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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Bishop of Peterborough is in Bishop. See Peterborough Cathedral [Map].
On 4th September 1541 King Henry VIII of England and Ireland [aged 50] issued letters patent to convert Peterborough Abbey into a Cathedral [Map]. Bishop John Chambers was appointed Bishop of Peterborough.
On 23rd December 1541 Bishop John Chambers was consecrated Bishop of Peterborough at Peterborough Cathedral [Map].
In 1561 Bishop Edmund Scambler [aged 41] was elected Bishop of Peterborough.
On 7th February 1585 Bishop Richard Howand [aged 44] was consecrated as Bishop of Peterborough by Archbishop John Whitgift [aged 55] at Lambeth Palace [Map].
In 1663 Bishop Joseph Henshaw [aged 55] was appointed Bishop of Peterborough.
In 1685 Bishop Thomas White [aged 57] was appointed Bishop of Peterborough.
In 1691 Bishop Richard Cumberland [aged 59] was appointed Bishop of Peterborough.
John Evelyn's Diary. 19th April 1691. The Archbishop of Canterbury [aged 74], and Bishops of Ely [aged 53], Bath and Wells [aged 53], Peterborough [aged 63], Gloucester [aged 69], and the rest who would not take the oaths to King William [aged 40], were now displaced; and in their rooms, Dr. Tillotson [aged 60], Dean of St. Paul's, was made Archbishop: Patrick [aged 64] removed from Chichester to Ely; Cumberland [aged 59] to Gloucester. Note. A mistake. Bishop Edward Fowler was made Bishop of Gloucester. Bishop Richard Cumberland [aged 59] was made Bishop of Peterborough.
In 1747 Bishop Richard Terrick [aged 37] was elected Bishop of Peterborough through the influence of William Cavendish 4th Duke Devonshire [aged 26] the Prime Minister.
On 4th October 1747 Bishop John Thomas [aged 51] was consecrated Bishop of Peterborough at Lambeth Palace [Map].
Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes
Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.
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In 1764 Bishop Robert Lamb [aged 61] was elected Bishop of Peterborough.
In 1769 Bishop John Hinchcliffe [aged 38] was elected Bishop of Peterborough.
In 1769 Bishop John Hinchliffe [aged 38] was appointed Bishop of Peterborough.
Around March 1794 Bishop Spencer Madan [aged 65] was translated to Bishop of Peterborough.
On 15th November 1868 Archbishop William Connor Magee [aged 46] was consecrated Bishop of Peterborough.
On 25th April 1891 Bishop Mandell Crichton [aged 47] was consecrated Bishop of Peterborough.
In December 1912 Bishop Lewis Clayton [aged 74] was appointed assistant Bishop of Peterborough.