The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel Volume 1 Chapters 1-60 1307-1342
The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel offer one of the most vivid and immediate accounts of 14th-century Europe, written by a knight who lived through the events he describes, and experienced some of them first hand. Covering the early decades of the Hundred Years’ War, this remarkable chronicle follows the campaigns of Edward III of England, the politics of France and the Low Countries, and the shifting alliances that shaped medieval warfare. Unlike later historians, Jean le Bel writes with a strong sense of eyewitness authenticity, drawing on personal experience and the testimony of fellow soldiers. His narrative captures not only battles and sieges, but also the realities of military life, diplomacy, and the ideals of chivalry that governed noble society. A key source for Jean Froissart, Le Bel’s chronicle stands on its own as a compelling and insightful work, at once historical record and literary achievement. This translation builds on the 1905 edition published in French by Jules Viard, adding extensive translations from other sources Rymer's Fœdera, the Chronicles of Adam Murimuth, William Nangis, Walter of Guisborough, a Bourgeois of Valenciennes, Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke and Richard Lescot to enrich the original text and Viard's notes.
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Paternal Family Tree: Cecil
Maternal Family Tree: Audrey Saunders 1551-1588
On 12th May 1824 [his father] Brownlow Cecil 2nd Marquess Exeter [aged 28] and [his mother] Frances Isabella Selina Poyntz Marchioness of Exeter [aged 21] were married. She by marriage Marchioness Exeter. He the son of [his grandfather] Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter and [his grandmother] Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter.
On 30th April 1825 William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter was born to Brownlow Cecil 2nd Marquess Exeter [aged 29] and Frances Isabella Selina Poyntz Marchioness of Exeter [aged 22].
In July 1835 [his step-father] Horace Beauchamp Seymour-Conway [aged 43] and [his mother] Frances Isabella Selina Poyntz Marchioness of Exeter [aged 32] were married. They were third cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King James II of England Scotland and Ireland.
Around 1837 William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 11] educated at St John's College, Cambridge University [Map].
In 1847 William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 21] was elected MP South Lincolnshire.
On 17th October 1848 William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 23] and Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter [aged 21] were married. She the daughter of Thomas Pakenham 2nd Earl Longford and Georgiana Lygon Countess Longford [aged 50]. He the son of Brownlow Cecil 2nd Marquess Exeter [aged 53] and Frances Isabella Selina Poyntz Marchioness of Exeter [aged 45].
On 20th December 1849 [his son] Brownlow Henry George Cecil 4th Marquess Exeter was born to William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 24] and and [his wife] Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter [aged 22]. He married 7th September 1875 Isabella Whichcote Marchioness of Exeter, daughter of Thomas Whichcote 7th Baronet and Isabella Elizabeth Montgomery Lady Whichcote, and had issue.
On 5th July 1851 [his son] Francis Horace Pierrepont Cecil was born to William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 26] and and [his wife] Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter [aged 23]. He married 14th October 1874 Edith Brooks and had issue.
On 2nd November 1854 [his son] William Cecil was born to William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 29] and and [his wife] Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter [aged 27]. He married (1) 2nd September 1885 Mary Rothes Tyssen-Amherst 2nd Baroness Amherst, daughter of William Tyssen-Amherst 1st Baron Amherst, and had issue (2) 14th August 1924 Violet Maud Freer.
In 1857 William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 31] was elected MP North Northamptonshire.
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 1860 [his brother-in-law] Edward Pakenham 3rd Earl of Longford [aged 43] died. His brother William [aged 40] succeeded 4th Earl Longford, 5th Baron Longford, 3rd Baron Silchester of Silchester in Hampshire.
In 1861 [his brother-in-law] Dudley Ryder 3rd Earl of Harrowby [aged 29] and [his sister] Mary Frances Cecil Countess Harrowby Lincolnshire [aged 29] were married. She the daughter of [his father] Brownlow Cecil 2nd Marquess Exeter [aged 65] and [his mother] Frances Isabella Selina Poyntz Marchioness of Exeter [aged 57]. He the son of Dudley Ryder 2nd Earl of Harrowby [aged 62] and Frances Stuart Countess Harrowby Lincolnshire. They were half sixth cousins.
