Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
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Paternal Family Tree: Fitzmaldred aka Neville
Maternal Family Tree: Clemence Roches Countess Blois
Before 14th July 1323 Ralph Greystoke 1st Baron Greystoke [aged 23] and [his mother] Alice Audley Baroness Greystoke and Neville [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Baroness Greystoke.
On 14th January 1326 [his father] Ralph Neville 2nd Baron Neville of Raby [aged 35] and [his mother] Alice Audley Baroness Greystoke and Neville [aged 22] were married. She by marriage Baroness Neville Raby. They were sixth cousins. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
Around 1341 Archbishop Alexander Neville was born to [his father] Ralph Neville 2nd Baron Neville of Raby [aged 50] and [his mother] Alice Audley Baroness Greystoke and Neville [aged 37]. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
On 3rd February 1343 William Ros 2nd Baron Ros Helmsley [aged 58] died. He was buried at Kirkham Priory North Yorkshire [Map]. His son William [aged 13] succeeded 3rd Baron Ros Helmsley and inherited Belvoir Castle [Map]. [his sister] Margaret Neville [aged 13] by marriage Baroness Ros Helmsley.
Before 18th October 1353 [his half-brother] William Greystoke 2nd Baron Greystoke [aged 32] and [his sister-in-law] Joan Fitzhenry Baroness Greystoke [aged 20] were married. She by marriage Baroness Greystoke.
In 1358 [his brother-in-law] Henry Percy 1st Earl of Northumberland [aged 16] and [his sister] Margaret Neville [aged 28] were married. They were third cousin twice removed. He a great x 2 grandson of King Henry III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
On 10th July 1359 [his half-brother] William Greystoke 2nd Baron Greystoke [aged 38] died at Brancepeth Castle, County Durham [Map]. His son [his nephew] Ralph [aged 5] succeeded 3rd Baron Greystoke.
Before 1361 [his brother-in-law] William Dacre 2nd Baron Dacre Gilsland [aged 41] and [his sister] Catherine Neville Baroness Dacre of Gilsland [aged 30] were married. She by marriage Baroness Dacre Gilsland.
On 1st September 1361 [his sister] Catherine Neville Baroness Dacre of Gilsland [aged 31] died.
Before 1362 [his brother] John Neville 3rd Baron Neville of Raby [aged 24] and [his sister-in-law] Maud Percy Baroness Neville Raby were married. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
On 5th August 1367 [his father] Ralph Neville 2nd Baron Neville of Raby [aged 76] died. His son [his brother] John [aged 30] succeeded 3rd Baron Neville Raby. [his sister-in-law] Maud Percy Baroness Neville Raby by marriage Baroness Neville Raby.
On 18th May 1368 Henry Percy 11th and 3rd Baron Percy [aged 47] died at Alnwick Castle, Northumberland [Map]. He was buried at Alnwick Abbey, Northumberland [Map]. His son [his brother-in-law] Henry [aged 26] succeeded 4th Baron Percy of Alnwick, 12th Baron Percy of Topcliffe. [his sister] Margaret Neville [aged 39] by marriage Baroness Percy of Alnwick.
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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Around 1371 Archbishop Alexander Neville [aged 30] was appointed Archdeacon of Durham.
On 12th May 1372 [his sister] Margaret Neville [aged 43] died.
In 1373 Nicholas Harrington of Hornby [aged 27] was excommunicated by Archbishop Alexander Neville [aged 32] probably for the murder of Ralph Dacre 3rd Baron Dacre Gilsland [aged 52].
In November 1373 Archbishop Alexander Neville [aged 32] was elected Archbishop of York.
On 11th January 1374 [his mother] Alice Audley Baroness Greystoke and Neville [aged 70] died at Greystoke, Cumberland. She was buried at Durham Cathedral [Map].
On 14th April 1374 Archbishop Alexander Neville [aged 33] was appointed Archbishop of York.
On 18th December 1374 Archbishop Alexander Neville [aged 33] was consecrated as Archbishop of York at York Minster [Map].
