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 1617 Katherine Wright Lady Harington was born to [her father] Edmund Wright.
In 1629 [her father] Edmund Wright was elected Sheriff of London.
On 23rd June 1629 [her father] Edmund Wright was elected Alderman of Cordwainer Ward.
In 1630 [her father] Edmund Wright was elected Sheriff of London.
In or before 1635 James Harington 3rd Baronet (age 27) and Katherine Wright Lady Harington (age 17) were married.
Around 1635 [her son] Edmund Harington 4th Baronet was born to [her husband] James Harington 3rd Baronet (age 27) and Katherine Wright Lady Harington (age 18). He married (1) August 1679 Sarah Alston Lady Harington (2) 6th September 1697 Abigail Vennour Lady Harington.
After 1636 [her son] Henry Harington was born to [her husband] James Harington 3rd Baronet (age 28) and Katherine Wright Lady Harington (age 19).
On or before 10th October 1639 [her son] Edward Harington 5th Baronet was born to [her husband] James Harington 3rd Baronet (age 31) and Katherine Wright Lady Harington (age 22). He was baptised on 10th October 1639 at St Peter le Poer Church, Broad Street.
In July 1643 [her father] Edmund Wright died. His daughter inherited Swakeleys House.
In 1652 [her father-in-law] Edward Harington 2nd Baronet died. His son [her husband] James (age 44) succeeded 3rd Baronet Harington of Ridlington in Rutlandshire. Katherine Wright Lady Harington (age 35) by marriage Lady Harington of Ridlington in Rutlandshire.
1654. William Faithorne "The Elder" (age 38). Portrait of Katherine Wright Lady Harington (age 37).
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.
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Samuel Pepys' Diary. 7th September 1665. Thence to Brainford, reading "The Villaine", a pretty good play, all the way. There a coach of Mr. Povy's (age 51) stood ready for me, and he at his house ready to come in, and so we together merrily to Swakely, Sir R. Viner's (age 34). A very pleasant place, bought by him of [her husband] Sir James Harrington's (age 57) lady (age 48). He took us up and down with great respect, and showed us all his house and grounds; and it is a place not very moderne in the garden nor house, but the most uniforme in all that ever I saw; and some things to excess. Pretty to see over the screene of the hall (put up by Sir Mr. Harrington, a Long Parliamentman) the King's head, and my Lord of Essex (age 33) on one side, and Fairfax on the other; and upon the other side of the screene, the parson of the parish, and the lord of the manor and his sisters. The window-cases, door-cases, and chimnys of all the house are marble. He showed me a black boy that he had, that died of a consumption, and being dead, he caused him to be dried in an oven, and lies there entire in a box.
In 1675 Katherine Wright Lady Harington (age 58) died.
In 1680 [her former husband] James Harington 3rd Baronet (age 72) died in exile in Europe. His son [her son] Edmund (age 45) succeeded 4th Baronet Harington of Ridlington in Rutlandshire. [her daughter-in-law] Sarah Alston Lady Harington by marriage Lady Harington of Ridlington in Rutlandshire.