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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: Graham of Plump in Kirkandrews
In March 1649 Colonel James Graham was born to [his father] George Graham 2nd Baronet (age 25) in Norton Conyers, North Yorkshire.
On 28th January 1654 [his grandfather] Richard Graham 1st Baronet (age 71) died. His son [his father] George (age 30) succeeded 2nd Baronet Graham of Esk in Cumberland.
On 19th March 1658 [his father] George Graham 2nd Baronet (age 34) died. His son [his brother] Richard (age 8) succeeded 3rd Baronet Graham of Esk in Cumberland.
On 2nd August 1670 [his brother] Richard Graham 1st Viscount Preston (age 20) and [his sister-in-law] Ann Howard Viscountess Preston (age 20) were married. She the daughter of Charles Howard 1st Earl Carlisle (age 41) and Anne Howard Countess Carlisle.
John Evelyn's Diary. 10th June 1673. Came to visit and dine with me my Lord Viscount Cornbury (age 11) and his Lady (age 10); Lady Frances Hyde, sister to the Duchess of York; and [his future wife] Mrs. Dorothy Howard (age 22), Maid of Honour [Note. Dorothy Howard and Colonel James Graham (age 24) were married in 1675 - may be an example of Evelyn writing his diary retrospectively she being referred to as 'Mrs' although possibly the term was used irrecspective of marriage - see John Evelyn's Diary 9th October 1671]. We went, after dinner, to see the formal and formidable camp on Blackheath, Greenwich [Map], raised to invade Holland; or, as others suspected for another design. Thence, to the Italian glass-house at Greenwich, Kent [Map], where glass was blown of finer metal than that of Murano [Map], at Venice.
John Evelyn's Diary. 11th July 1675. In this journey, went part of the way Mr. James Graham (age 26) (since Privy Purse to the Duke (age 41)), a young gentleman exceedingly in love with Mrs. [his future wife] Dorothy Howard (age 24), one of the maids of honor in our company. I could not but pity them both, the mother not much favoring it. This lady was not only a great beauty, but a most virtuous and excellent creature, and worthy to have been wife to the best of men. My advice was required, and I spoke to the advantage of the young gentleman, more out of pity than that she deserved no better match; for, though he was a gentleman of good family, yet there was great inequality.
John Evelyn's Diary. 15th July 1675. This was a journey of adventures and knight-errantry. One of the lady's servants being as desperately in love with Mrs. Howard's (age 49) woman, as Mr. Graham (age 26) was with her [his future wife] daughter (age 24), and she riding on horseback behind his rival, the amorous and jealous youth having a little drink in his pate, had here killed himself had he not been prevented; for, alighting from his horse, and drawing his sword, he endeavored twice or thrice to fall on it, but was interrupted by our coachman, and a stranger passing by. After this, running to his rival, and snatching his sword from his side (for we had beaten his own out of his hand), and on the sudden pulling down his mistress, would have run both of them through; we parted them, not without some blood. This miserable creature poisoned himself for her not many days after they came to London.
On 22nd November 1675 Colonel James Graham (age 26) and Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour (age 24) were married the license being that date.
John Evelyn's Diary. 11th November 1677. I was all this week composing matters between old Mrs. Howard (age 51) and Sir Gabriel Sylvius, upon his long and earnest addresses to [his sister-in-law] Mrs. Anne (age 24), her second daughter, maid of honor to the Queen (age 38). My friend, Mrs. Godolphin (age 25) (who exceedingly loved the young lady) was most industrious in it, out of pity to the languishing knight; so as though there were great differences in their years, it was at last effected, and they were married the 13th, in Henry VII.'s Chapel [Map], by the Bishop of Rochester (age 52), there being besides my wife (age 42) and [his wife] Mrs. Graham (age 26), her sister, Mrs. Godolphin, and very few more. We dined at the old lady's, and supped at Mr. Graham's (age 28) at St. James's.
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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On 12th May 1681 [his brother] Richard Graham 1st Viscount Preston (age 31) was created 1st Viscount Preston. [his sister-in-law] Ann Howard Viscountess Preston (age 31) by marriage Viscountess Preston.