Before 9th October 1381 [his brother] John Neville 3rd Baron Neville of Raby [aged 44] and [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Latimer 5th Baroness Latimer, Baroness Neville and Willoughby [aged 24] were married. She by marriage Baroness Neville Raby. The difference in their ages was 20 years. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.
Chronicle of Adam of Usk [~1352-1430]. September 1386. Owing to the many ill-starred crises of king Richard's [aged 19] reign, which were caused by his youth, a solemn parliament was holden at Westminster, wherein twelve of the chief men of the land were advanced, by full provision of parliament, to the government of the king and the kingdom, in order to bridle the wantonness and extravagance of his servants and flatterers, and, in short, to reform the business of the realm; but alas! only to lead to the weary deeds which are hereinafter written1.
Note 1. The actual number of the commissioners appointed by the Wonderful Parliament of 1386 was eleven, or fourteen if the three principal officers of state be included. The eleven were: the archbishops of Canterbury [aged 44] and York [aged 45], the dukes of York [aged 45] and Gloucester [aged 31], the bishops of Winchester [aged 66] and Exeter, the abbot of Waltham, the earl of Arundel, John de Cobham, Richard le Scrope, and John Devereux. Thomas Arundel [aged 33], bishop of Ely, had replaced Michael de la Pole [aged 25], earl of Suffolk, as chancellor; John Gilbert, bishop of Hereford, was treasurer; and John de Waltham, keeper of the privy seal. It will be remembered that John of Gaunt [aged 46] was at this time in Spain, as a reason for his name not appearing on the commission.
Patent Rolls. 11th October 1387. Inspeximus and confirmation to John de Beauchamp of Holt [aged 68] of a writing of even date, of Robert de Veer [aged 25], duke of Ireland, granting, with the king's consent and licence, to the said John, for life, a yearly rent of £100 from the manors of Bovytracy and Holdesworthy, co. Devon, and Blakedon and Ludeford, co. Somerset, and all other his lands in the last named county. Witnessed by Alexander [aged 46], archbishop of York, Michael de la Pole [aged 57], Earl of Suffolk, Nicholas Slake, Richard Clifford, and Richard Felde. And further grant that in case the said Robert die in the lifetìme of the said John, the latter shall receive the said yearly rent for the term of his life, and if the said manors and lands are recovered out of the king's hand, he shall receive it at the Exchequer. By p.s.
On 3rd February 1388 the Merciless Parliament commenced. It ended on 4th June 1388. Its primary function was to prosecute members of the Court of King Richard II of England [aged 21]. The term "Merciless" is contemporary having been coined by the chronicler Henry Knighton.
Michael de la Pole 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 58] was sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered in his absence. He had escaped to France.
Archbishop Alexander Neville [aged 47] was found guilty of treason and it was determined to imprison him for life in Rochester Castle, Kent [Map]. He fled to Louvain [Map] where he became a parish priest for the remainder of his life.
On 19th February 1388 Robert Tresilian was hanged naked and his throat cut. See Chronicle of Adam of Usk.
On 25th March 1388 Nicholas Brembre was hanged. He was buried at Christ Church, Greyfriars [Map].
On 5th May 1388 Simon Burley [aged 48] was executed despite the protestations of his friend Edmund of Langley 1st Duke of York [aged 46]. See Chronicle of Adam of Usk.
On 12th May 1388 John Beauchamp 1st Baron Beauchamp [aged 69] was beheaded at Tower Hill [Map]. He was buried at Worcester Cathedral [Map]. Baron Beauchamp of Kidderminster forfeit.
Robert de Vere 1st Duke Ireland [aged 26] was attainted.
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On 30th April 1388 Archbishop Alexander Neville [aged 47] was translated to Bishop of St Andrews. He never took possession of the see because the Scots acknowledged the Avignon papacy with their own candidate, Bishop Walter Trail.
Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
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On 17th October 1388 [his brother] John Neville 3rd Baron Neville of Raby [aged 51] died. His son [his nephew] Ralph [aged 24] succeeded 4th Baron Neville Raby. Margaret Stafford Baroness Neville Raby [aged 24] by marriage Baroness Neville Raby.
