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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Paternal Family Tree: Gascoigne
Around 1350 William Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne VII [aged 50] and Agnes Frank [aged 25] at Gawthorpe Hall [Map].
In 1350 [his father] William Gascoigne VII [aged 50] and [his mother] Agnes Frank [aged 25] were married. The difference in their ages was 25 years.
Around 1366 [his son] William Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne [aged 16] and [his future wife] Elizabeth Mowbray [aged 16] at Gawthorpe Hall [Map].
After 1369 [his mother] Agnes Frank [deceased] died.
Before 1396 [his daughter] Elizabeth Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne [aged 45] and [his wife] Elizabeth Mowbray [aged 45]. She married John Aske and had issue.
Before 1396 William Gascoigne [aged 45] and Elizabeth Mowbray [aged 45] were married.
In 1396 [his wife] Elizabeth Mowbray [aged 46] died.
After 1396 William Gascoigne [aged 46] and Joan Pickering [aged 26] were married. The difference in their ages was 20 years.
On 15th November 1400 William Gascoigne [aged 50] was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
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.
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Around 1401 [his daughter] Agnes Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne [aged 51] and [his wife] Joan Pickering [aged 31] at Harewood. She married in or before 1417 Robert Constable and had issue.
In 1404 [his son] James Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne [aged 54] and [his wife] Joan Pickering [aged 34].
On 3rd June 1405 Thomas Beaufort 1st Duke Exeter [aged 28] arrived at York [Map]. The King denied the accused trial by their peers. Thomas Fitzalan 10th Earl of Surrey 5th or 12th Earl of Arundel [aged 23] and Thomas Beaufort 1st Duke Exeter sat in judgement of Archbishop Richard Scrope [aged 55] and Thomas Mowbray 4th Earl Norfolk 2nd Earl Nottingham [aged 19]. William Gascoigne [aged 55] refused to pronounce sentence on Archbishop Richard Scrope and Thomas Mowbray 4th Earl Norfolk 2nd Earl Nottingham asserting their right to be tried by their peers.
Around March 1405 William Gascoigne [aged 55] refused to pass sentence on Archbishop Richard Scrope [aged 55] and Thomas Mowbray 4th Earl Norfolk 2nd Earl Nottingham [aged 19] who were accused of involvement in the Northern Rising asserting their right to be tried by peers. They were both subsequently executed.
In 1407 [his son] Christopher Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne [aged 57] and [his wife] Joan Pickering [aged 37].
Around 1410 [his son] Robert Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne [aged 60] and [his wife] Joan Pickering [aged 40].
Around 1413 [his son] Richard Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne [aged 63] and [his wife] Joan Pickering [aged 43].
In or before 1417 [his son-in-law] Robert Constable [aged 31] and [his daughter] Agnes Gascoigne [aged 15] were married.
On 17th December 1419 William Gascoigne [aged 69] died at Gawthorpe Hall [Map]. He was buried at All Saints Church Harewood [Map] with his wife Elizabeth Mowbray. He in judges robes with a gypciere. She wearing an elaborate Crespine Headress.
Elizabeth Mowbray: In 1350 she was born to Alexander Mowbray. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. Before 1396 William Gascoigne and she were married. In 1396 Elizabeth Mowbray died.
Around June 1426 [his former wife] Joan Pickering [aged 56] died.
[his daughter] Joane Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne and Elizabeth Mowbray.
[his daughter] Agnes Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne and Elizabeth Mowbray.
[his son] Robert Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne and Elizabeth Mowbray.
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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[his daughter] Margaret Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne and Elizabeth Mowbray.
[his son] Richard Gascoigne was born to William Gascoigne and Elizabeth Mowbray.
GrandFather: William Gascoigne VI
Father: William Gascoigne VII
Mother: Agnes Frank