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.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
Around 1590 Daniel Mijtens was born in Delft.
In 1618 Daniel Mijtens [aged 28]. Portrait of Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton [aged 44].
In 1618 Daniel Mijtens [aged 28]. Portrait of Thomas Howard 14th or 21st Earl of Arundel 4th Earl of Surrey 1st Earl Norfolk [aged 32].
In 1618 Daniel Mijtens [aged 28]. Portrait of John Garrard [aged 72].
John Garrard: Around 1546 he was born to William Garrard. In September 1601 John Garrard was elected Lord Mayor of London for one year. In 1621 John Garrard was elected Lord Mayor of London. On 7th May 1625 John Garrard died. He was buried in St Helen's Church, Wheathampstead.
1618. Daniel Mijtens [aged 28]. Portrait of Margaret Sackville Countess Isle Thanet [aged 3]. The attribution is uncertain. The Diary of Anne Clifford describes it as being by Mytens aka Mijtens. Art UK describes is as attributed to Paulus van Somer I (1576–1621).
In 1618 Daniel Mijtens [aged 28]. Portrait of Alethea Talbot Countess Arundel.
In 1619 Daniel Mijtens [aged 29]. Portrait of Elizabeth Howard Countess Banbury [aged 36].
In 1619 Daniel Mijtens [aged 29]. Portrait of William Knollys 1st Earl Banbury [aged 75] wearing his Garter Collar and Leg Garter.
Around 1620 Daniel Mijtens [aged 30]. Portrait of Charles Howard 1st Earl Nottingham [aged 84].
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 format.
Around 1620 Daniel Mijtens [aged 30]. Portrait of George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham [aged 27].
In 1620 Daniel Mijtens [aged 30]. Portrait of Lionel Cranfield 1st Earl Middlesex [aged 45].
Around 1620 Daniel Mijtens [aged 30]. Portrait of Ludovic Stewart 2nd Duke Lennox 1st Duke Richmond [aged 45].
In 1621 Daniel Mijtens [aged 31]. Portrait of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 54] wearing his Garter Collar and Leg Garter.
Before 1622 Daniel Mijtens [aged 31]. Portrait of Clement Edmondes [aged 53].
Clement Edmondes: Around 1568 he was born to Thomas Edmondes of Shrawardine in Shropshire. In 1622 he died.
In 1622 Daniel Mijtens [aged 32]. Portrait of Bishop John King.
Bishop John King: In 1559 he was born in Worminghall, Buckinghamshire. In 1611 he was appointed Bishop of Norwich. On 3rd March 1621 he died.
In 1622 Daniel Mijtens [aged 32]. Portrait of Thomas Edmondes [aged 59] with his Lord Treasurer Staff of Office.
In 1623 Adriaen Hanneman [aged 20] travelled to England where he lived for sixteen years where he met and was influenced by Anthony Van Dyck [aged 23], Daniel Mijtens [aged 33] and Cornelius Janssens aka Johnson [aged 29].
In 1623 Daniel Mijtens [aged 33]. Portrait of James Hamilton 2nd Marquess Hamilton [aged 34].
In 1623 Daniel Mijtens [aged 33]. Portrait of James Hamilton 2nd Marquess Hamilton [aged 34] with his Lord Treasurer Staff of Office.
Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
In 1624 Daniel Mijtens [aged 34]. Portrait of Henry Hobart 1st Baronet [aged 64].
In 1626 Daniel Mijtens [aged 36]. Portrait of Anne Rich Viscountess Mandeville [aged 22].
Anne Rich Viscountess Mandeville: In 1604 she was born to Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick and Frances Hatton Countess Warwick. On 1st July 1625 Edward Montagu 2nd Earl Manchester and she were married. She the daughter of Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick and Frances Hatton Countess Warwick. He the son of Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester and Catherine Spencer.
Around 1627 Daniel Mijtens [aged 37]. Portrait of Endymion Porter [aged 40].
1627. Daniel Mijtens [aged 37]. Portrait of Luise Henriette Orange Nassau.
Before 20th June 1628 Daniel Mijtens [aged 38]. Portrait (attributed) of William Cavendish 2nd Earl Devonshire [aged 38].
Before 1630 Daniel Mijtens [aged 39]. Portrait of William Herbert 3rd Earl Pembroke [aged 49].
In 1630 Daniel Mijtens [aged 40]. Portrait of Thomas Howard 14th or 21st Earl of Arundel 4th Earl of Surrey 1st Earl Norfolk [aged 44] and wearing his Garter Collar.
In 1631 Daniel Mijtens [aged 41]. Portrait of Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick [aged 43].
In 1631 Daniel Mijtens [aged 41]. Portrait of Archbishop William Laud [aged 57].
Around 1632 Daniel Mijtens [aged 42]. Portrait of Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick [aged 44].
Annals of the six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet
Translation of the Annals of the Six Kings of England by that traces the rise and rule of the Angevin aka Plantagenet dynasty from the mid-12th to early 14th century. Written by the Dominican scholar Nicholas Trivet, the work offers a vivid account of English history from the reign of King Stephen through to the death of King Edward I, blending political narrative with moral reflection. Covering the reigns of six monarchs—from Stephen to Edward I—the chronicle explores royal authority, rebellion, war, and the shifting balance between crown, church, and nobility. Trivet provides detailed insight into defining moments such as baronial conflicts, Anglo-French rivalry, and the consolidation of royal power under Edward I, whose reign he describes with particular immediacy. The Annals combines careful year-by-year reporting with thoughtful interpretation, presenting history not merely as a sequence of events but as a moral and political lesson. Ideal for readers interested in medieval history, kingship, and the origins of the English state, this chronicle remains a valuable and accessible window into the turbulent world of the Plantagenet kings.
Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback format.
In 1633 Daniel Mijtens [aged 43]. Portrait of Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick [aged 45].
In 1634 Daniel Mijtens [aged 44]. Portrait of Philip Herbert 4th Earl Pembroke 1st Earl Montgomery [aged 49] wearing his Leg Garter and Garter Collar.
In 1634 Daniel Mijtens [aged 44]. Portrait of Henry Rich 1st Earl Holland [aged 43].
Before 11th December 1643 Daniel Mijtens [aged 53]. Portrait of Lionel Cranfield 1st Earl Middlesex [aged 68].
Before 11th December 1643 Daniel Mijtens [aged 53]. Portrait of Henry Clifford 5th Earl of Cumberland [aged 52].
Around 1648 Daniel Mijtens [aged 58] died in The Hague.