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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Paternal Family Tree: Townshend
Maternal Family Tree: Anne Ferrers 1678
On 19th December 1751 [his father] George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend [aged 27] and [his mother] Charlotte Compton 16th Baroness Ferrers Chartley 7th Baroness Compton were married. He by marriage Baron Ferrers of Chartley, Baron Compton of Compton in Warwickshire. She the daughter of [his grandfather] James Compton 5th Earl of Northampton [aged 64] and [his grandmother] Elizabeth Shirley Countess Northampton. They were sixth cousins.
On 18th April 1753 George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend was born to [his father] George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend [aged 29] and [his mother] Charlotte Compton 16th Baroness Ferrers Chartley 7th Baroness Compton.
On 3rd October 1754 [his grandfather] James Compton 5th Earl of Northampton [aged 67] died. His brother George [aged 62] succeeded 6th Earl of Northampton. His daughter [his mother] Charlotte succeeded 7th Baroness Compton of Compton in Warwickshire.
On 12th March 1764 [his grandfather] Charles Townshend 3rd Viscount Townsend [aged 63] died. His son [his father] George [aged 40] succeeded 4th George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend, 4th Baron Townshend of Lynn Regis in Norfolk, 6th Baronet Townshend. His son George succeeded 4th Viscount Townsend.
On 3rd September 1770 [his mother] Charlotte Compton 16th Baroness Ferrers Chartley 7th Baroness Compton died. Her son George [aged 17] succeeded 17th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, 8th Baron Compton of Compton in Warwickshire.
On 19th May 1773 [his father] George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend [aged 49] and [his step-mother] Anne Montgomery Marchioness Townshend [aged 21] were married. The difference in their ages was 27 years.
On 24th December 1777 George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend [aged 24] and Charlotte Mainwaring Ellerker Countess of Leicester [aged 6] were married. He the son of George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend [aged 53] and Charlotte Compton 16th Baroness Ferrers Chartley 7th Baroness Compton.
On 13th December 1778 [his son] George Ferrers Townshend 3rd Marquess Townshend was born to George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend [aged 25] and [his wife] Charlotte Mainwaring Ellerker Countess of Leicester [aged 7]. He married 12th May 1807 Sarah Dunn-Gardner Marchioness Townshend.
In 1784 George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend [aged 30] was created 1st Earl of Leicester. [his wife] Charlotte Mainwaring Ellerker Countess of Leicester [aged 12] by marriage Countess of Leicester.
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 16th September 1785 [his son] Charles Vere Ferrers Townshend was born to George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend [aged 32] and [his wife] Charlotte Mainwaring Ellerker Countess of Leicester [aged 14]. He married before 5th November 1853 his first cousin Charlotte Elizabeth Loftus.
In 1787 [his father] George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend [aged 62] and [his step-mother] Georgiana Anne Poyntz [aged 23] were married. The difference in their ages was 39 years.
On 27th October 1787 [his father] George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend [aged 63] was created 1st Marquess Townshend. [his step-mother] Anne Montgomery Marchioness Townshend [aged 35] by marriage Marchioness Townshend.
On 17th August 1797 [his brother-in-law] George William Frederick Osborne 6th Duke Leeds [aged 22] and [his half-sister] Charlotte Townshend Duchess Leeds [aged 21] were married. She by marriage Baroness Darcy of Knayth, Baroness Conyers. She the daughter of [his father] George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend [aged 73] and [his step-mother] Anne Montgomery Marchioness Townshend [aged 45]. He the son of Francis Osborne 5th Duke Leeds [aged 46] and Amelia Darcy 12th Baroness Darcy 9th Baroness Conyers. They were sixth cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland.
On 31st January 1799 Francis Osborne 5th Duke Leeds [aged 48] died. His son [his brother-in-law] George [aged 23] succeeded 6th Duke Leeds, 6th Earl of Danby, 6th Viscount Osborne, 6th Viscount Latimer, 6th Baron Osborne of Kinderton, 7th Baronet Osborne of Kiveton. [his half-sister] Charlotte Townshend Duchess Leeds [aged 22] by marriage Duchess Leeds.
On 2nd February 1802 [his wife] Charlotte Mainwaring Ellerker Countess of Leicester [aged 30] died.
12th May 1807 George Ferrers Townshend 3rd Marquess Townshend [aged 28] and Sarah Dunn-Gardner Marchioness Townshend were married. He the son of George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend [aged 54] and Charlotte Mainwaring Ellerker Countess of Leicester.
On 14th September 1807 [his father] George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend [aged 83] died. His son George [aged 54] succeeded 2nd Marquess Townshend, 5th Viscount Townsend, 5th Baron Townshend of Lynn Regis in Norfolk, 7th Baronet Townshend.
On 27th July 1811 George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend [aged 58] died. His son George [aged 32] succeeded 3rd Marquess Townshend, 2nd Earl of Leicester, 6th Viscount Townsend, 6th Baron Townshend of Lynn Regis in Norfolk, 8th Baronet Townshend, 18th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, 9th Baron Compton of Compton in Warwickshire. Sarah Dunn-Gardner Marchioness Townshend by marriage Marchioness Townshend.
