of Westmoreland died.
In 1426 [his brother-in-law] Ralph Neville 2nd Earl of Westmoreland (age 19) and Elizabeth Percy Countess of Westmoreland (age 31) were married. They were second cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
After 5th May 1426 [his former wife] Margaret Neville (deceased) died.
In or before 1431 Thomas Burgh (age 25) and [his future wife] Elizabeth Percy (age 25) were married.
Before 5th May 1434 William Lucy (age 30) and Elizabeth Percy (age 29) were married.
In 1455 William Lucy (age 51) and Margaret Fitzlewis (age 16) were married. The difference in their ages was 35 years.
On 28th September 1455 [his wife] Elizabeth Percy (age 50) died.
On 10th July 1460 the Yorkist army led by the future King Edward IV of England (age 18) and including Richard "Kingmaker" Neville Earl Warwick, 6th Earl Salisbury (age 31), Archbishop George Neville (age 28), William Neville 1st Earl Kent (age 55), Edward Brooke 6th Baron Cobham (age 45) and John Scrope 5th Baron Scrope of Bolton (age 22) defeated the Lancastrian army at the 1460 Battle of Northampton.
Edmund Grey 1st Earl Kent (age 43) had started the day as part of the Lancastrian army but did nothing to prevent the Yorkist army attacking.
King Henry VI of England and II of France (age 38) was captured.
Humphrey Stafford 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 57) was killed. His grandson Henry (age 5) succeeded 2nd Duke of Buckingham, 7th Earl Stafford, 8th Baron Stafford.
John Talbot 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury (age 42) was killed. His son John (age 11) succeeded 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury, 3rd Earl Waterford, 8th Baron Furnivall, 12th Baron Strange Blackmere, 9th Baron Talbot.
Thomas Percy 1st Baron Egremont (age 37) was killed. [Baron Egremont of Egremont Castle in Cumberland extinct. Some authoirities state, however, that he left a son, Sir John Percy, who never assumed the title.]
John Beaumont 1st Viscount Beaumont (age 50) was killed. His son William (age 22) succeeded 2nd Viscount Beaumont, 7th Baron Beaumont.
William Lucy (age 56) was killed apparently by servants of a member of the Stafford family who wanted his wife [his wife] Margaret Fitzlewis (age 21).
Thomas Tresham (age 40) fought.
William Beaumont 2nd Viscount Beaumont and William Norreys (age 19) were knighted.
Thomas "Bastard of Exeter" Holland was executed following the battle.
The battle was fought south of the River Nene [Map] in the grounds of Delapré Abbey.
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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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Chronicle of Gregory. 10th July 1460 And there they mete with the King and foughte manly with the kyngys lordys and mayny, but there was moche favyr in that fylde unto the Erle of Warwycke (age 31). And there they toke the King (age 38), and made newe offycers of the londe, as the chaunceler and tresyrar and othyr, but they occupy de not fo[r]thewith, but abode a seson of the comyng of Duke of York (age 48) out of Irlonde. And in that fylde was slayne the Duke of Bokyngham (age 57), stondyng stylle at his tente, the Erle of Schrovysbury (age 42), the Lord Bemond (age 50), and the Lord Egremond (age 37), with many othyr men. Ande many men were drownyd by syde the fylde in the revyr at a mylle. And that goode knyght Syr Wylliam Lucy (age 56) that dwellyd besyde Northehampton hyrde the gonne schotte, and come unto the fylde to have holpyn the King, but the fylde was done or that he come; an one of the Staffordys was ware of his comynge, and lovyd that knyght is [his wife] wyffe (age 21) and hatyd hym, and a-non causyd his dethe.
On 4th August 1466 [his former wife] Margaret Fitzlewis (age 27) died.