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The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

Biography of John Chandos 1320-1369

1344 Creation of the Order of the Garter

1346 Battle of Crécy

1350 Creation of Garter Knights

1356 Battle of Poitiers

1364 Battle of Auray

Around 1320 John Chandos was born at Radbourne Hall, Derbyshire [Map].

Creation of the Order of the Garter

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Battle of Crécy

On 26th August 1346 the army of King Edward III of England (age 33) defeated the French army at the Battle of Crécy. The English army was commanded by King Edward III of England, his son Edward "Black Prince" (age 16), Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick (age 33), William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton (age 36) and John Beauchamp 1st Baron Beauchamp Warwick (age 30).

The English army was included: Bishop Thomas of Hatfield (age 36), Hugh Despencer 1st Baron Despencer (age 38), Bernard Brocas (age 16), Thomas Felton (age 16), James Audley (age 28), Robert Bourchier 1st Baron Bourchier, Bartholomew "The Elder" Burghesh 1st Baron Burghesh (age 59), Bartholomew "The Younger" Burghesh 2nd Baron Burghesh (age 18), Reginald Cobham 1st Baron Cobham (age 51), John Darcy 1st Baron Darcy of Knayth (age 66), Robert Ferrers 3rd Baron Ferrers of Chartley (age 37), Richard Scrope 1st Baron Scrope of Bolton (age 19), William Scrope (age 21), Stephen Scrope (age 21), William Latimer 4th Baron Latimer of Corby (age 16), John Lisle 2nd Baron Lisle (age 28), Gerard Lisle 1st Baron Lisle (age 42), Nicholas Longford (age 61), Edward Montagu 1st Baron Montagu, Walter Paveley 4th Baron Burghesh (age 27), Michael Poynings 1st Baron Poynings (age 28), Robert Ufford 1st Earl Suffolk (age 48), John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford (age 34), Thomas West (age 34), John Willoughby 2nd Baron Willoughby (age 43), John Wingfield (age 26), Henry Percy 11th and 3rd Baron Percy (age 25), Hugh Courtenay 2nd or 10th Earl Devon (age 43) (possibly), Walter "Elder" Devereux (age 37), John Devereux (age 44), Enion Sais Brecon, John Chandos (age 26), Richard Pembridge (age 26) and John Sully (age 63).

The French army suffered significant casualties. King Philip "Fortunate" VI of France (age 52) was wounded. William de Coucy (age 60) and his son Enguerrand 6th Lord de Coucy (age 33) and were killed.

Charles Valois Count Alençon (age 49) was killed. His son Charles (age 9) succeeded Count Alençon.

Louis Chatillon II Count Blois I Count Chatillon was killed. His son Louis succeeded III Count Blois.

Louis Dampierre II Count Nevers I Count Flanders (age 42) was killed. His son Louis (age 15) succeeded III Count Nevers, II Count Flanders.

King John I of Bohemia (age 50) was killed. His son Charles (age 30) succeeded IV King Bohemia.

Rudolph "Valiant" Metz I Duke Lorraine (age 26) was killed. His son John succeeded I Duke Lorraine.

Jean IV de Harcourt (age 39) was killed.

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1350 Creation of Garter Knights

Annales of England by John Stow. This yeere, on Saint Georges day [23rd April 1350], the king held a great and solemne feast at his castle of Windsor, where he had augmented the chappel which Henry the first and other his progenitors, kings of England, had before erected, of eight chanons. He added to those eight chanons a deane and fifteene chanons more, and 24 poore and impotent knights, with other ministers and servants, as appeareth in his charter dated the two and twentieth of his reigne. Besides the king, there were other also that were contributors to the foundation of this colledge, as followeth: i. The sovereigne king Edward the third, 2. Edward, his eldest sonne, prince of Wales, 3. Henry, duke of Lancaster, 4. the earle of Warwicke (age 37), 5. Captaine de Bouch (age 19), 6. Ralph, earle of Stafford (age 48), 7. William Montacute (age 21), earle of Salisburie, 8. Roger, lorde Mortimer (age 21), earle of March, 9. sir John de Lisle (age 31), 10. sir Bartholomew Burwash (age 22), 11. sir John Beauchampe (age 34), 12. sir John Mahune (age 30), 13. sir Hugh Courtney, 14. sir Thomas Holland (age 36), 15. sir John Grey (age 49), 16. sir Richard Fitz Simon, 17. sir Miles Stapleton (age 30), 18. sir Thomas Walle (age 47), 19. sir Hugh Wrothesley (age 16), 20. sir Nele Loring (age 30), 21. sir John Chandos (age 30), 22. sir James de Audley (age 32), 23. sir Othes Holland (age 34), 24. sir Henry Eme, 25. sir Sechet Dabridgecourt (age 20), 26. sir Wiliam Panell (age 31). All these, together with the king, were clothed in gownes of russet, poudered with garters blew, wearing the like garters also on their right legges, and mantels of blew with scutcheons of S. George. In this sort of apparell they, being bare-headed, heard masse, which was celebrated by Simon Islip, archbishop of Canterbury, and the bishops of Winchester and Excester, and afterwards they went to the feast, setting themselves orderly at the table, for the honor of the feast, which they named to be of S. George the martyr and the choosing of the knights of the Garter.

Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke [-1360]. On Friday [20th November 1355], having been informed that the French were nearby and had formed themselves into five large battles, our forces advanced about one mile from their lodging and drew themselves up in a suitable field, prepared for battle. Thus, with the army arrayed, someone cried out that a hare had been roused; hearing this, the enemy sent out forty lancers, who, upon seeing the army drawn up in full order and quickly returning with this report, caused all the French to flee in great panic, as was reported by those captured in the pursuit. That day, Bartholomew de Burghersh (age 27),1 John Chandos (age 35), and James Audley (age 37), leading a force of eighty lancers, attacked the rear of the French host, capturing thirty-two knights and squires, among them the Count of Roumania,2 and killing many baggage handlers, destroying their supplies. Later, the prince lodged at the town of Muwos, where four French men-at-arms who had fled into the church were captured by the English; they lost only their horses and arms. On Saturday, in rainy weather, they took a difficult and narrow road to the castle of Oradrie, where the prince spent the night, and the next morning had it burned.

Die Veneris, certificato quod Gallici in acies quinque magnas fuerant divisi de prope existentes, progressi nostri ad spacium unius miliaris de ospicio seipsos in campo apto ordinarunt ad preliandum. Itaque exercitu ordinato, quidam suscitatum leporem exclamarunt; quod audientes inimici emiserunt xl. lanceatos, per quos viso exercitu ordinato reversosque celeriter hec nunciantes, omnes fugerunt cum magno pavore, sicud retulerunt capti ex eiis in persecucione. Illo die Bartholomeus de Burghasche, Iohannes Chandos, et Iacobus Daudeleye, ad summam quater viginti lanceatorum ordinati discooperatores, accedentes ad caudam exercitus Gallicorum, captivarunt triginta duos milites et domicellos, et inter eos dominum comitem de Romenie; item, multos bigarios occiderunt, destruentes eorum victualia. Sero principe ospitato in villa de Muwos, quatuor Gallici armorum, Anglicos fugitivi in ecclesiam illius ville, equos et arma dumtaxat perdiderunt. Sabbato pluvioso carpserunt malum iter et strictum ad castrum de Oradrie, in quo princeps pernoctavit, et mane id combussit.

Note 1. The prince of Wales's letter to the bishop of Winchester (Avesbury 434 The two famous comrades of the Black Prince, sir John Chandos and sir James Audley, were both founders of the Garter. Chandos was mortally wounded in a skirmish near Lussac in Poitou, 31st December 1369.

Note 2. There was a seigneur de Romeny, but no count with that title.

Battle of Poitiers

On 19th September 1356 the army of Edward "Black Prince" (age 26) defeated the French and Scottish army led by King John "The Good" II of France (age 37) at the Battle of Poitiers

King John "The Good" II of France was captured by three captains including Ivon aka John Fane.

The the English army included: Bernard Brocas (age 26), Thomas Felton (age 26), James Audley (age 38), Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick (age 43), Bartholomew "The Younger" Burghesh 2nd Baron Burghesh (age 28), Reginald Cobham 1st Baron Cobham (age 61), Edward Despencer 1st Baron Despencer, Baron Burghesh (age 21), Ralph Ferrers (age 27), William Scrope (age 31), William Montagu 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 28), Walter Paveley 4th Baron Burghesh (age 37), Robert Ufford 1st Earl Suffolk (age 58), William Ufford 2nd Earl Suffolk (age 18), John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford (age 44), John Willoughby 3rd Baron Willoughby (age 33), Thomas Arderne (age 19), Enion Sais Brecon, John Chandos (age 36), Richard Pembridge (age 36), Jean Grailly (age 25), Robert de Fouleshurst (age 26) and John Sully (age 73)

John Savile of Shelley and Golcar (age 31) probably fought having received letters of protection to travel overseas.

Hugh Courtenay 2nd or 10th Earl Devon (age 53) protected the baggage train.

The French and Scottish army included: King John "The Good" II of France, Philip "Bold" Valois II Duke Burgundy (age 14), Jean Bourbon I Count La Marche (age 12), Archibald "Grim" Douglas 3rd Earl Douglas (age 26), John "Sans Terre" Artois 1st Count of Eu (age 35); all captured.

Guichard d'Angle 1st Earl Huntingdon and William Douglas 1st Earl Douglas (age 33) fought.

Peter Bourbon Duke Bourbon (age 45) was killed. His son Louis (age 19) succeeded II Duke Bourbon.

Gauthier VI Comte de Brienne (age 54) was killed.

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In 1360 John Chandos (age 40) was created Knight Banneret.

Battle of Auray

On 29th September 1364 Battle of Auray decided the Breton Succession in favour of John Montfort V Duke Brittany (age 25). The Breton and English army was commanded by John Chandos (age 44) and included William Latimer 4th Baron Latimer of Corby (age 34), Miles Stapleton (age 44) and Hugh Calverley (age 40). Charles "Saint" Chatillon Duke Brittany (age 45) was killed. Bertrand Geusclin (age 44) surrendered.

On 31st December 1369 John Chandos (age 49) was killed. Chandos' force retreated towards the bridge across the Vienne at Lussac-les-Châteaux, along the route to Poitiers through Chauvigny. The French, unaware of their presence, had decided to follow the same route to harass any English troops. The adversaries met at the bridge of Lussac. In the battle, Chandos' long coat made him slip on the frost. James de Saint-Martin, a squire in the house of Sir Bagnac (or Guillaume Boitel, according to Paul Hay du Chastelet) struck Chandos with his lance, piercing his face below the eye. Chandos' uncle Edward Twyford, standing over his wounded nephew, repulsed the attackers. One of his squires pierced both legs of James Saint-Martin with his sword; Saint-Martin died three days later at Poitiers. John Chandos was carried on a large shield to Morthemer, the nearest English fortress. He was buried at Les Aubeniaux, Mazerolles where there is a monument.

Archaeologia Volume 20 Section 5. Account of the Tomb of Sir John Chandos, Knt. A.D. 1370, at Civauux a hamlet on the Vienne, in France; by Samuel Rush Meyrick (age 40), LL. D. F.S.A. In a Letter addressed to Henry Ellis, Esq. F. R. S. Secretary. Read 5th April 1821.