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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Paternal Family Tree: Stanley
In 1796 [his father] John Stanley 1st Baron Stanley Alderley (age 29) and [his mother] Maria Josepha Holroyd Baroness Stanley Alderley were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] John Baker Holroyd 1st Earl Sheffield (age 60) and [his grandmother] Abigail Way Countess Sheffield.
On 13th November 1802 William Owen Stanley was born to [his father] John Stanley 1st Baron Stanley Alderley (age 35) and [his mother] Maria Josepha Holroyd Baroness Stanley Alderley.
On 7th October 1826 [his brother] Edward John Stanley 2nd Baron Stanley and 1st Baron Eddisbury (age 23) and [his sister-in-law] Henrietta Maria Dillon Baroness Stanley Alderley and Eddisbury (age 18) were married.
On 1st June 1827 [his step-father] Arthur Charles Legge (age 26) and [his mother] Maria Josepha Holroyd Baroness Stanley Alderley were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] John Baker Holroyd 1st Earl Sheffield and [his grandmother] Abigail Way Countess Sheffield. He the son of George Legge 3rd Earl Dartmouth and Frances Finch Countess Dartmouth (age 66).
On 29th November 1827 [his grandfather] John Thomas Stanley 6th Baronet (age 92) died. His son [his father] John (age 61) succeeded 7th Baronet Stanley of Alderley in Cheshire. [his mother] Maria Josepha Holroyd Baroness Stanley Alderley by marriage Lady Stanley of Alderley in Cheshire.
In 1832 William Owen Stanley (age 29) and Ellin Williams were married.
In 1837 William Owen Stanley (age 34) was elected MP Anglesey.
In 1839 [his father] John Stanley 1st Baron Stanley Alderley (age 72) was created 1st Baron Stanley Alderley. [his mother] Maria Josepha Holroyd Baroness Stanley Alderley by marriage Baroness Stanley Alderley.
William of Worcester's Chronicle of England
William of Worcester, born around 1415, and died around 1482 was secretary to John Fastolf, the renowned soldier of the Hundred Years War, during which time he collected documents, letters, and wrote a record of events. Following their return to England in 1440 William was witness to major events. Twice in his chronicle he uses the first person: 1. when writing about the murder of Thomas, 7th Baron Scales, in 1460, he writes '… and I saw him lying naked in the cemetery near the porch of the church of St. Mary Overie in Southwark …' and 2. describing King Edward IV's entry into London in 1461 he writes '… proclaimed that all the people themselves were to recognize and acknowledge Edward as king. I was present and heard this, and immediately went down with them into the city'. William’s Chronicle is rich in detail. It is the source of much information about the Wars of the Roses, including the term 'Diabolical Marriage' to describe the marriage of Queen Elizabeth Woodville’s brother John’s marriage to Katherine, Dowager Duchess of Norfolk, he aged twenty, she sixty-five or more, and the story about a paper crown being placed in mockery on the severed head of Richard, 3rd Duke of York.
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In 1848 [his brother] Edward John Stanley 2nd Baron Stanley and 1st Baron Eddisbury (age 45) was created 1st Baron Eddisbury of Winnington in Cheshire. [his sister-in-law] Henrietta Maria Dillon Baroness Stanley Alderley and Eddisbury (age 40) by marriage Baroness Eddisbury of Winnington in Cheshire.
In 1850 William Owen Stanley (age 47) was elected MP City of Chester.
On 23rd October 1850 [his father] John Stanley 1st Baron Stanley Alderley (age 83) died. His son [his brother] Edward (age 47) succeeded 2nd Baron Stanley Alderley, 8th Baronet Stanley of Alderley in Cheshire. [his sister-in-law] Henrietta Maria Dillon Baroness Stanley Alderley and Eddisbury (age 42) by marriage Baroness Stanley Alderley.
In 1857 William Owen Stanley (age 54) was elected MP Beaumaris.
In 1863 [his mother] Maria Josepha Holroyd Baroness Stanley Alderley died.
On 2nd March 1869 William Owen Stanley (age 66) was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey.
On 16th June 1869 [his brother] Edward John Stanley 2nd Baron Stanley and 1st Baron Eddisbury (age 66) died. His son [his nephew] Henry (age 41) succeeded 3rd Baron Stanley Alderley, 2nd Baron Eddisbury of Winnington in Cheshire, 9th Baronet Stanley of Alderley in Cheshire.
On 24th February 1884 William Owen Stanley (age 81) died. Monument in the Stanley Chapel, St Cybi's Church, Holyhead [Map] sculpted by William Hamo Thornycroft (age 33).
Kings Wessex: Great x 24 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 27 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 England: Great x 16 Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 20 Grand Son of Louis VII King of the Franks
Kings France: Great x 24 Grand Son of Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 28 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Stanley 1st Baronet 
10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Peter Stanley 2nd Baronet 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Stanley 3rd Baronet 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Edward Stanley 5th Baronet 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
GrandFather: John Thomas Stanley 6th Baronet 14 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Father: John Stanley 1st Baron Stanley Alderley 15 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
William Owen Stanley 16 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
GrandFather: John Baker Holroyd 1st Earl Sheffield
Mother: Maria Josepha Holroyd Baroness Stanley Alderley
Great x 1 Grandfather: Lewis Way
GrandMother: Abigail Way Countess Sheffield