Adam Murimuth's Continuation and Robert of Avesbury’s 'The Wonderful Deeds of King Edward III'
This volume brings together two of the most important contemporary chronicles for the reign of Edward III and the opening phases of the Hundred Years’ War. Written in Latin by English clerical observers, these texts provide a vivid and authoritative window into the political, diplomatic, and military history of fourteenth-century England and its continental ambitions. Adam Murimuth Continuatio's Chronicarum continues an earlier chronicle into the mid-fourteenth century, offering concise but valuable notices on royal policy, foreign relations, and ecclesiastical affairs. Its annalistic structure makes it especially useful for establishing chronology and tracing the development of events year by year. Complementing it, Robert of Avesbury’s De gestis mirabilibus regis Edwardi tertii is a rich documentary chronicle preserving letters, treaties, and official records alongside narrative passages. It is an indispensable source for understanding Edward III’s claim to the French crown, the conduct of war, and the mechanisms of medieval diplomacy. Together, these works offer scholars, students, and enthusiasts a reliable and unembellished account of a transformative period in English and European history. Essential for anyone interested in medieval chronicles, the Hundred Years’ War, or the reign of Edward III.
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Paternal Family Tree: Montagu
Before 1524 [his uncle] Edward Montagu (age 38) and Agnes Kirkham were married.
Before 1525 [his uncle] Edward Montagu (age 39) and Cicely Lane (age 28) were married.
Before 1530 [his uncle] Edward Montagu (age 44) and [his mother] Helen Roper (age 29) were married.
Around 1530 Edward Montagu was born to [his uncle] Edward Montagu (age 45) and [his mother] Helen Roper (age 30) at Brigstock, Boughton.
In 1539 Edward Montagu (age 9) was appointed Justice of the King's Bench.
In 1539 Edward Montagu (age 9) was appointed Justice of the Common Pleas.
In 1539 [his uncle] Edward Montagu (age 54) was appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
In 1545 [his uncle] Edward Montagu (age 60) was appointed Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.
In 1557 Edward Montagu (age 27) and Elizabeth Harrington (age 12) were married.
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 10th February 1557 [his uncle] Edward Montagu (age 72) died.
Around 1563 [his son] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester was born to Edward Montagu (age 33) and [his wife] Elizabeth Harrington (age 18) at Boughton, Northamptonshire. He married (1) 1st June 1601 Catherine Spencer and had issue (2) 9th November 1613 Anne Wincot (3) 26th April 1620 Margaret Crouch Countess Manchester and had issue.
In 1563 [his son] Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu was born to Edward Montagu (age 33) and [his wife] Elizabeth Harrington (age 18). He married (1) 21st September 1585 Elizabeth Jeffrey and had issue (2) 24th February 1612 Frances Cotton and had issue (3) 16th February 1625 Anne Crouch Baroness Montagu.
On 3rd May 1563 [his mother] Helen Roper (age 63) died.
Around 1564 [his son] Charles Montagu was born to Edward Montagu (age 34) and [his wife] Elizabeth Harrington (age 19). He married (1) 1601 Letice Clifford (2) 1612 Mary Whitmore and had issue.
Around 1568 [his son] Bishop James Montagu was born to Edward Montagu (age 38) and [his wife] Elizabeth Harrington (age 23).
On 6th April 1580 [his son-in-law] William Wray 1st Baronet (age 25) and [his daughter] Lucy Montagu were married.
In 1581 [his son] Sidney Montagu was born to Edward Montagu (age 51) and [his wife] Elizabeth Harrington (age 36). He married (1) 1619 Paulina Pepys and had issue (2) 17th January 1644 Anne Isham.
On 21st September 1585 [his son] Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu (age 22) and [his daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Jeffrey (age 17) were married at Weekley, Northamptonshire.
On 1st March 1599 [his daughter] Lucy Montagu died. She was buried at Lincoln Cathedral [Map].
On 11th August 1600 [his son-in-law] Henry Capell (age 21) and [his daughter] Theodosia Montagu were married.
In 1601 [his son] Charles Montagu (age 37) and [his daughter-in-law] Letice Clifford (age 31) were married.
On 1st June 1601 [his son] Henry Montagu 1st Earl Manchester (age 38) and [his daughter-in-law] Catherine Spencer (age 15) were married. The difference in their ages was 23 years.
On 26th January 1602 Edward Montagu (age 72) died at Brigstock, Boughton.
On 19th May 1618 [his former wife] Elizabeth Harrington (age 73) died.
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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Samuel Pepys' Diary. 22nd September 1665. Among other discourse concerning long life, Sir J. Minnes (age 66) saying that his great-grandfather was alive in Edward the Vth's time; my [his grandson] Lord Sandwich (age 40) did tell us how few there have been of his family since King Harry the VIIIth; that is to say, the then [his uncle] Chiefe Justice, and his son the Lord Montagu, who was father to [his son] Sir Sidney1, who was his father. And yet, what is more wonderfull, he did assure us from the mouth of my Lord Montagu himself, that in King James's time ([when he] had a mind to get the King (age 35) to cut off the entayle of some land which was given in Harry the VIIIth's time to the family, with the remainder in the Crowne); he did answer the King in showing how unlikely it was that ever it could revert to the Crown, but that it would be a present convenience to him; and did show that at that time there were 4,000 persons derived from the very body of the Chiefe Justice. It seems the number of daughters in the family having been very great, and they too had most of them many children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. This he tells as a most known and certain truth.
Note 1. These are the words in the MS., and not "his son and the Lord Montagu", as in some former editions. Pepys seems to have written Lord Montagu by mistake for Sir Edward Montagu.
[his daughter] Elizabeth Montagu was born to Edward Montagu and Elizabeth Harrington.
[his daughter] Susanna Montagu was born to Edward Montagu and Elizabeth Harrington.
[his daughter] Lucy Montagu was born to Edward Montagu and Elizabeth Harrington. She married 6th April 1580 William Wray 1st Baronet, son of Christopher Wray and Anne Girlington, and had issue.
[his son] Thomas Montagu was born to Edward Montagu and Elizabeth Harrington.
[his son] Walter Montagu was born to Edward Montagu and Elizabeth Harrington.
[his son] Henry Montagu was born to Edward Montagu and Elizabeth Harrington.
[his daughter] Theodosia Montagu was born to Edward Montagu and Elizabeth Harrington. She married 11th August 1600 Henry Capell and had issue.
Kings Wessex: Great x 16 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings England: Great x 8 Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 15 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 12 Grand Son of Louis VII King of the Franks
Kings France: Great x 16 Grand Son of Robert "Pious" II King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 20 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: Simon Montagu 
2 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Montagu 3 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Broughton 
Great x 2 Grandfather: John Montagu 4 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Basset 
9 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 3 Grandmother: Christina Basset 10 x Great Grand Daughter of
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Ladde Montagu 5 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 2 Grandmother: Alice Holcot
GrandFather: Thomas Montagu 6 x Great Grand Son of
Father: Edward Montagu 7 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Dudley 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Dudley
Great x 1 Grandfather: William Dudley
GrandMother: Agnes Dudley
Edward Montagu 8 x Great Grand Son of
Great x 2 Grandfather: Edmund Roper 
Great x 1 Grandfather: John Roper
GrandFather: John Roper of Well Hall
Mother: Helen Roper