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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In 1664 [her future husband] Samuel Tuke 1st Baronet [aged 49] and Mary Guldeford were married.
On 2nd July 1668 Samuel Tuke 1st Baronet [aged 53] and Mary Sheldon were married.
John Evelyn's Diary. 2nd July 1668. [her husband] Sir Samuel Tuke, Bart [aged 53], and the lady he had married this day, came and bedded at night at my house, many friends accompanying the bride.
In 1671 [her son] Charles Tuke 2nd Baronet was born to [her husband] Samuel Tuke 1st Baronet [aged 56] and Mary Sheldon.
John Evelyn's Diary. 17th April 1673. I carried Lady Tuke to thank the Countess of Arlington [aged 39] for speaking to his Majesty [aged 42] in her behalf, for being one of the Queen Consort's [aged 34] women. She carried us up into her new dressing room at Goring House [Map], where was a bed, two glasses, silver jars, and vases, cabinets, and other so rich furniture as I had seldom seen; to this excess of superfluity were we now arrived and that not only at Court, but almost universally, even to wantonness and profusion.
On 26th January 1674 [her husband] Samuel Tuke 1st Baronet [aged 59] died. His son Charles [aged 3] succeeded 2nd Baronet Tuke of Cressing Temple.
John Evelyn's Diary. 22nd July 1674. I went to Windsor, Berkshire [Map] with my wife [aged 39] and son [aged 19] to see my daughter Mary [aged 9], who was there with my Lady Tuke and to do my duty to his Majesty [aged 44]. Next day, to a great entertainment at Sir Robert Holmes's [aged 52] at Cranbourne Lodge, Windsor, in the Forest; there were his Majesty, the Queen [aged 35], Duke [aged 40], Duchess [aged 15], and all the Court. I returned in the evening with Sir Joseph Williamson [aged 40], now declared Secretary of State. He was son of a poor clergyman somewhere in Cumberland, brought up at Queen's College, Oxford, of which he came to be a fellow; then traveled with ... and returning when the King was restored, was received as a clerk under Mr. Secretary Nicholas. Sir Henry Bennett [aged 56] (now Lord Arlington) succeeding, Williamson is transferred to him, who loving his ease more than business (though sufficiently able had he applied himself to it) remitted all to his man Williamson; and, in a short time, let him so into the secret of affairs, that (as his Lordship himself told me) there was a kind of necessity to advance him; and so, by his subtlety, dexterity, and insinuation, he got now to be principal Secretary; absolutely Lord Arlington's creature, and ungrateful enough. It has been the fate of this obliging favorite to advance those who soon forgot their original. Sir Joseph was a musician, could play at Jeu de Goblets, exceedingly formal, a severe master to his servants, but so inward with my Lord O'Brien [aged 32], that after a few months of that gentleman's death, he married his widow [aged 34], who, being sister and heir of the Duke of Richmond, brought him a noble fortune. It was thought they lived not so kindly after marriage as they did before. She was much censured for marrying so meanly, being herself allied to the Royal family.
John Evelyn's Diary. 27th February 1684. I din'd at Lady Tuke's, where I heard Dr Walgrave (Physitian to ye Duke and Dutchesse) play excellently on the lute.
John Evelyn's Diary. 7th March 1685. At London she tooke this fatal disease, and the occasion of her being there was this; my Lord Viscount Falkland's [aged 29] Lady having ben our neighbour (as he was Treasurer of the Navy), she tooke so greate an affection to my daughter, that when they went back in the autumn to the Citty, nothing would satisfie their incessant importunity but letting her accompany my Lady, and staying sometime with her; it was with ye greatest reluctance I complied. Whilst she was there, my Lord being musical, when I saw my Lady would not part with her till Christmas, I was not unwilling she should improve the opportunity of learning of Signr Pietro, who had an admirable way both of composure and teaching. It was the end of February before I could prevail with my Lady to part with her; but my Lord going into Oxfordshire to stand for Knight of the Shire there, she express'd her wish to come home, being tir'd of ye vain and empty conversation of the towne, ye theatres, the court, and trifling visites wch consum'd so much precious time, and made her sometimes misse of that regular course of piety that gave her ye greatest satisfaction. She was weary of this life, and I think went not thrice to Court all this time, except when her mother or I carried her. She did not affect shewing herselfe, she knew ye Court well, and pass'd one summer in it at Windsor with Lady Tuke one of the Queene's women of the bed chamber (a most virtuous relation of hers); she was not fond of that glittering scene, now become abominably licentious, though there was a designe of Lady Rochester [aged 39] and Lady Clarendon to have made her a maid of honour to the Queene as soon as there was a vacancy. But this she did not set her heart upon, nor in deede on any thing so much as the service of God, a quiet and regular life, and how she might improve herselfe in the most necessary accomplishments, and to wch she was ariv'd at so greate a measure. This is y° little history and imperfect character of my deare child, whose piety, virtue, and incomparable endowments deserve a Monument more durable than brasse and marble. Precious is the memorial of the just.
John Evelyn's Diary. 10th April 1685. I went early to Whitehall [Map] to heare Dr. Tillotson, Deane of Canterbury [aged 54], preaching on 9 Eccles. 18. I returned in the evening, and visited Lady Tuke, and found with her Sr Geo Wakeman, the physician, whom I had seene tried and acquitted J, amongst the plotters for poisoning the late King, on the accusation of the famous Oates [aged 35]; and surely I believ'd him guiltlesse.
On or before 15th August 1690 [her son] Charles Tuke 2nd Baronet [aged 19] died of wound received at the Battle of the Boyne fighting for King James II of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 56]. Baronet Tuke of Cressing Temple extinct.
In 1705 Mary Sheldon died in Portugal.