Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough
A canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: 'In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed.'
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Paternal Family Tree: Legh
Maternal Family Tree: Margaret Donnington Countess Bath 1509-1561
In or before 1573 [her father] Thomas Leigh 1st Baronet (age 30) and [her mother] Katharine Spencer were married.
In 1578 Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley was born to [her father] Thomas Leigh 1st Baronet (age 36) and [her mother] Katharine Spencer at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire [Map].
Around 1591 [her future husband] Robert Dudley (age 16) and Margaret Cavendish (age 21) were married. He the illegitmate son of Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester and [her future mother-in-law] Douglas Howard Baroness Sheffield (age 49).
Life of Robert Dudley Part II. 1596. His much journeying threw Robert Dudley into communication with, other great navigators of the day, among whom was Thomas Cavendish, who had three young and charming sisters. With one of these the young sailor, fresh from his voyages, fell in love, and being a 'heretik' (i. e. protestant), and deeming himself free from Frances Vavasour, he married her [Margaret Cavendish (age 26)]. The bride died soon after, in 1596 without issue, and in the same year he married Alice (age 18) second daughter of Sir [her father] Thomas Leigh (age 54), Knight and Baronet of Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.
In 1596 Robert Dudley (age 22) and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley (age 18) were married. He the illegitmate son of Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester and Douglas Howard Baroness Sheffield (age 54).
On or before 25th September 1597, the date she was baptised at Kenilworth, [her daughter] Alicia Douglassia Dudley was born to [her husband] Robert Dudley (age 23) and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley (age 19).
In 1606 [her husband] Robert Dudley (age 31) and Elizabeth Southwell (age 22) were married at Lyon, France [Map]. Bigamous in his case since his second wife Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley (age 28) was alive. She the daughter of Robert Southwell and Elizabeth Howard Countess Carrick (age 41). He the illegitmate son of Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester and [her mother-in-law] Douglas Howard Baroness Sheffield (age 64). They were first cousin once removed.
In or before 1611 [her son-in-law] Gilbert Kniveton 2nd Baronet (age 28) and [her daughter] Frances Dudley were married. She the daughter of [her husband] Robert Dudley (age 36) and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley (age 32).
In 1611 [her father] Thomas Leigh 1st Baronet (age 69) was created 1st Baronet Leigh of Stoneleigh in Warwickshire.
The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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On 4th March 1619 [her brother-in-law] Edmund Sheffield 1st Earl Mulgrave (age 53) and Mariana Irwin Countess Mulgrave were married at St Margaret's Church, Westminster [Map]. She by marriage Baroness Sheffield of Butterwick in Lincolnshire.
In May 1621 [her daughter] Alicia Douglassia Dudley (age 23) died.
In 1626 [her brother-in-law] Edmund Sheffield 1st Earl Mulgrave (age 60) was created 1st Earl Mulgrave. Mariana Irwin Countess Mulgrave by marriage Countess Mulgrave.
In February 1626 [her father] Thomas Leigh 1st Baronet (age 84) died at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire [Map]. His grandson Thomas (age 31) succeeded 2nd Baronet Leigh of Stoneleigh in Warwickshire.
On 23rd July 1629 [her son-in-law] Richard Leveson (age 31) and [her daughter] Catherine Dudley were married. She the daughter of [her husband] Robert Dudley (age 54) and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley (age 51).
In January 1639 [her mother] Katharine Spencer died.
On 23rd May 1644 Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley (age 66) was created 1st Duchess Dudley by King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 43) for life. Her husband [her husband] Robert Dudley (age 69) had claimed to be the legitimate son of Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester but the Star Chamber found against him. King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland disagreed with their verdict and, in compensation of her subsequent treatment, awarded her the Dukedom... See Patent of Creation.
In October 1646 [her brother-in-law] Edmund Sheffield 1st Earl Mulgrave (age 80) died. His grandson Edmund (age 34) succeeded 2nd Earl Mulgrave, 4th Baron Sheffield of Butterwick in Lincolnshire.
