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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In 1616 Bishop Walter Blandford was born at Melbury Abbas, Dorset.
After 1648 Bishop Walter Blandford (age 32) was appointed Chaplain to John Lovelace 2nd Baron Lovelace (age 31).
In November 1665 Bishop Walter Blandford (age 49) was appointed Bishop of Oxford.
In 1668 Bishop Walter Blandford (age 52) was appointed Clerk of the Closet.
In 1671 Bishop Walter Blandford (age 55) was appointed Bishop of Worcester.
John Evelyn's Diary. 6th October 1672. Dr. Thistlethwaite preached at Whitehall on Rev. v. 2, - a young, but good preacher. I received the blessed Communion, Dr. Blandford (age 56), Bishop of Worcester, and Dean of the Chapel, officiating. Dined at my Lord Clifford's (age 42), with Lord Mulgrave (age 24), Sir Gilbert Talbot (age 41), and Sir Robert Holmes (age 50).
In 1675 Bishop Walter Blandford (age 59) died.