Biography of Anne Broughton 1513-1562

In 1510 [her father] John Broughton of Toddington, Bedfordshire (age 18) and [her mother] Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford (age 31) were married.

Before 1513 [her future husband] Thomas Cheney (age 27) and Frideswide Frowyk were married.

In 1513 Anne Broughton was born to [her father] John Broughton of Toddington, Bedfordshire (age 21) and [her mother] Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford (age 34).

On 23rd January 1513 [her father] John Broughton of Toddington, Bedfordshire (age 21) died.

Before 1523 [her step-father] Richard Jerningham and [her mother] Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford (age 43) were married.

In 1526 [her future husband] Thomas Cheney (age 41) was appointed Justice of the Peace Kent.

Around April 1526 [her step-father] John Russell 1st Earl Bedford (age 41) and [her mother] Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford (age 47) were married.

Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall

The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.

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In 1536 [her future husband] Thomas Cheney (age 51) was appointed Warden of the Cinque Ports.

In 1539 [her future husband] Thomas Cheney (age 54) was appointed 302nd Knight of the Garter by King Henry VIII of England and Ireland (age 47).

On 24th May 1539 Thomas Cheney (age 54) and Anne Broughton (age 26) were married. The difference in their ages was 28 years. She the daughter of John Broughton of Toddington, Bedfordshire and Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford (age 60).

In 1540 [her husband] Thomas Cheney (age 55) was appointed Privy Council.

On 31st May 1540 [her son] Henry Cheney 1st Baron Cheyne was born to [her husband] Thomas Cheney (age 55) and Anne Broughton (age 27). He married in or before 1572 Jane Wentworth Baroness Cheyne, daughter of Thomas Wentworth 1st Baron Wentworth and Margaret Fortescue Baroness Wentworth.

Before 1548 [her half-brother] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford (age 20) and [her sister-in-law] Margaret St John Countess Bedford (age 14) were married. He the son of [her step-father] John Russell 1st Earl Bedford (age 62) and [her mother] Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford (age 68).

On 19th January 1550 [her step-father] John Russell 1st Earl Bedford (age 65) was created 1st Earl Bedford. [her mother] Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford (age 71) by marriage Countess Bedford.

In 1551 [her husband] Thomas Cheney (age 66) was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Kent.

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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In 1551 [her husband] Thomas Cheney (age 66) was appointed Warden of the Cinque Ports.

On 14th March 1555 [her step-father] John Russell 1st Earl Bedford (age 70) died. His son [her half-brother] Francis (age 28) succeeded 2nd Earl Bedford, 2nd Baron Russell of Cheneys. [her sister-in-law] Margaret St John Countess Bedford (age 22) by marriage Countess Bedford.

Before 16th December 1558 [her step-son] John Cheney (age 45) and Margaret Neville (age 36) were married. He had been a ward of her father George Neville 5th and 3rd Baron Abergavenny.

Before 16th December 1558 [her step-son] John Cheney (age 45) died.

On 16th December 1558 [her husband] Thomas Cheney (age 73) died.

On 14th March 1559 [her mother] Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford (age 80) died. Her son [her half-brother] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford (age 32) inherited Chenies Manor House, Buckinghamshire [Map]

Henry Machyn's Diary. 20th April 1562. The xx day of May they begane to make for my lady Chenne (age 49), for here buryall, a grett baner of armes [of] nuw damaske and wroth with fyne gold, and a xij dosen of skochyons of bokeram, ij dosen and vj of taffata [wrought with] fyne gold; and the sam day was Hare Machyn [the author] iijxx and vj yere, [the which] was Wedynsday in Wytsonwyke.

On 16th May 1562 Anne Broughton (age 49) died.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 16th May 1562. The xvj day of May died my lady Chenne (age 49), latt wyff of ser [her former husband] Thomas Cheyne, the warden of v porttes, and ded at Todyngton.

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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Henry Machyn's Diary. After 25th May 1562. [The .. day of May was the funeral of lady Cheyne (deceased), late wife of ser [her former husband] Thomas Cheyne councillor to] kyng Edward the vj and unto quen Mary and queen Elesabett (age 28) tyll he ded, and she was beried at Toddington [Map] with mony mornars; master Garter (age 52) and master Norrey (age 64) [were] the haroldes, and (the) dene of Powlles (age 45) dyd pryc[h the sermon,] for ther was grett chere, and a grett dole [as ever] in that contrey sene-iij mylles from Donstabull.

Note. P. 282. Funeral of lady Cheney. See the note on sir Thomas Cheney in p. 369. There is an effigy of the lady at Toddington; see the Topographer, 1846, vol. i. p. 156.