On 8th April 1861 [his daughter] Catherine Sarah Cecil Baroness Barnard was born to William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 35] and and [his wife] Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter [aged 33]. She married 28th June 1881 Henry de Vere Vane 9th Baron Barnard and had issue.
In 1862 [his brother-in-law] William Pakenham 4th Earl of Longford [aged 42] and Selina Rice Trevor Countess Longford [aged 25] were married. She by marriage Countess Longford. He the son of Thomas Pakenham 2nd Earl Longford and [his mother-in-law] Georgiana Lygon Countess Longford [aged 64].
In 1866 William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 40] was appointed Privy Council.
In 1867 [his son] John Pakenham Joicey Cecil was born to William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 41] and and [his wife] Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter [aged 39].
On 16th January 1867 [his father] Brownlow Cecil 2nd Marquess Exeter [aged 71] died. His son William [aged 41] succeeded 3rd Marquess Exeter, 12th Earl Exeter, 13th Baron Burghley. [his wife] Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter [aged 39] by marriage Marchioness Exeter.
He was buried at St Martin's Church, Stamford [Map].
Brownlow Cecil 2nd Marquess Exeter: On 2nd July 1795 he was born to Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter and Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter. On 1st May 1804 Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter died. His son Brownlow succeeded 2nd Marquess Exeter, 11th Earl Exeter, 12th Baron Burghley. On 12th May 1824 Brownlow Cecil 2nd Marquess Exeter and Frances Isabella Selina Poyntz Marchioness of Exeter were married. She by marriage Marchioness Exeter. He the son of Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter and Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter. In 1827 he was appointed 664th Knight of the Garter by King George IV of Great Britain and Ireland.
On 14th October 1874 Francis Horace Pierrepont Cecil [aged 23] and Edith Brooks were married. He the son of William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 49].
On 7th September 1875 Brownlow Henry George Cecil 4th Marquess Exeter [aged 25] and Isabella Whichcote Marchioness of Exeter [aged 18] were married at St Denys' Church, Aswarby. He the son of William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 50].
On 6th March 1879 [his mother] Frances Isabella Selina Poyntz Marchioness of Exeter [aged 76] died.
In 1880 [his son-in-law] James Hozier 2nd Baron Newlands [aged 28] and Mary Louisa Cecil Baroness Newlands were married. She the daughter of William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 54].
On 28th June 1881 [his son-in-law] Henry de Vere Vane 9th Baron Barnard [aged 27] and Catherine Sarah Cecil Baroness Barnard [aged 20] were married at St Thomas Church Marylebone. She the daughter of William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 56].
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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On 19th November 1882 Dudley Ryder 2nd Earl of Harrowby [aged 84] died. His son [his brother-in-law] Dudley [aged 51] succeeded 3rd Earl of Harrowby, 4th Baron Harrowby of Harrowby in Lincolnshire. [his sister] Mary Frances Cecil Countess Harrowby Lincolnshire [aged 50] by marriage Countess of Harrowby.
On 2nd September 1885 William Cecil [aged 30] and Mary Rothes Tyssen-Amherst 2nd Baroness Amherst [aged 28] were married. He the son of William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 60].
On 15th December 1886 [his brother-in-law] William Charles Evans 8th Baron Carbery [aged 74] and [his sister] Victoria Cecil Baroness Carbery [aged 43] were married. The difference in their ages was 31 years. She the daughter of [his father] Brownlow Cecil 2nd Marquess Exeter and [his mother] Frances Isabella Selina Poyntz Marchioness of Exeter.
On 19th April 1887 [his brother-in-law] William Pakenham 4th Earl of Longford [aged 68] died. His son Thomas [aged 22] succeeded 5th Earl Longford, 6th Baron Longford, 4th Baron Silchester of Silchester in Hampshire.
