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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Around 1316 Archbishop Simon Sudbury was born at Sudbury, Suffolk [Map].
On 22nd October 1361 Archbishop Simon Sudbury [aged 45] was appointed Bishop of London.
In May 1375 Archbishop Simon Sudbury [aged 59] was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury.
On 16th July 1377 King Richard II of England [aged 10] was crowned II King of England at Westminster Abbey [Map] by Archbishop Simon Sudbury [aged 61].
Richard Fitzalan 9th Earl of Surrey 4th or 11th Earl of Arundel [aged 31] carried the Crown.
Guichard d'Angle 1st Earl Huntingdon was created 1st Earl Huntingdon for life.
John Mowbray 1st Earl Nottingham [aged 11] was created 1st Earl Nottingham.
Edward 2nd Duke of York 1st Duke Albemarle [aged 4] and Robert Harrington 3rd Baron Harington [aged 21] were knighted.
Roger Scales 4th Baron Scales [aged 23] attended.
In January 1380 Archbishop Simon Sudbury [aged 64] was appointed Lord Chancellor.
On 11th June 1381 King Richard II of England [aged 14] held council with his mother Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales [aged 52], Thomas Beauchamp 12th Earl Warwick [aged 43], William Montagu 2nd Earl Salisbury [aged 52], Richard Fitzalan 9th Earl of Surrey 4th or 11th Earl of Arundel [aged 35], Archbishop Simon Sudbury [aged 65] and Robert Hales [aged 56] at the Tower of London [Map].
On 14th June 1381 the mob gained access to the Tower of London [Map] capturing Joan "Fair Maid of Kent" Princess Wales [aged 52], the future King Henry IV of England [aged 14], Joan Holland Duchess York [aged 1] and Archbishop Simon Sudbury [aged 65].
Archbishop Simon Sudbury was beheaded at Tower Hill [Map]. He was buried at Canterbury Cathedral [Map].
Lord Treasurer Robert Hales [aged 56], who had only been appointed on the 1st February 1381, was beheaded at Tower Hill [Map].
Chronicle of Adam of Usk [~1352-1430]. 12th June 1381. During this king Richard's reign great things were looked for. But he being of tender years, others, who had the care of him and his kingdom, did not cease to inflict on the land acts of wantonness, extortions, and unbearable wrongs. Whence sprang that unnatural deed, when the commons of the land, and specially those of Kent and Essex, under their wretched leader Jack Straw1, declaring that they could no longer bear such wrongs, and above all wrongs of taxes and subsidies, rose in overwhelming numbers against the lords and the king's officers, and, marching to London on the eve of Corpus Christi (12th June), in the year of Our Lord 1381 struck off the heads of Simon Sudbury [aged 65], archbishop of Canterbury, then the king's chancellor, sir Robert Hales [aged 56], the treasurer, and many others, hard by the Tower of London. And on the places where these lords were beheaded there are set up to this day two marble crosses, a lasting memorial of so monstrous a deed.
Note 1. Wat Tyler is quite lost sight of. Knighton (Rolls series, ij. 137), in like manner, confuses the two men: "ductor eorum proprio nomine Watte Tyler, sed jam nomine mutato vocatus est Jakke Strawe."
Patent Rolls. 15th June 1381. Commission of oyer and terminer to William Walleworth, mayor of London, Robert Bealknapp, Robert Knolles, Nicholas Brembre, John Philipot, Robert Launde, and William Cheyne, on information that great crowds of labourers and others have collected together, especially in the counties of Essex, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, and Middlesex, compelled their betters to go with them, killed many of the king's lieges, and burned many houses, entered the city of London, and burned the house of the king's uncle John, duke of Lancaster [aged 41], called the 'Sauveye [Map],' and the priory in Clerkenwelle of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem in England, and killed Simon, archbishop of Canterbury [deceased] and chancellor, and Robert de Hales [deceased], prior of the said Hospital. By К. June 15. London.
After 14th June 1381 Archbishop Simon Sudbury [deceased]'s head was kept at St Gregory's Church, Sudbury [Map].