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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In or before 1752 [his father] Captain Henry Loftus (age 24) and [his mother] Diana Bullock were married.
In 1752 General William Loftus was born to [his father] Captain Henry Loftus (age 25) and [his mother] Diana Bullock at Raynham Hall, Norfolk. He was baptised at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin [Map].
Around 1770 [his father] Captain Henry Loftus (age 43) puchased a commission for his son General William Loftus (age 18) in Ireland in the 17th Regiment of (Light) Dragoons, which was deployed to North America in 1775, where he saw action in the American War of Independence.
On 10th April 1775 General William Loftus (age 23) embarked at Cork [Map] for Boston, Massachusetts. He arrived on 24th May 1775.
On 17th June 1775 the Battle of Bunker Hill was fought as part of the siege of Boston, Massachusetts.
General William Loftus (age 23) took part.
On 18th February 1778 General William Loftus (age 26) and Margaret King were married.
Around 1783 [his son] Lt General William Francis Bentinck Loftus was born to General William Loftus (age 31) and [his wife] Margaret King.
On 4th May 1786 [his wife] Margaret King died.
On 7th May 1790 General William Loftus (age 38) and Elizabeth Townshend were married. She the daughter of George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend (age 66) and Charlotte Compton 16th Baroness Ferrers Chartley 7th Baroness Compton.
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
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In 1792 [his father] Captain Henry Loftus (age 65) died.
In 1796 General William Loftus (age 44) was promoted to major-general, and lieutenant-general in 1803 and full general in 1813.
On 17th August 1797 George William Frederick Osborne 6th Duke Leeds (age 22) and [his sister-in-law] Charlotte Townshend Duchess Leeds (age 21) were married. She by marriage Baroness Darcy of Knayth, Baroness Conyers. She the daughter of [his father-in-law] George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend (age 73) and Anne Montgomery Marchioness Townshend (age 45). He the son of Francis Osborne 5th Duke Leeds (age 46) and Amelia Darcy 12th Baroness Darcy 9th Baroness Conyers. They were sixth cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland.
On 31st January 1799 Francis Osborne 5th Duke Leeds (age 48) died. His son George (age 23) succeeded 6th Duke Leeds, 6th Earl of Danby, 6th Viscount Osborne, 6th Viscount Latimer, 6th Baron Osborne of Kinderton, 7th Baronet Osborne of Kiveton. [his sister-in-law] Charlotte Townshend Duchess Leeds (age 22) by marriage Duchess Leeds.
In 1807 General William Loftus (age 55) was appointed Governor of Dumbarton Castle [Map] which position he held until 1810.
On 14th September 1807 [his father-in-law] George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend (age 83) died. His son [his brother-in-law] George (age 54) succeeded 2nd Marquess Townshend, 5th Viscount Townsend, 5th Baron Townshend of Lynn Regis in Norfolk, 7th Baronet Townshend.
In 1810 General William Loftus (age 58) was appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London.
On 21st March 1811 [his wife] Elizabeth Townshend died.
In 1821 General William Loftus (age 69) was appointed Colonel of the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) which position he held for life.
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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On 15th July 1831 General William Loftus (age 79) died at his home at Wimpole Street, Marylebone. He was buried in the Townshend family vault Raynham Hall, Norfolk on 23rd July 1831.
Before 1898. Memorial to General William Loftus and [his former wife] Elizabeth Townshend at the Church of St Mary, East Raynham [Map] sculpted by George Gammon Adams (age 76).
Elizabeth Townshend: Around 1767 she was born to George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend and Charlotte Compton 16th Baroness Ferrers Chartley 7th Baroness Compton. On 7th May 1790 General William Loftus and she were married. She the daughter of George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend and Charlotte Compton 16th Baroness Ferrers Chartley 7th Baroness Compton. On 21st March 1811 Elizabeth Townshend died.
[his daughter] Charlotte Elizabeth Loftus was born to General William Loftus and Elizabeth Townshend. She married before 5th November 1853 her first cousin Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend, son of George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend and Charlotte Mainwaring Ellerker Countess of Leicester.
Father: Captain Henry Loftus 
GrandFather: William Bullock of Sturston Hall in Norfolk
Mother: Diana Bullock