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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Maternal Family Tree: Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey 1700-1768
Around 1700 Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey was born to [her father] Nicholas Wedig Lepell.
On 25th October 1720 John Hervey 2nd Baron Hervey [aged 24] and Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 20] were married. He the son of John Hervey 1st Earl Bristol [aged 55] and Elizabeth Felton Countess Bristol [aged 43].
In 1721 [her son] George William Hervey 2nd Earl Bristol was born to [her husband] John Hervey 2nd Baron Hervey [aged 24] and Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 21].
On 15th April 1723 [her daughter] Lepell Hervey Baroness Mulgrave was born to [her husband] John Hervey 2nd Baron Hervey [aged 26] and Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 23]. She married 26th February 1743 Constantine Phipps 1st Baron Mulgrave and had issue.
On 19th May 1724 [her son] Augustus John Hervey 3rd Earl Bristol was born to [her husband] John Hervey 2nd Baron Hervey [aged 27] and Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 24]. He married 4th August 1744 Elizabeth Chudleigh Duchess Kingston upon Hull.
In 1726 [her daughter] Mary Hervey was born to [her husband] John Hervey 2nd Baron Hervey [aged 29] and Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 26]. She married 31st October 1745 George Fitzgerald and had issue.
Around 1728. John Fayram. Portrait of Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 28].
On 1st August 1730 [her son] Frederick Augustus Hervey 4th Earl Bristol was born to [her husband] John Hervey 2nd Baron Hervey [aged 33] and Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 30]. He married before 1753 his half fourth cousin once removed Elizabeth Davers Countess Bristol, daughter of Jermyn Davers 4th Baronet and Margaretta Green, and had issue.
On 13th May 1732 [her son] General William Hervey was born to [her husband] John Hervey 2nd Baron Hervey [aged 35] and Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 32].
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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In 1733 [her husband] John Hervey 2nd Baron Hervey [aged 36] by writ of acceleration 2nd Baron Hervey of Ickworth in Suffolk. Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 33] by marriage Baroness Hervey of Ickworth in Suffolk.
In 1734 [her son] Amelia Caroline Nassau Hervey was born to [her husband] John Hervey 2nd Baron Hervey [aged 37] and Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 34].
In 1736 [her son] Caroline Hervey was born to [her husband] John Hervey 2nd Baron Hervey [aged 39] and Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 36].
On 26th February 1743 [her son-in-law] Constantine Phipps 1st Baron Mulgrave [aged 20] and [her daughter] Lepell Hervey Baroness Mulgrave [aged 19] were married.
On 5th August 1743 [her husband] John Hervey 2nd Baron Hervey [aged 46] died. His son George [aged 22] succeeded 3rd Baron Hervey of Ickworth in Suffolk.
On 4th August 1744 [her son] Augustus John Hervey 3rd Earl Bristol [aged 20] and [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Chudleigh Duchess Kingston upon Hull [aged 23] were married privately at Lainston House Winchester. There marriage remained a secret until she wanted to marry Evelyn Pierrepont 2nd Duke Kingston upon Hull [aged 33] in 1769 at which time she initiated a suit of jactitation1 against him requiring him to prove they were married. The court found in her favour.
On 31st October 1745 [her son-in-law] George Fitzgerald and [her daughter] Mary Hervey [aged 19] were married. They were separated in 1754.
Before 1753 [her son] Frederick Augustus Hervey 4th Earl Bristol [aged 22] and [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Davers Countess Bristol [aged 19] were married. They were half fourth cousin once removed.
Around 1762. Allan Ramsay [aged 48]. Portrait of Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 62].
Around 1765 Johan Joseph Zoffany [aged 31]. Portrait of Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 65].
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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On 2nd September 1768 Mary Lepell Baroness Hervey [aged 68] died.