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Westminster Chronicle of King Richard II, 1381-1394

The Westminster Chronicle is one of the most vivid and important narrative sources for the reign of Richard II. Written by an anonymous chronicler closely connected with Westminster Abbey, it covers the years 1381 to 1394, from the Peasants’ Revolt to the political tensions, court ceremonies, diplomatic negotiations, royal progresses, and public crises of Richard’s later reign. Rich in detail the chronicle records major events such as the conflicts between the King and Lords Appellant, King and the City of London, negotiations with France and Scotland, the death and funeral of Queen Anne of Bohemia, the illness of Charles VI of France, and the changing fortunes of leading nobles including John of Gaunt, Thomas of Gloucester, Robert de Vere, and the Earl of Arundel. The Chronicle offers readers a remarkable window into late fourteenth-century England, combining political observation, courtly spectacle, urban drama, ecclesiastical affairs, and moral judgement. It is an essential source for anyone interested in medieval monarchy, London, Westminster, and the troubled reign of Richard II.

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The True Chronicles of Jean le Bel Volume 2 Chapters 61-109 1342-1361

The Chronicle of Jean le Bel, Volume 2 continues one of the most important fourteenth-century accounts of the early Hundred Years’ War. Written by the Liège chronicler Jean le Bel, this vivid narrative follows the fortunes of Edward III, Jean II of France, the Black Prince, the great nobles of France and England, and the soldiers, captains and companies who shaped the conflict. This volume covers some of the most dramatic events of the period, including the battles of Crécy and Poitiers, the siege and capture of Calais, the captivity of King John, the rise of the Jacquerie, the turmoil in Paris under Étienne Marcel and Charles of Navarre, the devastation caused by the free companies, Edward III’s great campaign of 1359–1360, and the negotiations leading to the Treaty of Brétigny. Jean le Bel’s chronicle is especially valuable for its lively detail, its interest in chivalry, warfare, politics and reputation, and its influence on later chroniclers, most famously Froissart. This English translation presents the text in clear, readable British English while preserving the force and character of the original narrative. The translation includes extensive notes to help the reader better understand Jean le Bel's text. Volume 2 also includes translated appendices drawn from royal and administrative records, many from the English Record Office, which illuminate Edward III’s campaigns in Brittany, the siege and occupation of Calais, naval preparations, military finance, appointments, safe conducts and related affairs.

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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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Memoires of Jacques du Clercq

This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.

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