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.
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Around 1605 Gilbert Soest was born.
Around 1644 Gilbert Soest [aged 39]. Portrait of John "Old Sir John" Brownlow 1st Baronet [aged 54]. Belton House.
Around 1646 Gilbert Soest [aged 41]. Portrait of Thomas Fairfax 2nd Viscount Fairfax and Elizabeth Smith.
Thomas Fairfax 2nd Viscount Fairfax: Around 1599 he was born to Thomas Fairfax 1st Viscount Fairfax and Katherine Constable. In or before 1620 Thomas Fairfax 2nd Viscount Fairfax and Alathea Howard Viscountess Fairfax were married. On 23rd December 1636 Thomas Fairfax 1st Viscount Fairfax died. His son Thomas succeeded 2nd Viscount Fairfax of Emley in Tipperary. Alathea Howard Viscountess Fairfax by marriage Viscountess Fairfax of Emley in Tipperary. On 24th September 1641 Thomas Fairfax 2nd Viscount Fairfax died. His son William succeeded 3rd Viscount Fairfax of Emley in Tipperary.
Elizabeth Smith: she was born to George Smith of Exeter and Joan Walker. In 1604 Thomas Monck and she were married.
Around 1647 Gilbert Soest [aged 42]. Portrait of William Pole [aged 33].
William Pole: In 1614 he was born to John Pole 1st Baronet. In January 1649 William Pole died. He was buried in St Andrew's Church Colyton, Devon.
Around 1650 Gilbert Soest [aged 45] (attribued). Portrait of Alice Pulteney [aged 46].
Alice Pulteney: In 1604 she was born to John Pulteney of Misterton Leicestershire and Margery Fortescue. Before 1676 John "Old Sir John" Brownlow 1st Baronet and she were married. In 1676 she died.
Around 1650 Gilbert Soest [aged 45]. Portrait of Urith Shapcote Lady Pole. Belton House.
Urith Shapcote Lady Pole: she was born to Thomas Shapcote. Before 1649 Courtenay Pole 2nd Baronet and she were married. On 16th April 1658 John Pole 1st Baronet died. He was buried in St Andrew's Church Colyton, Devon. His son Courtenay succeeded 2nd Baronet Pole of Shute House in Devon. She by marriage Lady Pole of Shute House in Devon.
Around 1656 Gilbert Soest [aged 51]. Portrait of Aubrey de Vere 20th Earl of Oxford [aged 28].
Around 1658 Gilbert Soest [aged 53]. Portrait of Henry Vane "The Younger" [aged 44].
Around 1660 Gilbert Soest [aged 55]. Probably Thomas Stanley [aged 35].
Around 1660 Gilbert Soest [aged 55]. Portrait of William Shakespeare.
Around 1660 Gilbert Soest [aged 55]. Portrait of a Gentleman with a Dog, probably Thomas Tipping [aged 44].
Thomas Tipping: On or before 10th December 1615, the date he was baptised in St Andrew's Church, Wheatfield, he was born. On 15th June 1660 Thomas Tipping was knighted by King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland at Whitehall Palace [Map]. On 1st March 1693 he died. He was buried in St Andrew's Church, Wheatfield.
Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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Around 1661 John Riley [aged 15] studied under Gilbert Soest [aged 56] from whom he learned a style of portraiture which rendered his portraits noteworthy.
Around 1667 Gilbert Soest [aged 62]. Portrait of Jacob Astley 1st Baronet [aged 28].
Jacob Astley 1st Baronet: Around 1639 he was born to Edward Astley. On 6th February 1661 Jacob Astley 1st Baronet and Blanche Wodehouse Lady Astley were married. On 17th August 1729 Jacob Astley 1st Baronet died. His son Philip succeeded 2nd Baronet Astley of Hill Morton.
Around 1670 Gilbert Soest [aged 65]. Portrait of either John Darcy [aged 11].
