Jean de Waurin's Chronicle of England Volume 6 Books 3-6: The Wars of the Roses
Jean de Waurin was a French Chronicler, from the Artois region, who was born around 1400, and died around 1474. Waurin’s Chronicle of England, Volume 6, covering the period 1450 to 1471, from which we have selected and translated Chapters relating to the Wars of the Roses, provides a vivid, original, contemporary description of key events some of which he witnessed first-hand, some of which he was told by the key people involved with whom Waurin had a personal relationship.
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In 1432 Gilbert Debenham was born.
In 1455 Gilbert Debenham [aged 23] was elected MP Ipswich.
In or after 1459 William Zouche 6th Baron Zouche Harringworth [aged 27] and [his future wife] Katherine Plumpton were married.
From 1465 Gilbert Debenham [aged 33] and his father were in violent conflict with the Paston family over possession of Caldecott Hall, near Fritton in Suffolk. In September 1465 Gilbert junior tried to seize the manor but failed. He and John Paston junior both began raising private armies to fight the matter out, but the Duke of Norfolk, whom they both served, intervened and bound them to keep the peace.
After 1469 Gilbert Debenham [aged 37] and Katherine Plumpton were married.
On 29th September 1470 King Edward IV of England [aged 28] fled from King's Lynn, Norfolk [Map] to the court of Charles the Bold [aged 36] who had married his sister Margaret [aged 24] two years earlier. His brother Richard [aged 17].
Gilbert Debenham [aged 38] travelled with King Edward IV of England.
In October 1470 [his wife] Katherine Plumpton died.
Before 14th March 1471 Gilbert Debenham [aged 39] landed in Norfolk to determine whether it would be a safe landing for King Edward IV of England [aged 28]; he advised that it would not be.
Around 1474 Gilbert Debenham [aged 42] was appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland and was sent to Ireland to restore order, with a troop of four hundred men.
In 1476 Gilbert Debenham [aged 44] is found in Marshalsea Prison [Map].
On 10th April 1483, in the morning, the coffin of King Edward IV of England [deceased] was moved to St Stephen's Chapel, Westminster Palace [Map]. Bishop Edward Story sang the masses. Richard Fiennes Baron Dacre Gilsland [aged 68], Chamberlain to Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England [aged 46], offered on the Queen's behalf.
Gilbert Debenham [aged 51] played a prominent part in organizing the funeral
On 17th April 1483 the coffin of Edward IV [deceased] was carried to Westminster Abbey [Map] by Edward Stanley 1st Baron Monteagle [aged 21], John Savage [aged 39], Thomas Wortley [aged 50], Thomas Molyneux [aged 38], probably John Welles 1st Viscount Welles [aged 33] who had married Edward's daughter Cecily), John Cheney 1st Baron Cheyne [aged 41], Walter Hungerford [aged 19], Guy Wolston [aged 50], John Sapcote [aged 35], Thomas Tyrrell [aged 30], John Risley, Thomas Dacre 2nd Baron Dacre Gilsland [aged 15], John Norreys, Louis de Bretelles and John Comyn 4th Lord Baddenoch.
Those in the procession included:
Thomas St Leger [aged 43], widow of Edward's sister Anne.
William Parr [aged 49].
William Stonor [aged 33].
Henry Ferrers [aged 40].
James Radclyffe [aged 43].
George Browne [aged 43].
Gilbert Debenham [aged 51].
John Howard 1st Duke of Norfolk [aged 58] walked in front of the coffin with Edward's personal arms.
John Marlow Abbot Bermondsey followed by:
Bishop Thomas Kempe [aged 93].
Bishop John Hales [aged 83] (Bishop of Chester?).
Bishop Robert Stillington [aged 63].
Bishop William Dudley [aged 58].
Cardinal John Morton [aged 63] (as Bishop of Ely).
Bishop Edmund Tuchet [aged 40] (as Bishop of Rochester).
Bishop Peter Courtenay, and.
Bishop Lionel Woodville [aged 36].
Archbishop Thomas Rotherham [aged 59] brought up the rear.
Cardinal Thomas Bourchier [aged 65], then Archbishop of Canterbury, took no part due to infirmity.
John de la Pole Earl Lincoln 1st [aged 21]; the King's nephew,.
William Hastings 1st Baron Hastings [aged 52].
Thomas Grey 1st Marquess Dorset [aged 28].
William Herbert 2nd Earl Pembroke 1st Earl Huntingdon [aged 32] (some sources say Earl of Huntingindon?).
William Berkeley 1st Marquess Berkeley [aged 57].
Thomas Stanley 1st Earl of Derby [aged 48].
Richard Fiennes Baron Dacre Gilsland [aged 68].
John Sutton 1st Baron Dudley [aged 82].
George Neville 4th and 2nd Baron Abergavenny [aged 43].
John Tuchet 6th Baron Audley, 3rd Baron Tuchet [aged 57].
Walter Devereux Baron Ferrers of Chartley [aged 51].
Edward Grey 1st Viscount Lisle [aged 51].
Henry Lovell 9th Baron Marshal 8th Baron Morley [aged 7].
