The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.
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Westbury Hundred, Wiltshire is in Wiltshire.
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. 15th April 1053. In this year was the king [aged 50] at Winchester, Hampshire [Map], at Easter; and Earl Godwin [aged 52] with him, and Earl Harold [aged 31] his son, and Tosty [aged 27]. On the day after Easter sat he with the king at table; when he suddenly sunk beneath against the foot-rail, deprived of speech and of all his strength. He was brought into the king's chamber; and they supposed that it would pass over: but it was not so. He continued thus speechless and helpless till the Thursday; when he resigned his life, on the seventeenth before the calends of May; and he was buried at Winchester in the old minster. Earl Harold, his son, took to the earldom that his father had before, and to all that his father possessed; whilst Earl Elgar took to the earldom that Harold had before. The Welshmen this year slew a great many of the warders of the English people at Westbury, Wiltshire [Map]. This year there was no archbishop in this land: but Bishop Stigand held the see of Canterbury at Christ church, and Kinsey that of York. Leofwine and Wulfwy went over sea, and had themselves consecrated bishops there. Wulfwy took to the bishopric which Ulf had whilst he was living and in exile.
The River Biss rises near Upton Scudamore, Wiltshire [Map] as the Biss Brook after which it flows past Westbury, Wiltshire [Map] to Yarnbrook, Wiltshire [Map] where it becomes the River Biss. Thereafter it continues north through Trowbridge, Wiltshire [Map] after which it joins the Gloucestershire River Avon.
Around 1452 Robert Willoughby 1st Baron Willoughby 9th Baron Latimer was born to John Willoughby 8th Baron Latimer of Corby [aged 31] and Anne Cheney [aged 23] at Broke Westbury, Wiltshire. He married 1472 Blanche Champernowne and had issue.
In 1491 Edward Willoughby was born to Robert Willoughby 2nd Baron Willoughby 10th Baron Latimer [aged 19] and Elizabeth Beauchamp Baroness Willoughby of Broke [aged 23] at Broke Westbury, Wiltshire. He married before 1512 his second cousin Margaret Neville, daughter of Richard Neville 2nd Baron Latimer of Snape and Anne Stafford Baroness Latimer, and had issue.