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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Meaux, France, Europe [Map]

Meaux is in France.

On 8th May 1411 William Beauchamp 1st Baron Abergavenny [aged 68] died at Meaux [Map]. He was buried at Tewkesbury Abbey [Map]. His son Richard [aged 15] succeeded 2nd Baron Abergavenny.

Siege of Meaux

In October 1421 King Henry V of England [aged 35] commenced the Siege of Meaux. John Cornwall 1st Baron Fanhope 1st Baron Milbroke [aged 57] fought. His son John Cornwall [aged 18] was killed; his head being blown off by a cannon ball witnessed by his father. Meaux [Map] was eventually captured on 11th May 1422.