Letters of Horace Walpole. The Opposition set out this winter with trying to call for several negotiations during the war; but the great storm which has so much employed us of late, was stirred up by Colonel Lyttelton; (5) who, having been ill-treated by the Duke, has been dealing with the Prince. He discovered to the House some innovations in the Mutiny-bill, of which, though he could not make much, the Opposition have, and fought the bill for a whole fortnight; during the course of which the world has got much light into many very arbitrary proceedings of the Commander-in-chief,(6) which have been the more believed too by the defection of my [his father] Lord Townshend's eldest son, who is one of his aide-de-camps. Though the ministry, by the weight of numbers, have carried their point in a great measure, yet you may be sure great heats have been raised; and those have been still more inflamed by a correspondent practice in a new Navy-bill, brought in by the direction of Lord Sandwich and Lord Anson, but vehemently opposed by half the fleet, headed by Sir Peter Warren, the conqueror of Cape Breton, richer than Anson, and absurd as Vernon. The bill has even been petitioned against, and the mutinous were likely to go great lengths, if' the admiralty had not bought off some by money, and others by relaxing in the material points.- We began upon it yesterday, and are still likely to have a long affair of it-so much for politics: and as for any thing else, I scarce know any thing else. My Lady Huntingdon,(8) the Queen of the Methodists, has got her daughter named for lady of the bedchamber to the Princesses; but it is all off again as she will not let her play at cards on Sundays. It is equally absurd on both sides, to refuse it, or to insist upon it.
(5) Richard, third son of Sir Thomas, and brother of Sir George Lyttelton: he married the Duchess-dowager of Bridgewater, and was afterwards made a knight of the Bath.
(6) William Duke of Cumberland. He was "Captain-general of the Forces," having been so created in 1745.-D.
(7) George Townshend, afterwards the first Marquis of that name and title.-D.
(8) Selina, daughter of Washington, Earl Ferrers, and widow of Theophilus, Earl of Huntingdon.
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Kings Wessex: Great x 22 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England
Kings Gwynedd: Great x 19 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd
Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 25 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth
Kings Powys: Great x 20 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys
Kings Godwinson: Great x 22 Grand Son of King Harold II of England
Kings England: Great x 12 Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Kings Scotland: Great x 21 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland
Kings Franks: Great x 28 Grand Son of Charles "Charlemagne aka Great" King of the Franks King Lombardy Holy Roman Emperor
Kings France: Great x 22 Grand Son of Hugh I King of the Franks
Kings Duke Aquitaine: Great x 26 Grand Son of Ranulf I Duke Aquitaine
Great x 4 Grandfather: John Townshend 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Roger Townshend 1st Baronet 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Bacon 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Horatio Townshend 1st Viscount Townsend 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: Charles Townshend 2nd Viscount Townsend 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Joseph Ashe 1st Baronet
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Ashe Viscountess Townshend
GrandFather: Charles Townshend 3rd Viscount Townsend 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Pelham 2nd Baronet 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Pelham 3rd Baronet 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Pelham 1st Baron Pelham of Laughton 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester 
10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Lucy Sidney Baroness Pelham Laughton 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Dorothy Percy Countess Leicester 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Pelham Viscountess Townsend 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Jones of Stowey Somerset
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Jones
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Jones
Father: George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Richard Harrison
Great x 1 Grandfather: Edward Harrison 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Villiers 
Great x 3 Grandfather: George Villiers 4th Viscount Grandison 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Barbara St John 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandmother: Audrey Villiers 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Francis Leigh 1st Earl Chichester
Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Leigh Viscountess Grandison 13 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England
GrandMother: Audrey aka Etheldreda Harrison 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
George Townshend 2nd Marquess Townshend 12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: William Compton 1st Earl of Northampton 
6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Spencer Compton 2nd Earl of Northampton 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Elizabeth Spencer Countess Northampton 
Great x 2 Grandfather: James Compton 3rd Earl of Northampton 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Francis Beaumont 
7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandmother: Mary Beaumont Countess of Northampton 8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 1 Grandfather: George Compton 4th Earl of Northampton 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Edward Noel 2nd Viscount Campden 
Great x 3 Grandfather: Baptist Noel 3rd Viscount Campden
Great x 4 Grandmother: Juliana Hicks Viscountess Campden
Great x 2 Grandmother: Mary Noel Countess Northampton
Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Wotton 2nd Baron Wotton 
Great x 3 Grandmother: Hester Wotton Viscountess Campden
GrandFather: James Compton 5th Earl of Northampton 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Fox of Farley Wiltshire 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Stephen Fox
Great x 3 Grandmother: Christian Palfreyman
Great x 1 Grandmother: Jane Fox Countess Northampton
Great x 3 Grandfather: William Whittle of the City of London
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Whittle
Mother: Charlotte Compton 16th Baroness Ferrers Chartley 7th Baroness Compton 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Shirley 2nd Baronet 
8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Shirley 4th Baronet 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Dorothy Devereux Lady Shirley 
8 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Shirley 1st Earl Ferrers 10 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Humphrey Okeover
Great x 3 Grandmother: Catherine Okeover Lady Shirley
Great x 1 Grandfather: Robert Shirley 11 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Lawrence Washington
Great x 3 Grandfather: Laurence Washington
Great x 2 Grandmother: Elizabeth Washington Baroness Ferrers Chartley
GrandMother: Elizabeth Shirley Countess Northampton 12 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England
Great x 4 Grandfather: Humphrey Ferrers 
12 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 3 Grandfather: John Ferrers 13 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Pakington Countess Chesterfield 
Great x 2 Grandfather: Humphrey Ferrers 14 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England
Great x 1 Grandmother: Anne Ferrers 15 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England