John Evelyn's Diary. 15th September 1685. I accompanied Mr. Pepys (age 52) to Portsmouth [Map], whither his Ma* (age 51) was going the first time since his coming to the Crowne, to see in what state the fortifications were. We tooke coach and six horses, late after dinner, yet got to Bagshot that night. Whilst supper was making ready I went and made a visit to [his wife] Mrs. Graham (age 34), some time maid of honour to ye Queene Dowager (age 46), now wife to James Graham, Esq (age 36) of the privy purse to the King; her house being a walke in the forest, within a little quarter of a mile from Bagshot towne. Very importunate she was that I would sup, and abide there that night, but being obliged by my companion, I return'd to our inn, after she had shew'd me her house, wch was very commodious and well furnish'd, as she was an excellent housewife, a prudent and virtuous lady. There is a parke full of red deere about it. Her eldest son was now sick there of the small-pox, but in a likely way of recovery, and other of her children run about, and among the infected, wnh she said she let them do on purpose that they might whilst young pass that fatal disease she fancied they were to undergo one time or other, and that this would be the best: the severity of this cruell disease so lately in my poore family confirming much of what she affirmed.
John Evelyn's Diary. 22nd October 1685. I accompanied my Lady Clarendon to her house at Swallowfield in Berks, dining by the way at Mr. Graham's (age 36) lodge at Bagshot; the house, new repair'd and capacious enough for a good family, stands in a Park [Map]. Hence we went to Swallowfield; this house is after the antient build ing of honourable gentlemen's houses, when they kept up antient hospitality, but the gardens and waters as elegant as 'tis possible to make a flat, by art and industrie, and no meane expence, my lady being so extraordinarily skill'd in ye flowery part, and my lord in diligence of planting; so that I have hardly seene a seate whrch shews more tokens of it than what is to be found here, not only in the delicious and rarest fruits of a garden, but in those innumerable timber trees in the ground about the seate, to the greatest ornament and benefit of the place. There is one orchard of 1000 golden, and other cider pippins; walks and groves of elms, limes, oaks, and other trees. The garden is so beset with all manner of sweete shrubbs, that it per fumes the aire. The distribution also of the quarters, walks, and parterres, is excellent. The nurseries, kitchin garden full of ye most desireable plants; two very noble Orangeries well furnished; but above all, the canall and fishponds, the one fed with a white, the other with a black running water, fed by a quick and swift river, so well and plen tifully stor'd with fish, that for pike, carp, breame and tench, I never saw any thing approching it. We had at every meale carp and pike of size fit for the table of a Prince, and what added to ye delight was to see the hundreds taken by the drag, out of which, the cooke standing by, we pointed out what we had most mind to, and had carp that would have ben worth at London twenty shillings a piece. The waters are flagg'd about with Calamus aromaticus, with wch my lady has hung a closet, that retains the smell very perfectly. There is also a certaine sweete willow and other exotics: also a very fine bowllng-greene, meadow, pasture, and wood; in a word, all that can render a country seate delightful. There is besides a well furnish'd library in ye house.
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On 22nd November 1695 [his brother] Richard Graham 1st Viscount Preston (age 46) died. His son [his nephew] Edward (age 16) succeeded 2nd Viscount Preston, 4th Baronet Graham of Esk in Cumberland.
In 1701 [his wife] Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour (age 50) died.
In 1730 Colonel James Graham (age 80) died.
[his daughter] Mary Graham was born to Colonel James Graham and Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour.
[his son] Richard Graham was born to Colonel James Graham and Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour.
[his son] Henry Graham was born to Colonel James Graham and Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour.
Anne Boleyn. Her Life as told by Lancelot de Carle's 1536 Letter.
In 1536, two weeks after the execution of Anne Boleyn, her brother George and four others, Lancelot du Carle, wrote an extraordinary letter that described Anne's life, and her trial and execution, to which he was a witness. This book presents a new translation of that letter, with additional material from other contemporary sources such as Letters, Hall's and Wriothesley's Chronicles, the pamphlets of Wynkyn the Worde, the Memorial of George Constantyne, the Portuguese Letter and the Baga de Secrets, all of which are provided in Appendices.
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[his daughter] Catherine Graham Countess Berkshire and Suffolk was born to Colonel James Graham and Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour.
[his son] William Graham was born to Colonel James Graham and Dorothy Howard Maid of Honour.
Great x 1 Grandfather: Fergus Graham of Plump in Kirkandrews-upon-Esk in Cumberland 
GrandFather: Richard Graham 1st Baronet
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Bell of Scotsbrig in Middlebie
Great x 1 Grandmother: Sibill Bell
Father: George Graham 2nd Baronet
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Musgrave of Cumcatch in Cumberland 
GrandMother: Catherine Musgrave