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Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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Cursus Barrows is in Station 5 Amesbury North.
No. 41 [Cursus Barrow 41 G29 [Map]] produced an interment of burned bones.
No. 42 [Cursus Barrow 42 G28 [Map]]. Nearly opposite the last mentioned barrow, but on the south side of the turnpike road; is a neat circular tumulus, sixty-six feet in diameter, and six feet in elevation, which was opened in 1803, and produced within a circular cist, an interment of burned bones, and a brass pin with part of its handle, deposited in a neat and perfect urn; the latter of which is engraved in Tumuli Plate XVI.
No. 43 [Cursus Barrow 43 G56 [Map]] and No. 44 [Cursus Barrow 44 G30 [Map]], These two barrows are included within the boundaries of the CURSUS, and very near the western end of it. In opening the first of these, our labourers discovered, at the depth of three feet, the skeleton of an adult, with a drinking cup, and on the floor of the barrow, another of a child. We afterwards, in a shallow cist, found the third skeleton of-a man, lying with his head to the north, and close to it, on the right side, was a curious pebble, and under his left hand was a dagger of brass. The pebble is kidney-formed, of the sardonyx kind, striated transversely with alternate spaces, that give it the appearance of belts; besides these stria, it is spotted all over with very small white specks, and after dipping it into water, it assumes a sea green colour.
In the adjoining barrow, No. 44 [Cursus Barrow 44 G30 [Map]], we found only a simple interment of burned bones.
The next barrows that occur in our Iter westward, are three in number, placed nearly in a line parallel to each other. No. 45 [Map], 46 [Map], 47 [Map], all of which proved uninteresting in their contents. The first and last produced simple interments of burned bones; the second, a rude urn with cremation.
No, 48 [Cursus Barrow 48 G34 [Map]], a Druid barrow, contained an interment of burned bones, with a brass pin.
No. 49 [Cursus Barrow 49 G35a-c [Map]] is a long barrow.
No. 50 [Cursus Barrow 50 G36 [Map]] is a circular bowl-shaped barrow, in the examination of which, we experienced much perplexity, although not uncommon, owing the Britons having adopted so many modes of burial. At the depth of five feet, we found a regular stratum af flints, intermixed with black vegetable mould; on removing which, we came to the floor of the barrow, in which some excavations had been made, and channels formed. One of these was connected with the cist, which contained a skeleton lying from south to north; in another channel, we found a large branch of a stag's horn; and in a little corner, we took out a shovel-full of bones, intermixed with earth, which were broken almost as small as chaff. Near the feet of the skeleton lay a considerable quantity of very small bones of birds or mice. The day being far advanced, we did not pursue all the channels, and it is very probable that this barrow may contain other skeletons.
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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No. 51 [Cursus Barrow 51 G37 [Map]], a fine bell-shaped barrows ninety-five feet in diameter, and seven feet in elevation. At the depth of four feet and a half in the native soil, viz. eleven feet and a half from the summit, we found two skeletons with their heads laid towards the north; the one, an adult, the other, a young person, not more than about twelve years of age.
No. 52 [Cursus Barrow 52 G38 [Map]] and No. 53 [Cursus Barrow 53 G39 [Map]]. We were unsuccessful in our attempts on these two large barrows. In the former, we perceived several marks of very intense fire, with some earth, quite black, and some burned to a brick colour. In the latter, near the centre, we found a circular cist containing only ashes, but missed the primary interment. An unusual quantity of small bones, probably of birds, was dispersed about the barrow.
No. 54 [Cursus Barrow 54 G40 [Map]]. A fine bell-shaped barrow, eighty feet in diameter, and seven feet in elevation, produced on the floor and near the centre, a circular cist, about eighteen inches wide, and one foot deep, full of wood ashes. and a few fragments of burned bones. About two feet to the north of the above was another cist, of an oblong form, much larger and deeper than the other, which contained an interment af burned bones, piled up ill heap in the centre of the cist.
No. 55 [The next barrow, Cursus Barrow 55 G41 [Map]], was opened some years ago, and produced only a simple interment of burned bones. A little on the other side of the Devizes road is a mound, which being only a land mark, is not numbered.
In the adjoining large flat barrow, No. 56 [Cursus Barrow 56 G42 [Map]], we discovered a cist, that had been previously investigated, but on opening it, the workmen found an arrow head of flint near the top.
I shall now direct my steps back towards Amesbury, over a beautiful down, abounding with tumuli of various descriptions, The first, group that occurs, is situated near the northern limits of our map, and is numbered from 57 to 65, and consists of four Druid, and five circular barrows. As they all bore the marks of prior opening, I did not attempt any of them: some had been explored a few years ago, by Mr. CUNNINGTON, at a time when no idea was entertained of prosecuting his researches to the present extent, and when no very regular account was kept of his discoveries.1
Note. No. 57 [Cursus Barrow 57 G46 [Map]], No. 58 [Cursus Barrow 58 G49 [Map]], No. 59 [Cursus Barrow 59 G50 [Map]], No. 60 [Cursus Barrow 60 G48 [Map]], No. 61 [Cursus Barrow 61 G47 [Map]], No. 62 [Cursus Barrow 62 G1 [Map]], No. 63 [Cursus Barrow 63 G2 [Map]], NO. 64 [Cursus Barrow 64 G3 [Map]], No. 65 [Cursus Barrow 65 G4 [Map]].
We now come to three large barrows on the declivity of the hill, 66, 67, 68.
No. 66 [Cursus Barrow 66 G8 [Map]] is a low barrow, in were fragments of a human skull, of large sepulchral urn, and a drinking cup. No. 67 [Cursus Barrow 67 G9 [Map]] has a very irregular and mutilated surface: each seem to have had a prior opening.
No. 68 [Cursus Barrow 68 G10 [Map]] is a pond barrow.
