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The 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. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.
St Boniface's Church, Bunbury is in Bunbury, Cheshire [Map], Churches in Cheshire.
On 23rd April 1394 Hugh Calverley (age 70) died. He was probably buried in St Boniface's Church, Bunbury [Map]. Monument Early Plate Bascinet Period. Finely carved Calf's Head on the breastplate representing Hugh Calveley's canting arms. Calf's Head Crest. Hip Belt. Basinet with unusual decorated Orle.
Effigy of Sir Hugh Calveley. The above are some few passages of the military career of this renowned English knight. He founded in 1386, the tenth year of the reign of Richard II a college at Rome, and at Bunbury [Map] in Cheshire. A story is extant, upon no certain foundation, that he married a Queen of Arragon. He might indeed while in Spain with the Black Prince have formed an alliance with some noble lady of the Spanish court. He reposes in an altar-tomb in Bunbury church, Cheshire [Map], which bears his eRigy as represented, and is surrounded by Gothic niches, intermixed with escutcheons.
Details. Plate 1. The effigy as originally painted. On the surcoat—the coat of Calveley, Argent, a fess Gules, between three calves Sable. Crest, a calf's head Sable. On the basinet is a rich circlet or wreath. The feet rest on a golden lion. Plate H. Profile. 1. Portion of the wreath on the basinet enlarged; also ornament of the rim of the basinet, with lace of the camail. 2. Girdle, chain suspending the sword, scabbard of the sword. 3. Mails of the hauberk and camail. 4. Part of the greave, solerette, spur, and ornamented strap.
On 4th March 1528 Ralph Egerton (age 70) died at Bunbury, Cheshire [Map]. He was buried at St Boniface's Church, Bunbury [Map].
On 6th January 1579 Richard Egerton (age 69) died. He was buried at St Boniface's Church, Bunbury [Map].
Notes of the Churches of Cheshire. [1611] Under the arch [at St Boniface's Church, Bunbury [Map]] is a second tablet, on which is inscribed:
Their memory is in blessings. Sacred to memory. Sir Hugh Beeston, Knight Bachelor, son of Sir George Beeston, Knight Bachelor, mindful of mortality and with sure hope of resurrection in Christ, set up this monument—for his parents, for himself, and for his only son, George Beeston, likewise a young knight, snatched away by untimely death—alas! Hugh, the father, died in the year of salvation 1600. George, the son, in 1611. "I have lived enough: a second life, though unknown, calls the weary. Farewell, fleeting life! O welcome, life that calls! Life draws death; pale death comes with certain life. Life shall restore; the second life shall give rest. Death is the passage to life."
Quorum memoria—in benedictionibus Memoriæ sacrum Hugo Beeston Eques auratus, Georgii Beeston Equitis aurati filius, Mortalitatis memor, et spe certa in Christo resurgendi, hoc, parentibus, sibi, et Georgio Beeston filio unico itidem Equestri juveni, immatura morte, proh dolor ! prerepto, monumentum posuit. Obiit Hugo Pater, Anno Salutis M.DC Georgius autem filius M.DCXI. Quod satis est vixi : fessumvocat altera vita, Quæ fugit, oh valeat! quæ vocat, oh veniat! Vita trahit mortem, certa mors pallida vitam. Restituet, requiem vita secunda dabit. Mors transitus ad vitam.
Notes of the Churches of Cheshire. In the north-cast side of the chancel [of St Boniface's Church, Bunbury [Map]] is a sumptuous monument to Sir George Beeston — a recumbent figure, in a recessed arch in the wall, supported by two tall pillars, with an entablature representing a cannon, a cross-bow, a corslet of steel, and a ship of the period. Above this is a slate-blue tablet with the inscription:
Here lies Sir George Beeston, Knight Bachelor, a devoted follower of virtue and truth, trained from youth in the arts of war. He was admitted into the Band of Pensioners by the most invincible King Henry VIII when he besieged Boulogne. He served under Edward VI in the battle against the Scots at Musselburgh, and afterward in naval wars under the same king, under Mary, and Elizabeth, either as commander of the fleet or vice-admiral. After the defeat of the mighty Spanish Armada in 1588, he was honored with knighthood. Now in his advancing age—having proved his loyalty to princes and bravery against enemies—he was dear to God, beloved by the good, and long waited for Christ. In Christ, he peacefully fell asleep in the year 1601, at the age of 102, so that he may joyfully rise again in Him. Alongside him rests his most beloved wife, Alicia, daughter of Davenport of Henbury, esquire— a most holy and chaste matron, generous to the poor. After living in sacred matrimony for 66 years, she bore to her husband three sons—John, Heyon, and Hugh— and likewise three daughters—Anne, Jane, and Dorothy. She passed into the heavenly homeland in the year 1591, at the age of 86, to live forever with Christ. To these most excellent and beloved parents, their son Hugh Beeston the younger, esquire, Receiver General of all the Crown's revenues both in the County Palatine of Chester and in the counties of North Wales, placed this monument out of filial piety.
Hic situs est Georgius Beeston, Eques auratus, virtutis et veritatis cultor, a juventute bellicis artibus innutritus ab invictissimo Rege, Henrico VIII cum obsideret Boloniam in cohortem Pensionarior ; cooptatus ; meruit sub Edwardo VI in prœlio contra Scotos apud Muskelborrow, postea sub eodem Rege, Maria et Elizabethâ, bellis navalibus, vel ut classis præfectus, vel ut sub præfectus. Aquâ postea profligatam potentissimam illam classem, 1588, Equestri dignitate ornatus est: jamque ingravescente ætate, cum fidem principibus, fortitudinem hostibus egregie probasset, Deco gratus, bonisq. charus, Christum diu expectans, in Christo, anno 1601, ætatis suæ 102, obdormivit, ut in ipso lætus resurgat. Unaque cum illo requiescit charissima conjux, Alicia, filia — Davenport de Henbury, armigeri, matrona sanctissima, pudicissima, et erga pauperes liberalis, qua cum sancto matrimonio 66 annos vixisset, viroque tres filios, Joannem, Heyonem, et Hugonem, toti demque filias, Annam, Janam, et Dorothcam peperisset, anno 1591, ætatis sue 86, celestem patriam migravit, cum Christo æternum victura. Parentibus optimis et charissimis, pietas filii Hugonis Beeston junioris armigeri, receptoris generalis omnium reventuum coronæ tam in comitatu palatino Cestriæ, quam in comitatibus North Walliæ hoc monumentum posuit.
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