On 6th September 1649 [her husband] Robert Dudley (age 75) died at Villa Rinieri. He was buried at San Pancrazio.
Before 1663 [her son-in-law] Robert Holborne and [her daughter] Anne Dudley were married. She the daughter of [her former husband] Robert Dudley and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley (age 84).
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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On 22nd January 1669 Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley (age 91) died in the parish St Giles' in the Fields Church [Map]. She was buried at Church of the Virgin Mary, Stoneleigh [Map]. Duke Dudley extinct since it was created for life only.
After 22nd January 1669. Church of the Virgin Mary, Stoneleigh [Map]. Monument to Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley (deceased) and her daughter. A large elaborate memorial in black and white marble erected in 1668. Has two recumbent female figures under a canopy supported on eight Ionic columns and on either side an angel with trumpet holding back curtains. Possibly sculpted by William Wright of Charing Cross.
[her daughter] Anne Dudley was born to Robert Dudley and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley. She married before 1663 Robert Holborne.
[her daughter] Frances Dudley was born to Robert Dudley and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley. She married in or before 1611 Gilbert Kniveton 2nd Baronet, son of William Kniveton 1st Baronet, and had issue.
Life of Robert Dudley Appendix VI. The Patent for creating Alice Lady Dudley a Duchess of England.
See Dugdale's Baronage, vol. II, p. 225, and the Note in the margin, which says that he copied it from the original in the possession of Catharine Lady Levison, 1670.
Charles, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. To all Archbishops, Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Viscounts, Bishops, Barons, Knights and all other our loving subjects, to whom these our Letters shall come, greeting. Whereas in or about the beginning of the Reign of our dear father King James, of famous memory, there was a sute commenced, in our high Court of Star Chamber, against Sir Robert Dudley, Knight, and others, for pretending himself to be lawfull heir to the honours and lands of the Earldoms of Warwick and Leicester, as son and heir of the body of Robert Late Earl of Leicester, lawfully begotten upon the Lady Douglasse his mother, wife to the late Earl of Leicester, and all proceedings stayed in the Ecclesiastical Courts, in which the said sute depended, for proof of his legitimation: yet nevertheless did the said Court vouchsafe liberty to the said Sir Robert, to examine witnesses in the said Court of Star Chamber, in order to the making good of his legitimacy; divers witnesses were examined there accordingly. Whereupon, by full testimony upon oath, partly made by the said Lady Douglasse herself, and partly made by divers other persons of quality and credit, who were present at the marriage with the said late Earl of Leicester, by a lawfuU Minister, according to the form of Matrimony then by law established in the Church of England; and the said Sir Robert and his mother were owned by the said late Earl of Leicester as his lawfuU wife and son, as by many of the said depositions remaining upon record, in our said Court, still appear, which we have caused to be perused, for our better satisfation herein. But a special order being made, that the said depositions should be seal'd up and no copies thereof taken without leave, did cause him, the said Sir Robert, to leave this our kingdom; whereof his adversaries taking advantages procured a special Privy-seal to be sent unto him, commanding his return into England; which he not obeying (because his honour and lands were denied unto him), all his lands were therefore seiz'd on to the King our father's use.
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[her daughter] Catherine Dudley was born to Robert Dudley and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley. She married 23rd July 1629 Richard Leveson.
Great x 4 Grandfather: Piers Legh
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Leigh
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Leigh
Great x 1 Grandfather: Roger Leigh
GrandFather: Thomas Leigh
Father: Thomas Leigh 1st Baronet
Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Spencer 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Spencer
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Spencer
Great x 4 Grandfather: Peter Empson
Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Empson
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Spencer
Great x 2 Grandmother: Isabella Graunt
GrandFather: John Spencer
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Knightley 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Knightley
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Knightley
Great x 1 Grandmother: Susan Knightley
Mother: Katharine Spencer
Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas Kitson 
GrandMother: Katherine Kitson
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Donnington of Stoke Newington
Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Donnington Countess Bath