The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy
The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.
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Paternal Family Tree: Cocks
Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke was born to [her father] Charles Cocks and [her mother] Mary Somers.
In or before 1716 William Lygon and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke were married.
In 1716 [her husband] William Lygon died.
On 16th May 1719 Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 28] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke were married.
On 9th December 17201. [her son] Philip Yorke 2nd Earl of Hardwicke was born to [her husband] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 30] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke. We take as our source the Life and Correspondence of Philip Yorke.
Note 1. Wikipedia says 9th March 1720. He married 1740 Jemima Campbell 2nd Marchioness Grey, daughter of John Campbell 3rd Earl Breadalbaine and Holland and Amabel Grey, and had issue.
On 30th December 1722 [her son] Charles Yorke was born to [her husband] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 32] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke. He married (1) 19th May 1755 Catherine Blount Freeman and had issue (2) 30th December 1762 Agneta Johnson and had issue.
Before 1723 Godfrey Kneller [aged 76]. Portrait of Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
On 24th June 1724 [her son] Joseph Yorke 1st Baron Dover was born to [her husband] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 33] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke. He married 1783 Christiana Charlotte Margaret Henrik.
In August 1725 [her daughter] Elizabeth Yorke was born to [her husband] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 34] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke. She married 1st April 1748 George Anson 1st Baron Anson.
This is a translation of the 'Memoires of Jacques du Clercq', published in 1823 in two volumes, edited by Frederic, Baron de Reissenberg. In his introduction Reissenberg writes: 'Jacques du Clercq tells us that he was born in 1424, and that he was a licentiate in law and a counsellor to Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in the castellany of Douai, Lille, and Orchies. It appears that he established his residence at Arras. In 1446, he married the daughter of Baldwin de la Lacherie, a gentleman who lived in Lille. We read in the fifth book of his Memoirs that his father, also named Jacques du Clercq, had married a lady of the Le Camelin family, from Compiègne. His ancestors, always attached to the counts of Flanders, had constantly served them, whether in their councils or in their armies.' The Memoires cover a period of nineteen years beginning in in 1448, ending in in 1467. It appears that the author had intended to extend the Memoirs beyond that date; no doubt illness or death prevented him from carrying out this plan. As Reissenberg writes the 'merit of this work lies in the simplicity of its narrative, in its tone of good faith, and in a certain air of frankness which naturally wins the reader’s confidence.' Du Clercq ranges from events of national and international importance, including events of the Wars of the Roses in England, to simple, everyday local events such as marriages, robberies, murders, trials and deaths, including that of his own father in Book 5; one of his last entries.
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On 27th August 1728 [her son] John Yorke was born to [her husband] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 37] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke. He married 1762 Elizabeth Lygon.
On 9th March 1730 [her son] Bishop James Yorke was born to [her husband] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 39] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke. He married before 5th May 1762 Mary Maddox, daughter of Bishop Isaac Maddox, and had issue.
On 23rd March 1733 [her daughter] Margaret Yorke Lady Heathcote was born to [her husband] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 42] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke. She married 22nd June 1749 Gilbert Heathcote 3rd Baronet, son of John Heathcote 2nd Baronet.
In 1740 Philip Yorke 2nd Earl of Hardwicke [aged 19] and Jemima Campbell 2nd Marchioness Grey [aged 16] were married. She being the heiress of Henry Grey 1st Duke Kent [aged 69]. She the daughter of John Campbell 3rd Earl Breadalbaine and Holland [aged 43] and Amabel Grey. He the son of Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 49] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
On 1st April 1748 [her son-in-law] George Anson 1st Baron Anson [aged 50] and Elizabeth Yorke [aged 22] were married. The difference in their ages was 28 years. She the daughter of Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 57] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
On 22nd June 1749 [her son-in-law] Gilbert Heathcote 3rd Baronet [aged 29] and Margaret Yorke Lady Heathcote [aged 16] were married. She the daughter of Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 58] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
In 1754 [her husband] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 63] was created 1st Earl Hardwicke, 1st Viscount Royston. Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke by marriage Countess Hardwicke.
On 19th May 1755 Charles Yorke [aged 32] and Catherine Blount Freeman [aged 18] were married. He the son of Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 64] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
In 1760 [her daughter] Elizabeth Yorke [aged 34] died.
In 1761 Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke died.
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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On 6th March 1764 [her former husband] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [aged 73] died. His son Philip [aged 43] succeeded 2nd Earl Hardwicke, 2nd Viscount Royston. Jemima Campbell 2nd Marchioness Grey [aged 40] by marriage Countess Hardwicke.
After 6th March 1764. St Andrew's Church, Wimpole [Map]. Monument to [her former husband] Philip Yorke 1st Earl of Hardwicke [deceased] and Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke.
Framed inscription panel in white marble surmounted by an enriched sarcophagus in brown veined marble against a grey obelisk to which is affixed an achievement of arms in oval frame; around the base are putti with wreaths and emblems of office; on each side, life-size figures, one of Athene; two medallions on the sarcophagus depict the Earl and Countess; signed 'J. STUART [aged 51], INVT P. SCHEEMAKERS, SCULPR [aged 73].'
GrandFather: Thomas Cocks of Castleditch Herefordshire
Father: Charles Cocks
Margaret Cocks Countess Hardwicke
GrandFather: John Somers
Mother: Mary Somers