Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke

Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson.

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Biography of John Singleton Copley 1738-1815

John Singleton Copley is in Painters.

On 3rd July 1738 John Singleton Copley was born. Probably in Boston, Massachusetts.

1760 John Singleton Copley (age 21). Portrait of Epes Sargent (age 69).

Epes Sargent: On 12th June 1690 he was born. On 6th December 1762 he died.

Around 1768 John Singleton Copley (age 29). Portrait of Margaret Kemble (age 34).

Margaret Kemble: In 1734 she was born to Peter Kemble at New Brunswick New Jersey. On 8th December 1758 General Thomas Gage and she were married at her father's plantation Mount Kemble Plantation, New Jersey. They had eleven children. In 1824 she died.

Around 1768 John Singleton Copley (age 29). Portrait of General Thomas Gage (age 48).

General Thomas Gage: On 10th March 1719 he was born to Thomas Gage 1st Viscount Gage and Benedicta Maria Theresa Hall Viscountess Gage in New Brunswick New Jersey. On 2nd April 1787 General Thomas Gage died.

On 21st May 1772 [his son] John Singleton Copley 1st Baron Lyndhurst was born to John Singleton Copley (age 33).

On 23rd September 1773 [his daughter] Mary Copley was born to John Singleton Copley (age 35).

In 1774 John Singleton Copley (age 35) moved to London.

1780 John Singleton Copley (age 41). Portrait of Hugh Montgomerie 12th Earl Eglinton (age 40).

Hugh Montgomerie 12th Earl Eglinton: On 5th November 1739 he was born to Alexander Montgomerie. On 30th October 1796 Archibald Montgomerie 11th Earl Eglinton died at Eglinton Castle, Kilwinning. His third cousin Hugh succeeded 12th Earl Eglinton. On 14th December 1819 Hugh Montgomerie 12th Earl Eglinton died. His grandson Archibald succeeded 13th Earl Eglinton.

1794 John Singleton Copley (age 55). Portrait of Richard Howe 1st Earl Howe (age 67). He wears an admiral's undress uniform of 1783 to 1787, of a blue jacket with gold braid.

1795 John Singleton Copley (age 56). Portrait of Charles Cornwallis 1st Marquess Cornwallis (age 56).

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy

The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.

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Around 1797 John Singleton Copley (age 58). Portrait of Henry Addington 1st Viscount Sidmouth (age 39).

1798 John Singleton Copley (age 59). Portrait of Adam Duncan 1st Viscount Duncan (age 66).

Around 1800 John Singleton Copley (age 61). Portrait of George John Spencer 2nd Earl Spencer (age 41).

Before 1804 John Singleton Copley (age 65). Portrait of Adam Duncan 1st Viscount Duncan (age 72).

Before 1815 John Singleton Copley (age 76). Portrait of Henry Addington 1st Viscount Sidmouth (age 57).

On 9th September 1815 John Singleton Copley (age 77) died. He was buried in Croydon Minster.