Kings Wessex: Great x 9 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 6 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 12 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 7 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings England: Great x 4 Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 8 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 16 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 10 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 14 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Fitzmaldred 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Geoffrey Fitzrobert aka Neville
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Neville of Raby
Great x 2 Grandfather: Geoffrey Neville
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Monmouth
Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Monmouth
Great x 4 Grandmother: Cecilia Waleran
Great x 1 Grandfather: Robert Neville
GrandFather: Ralph Neville 1st Baron Neville of Raby
Father: Ralph Neville 2nd Baron Neville of Raby 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Fitzroger 2nd Baron Warkworth 
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Fitzrobert 3rd Baron Warkworth
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Chesney Baroness Warkworth
Great x 2 Grandfather: Roger Fitzjohn 4th Baron Warkworth
Great x 3 Grandmother: Ada Balliol Baroness Warkworth
Great x 1 Grandfather: Robert Fitzroger 5th Baron Warkworth
GrandMother: Euphemia Clavering Baroness Neville Raby 
7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Alain Zouche 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Roger Zouche
Great x 4 Grandmother: Adelicia Belmeis
Great x 2 Grandfather: Alan Zouche
Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Bisset
Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Zouche Baroness Warkworth 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Saer Quincy 1st Earl Winchester
Great x 3 Grandfather: Roger de Quincy 2nd Earl Winchester
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Beaumont Countess Winchester 
Great x 2 Grandmother: Helen or Ela Quincy 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Alan Lord of Galloway
Great x 3 Grandmother: Helen Galloway Countess Winchester 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Dunkeld 
3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Archbishop Alexander Neville 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Liulf Audley 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Adam Audley
Great x 4 Grandmother: Mabella Stanley 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Audley
Great x 3 Grandmother: Emma Fitzorm
Great x 1 Grandfather: James Audley
Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph Mainwaring
Great x 2 Grandmother: Bertrade Mainwaring
GrandFather: Hugh Audley 1st Baron Audley of Stratton Audley 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England 
Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Longespée Earl Salisbury Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Ida Tosny Countess Norfolk 
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Longespée Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William of Salisbury 2nd Earl Salisbury
Great x 3 Grandmother: Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury
Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Vitre Countess of Salisbury
Great x 1 Grandmother: Ela Longespée Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Gerard Canville
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Camville
Great x 4 Grandmother: Nichola de la Haie
Great x 2 Grandmother: Idoine Camville
Great x 4 Grandfather: Gilbert Basset 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Eustachia Basset
Great x 4 Grandmother: Egelina Courtenay 
Mother: Alice Audley Baroness Greystoke and Neville 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Mortimer 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph Mortimer
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Ferrers 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Roger Mortimer 1st Baron Mortimer of Wigmore Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Llewellyn "The Great" Aberffraw
Great x 3 Grandmother: Gwladus verch Llewelyn "Dark Eyed" Aberffraw Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Plantagenet Daughter of King John of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Edmund Mortimer 2nd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore 2 x Great Grand Son of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Reginald de Braose 8th Baron Abergavenny 6th Baron Bramber 
Great x 3 Grandfather: William de Braose 9th Baron Abergavenny 7th Baron Bramber
Great x 4 Grandmother: Graecia Briwere
Great x 2 Grandmother: Maud de Braose
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Eva Marshal
Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabel Clare Countess Pembroke 
GrandMother: Iseult Mortimer 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Fiennes 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Enguerrand Ingleram Fiennes
Great x 4 Grandmother: Agnes Dammartin
Great x 2 Grandfather: William Fiennes
Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabel Provence 
Great x 1 Grandmother: Margaret Fiennes 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: John de Brienne I King Jerusalem
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Beaumont 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Beregaria Ivrea 
Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Blanche Beaumont 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Geoffrey Chateaudun VI Viscount Châteaudun
Great x 3 Grandmother: Jeanne Chateaudun
Great x 4 Grandmother: Clemence Roches Countess Blois