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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Baronet Watson is in Baronetcies of England Alphabetically.
Baronet Watson of Rockingham Castle in Northamptonshire is also in Baronetcies of England Chronologically, Extinct Baronetcies of England.
Summary
23rd June 1621. Lewis Watson 1st Baron Rockingham [aged 33] created.
5th January 1653. Son Edward Watson 2nd Baron Rockingham [aged 22] succeeded.
22nd June 1689. Son Lewis Watson 1st Earl Rockingham [aged 33] succeeded.
19th March 1724. Grandson Lewis Watson 2nd Earl Rockingham [aged 10] succeeded.
4th November 1745. Brother Thomas Watson 3rd Earl Rockingham [aged 29] succeeded.
26th February 1746. First Cousin Once Removed Thomas Watson 1st Marquess Rockingham [aged 52] succeeded.
14th December 1750. Son Charles Watson-Wentworth 2nd Marquess Rockingham [aged 20] succeeded.
1782. Charles Watson-Wentworth 2nd Marquess Rockingham extinct.
On 23rd June 1621 Lewis Watson 1st Baron Rockingham [aged 33] was created 1st Baronet Watson of Rockingham Castle in Northamptonshire. Eleanor Manners Baroness Rockingham [aged 21] by marriage Lady Watson of Rockingham Castle in Northamptonshire.
On 5th January 1653 Lewis Watson 1st Baron Rockingham [aged 65] died. His son Edward [aged 22] succeeded 2nd Baron Rockingham of Northampton, 2nd Baronet Watson of Rockingham Castle in Northamptonshire. Anne Wentworth Baroness Rockingham [aged 23] by marriage Lady Watson of Rockingham Castle in Northamptonshire.
On 22nd June 1689 Edward Watson 2nd Baron Rockingham [aged 58] died. His son Lewis [aged 33] succeeded 3rd Baron Rockingham of Northampton, 3rd Baronet Watson of Rockingham Castle in Northamptonshire
On 19th March 1724 Lewis Watson 1st Earl Rockingham [aged 68] died. His grandson Lewis [aged 10] succeeded 2nd Earl Rockingham, 4th Baron Rockingham of Northampton, 4th Baronet Watson of Rockingham Castle in Northamptonshire. Catherine Furnese Countess Guilford and Rockingham by marriage Countess Rockingham.
On 4th November 1745 Lewis Watson 2nd Earl Rockingham [aged 31] died without issue. His brother Thomas [aged 29] succeeded 3rd Earl Rockingham, 5th Baron Rockingham of Northampton, 5th Baronet Watson of Rockingham Castle in Northamptonshire.
On 26th February 1746 Thomas Watson 3rd Earl Rockingham [aged 30] died without issue. Earl Rockingham extinct. His first cousin once removed Thomas [aged 52] succeeded 6th Baron Rockingham of Northampton, 6th Baronet Watson of Rockingham Castle in Northamptonshire. He left his estates to his first cousin Lewis Watson 1st Baron Sondes [aged 17] who changed his surname from Monson to Watson on 31st January 1751.
On 14th December 1750 Thomas Watson 1st Marquess Rockingham [aged 57] died. His son Charles [aged 20] succeeded 2nd Marquess Rockingham, 7th Baron Rockingham of Northampton, 7th Baronet Watson of Rockingham Castle in Northamptonshire.
In 1782 Charles Watson-Wentworth 2nd Marquess Rockingham [aged 52] died. Marquess Rockingham, Baron Rockingham of Northampton, Baronet Watson of Rockingham Castle in Northamptonshire extinct.
Baronet Watson of Fulmer in Buckinghamshire is also in Baronetcies of England Chronologically, Extinct Baronetcies of England.
Summary
22nd March 1760. Charles Watson 1st Baronet [aged 8] created.
26th August 1844. Son Charles Wager Watson 2nd Baronet [aged 44] succeeded.
30th December 1852. Son Charles Watson-Copley 3rd Baronet [aged 24] succeeded.
6th April 1888. Brother Wager Joseph Watson 4th Baronet [aged 51] succeeded.
1904. Wager Joseph Watson 4th Baronet extinct.
The London Gazette 9984. Whitehall, March 22 [1760].