Richard Woodville 3rd Earl Rivers [aged 30].
John Brooke 7th Baron Cobham [aged 35].
Richard Hastings Baron Willoughby [aged 50].
John Bourchier 6th Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 45].
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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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In 1491 Gilbert Debenham [aged 59] was appointed Constable of Carrickfergus Castle. He also received the office of Keeper of the Royal mines in Ireland.
On 16th February 1495 William Stanley [aged 60] and Simon Montfort were beheaded at Tower Hill [Map] for their part in the Perkin Warbeck Plot.
Gilbert Debenham [aged 63] was attainted and condemned to death for treason for having supported Stanley. He remained in prison until 1499 when his sister Elizabeth Brewes, in return for paying a large fine, obtained a pardon for her brother and a promise that the attainder would be reversed.
In 1500 Gilbert Debenham [aged 68] died.
History of the Arrival of Edward IV Part 2. In the yere of grace 1471, aftar the comptinge of the churche of England, the ij. day of Marche, endynge the x. yere4 of the reigne of our soveraign Lord Kynge Edwarde the IV, by the grace of God Kynge of England and of Fraunce, and Lord of Irland, the sayde moaste noble kynge accompanied with ij thowsand Englyshe men5, well chosen, entendynge to passe the sea, and to reentar and recovar his realme of England, at that tyme usurpyd and occupied by Henry, callyd Henry VI.6, by the traytorous meanes of his greate rebell Richard, Erle of Warwicke, and his complices, entered into his shipe, afore the haven of Flisshinge [Map], in Zeland, the sayde ij. of Marche; and forasmoche as aftar he was in the shippe, and the felowshipe also, with all that to them appertayned, the wynd fell and not good for hym, he therefore wold not retorne agayne to the land, but abode in his shipe, and all his felowshipe in lyke wyse, by the space of ix dayes, abydynge good wynde and wether; whiche had the xj. daye of Marche, he made saile, and so did all the shipps that awayted upon hym, takyng theyr cowrse streyght over [towards] the coste of Norfolke, and came before Crowmere, the Tuesdaye, agayne even, the xij. day of Marche; withar the Kynge sent on land Ser Robart Chambarlayne, Syr Gilbert Debenham, Knyghts, and othar, trustinge by them to have some knowledge how the land inward was disposed towards hym, and, specially, the countries there nere adioyninge, as in party so they browght hym knowledge from suche as for that caws wer sent into thos parties,from his trew servaunts and partakars within the land, whiche tolde them, for certayne, that thos parties wer right sore beset by th'Erle of Warwyke, and his adherents, and, in especiall, by th'Erle of Oxenforde7, in such wyse that, of lyklyhood, it might not be for his wele to lande in the contrye; and a great cawse was, for the Duke of Norfolke was had owt of the contrye, and all the gentlemen of whom th'Erle of Warwicke bare any suspicion ware, afore that, sent for by letars of privie seale, and put in warde about London, or els found surety; natheles, the sayd ij Knyghts, and they that came on land with them, had right good chere, and turned agayne to the sea. Whos report herd, the Kynge garte make course towards the north partyes.
Note 4. endynge the x. yere. — The regnal years of Edward IV. were reckoned from the 4th day of March 1461, the day on which he took possession of the throne; (Fabyan, 639;) his tenth year ended therefore on 3rd March 1471.
Note 5. accompanied with ij thowsand Englishmen. — Henry's government at first represented Edward's adherents as consisting wholly of foreigners, (Fœdera, XI, 705.) but afterwards admitted they were partly Englishmen and partly Flemings (Ibid. 706.) The Chroniclres are singularly contradictory. The Croyland Continuator describes them as 1500 Englishmen; (Gale, I. 554;) Fabyan as a small company of Flemings and others not exceeding 1000 in number; (Fabyan, 660;) Polydore Vergil as scarcely 2000 men at arms; (Vergil, 522;) the Chronicler in Leland as 900 Englishmen and 300 Flemings. (Collect. II. 503.)
Note 6. his realme of England at that tyme usurpyd and occupied by Henry, callyd Henry VI. — Henry's brief restoration took place in the month of October 1470; the day is variously stated. There are documents in the Fœdera in Henry's name dated the 9th of October. (XI. 661-664.)
Note 7. in especiall by th'Erle of Oxenforde. — Preparations to resist the meditated return of Edward IV. were made as early as December 1470. On the 21st of that month a Commission was directed to the Marquis Montague, authorising him, in case of necessity, to raise the counties of Nottyngham, York, Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmerland; (Fœd. 676;) and a Commission of a similar character, but extending all over England, was directed to the Duke of Clarence, the Earl of Warwick, the Earl of Oxford and Sir John Scrope on the 28th of December. (Ibid. 677.) By a writ dated the 2nd January 1471, the Sheriffs and people of the counties of Cambridge, Huntingdon, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Hertford, were directed to be attendant upon the last-mentioned Commissioners. (Ibid. 678.) The exertions of the Earl of Oxford in raising men in the Eastern Counties are manifest from two letters in the Paston Collection. (II. 54, 58.)
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