On 23rd June 1889 [his son] Francis Horace Pierrepont Cecil [aged 37] died.
On 25th November 1889 George Patrick Evans 7th Baron Carbery [aged 79] died without issue. His brother [his brother-in-law] William [aged 77] succeeded 8th Baron Carbery. [his sister] Victoria Cecil Baroness Carbery [aged 46] by marriage Baroness Carbery.
On 14th July 1895 William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter [aged 70] died. His son Brownlow [aged 45] succeeded 4th Marquess Exeter, 13th Earl Exeter, 14th Baron Burghley. Monument in the Church of St John the Baptist, Barnack [Map].
Brownlow Henry George Cecil 4th Marquess Exeter: On 20th December 1849 he was born to William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter and and Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter. On 7th September 1875 Brownlow Henry George Cecil 4th Marquess Exeter and Isabella Whichcote Marchioness of Exeter were married at St Denys' Church, Aswarby. He the son of William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter.
On 26th March 1909 [his former wife] Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter [aged 81] died.
[his daughter] Frances Emily Cecil was born to William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter and and Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter.
[his daughter] Louisa Alexandrina Cecil was born to William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter and and Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter.
[his daughter] Mary Louisa Cecil Baroness Newlands was born to William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter and and Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter. She married 1880 James Hozier 2nd Baron Newlands, son of William Hozier 1st Baron Newlands.
[his daughter] Isabella Georgiana Katherine Cecil was born to William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter and and Georgina Sophia Pakenham Marchioness Exeter. She married William Battie Wrightson.
Kings Wessex: Great x 23 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 20 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 25 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 21 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 24 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 12 Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Kings Scotland: Great x 22 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 30 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 15 Grand Son of Charles "Beloved Mad" VI King France
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 27 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Cecil 5th Earl Exeter 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Cecil 6th Earl Exeter 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Cavendish Countess Exeter 
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Brownlow Cecil 8th Earl Exeter 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Brownlow 3rd Baronet 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Brownlow Countess Exeter
Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Sherard Baroness Brownlow
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Cecil 9 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
GrandFather: Henry Cecil 1st Marquess Exeter 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 1 Grandmother: Charlotte Garnier
Father: Brownlow Cecil 2nd Marquess Exeter 11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Hoggins
GrandMother: Sarah Hoggins Countess Exeter
William Alleyne Cecil 3rd Marquess Exeter 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry VII of England and Ireland
Great x 4 Grandfather: Newdigate Poyntz 
11 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Poyntz 12 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Stephen Poyntz 13 x Great Grand Son of King Henry III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Poyntz 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Mordaunt 1st Viscount Mordaunt 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Lewis Mordaunt 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Carey Viscountess Mordaunt 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Anna Maria Mordaunt 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
GrandFather: William Stephen Poyntz 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Mother: Frances Isabella Selina Poyntz Marchioness of Exeter 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Francis Browne 3rd Viscount Montagu 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Henry Browne 5th Viscount Montagu 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Somerset Viscountess Montague 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Anthony Browne 6th Viscount Montagu 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Walsingham
Great x 3 Grandmother: Barbara Walsingham Viscountess Montague 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Howard 
9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Anthony Joseph Browne 7th Viscount Montagu 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Webb 2nd Baronet 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Webb 3rd Baronet 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mary Blomer Lady Webb 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Barbara Webb Viscountess Montague 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Belasyse 1st Baron Belasyse 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Barbara Belasyse Lady Webb 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Paulett Baroness Belasyse 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
GrandMother: Elizabeth Mary Browne 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Herbert Mackworth
Great x 1 Grandmother: Frances Falconer Mackworth Viscountess Montague 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Kildare Digby 2nd Baron Digby 
9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Digby 5th Baron Digby 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Juliana Digby 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Noel 1st Earl Gainsborough 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jane Noel Baroness Digby 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Gainsborough 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry IV of England