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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Sprotts Chronicle is in Georgian Books.
6. In the first yere of king E. a Parlament was callid at Weftmynfter the iiiith. day of September, and upon the vth, day of the fame moneth John Mowbray duke of Northfolke dyid, and. thereupon inmediately Richard, yongift brothir of the king, was creatid duke of Glouceftir, and John Mowbray fon of the forefaide John was creatid duke of Northfolke on Alhalowen day: And in the fame folempnite Harry Bowchier erle of Ewe was creatid Erle of Effex: he weddid Isabel fuftir to R. Duke of York fadir to king E. And alfo William Nevile lorde Fawkenbridge uncle to the king was creatid erle of Kent, in the which feasons grw many grudgis fecretely.
20th February 1462. In fo much that Harry Vere lorde Awbry accufid his owne fadir erle of Oxforde of trefon, wheruppon they were bothe takin the xiith. day of February in the same Yere and brougt to the toure att London, and fhortely theruppon the xxth, day of the fame moneth bothe the fadir-and the fon were brougt unto the toure hill, where they fuffrid deth bothe on one day: how be it the cronicques late made affermith that therle fhuld be executid vi, dayes after: for it was a pitivous figt to fee theime bothe fadir and fon in fuch diftreffe.
Item the fame yere was takin Sir Baldewine Fulford and behedid att Briftow.