The King has been, pleased, in Consideration of the, many great, and eminent Services rendered unto His Majesty by Charles Watson, Esq; deceased, late Vice Admiral of the Red Squadron of His Majesty's Fleet, and Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Ships in the East Indies, to grant unto Charles Watson [aged 8], Esq. only Son of the said Charles Watson, and to his Heirs Male, the Dignity of a Baronet of the Kingdom of Great Britain.
The King has been pleased to constitute and appoint James Wallace, Esq; Sir Francis Haskins Eyles Stiles, Bart, the Hon. Horatio Townshend [aged 42], Francis Vernon, Esqrs. Sir Roger Burgoyne [aged 49], Bart. Robert Pell, Esq; together with John Rule, Esq. Commisioners for Victualling His Majesty's Navy Royal.
The King has been pleased to constitute and appoint John Paul Yvounet, Edward Montagu, Robert Coney, and John Cowsland, together with John Bridges the Younger, Esqrs. to be Commissioners for Appeals and regulating ths Duties of Excise.
This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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On 26th August 1844 Charles Watson 1st Baronet [aged 93] died. His son Charles [aged 44] succeeded 2nd Baronet Watson of Fulmer in Buckinghamshire. Jemima Colleton Lady Watson [aged 36] by marriage Lady Watson of Fulmer in Buckinghamshire.
On 30th December 1852 Charles Wager Watson 2nd Baronet [aged 52] died. His son Charles [aged 24] succeeded 3rd Baronet Watson of Fulmer in Buckinghamshire.
On 12th May 1854 Charles Watson-Copley 3rd Baronet [aged 26] and Georgiana Tredcroft Lady Watson-Copley [aged 27] were married at Genoa. She by marriage Lady Watson of Fulmer in Buckinghamshire.
On 6th April 1888 Charles Watson-Copley 3rd Baronet [aged 60] died. His brother Wager [aged 51] succeeded 4th Baronet Watson of Fulmer in Buckinghamshire.
In 1904 Wager Joseph Watson 4th Baronet [aged 67] died. Baronet Watson of Fulmer in Buckinghamshire extinct.
Baronet Watson of Henrietta Street, Cavendish Square, Middlesex is also in Baronetcies of England Chronologically, Extant Baronetcies of England.
Summary
18th June 1866. Thomas Watson 1st Baronet [aged 74] created.
11th December 1882. Son Arthur Townley Watson 2nd Baronet [aged 52] succeeded.
1907. Son Charles Rushworth Watson 3rd Baronet [aged 41] succeeded.
27th March 1922. Son Thomas Aubrey Watson 4th Baronet [aged 10] succeeded.
10th January 1941. Son James Aubrey Watson 5th Baronet [aged 3] succeeded.
The London Gazette 23128. Whitehall, June 18, 1866.
The Queen [aged 47] has been pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal granting the dignity of a Baronet of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland unto Thomas Watson [aged 74], of Henrietta-street, Cavendish square, in the parish of St. Marylebone, and county of Middlesex, Doctor of Medicine, President of the Royal College of Physicians, and one of Her Majesty's Physicians Extraordinary, and the heirs male of his body lawfully begotten.
On 11th December 1882 Thomas Watson 1st Baronet [aged 90] died. His son Arthur [aged 52] succeeded 2nd Baronet Watson of Henrietta Street, Cavendish Square, Middlesex. Rosamund Rushworth Lady Watson by marriage Lady Watson of Henrietta Street, Cavendish Square, Middlesex.
In 1907 Arthur Townley Watson 2nd Baronet [aged 76] died. His son Charles [aged 41] succeeded 3rd Baronet Watson of Henrietta Street, Cavendish Square, Middlesex.
On 27th March 1922 Charles Rushworth Watson 3rd Baronet [aged 56] died. His son Thomas [aged 10] succeeded 4th Baronet Watson of Henrietta Street, Cavendish Square, Middlesex.
On 29th April 1935 Thomas Aubrey Watson 4th Baronet [aged 23] and Ella Marguerite Farrar Lady Watson were married. She by marriage Lady Watson of Henrietta Street, Cavendish Square, Middlesex.
Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough
A canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: 'In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed.'
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On 10th January 1941 Thomas Aubrey Watson 4th Baronet [aged 29] died. His son James [aged 3] succeeded 5th Baronet Watson of Henrietta Street, Cavendish Square, Middlesex.