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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St Paul's Church, Covent Garden is in Bedford Street Covent Garden.
In or before 1611 Thomas The Red Pepys [aged 38] and Anne Cope were married at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden.
On 20th July 1654 John Skeffington 2nd Viscount Massereene and Mary Clotworthy were married at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden.
On 24th January 1655 Thomas Spencer 3rd Baronet [aged 16] and Jane Garrard Lady Spencer [aged 17] were married at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden. She by marriage Lady Spencer of Yarnton in Oxfordshire.
On 4th December 1659 John Brereton 4th Baron Brereton and Mary Tipping Baroness Brereton [aged 4] were married at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden. She by marriage Baroness Brereton.
On 1st May 1662 Francis Brereton 5th Baron Brereton was born to William Brereton 3rd Baron Brereton [aged 30] and Frances Willoughby Baroness Brereton [aged 37]. He was baptised at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden on 2nd May 1662.
On 17th April 1664 Aubrey de Vere was born to Aubrey de Vere 20th Earl of Oxford [aged 37] and Hester Davenport Countess of Oxford [aged 22]. He was baptised on 15th May 1664 at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden.
John Evelyn's Diary. 6th March 1670. Dr. Patrick preached in Covent Garden Church. I participated of the Blessed Sacrament, recommending to God the deplorable condition of my dear brother [aged 47], who was almost in the last agonies of death. I watched late with him this night. It pleased God to deliver him out of this miserable life, toward five o'clock this Monday morning, to my unspeakable grief. He was a brother whom I most dearly loved, for his many virtues; but two years younger than myself, a sober, prudent, worthy gentleman. He had married a great fortune, and left one only daughter, and a noble seat at Woodcot, near Epsom. His body was opened, and a stone taken out of his bladder, not much bigger than a nutmeg. I returned home on the 8th, full of sadness, and to bemoan my loss.
On 7th December 1671 Henry Heron [aged 58] and Dorothy Long [aged 21] were married at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden. The difference in their ages was 37 years.
On 10th July 1672 Thomas Broughton 2nd Baronet [aged 22] and Rhoda Amcotts Lady Broughton [aged 18] were married at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden.
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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On 17th March 1674 Thomas Burman [aged 56] died in the parish of St Martin in the Fields Church [Map]. He was buried at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden.
John Evelyn's Diary. 17th October 1686. Dr. Patrick, Dean of Peterborough [aged 60], preached at Covent Garden Church on Ephes. v. 18, 19, showing the custom of the primitive saints in serving God with hymns, and their frequent use of them upon all occasions: touching the profane way of mirth and intemperance of this ungodly age. Afterward I visited my Lord Chief Justice of Ireland [aged 53], with whom I had long and private discourse concerning the miserable condition that kingdom was like to be in, if Tyrconnel's [aged 56] counsel should prevail at Court.
On or before 8th March 1688 John Conduit was born. He was baptised on 8th March 1688 at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden. In June 1701 he was admitted to Westminster School [Map]. In 1705 he was elected a Queen's scholar to Trinity College, Cambridge University [Map].
On or before 26th May 1689 Mary Wortley-Montagu née Pierrepont was born to Evelyn Pierrepont 1st Duke Kingston upon Hull [aged 34] and Mary Fielding Countess Kingston upon Hull [aged 21]. On 26th May 1689 she was baptised at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden. She married 1712 Edward Wortley-Montagu and had issue.
Before 8th January 1715 Joseph Moyle aka Copley 1st Baronet was born to Joseph Moyle [aged 35] and Catherine Copley. On 8th January 1715 he was baptised at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden. He married 23rd September 1757 Mary Buller Lady Copley and had issue.
On 23rd April 1775 Joseph Mallord William Turner was born to William Turner [aged 30] and Mary Marshall at Maiden Lane, Covent Garden. He was baptised on 14th May 1775 at the St Paul's Church, Covent Garden. His father was a barber and wig maker.
On 21st April 1792 Kemeys Radcliffe [aged 26] and Mary Magdalana Tealing of Putney were married at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden. His aunt Emilia Anne Pond was witness.
On 14th August 1797 Reverend Robert Behoe Radcliffe was baptised at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden.