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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Chronicle of Gregory 1445 is in Chronicle of Gregory.
1st February 1445. Ande the same year was Syn Poulys [Map] stypylle fyryd a-pon Candylmas evyn whythe the lyghtenynge.
10th October 1445. And that same year, the x day of October, was ordaynyd by the archebyschoppys and bysschoppys, and there uppon proclaymyd oppynly ynne chyrchys, that the day of Synt Edward shulde be kept hooly day fro that day forthewarde1.
Note 1. Probably the Translation of St. Edward the King and Confessor, which was on the 13th October.
1445. And yn the same year a schippe y-namyde Grace de Dyeu1, whyche was chargyd of goode of Sprusse, sche was loste a lytylle whythe yn Temys.
Note 1. This entry somewaht confusing since the Grace Dieu had been laid up in the River Hamble around 1430 and, having been struck by lightning burned to the water-line in 1439?
1445. And yn the same year come dyvers enbassytourys of lordys of Fraunce for to trete of the pes.
1445. And that same year was the Erle of Warwyke [aged 19] made Duke of Warwyke.
1st April 1445. And a pon the first day of Aprylle Quene Margarete [aged 15] landed at Portysmowthe [Map], and a-pon the x day of the same monythe sche was weddyd at a lytylle velage [Map] in Hampsehyre i-namyd.
April 1445. And a gayne her comynge to London were ordaynyde many notabylle devysys in the cytte, as at the brygge of London, and in othyr dyvers placys, at Ledynne halle, and in Cornehylle, and in iiij placys yn Chepe, that is to say, at the Grete Condyte, and at the Standarde [Map], and at the Crosse [Map], and atte the Lytylle Condyte.
26th May 1445. And uppon Thorsday, the xxvj day of May, the kyng [aged 23] made xlvj [46] Knyghtys of the Bathe yn the Towre of London. And uppon the morowe, that was the Fry day, lordys of the realme, whythe nobylle and grete and costelowe araye, the Mayre of London and the aldyrmen in scharlet, whythe alle the craftys of London in blewe, wythe dyvers dyvysyngys, every crafte to be knowe from othyr, rydyng agayne Quene Margarete [aged 15] and brought her unto the Toure of London [Map], the quene havynge whythe her xvij [17] charys with ladys.
28th May 1445. And a-pon the morowe, the Satyrday, she was brought thoroughe London syttyng in a lytter by twyne ij [2] goode and nobylle stedys i-trappyd with whyte satton, and sche was conveyyde unto Westemyster. And apon the morowe the Sonday was the coronacyon, and ij [2] dayes aftyr there was grette revylle of justys of pes in the sayntewery at Westemyster, &c.
July 1445. Ande in the monythe of Juylle next folowynge there come out of Fraunce a grette enbasset of lordys to trete by-twyne ij realmys of Ingelonde and of Fraunce and for dyvers contreys to hem, &c.
1445. Ande in that same year was a Parlyment holdyn at Westemyster, and same year there was on Wylliam Nete, yeman of the Quenys charyetes, drawyn and hanggyd in Horse Downe for sleyng of a damselle callyd Johne Gooche.
4th October 1445. Ande that same year there was a pechyng i-made uppon the Erle of Ormounde [aged 52] by the pryour of Kylmayn [aged 24]1 for certayne poyntys of treson, the whyche was takyn in to the kyngys grace, where uppon it lykyd our sovereign lorde [aged 23] to graunte a generalle pardon unto the said Erle. But nevyrtheles the said pryour appayryde in Smethefylde [Map] the iiij day of the monythe of October, as it was apoyntyde, full clenly harnyssyd, redy whythe alle his fetys and whythe alle his wepyns, kepynge the fylde tylle hyghe none.
Note 1. Thomas Fitzgerald grandson of Thomas Earl of Kildare, was at this time Prior of the Knights of St. John at Kilmainham in Ireland.
1445. And that same year the Prevy Sealle comynge fro enbassetry out of Fraunce was gretely comberyd with fortune of the see, in soo moche that many of his men were drownyde.