Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall

The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.

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Biography of Philip Boteler 1492-1545

Paternal Family Tree: Boteler

Maternal Family Tree: Margaret Darcy 1425-1525

In or before 1492 Philip Boteler was born to [his father] John Boteler [aged 32] and [his mother] Dorothy Tyrrell.

In or before 1492 [his father] John Boteler [aged 32] and [his mother] Dorothy Tyrrell were married.

In 1510 Philip Boteler [aged 18] and Elizabeth Drury were married.

In 1513 [his son] John Boteler was born to Philip Boteler [aged 21] and [his wife] Elizabeth Drury at Whatton on Stone, Hertfordshire. He married Griselda Roche and had issue.

On 11th May 1514 [his father] John Boteler [aged 54] died.

In 1516 Philip Boteler [aged 24] was appointed Knight of the Body to King Henry VIII of England and Ireland [aged 24].

In 1529 Philip Boteler [aged 37] was elected MP Hertfordshire.

In 1533 Philip Boteler [aged 41] was appointed High Sheriff of Hertfordshire.

Birth and Christening Edward VI

                    On 15th October 1537 the future Edward VI was christened by Bishop John Stokesley [aged 62] at the Chapel Royal in Hampton Court Palace [Map]. Archbishop Thomas Cranmer [aged 48] performed the Baptismal Rites, and was appointed Godfather. Thomas Howard 3rd Duke of Norfolk [aged 64] and Queen Mary I of England and Ireland [aged 21] were Godparents.
                
                    King Edward VI of England and Ireland was created Duke of Cornwall, 1st Earl Chester.
                
                    Henry Bourchier 2nd Earl Essex 3rd Count of Eu carried the Salt. Charles Brandon 1st Duke of Suffolk [aged 53] was Godfather and supported the Marchioness of Exeter. Richard Long [aged 43] was knighted. Thomas Cromwell 1st Earl Essex [aged 52], Philip Boteler [aged 45], John de Vere 15th Earl of Oxford [aged 66] and John Gage [aged 57] attended. Mary Scrope [aged 61] carried Lady Mary's train. Robert Radclyffe 1st Earl of Sussex [aged 54] carried a covered basin. Robert Radclyffe 1st Earl of Sussex carried the canopy.
                
                    Edward Seymour 1st Duke of Somerset [aged 37] helped his young niece the future Elizabeth I to carry the Crisom. Henry Courtenay 1st Marquess Exeter [aged 41] supported his wife Gertrude Blount Marchioness of Exeter [aged 34] to carry the child. Thomas Boleyn 1st Earl Wiltshire and Ormonde [aged 60] bore a taper of virgin wax. William Fitzalan 11th or 18th Earl of Arundel [aged 61] carried the train of the Prince's robe. Christopher Barker proclaimed the Prince's titles.
                
                    Edward Seymour 1st Duke of Somerset was created 1st Earl Hertford.
                
                    Nicholas Carew [aged 41], Francis Bryan [aged 47], Anthony Browne [aged 37] and John Russell 1st Earl Bedford [aged 52] surrounded the font.
                
                    Henry Knyvet of Charlton Wiltshire [aged 27], Edward Neville [aged 66], Thomas Seymour 1st Baron Seymour [aged 29], Richard Long and John Wallop [aged 47] carried the canopy.
                
                    Arthur Hopton [aged 48], Bishop Robert Parfew aka Warton and Bishop John Bell attended.
                
                    William Fitzwilliam 1st Earl of Southampton [aged 47] was created 1st Earl of Southampton. Mabel Clifford Countess Southampton [aged 55] by marriage Countess of Southampton.

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In 1539 Philip Boteler [aged 47] was elected MP Hertfordshire.

In 1540 Philip Boteler [aged 48] was appointed High Sheriff of Hertfordshire.

On 6th June 1545 Philip Boteler [aged 53] died.

Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans

Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.

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On 11th December 1574 [his former wife] Elizabeth Drury died.