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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.
Constable of Windsor Castle is in Constables of Castles. See Windsor Castle [Map].
Before 1075 Walter FitzOther was appointed Constable of Windsor Castle.
Before 1202 Hubert de Burgh Count Mortain 1st Earl Kent (age 31) was appointed Count Mortain Mortagne, and as Constable of Dover Castle, Constable of Windsor Castle, Constable of Chinon Castle.
In 1328 Thomas Foxley (age 23) was appointed Constable of Windsor Castle which position he held for life.
In 1377 Simon Burley (age 37) was appointed Constable of Windsor Castle.
Patent Rolls. 10th August 1377. Windsor Castle [Map]. Grant, for life, to Simon de Burley (age 37) of the office of constable of Windsor Castle and of the offices or bailiwicks within Windsor New Park and the parks of Wychemere, Guldeford and Kenyngton, also the custody of Kenyngton manor, in like manner as Thomas Cheyne held the same. By p.s.
Patent Rolls. 2nd July 1378. Westminster. Appointment, during pleasure, of Simon de Burley (age 38), knight, constable of Windsor castle and keeper of Windsor forest and parks, to supervise the other surveyors there and the works undertaken in the said castle and parks, and in the manors and lodges in the said forest, and to control all payments therefor. By bill of p.s.
In 1461 John Bourchier 1st Baron Berners (age 45) was appointed Constable of Windsor Castle.
In 1628 Henry Rich 1st Earl Holland (age 37) was appointed Constable of Windsor Castle.
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.
John Evelyn's Diary. 23rd November 1666. At London, I heard an extraordinary case before a Committee of the whole House of Commons, in the Commons' House of Parliament, between one Captain Taylor and my Lord Viscount Mordaunt (age 40), where, after the lawyers had pleaded and the witnesses been examined, such foul and dishonorable things were produced against his Lordship, of tyranny during his government of Windsor Castle [Map], of which he was Constable, incontinence, and suborning witnesses (of which last, one Sir Richard Breames was most concerned), that I was exceedingly interested for his Lordship, who was my special friend, and husband of the most virtuous lady (age 34) in the world. We sat till near ten at night, and yet but half the counsel had done on behalf of the plaintiff. The question then was put for bringing in of lights to sit longer. This lasted so long before it was determined, and raised such a confused noise among the members, that a stranger would have been astonished at it. I admire that there is not a rationale to regulate such trifling accidents, which consume much time, and is a reproach to the gravity of so great an assembly of sober men.
John Evelyn's Diary. 28th August 1670. Windsor was now going to be repaired, being exceedingly ragged and ruinous. Prince Rupert (age 50), the Constable, had begun to trim up the keep or high round Tower, and handsomely adorned his hall with furniture of arms, which was very singular, by so disposing the pikes, muskets, pistols, bandoleers, holsters, drums, back, breast, and headpieces, as was very extraordinary. Thus, those huge steep stairs ascending to it had the walls invested with this martial furniture, all new and bright, so disposing the bandoleers, holsters, and drums, as to represent festoons, and that without any confusion, trophy-like. From the hall we went into his bedchamber, and ample rooms hung with tapestry, curious and effeminate pictures, so extremely different from the other, which presented nothing but war and horror.
In 1730 Charles Beauclerk 2nd Duke St Albans (age 33) was appointed Constable of Windsor Castle and Warden of the Windsor Forest.
In 1791 James Brudenell 5th Earl Cardigan (age 65) was appointed Constable of Windsor Castle.