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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Biography of Simon Archer 1581-1662

Paternal Family Tree: Archer

On 21st September 1581 Simon Archer was born.

Before 1619 Simon Archer (age 37) and Anne Ferrers were married.

On or before 14th January 1619, the date he was baptised, [his son] Thomas Archer was born to Simon Archer (age 37) and [his wife] Anne Ferrers. He married before 1650 Anne Leigh and had issue.

On 12th August 1624 Simon Archer (age 42) was knighted at Warwick Castle [Map].

In 1626 Simon Archer (age 44) was appointed High Sheriff of Warwickshire.

Short Parliament

In April 1640 Simon Archer (age 58) was elected MP Tamworth during the Short Parliament.

Before 1650 [his son] Thomas Archer (age 30) and [his daughter-in-law] Anne Leigh (age 16) were married.

In 1654 Simon Archer (age 72) purchased at Lord Leycester Hotel, Jury Street, Warwick.

Before 4th June 1662 Simon Archer (age 80) died.

[his son] John Archer was born to Simon Archer and Anne Ferrers.

Annals of the six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet

Translation of the Annals of the Six Kings of England by that traces the rise and rule of the Angevin aka Plantagenet dynasty from the mid-12th to early 14th century. Written by the Dominican scholar Nicholas Trivet, the work offers a vivid account of English history from the reign of King Stephen through to the death of King Edward I, blending political narrative with moral reflection. Covering the reigns of six monarchs—from Stephen to Edward I—the chronicle explores royal authority, rebellion, war, and the shifting balance between crown, church, and nobility. Trivet provides detailed insight into defining moments such as baronial conflicts, Anglo-French rivalry, and the consolidation of royal power under Edward I, whose reign he describes with particular immediacy. The Annals combines careful year-by-year reporting with thoughtful interpretation, presenting history not merely as a sequence of events but as a moral and political lesson. Ideal for readers interested in medieval history, kingship, and the origins of the English state, this chronicle remains a valuable and accessible window into the turbulent world of the Plantagenet kings.

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[his daughter] Anne Archer was born to Simon Archer and Anne Ferrers.

[his daughter] Elizabeth Archer was born to Simon Archer and Anne Ferrers.

[his daughter] Penelope Archer was born to Simon Archer and Anne Ferrers.