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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Chief Justice of the King's Bench is in King's Bench.
In 1338 Richard Willoughby [aged 48] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
On 24th July 1340 Robert Parning was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
In 1372 John Cavendish [aged 26] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
In 1381 Robert Tresilian was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
On 31st January 1388 Walter Clopton was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench which position he held for life.
On 15th November 1400 William Gascoigne [aged 50] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
In 1413 William Hankford [aged 63] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
Around 13th April 1440 John Hody was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench by patent dated 13 April 1440.
After 13th May 1461 John Markham was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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On 23rd January 1468 Thomas Billing was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
On 7th May 1481 William Hussey [aged 38] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
On 24th November 1495 John Fineux aka Fyneux [aged 54] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
In 1539 Edward Montagu [aged 54] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
In 1552 Roger Cholmeley [aged 57] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench which position he held until 1553.
In 1554 William Portman was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
On 8th November 1574 Christopher Wray [aged 50] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
In 1616 Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester [aged 53] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
The Manuscripts of His Grace the Duke of Rutland 1640. 4th January 1640. Savoy.
F. Lord Willoughby to his uncle, the Earl of Rutland [aged 60], at Belvoir Castle [Map].
When we ate your venison my wife and I drank your health and my Lady's and did not forget little Mr. George, whom, I am glad to hear, grows towards a man. "There hath beene a marriage at the court betweene one of my Lord of Corcke [aged 73] sonnse [aged 21] and my Lady Elizabeth Feelding, about which there is a greate stur, for it seemes he did not prove eoe rite as a man should be to goo about such a business. For the report goese that his manly part had lost something in his former serviocesse, and beside that he was soe full of severall disceases ... as that it was tould the Queene [aged 30], whoe sent for my Lady Elizabeth, and tould her that she must desier her not to lett her husband lye with her that night, whoe put of, modilestly making little answere, but she seemed so lothe to understand the Queene, as that she tould her she must command her not to come in a pair of sheets with him, and tould her the reasons; soe as that he is gone out of the way some say into France, others thinks he is in London under cower. It was discovered by his sister [aged 30] Mr. Goring's [aged 31] wife, to whom he had imparted his grevancess, and she had plotted it soe, to make an excuse for him, that he should falie downe stares that day, and she would come and take him up, and soe he should complane how he had breused himselfe and strained his back with the fale, that he should be soe ill he was not fitt to goe to bed to his wife that night. But could not keepe her counsel but must tell her husband Jorge Goring, and he presently ran and tould the Queene, and soe it was discovered and then it was presently in every buddy's mouth.".
My Lord Keeper is so ill that the physicians think he cannot recover. My Lord Chief Justice Bramstone is talked of to be Lord Keeper, and Bishop Wren [aged 54]. It is known to be between those two. My Lord Finch [aged 12] will be Chief Justice of the King's Bench and the Attorney General to be Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. Signet.
On 21st November 1665 John Kelynge [aged 58] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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On 21st November 1665 John Kelyng [aged 58] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
On 18th May 1671 Matthew Hale [aged 61] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
In 1818 Charles Abbott 1st Baron Tenterden [aged 55] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.