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All About History Books
The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.
Waltham Abbey, Essex is in Waltham, Essex, Abbeys in England.
On 29th September 1308 (possibly 30th) in a Siblings Marriage de Clare siblings married de Burgh siblings at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map] in the presence of King Edward II of England (age 24).
John Burgh (age 22) and Elizabeth Clare Lady Verdun (age 13) were married. She the daughter of Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford and Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford. He the son of Richard "Red Earl" Burgh 2nd Earl of Ulster (age 49) and Margaret Burgh Countess Ulster. They were sixth cousins. She a granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
Gilbert de Clare 8th Earl Gloucester 7th Earl Hertford (age 17) and Matilda Burgh Countess Gloucester and Hertford (age 20) were married. She by marriage Countess Gloucester, Countess Hertford. She the daughter of Richard "Red Earl" Burgh 2nd Earl of Ulster and Margaret Burgh Countess Ulster. He the son of Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford and Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford. They were sixth cousins. He a grandson of King Edward I of England.
Around 1460 Robert Cheney was born to John Cheney (age 45) at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map].
In 1490 Robert Cheney was born to Robert Cheney (age 30) at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map].
Around 1494 Robert Cheney (age 34) died at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map].
In 1520 Robert Cheney was born to Robert Cheney (age 30) at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map].
On 26th October 1526 Robert Cheney (age 36) died at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map].
Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic Henry VIII 1528. 20th June 1528. Love Letters III. 4403. Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn.
The doubt I had of your health troubled me extremely, and I should scarcely have had any quiet without knowing the certainty; but since you have felt nothing, I hope it is with you as with us. When we were at Waltham [Map], two ushers, two valets de chambre, your brother (age 25), master "Jesoncre" (Treasurer), fell ill, and are now quite well; and we have since removed to Hunsdon, Hertfordshire [Map], where we are very well, without one sick person. I think if you would retire from Surrey, as we did, you would avoid all danger. Another thing may comfort you:-few women have this illness; and moreover, none of our court, and few elsewhere, have died of it. I beg you, therefore, not to distress yourself at our absence, for whoever strives against fortune is often the further from his end.
Note. The full content of this letter may be found in the The Love Letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn.
The Love Letters of Henry VIII to Anne Boleyn. Letter 9. Henry VIII (age 36) to Anne Boleyn (age 27).
The uneasiness my doubts about your health gave me, disturbed and alarmed me exceedingly, and I should not have had any quiet without hearing certain tidings. But now, since you have as yet felt nothing, I hope, and am assured that it will spare you, as I hope it is doing with us. For when we were at Walton [Map], two ushers, two valets de chambres and your brother, master-treasurer, fell ill, but are now quite well ; and since we have returned to our house at Hunsdon [Map], we have been perfectly well, and have not, at present, one sick person, God be praised; and I think, if you would retire from Surrey, as we did, you would escape all danger. There is another thing that may comfort you, which is, that, in truth in this distemper few or no women have been taken ill, and what is more, no person of our court, and few elsewhere, have died of it. For which reason I beg you, my entirely beloved, not to frighten yourself nor be too uneasy at our absence; for wherever I am, I am yours, and yet we must sometimes submit to our misfortunes, for whoever will struggle against fate is generally but so much the farther from gaining his end: wherefore comfort yourself, and take courage and avoid the pestilence as much as you can, for I hope shortly to make you sing, la renvoyé. No more at present, from lack of time, but that I wish you in my arms, that I might a little dispel your unreasonable thoughts.
Written by the hand of him who is and alway will be yours,
H.R.
Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic Henry VIII 1528. 21st June 1528. Vesp. C. IV. 237. B. M. St. P. I. 293. 4404. Brian Tuke to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey (age 55).
According to the purpose he expressed in his last letter to Wolsey, sent to Mr. Treasurer (age 38) to know if he should repair to the King. His messenger found Mr. Treasurer sick of the sweat at Waltham [Map], and the King (age 36) removed to Hunsdon [Map], whither he followed him, and delivered him Wolsey's letters to the Bishop of London and Tuke, Tuke's to the Bishop, his answer and Tuke's to the Treasurer. The King asked the messenger what disease Tuke had. The messenger told him wrong; and the King bade Tuke come, though he had to ride in a litter, offering to send him one. Rode thither on his mule at a foot pace, with marvellous pain; for on my faith I void blood per virgam. Arrived yesterday afternoon. The King seemed to be satisfied in the matter of the truce, for which he said he at first sent for him, but now he must put him to other business, saying secretly that it was to write his will, which he has lately reformed.
As to the truce, he said the Spaniards had a great advantage in the liberty to go to Flanders, but the English had not like liberty to repair to Spain; and he also complains that my Lady Margaret is not bound to make restitution for injuries done by Spaniards out of the property of other Spaniards in Flanders. Answered that the liberty to go to Flanders was beneficial to England, which would thus obtain oil and other Spanish merchandise; and, besides, English cloths, which would have been sent to Spain, can now be sent to Flanders. Showed him also the advantage that French or English men-of-war might have, in doing any exploits beyond the French havens; for directly they have returned to safety on this side the Spanish havens, the Spaniards are without remedy, as all hostilities must cease in the seas on this side.
Told him how glad the French ambassadors were when Wolsey, with marvellous policy, brought the secretaries to that point. Assured him "it was tikle medeling with them, seeing how little my Lady Margaret's council esteemed the truce," by which the French were enabled to strengthen themselves in Italy, and their cost in the Low Countries was lost. The King doubted whether the Spaniards would be bound by my Lady Margaret's treaty. Told him she had bound herself that the Emperor should ratify it, and that she would recompence goods taken by Spaniards; adding that if this order had not been taken by Wolsey, the King's subjects passing to Flanders, Iceland, Denmark, Bordeaux, &c. would have been in continual danger of capture. "His highness, not willing to make great replication, said, a little army might have served for keeping of the seas against the Spaniards; and I said, that his army royal, furnished as largely as ever it was, could not save his subjects from many great harms in the length between Spain and Iceland."
