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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Biography of William Allen 1515-1586

Around 1515 William Allen was born.

Before 1551 William Allen (age 35) and Joanne Daborn (age 27) were married.

                    On 22nd May 1560 Joanne Daborn (age 37) died in childbirth.
                
                    After 22nd May 1560 she was buried at St Leonard Eastcheap Church [Map] where the inscription read:
                
                    "Here under this stone lieth Joane wife of William Allyn (age 45) citizen and alderman, who died in childbed of her 9th child the 22. of May 1560." (MS. Lansd. 874, f. 10b.)
                
                    Sir William Allen (for he was afterwards knighted) was the son of William Allen, citizen and poulterer of London; was sheriff 1562-3, lord mayor 1571-2. "He was at first free of the Leathersellers, afterwards a Mercer. And dwelled when he was sheriff in Bow-lane; when he was maior, in Tower-strete. But buried at St. Botulphes without Bishopsgate, in which parish he was borne."
                
                    Arms, Per fess sable and argent, a pale engrailed counterchanged, and three talbots passant of the second, collared gules.

Henry Machyn's Diary. After 24th May 1560. The .. day of May [was buried [his former wife] mistress Allen (deceased) the] wyff of master Wylliam Allen (age 45) altherman and lethers[eller; and] she ded in chyld-bed, and ther wher mony morners in blake, and the masters of the hospetalle with ther gren stayffes; and he gayff to pore women (blank) gownes ... when the compeny of ys craftes and the compene of [the Clerks,] and after to ys plase, and ther spyse-bred and wyne.

Note. P. 235. Funeral of mistress Allen. At St. Leonard's Fish street hill [Map] was this inscription: "Here under this stone lieth Joane wife of William Allyn citizen and alderman, who died in childbed of her 9th child the 22. of May 1560." (MS. Lansd. 874, f. 10b.) Sir William Allen (for he was afterwards knighted) was the son of William Allen, citizen and poulterer of London; was sheriff 1562–3, lord mayor 1571–2. "He was at first free of the Leathersellers, afterwards a Mercer. And dwelled when he was sheriff in Bow-lane; when he was maior, in Tower-strete. But buried at St. Botulphes without Bishopsgate, in which parish he was borne." Arms, Per fess sable and argent, a pale engrailed counterchanged, and three talbots passant of the second, collared gules. (List by Wm. Smith, Rouge-dragon.)

In 1562 William Allen (age 47) was elected Sheriff of London.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 1st July 1562. The furst day of July was the Marchand-tayllers' fest, and dynyd my lord mare (age 66), the yerle of Sussex (age 37), the yerle of Kyldare (age 37), ser (blank) Stanley, and ser Thomas Whytt, ser Thomas Offeley (age 62) and master Ro .., ser Wyllyam Huett, ser Marten Bowes (age 65), master Cowper, master Allen, master Gyl[bert,] master Chamburlayn altherman, master Champyon, master Avenon, master Malere, and master Baskerfeld, and the master and the iiij wardens and the clarkes and the bedyll of the Skynnars, and mony worshephull men, and mony lades and gentyllwomen, and they had agaynst the dynner iijxx and (blank) bukes [bucks] and iiij stages; and master Wylliam Allen (age 47) electyd shreyff for the quen, and master Whettelle the master, and master Raff Whytt hed warden and master Mar .. and master serjant Halle and master Browne wardens; and master Garter (age 52) and master Clarenshux (age 52) dynyd there.

Note. P. 287. The Skinners attend the Merchant-taylors' feast. In the 1st Rich. III. a dispute for precedency between the Skinners and Merchant-taylors was determined by agreement that either should take precedence in alternate years, and that the master and wardens of each should dine with the other company on their respective feasts of Corpus Christi and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. See the ordinance effecting this arrangement in Herbert's Twelve City Companies, vol. ii. p. 319; and see remarks by the present writer in Archæologia, vol. xxx. p. 500.

In 1571 William Allen (age 56) was elected Lord Mayor of London.

In 1586 William Allen (age 71) died. He was buried at St Botolph's without Bishopgate.