John Darcy: Around 1659 he was born to Conyers Darcy 2nd Earl Holderness and Frances Howard. Before 24th November 1681 John Darcy and Bridget Sutton were married. He the son of Conyers Darcy 2nd Earl Holderness and Frances Howard. In 1689 John Darcy died.
Around 1672 Gilbert Soest [aged 67]. Portrait of Henry Howard 6th Duke of Norfolk [aged 43].
Around 1675 Gilbert Soest [aged 70]. Portrait of Margaret Hay Countess Roxburghe.
Margaret Hay Countess Roxburghe: she was born to John Hay 1st Marquess Tweeddale and Jean Scott Marchioness Tweddale. On 10th October 1675 Robert Ker 3rd Earl Roxburghe and she were married. She by marriage Countess Roxburghe. She the daughter of John Hay 1st Marquess Tweeddale and Jean Scott Marchioness Tweddale. He the son of William Ker 2nd Earl Roxburghe and Jane Ker Countess Roxburgh. They were second cousin once removed. In 1753 Margaret Hay Countess Roxburghe died.
Around 1675 Gilbert Soest [aged 70]. Portrait of Edward Herbert 3rd Baron Herbert of Cherbury [aged 42]. Powis Castle.
Around 1679 Gilbert Soest [aged 74] (style of). Portrait of Ursula Woodcock [aged 20]. Belton House.
Ursula Woodcock: In 1659 she was born to Edward Woodcock. On 21st August 1678 Pury Cust and she were married. In 1684 she died.
Before 1680 Gilbert Soest [aged 74]. Portrait of Bishop Thomas Cartwright [aged 45].
Bishop Thomas Cartwright: In 1634 he was born in Northampton [Map]. In 1686 he was appointed Bishop of Chester by King James II of England Scotland and Ireland. John Evelyn's Diary. 8th July 1686. Dr. Meggot, Dean of Winchester preached before the household in St. George's Chapel [Map] at Windsor, the late King's glorious chapel now seized on by the mass priests. Dr. Cartwright, Dean of Ripon, preached before the great men of the Court in the same place. In 1689 Bishop Thomas Cartwright died of dysentery in Dublin [Map]. He was buried in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin [Map].
Around 1680 Gilbert Soest [aged 75]. Portrait of Francis Throckmorton 2nd Baronet [aged 39].
Francis Throckmorton 2nd Baronet: In 1641 he was born to Robert Throckmorton 1st Baronet and Mary Smyth Lady Throckmorton. Before 1650 Francis Throckmorton 2nd Baronet and Anne Monson Lady Throckmorton were married. In 1650 Robert Throckmorton 1st Baronet died. His son Francis succeeded 2nd Baronet Throckmorton of Coughton in Warwickshire. Anne Monson Lady Throckmorton by marriage Lady Throckmorton of Coughton in Warwickshire. On 7th November 1680 Francis Throckmorton 2nd Baronet died. He was buried at Weston Underwood, Buckinghamshire. His son Robert succeeded 3rd Baronet Throckmorton of Coughton in Warwickshire.
Before 1681 Gilbert Soest [aged 75]. Portrait of William Fuller Bishop Limerick.
Before 1681 Gilbert Soest [aged 75]. Portrait of Henry Herbert 4th Baron Herbert of Cherbury [aged 40]. Powis Castle.
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.
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Before 1681 Gilbert Soest [aged 75]. Portrait of John Hay 2nd Marquess Tweeddale [aged 35].
Before 1681 Gilbert Soest [aged 75]. Portrait of Alice Pulteney. Belton House.
Before 1681 Gilbert Soest [aged 75]. Portrait of William Russell [aged 41].
In 1681 Gilbert Soest [aged 76] died.
After 26th April 1682 Gilbert Soest (circle of). Portrait of Anna Dorothea Warren.
Anna Dorothea Warren: On 26th April 1682 she was born to Edward Warren. Before 1755 she died.