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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Earl York

Earl York is in Earldoms of England Alphabetically, Earldoms of England Chronologically, Extinct Earldoms of England.

Summary

22nd August 1138. 1st. William of Blois 1st Earl Albemarle 1st Earl York [aged 37] created.

20th August 1179. 1st. Hawise Blois 2nd Countess Albemarle and Essex extinct.

After 22nd August 1138 William of Blois 1st Earl Albemarle 1st Earl York [aged 37] was created 1st Earl York for his role at the Battle of the Standard; see Chronicle of John Prior of Hexham.

Around 1158 William of Blois 1st Earl Albemarle 1st Earl York [aged 57] and Cecily Skipton Countess Aumale and York [aged 20] were married. She by marriage Countess Albemarle, Countess York. The difference in their ages was 37 years. He the son of Stephen Blois Count Aumale and Hawise Mortimer Countess Aumale.

On 20th August 1179 William of Blois 1st Earl Albemarle 1st Earl York [aged 78] died. His daughter Hawise succeeded 2nd Countess Albemarle. Earl York extinct. The succession of the Earldom of York is somewhat unclear; it may have been created for life only, or for male succession only.