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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Wimbledon, Surrey is in Surrey.
See: Copse Hill Wimbledon, Surrey, Putney Heath, Surrey, St Mary's Church, Wimbledon, Wimbledon Common Wimbledon, Surrey.
Around 1658 Theodore Janssen was born at Wimbledon, Surrey.
John Evelyn's Diary. 17th February 1662. I went with my Lord of Bristol [aged 49] to see his house at Wimbledon, Surrey, newly bought of the Queen-Mother [aged 52], to help contrive the garden after the modern. It is a delicious place for prospect and the thickets, but the soil cold and weeping clay. Returned that evening with Sir Henry Bennett [aged 44].
John Evelyn's Diary. 4th June 1662. Went to visit the Earl of Bristol [aged 49], at Wimbledon, Surrey.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 17th March 1664. Up and to my brother's [deceased], where all the morning doing business against to-morrow, and so to my cozen Stradwicke's about the same business, and to the 'Change [Map], and thence home to dinner, where my wife in bed sick still, but not so bad as yesterday. I dined by her, and so to the office, where we sat this afternoon, having changed this day our sittings from morning to afternoons, because of the Parliament which returned yesterday; but was adjourned till Monday next; upon pretence that many of the members were said to be upon the road; and also the King [aged 33] had other affairs, and so desired them to adjourn till then. But the truth is, the King is offended at my Lord of Bristol [aged 51], as they say, whom he hath found to have been all this while (pretending a desire of leave to go into France, and to have all the difference between him and the Chancellor [aged 55] made up,) endeavouring to make factions in both Houses to the Chancellor. So the King did this to keep the Houses from meeting; and in the meanwhile sent a guard and a herald last night to have taken him at Wimbleton, where he was in the morning, but could not find him: at which the King was and is still mightily concerned, and runs up and down to and from the Chancellor's like a boy: and it seems would make Digby's articles against the Chancellor to be treasonable reflections against his Majesty. So that the King is very high, as they say; and God knows what will follow upon it!
On 19th September 1678 Charles "Don Carlo" Fitzcharles 1st Earl Plymouth [aged 21] and Bridget Osborne Countess Plymouth were married in Wimbledon, Surrey. She by marriage Countess Plymouth. She the daughter of Thomas Osborne 1st Duke Leeds [aged 46] and Bridget Bertie Duchess Leeds [aged 49]. He the illegitmate son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 48] and Catherine Pegge [aged 43].
On 25th March 1795 Robert Jenkinson 2nd Earl Liverpool [aged 24] and Louisa Theodosia Hervey Countess Liverpool [aged 28] were married at Wimbledon, Surrey. She the daughter of Frederick Augustus Hervey 4th Earl Bristol [aged 64] and Elizabeth Davers Countess Bristol [aged 62]. He the son of Charles Jenkinson 1st Earl Liverpool [aged 65] and Amelia Watts.
On 14th September 1879 Bishop Charles Baring [aged 72] died at Wimbledon, Surrey. He was buried at Holy Innocents Church, High Beach.
On 5th September 1828 George Frederick D'Arcy Lambton 2nd Earl Durham was born to John "Radical Jack" Lambton 1st Earl Durham [aged 36] and Louisa Elizabeth Grey Countess Durham [aged 31] at Copse Hill Wimbledon, Surrey. He married 23rd May 1854 his fifth cousin once removed Beatrix Frances Hamilton Countess Durham, daughter of James Hamilton 1st Duke of Abercorn and Louisa Jane Russell Duchess Abercorn, and had issue.
Samuel Pepys' Diary. 7th May 1667. Up betimes, and by coach to St. James's; but there find Sir W. Coventry [aged 39] gone out betimes this morning, on horseback, with the King [aged 36] and Duke of York [aged 33], to Putney-heath,-to run some horses, and so back again to the office, where some witnesses from Chatham, Kent [Map] which I sent for are come up, and do give shrewd testimonies against Carcasse, which put my Lord into a new flame, and he and I to high words, and so broke up.
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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On 28th June 1834 Frederick William John Hervey 3rd Marquess of Bristol was born to Frederick Hervey 2nd Marquess of Bristol [aged 33] and Katherine Isabella Manners [aged 25] at Bristol House. He married 4th March 1862 his second cousin Geraldine Anson Marchioness of Bristol and had issue.
On 7th June 1774 William Cavendish 5th Duke Devonshire [aged 26] and Georgiana Spencer Duchess Devonshire [aged 17] were married at St Mary's Church, Wimbledon. It was her 17th birthday. She by marriage Duchess Devonshire. She the daughter of John Spencer 1st Earl Spencer [aged 39] and Margaret Georgiana Poyntz Countess Spencer [aged 37]. He the son of William Cavendish 4th Duke Devonshire and Charlotte Elizabeth Boyle Marchioness Hartington. They were fourth cousins.
On 23rd July 1916 Cuthbert Patrick Blake 6th Baronet [aged 31] and Florence Wilhelmina Lidiard "Kitty" Apps Lady Blake [aged 30] were married at St Mary's Church, Wimbledon.
On 16th November 1638 Edward Cecil 1st Viscount Wimbledon [aged 66] died. He was buried at Cecil Chapel St Mary's Church, Wimbledon. Viscount Wimbledon, Baron Cecil of Putney extinct.
On 30th May 1809, in the morning, on Wimbledon Common Wimbledon, Surrey, Henry Cadogan [aged 29] and Henry William Paget 1st Marquess Anglesey [aged 41] duelled. Both men discharged their pistols, honour was satisfied and the parties left the field uninjured.
