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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On 29th December 1676 William Wrightson of Cusworth was born to Robert Wrightson of Cusworth and Sarah Beaumont.
In 1710 William Wrightson of Cusworth [aged 33] was elected MP Newcastle upon Tyne. He was returned 1713, 1715. He was defeated in 1722.
In 1722 William Wrightson of Cusworth [aged 45] and Isabella Fenwick were married.
On 20th February 1723 William Wrightson of Cusworth [aged 46] was elected MP Northumberland where his wife's family owned considerable estates. He was unseated on petition on 15th April 1724. He didn't stand again.
In 1724 William Wrightson of Cusworth [aged 47] inherited the Cusworth estates from his brother and commissioned George Platt to build Cusworth Hall, South Yorkshire between 1740 and 1845.
Before 20th May 1752 [his son-in-law] John Battie aka Wrightson and [his daughter] Isabella Wrightson were married.
On 4th December 1760 William Wrightson of Cusworth [aged 83] died. [his daughter] Isabella Wrightson inherited Cusworth Hall, South Yorkshire. Her husband [his son-in-law] John Battie aka Wrightson changed his name from Battie to Wrightson.
After 4th December 1760. St Mary's Church, Sprotbrough [Map]. Memorial to William Wrightson of Cusworth [deceased].
[his daughter] Isabella Wrightson was born to William Wrightson of Cusworth and Isabella Fenwick. She married before 20th May 1752 John Battie aka Wrightson and had issue.
Father: Robert Wrightson of Cusworth
GrandFather: Thomas Beaumont of Whitley 
Mother: Sarah Beaumont