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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MP Hereford is in Member Parliament.
In November 1640 Francis Godolphin (age 34) was elected MP Hereford during the Long Parliament.
In 1645 Bennet Hoskyns 1st Baronet (age 36) was elected MP Hereford but was excluded in Pride's Purge.
In 1654 Bennet Hoskyns 1st Baronet (age 45) was elected MP Hereford.
In 1698 James Brydges 1st Duke Chandos (age 24) was elected MP Hereford.
In December 1699 Samuel Pytts (age 25) was elected MP Hereford.
In 1734 John Morgan 4th Baronet (age 23) was elected MP Hereford which seat he held until 1741 when he chose not to stand.
In 1747 General Henry Cornewall (age 62) was elected MP Hereford which seat he held until 1754.
In 1754 Charles Fitzroy-Scudamore (age 41) was elected MP Hereford which seat he held until 1768.
On 5th May 1755 John Morgan 4th Baronet (age 44) was elected MP Hereford unopposed at a by-election.
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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In 1761 John Morgan 4th Baronet (age 50) was elected MP Hereford.