The King, being then about to sit down to supper, bid Tuke to rest that night at a gentleman's place near at hand, and return to him this day, when he would speak with him about the other secret matter of his will. "And so, willing to have rewarded me with a dish, if I had not said that I eat no fish," took his leave, and departed two miles to the lodging. On his return this morning, found the King going into the garden, who, after his return, heard three masses, and then called Tuke to the chamber in which he supped apart last night. After speaking of the advantages of this house, and its wholesome air at this time of sickness, the King delivered to him "the book of his said will in many points reformed, wherein his Grace riped me," and appointed Tuke a chamber here, under his privy chamber, bidding him send for his stuff, and go in hand with his business. Expects, therefore, to be here five or six days at least, though he has only a bed that he brought on horseback, ready to lay down anywhere. Must borrow stuff meanwhile, and is disappointed of the physic which he had ordered at his house in Essex, whither he sent a physician to stay with him for a time, promising him a mark a day, horse meat and man's meat. Must bid him return till he has leave to depart, when he begs Wolsey to let him attend on his physician for eight or ten days; "else I shall utterly, for lack of looking to at this begining, destroy myself for ever." The King is expected to remain here eight or ten days. Hunsdon [Map], Sunday, 21 June 1528.
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In 1550 John Cheney was born to Robert Cheney (age 30) at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map].
In 1551 Ralph Cheney was born to Robert Cheney (age 31) at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map].
Henry Machyn's Diary. 9th February 1553. The ix day of January [Note. Probably February] be-tweyn vij and viij of the cloke in the evenyng felle downe the grett stepull [of] Waltham [Map] in Essex, and the qwyre felle downe, and alle the gr[eat] belles to the grond, and myche of the chyrche.
Note. Fall of the great steeple at Waltham. The tower stood in the centre of the cross. After the downfall recorded by our diarist, the nave was converted into the parish church, a wall being run up at its east end: and a new tower was built at the west end, which bears the date 1558. Morant's Essex, i. 45.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 4th October 1554. The iiij day of October was the monyth myn at Waltham Abbay [Map] of master James Suttun sqwyre, and clarke of the grencloth; and ther was a sarmon, and a dolle of money unto evere howsse that ned the charete, and after a grett dener.
All About History Books
The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.
Around 1556 William Cheney was born to Robert Cheney (age 36) at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map].
Henry Machyn's Diary. 18th August 1556. The xxviij day of August was bered at Wa[ltham?] abay [Map] master (blank) Jakes dwellyng in Cornehylle, sum-tyme the master of the Marchand-tayllers of [London]; with ij whytt branchys and ij dosen torchys .... grett tapurs and iij dosen skochyons of armes.
On 13th March 1567 Robert Cheney (age 47) died at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map].
On 1st April 1610 William Cheney (age 54) died at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map].
Around 1613 Bishop George Hall was born to Bishop Joseph Hall (age 38) at Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map]. He was educated at Exeter College, Oxford University.
Autobiography Simon D'Ewes. 4th September 1623. On Thursday, the 4th day of September, in the afternoon, I first began studying records at the Tower of London [Map], happening at first upon the charter by which Edward the Confessor confirmed Earl Harold's foundation of Waltham Abbey [Map]. From this day forward, I never wholly gave over the study of records; but spent many days and months about it, to my great content and satisfaction; and at last grew so perfect in it, that when I had sent for a copy or transcript of a record, I could, without the view of the original, discover many errors which had slipped from the pen of the clerk. I at first read records only to find out the matter of law contained in them; but afterwards perceiving other excellences might be observed from them, both historical and national, I always continued the study of them after I had left the Middle Temple and given over the study of the common law itself. I especially searched the records of the Exchequer; intending, if God shall permit, and that I be not swallowed up of evil times, to restore to Great Britain its true history, - the exactest that ever was yet penned of any nation in the Christian world. To which pupoae, and for the finishing of divers other lesser works, I have already made many collections, and joined some imperfect pieces of them together.
Around 1650 Thomas Dangerfield was born in Waltham Abbey, Essex [Map].
Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic Henry VIII 1528. This day, as the King came "towards evensong," the marquis of Exeter brought two great bucks from Burllyng [Map], the best of which the King sends to your Grace. This day the King has received his Maker at the Friars', when my Lord of Lincoln administered. On Tuesday the King goes to Waltham [Map]. Greenwich [Map], Corpus Christi Day. Signed.
Around 1595 Edward Denny 1st Earl Norwich (age 25) commissioned the building of Abbey House, Waltham Abbey.
Around 1431 Thomas Welles was born to John Welles (age 23) at Nazeing, Waltham Abbey.
After 1503 Thomas Welles (deceased) died at Nazeing, Waltham Abbey.
On 12th February 1600 Edward Denny (age 53) died. He was buried at Waltham Abbey Church.
Vesta Monumenta. 1765. Plate 2.26. East Window of St Margaret's Church, Westminster [Map]. A sixteenth-century Flemish-inspired stained-glass window produced in Holland and shipped to England around 1526. Known now as the "Great East Window at St Margaret's Church, Westminster," its three central lights show the Crucifixion, and its two outer lights feature portraits of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. The window was first installed in the Church of Waltham Abbey, and then moved to New Hall, Essex during the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The window was installed in St. Margaret's in 1758. Engraving by James Basire (age 35) after George Vertue.