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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Around 1599 Henry de Vic was born.
John Evelyn's Diary. 8th October 1641. At near eleven o'clock, I repaired to his Majesty's [aged 40] agent. Sir Henry De Vic [aged 42], who very courteously received me, and accommodated me with a coach and six horses, which carried me from Brussels [Map] to Ghent [Map], where it was to meet my Lord of Arundel [aged 56], Earl Marshal of England, who had requested me when I was at Antwerp [Map] to send it for him, if I went not thither myself.
John Evelyn's Diary. 9th August 1661. Sir Kenelm Digby [aged 58] presented every one of us his "Discourse of the Vegetation of Plants"; and Mr. Henshaw [aged 43], his "History of Saltpeter and Gunpowder". I assisted him to procure his place of French Secretary to the King [aged 31], which he purchased of Sir Henry De Vic [aged 62].
In 1662 Henry de Vic [aged 63] was elected Fellow of the Royal Society.
In December 1666 [his son-in-law] John Freschville 1st Baron Frescheville [aged 58] and [his daughter] Anna Charlotte De Vic were married.
John Evelyn's Diary. 23rd April 1667. In the morning, his Majesty [aged 36] went to chapel with the Knights of the Garter, all in their habits and robes, ushered by the heralds; after the first service, they went in procession, the youngest first, the Sovereign last, with the Prelate of the Order and Dean, who had about his neck the book of the Statutes of the Order; and then the Chancellor of the Order (old Sir Henry de Vic [aged 68]), who wore the purse about his neck; then the Heralds and Garter King-at-Arms, Clarencieux, Black Rod. But before the Prelate and Dean of Windsor went the gentlemen of the chapel and choristers, singing as they marched; behind them two doctors of music in damask robes; this procession was about the courts at Whitehall [Map]. Then, returning to their stalls and seats in the chapel, placed under each knight's coat-armor and titles, the second service began. Then, the King offered at the altar, an anthem was sung; then, the rest of the Knights offered, and lastly proceeded to the banqueting-house [Map] to a great feast. The King sat on an elevated throne at the upper end at a table alone; the Knights at a table on the right hand, reaching all the length of the room; over against them a cupboard of rich gilded plate; at the lower end, the music; on the balusters above, wind music, trumpets, and kettle-drums. the King was served by the lords and pensioners who brought up the dishes. About the middle of the dinner, the Knights drank the King's health, then the King, theirs, when the trumpets and music played and sounded, the guns going off at the Tower [Map]. At the Banquet, came in the Queen [aged 28], and stood by the King's left hand, but did not sit. Then was the banqueting-stuff flung about the room profusely. In truth, the crowd was so great, that though I stayed all the supper the day before, I now stayed no longer than this sport began, for fear of disorder. The cheer was extraordinary, each Knight having forty dishes to his mess, piled up five or six high; the room hung with the richest tapestry.
Before 20th November 1671 Henry de Vic [aged 72] and Margaret Carteret were married.
On 20th November 1671 Henry de Vic [aged 72] died. He was buried in Westminster Abbey [Map].
[his daughter] Anna Charlotte De Vic was born to Henry de Vic. She married December 1666 John Freschville 1st Baron Frescheville.