Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes

Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.

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Biography of Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan 1824-1915

In 1824 [her father] Spencer de Horsey (age 34) and [her mother] Louisa Rous (age 24) were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] John Rous 1st Earl Stradbroke (age 73) and [her grandmother] Charlotte Maria Whittaker Countess of Stradbroke (age 54).

On 24th December 1824 Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan was born to [her father] Spencer de Horsey (age 34) and [her mother] Louisa Rous (age 25) at 6 Charles Street, Berkeley Square.

On 19th June 1826 [her future husband] James Brudenell 7th Earl Cardigan (age 28) and Elizabeth Tollemache Countess Cardigan (age 28) were married. Separated in 1846. He the son of Robert Brudenell 6th Earl Cardigan (age 57) and Penelope Cooke Countess Cardigan.

On 14th August 1837 Robert Brudenell 6th Earl Cardigan (age 68) died at Marylebone. His son [her future husband] James (age 39) succeeded 7th Earl Cardigan, 7th Baron Brudenell of Stonton in Leicestershire, 3rd Baron Brudenell Deene in Northamptonshire. Elizabeth Tollemache Countess Cardigan (age 39) by marriage Countess Cardigan.

On 24th March 1843 [her mother] Louisa Rous (age 43) died of scarlet fever.

Around 1844. Unknown Painter. Portrait of Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan (age 19).

                    Adeline Horsey Recollections. The following announcement which appeared in the Morning Post caused, needless to say, something of a stir in Society. Some people thought I was a very fortunate girl to secure so great a parti, and others - who were jealous - prophesied disaster "through vaulting ambition which o'erleaps itself".
                
                    We are enabled to state that a marriage of more than common interest even from a political point of view has been agreed upon between a fair countrywoman of our own and one of the Royal personages who have had occasion to seek refuge in Great Britain. The Count de Montemolin (age 29) has offered his hand to Miss de Horsey (age 23), the accomplished daughter of [her father] Spencer de Horsey (age 58), Esq, and the marriage will shortly be solemnised in this country. It is understood that a negotiation has been opened by the Prince with the government of the Queen of Spain (age 17), which has consented to make an adequate provision for his Royal Highness and his bride, in consideration of the renunciation of the claims to the throne, of the male line of which the Count de Montemolin is the representative.
                
                    I was introduced to all my future husband's relations who were in England, and I was very charmed with the Archduchess Beatrix, and the Princess Beatrix of Modena, who had married the Count's younger brother, Don Juan (age 25). They lived in Bayswater at the time, and I remember going with my father to see her, and greatly admiring her lovely black-eyed baby boy, who in after-life was to be known as Don Carlos.
                
                    The Count's letter inviting me to visit his sister-in-law is interesting, as it shows how completely our engagement was sanctioned by his family.
                
                    Beloved of my soul, - I told Beatrice yesterday that you will go to-morrow at half-past two to see her. She told me that she would have much pleasure, but that probably the Duchess of Parma would be there, but that there would be no obstacle if you have no objection. In any case, answer me, because if by chance you do not wish to go to-morrow I should like to know it, so that in that case to have the pleasure of going to see you at your house, for I cannot endure to be so lone a time deprived of the pleasant sight of you, for this is my only consolation. Good-bye, beloved of my life and of my soul. Do not doubt for a single instant my constant love.
                
                    Carlos Luis Maria de Borbon.

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In 1849 Carlos Luis de Borbón Count Montemolín (age 30) and Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan (age 24) were betrothed.

On 28th September 1858 James Brudenell 7th Earl Cardigan (age 60) and Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan (age 33) were married; she had been his mistress since 1857. She by marriage Countess Cardigan. The marriage something of a scandal since James Brudenell 7th Earl Cardigan had left his first wife; Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom (age 39) refused to have Adeline at court. See My Recollections by Adeline Horsey. The difference in their ages was 27 years. He the son of Robert Brudenell 6th Earl Cardigan and Penelope Cooke Countess Cardigan.

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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On 20th May 1860 [her father] Spencer de Horsey (age 70) died.

On 22nd May 1867 [her sister-in-law] Mary Brudenell Countess Chichester (age 60) died.

Death of Lord Cardigan

On 28th March 1868 [her husband] James Brudenell 7th Earl Cardigan (age 70) died from a fall from a horse. His second cousin George (age 63) succeeded 8th Earl Cardigan, 8th Baron Brudenell of Stonton in Leicestershire. Baron Brudenell Deene in Northamptonshire extinct.

On 25th May 1915 Adeline Horsey Countess Cardigan (age 90) died.

Both were buried in St Peter's Church, Deene [Map]; he on 9th April 1868. Monument to James Brudenell 7th Earl Cardigan 1797 1868 sculpted by Joseph Boehm (age 33). Recumbent effigies on Sarcophagus, bronze sea horses (Brudenell Crest) at the bottom corners.

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