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: Bruce of Elgin
Christian Bruce Countess Devonshire was born to [her father] Edward Bruce 1st Lord Kinloss.
In 1603 [her father] Edward Bruce 1st Lord Kinloss (age 55) was appointed Privy Council.
In 1603 [her father] Edward Bruce 1st Lord Kinloss (age 55) was appointed Master of the Rolls.
In 1604 [her father] Edward Bruce 1st Lord Kinloss (age 56) was created 1st Lord Kinloss.
On 10th April 1608 William Cavendish 2nd Earl Devonshire (age 18) and Christian Bruce Countess Devonshire were married. He the son of William Cavendish 1st Earl Devonshire (age 55) and Anne Keighley (age 45).
Around 1611 [her daughter] Anne Cavendish Countess Warwick was born to [her husband] William Cavendish 2nd Earl Devonshire (age 21) and Christian Bruce Countess Devonshire. She married 9th April 1632 Robert Rich 3rd Earl Warwick, son of Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick and Frances Hatton Countess Warwick, and had issue.
On 14th January 1611 [her father] Edward Bruce 1st Lord Kinloss (age 63) died.
Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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On 10th October 1617 [her son] William Cavendish 3rd Earl Devonshire was born to [her husband] William Cavendish 2nd Earl Devonshire (age 27) and Christian Bruce Countess Devonshire. He married 4th March 1639 Elizabeth Cecil Countess Devonshire, daughter of William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury, and had issue.
In 1619 [her husband] William Cavendish 2nd Earl Devonshire (age 29) was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire.
On 30th May 1620 [her son] Charles Cavendish was born to [her husband] William Cavendish 2nd Earl Devonshire (age 30) and Christian Bruce Countess Devonshire.
On 4th July 1622 [her brother] Thomas Bruce 1st Earl Elgin (age 23) and [her sister-in-law] Anne Chichester (age 17) were married at Holy Trinity Church, Minories [Map].
In 1625 Robert Heath (age 49) brought a case against the miners of the High Peak. Through the offices of Heath the tithe right was eventually transferred, in a possibly corrupt way, to Christian Cavendish, Countess of Devonshire.
On 3rd March 1626 [her father-in-law] William Cavendish 1st Earl Devonshire (age 73) died. His son [her husband] William (age 36) succeeded 2nd Earl Devonshire, 2nd Baron Cavendish Hardwick. Christian Bruce Countess Devonshire by marriage Countess Devonshire. On 12th October 1616 Henry Cavendish died. Both were buried at St Peter's Church, Edensor [Map].
The monument was behind the altar in the original church but moved to a separate chapel in the new church.
Monument formed two bodies under a low four-poster with black Ionic columns and black covering slab. The monument has been attributed to Maximilian Colt (age 51).
On 20th June 1628 [her husband] William Cavendish 2nd Earl Devonshire (age 38) died at Devonshire House. He was buried at Derby Cathedral [Map]. His son William (age 10) succeeded 3rd Earl Devonshire, 3rd Baron Cavendish Hardwick.
On 12th November 1629 [her brother] Thomas Bruce 1st Earl Elgin (age 30) and [her sister-in-law] Diana Cecil Countess of Oxford and Elgin (age 33) were married. She the daughter of William Cecil 2nd Earl Exeter (age 63) and Elizabeth Drury Countess Exeter (age 51).
On 9th April 1632 [her son-in-law] Robert Rich 3rd Earl Warwick (age 20) and Anne Cavendish Countess Warwick (age 21) were married at Battersea, Surrey. She by marriage Countess Warwick. She the daughter of William Cavendish 2nd Earl Devonshire and Christian Bruce Countess Devonshire. He the son of Robert Rich 2nd Earl Warwick (age 44) and Frances Hatton Countess Warwick.
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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On 21st June 1633 [her brother] Thomas Bruce 1st Earl Elgin (age 34) was created 1st Earl Elgin. [her sister-in-law] Diana Cecil Countess of Oxford and Elgin (age 37) by marriage Countess Elgin.
In 1635 Anthony Van Dyck (age 35). Portrait of Christian Bruce Countess Devonshire.
In 1638 [her daughter] Anne Cavendish Countess Warwick (age 27) died.
On 4th March 1639 William Cavendish 3rd Earl Devonshire (age 21) and Elizabeth Cecil Countess Devonshire (age 20) were married. She by marriage Countess Devonshire. She the daughter of William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 47) and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 49). He the son of William Cavendish 2nd Earl Devonshire and Christian Bruce Countess Devonshire.
On 30th July 1641 [her brother] Thomas Bruce 1st Earl Elgin (age 42) was created 1st Baron Bruce of Whorlton in Yorkshire.
On 28th July 1643 the Parliamentary arms commanded by Oliver Cromwell (age 44) and the Royalist army commanded by [her son] Charles Cavendish (age 23) fought at the Battle of Gainsborough at North Scarle.
Charles Cavendish was killed by James Berry. He was buried at Newark on Trent, Nottinghamshire [Map].
On 4th August 1643 the Royalist Newdigate Poyntz (age 34) died probably from wounds received at the battle.
On 26th February 1654 [her sister-in-law] Diana Cecil Countess of Oxford and Elgin (age 58) died. She was buried at the Ailesbury Mausoleum, St Mary's Church, Maulden [Map] which her husband [her brother] Thomas Bruce 1st Earl Elgin (age 55) commissioned.
John Evelyn's Diary. 4th August 1662. Came to see me the old Countess of Devonshire, with that excellent and worthy person, my Lord her son (age 44), from Roehampton, Surrey.
On 21st December 1663 [her brother] Thomas Bruce 1st Earl Elgin (age 64) died. His son [her nephew] Robert (age 37) succeeded 2nd Earl Elgin, 2nd Baron Bruce of Whorlton in Yorkshire. Diana Grey Countess Elgin and Ailesbury (age 33) by marriage Countess Elgin.
In 1675 Christian Bruce Countess Devonshire died. She was buried at Derby Cathedral [Map].
GrandFather: Edward Bruce
Father: Edward Bruce 1st Lord Kinloss